How old was everyone when they found out they had ADD/ADHD?

[Mssphoto]

I was 48 and wish I had been tested earlier in life...I feel like I have missed out on so much.

[NerdyMommy]

I was just diagnosed in February of this year - at age 32. I had a pretty strong suspicion from the time my daughter was diagnosed almost 7 years ago (wow, it's been that long!).

I don't so much feel as though I've missed out on alot, as much as I feel that I didn't finish alot. I also feel as though I struggled unnecessarily for years and years to fit into a mold that just isn't made for me - though, I wouldn't change those years of struggle, because they gave me the strength that I possess today.

I am happy though, that my daughter will not struggle against an un-named beast - that she can face her demon head on, with a clear understanding of what she is up against, so that she can present the best possible strategy for success. Hopefully her life will be a least a little easier in that respect.

[Mssphoto]

I guess yo are right...School was a terrible fear for me. I could not keep up or did I want to keep up. Now I feel like if I went back to school I would be an "A" student.
Feeling like you did not fit a mold is exactly how I felt.

Thanks for the reply.

[Michelle MacGregor]

I just went back to school about a year and a half ago, before I was diagnosed. I received three incompletes in the first two terms due to life struggles that only had to do with ADD insofar as I struggled with coping with part time work, a small child, infertility and part time school!

Anyway, since the diagnosis, I have had support and I am receiving mostly straight A's. It is a much better experience than when I first attended college. I even have the courage now to attempt a Master's Degree when I finish with my Bachelor's degree!

I would say go for it!

[David Willey]

About school - I dropped out in the 10th grade - but wanted to stop this BS in the third grade!
Dropped out in 1974 and went back and got my GED in 2004. And Mssphoto you are 100% correct, I went back on my terms, did it my way and passed with flying colors!!! My entrance test stated that all my subjects were second year of college - but math sucked as 6th grade - passed the GED first time......

[Mssphoto]

See once we get our to find out what really works for us and then take it from there. You have your ups and downs, but who does not?

[Lizard (aka, Butthead)]

Your just starting the second chapter in your life now, it is good. Make peace with the diagnosis, it is hard at times I am sure. I have had a hard time with other "labeled" diagnoses in adulthood and had to be mad and sad first to accept them and accept that the only way I can deal with some of them is through a combo of meds and coaching with a head doc.

I was diagnosed a lot of things as a very young kid and many were not very nice labels. Little girls in the 70's were not supposed to act the way I did, wish GOD had told me that along the way. Anyway the first initial diagnosis of ADHD was when I was like 8 or 9 and it was called something else in my records from the Nuero doc, it was called minimal brain disfunction with something something! Lovely label to have as a kid, I used to think I had brain damage and that is why I went into sped at school. I hope that kids are better off than some of us older folks that lived through the early days of discovering and labeling ADHD, I think if docs can get a handle on this stuff early, maybe kids can adapt and learn to cope before they become adults with all the other issues.

[alembic54]

i was diagnosed 2 weeks ago just shy of my 54th birthday. Although, i wish I knew much sooner, I actually feel good knowing the reasons why i am who I am and what makes me tick. It explains a lot, and I actually feel good and am dealing with this late diagnosis in a very positive manner. I am not bitter about it .

Jeff

[Mssphoto]

Jeff thanks for the info and the positive attitude....

[Kelly47]

46.5 years old.

Kelly

[Chris AKA Dawg]

22 and 30

[Bryan Hutchinson]

I was 37 and it was an incredibly enlightening experience - definitely something to write about! :-) Bryan

[Siren]

27