Now I KNOW I have ADHD...

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My psychologist had told me this about a year ago, but i didn't know really what any of the symptoms were. Well i found this little check list and just about all of them fit...some MAJORLY fit! Well...this certainly explains everything else in my life.

Thought I'd share:

Adult Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) Checklist
by Daniel G. Amen, M.D.
Terms of Use: This educational material is made available courtesy of the author and Attention Deficit Disorder Resources. You may reprint this article for personal use only.
The site link is http://www.addresources.org/article_checklist_amen.php

In conjunction with other diagnostic techniques, Dr Amen says he, "uses the following general adult ADHD checklist to help further define ADHD symptoms. No ADHD adult has all of the symptoms, but if you notice a strong presence of more than 20 of these symptoms, there is a strong likelihood of ADHD ."

Read this list of behaviors and rate yourself (or the person who has asked you to rate him or her) on each behavior listed. Use the following scale and place the appropriate number next to the item.

0 = never
1 = rarely
2 = occasionally
3 = frequently
4 = very frequently
**IMPORTANT: This is not a tool for self-diagnosis. Its purpose is simply to help you determine whether ADHD may be a factor in the behavior of the person you are assessing using this checklist. An actual diagnosis can be made only by an experienced professional.

Past History
1.__*History of ADHD symptoms in childhood, such as distractibility, short attention span, impulsivity or restlessness. ADHD doesn't start at age 30.

2.__History of not living up to potential in school or work (report cards with comments such as "not living up to potential")

3.__History of frequent behavior problems in school (mostly for males)

4.__History of bedwetting past age 5

5.__Family history of ADHD , learning problems, mood disorders or substance abuse problems

Short Attention Span/Distractibility
6.__*Short attention span, unless very interested in something

7.__*Easily distracted, tendency to drift away (although at times can be hyperfocused)

8.__Lacks attention to detail, due to distractibility

9.__Trouble listening carefully to directions

10.__Frequently misplaces things

11.__Skips around while reading, or goes to the end first, trouble staying on track

12.__Difficulty learning new games, because it is hard to stay on track during directions

13.__Easily distracted during sex, causing frequent breaks or turn-offs during lovemaking

14.__Poor listening skills

15.__Tendency to be easily bored (tunes out)

Restlessness
16.__Restlessness, constant motion, legs moving, fidgeting

17.__Has to be moving in order to think

18.__Trouble sitting still, such as trouble sitting in one place for too long, sitting at a desk job for long periods, sitting through a movie

19.__An internal sense of anxiety or nervousness

Impulsivity
20.__Impulsive, in words and/or actions (spending)

21.__Say just what comes to mind without considering its impact (tactless)

22.__Trouble going through established channels, trouble following proper procedure, an attitude of "read the directions when all else fails"

23.__Impatient, low frustration tolerance

24.__A prisoner of the moment

25.__Frequent traffic violations

26.__Frequent, impulsive job changes

27.__Tendency to embarrass others

28.__Lying or stealing on impulse

Poor Organization
29.__Poor organization and planning, trouble maintaining an organized work/living area

30.__Chronically late or chronically in a hurry

31.__Often have piles of stuff

32.__Easily overwhelmed by tasks of daily living

33.__Poor financial management (late bills, check book a mess, spending unnecessary money on late fees)

Problems Getting Started and Following Through
34.__Chronic procrastination or trouble getting started

35.__Starting projects but not finishing them, poor follow through

36.__Enthusiastic beginnings but poor endings

37.__Spends excessive time at work because of inefficiencies

38.__Inconsistent work performance

Negative Internal Feelings
39.__Chronic sense of under achievement, feeling you should be much further along in your life than you are

40.__Chronic problems with self-esteem

41.__Sense of impending doom

42.__Mood swings

43.__Negativity

44.__Frequent feeling of demoralization or that things won't work out for you

Relational Difficulties
45.__Trouble sustaining friendships or intimate relationships, promiscuity

46.__Trouble with intimacy

47.__Tendency to be immature

48.__Self-centered; immature interests

49.__Failure to see others' needs or activities as important

50.__Lack of talking in a relationship

51.__Verbally abusive to others

52.__Prone to hysterical outburst

53.__Avoids group activities

54.__Trouble with authority

Short Fuse
55.__Quick responses to slights that are real or imagined

56.__Rage outbursts, short fuse

Frequent Search For High Stimulation
57.__Frequent search for high stimulation (bungee jumping, gambling, race track, high stress jobs, ER doctors, doing many things at once, etc.)

58.__Tendency to seek conflict, be argumentative or to start disagreements for the fun of it

Tendency To Get Stuck (thoughts or behaviors)
59.__Tendency to worry needlessly and endlessly

60.__Tendency toward ADHD ictions (food, alcohol, drugs, work)

Switches Things Around
61.__Switches around numbers, letters or words

62.__Turn words around in conversations

Writing/Fine Motor Coordination Difficulties
63.__Poor writing skills (hard to get information from brain to pen)

64.__Poor handwriting, often prints

65.__Coordination difficulties

The Harder I Try The Worse It Gets
66.__Performance becomes worse under pressure.

67.__Test anxiety, or during tests your mind tends to go blank

68.__The harder you try, the worse it gets

69.__Work or schoolwork deteriorates under pressure

70.__Tendency to turn off or become stuck when asked questions in social situations

71.__Falls asleep or becomes tired while reading

Sleep/Wake Difficulties
72.__Difficulty falling asleep, may be due to too many thoughts at night

73.__Difficulty coming awake (may need coffee or other stimulant or activity before feeling fully awake)

Low Energy
74.__Periods of low energy, especially early in the morning and in the afternoon

75.__Frequently feeling tired

Sensitive To Noise Or Touch
76.__Startles easily

77.__Sensitive to touch, clothes, noise and light


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When you have completed the above checklist, calculate the Total Score: _______

Total Number of Items with a score of three (3) or more: _______

Score for Item #1: _______

Score for Item #6: _______

Score for Item #7: _______

Dr. Amen suggests: "More than 20 items with a score of three or more indicates a strong tendency toward ADHD . Note: The three items with * and a score above three are essential to make the diagnosis." He adds: "One of the most common ways I diagnose ADHD in adults is when parents reluctantly tell me that they have tried their child's medication and that they found it very helpful. They report it helped them concentrate for longer periods of time. They became more organized and were less impulsive. Trying your child's medication is not something I recommend!"

Editor's Note: If you believe your score indicates possible ADHD, then you might want to read these articles at our website: Tips for finding an ADHD Clinician and ADHD Support and ADHD 101.

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Top Ten ADHD Traps in the Workplace
and How to Avoid Getting Caught by Them!
by Kathleen Nadeau, Ph.D.
Bethesda, MD—2000
from www.addresources.com

Terms of Use: This educational material is made available courtesy of the author and Attention Deficit Disorder Resources. You may reprint this article for personal use only.

Many people with ADHD ask, "What are the best jobs for someone with ADHD?" If you talk to a number of ADHD experts you will receive a jumble of responses. Some feel that entrepreneurial activities, allowing maximum freedom, are best for those with ADHD. Others will recommend stimulating, action-oriented jobs—pilot, fireman, rescue worker. If you poll a large group of adults with ADHD who are successful in their work, however, you will discover that adults with ADHD are achieving positive results in a huge array of careers including teachers, computer scientists, attorneys, photojournalists , and almost any other type of career you can name. A better question to ask, in seeking career advice, is what are the characteristics that make a particular job "ADHD-friendly"? The truth is that almost every career path contains jobs which are very good for someone with ADHD, as well as those which could be disastrous for someone with ADHD. The key is to find or to create ADHD-friendly jobs within your career track. Step one is to find a career track which is a good match for you. To do this you need to consider your:

Interests
Personality type
Areas of strength
Areas of weakness
Level of training

Once you have honed in on a career track, and have received the type of training you need to pursue this career, then is the time to think about "ADHD Traps" at work, and how to minimize or avoid them in your job search. What are some of those typical traps? Not surprisingly, many of those "traps" read like a list of ADHD symptoms. Dealing with those potential traps requires careful consideration before you accept a job, but will also require that you become "ADHD-savvy" once you are on the job. And remember, if at first you don't succeed, ..... Don't lose heart. You may need to go through a series of jobs, either within an organization, or among several organizations before you have learned enough about your own patterns and needs to make the very best choice.
The "Top Ten ADHD Traps" at work and what to do about them:

Distractibility
Distractions can be "external" in the environment, or "internal", i.e., distracted by our own meandering train of thought. External distractions are rampant in the current open office environment, which is very ADHD-unfriendly. Here are a few ideas for coping with external distractions:

-Ask for flex-time in order to have some less-distracting time at work.
-Ask for permission to work at home part of the time.
-Use head phones or a white noise machine to muffle sounds.
-Face your desk away from the line of traffic.
-Ask to use private offices or conference rooms for periods of time.

Internal distractions can be even tougher to avoid, but here are some tips.

-Write down your intrusive ideas so you can get back to task.
-Use a beeper to sound at regular intervals to remind you to come back "to task."
-Work at a particular task for briefer intervals, and shift to a new task when you find your attention wandering. This technique may work best at tasks which you find boring and repetitive.


Impulsivity
Impulsivity can take a number of forms at work—but the common denominator is lack of thought before action!

-If you impulsively commit to projects and then can't follow through, develop the habit of saying, "I'd like to, but let me check my schedule."
-If you are an impulsive job-hopper, catch yourself before you "take this job and shove it." It may help to talk your dissatisfactions over with a friend or spouse, and look for less drastic solutions.
-If you impulsively blurt out comments in meetings which you later regret, learn to take notes, write down what you're thinking of saying. This will give you time to consider—is this a good thing to say? What is the best way to say it?
-If you impulsively jump into complex projects without a plan, which can lead to enormous inefficiency and increased cost, team up with someone who is better at planning an organizing. That way your energy and enthusiasm can be put to positive use!


Hyperactivity
Many jobs today are sedentary, and are poorly suited to ADHD adults on the hyperactive end of the continuum. If you tend to tap, pace or wander throughout the building aimlessly your hyperactivity may be misconstrued negatively as boredom or poor motivation. Here are some coping techniques.

-Engage in "intentional fidgeting" by taking notes during meetings —you'll look interested, not bored (but don't doodle!)
-Plan your day to include productive movement—picking up the mail, talking to a colleague, walking to a meeting the long way.
-Bring your lunch and exercise during your lunch break.
-Look for work which requires movement—from one job site to another, multiple contract jobs, or work which is outdoors or on your feet


Memory Problems
"Forgetfulness" is often a daily problem for adults with ADHD. The more complex or high stress your day is, the more likely you are to forget. What to do???

-Live by the rule—"Do it now or write it down."
-Don't just write it on a scrap of paper—keep your agenda with you at all times.
-Learn to check your agenda often during the day.
-Set beepers or timers to remind you of times to make a phone call or leave for a meeting.


Boredom
Many adults with ADHD comment that they "can't stand to be bored" and that they are very prone to boredom. The first and most important step to avoid boredom is to select a career path which is of high interest to you. Even in the best chosen of careers, however, boredom can enter in. Here are some tips.

-Do the boring stuff at high energy times of the day. Don't wait until you are tired.
-Delegate boring tasks whenever possible. What is intolerable to you may seem like an easy task to someone else.
-Break boring tasks up into small bites.
-Recognize your need for change and stimulation and actively work to introduce more change or challenge into your work life.


Time Management Problems
There are several types of time management problems which are classic to adults with ADHD. You may recognize yourself in some of these dilemmas.

-Hyperfocusing—Oh, no! It's what time? I should have left 20 minutes ago! If you get caught up in what you're doing and lose track of time, develop the habit of setting a beeper to go off when you should leave.
-Running late—Also often known as "just-one-more-thing-itis" Plan to be early, and take something to do when you get there (a book, paperwork) to counteract your "I-hate-to-wait-itis". Catch yourself answering the phone, or doing one last little task, stop, and remind yourself—"It's time to leave. I'll do that later."
-Over-commitment—Many ADHD adults tend to cram far too many things into each day. This leads them to be highly stressed and usually late to each of the day's commitments. Try to consciously under-commit your time. There are always things you can do if you find free time on your hands, and you'll find you're doing things more effectively because you're not always rushed.


Procrastination
Procrastination can be a tremendous stumbling block for adults with ADHD. Although everyone procrastinates to some extent, it is often a huge problem for those with ADHD. Deadlines serve as starting points rather than finishing points—leading to huge time crunches, all-nighters, and projects and proposals turned in late, time after time—not a good way to promote yourself as an effective, responsible professional.

-Look for work that requires more immediate responses by its very nature. This eliminates the possibility of procrastination.
-Build in rewards for completing undesirable tasks.
-Request closer supervision. Procrastination flourishes in secrecy!


Difficulty with Long-term Projects
Problems completing long-term projects are often related to a cluster of difficulties including poor time-management, procrastination tendencies, and difficulty with planning and organization. For adults with ADHD, participation in long-term projects usually works best if you can:

-Team up with others to work in close-cooperation. Weekly or even daily team-meetings can help you stay on-track.
-Break the project down into stages, estimate the time required by each stage.
-In planning, start at the due–date and then work backwards in your calendar, setting dates for the completion of each part of the project.
Review your progress regularly with your supervisor.
-Identify parts of the project that you are having trouble with and actively identify a solution. Ask yourself—Do you have the knowledge or resources for this portion. Do you need the help of another team member?


Paperwork
Paperwork is typically the "black hole" in the workplace for adults with ADHD. Paperwork requires organization, self-discipline to complete boring tasks, and attention to detail—all of which are typically difficult for those with ADHD.

-Look for work which minimizes paperwork.
-Look for ways to streamline your paperwork. Can you dictate and have someone else type your notes for you?
-Do your paperwork FIRST before you are tired and frustrated from other events of the day.
-Ask for help before you have created an insurmountable mountain of paperwork.
-Develop a filing system which is SIMPLE—then USE IT!


Interpersonal Difficulties
Many adults with ADHD engage in behaviors on the job which bother co-workers, and about which they are completely unaware! Feedback from a trusted friend or spouse can help build awareness. Here are some typical ADHD interpersonal patterns which you may need to monitor in order to minimize.

-Monologuing—Some individuals with ADHD become so engrossed when they are talking about a topic which interests them that they forget to monitor the reactions of their audience are they interested in what I'm saying, or are they giving signs that they would like to shift the topic or leave the interaction?
-Interrupting—This is a widespread pattern, rarely meant to be rude, but which often results in irritation and resentment over time. In meetings write your comment down if you're afraid you'll forget. In conversation, monitor yourself, and apologize and stop talking if you catch yourself interrupting.
-Being blunt—This gets back to that old truism—"It's not what you say, but how you say it." Some adults with ADHD blurt out a reaction without taking the time to phrase it in a sensitive fashion. If you are one of those adults who congratulates yourself on your "refreshing honesty", you may want to ask for a little feedback about how your comments are taken.


Now that we've covered the "top ten traps" at work, I hope that you come away with the message that these traps are manageable, both through careful job selection, and through honest self-assessment and self-management. If you are in a job where you are experiencing serious difficulties don't immediately assume that you are in the "wrong job." Try some of the coping tips mentioned in this article before deciding that you need to move on. Don't get caught in the biggest trap of all—that dream that somewhere the "perfect" job exists which won't require any efforts or adjustments on your part. Yes, you need to make an "ADHD-savvy" job choice, but also you need to take charge of your ADHD—by understanding your needs, knowing your limits, knowing when to ask for help, and learning how to emphasize your strengths and talents! Good luck in staying out of the traps and heading for a hole in one!


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Kathleen Nadeau, Ph.D. is the director of Chesapeake Psychological Services of Maryland (CPS-MD), in Silver Spring, Maryland, a clinic staffed by mental health professionals who provide psycho-diagnostic testing to evaluate AD/HD, learning disabilities, and related disorders. She and her staff also provide individual, couples, group, family. adolescent and child therapy focused on AD/HD and related issues Dr. Nadeau is one of the first professionals to focus on adult AD/HD issues, as well as one of the first professionals to focus on the unique concerns of women and girls with AD/HD. She has written numerous books on ADHD.

courtesy of the National Center for Gender Issues and ADHD—a nonprofit advocacy organization for girls and women with ADHD. Visit NCGI at www.ncgiadd.org.

[KatieRose]

Jenna,

I'm still here. I'm not going anywhere.

KatieRose