Should I try to get an ADD diagnosis?

Parents Forum
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<p>I have been diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome in the past but I feel that Asperger's is not enough to explain my frustrating behavior. I do have many of the classic Asperger's symptoms: inability to recognize facial cues, not being able to fit in with others, clumsiness, sensory sensitivity, lack of empathy, attention to detail, unconventional thinking, and social awkwardedness. But when I look at lists of the "benefits" of Asperger's Syndrome, one of them is very noticably absent, the "superhuman" attention span. I, on the other hand, have the opposite, an extremely poor attention span unless I'm stimulated. I'm EXTREMELY distractible and can am only efficient under extreme stress and extreme controlled conditions (collegeboard testing, procrastination to the night before an assignment is due). Furthermore, I show classic ADD symptoms as I'm very impulsive, extremely disorganized, prone to digressions, and daydream a lot. I pace A LOT, especially when I feel good about something. I've ruled out ADHD as I'm not hyperactive.</p>

<p>I value education in math and physics very very highly (it's what I define success by) and am very determined to do the best I can in them. I try to bring math books with me whenever I can because I'm so DESPERATE to improve my math skills. And yet the only thing I do is flip over them because I'm too lazy to do the problems or whatever. I do memorize chapter sections (for example, 9.6 is polar coordinates in Thomas Calculus) though.</p>

<p>I pretty much spend the entire day sleeping, daydreaming, pacing, pulling out my own hair, or going on the internet. I also used to be a hard-core computer gamer but I'm bored with computer games now. I'm pretty much bored with everything now, except for surfing the Internet and going to such websites as Wikipedia, <a href="http://www.crh.noaa.gov/den/cli/climo.php%5B/url%5D"&gt;www.crh.noaa.gov/den/cli/climo.php&lt;/a>, (denver's weather) and forums.</p>

<p>Perhaps it hasn't been noticed yet because I am of above-average intelligence and have generally good grades, despite my extreme procrastination. Plus, I suck up to teachers and have been known as a teacher's pet as I am enthusiastic in learning. I still managed to get three 5's and one 4 on APs (all without taking the classes as a 10th grader) even though my studying for them has been horrible - no prep for ap world, just flipping around the textbook for ap euro - flipping through ap calc bc textbooks and reading through stuff but not doing exercises on taylor series - and princeton review for ap chem - it's just easy for me to memorize things. But I feel that I am not meeting my full potential, by far. If genetics determine my intelligence, I probably should be more accomplished than I am now. My brother got 800 on the math sat in 8th grade and is on his way to qualifying for the aime in 9th grade, has better grades than I do, and is in better classes than I was. </p>

<p>I ABSOLUTELY ADORE Marie Curie and want to be like her. But she has the Aspie "superhuman attention span" that I do not have.</p>

<p>One other problem. When I try to study math on my own in an empty room, I waste my time. how? sleeping and daydreaming. it's so immensely frustrating and i'm really hating myself now. Goddamn, I feel like I could make a high AIME score and be self-studying multivariable calculus and calc-based physics and writing essays on my own if not for this crap. I don't care about conformity, an Aspie trait, and want to do my own stuff but my time is spent on extremely inefficient crap and I'm really really hating myself badly.</p>

<p>I don't have the attention span to read Harry Potter (I instantly flipped to the last page when the 6th came out) although I can read through sociology research journals provided that I hhave A LOT OF BREAKS. I can't go through something thoroguhly unless I'm under collegeboard testing conditions.</p>

<p>In classes, I pay attention if it's interesting. but if it's not, I get absolutely nothing. For naming games, I'm always the last to get everyone's name right.</p>

<p>Now the question is, is it advantageous for an ADD diagnosis, and must it always cost money? I'm in university now so I could try to get it through the disability services. My parents are opposed to such a diagnosis because they do not think that it could be helpful. While I feel that medication might not be absolutely necessary (since it's not life-threatening though statistics show an over 50% chance of me getting depression over the next four years) I really want to be able to comfort myself with knowing that I have ADD.</p>

<p>Also, my spatial abilities and ability to visualize SUCK.</p>

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<p>besides when i really try to make myself do something, the stress kills me and the attention span dies. and this has happened all so many times...</p>

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<p>To do a proper evaluation takes time. However, if you live near a university with a graduate school program in clinical psychology, the fee could be minimal. A diagnosis, possibly an experimental try with some of the meds, could greatly decreases your distractibility level.</p>

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<p>SIMFISH it sounds as tho you should at least chat with the doc who initially gave you the AS diagnosis - as that doc probably knows you best as it is.</p>

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<p>The problem was, I was diagnosed with AS 4 years ago and I am no longer in touch with that psychologist. I lost my keys and my parents got so extremely angry at me that they cancelled the meetings with the psychologist.</p>

<p>my school has an autism research center. i volunteered for the study and am really dismayed that i am too young for it</p>

<p>apparently, the below subtype seems to fit me the best:</p>

<p><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sluggish_cognitive_tempo%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sluggish_cognitive_tempo&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

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<p>A lot can happen between age 12 and age 16. Time to find a new psychologist, IMHO.</p>

<p>Are you a 16-yearold college freshman at UW or am I confused by your profile? Do you live at home or on campus?</p>

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<p>I'm a 16 year old college freshman at the UW, having gone through the UW Academy for Young Scholars, an early entrance program. I will live in the dorms because the commute is so distracting and will waste > 2 hours of my life per day and break up any attention span that I may have when studying. I'm hoping that eventually, I might find a place to study without distractions so that I might still be able to achieve my goals.</p>

<p>I just read about what I may have to go through for diagnosis - looks like I need to get some documents from my parents, which is not good because they'll be angry at me for seeking an ADD diagnosis. I'm not quite sure how necessary it would be to notify professors of it because I don't miss deadlines a lot - I just procrastinate heavily. And extended test time isn't necessary because test times are the only times in which i actually can concentrate as well as other people.</p>

<p>or... i don't know if i have sluggish cognitive tempo. i have a tendency, a big embarrassing tendency to blurt out and it's now happened to college professors to. and it definitely isn't good when i want to do research. im doing research right now but it's taking much longer than it should take and it's frustrating me grrrrrrrrrrr!`</p>

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<p>Sometimes we have to do what we have to do, regardless of whether it makes others upset/angry. It sounds like you have good reasons for suspecting that you may have ADD & that getting a thorough evaluation could really help you get the care you need to succeed.</p>

<p>My friend's son was finally diagnosed with ADD & went from having a really tough time academically to being able to focus with the correct meds. He & she are now SO relieved and much happier. It took a while for them to recognize that there was a problem rather then just "boys will be boys." Good luck! Hope you are able to get more questions answered & work closely with your medical team.</p>

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<p>Simfish-
You can't "get" an ADHD diagnosis if you don't meet the criteria. A good, updated evaluation will help with the differential diagnoses, and as a current student you should have these services available through the university, as others have mentioned. However, being only 16, you will need your parents permission.
I am also confused-- the ADHD sluggish tempo subtype is just that, a subtype of ADHD, not Autism. Did you mistype or did I misread?
And, to clarify, you may be misunderstanding an aspect of AS. Commonly AS folks become overly enmeshed in a topic/area of interest and have trouble shifting gears. It is different than having some exceptional attention span. Rather, they get cognitively "stuck" on something-- become overly preoccpied with it-- they may research it to death, go on and on and on about it to others, etc. They often have trouble shifting gears, and are troubled when it is time to stop one thing and start another. This is a different concept than simply a variant of an attention span.
Hope this helps.</p>

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<p>Let's see. 16 year old UW freshman. Doesn't miss deadlines. </p>

<p>Why do you want a medical diagnosis? Why don't you work with a psychologist to improve your self-image so it matches the reality? Because your reality seems pretty damn good to me.</p>

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<p>My reality may seem good compared to others but I still am not achieving my full potential. My brother scored 800 on the Math SAT in 8th grade and is on his way to qualifying for the AIME in 9th grade based on his results from taking previous AMC exams - whereas I was far behind him, pretty much two years behind him. I memorize things very very easily and self-study APs without much effort (I don't do essays because I don't have the attention span) but still, I waste most of my time on useless things and meet most ADD symptoms. Right before AP exams week, I was pulling all nighters playing Pokemon instead of studying for them. I tried to study and skipped school for it but it failed as I couldn't really concentrate on those AP prep books. Nonetheless, I still got three 5's and one 4. Besides, I may have the capability to be exceptional (my brother might have the potential of qualifying for USAMO) because I could have spent all of this wasted time on daydreaming, sleeping, and looking up useless facts on studying which would bring my AIME and chemistry olympiad scores up. I don't like to brag too much about myself but honestly, I think I could have a shot at becoming a research scientist and that aspiration may be hurt my my extreme distractability.</p>

<p>sluggish tempo subtype is a subtype of ADHD - it was a random thought that I mentioned right after I mentioned something about Asperger's.</p>

<p>Also, jym626, I used to look up things to the death when I had my obsessions earlier in my life. I seem to have lost my obsessions now (and became a nihilist) and look up random stuff of all sorts now rather than an individual passion, and I must do so with frequent breaks and paces. I know that Aspies have trouble shifting gears and starting from one task to another especially when they are concentrating on their area of interest. I tend to start on a lot of tasks and leave them all unfinished.</p>

<p>Interestingly enough though, my brother is nagging me off the computer right now and I'm telling him to wait and wait and........... wait.. Those articles on Asperger's Syndrome and university life are so addicting...</p>

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<p>Besides,I am not intending to abuse a diagnosis. I was offered extended testing time but I told the disabilities office I didn't need it because I thrive in test rooms, with few distractions.</p>

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<p>simfish-
I am unclear what the reason is that you are wanting an additional diagnosis? If you are not needing extended time, are you looking for other accomodations? If so, you'll need an updated psych eval if you haven't had one within the past 3 years. I would encourage you to get an up-to-date evaluation. It can be fare more helpful than trying to self- diagnose.</p>

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<p>I was hoping that the diagnosis could give me a peace of mind in explaining what I have. Many people, after learning of their Asperger's Syndrome diagnosis, for example, felt very much more at ease once they were diagnosed with it for they found out that their erratic behavior was no fault of their own, but rather, something they always had. I actually appear very normal in the classroom atmosphere but outside of it, I'm a wreck. Unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be anything I can do to accomondate my being a wreck outside of the classroom and I seem to waste as much time doing absolutely nothing at all as other people spend socializing.</p>

<p>On the other hand though, it may become a self-fulfilling prophecy. While I do obviously have many symptoms of ADD, it doesn't mean that I should confine myself within them. Maybe I should try to fight them. Such disorders are incurable by any means but people can improve their lives even if they have them. Wow, how am I going to fight pathetic attention span and extreme distractability though? I've attempted to fight them before and failed, only driving myself crazier.</p>

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<p>I agree that having a thorough and correct evaluation can only be helpful. The professional who does the evaluation should help explain what your options are. It's tough to know what to treat unless & until you have a current, thorough diagnosis. IF you do have ADD, there are some meds that have worked extremely well with some individuals (the meds & doses have to be carefully watched & adjusted to find the right combo for you). Some folks do well with other forms of treatment. In particular, I know someone who took "brain gym" & it really helped him do a better job of focusing. Also, consider your environment out side of class & how you can help to reduce your distractions outside of class so you're not a "wreck" outside of class. Your medical team should be able to help give you advice about this. If there are any disability offices on your campus, you might consult with them about things other students have successfully tried to deal with the issues you are challenged by.</p>

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<p>HImom is right on the mark. Since you already have a dx of AS, you should qualify for assistance through the school's disability services for things such as help with study skills, time management, social skills training, etc. If you do meet criteria for ADHD, a medication consult might be appropriate. Some of your described symptoms sound like depression and/or an adjustment disorder. You need to be evaluated by a professional. They will determine the appropriate diagnosis, not you. They will make recommendations for meds or therapy. Are you currently on any meds? </p>

<p>I just reread your original post, and realized that you haven't had an eval. Please do not get caught up in the terminology - the term ADD is an old one, but this is not the place to discuss the current diagnostic terminology. It is hard enough for many students to adjust to college life. It must be particularly challenging for a 16 yr old with AS. The school's counseling services would be a very important support for you so that you don't try to manage all this on your own. You sound like you are struggling and you need the resources of your school's counseling center, psychology clinic or disability services. Contact them. Soon.</p>

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<p>Thanks for the responses. As jym626 here clarified earlier in this thread, Aspies tend to have a tough time transitioning between tasks. And it seems like this issue of transitioning between tasks is my primary problem - I just don't get a good start on anything and then don't have much momentum and then I give up very quickly. And this, coupled with my other characteristics that resemble ADD, led me to believe that I may have it.</p>

<p>And my parents are adamantly opposed to any form of medication. I don't know if it's a good idea or not because I've heard some negative comments on medication and it may take away my uniqueness as well...</p>