Do you have ADD?

ADD

It has been years that I've entertained the posssibility of me having Attention Deficit Disorder. I'm pretty sure that it's not ADHD or Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder. I'm certainly not hyperactive, most of the people who know me would definitely agree....

Come to think of it, I recall watching several home videos of me when I was a child where I was really moving a lot and talking a lot. I was also this authoritative little brat in elementary. And I think I just came around all of a sudden and became this bookish loner come Grade 5. But that's another story. So maybe I did have undiagnosed ADHD before, hehehe.

Anyway, last night, I finally got myself to research on Adult ADD. I came across this website that would help you determine the possibility of you having ADD. Here's the checklist I answered:

0 = never
1 = rarely
2 = occasionally
3 = frequently
4 = very frequently
IMPORTANT: This is not a tool for self-diagnosis. Its purpose is simply to help you determine whether ADD may be a factor in the behavior of the person you are assessing using this checklist. An actual diagnosis can be made only by an experienced professional. If you need a referral to such a professional in your area, contact your local chapter of CH.A.D.D. (Children and Adults with Attention Deficit Disorder).

Past History
1.(1) History of ADD symptoms in childhood, such as distractibility, short attention span, impulsivity or restlessness. ADD doesn't start at age 30.
2.(2) History of not living up to potential in school or work (report cards with comments such as "not living up to potential")
3.(1) History of frequent behavior problems in school (mostly for males)
4.(0) History of bed wetting past age 5
5.(0) Family history of ADD, learning problems, mood disorders or substance abuse problems


Short Attention Span/Distractibility
6.(3) Short attention span, unless very interested in something
7.(3) Easily distracted, tendency to drift away (although at times can be hyper focused)
8.(3) Lacks attention to detail, due to distractibility
9.(3) Trouble listening carefully to directions
10. (3) Frequently misplaces things
11. (2) Skips around while reading, or goes to the end first, trouble staying on track
12. (2) Difficulty learning new games, because it is hard to stay on track during directions
13. (2) Easily distracted during sex, causing frequent breaks or turn-offs during lovemaking
14. (2) Poor listening skills
15. (4)Tendency to be easily bored (tunes out)

Restlessness
16. (3) Restlessness, constant motion, legs moving, fidgetiness
17. (1) Has to be moving in order to think
18. (1) Trouble sitting still, such as trouble sitting in one place for too long, sitting at a desk job for long periods, sitting through a movie
19. (4) An internal sense of anxiety or nervousness

Impulsivity
20. (2) Impulsive, in words and/or actions (spending)
21. (2) Say just what comes to mind without considering its impact (tactless)
22. (3) Trouble going through established channels, trouble following proper procedure, an attitude of "read the directions when all else fails"
23. (2) Impatient, low frustration tolerance
24. (2) A prisoner of the moment
25. (2) Frequent traffic violations
26. (3) Frequent, impulsive job changes
27. (1) Tendency to embarrass others
28. (3) Lying or stealing on impulse

Poor Organization
29. (4) Poor organization and planning, trouble maintaining an organized work/living area
30. (4) Chronically late or chronically in a hurry
31. (4) Often have piles of stuff
32. (3) Easily overwhelmed by tasks of daily living
33. (2) Poor financial management (late bills, check book a mess, spending unnecessary money on late fees)
34. (3) Some adults with ADD are very successful, but often only if they are surrounded with people who organize them.

Problems Getting Started and Following Through
35. (4) Chronic procrastination or trouble getting started
36. (3) Starting projects but not finishing them, poor follow through
37. (3) Enthusiastic beginnings but poor endings
38. (3) Spends excessive time at work because of inefficiencies
39. (4) Inconsistent work performance

Negative Internal Feelings
40. (4) Chronic sense of underachievement, feeling you should be much further along in your life than you are
41. (3) Chronic problems with self-esteem
42. (3) Sense of impending doom
43. (3) Mood swings
44. (3) Negativity
45. (3) Frequent feeling of demoralization or that things won't work out for you

Relational Difficulties
46. (4) Trouble sustaining friendships or intimate relationships, promiscuity
47. (3) Trouble with intimacy
48. (2) Tendency to be immature
49. (2) Self-centered; immature interests
50. (2) Failure to see others' needs or activities as important
51. (4) Lack of talking in a relationship
52. (2) Verbally abusive to others
53. (2)Proneness to hysterical outburst
54. (4) Avoids group activities
55. (4) Trouble with authority

Short Fuse
56. (2) Quick responses to slights that are real or imagined
57. (2) Rage outbursts, short fuse

Frequent Search For High Stimulation
58. (2) Frequent search for high stimulation (bungee jumping, gambling, race track, high stress jobs, ER doctors, doing many things at once, etc.)
59. (1) Tendency to seek conflict, be argumentative or to start disagreements for the fun of it

Tendency To Get Stuck (thoughts or behaviors)
60. (2) Tendency to worry needlessly and endlessly
61. (2) Tendency toward addictions (food, alcohol, drugs, work)

Switches Things Around
62. (1) Switches around numbers, letters or words
63. (1) Turn words around in conversations

Writing/Fine Motor Coordination Difficulties
64. (2) Poor writing skills (hard to get information from brain to pen)
65. (1) Poor handwriting, often prints
66. (1) Coordination difficulties

The Harder I Try The Worse It Gets
67. (1) Performance becomes worse under pressure.
68. (2) Test anxiety, or during tests your mind tends to go blank
69. (2) The harder you try, the worse it gets
70. (1) Work or schoolwork deteriorates under pressure
71. (2) Tendency to turn off or become stuck when asked questions in social situations
72. (4) Falls asleep or becomes tired while reading

Sleep/Wake Difficulties
73. (4) Difficulties falling asleep, may be due to too many thoughts at night
74. (4) Difficulty coming awake (may need coffee or other stimulant or activity before feeling fully awake)

Low Energy
75. (4) Periods of low energy, especially early in the morning and in the afternoon
76. (4) Frequently feeling tired

Sensitive To Noise Or Touch
77. (2) Startles easily
78. (1) Sensitive to touch, clothes, noise and light

When you have completed the above checklist, calculate the following:
1.Total Score: _193_
2.Total Number of Items with a score of three (3) or more: 37
3.Score for Item #1: ___1____
4.Score for Item #6: ___3____
5.Score for Item #7: ___3____
Dr. Amen suggests: "More than 20 items with a score of three or more indicates a strong tendency toward ADD. Items 1, 6, and 7 are essential to make the diagnosis."


There's a big possibility that I do have it. Or maybe this is just escapism and I want to justify the way I am to a 'disorder' I might have. This is something fairly new to Pinoy culture, though. During childhood, this could be easily overlooked by parents and doctors and dismissed as how a child would normally act. Like, “It's just normal for him to be talkative, fidgety, unfocused or bratty, he's just a child. He'll outgrow it.”

Do you think you have ADD too?

ADD checklist

All about ADHD on video

btw, the guy in this video is so HOT! hahaha.