Hello, I think I have adhd . What should I do next?. BTW. Im 18 and a college student. I actually took a leave of absence from school because the work became so difficult.

Have you had school and studying problems before this?

What courses do/did you have?

Name four ways you have problems in school.

The first thing you need to do is get a diagnosis from a Physician. After that there are several available courses for you - but the diagnosis comes first.

Did you take any of the advice on your other thread - https://www.askmehelpdesk.com/emotional-wellbeing/direction-life-608588.html#post2934603

Have you had school and studying problems before this?

What courses do/did you have?

Name four ways you have problems in school.



His name was familiar to me - https://www.askmehelpdesk.com/emotional-wellbeing/direction-life-608588.html#post2934603

Good catch, Judy! And your suggestion is right on! He shouldn't diagnose himself.

I have always had problems in school. Every single year I was placed in summer school and also had to take tutoring. I can't focus. Its like I can never think of one single thought for a long period. Also, when I really need to concentrate , like when I am doing an assignment , I begin to day dream, or think of other things. I always tap my feet, bite my nails, or rub my fingers together.

Because of this, when I was in school I felt hopeless , stressed and depressed. My cases weren't difficult classes. I am a chronic procrastinator. I am also disorganized and forgetful. I took three test on line and I always scored above the average adhd markings. Idk . And there is a bunch of other things

Did you ever see a therapist or psychologist about this?

No. When I was younger my teachers would hint it to my mother but she doesn't believe in this like that. She thinks I'm lazy.

I know you are good at writing. What else are you good at? What do you like to do?

Well, I like the outdoors, and dancing . I like to learn about new things, about other places in the world.The world we live on is so vast, with so many different kinds of cultures. I can't wait to start traveling. :) I also like to acquire knowledge in school , just knowing that I know things make me happy . I like cooking and drawing and making people laugh.

What about going to a technical school to learn art or even cooking?

Forest ranger comes to mind too. Tour guide/employee at a national park?

Nah , I don't want to have a career in those fields. They're just hobbies. It sounds fun though. I want to work with children but not as a teacher or a care taker. I also want to graduate college with a bachelor's degree. Idk in what yet. I enjoy being in school and going to class; it's the work that is so hard. If I was assigned to write 1 page paper in an hour... double space. I would probably actually use ten minuets to do it. I would write a sentence, do something else, then write another sentence. I am just frustrated with myself. For instance, if I'm with a group of people doing homework, I would be the person distracting everyone. Idk . Sometimes I really try to be good, and sit there and study or do homework but I just can't even though I want to. :(

What can the school do to help you?

Are you still on campus or back at home?

Public libraries want to attract more males to work with kids and teens especially.

My advisor recommended I take a leave of absence and "get help". So I did. I tried telling my mother that I think I might have adhd . Her exact words were, " I know but you have been okay until now." I thought about all the years of summer school , tutoring , inconsistent grades on my report cards, teachers saying "she is not using her full potential". How in the world is that okay.

Im thinking of getting help on my own and call the school psy. Office to see if they have and recommendations in nyc. The only thing is that I still need my mother insurance info.

May I ask which school it is? (I'm from near Rochester and live near Chicago now.)

Will she give you her insurance info? I hope so.

Now it sounds like you are getting a plan together. Good for you! I'm with you all the way!

Thank you . I attend SUNY New Paltz. Wow you live in Chicago. I hear it's a lovely city.

Yes, Chicago is a beautiful city, and getting prettier. My regret is never going to NYC. I got as far south as Kingston.

Kingston is very close to New Paltz. Thank you so much for your concern.

I want you to stay in touch and let me (us) know what's going on with you. Okay?

Okay, I will. Thank you once again. Its always nice to just talk things out .

And by the way , I'm a girl. Lolz

Ah, it's a girl! (That's what they say at birth. I feel like you have just been born in this thread.) I don't think of ADHD and girls, so sorry I missed that and never even asked you "what" you are. The "H" is hyperactivity, so maybe it's more of an ADD kind of thing from your description of inability to focus -- or who knows. I really am looking forward to following you as you learn more about whatever has been keeping you down all these years.

Lolz. The journey begins.

Be sure to explore food allergies, vitamin intake, and environmental allergies.

Okay, I will.

Do you think there is a relation between allergies and add.

Well, my husband often had a numb brain, couldn't focus in school, never finished college, and figured he had ADD. We since have figured out that he has Asperger's but is also very sensitive to gluten. When he doesn't eat foods containing gluten, it makes all the difference in the world as to how sharp his mind is and how good he feels.

Not that that is your problem, but more and more is being found out about gluten and how it affects people. There are environmental allergies too, so might be worth looking into that.

That is very insightful. I went to the doctor for a full check up before I went to school. That was about a year ago. He said everything was good and on the right levels. I think I might go the doctor and check again . And while I'm there I might ask him about ADD and if he know anyone who specializes in that field .

And please don't diagnose yourself. You have trouble focusing and staying on task. Maybe check back with some teachers from grade or high school or read comments on your report cards. At this point, you are simply gathering evidence and building a case.

Are you from a town near New Paltz? Why are you going there? I could have gone to SUNY-Brockport, but came here to Chicago instead to go to college.

It just that as I was growing up people ( teachers and counselors ) would bring it up . I can remember as I was growing up , my mother was always required to go to the parent teacher conference because I was struggling in certain areas of school. The teacher would say something like, " she is a good student behavior wise but she does not pay attention or concentrate, she needs extra help". And my mother would say " we will get her tutoring. And that was the end of it until the next year. Year after year, from elementary school to high school. Now I'm in college and I'm required to be more independent . I need to sit down and read chapters of information and I can't. I shouldn't diagnose myself . You're right . But now my focusing issue is affecting other aspects of my life . For the moment , while I am at work , my boss will give me instructions and I won't catch everything he said because I was not fully paying attention. And then there is time management.

I go to school in New Paltz. I am a student at the State University of New Paltz. but I came back to home which is in Manhattan because of my leave of absence.

I want to be evaluated . To make sure there is nothing wrong, and if there isn't. I will have to find other ways to learn to focus.

There are many things you can do to compensate. For instance, my husband writes things down, keeps a list on a 3x5 card of things he wants to do that day, then checks them off one by one. You should be able to get a tutor even in college, even if it's another student who wants to pick up a few bucks. Depending on the class, you might want to make flash cards for the "trivia" you might have to learn, as for a language class or anatomy. If you own the textbooks, you can highlight or make notes in the margins or whatever works for you as you read the chapters.

BTW what school do you go to in Chicago. Wow SUNY Brockport . Chicago is so fascinating to me. It's a booming city just like NYC. I would like to visit Chicago in the future because of the public art work. Like that huge mental sculpture, that proudly reflects the city of Chicago.

Yeah, I'll try to be more organized to. I don't want to jump to a conclusion and blame it for the way I am. I just really need to take the time to investigate and find out the proper solution.

I grew up in a dairy farm town north of Brockport and south of the lake, and have lived here since I came to college. By the way, I could be your grandmother.

Wow you lived near a farm. I love rural areas. I would love to live in an area with just trees and a clear blue sky. I just love nature all around me. New Paltz is very close to that. There is a mountain in the town and a lot of hippies live in the town because Woodstock is close by. I might become a hippie. Just kidding. Some of them have such interesting stories and have traveled all over the country... sorry I'm side tracking.

Thank you by the way. You are really patience and benevolent. People like you are hard to find now. It's like every man for themselves. People don't take the time to see what is going on around them or with other people.

Another tidbit for you -- a dairy farmer's son I had dated for six years went to SUNY-Delhi, just over the hills from you. Beautiful country, those Catskills, and lots of covered bridges. My dad was a Lutheran pastor, and our house was the last one in town before the farms started. The farmer next door sometimes planted sweet corn in the field that started on the other side of our driveway. He invited us to pick corn when it was ripe, so that's what we did -- best sweet corn I will ever have, right out of the field and cooked and eaten within fifteen minutes of picking.

Anyway, stay in touch. I'm eager to find out what's going on with you and your focusing problems.