Sounds totally like me a few years back. What about opening up to your friends about your ADHD? Or just your girlfriend? I regret so much not knowing I was ADHD back before I got married, especially when I wanted a relationship friendly or romantic. When I felt awkward I would go into isolation. That was often followed by depression, which I now think I could have avoided. You need friends- we all do!

Quote

We've all done it. Even those guys who don't have ADD. Anyone who tells you they haven't is kidding themselves. Giving up the alcohol is a great idea. I don't do it because I don't like the taste but it doesn't do your ADD any good either. You're not alone just remember that. Be yourself anyone who doesn't like you because you're you can go pound sand. Dealing with women at your age can be a constant source of stress. I'll let you in on a little secret. They don't know what they want any more than we do. I am assuming that by school you mean college since you're talking about drinking. Does your school have a health services department? At most schools they have health services Department with a therapist that you can talk to. If you are worried about social stigma or privacy don't because they have to keep the fact that you're there private.

Good luck with school and don't let the teenage ladies get you down.

Quote

You should definitely talk to her. Invite her to hang out, just the two of you. Let her know what you are going through and that you value her friendship. Hopefully she'll be understanding and tell you how she feels. If she isn't understanding then she probably isn't a friend you want to be having anyways.

I've been in your shoes where a girl thinks I'm following her around, when really I just can't think of anything to do. It's tough when you are having one of those episodes, especially if the person has no understanding of what you are going through.

Good luck :)

Quote

Believe it or not, I think you are doing a good job for someone who has just been diagnosed. You are incredibly self-aware, realizing when you come off like an ass and knowing when people are misinterpreting you (that is something most non-ADD people can't even do!). And deciding to quit alcohol is a really mature, wise decision as well. My ADHD husband quit drinking when he was around 26 or so, after accepting that he just couldn't drink and handle his emotions and, more importantly, feel good and confident while drunk.

The one thing I would suggest (beyond treatment and coaching or counseling, which are up to you to explore) is maybe opening up to your friends, not to just let them know why you behave the way you do, but to ask for help. I consider myself to be my husband's social filter. He has a lot of trouble reading situations sometimes and interpreting certain social cues and it helps him to have someone like me who is a little more in tune with how non-ADD people act. Mostly, because they don't make sense! But my point is, you could ask your friends to let you know, gently, when they think that you may be doing something or saying something that you don't mean. There are probably a lot of other ways they can help as well, but they need to know what they are dealing with, so I would also suggest you read up as much as you can on ADD/ADHD so you can answer any of their question.

Good luck! Being in school can be a rough time to figure all this out, but you'll be fine. Like others said, a lot of these problems aren't necessarily ADD related...just stuff you go through in college.

Quote