ADD / ADHD Community

HI jbacon,

Yes, indeed -- all those things you mention would be familiar to many people with ADHD.

Not all, mind you, because there is nothing "all" about ADHD. It is a highly variable syndrome, and of course other aspects of personality come into play.

Math can be a challenge for some people with ADHD because it demands a lot of working memory -- the short-term memory that you use to "hold numbers in your head" as you figure out the problem.

Learning the rules of games (even the rules of the road) can be difficult for other people with ADHD. Who goes first (prioritization)? Whose turn is it next (sequencing)? What is the strategy (planning)? How do you not get bored and stay engaged while waiting for your turn to come around?

When socializing, it's important to be able to focus on what another person is saying rather than be distracted by everything else going on around you. That way, you can reply in a way that is appropriate.

So, yes, these can be common problems when ADHD remains untreated, and yes, for many people, medication can help alleviate these challenges.

My daughter is 12 and she has some of these same problems. We have been unavle to find the helps. She can memorize, except math facts, but her comprehension is not very good and free thinking is difficult. I wish I had an answer for you, but just knnow you are not alone. We are searching fir answers , if I find anything, I will post it on here. Good luck with finding yourt helps. Just don'y give up.

Hello, jbacon83,

I have struggled with the exact same symptoms as you have described, and it has been very tough, but I am so glad that it has finally been diagnosed by a professional 2 years ago for me.
As with you, growing up was very hard. I hated going to school because I could not concentrate, not could I retain the information given by my teachers. Math, of course, was just unbelievably hard; I just couldn't put it together. I would often skip classes in high school because I always felt "stupid". I feigned many illnesses as a child just to stay home. I ran away from home at 17 (My senior year) because I had a bad report card, and I couldn't stand another lecture about my "stupidity", or my failure to "apply myself". My self esteem was down to zero as I grew into an adult, and I couldn't keep a job because, as much as I tried, I just couldn't remember instructions, couldn't put anything in order, and I couldn't stay focused. Simple instructions were (and still are) unbelievably hard for me. I can't read a book or watch a movie without turning the page BACK to the previous page... over and over again, or rewinding the movie or tv program I am watching constantly! If I'm doing a chore around the house, I stop right in the middle to do a task elsewhere; I go back and forth between tasks. My mind wonders so much that I can't remember what I was supposed to do from one moment to the next. I do not socialize, either, for he same reasons. When someone is talking to me, my thoughts are everywhere but on what that person is saying. I really try to concentrate, but it's so hard. I have tried various drugs (including Wellbutrin), but I never stayed on them because they didn't seem to help. I am not saying they don't help because I may have not given them enough time to work for me--hence, my impatience. I am seriously thinking of going back to my doctor and trying the medication one more time because my ADD seems to be getting worse. I also received therapy, which did, indeed, help. I will be going back to my therapist again soon, and I strongly recommend it for you. I wish you the best.

My daughter now 9 years old and diagnosed with ADHD and OPPOSITINAL DEFIANT DISORDER AND LEARNING DISABLED is a beautiful and bright girl. Her challenges lie in memorizing of letters and numbers, thus spelling and math are an area of concern. I have found on my own in these cases....association is the key to remembering spelling and math multip facts. Straight memorization is not an easy task. In math there are several tricks for each # the 9s for eg. 9X4 = 36
4-1= 3 then 3 all the way to 9 is 6 therefore answer is 36. This can be done for all the 9s. It is the only way my daughter gets the answer right. There are other rules or tricks..such as anything times o is o....anything times 1 is the other number..etc....

Also spelling..i write all spelling words to be memorized on an index card...circle all silent letters..and make up song or saying to remember..it works....

Good Luck...