I have ADD but was not diagnosed until I was close to 30 years old. I had been treated for depression over the years and had been in an excellent therapy group for several years before I made the connection with ADHD.
I had been making progress in my real estate career but it always seemed like I would get going for a while and then start spinning my wheels again. It was like running on a treadmill. Part of my depression was always feeling as though I was not able to reach my goals or live up to my own standards of success. I remember very clearly when I decided that I needed to look into an ADHD assessment from a qualified Doctor.
I was Christmas shopping in the mall and happened to walk into the bookstore for a minute. I saw a book on the shelf that was about ADD and the hunter/gatherer vs the farmer mentality. For some reason as I read a few pages of the book, I realized that these pages could have been written about me. It was a near perfect match for the struggles in my life. I was excited and felt as though this was the answer for me and it would be a life changing event.
One other thing had occurred that stuck in my mind and provided some excellent information as to what would or would not help me. I had been prescribed a 10mg 10 day supply of Ritalin by the doctor who had prescribed paxil for me. I had been having trouble getting up in the morning as always and it seems to be adversely effecting my life. I asked the doctor about and he said to try the Ritalin because often just a short stint on the Ritalin in the morning would get you back on track. I was amazed at how the Ritalin had sparked my energy and alertness in the morning and set me off on a good start for the day. It was something that I would remember for a few years until coming across the book in the mall before I took further action.
I talked it over with my therapist who ran our group and took recommendations for doctors and went with a highly regarded psychiatrist working in the Minneapolis area. I like the doctor right away and trusted his judgment. He said he thought he could help me and started me on the Ritalin again and gradually I stopped taking the paxil. My life made dramatic improvements and I started moving more directly toward my goals. It was like I had finally woken up and was going to take my place in the world. It was time to start moving forward with my life and develop my skills and self confidence.
It was an amazing journey over the next several years and life became much more exciting for me as I pursued my goals. It wasn't with out struggle but it was more directional and less running in circles.
