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Thread : Just diagnosed, but husband not supportive.  
23 Dec 2010 @ 9:10 AM
Anorris1824 Join Date: Thu 23rd Dec 2010
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Just diagnosed, but husband not supportive.

I have had signs and symptoms of add since i can remember. My mother thought i had a problem with my hearing, and had it tested several times. I am intelligent but did not do so well in school, except for tests and subjects that did not bore me to death. I am a procrastinator, i come accross insensitive because i do not pay attention when people talk to me, i spend most of my time looking for lost things and rushing to get to appointments. I have had several minor car "crashes" simply from not paying attention. i have accidently locked my kids in the car several times each. run out of gas on the side of the road bc i would forget to put gas in my car. and the list goes on and on. It has totally effected my relationship with my husband, bc he thinks i dont care bc i forget things he has told me. Also it has put a strain on us financially due to me losing our credit and or debit cards and our account being wiped out. Forgetting to pay bills and accruing late fees. He thinks it is will power and i am just insensitive. I have always felt i was not good enough for him bc he is a perfectionist (ex military) very neat and tidy, always prompt and very responsible. i told him i was going to see someone about this bc i do not want to end up divorced, he basically said it was all will power and if i wanted to change i would, and psychiatrist are frauds and whoever pays to see one is weak. i am doung this for us but then i get criticized. what should i do. should i try to convince him or is this truly something i can do on my own without support. please help!

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24 Dec 2010 @ 5:51 AM Reply # 1
silver Join Date: Fri 24th Dec 2010
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Reality

Hi there. I was recently diagnosed as well (39 y.o. Male)...I'm in a diff situation b/c my wife suffers from

depression/anxiety, therefore she's sympathetic to idea of a "mental disorder" in general. Curious- Is your husband a Scientology guy? You are not going to get any compassion if so!

ADD is weird - it's a condition that will completely destroy your life (my finances are in ruins) yet it feels like when you explain it to somebody it still feels kind of "made-up" - right? I would reco picking up a good ADD book and trying to get him to read it. It's a lot easier to allow someone elses words to describe the pain of what, essentially, it feels like to be a complete failure. This isn't going to be easy - im on medication now, and while I'm much more alert & marginally more organized - what is going to sting the most is realization of your life to this point...what you have or have not accomplished due to this condition. That is the hump you need to get over first. Good luck darlin.

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24 Dec 2010 @ 6:02 PM Reply # 2
Phillymanhere Join Date: Sun 6th Apr 2008
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re Spouse support

Sorry to hear of your unconvinced hubby.

The deal is this: ADHD is serious. It's a brain disorder. It has devastating effects and consequences. The cruelty of adhd is that it its symptoms (the brain's inability to organize, plan, to remember several things at the same time), mimic the symptoms of "laziness" etc.

We can no more will power our way through adhd than a person with schizophrenia can willpower their way through all the voices they hear.

It would be nice if your hubby were supportive. But if he's not, you need to be supportive of yourself. Get treatment. The goal is not to convince him. The goal is to improve your life and the life of your family. It is ironic of course that your hubby would benefit as you get treated.

I got diagnosed after I got divorced. I pretty much will not date or marry anyone who doesn't take my adhd story seriously. But if I were so married, I would go on my own and get treatment. You can also look for support groups around you. Do it for you. You don't need to tell him anything about it.

Sorry to poo poo your hubby's views, but his views on psychiatrists are simply not informed and not helpful and in fact can be quite destructive. I have friends who are alive right now because of the help of psychiatrists. My life has improved a lot with my psychiatrist. Guess what? With my medications, I have more willpower and make better decisions. I exercise more, sleep better, concentrate better, meditate more.

Take care of yourself. Time to move past hubby's approval on this one.

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