I have ADHD. Anyone here? Reply or send PM! Please!

[timofonic]

Hello.

Well, it's time to get out of closet again as I did in another forum thread. I'm ADHD.

I want to know other people with ADHD in the electronics field, their experiences and current situation.  You can reply here or sending a PM.

I also want to know how your environment managed it: Family, friends, public healthcare ...


Here's my story...

 I have ADHD with severe anxiety, social skills, mild depression (apathy and general demotivation...), motor skill issues and spatial issues. I was diagnosed a year ago, but I was somewhat diagnosed 3yo in a no formal basis and had a prescription my parents ended to give me because it made me sleepy. ADHD have similarities with autism.

I'm trying to overcome my issues and get some private therapy, but it's damn expensive and public mental healthcare SUCKS in very diverse ways here in Spain. I at least managed to get a methylphenidate prescription and helps me a bit. The local ADHD charity sucks too and is targeted at children, they just hired a psychologist and provide somewhat cheaper prices.

Private therapy is expensive ands most of the time proffessionals have no clue about Adult ADHD. Psychologists and pedagogists also lack of technical background to adapt my therapy to my studies and likings (I understand an engineer+psychologist/pedagogist can be a very rare gem, but they mostly have secondary school knowledge at most), they exposed me to child-like content and expect me to pay a lot to get some long time results. I at least managed to pay a good diagnostic,  something public healthcare were unable to give me.

I'm studying an electronics course at a vocational training school (I wanted to enter university,  but it seemed an impossible challenge to me), I'm a failed student and also lack the necessary skills to study properly (organization, able to summary information, lack of concentration, poor maths...). Some teachers were kind of nice at the start, but didn't provide me enough help and now most are asses to me and they aren't happy I didn't assist too many classes. We have classes 8 to 14:20 (it's exausting to me, I wish we had one like in university) and being 27 classmates, tons of them bullying me moderately and just a few help me a bit.

I have no incomes and my mother has a very limited economy, so it's a difficult path.

People consider me lazy and even dumb, tons of people try to take advantage of my poor social life to help them with computer stuff. I have a few friends, but most of them are stupid and not meet with me, just one but she's always as volunteer in poor countries. These days I'm avoiding assholes and specially those trying to take advantage of me, despite feeling a bit lonely.

I managed to get a girlfriend since two years and a half. She has anxiety issues and had a very bad father (to put it in mild words) and have problems with my teenage-like situation and my behaviour issues, she considered to break our relationship several times. Fortunately things are improving again, but she expects I get and adult life and I'm not sure when.

Everything stress me and I'm unable to organize my life. I'm very afraid to fail this course at the vocational training school, I failed and most subjects and need to do second chance exams at June.

I would do all kind of therapy or even jobs that require social skills, but a high unemployment rate and lack of job experience make it difficult.

I don't want others give me condolences or any other crap, I just wanted to explain my case and condition. I know lots of people that are unaware of it and are unable to understand it.

Despite of all that, I'm improving moderately and not going to give it up. I'm not innocent, I need to change my behaviour in lots of ways too.

Regards

[free_electron]

you have Analog  / Digital converters with High Definition. Perfect for an electronics geek !

[ivan747]

PM sent

[timofonic]

Thanks for sharing, hopefully it will help people understand.

I hope so!

I reply this message to help in visibility, too!

Some people replied me very nice private messages, one before this forum post. Thanks a lot for your kind words and nice advices, it motivates and help me to design my own DIY therapy (and still trying to get some support, I found a volunteer person at a local volunteer public institution) . There's the hard part of put it in practice, but that's life!

I still miss information about ADHD support in other zones, specially in the tech field. I would even move to another country if that can improve my life, I'm planning to improve my English and get a good English certificate.

ADHD forums are mostly just places to sell you products, coachers and people telling their sad life or if it's improving. No real data about ADHD support, some of it is mostly full of ads or paywalled such as Additude Magazine.

Are there someone in mental health that is an electronics hobbyist here? Maybe he could provide me a nice perspective.

Can Dave put this forum thread in a more visible way? I know it's not about electronics, but many of us suffer issues that make us very difficult o learn and work on electronics. I can edit or improve the message, just say the requirements and ill do it!

Kind regards!

[Christopher]

I find it very difficult to talk to people and strike up a conversation. I don't have many friends outside of work... Maybe I just have the typical engineer mind 

It does get a *lot* easier. Make sure you apply yourself at college and make sure you do at least one hour of your own study for every hour you do in class.

[timofonic]

I find it very difficult to talk to people and strike up a conversation. I don't have many friends outside of work... Maybe I just have the typical engineer mind 

It does get a *lot* easier. Make sure you apply yourself at college and make sure you do at least one hour of your own study for every hour you do in class.

I lack discipline. Now I'm lurking instead studying, going to stop right now.

I'm 30 years old, it's a major issue for me people shout my age all $*#+  time when tries to apply discipline, ridiculize me or escape from their lack of teaching skills and shitty resourceless ducation centers (and try to hide it with some crappy strict rules nobody does because is nonsense).

And behaving sometimes like a teenager,  feeling tired and bored of everything,  dragging my feet or needing to move a lot sometimes is shameful. I act stupid, then I'm extremely aware of it just after doing it.

My center also has broken and very outdated lab equipment, but also lack of support classes and helping adult students with special needs like mine. It's a very noisy place and classmates dont shut up, some of them even playing or saying stupid jokes like children (and some of these are mid twenties!). They are a Christian center from "Jesuitas" (compañía de Jesús) and one of their main slogans are about helping others and providing good education (oh the irony!). At the same time, it's considered one of the best centers in my ci.

I like to rant a lot, I know. I'm sorry to bore people, don't need to read this if you don't have interest in the topic...

[Bud]

Do you sleep well, do you exersize? Look at your diet, exclude junk food, eat more vegies/fruits. Reduce alcohol consumption. This is trivial advices but start from improving your physical health.

[leppie]

I have ADHD too (well technically ADD in adults). I was only diagnosed in my mid 20's, after flunking thru university. I am 40 now.

Your symptoms are similar to what I have and over time my shrink has managed to get a nice combo to deal with it.

Currently I am using Concerta (this is much better than Ritalin) and Cymgen (for secondary depression).

This is not cheap. Mine is about US$90 a month, but if you care about the quality of life, that is a small cost. Without it, I become a zombie. I cannot  work, think and just want to sleep.

As others said, supplement this with exercise and healthy eating, if you can. That said, I dont ;p

Best way to deal with it personally, is to accept it. Make it work from within. Dont compare yourself to other people. If you cant find the right people to hang out with, rather entertain yourself. Find a hobby or skill you are passionate about.

Also go get your testosterone levels checked (if you are male) as this can make the symptoms of ADHD a lot worse.

[marshallh]

Weightlifting is a huge help towards regulating my depression and other things (like increased T that helps anxiety). You also get stronger.

[Mechanical Menace]

Weightlifting is a huge help towards regulating my depression and other things (like increased T that helps anxiety). You also get stronger.

Debatable and very dependent on your routine and what you're trying to achieve. If your goal is the imaginary "perfect body" and your doing a body building workout you'll (generally) be weaker than actual athletes or power lifters of equal weight. But yes any exercise will help with depression to some extent. Just getting out for a walk is much more benefit than you'd expect.

Do you sleep well, do you exersize? Look at your diet, exclude junk food, eat more vegies/fruits. Reduce alcohol consumption. This is trivial advices but start from improving your physical health.

Fruit is a bad idea, too many simple sugars, natures junk food in more than just their effect on your teeth.


I have AADHD (adult ADHD, I still have hyperactive tendencies lol) co-morbid with low grade mixed bipolar disorder. Rebuilding my life and getting a handle on things after my last manic period took a long time, especially as you have to learn to deal with both and not just one at a time. But now I at least have coping mechanisms and routines that help me get by productively without drugs, though I'll admit I do have an emergency stash.

I deal with the ADHD side by always having more than one thing to do. If I'm getting down to some work I'll also be listening to music, audio books, podcasts, watching a TV series etc. I let myself go off on tangents and get distracted at times but make sure I get back to work within 1/5th of the time I've already been working. I don't stop for lunch or dinner.

I have my workspace set up so I can pace about. My desk and benches are set up so I can work sat down or stood up. I generally have at least 2 jobs on the go to switch between even if they are modules of the same project.  People who may have the need know not to interrupt me with anything that isn't directly related to what I'm working on unless it's an emergency.

I also make sure I'm up by 6 every morning, no matter what I have to do and when I got to bed.

[timofonic]

I have ADHD too (well technically ADD in adults). I was only diagnosed in my mid 20's, after flunking thru university. I am 40 now.

Your symptoms are similar to what I have and over time my shrink has managed to get a nice combo to deal with it.

Currently I am using Concerta (this is much better than Ritalin) and Cymgen (for secondary depression).

This is not cheap. Mine is about US$90 a month, but if you care about the quality of life, that is a small cost. Without it, I become a zombie. I cannot  work, think and just want to sleep.

As others said, supplement this with exercise and healthy eating, if you can. That said, I dont ;p

Best way to deal with it personally, is to accept it. Make it work from within. Dont compare yourself to other people. If you cant find the right people to hang out with, rather entertain yourself. Find a hobby or skill you are passionate about.

Also go get your testosterone levels checked (if you are male) as this can make the symptoms of ADHD a lot worse.

I'm 30 and practically no job experience. This surpasses me, my girlfriend gets angry of all my fails (I often have bad motor skills and accidentally collide on objects, I forget things to do or parts of it...) and I end getting upset because it.

I'm very sick of my mother, I want to move from her home. She's a negative person, somewhat depressed and unable to support me emonionally. She often blames me for all my past faults (I'm very far of being a good son, spending money and not helping at home and a lot more) and how expensive my therapy and studies is. She's quite cold and inaffective with my girlfriend and mother-in-law, that often supports me about helping me improve, but at least my mother paid me diagnostic (but she was very bad collaborimg on if and often putting excuses to.not assist) and a month of therapy.

I also have some OCD attitudes I need to know, that makes.me very inefficient and annoying in sociability.


 I know I'm not easy to manage and very inefficient, I'm trying to fix it in all possible ways.

[timofonic]

I got aspergers syndrom, in the spectre as they say.. there are many with aspergers syndrom on this forum. If memory serves me right i think the chief himeslf said he was a tad aspie. Correct me if im wrong. :-)

Some ADHD have some Asperger behaviours, there's debate about having both or if ADHD falls in the spectrum.

[Zero999]

What's with title of the thread? You're a human being, not ADHD. Labels aren't always good. It's good to be aware one has a problem or a difficulty but applying labels can be counterproductive.

If your goal is the imaginary "perfect body" and your doing a body building workout you'll (generally) be weaker than actual athletes or power lifters of equal weight.

That's a bad reason to work out and can lead to other psychological problems which people with ADHD are more prone to.  Exercise because you enjoy it and it's good for your health.

Fruit is a bad idea, too many simple sugars, natures junk food in more than just their effect on your teeth.

There's nothing wrong with fruit. It may contain sugar but it's mixed with fibre and vitamins, so it's not a junk food. There's nothing wrong with it, as long as you eat other things and brush your teeth.

[timofonic]

What's with title of the thread? You're a human being, not ADHD. Labels aren't always good. It's good to be aware one has a problem or a difficulty but applying labels can be counterproductive.

If your goal is the imaginary "perfect body" and your doing a body building workout you'll (generally) be weaker than actual athletes or power lifters of equal weight.

That's a bad reason to work out and can lead to other psychological problems which people with ADHD are more prone to.  Exercise because you enjoy it and it's good for your health.

Fruit is a bad idea, too many simple sugars, natures junk food in more than just their effect on your teeth.

There's nothing wrong with fruit. It may contain sugar but it's mixed with fibre and vitamins, so it's not a junk food. There's nothing wrong with it, as long as you eat other things and brush your teeth.

You're right! It's part due to language barrier (English isn't my native language), but also that wrong way people with ADHD call themselves.

I'm changing the topic right now.

Thanks!

[timofonic]

Hello.

I also contacted with over 30 ADHD support groups by email (two from UK, no replies), two of them replied me and provided some interesting information.

I'm finally getting less comcentrated than usual. I also got informed there's a law for special education that gives me the usual ADHD education (one of the support groups informed me about it) but my center didn't provide me because I'm an adult. Despite final course is getting near, I'll demand them.

One of the support groups suggested that maybe methilphenidate 54mg isn't enough for me and maybe Vyvanse/Elvanse could provide better results, because my prescription is usually given to 12yo. I'm worried that prescription can be more expensive, as some people said over Internet.

I meet right now in some minutes with the mental health nurse, let's see what she says to me.

[timofonic]

Another episode of my pitiful life.

I didnt assist two classes this week. I need to get motivated, my private tutor helped me a lot about it but I cant affort it until someday the scholarship arrives.

I feel lazy and bored of everything again.

Lack of social life and no money makes everything go downhill.

How do you cope with it?

[BradC]

How do you cope with it?

By getting out of bed every morning and making a choice. You have two alternatives. Get on with life, or go back to bed. When you recognize that you need to get on with life it becomes easier not to go back to bed. Some mornings you go back to bed, but with support from those around you those mornings become less and less frequent. They still happen, but understanding that everyone has bad days makes those easier to deal with.

There is a third choice, but I prefer to keep having birthdays.

Simply put, you *have* to figure out something that works for you. The two alternatives are to waste your life wallowing in pity, or stop having a life to waste.

Figuring out what works for you is not easy, and it will evolve as you do, but you need somewhere to start. Blaming your "condition" is not helping you. Own it, start analyzing it and figure out how to work around it.

[timofonic]

How do you cope with it?

By getting out of bed every morning and making a choice. You have two alternatives. Get on with life, or go back to bed. When you recognize that you need to get on with life it becomes easier not to go back to bed. Some mornings you go back to bed, but with support from those around you those mornings become less and less frequent. They still happen, but understanding that everyone has bad days makes those easier to deal with.

There is a third choice, but I prefer to keep having birthdays.

Simply put, you *have* to figure out something that works for you. The two alternatives are to waste your life wallowing in pity, or stop having a life to waste.

Figuring out what works for you is not easy, and it will evolve as you do, but you need somewhere to start. Blaming your "condition" is not helping you. Own it, start analyzing it and figure out how to work around it.

I agree.

I lack friends, I only see one of them very rarely. This makes me bored.

I try to seem cool with my gf, Im afraid she gets bored of me. I fail at it...

I sometimes think about the third option, but it disappears from mind.

I'm upset of wasting time and having mind fog these days. Theraphy and private tutor helped me stimulate my mind and be more active, but I have no money these days again.

I'm tired of people treating me like an idiot, not having friends, unable to stay on schedule, lack of willpower, feeling tired and living like a lazy teenage.

I usually get out of bed,  (but I had a bunch of isolation days in the course) but need more driving force to go to priority tasks and not waste time. I get confused about what to do and when. I lost hope, things seem more difficult each time, like a mountain that gets bigger.

My mother had many years of supporting me and she has some limitations, too. I dont want to make her suffer me, she had enough.

[Galenbo]

I lack friends, I only see one of them very rarely. This makes me bored.
...I'm tired of people treating me like an idiot, not having friends, unable to stay on schedule, lack of willpower, feeling tired and living like a lazy teenage.

What are your expieriences with going to a sport club twice week or doing evening classes?

I mean no old-men darts club but running or tennis, no obscure course but studying something like a language.

[lapm]

After reading this OP, i had to write reply...

First things first, i dont have ADHD.. My wife does.. I myself have very mild ADD, im almost fully normal, but time to time my brain just does funny things. Most often this manifest itself when writing something, i misspell a lot and dont always just see it even if i read text over and over.. Also i can super immerse myself so rest of the world fades somewhere in background. I believe some call it flow state or zone in..

My first advice would be, if you think you have ADHD, go to doctor right now. Get professional help. There are medications that help leviate some of the symptoms and allows you to manage life little better. But not every doctor can give you them since they are usually carefully monitored. So you need to get started and start looking one that has specialized to ADHD and its treatment.

Get all help you can get, trust me. DIY stuff can only get you so far.

We have molded our marriage over the years in way that i take care of those things that are very difficult to my wife, such as handling money and payment of bills. And yes, i did know she has ADHD and how bad it can be at times, before i married her. We were together 7 years before marriage.

Most of all remember that you are not ADHD, its just conditions that you have. You as person are much more then that. So don't reduce yourself for just that. There is help available, you just have to be willing to seek it out and take it.

Also if you have difficulty at school, go talk to student counselor. At least in my country in special cases they can allow you to take some of the test/exams verbally. Teacher ask questions and you answer. At least t my wife that helped a lot on exams.. But school cant help if they don't know you are struggling...

[timofonic]

After reading this OP, i had to write reply...

First things first, i dont have ADHD.. My wife does.. I myself have very mild ADD, im almost fully normal, but time to time my brain just does funny things. Most often this manifest itself when writing something, i misspell a lot and dont always just see it even if i read text over and over.. Also i can super immerse myself so rest of the world fades somewhere in background. I believe some call it flow state or zone in..

My first advice would be, if you think you have ADHD, go to doctor right now. Get professional help. There are medications that help leviate some of the symptoms and allows you to manage life little better. But not every doctor can give you them since they are usually carefully monitored. So you need to get started and start looking one that has specialized to ADHD and its treatment.

I have a good diagnostic,  I take methylphenidate 54mg in released form.

I have no incomes to pay for therapy or private mental health proffesionals. I was able to pay a private tutor, but I depend on my mother and we are economically struggling.

Get all help you can get, trust me. DIY stuff can only get you so far.

We have molded our marriage over the years in way that i take care of those things that are very difficult to my wife, such as handling money and payment of bills. And yes, i did know she has ADHD and how bad it can be at times, before i married her. We were together 7 years before marriage.

My gf have problems molding at me, 2.6 years relationship.

Most of all remember that you are not ADHD, its just conditions that you have. You as person are much more then that. So don't reduce yourself for just that. There is help available, you just have to be willing to seek it out and take it.

I don't know what I am. I have no studies, I'm unemployed and no job experience, I have no social life and I failed four subjects of six in the vocational training school.

Also if you have difficulty at school, go talk to student counselor. At least in my country in special cases they can allow you to take some of the test/exams verbally. Teacher ask questions and you answer. At least t my wife that helped a lot on exams.. But school cant help if they don't know you are struggling...

They are total assholes, in a complex way.  They have a copy of my diagnostic since start of course. The diagnostic is very detailed, I explained them my issues.

They say I'm old enough and not need it, they didn't adapt to my condition. I also lack assertiveness,  so I have problems with confrontation, maybe a bit like aspies?

I'll insist again and take legal actions if possible. I'll also talk seriously with the psychiatrist of public mental healthcare, maybe I need my medication to be revised.

[Zero999]

I lack friends, I only see one of them very rarely. This makes me bored.
...I'm tired of people treating me like an idiot, not having friends, unable to stay on schedule, lack of willpower, feeling tired and living like a lazy teenage.

What are your expieriences with going to a sport club twice week or doing evening classes?

I mean no old-men darts club but running or tennis, no obscure course but studying something like a language.

Well he said:

motor skill issues and spatial issues.

That might make sports very difficult, possibly even embarrassing, which could be one of the reasons why he developed social anxiety.

Learning a language will be difficult if one doesn't have the attention span and is too hyperactive to still in a class for long.

[timofonic]

I lack friends, I only see one of them very rarely. This makes me bored.
...I'm tired of people treating me like an idiot, not having friends, unable to stay on schedule, lack of willpower, feeling tired and living like a lazy teenage.

What are your expieriences with going to a sport club twice week or doing evening classes?

I mean no old-men darts club but running or tennis, no obscure course but studying something like a language.

Well he said:

motor skill issues and spatial issues.

That might make sports very difficult, possibly even embarrassing, which could be one of the reasons why he developed social anxiety.

Learning a language will be difficult if one doesn't have the attention span and is too hyperactive to still in a class for long.

I'm able to somewhat control my hyperactivity in class, but my attention span is a pain. Pills helped me a bit, but not enough.

Maybe I would something unrealistic for this society and someone with low incomes: A tutor to teach and help me organize my life, motivate me. I try to find it, but I'm still failing at it.

Anyway, I'll go tomorrow to public mental health and demand in school about accommodations.

[SeanB]

Are you near to the sea? If so take up something like surfing, or even just running along the beach or swimming on a regular basis. Spain has some good beaches, and there are plenty of beaches I hear that are both low use and where you are able to be active if you feel embarrassed by being in a T shirt and trunks.

Sunshine, sea air and just being outside helps a lot.

[Tinkerer]

I have ADD, but it was diagnosed early on.

Problems keeping up with stuff? Sticking around for things? Staying on objective?

Give yourself alot of different things to do. Work on one thing, get bored with it, continue with another. Around and around it goes and stuff actually gets accomplished.
Yes, motivation is something, but sometimes I force myself to do stuff. I am aloof from alot of people. Shear will power to stick with stuff. Identify the problem, figure out the solution and then do it. Taking Ritelin also helps. However, caffiene has the same effect for me. Its just that caffiene gets removed from your system alot quicker.