Who can I talk to?

[shannonwooten]

I recently came across a television show that talked about ADD/ADHD so I went online to look up the symptoms. While I was reading the symptoms, I felt like I was reading the story of my life. I have been horribly lacking motivation in my life, doing absolutely nothing or starting something and giving up. I use to be very active, always on top of things... now I feel like i am always slacking. I have been so quick tempered with my husband and I feel so bad for it. I mean I could go on and on... here are the main frustrating ones though!!

# Procrastination; difficulty getting started on projects (always wait until things get really messy to clean or always do something last minute)
# Excessive disorganization and messiness (been horrible with chores)
#Reading words over and over in order to grasp the meaning (back in high school I didn't really have this problem. But now, I notice I would read something and think "wait... what?" and read a few more times)
#Starting multiple tasks, but never completing any of them
# Low tolerance for frustration and stress
# Unstable, unpredictable moods
# Quick temper
# Constant worrying (Stress over the small things)
# Trouble remembering things, even for a short time (I would go do something and completely forget what I was meaning to do)
# Constantly losing or misplacing things (My husband and friend always tell me "you would lose your brain if it wasn't attached")
# Eat snacks throughout the day, rather than eating at planned meals,
# Ignore hunger signs, waiting until you’re too hungry to plan a healthy meal and then eating whatever you can find.

I just feel like I haven't been the best wife lately because the lack of motivation to do anything. I am the most out of shape I have ever been because I don't feel like doing anything...
But I can pay great attention to the tv...



I was wondering who I would talk to about this? I really want to change my life and go back to the old active me.


Thanks so much!

[shannonwooten]

Thank you so much! I am going to check out the site you gave me! I did a little researching last night and I am going to try fish oil and see if that helps some. I will def. start a daily schedule and see how that works for me. The thing I am good at is timing and apts- I never miss any apts and always on time because I am afraid that I will miss it and I hate that... I think the board will be a good idea.
I use to love mountain biking but lately I have had no interest. I am going to at least try riding around the neighborhood a few times a week. I can't wait to start a schedule, I really need something like that right now. My husband and I are moving to TX on Jan 5th and I have been putting pacing off- I just have no interest! I am going to try everything you told me and see how it works!
I think the schedule is going to help a LOT! Maybe that is why I didn't notice so much in high school because I was on a strict schedule.

Thank you so much for your response!

[Sandman2]

    Shannon,  I think the most important person who can help you - is yourself.  You are feeling the frustration of years of what could quite possibly be ADHD.  So one of the first things you want to do is to become more aware of what ADHD is and what it does.  This site should help.  It is from WebMD and seems fairly unbiased  
-- http://www.rxlist.com/attention_deficit_hyperactivity_disorder_adhd/article.htm  
    I think the next thing is that you need some kind of a goal or focus.  Your life now is very different then when you were in the highly regimented school system.  You probably need to set something like that up for yourself.  Plan out your day.  Have a whiteboard in the kitchen with your schedule on it.  Use constant reminders to yourself via computer, cellphone, vocal messages, whatever - to remind you what is coming up.
   Your problems with school are a learned behavior.  I think you got tired of beating your head against the wall, and took the least restrictive way out.  Intelligent people do that.  It is very hard to take classes on line.  If you want to get back into school, try something part time where you are forced into a schedule and have daily commitments.  I have done online stuff and it is tough without something like ADHD (yes, you do have the symptions), with ADHD it is close to impossible.
   To sum it up - girl get going.  get off the couch!  sign up for exercise classes, volunteer, whatever.  But if you get  your day filled up to where you are scheduling things, and just not waiting for things to happen - you will see a big difference.
    Finally, on the possibility that you do have ADHD - and it is very common for girls to recognize this later in life (boys tend to get spotted earlier cause they tend to be a pain in the ---).  Suppliments are cheap, won't hurt, and are worth trying.  Being on a base, see if you can find out if they have a psyc who specializes in ADHD and see them.  If you check a lot of the listings on this site many people have found great help through medication.  I think the main thing is that you are starting to - or are realizing that -  you need to have some control over your life.  Do It!   Good luck

[shannonwooten]

Another big thing is school. I have been putting off starting classes because I don't have the focus. When I did take classes online, it was so hard to just sit there and read and actually pay attention. I would always try to find the easy way out and do the least possible and just accept any passing grade... back in the beginning of high school I would wok work work and strive for A's.