ADHD in adults

[kuepper]

I have all the classic ADD inattentiveness symptoms of ADHD but my GP said I haven't (ie basically calling me a liar) and wouldn't refer me on anywhere. It seems anyone can get diagnosed privately to have ADHD, it's like a go-to label to have for celebs in particular but the rest of us who can't or won't pay privately are left to muddle on.

 

[Redwurzel]

Was talking to my niece the other night - she has tons of training in all forms of neuro divergence.
She talked about ‘compartmentalisation’.

My lad (33 ADHD) rarely answers watts app. Although we got used to it my partner and I would always chat and wonder why he just wouldn’t respond straight away.
It’s simple - in his world he is focussed on something else and it wouldn’t occur to him to interrupt what he was doing.
Apparently it can be quite problematic with friendships as they expect their kind of behaviour and his kind of behaviour can appear rude and be perceived as not caring.

All really helpful

1finny - I thought what your son did was fairly normal so I must have some ADHD too. I know I switch off my phone off or don't bother switching it on, people will get annoyed and probably feel I am not interested in them. its just I want to left alone in peace for a while or I want to think about what to say or concentrate on something. I know it might be emergency call and then feel guilty, but how often do we get a real emergency call. As you know before the 1970s average income people did not have phones and certainly no internet till late 1990s. Shedmen are not uncommon i.e the need to retreat to a quiet place of their own say shed or allotment. Its mazing how you will see an advert saying chill out and relax on a quiet beach, but they next advert will say "stay connected" i.e. be on the phone or social media all the time. Humans are complex. I hope that helps in some way.

 

[r00fie1]

Went to my first adhd/autism coffee morning in Brighton, if you have it, and there's one in your area I highly recommend it, never felt more relatable and at ease.

* Has anyone at the coffee-morning got any experience of working with or getting support from ADHD charities?
Sometimes it helps, especially getting around GP's who refuse to treat patients requests ethically.
I hope this link might be useful:

ADHD UK - Homepage - ADHD UK

We're here to help people with ADHD Thrive. Positively changing what it means to have ADHD in the UK if not the world.

adhduk.co.uk

* With regard to another health matter [which may be helpful], I eventually found support and practical help in overcoming barriers, which empowers those affected with a neurological condition.

* General Practitioners are "General" Practitioners, not specialists, and have a duty of care to their patients. If there are symptoms which indicate the likelihood or possibility of Autistic-Spectrum conditions in adult patients or children, they are not qualified to make a professional diagnosis and need to make referrals to those services available for professional qualified assessment in your local area. Diagnosis in adults is considered if they had symptoms or experience as a child, which acts as a barrier for help.

* Depending on your symptoms, you may choose to access more information from MIND [https://www.mind.org.uk/]. There are other charities and support organisations out there, which highlight that Neurodiversity includes a wide spectrum of conditions. Not all-inclusive or exclusive. A GP may easily mistake the symptoms of one condition for another. They are not experts. In my own experience, I have circumnavigated the local GP's and made an appointment with the GP Assistant / Advanced Nurse Practitioner, which has been far more positive in terms of the outcomes. It may depend on what's available at your local surgery.

* With others around you who experience similar conditions, their friends, carers, family's can ease the stress and feelings of isolation.
It can also arm you with information and facts to challenge your GP. If not, you can demand to see another GP or research local NHS provision.

* If possible, imagine you are a health professional making the referral, and bullet point all the main symptoms you experience and how that affects your activities of daily living [ADL]. It saves getting stressed every time someone asks you to start at the beginning and trying to remember everything. It's so easy for the frustration to effect what you can identify rationally, when you feel calm and not under pressure.

* Please don't take any of what I've said as a ["This is what you should do"], because every person's needs are different and there is no straight-forward answer. I've been fortunate to know what Health Professionals look for and which buzz-words to use in writing concise, factual referrals and reports.

* Being "assertive" is stressful, but it can achieve favourable results.

Never give up.



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[MoggasDog]

I was diagnosed with ADHD a couple of years ago. I went to my GP about something else and we talked about the ADHD diagnosis. He was understandably a little sceptical because he said that they have been inundated with private diagnoses like mine. The meds cost a lot of money, too. I stopped taking the meds, myself, because depression was what I needed to deal with and they didn't touch that, obviously. I was always a bit dubious about taking speed, no matter how small the dose, every day, for the rest of my life.

 

[Scrug]

I'm 35 and recently I've been diagnosed with adhd, and it explains a lot, especially during school, with work and in relationships. Does anyone else have it, and if so how did those around you take to it? It's kind of annoying I've gone this long without knowing.

I can’t remember if I’ve replied to this already, but at 35 I’ve also been diagnosed with it. Not entirely sure where to go from here tbh.

 

[Support Your Local Team]

I have all the classic ADD inattentiveness symptoms of ADHD but my GP said I haven't (ie basically calling me a liar) and wouldn't refer me on anywhere. It seems anyone can get diagnosed privately to have ADHD, it's like a go-to label to have for celebs in particular but the rest of us who can't or won't pay privately are left to muddle on.

Playing devils's advocate, maybe you don't. I can't go to my GP and just say I have something and expect them to agree.

 

[GibbosEmpire]

I can’t remember if I’ve replied to this already, but at 35 I’ve also been diagnosed with it. Not entirely sure where to go from here tbh.

Maybe see if there's local groups to go to, local charities to see if they can help, or maybe see if you can go on meds to see if they help? Talking to others who are in similar shoes as yourself felt great

 

[r00fie1]

Maybe see if there's local groups to go to, local charities to see if they can help, or maybe see if you can go on meds to see if they help? Talking to others who are in similar shoes as yourself felt great

I won't go into me, but I attend two local support groups and I realised I wasn't alone. Or the only one who had faced stigma from other people and barriers from the health service. It's comforting to know at both those groups, we know about the condition, because we live it, and don't have to explain ourselves.

 

[Littlejimmy]

Playing devils's advocate, maybe you don't. I can't go to my GP and just say I have something and expect them to agree.

A GP isn't a specialist and, as with a lot of diseases and conditions, they aren't qualified to diagnose it let alone dismiss it out of hand. It doesn't matter if they agree or not, if someone has symptoms and suspects they may have it, the GP should refer them to a specialist who can do an assessment to see if they do. I'd be looking for another GP myself.

 

[r00fie1]

A GP isn't a specialist and, as with a lot of diseases and conditions, they aren't qualified to diagnose it let alone dismiss it out of hand. It doesn't matter if they agree or not, if someone has symptoms and suspects they may have it, the GP should refer them to a specialist who can do an assessment to see if they do. I'd be looking for another GP myself.

Agree entirely Jim.
Have to be a bit pushy at times, to make sure your health is looked after.
A GP is just a gate-keeper.

 

[NoloBoro]

I got assessed within months, I think this is for a few reasons, I was misdiagnosed initially, the consequences of this were horrendous and painful, I think in the main it is my tenacity in demanding help. I also highlighted the impact my poor MH was having and had always had upon my life. I presented clear evidence of the issues it had caused me. Hard work.