(no subject)
Things have improved since my last entry.
I decided to quit taking Lexapro. I had been taking 10mg a day for the last two and a half years for anxiety. For the last couple of weeks, I've felt like I'm anxious anyway and wanted to see what I'd be like without the Lexapro in my system. The problem was that I quit cold turkey a week ago instead of dialing down my dose gradually. I've been dizzy on and off for the past four days. I think it gets worse when I don't drink enough water. I've been...chipper for the past four days as well. I'll wait for the dizziness to pass and then see how I'm doing.
In my last entry, I mentioned the struggles that I had been having. One of my friends commented that it sounded like I might have ADD. At first, I was like, what? No one would accuse me of being hyperactive. Well, I did some more research. It turns out that I have symptoms of ADD falling under a few categories.
(http://helpguide.org/mental/adhd_add_adult_symptoms.htm)
Trouble Concentrating and Staying Focused
-"zoning out" without realizing it
-struggling to complete tasks, even ones that seem simple
-tendency to overlook details
-poor listening skills
Disorganization and Confusion
-poor organizational skills
-tendency to procrastinate
-trouble starting and finishing projects
-chronic lateness
-frequently forgetting appointments
-constantly losing or misplacing things
-underestimating the time it will take you to complete tasks
Emotional Difficulties (This is a big one, folks.)
-sense of underachievement
-doesn't deal well with frustration
-easily flustered and stressed out
-trouble staying motivated
-hypersensitivity to criticism
-low self-esteem
All of these symptoms sound a lot like me. I've struggled in school since the middle of high school and struggled at work starting around the same time.
After some further digging, I found out that there are different types of ADD/ADHD, three to be exact according to this webpage: http://www.help4adhd.org/en/about/what/WWK8
1) Predominantly Inattentive Type
2)Combined Type
3)Predominantly Hyperactive/Impulsive Type
The symptoms for Predominantly Inattentive Type:
-Often fails to give close attention to details
-Often has difficulty sustaining attention in tasks
-Often does not seem to listen when spoken to directly (I have been told I do this at work and at home.)
-Often does not follow through on instructions
-Often has difficulty organizing tasks
-often avoids, dislikes, or is reluctant to engage in tasks that require sustained mental effort
-Is often forgetful in daily activities
Ding! Ding! Ding! We have a winner. I almost cried when I read about these symptoms that described me so thoroughly. I'd be shocked if I didn't actually have Inattentive ADD. I described the symptoms to my husband and he said they sounded exactly like my behavior.
Now what to do about it? I'm trying to make an appointment with a psychologist who specializes in Adult ADD. Even if I don't have this type of ADD, I'm hoping to learn coping skills with listening better at work and not procrastinating with school work.
I decided to quit taking Lexapro. I had been taking 10mg a day for the last two and a half years for anxiety. For the last couple of weeks, I've felt like I'm anxious anyway and wanted to see what I'd be like without the Lexapro in my system. The problem was that I quit cold turkey a week ago instead of dialing down my dose gradually. I've been dizzy on and off for the past four days. I think it gets worse when I don't drink enough water. I've been...chipper for the past four days as well. I'll wait for the dizziness to pass and then see how I'm doing.
In my last entry, I mentioned the struggles that I had been having. One of my friends commented that it sounded like I might have ADD. At first, I was like, what? No one would accuse me of being hyperactive. Well, I did some more research. It turns out that I have symptoms of ADD falling under a few categories.
(http://helpguide.org/mental/adhd_add_adult_symptoms.htm)
Trouble Concentrating and Staying Focused
-"zoning out" without realizing it
-struggling to complete tasks, even ones that seem simple
-tendency to overlook details
-poor listening skills
Disorganization and Confusion
-poor organizational skills
-tendency to procrastinate
-trouble starting and finishing projects
-chronic lateness
-frequently forgetting appointments
-constantly losing or misplacing things
-underestimating the time it will take you to complete tasks
Emotional Difficulties (This is a big one, folks.)
-sense of underachievement
-doesn't deal well with frustration
-easily flustered and stressed out
-trouble staying motivated
-hypersensitivity to criticism
-low self-esteem
All of these symptoms sound a lot like me. I've struggled in school since the middle of high school and struggled at work starting around the same time.
After some further digging, I found out that there are different types of ADD/ADHD, three to be exact according to this webpage: http://www.help4adhd.org/en/about/what/WWK8
1) Predominantly Inattentive Type
2)Combined Type
3)Predominantly Hyperactive/Impulsive Type
The symptoms for Predominantly Inattentive Type:
-Often fails to give close attention to details
-Often has difficulty sustaining attention in tasks
-Often does not seem to listen when spoken to directly (I have been told I do this at work and at home.)
-Often does not follow through on instructions
-Often has difficulty organizing tasks
-often avoids, dislikes, or is reluctant to engage in tasks that require sustained mental effort
-Is often forgetful in daily activities
Ding! Ding! Ding! We have a winner. I almost cried when I read about these symptoms that described me so thoroughly. I'd be shocked if I didn't actually have Inattentive ADD. I described the symptoms to my husband and he said they sounded exactly like my behavior.
Now what to do about it? I'm trying to make an appointment with a psychologist who specializes in Adult ADD. Even if I don't have this type of ADD, I'm hoping to learn coping skills with listening better at work and not procrastinating with school work.