I am a 48 year old male currently on Disablity for Bipolar disorder. I heavily abused nearly all substances profoundlyi n the 70's and 80's. I started suffering from depression around 1976. I saw therapists but no one seemed to discuss diagnosises or meds (the old tricyclics) back then unless you were going to the State Hospital.. Moods came and went, crises, stability, hospitalizations. Diagnoses were Major Depressive disorder and at one point agitated depression.

I believe I have fairly good adaptive skills. Friends, others including professionals would indicate that didnt see what problems were. Being clean from substances for over 20 years has been quite an accomplishment, but I honostly have to say that things roller coasted up and down and have generally been down since that time. I have seen therapists and Psychiatrists consistently and take a colorful smorgasbord of medications. A few years back I saw a psychologist who indicated I appeared to have symptoms of adult ADHD. I took the Wechsler, Connors, and Brown Attention test (on computer) and the results indicated that there was a very high probabability of having ADHD. Since I was fairly adaptive and was able to do the things that kept teachers from noticing I was talking, walking around the room and helping everyone with their work so they talk to me.

I recently started a Psy.D who is different than anything I have experienced. He practices "Positive Psychology". He gave the Millon Clinical Personality test (MCMI-III) which focuses on personality disorders ( I have read that some dont encourage people to not take this test, as it will often provide a false positive. One of his beliefs is that a high percentage of ADHD cases are misdiagnosed and are really part of other issues. He gave me the test results, not clearly indicating test focus, threshold, subtests, etc. Taking the test was difficult, as I was trying to be honost but many questions didnt really describe my situation ( I dont recall questions, but a family joke is similar: "it true you stopped beating your wife? Y/N"). There is no room for explanations, but many the questions didnt fit. He gave the results, not indicating the information he provided was traits of these thuings: Bipolar disorder, Depressive Personality (but little on the acutually depressed scale), Avoidant, Anti-Social, Dependent Personality Disorders. I lef there thinking this was the real problem I have had. Having worked in commununity mental health for many years, one thing I recall is that the prognosis for Personslity Disorders was guarded at best. He wants to do a neurpsych eval to determine the extent that the substance abuse may have caused. He stresses exercising for neurogeneis and meditating. I'm working on these things but I have trouble getting going to do anything. He explained (that I dont agree 100% with) that professionals have traditionally avoided exploring Axis II because they may mot know much about Personality disorders (even M.D.'s. and many Ph.D psychologists). He says he works successfully with this population all the time, but others get tired of the process or the client and somehow move along... I wonder what the criteria for success is, and perhaps why he hasnt written a book.

This really ticked me off! I have been with some really good professionals and a few good psychiatrists, one with an additional board certification in Psychopharmacology ) who has treated me on and off since 1993. I trieid to contact him but he is out of town. I feel like the rug was pulled out from under me.

One thought I have had is that people with "theory" agendas tend to find or twist details to support their theories. It seems, despite the empirical evidence and the great works of many researchers (Dr,'s Russell Barkley, Lenard Adler, Thomas E. Btrown) yet many people seem to disregard (adult) ADHD

I would greatly appreciate constructive information or advice or experiences. It really took the wind out of my sail. Thanks!

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