Could I have ADHD?

[SillyMuffin14]

Over the past couple years, I've noticed troubles with things such as paying attention and staying focused on things for even short amounts of time. It's interfering with school work now and really bugging me. I checked out a list of ADHD symptoms from this website and found many that I could relate to. Here are all of the ones I've noticed:

-Fails to give close attention to details or makes careless mistakes in schoolwork
-Difficulty sustaining attention in tasks or play
-Does not follow through on instructions and fails to finish schoolwork, chores, or duties in the workplace
-Avoids or dislikes tasks that require sustained mental effort (such as schoolwork)
-Easily distracted
-Often forgetful in daily activities
-Fidgets with hands or feet or squirms in seat
-Often "on the go," acts as if "driven by a motor," talks excessively
-Blurts out answers before questions have been completed
-Difficulty awaiting turn
-Interrupts or intrudes on others (butts into conversations or games)

I don't know how to approach this topic with my parents or deal with it, but I would like to learn more about this and hopefully be able to solve some of these problems and be able to perform better on my schoolwork.
Thanks for reading! Please tell me what you think, and what I should do about it.

[allmymarbles]

We all go through developmental stages and these can be upsetting. Boys seem to be unfocussed when they are pubescent. Once they hit puberty they settle down and come into their own. Girls appear to be the opposite. They are much better students than the boys until they hit puberty when they become, you could say, disoriented. This is caused by adjustments in body chemistry. It is a phase. Be patient and do your best. Eventually you will settle down.

Were you to treat this normal development as an ailment you might wind up with less than wise counselors and find yourself medicated. There is a strong trend towards medication in general. Be careful. You are only given one body, and there are no returns or refunds.

[Sandman2]

   shoot, I forgot to post the site I first wrote about.  Its - http://helpguide.org/mental/adhd_add_signs_symptoms.htm

[Sandman2]

   Oh, boy.  Lets take this one step at a time.  I have seen numerous posts typically by intelligent females (some of them in their 40's) wondering the same thing.  The sad thing is that if you are an intelligent female and not a hyperactive boy - you don't get noticed.  Boys and girls with ADHD tend to get noticed.  Kids with ADD tend to get lost in the shuffle.
   Check out this site first.  Its one of the few that differentiates between ADHD and ADD.  
    If these symptoms still seem possible.  Then my next suggestion is to go to one of two sites directed at adult ADD.  There is a ton of info here.  I would check out the videos on totallyadd.com first and then maybe go to Jeffsaddmind.com for more info.  In a way these sites have almost too much info.  Probably check out the videos first.
   From my own personal experience....   I have always felt that frustration was a huge indicator of ADD.  The kids I have worked with knew they were as smart or smarter than the kids around them, but couldn't produce the grades.  I could look at their tests and see questions they missed at the end of the test - that were easy ones I knew they knew.   I could see the anxiety building in them day by day.  
     If, after doing more research, you still feel like you have ADD.  Then a couple of choices.   One is going through your school counselor for help.  
Another is getting your parents to understand what is going on and to ask to get you tested.  Watching the videos on totallyadd.com might be very helpful here.   I might mention that this is many times an  inherited trait.  So you might also ask your parents if they had ever had these problems.  Or it might be obvious to you that they or their parents had similar problems.  
    Finally, there are all sorts of compensating learning strategies you can use to help you.  Of course, their is also medication, but that is a different decision.  Even on meds, you would want to learn how to deal with this so you could use the meds only when necessary.  In short, ya got some homework to do.  I'm here to help.  Please ask any questions you might have and I will try to help or point you to resources that can give you more help.  Best Wishes!!