Hi there:

Welcome to the ADDitude forums and thanks for posting! First of all, have you been diagnosed with Adult ADD and are you taking any medication? If not, I would recommend seeing an ADD specialist as Step Number One.

You may already know that ADHD is often accompanied by a variety of related conditions, and depression is a biggie. It's important that your ADD doctor know about your history with depression so that he/she can set up the best treatment plan for you. The two are intertwined, but ADD meds won't solve your depression or vice versa - you need to address each condition uniquely.

Finally, I would highly recommend hiring an ADD coach to help you set up some basic organizational structures in your life. It can help a tremendous amount to have a third-party, unrelated professional come into your life and help you recognize all the simple ways you can clear it, clean it and conquer it.

You can find ADD coaches in the ADDitude Directory or on http://www.chadd.org

Best of luck!

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I can completely relate to your words. I logged on to this website for the first time today. As a homemaker, I find my days running into eachother and feel with out much value or substance. An article, I came across says that house work is one of the hardest jobs for ADD. I feel so much better! I consider myself quite bright, with a great sense of humor, but often bored out of my mind. I agree with former comments re: possible medication. I am treated for depression and ADD. I believe that they often go hand in hand. Personally speaking, medication made a world of difference! I am looking for other ways to improve my core being. So as to stop wasting time, trying to figure out what is wrong with me. Good luck.

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I was reading some more posts from others, and have recognzied more symptoms I'd like to share (then I need to actually get on with my day...reading The Pelican Brief at the moment, meeting a friend, planning for my 5th graders)...

I've never been a good reader, I used to zone out a lot, and would finish a book and not remember a thing about it. I've read and learned more from reading in the last 3 months than probably in my entire life, so I'm getting a better sense of what's been missing for me. I think my problems with reading may have been related to difficulties I've had organizing, whether it's organizing things in my room, or organizing ideas in my head while reading. Now, as a teacher, I'm learning how children are taught to read and to learn, and much of it has to do with organizing (I've taught myself about the Great Depression, snakes, and am reading Tales of Despereaux at the moment, more than I can recall from what I did in college).

Another problem I've had is time managment. By laying out my clothing for the week, setting an earlier bedtime, and preparing breakfast and lunch the evening before, I've gone from someone who couldn't make it to a 10AM college lecture, to someone who can wake up at 4:50am and get himself to the gym M-F. I'm not always consistent just yet, but it's a noticable change.

I went to a therapist last year for a few sessions before the summer, and she helped me to begin using a planner and to block out time for different things. I still get distracted often (for example, I need to balance my time reading and writing about ADD/ADHD, and spend time reading about the attacks in Mumbai, and straightening up my room so I can figure out a place to keep my gym clothes, and planning out my food for the week, but I think it's important to share experiences, and to hear from others on this forum.

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I just wanted to thank you for this post, it was encouraging for some reason that I can't explain. I'm aiming for those rythms!!

In any case, back to my own reading :)

FC

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Since ADHD folks tend to be somewhat emotionally & mentally disorganized, we have to depend on gimmicks to organize our homes, our workplaces, ourselves. I wear a clip for my keys, a string for my glasses, & have been known to put a chain on my wallet (quit doing that, since it tends to scare folks, & lost my wallet yesterday; found it today, tho). My desk has what I call vertical files where I can stick papers upright into the slots instead of having piles of papers on my desk (of course I have to remember to go thru the papers periodically to make sure I don't forget to do something); I also use a bulletin board, sticky notes & tape things to the walls. I keep containers of pens & pencils out on my desk since I am always misplacing my pen, so that I don't have to waste time hunting for it (it'll turn up eventually, maybe). I am real good at devising ADHD proof filing systems, even on the computer. BTW, I also have a high IQ; I think that is what saved me from self-destruction as a teen. I use lists to organize my day, a pocket calendar & the computer calendar, as well as a desk calendar; one of these will have my appointments on it, & I synchronize them once each week. I like a boss who will meet with me on Monday so that we can rehash what needs to be done for the week, & won't take everything that comes out of my mouth as an accomplished thought. Just a little of what I do, & I'm old enough to know what has worked for me & what hasn't.

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