<p>I've been having a really rough time with what I suspect to be ADHD or ADD. I've always had attention issues even when I was a little kid. I grew out of the hyperactivity aspect of it, but the attention issues remained. My GPA was pretty shaky in high school -- I had mostly B's and some A's. I just finished my third semester of college and I have about half A's, half B's and two C's. I have attention issues outside of school, as well. I just can't stay focused on other stuff I like to do like shopping or spending time with friends. I have also failed so many driver's tests it's embarrassing. I don't party or anything and I do well with time management, but I get really distracted, make little mistakes and accidentally skip questions and stuff like that.</p>
<p>I do really, really well with projects and working on two committees/student organizations I belong to. I also love my classes, but I just can't stay focused in the lectures, studying, and on tests. In the project-based classes and classes with speeches and essays/essay exams, I always get A's and have earned over 100% in one of them. </p>
<p>I don't really want to go on ADHD meds, I'd prefer something alternative, yet I feel like my attention problems are really hurting my GPA. Has anyone found something that helped them or helped their attention difficulties?</p>
<p>Some people have taken dietary measures to counter ADD/ADHD but it requires some extreme effort. I think there is a lot to the prevalence of ADD/ADHD and the toxins and chemicals we are evermore exposed to. That said, meds can be an easier route, at least to get you through college. Some folks take meds on school days only or on days they need to focus on being productive. </p>
<p>As for taking a non-meds approach, check out the Feingold Diet.</p>
<p>What’s wrong with taking meds, if that’s what your doctor says you need? I know one adult and one high-school student who have both had dramatically better lives after they started taking meds for ADHD.</p>
<p>If you want to live your life based on medical advice from the web, the results might not be happy. The alternative is to see a good physician, who can help you figure out what might be limiting your success. They really do learn something in all those years in med school, so their advice is frequently quite beneficial!</p>
<p>Thanks so much! I’ll have to look into the Feingold diet. I also believe that toxins and food additives may be involved in ADHD/ADD. </p>
<p>I’m a bit iffy about taking ADHD/ADD medications because of the side effects and the fact that I don’t feel they get to the base of the problem. I’d rather try something diet-approaches or something like that so I’m not reliant on a medication.</p>
<p>The first step is to get a diagnosis. There are many other conditions whose symptoms are similar to ADHD, so you want to make sure you’re dealing with the right thing! But as to your question - assuming you do have ADHD - talk with a therapist and/or ADHD coach about behavioral approaches to manage your symptoms Healthy habits and strategies will help, and are likely to be just as effective as medications if diligently followed. You might also consider a short term trial of medication to jump start you as you begin behavioral treatment. The meds can help you focus so that you can better learn in therapy. You can then stop them when you’ve got new habits in place. Good luck.</p>
<p>^ I agree with swanson004. There should be a university center for students with disabilities that can refer you for an evaluation. With a full evaluation, you are most likely to get the correct diagnosis, as well as any accomodations in class you might need- like extended time. Some students with ADD may also have a learning difference with weaknesses in an area like reading or math. An evaluation will help find those as well.
You’ve made it to college- none of these issues will stand in your way, but you will learn how to handle them. If there is a learning difference- you will know ahead of time to get a tutor, go the the writing center, or whatever you need to succeed.
In the meantime, you can minimize distractions by sitting at the front of the class, finding which place you study best at (some like quiet, some like music), breaking your study sessions into chunks- like take a short break every 20 minutes instead of trying to study for an hour. For long term projects- break them into sections with small goals along the way.
An evaluation will help you learn what you can do besides medication, even if medication is recommended and it helps you.</p>
<p>I agree good advice from Penny and Swanson. A doctor is the only way to know for sure what you are dealing with. Both of my children have Adhd-Inattentive. The doctor hasn’t put either on meds (although I know others who go to the same doc that he has put on meds so I know the doc isn’t afraid to use them). My children are mild cases and we are open to using meds in the future if things change. The doctor did suggest my son (16 years old) have protein for breakfast and COFFEE! Doctor feels the coffee is just enough of a stimulant to keep my son focused….seems to work ok….its subtle.</p>
<p>Here is my perspective as a parent of a high school senior with ADD: I understand your reluctance to take meds, and agree that you should try other techniques first. One that hasn’t been mentioned so far in this thread is cognitive mediation. This is a mental-exercise program that can help improve working memory. Our S did try cognitive mediation, as well as tutoring and coaching. But the truth is, nothing really changed until he started taking meds. In his case there have been no noticeable side effects, and his school performance improved significantly. Medication doesn’t solve other ADD problems such as executive functioning (organizing, planning, etc.) However, overall it has made his life much easier. To me, it is similar to high blood pressure. Some people may be able to control this condition with diet and exercise, but for those who can’t, there is nothing wrong with medication as long as you and your doctor keep close tabs on any possible side effects.</p>
<p>In my daughter’s case, she got extra time (which helped with anxiety and somewhat with results) and diet and herbal medicine stuff. The day she took Ritalin, she’d watched half a documentary on epigenetics and then took the Ritalin and then watched the second half. She said, “Wow. I got so much more out of the second half.” She takes Concerta on school days and when she is working. Her GPA went up one point and her PSAT scores went up a lot from one year with no extra time/no Ritalin to extra time/Ritalin. She has gotten lots of exercise – she did dance in high school. She’s been doing yoga since she was three and has been trained as a yoga instructor. But, none of that made a difference relative to the Ritalin. She got help from tutors in HS and from a peer tutor in her first semester in college.</p>
<p>My son finds very Adderall helpful in focusing, but makes him somewhat obsessive (are the lines straight?), so he doesn’t use it for things like math exams or econ exams where you need to prove things. Ritalin made him angry. He has other LDs (dyslexia is the most prominent) and has had help/tutors/executive function coaching out the wazoo. Some of it may well have worked.</p>
<p>Both are getting exclusively As and A-s and in son’s case A+s in college. For my daughter, it is hard to see that level of performance without the Ritalin. With my son, less clear. He’s as ambitious and driven as they come so he might be able to perform without the Adderall, but even if he could, he probably can do so with lot less pain with it. </p>
<p>So, for some people the meds make a huge difference.</p>
<p>I agree that getting tested and seeing a physician makes a lot of sense. However, I would say, that not all neuropsychs and not all doctors have been great with ADHD diagnoses for the Shawbridge family. One neuropsych who was great with my son missed it with my daughter.</p>
<p>Dealing with ADHD is difficult. I can truly empathize with anyone who has that diagnosis. I am a graduate student and a parent of a teen who is diagnosed with ADHD and was diagnosed at the age of 5. I can tell you that things with get better for you. The one thing that I am learning is that students with this diagnosis do not often seek help or are afraid or ashamed to seek help. Many students are afraid of failure or stigma.
I am currently working on my dissertation that involves community college students who are diagnosed with ADHD. The study involves whether or not these students self-advocate for accommodations. Thus far, I have interviewed disability access services at campuses, but it would be great if I could contact former community college graduates who have been diagnosed and find out their experiences in the community college setting. If you or anyone knows of anyone fitting this discription, please inbox me on my message board or comment on my thread.
It is my hope that my study would be beneficial to students diagnosed with ADHD.</p>
I’ll have to look into the Feingold diet. I also believe that toxins and food additives may be involved in ADHD/ADD. </p>