ADD Suspicion

So this may sound obsessive, even though it's not, but for the past week or so I've been taking multiple ADD tests on the internet. Yes, I know it's the internet, and how about 89% of the stuff on it is crap, these are tests that seem pretty legit. Anyway, so I took this really long test (took me about thirteen minutes, I should say) on ADD, and I came up positive with this one type of ADD. I never knew there were different branches... but anyway, here's the information. It's called ADD Inattentive Type, which I think suits me the best:

The onset of these symptoms often become apparent later in child-hood or early adolescence. The brighter the individual, the later symptoms seem to become a problem. The symptoms must be present for at least six months and not be related to a depressive episode or the onset of marijuana usage. Using marijuana can often make a person seem as though they have ADD without hyperactivity. It is important to screen for pot usage in teen-agers or adults.

Girls with ADD are frequently missed because they are more likely to have the non-hyperactive form.

The severity of the disorder is rated as mild, moderate or severe. Even though these children have many of the same symptoms of the people with AD/HD, they are not hyperactive and may appear hypoactive. Additional symptoms for this subtype include: excessive daydreaming, frequent complaints of being bored, appearing apathetic or unmotivated, appearing frequently sluggish or slow moving or appearing spacey or internally preoccupied -- the classic "couch potato."

Most people with this form of ADD are never diagnosed. They do not exhibit enough symptoms that "grate" on the environment to cause others to seek help for them. Yet, they often experience severe disability from the disorder. Instead of help, they get labeled as willful, uninterested, or defiant.

As with the ADD combined type, brain studies in patients with ADD, inattentive subtype reveal a decrease in brain activity in the frontal lobes of the brain in response to an intellectual challenge. Again, it seems that the harder these people try to concentrate, the worse it gets. ADD, inattentive subtype is often very responsive to stimulant medications, such as Ritalin (methylphenidate), Dexedrine (dextroamphetamine), Cylert (magnesium pemoline), Desoxyn (methamphetamine), and Adderal (a combination of amphetamine salts). These medications "turn on" the frontal lobes and prevent brain shutdown, allowing a person to have more access to this part of their brain.

Who knows? I actually do kind of want to go to the doctor's and see if I actually have it or not, because the description above is what's been happening to me for a VERY long time. I'm afraid that my parents won't take me seriously though, since I foolishly kept talking to them about the ADD thing ever since E.R brought the subject up. But it's kind of like the whole glasses situation though. My mom was convinced I didin't need glasses, but when I finally got them checked it turned out I badly needed them. Huh. Maybe it'll turn out the same with the whole ADD thing?

I don't really know if I'd like to have ADD or not. I heard that if you've been diagnosed with it you get less homework. But I think that's for severe cases... dang it. But still, I wouldn't find it much to brag about. It'd be useless to use it as an excuse if I can't get something done, because someone can overcome a disorder. And for God's sake, it's a freaking attention disorder. What's there to brag about? I've already got freaky problems with me! Cold hives, asthma, gunky stuff in my hair (don't ask...) this one listening academic thing where... well, it's really complicated. But do I really need another thing like that, especially when it deals with lack of attention and constant daydreaming? (E.R, if you are reading this, not. A. Word.) Bleh. I dunno. But I guess it would be kind of cool, I guess, since ADD is a lot rarer in girls. Go feminism, eh? It'd suck to be color-blind.

... Yeah. Completely unrelated, but my train of thought went to ADD being rare in girls, to other disorders being rare for girls such as being color blind. Not as weird if you draw out your train of thought. Wonder who the conductor is.

Oh. Right. Me.

Well bye. Longest post I've ever done I think.