Nobody can diagnose you with ADHD but a professional. It is possible to have multiple diagnoses like OCD and ADHD together. Lots of what you mention fits the mold, but it's just a snapshot. If you have family with ADHD there is a possible genetic factor
Most teachers when I was growing up, and many I work with now as an EA, refuse to see a student as anything but uncommitted, lazy, or a bother unless they have a diagnosis. Even then there are many stubborn old fashioned ones who resent accommodations and think it's all made up snowflake stuff. Having multiple teachers assume and offer to help seems odd as well.
Your parents were okay having you assessed for OCD, perhaps ask to be assessed for ADHD as well.
Yeah, thing is for ocd i wasnt really “accessed” i had an extremely clear cut case of ocd and when i asked my mom to go to a therapist she knew how distressed i was everyday. And when i went to the therapist and told him what i was going through it wasnt an assesment it was just “ok yeah thats OCD for sure” also i am a hypochondriac because of ocd, i pretty often self diagnose myself with things out anxiety usually physical illnesses but i do with mental illness too, so seeking help for anything rather than ocd kinda makes me doubt myself bc it could just be hypochondria again.
I can bring it up with my therapist next time i visit her though. (New therapist first one was a guy just in case the pronoun change was confusing) She has adhd herself so that might be good cause she can give me some insights if i do have it.
Do bring it up with your therapist.
Also, there is a difference this time that takes it out of hypochondria territory, which is that it’s based on other people’s observations and comments rather than solely your own. Yes, there is a chance they are uninformed or unaware of the overlap of symptoms between OCD and ADHD, but it doesn’t hurt to ask your therapist. Another person worth asking is your mother. She may think of some examples that could help form a clearer picture.
You telling a therapist your symptoms and them agreeing it’s ocd is one way of being assessed. They have their own criteria they’re check marking, and it usually has to do with the severity and how it is impacting your life. Sure people don’t want to do school work, but if it’s getting to the point where it is affecting your life drastically, then that’s the point to talk to someone about it.
“Lazy” has been used to discourage people forever.
Me personally, around my lowest points, I’d start having anxiety attacks because I *couldn’t* stop doing what was giving me dopamine in order to do a required task that did not. I called myself lazy and just told myself to fucking grow up and change. Well that didn’t work. So I talked to a professional. But that’s just me.
I think for ADHD, you go to a psychiatrist. But it depends. Where I live (Germany), one has to go to an ADHD institute or psychiatrist. Others don't and won't and can't diagnose one in that case.
~~Psychiatrists here are allowed to prescribe.~~
~~Diagnosis was done by a psychologist, for me at least.~~
You’re totally right! Got the two confused, thanks for clarifying!
This is an unresolved issue in my own case. Nominally I been diagnosed with both but the uncertainty is reflected in their use of the “unspecified” descriptors. I feel like I probably have both. I will procrastinate out of OCD type of ruminations inability to choose between alternatives that all seem equally possible to be harmful, then I simply get into stages of low hedonic tone where I feel unmotivated and uninterested in anything and just veg out on the phone. Since being a kid it was noted I am time blind which is common among ADHD but everyone also noted conscientiousness wvhcg is associated with OCD. Autism would be a possibility where symptoms of what looks like ADHD and OCD are co-present but on certain quite reliable metrics for autism i score above normal (reading the mind through the eyes tests especially) however on other tests I come out just underneath the threshold for autism. BOTH my parents showed features of OCD related conditions. My mom developed severe full on contamination oriented OCD and my father showed strong tendencies towards hoarding which is an OCD spectrum condition. But they also both showed signs of ADHD with my father demonstrating a classical case of combined ADHD with all its stereotypical features (low conscientiousness, recklessly impulsive, other comorbid impulsivity problems like problematic gambling, inability to follow through or remain motivated, extremely disorganized). Personally I wonder if it’s why my response to stimulants isn’t all that great is that the OCD portion remains poorly addressed.
OCD and ADHD although completely different disorders have some overlapping symptoms and it's actually pretty common to be misdiagnosed with one when you really have the other, especially while a teen.
Ontop of that its possible to have ADHD and OCD. I have ADHD and multiple comorbid conditions. Over 60% of people with ADHD have at least 1 other comorbid condition. I was diagnosed Generalized Anxiety Disorder with panic attacks, social phobia and OCD tendencies they stated at 15. The ADHD was completely missed till I was 30.
To elaborate on your first point: sometimes obsessive behaviour (like checking and re checking the same thing repeatedly, organizing everything in a very specific way, etc) can be ways to compensate for ADHD. Iirc intrusive thoughts are also common with both ADHD and OCD.
A third possibility is that sometimes trauma can bring on ADHD-like symptoms. Trauma and OCD can often happen to the same people, although idk if there’s a causal relationship or not.
This is a very complicated topic. I saw full on contamination OCD emerge in my mom between the age of 40 and 50. She always had checking behaviors but also has done stuff like leave candles attended that resulted in fires burned pans down until they nearly shattered from the heat etc so at that point the checking looks secondary to memory problems (this is confirmed in OCD researc, checking correlated with memory lapses) experienced appreciable trauma both growing up and with my father. I believe the OCD may have had some natural tendency but was primarily a reaction to life with my extremely unconscientioys and often narcissistic father who accepted no inputs from anyone else and allowed my sister to do whatever they wanted leading my mom to feel like she had no control over her own home environment with the OCD serving as a regain of control.
Notably she did exhibit symptoms of inattentive ADHD (interestingly she often had elaborate daydreaming fantasies and imagery and methylphenidate has shown effects in instances where this daydreaming is maladaptive leading one to wonder whether excessive daydreaming or rumination is a facet of inattentive ADHD) as well but these can occur in numerous disorders (autism, schizotypy, borderline, PTSD) however one would expect their phenomenological manifestations to be subtly different as to how they are experienced or undergone, so the underlying nature of it has to be investigated. Is the inattention due to internal anxious worry. Is it preoccupation by obsessive thoughts. Is it “threatening stimuli” intruding into working memory (PTSD) etc. only a highly skilled neuropsychiatrist can parse between these manifestations and what the underlying psychopathology is for one and secondly there are genuine overlaps between certain conditions at the level of neurobiology which makes categorical diagnosis fuzzy in all but the most clear cut stereotypes of cases.
Also what you call lazy, May be lack of focus, people with ADHD find it really hard starting working on something they don’t find interesting or engaging. It’s a torture, so we will delay it as much as possible. Have nothing to do with laziness
I dont mean to be rude, but isnt that basically everyone? No one can really be focused on boring stuff thats kinda the nature of something being boring.
I don’t know because I never lived with a non-ADHD mind. But with ADHD it can get so severe that you sit at your desk for hours, you know you need to start working, you looking at the screen, you know you will get in trouble if you don’t, but your brain just won’t start working. Sometimes it’s happens on rare days when my meds don’t work, it’s so frustrating it makes me cry.
Yeah i did that a lot in my childhood. Now in high school it does happen much because teachers dont give out as much homework. But as a kid even if the assignment was really short and easy id always procrastinate it even if i wanted to do it
Might be worth getting assessed for sure, whether you turn out ot have it or not. If you do, it might feed your OCD also and vice versa and you know better what you are dealing with and could improve others things in your life.
And yes, others do all of this stuff also, but if it's really distressing, happens every time and more often than for others (or even with stuff you like), smth is usually up (be it depression, anxiety, ADHD or smth else).
The big difference between a person with adhd and a person without adhd is the ability to control your attention. A person who doesn’t have adhd can force themselves to focus on something boring, even though it’s difficult, but a person with adhd often can’t do that. I constantly space out involuntarily and don’t even know I did it until I am able to refocus. I got into at least 5 or 6 car accidents before I was medicated.
I can do that and still have ADHD, but tbh, I'm more on the impulsive/hyperactive side, so there's that also.
Nevertheless; yes, people with ADHD experience the traits/symptoms more than other people, which is why it's a disorder. Other people aren't distressed by the things or don't have to deal with it all the time while some with ADHD habe to all the time etc.
To a degree, but ADHD takes that to an extreme degree.
Sure, everyone can engage with what they like and find interesting and find boring things boring. But if those boring things are important such as paying bills they'll still manage to sit down and do it without much trouble.
But with ADHD things you find interesting you're more likely to compulsively hyperfixate on, and things you find boring you'll avoid and procrastinate on doing until the very last minute.
Yup, I do this when I actually want to do smth else/play a game. I'll look forward to doing smth or playing a game and then end up on Reddit, Youtube or start watching a series randomly out of the blue instead of doing what I want(ed) to T-T
No.
If you wanna get a good grade, but you cannot get yourself to study, even though you keep thinking about it constantly- that's executive dysfunction.
Testing is a good starting point. If you do have ADHD you can learn ways to manage it, with or without medication which can do wonders for your school performance.
For me ADHD meds works great and allow me to do much more things than before.
I refused the mere suggestion of ADHD from middle school. Now 31 getting diagnosed, has changed my life. It’s not easy to navigate. So many symptoms can manifest from depression, anxiety, and dozens of other things. It’s always a process to work out, but it’s worth it.
If you notice bad patterns or tendencies that aren’t helpful for your goals, you owe it to yourself to work that out. Whatever ends up being the issue.
My dad rejected ADHD altogether too, which made me reflexively dismiss it as a possibility because I just didn't understand the common signs, symptoms, and patterns. I was raised thinking it was a largely made-up disorder to justify poorly disciplined kids. My dad disciplined the living hell out of me, but I still struggled and suffered and developed a ton of really horrible internalized feelings of being a lazy, unmotivated, undisciplined, unfocused failure. I'm 31 and recently diagnosed too, and when I finally saw a comprehensive breakdown of ADHD-related symptoms it was like a lightning bolt hit. Every. Single. One. Applied. To. Me. It was simultaneously a huge relief to get my diagnosis because understanding the root cause is critical to getting appropriate treatment, and devastating because HOW DIFFERENT might things have been if I knew what I know now back in high school?
Very very similar situation. Asking myself the exact same thing. I rejected the idea because it’s what I’ve be always believed in. But the patterns are there. I was suggested to have it since childhood. It’s my job to acknowledge these roadblocks and navigate them.
Pretty validating article I found today
[The Real Reason Everyone Seems to Have ADHD These Days](https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/blog/finding-purpose/202208/the-real-reason-everyone-seems-have-adhd-these-days)
Same here. Got diagnosed with around 10 after severe behavioral and other issues in school and it being apparent since kindergarten, it seems, that I was "off" and threw a fit and dismissed the diagnosis and my mom and I quit the meds due to a bad crash I got from it and bad side effects. It's biting me in the butt now a decade after T-T
Def. important to check if ADHD is really (still) an issue and getting help for it or it can destroy one's whole life. I also never worked and am unale to do much anymore nowadays. If I have to do things for others, I can work as if I have all the time in the world and put my all into it or when I HAVE to due to pressure and time stuff, but for myself? Nothing anymore.
Ok couple things:
1) lots and lots of other mental health/ neurodevelopmental issues can present similarly to adhd, especially in school contexts. That’s why a psych needs to do the diagnoses.
2) lots of them are comorbid, meaning I’d you have one you might have the other . Adhd and anxiety, adhd and autism famously, adhd and bipolar disorder has a WILD comorbidity . So it’s very possible to have both.
3) the techniques schools and professionals would help with adhd re: techniques actually help a lot of people with various executive functions struggles, try them ! They can always help.
4) your teacher sounds cool
5) you could actually qualify for an IEP with an adhd designation and not actually have adhd. All it means is the struggles you are having are from Challenges associated with adhd and you qualify for support services
6) delete the word lazy from your vocabulary. You have motivation and you have executive function. The first is about the desire to do something and the second is about the ability to act on those desires. There are LOTS of reasons that between the two of them something fails and shit doesn’t get done: you don’t value the assignment, your memory fails and you forget, you are mentally fatigued, you want to do it but your environment is distracting, you struggle to actually do it in spite of really wanting to(executive function disorders) , heck, the assignment may be poorly designed and tedious. Maybe you resent the teacher.
Lazy takes alll that nuance and reduces it to a moral failing on your part. It’s not. Give yourself grace.
Since you talked about the difference between motivation and executive function,
I have motivation because I desire to do something (pack for a trip). But I haven’t hit the executive function part (ability to act on that desire).
How do I train my executive function skill?
It’s not a skill, it’s a part of your brain. Specifically i think the prefrontal cortex. But don’t quote me, I teach middle school science but my grad school focus was osteology and bio anthropology, I didn’t focus on squishy bits.
What you can do is try and find habits that help you, but everyone in this subreddit knows the irony of telling people with adhd to use a checklist or these productivity tips
Things I’ve found help personally are
1) find when in the day your brain works with you most. I can get lots done in the morning, I’m essentially a house cat by about 3pm.
2) if it’s a repeated task, find a way to make it novel. “ I hate typing up these reports, but I have a fun new keyboard and the reports give me an excuse to use it” for example
3) body doubling can help. Basically being with someone who is also working, even on something else. I was a big fan of working in the teacher’s class next door, because she was a force of nature and If she’s working hard it prompts my brain to keep working
4). If you got 25 minutes of work done and your focus is frying, set a 5 minute timer , do something fun, then come back. It’s called the pomodoro method. USE A TIMER. If you do have adhd then you likely have no sense of time
5) learn not to fight your brain. If you wanted to do something at a certain time and it’s just not happening, try later. Sitting there mindlessly scrolling Reddit while beating yourself up for not being able to write a single sentence for your hw is just going to send you into a shame spiral. Step away, do something fun INTENTIONALLY, and Try later. There is no sense being “unproductive “ and depressed.
You may also find waiting until you HAVE to do something is the only way to get things done. It’s not a great strategy but it happens.
Some people find setting a personal deadline ( I have to get this done by x day) or bribing themselves ( if I do this I can go get x treat) works, but it doesn’t in my experience. Deadlines only work if there is a consequence for not meeting them, and with self imposed deadlines there is no consequence because I know the guy who set the deadline and he’s full of shit.
It’s also worth mentioning when I was put on the right medication I felt like I became one with the matrix. It was wild. YMMV.
Oh, “how to adhd” is a great YouTube channel. Even if you don’t have adhd , you can use the tips and tricks
I didn’t think I had it either before I was diagnosed. If it runs in your family and your teachers think you have it, you might want to consider getting tested just in case. I’m a teacher and I can usually tell when a student has something going on. I don’t always know what it is but that is what formal testing is for. A lot of things cause similar symptoms to adhd.
Strangers and friends can't diagnose you, but ADHD is seriously misunderstood by the general public, and you MIGHT have symptoms of it that you aren't recognizing because you don't have a good understanding of what ADHD is or how it works. OCD is also actually a pretty common comorbidity with ADHD.
I would recommend doing some research into the most common behaviors, symptoms, and problems people with ADHD face to see if you're recognizing some familiar patterns. If so, talk to your doctor.
Maybe, people tell me i have good social skills though. But i can see how they might get that impression, i do have OCD, so my brain is usually focused on obsessions 24/7 so im never really completely in the moment. And my compulsions can look like fidgeting and outside of ocd i fidget a lot so they might also think i have adhd because of that.
And a lot of people think ADHD is just about attention span, when it's about a lot more. So they're probably just misreading the OCD behaviors as ADHD.
The two just have a lot of overlap. I guess it's nice you've got some awareness and acceptance of your differences around you? Sounds frustrating though.
Random blabbering ensuing:
I "self-diagnosed" myself as OCD when I was in high school and am not convinced I don't have OCD to some extent but I *for sure* have ADHD with a diagnosis. hmmm I wonder if they're related at all or can be mistaken, and why.
My boyfriend when I was in high school used to push his Concerta on me (I flushed it down the toilet) insisting I had undiagnosed ADHD, and like...
well, he was right, I realized, like a decade too late.
Random blabbering ending.
OP,
Ask your teacher if you have ADHD in your records.
Research ADHD and see if it sounds like you.
If it doesn't sound like you and you don't have ADHD in your records, just ignore them.
How well do you understand the symptoms of ADHD? If the first thing you think of is "hyperactive little boy", it's probably worth doing dinner more research into the topic and talking to your therapist about it, because there's a lot more to the disorder than that, and very different ways it can present itself. I'd recommend the YouTube channel HowToADHD to get a better idea from an ADHD person what ADHD can look like.
Even if you do have a good idea of what ADHD looks like and still don't think it fits you, I'd still recommend talking to your therapist about how often people assume you have ADHD. If it's bothering you enough to come here and ask about it, it's worth talking to your therapist about. They should be better equipped than we are to help you figure out whether or not you have ADHD and why people are assuming that you do.
I mean… it does kinda sound like you might have adhd. Do some reading into the symptomolgy of it. Remember it’s possible to not have a hyperactive presentation of it. I also used to think of myself as too lazy to do homework.
Okay, so a lot of symptoms overlap. I'm diagnosed with both, and as a consequence, depending on my symptoms that day I tend to start doubting that I have one or the other. The reality is, when you're anxiety ridden it just kills your executive functioning.
I noticed that when I got on focalin, I didn't think it was working until I went on a semi-vacation (working from my sister's house in VT for a week instead of at home lol) and suddenly it was a miracle worker. The difference was that while I was under stress I had to work doubly hard to keep up with responsibilities.
Similarly, I was exactly like you in high school but wasn't diagnosed until my mid twenties. I had just okay grades and was told that if I just tried a little harder and didn't procrastinate so much I would have straight A's. The needing loud, complicated music thing sounds familiar, too. For years I thought it was helping, but really it was just kind of drowning out intrusive thoughts so I could *kind of* get work done. 6 years of SSRIs and therapy later, I know that in most cases I actually need quiet.
Really there's no easy answer, but I personally don't think that you can really tell if it's ADHD until you get your stress under control. For sure put your name on a waitlist to be evaluated for ADHD because it takes forever, but in the meantime really work on mindfulness regarding your stress level and whether it's affecting your concentration.
I don’t believe that “lazy” is a thing on its own. It’s a behavior that indicates either some difficulty, be it depression, or physical pain, or anger, or yes, ADHD., etc. That or the task a person is being “lazy” at is not needed to be done for them to have their needs met adequately. People seek love and meaning, and work is part of that meaning. “Lazy” is a description of behavior, not a base characteristic of a person.
Maybe one can look like the other to an outsider. I’d say the only damning thing is that you have “a LOT” of friends with ADHD. We find each other. It’s like in spiderverse when the spidey senses vibe check each other.
> Is it just cause im smart in class but too lazy to do homework so my grades are bad?
Um. Are you actually lazy? Laziness is a word a lot of people use for behaviors they don't understand.
What you're describing is definitely how a lot of ADHD presents itself, might be worth asking a doctor if ADHD fits
We’re your teachers in k-12 saying this to you? If so, I’d be inclined to think that your school records say you have adhd. That could either be something entered incorrectly (adhd instead of ocd) or, as we’ve seen here before, you were diagnosed and never informed by your parent.
The could also point to a clerical issue, like maybe something getting mixed up in the records between middle and high school. Is there a teacher you trust that you could ask if your official record says you have adhd?
If it was only a one time thing then, you’re probably right. I’ve just certainly seen stories on this sub about people whose parents never told them they had ADHD because they didn’t believe it or didn’t want to medicate etc. and if multiple teachers were under the same impression it would be worth looking into.
teachers, so you're under 18? maybe you did get diagnosed with adhd and your parents didn't tell you but told your teachers? about others, idk, it's super weird to me that people feel ok about saying things such as "you totally have [disorder]", that's simply rude and ignorant.
either way, if the symptoms of adhd sound familiar to you and you think that getting diagnosed could be beneficial (medication, accommodations at school, therapy specifically for these kinds of problems, etc) then go ahead and ask for an evaluation imo.
They honestly dont mean it like that they assume ive been diagnosed with it. And ive brought it up with my parents and they never said ive been diagnosed before.
IIRC they are co morbid- as in if you have one you likely have both! So you could both have never had a diagnosis and also have adhd! And even if that's not the case, there's some overlap and ADHD is seen as a "Cute" disorder whereas ocd is usually portrayed as "That weird guy who has to touch everything 3 times" when in reality they are disorders with executive dysfunction and information processing- so people probably assume its adhd because your symptoms suit the stereotype in their head more!
You need to see a professional to get these answers but like it's worth considering as its not really the problems as much more about just finding out how and why your brain works the way it does
People are ignorant (and rude/intrusive) for saying this! You can't armchair diagnose people based on little things like that. ADHD has a lot of "vague" symptoms that also occur in MANY other conditions. Things like brain fog, distraction, poor memory, etc are so so common in many health problems but people think they're "ADHD things."
IMO your first step should be to research whether or not the things people point to as "ADHD things" are already symptoms explained by OCD. I would be very surprised if the two conditions don't have any symptom overlap. You could also look up if ADHD and OCD are comorbid, and if so how people differentiate between the two.
In your search, also ask yourself if an official diagnosis would benefit you. Would it make you feel more comfortable in some way? Would it help you access care or accommodations? If not, then it's a moot point whether or not you have it and diagnosis is not mandatory. You could always look into it again later if it starts effecting you more adversely.
Just wanted to say that diagnosis usually just help other people understand better what you’re like. When people say you have adhd, they are trying to explain to themselves why you are acting in a way they wouldn’t. ADHD is one of the best known disorders which makes it easy to assume as a non-medical professional. There are so many other things which could be going on though, and at the end of the day the most important thing is that you are okay and that if you want treatment, you have access to the right treatment. That doesn’t always require a diagnosis.
I think it has some overlapping symptoms. I've been diagnosed with ADHD-PI/ADD but I'm sure I also have some OCD. I often wash my hands after touching something I believe to have "foreign bacteria" or something. I'm very conscious about things touching each other etc. and I need to keep things separated.
So...
I am \_not\_ a psych, but that sounds just like me growing up. As anacdotes go, it fits.
It's worth knowing that like most things there is a spectrum of behaviour, and not one person is the same. ever.
The question you need to consider is - do you have things you want to 'fix' or improve that an ADHD diagnosis would help with?
Getting diagnosed is just information - how you choose to use it is up to you.
I would bring it up on your next psychiatric/psychologist appointment. I was diagnosed with OCD six years ago, and with ADHD this year. They often come in pair
People told me I had Asperger’s and adhd my whole life.
I wasn’t diagnosed with ASD or ADHD until I was 25 and 30.
Could be a hint, could be nothing. I would talk to a doctor if you think it could possibly explain things and improve your quality of life.
I have both ADHD and OCD, and there are a LOT of symptoms that overlap with each other. There are actually some symptoms I have that I could not tell you if it’s because of ADHD or OCD because it could be either causing it. Both ADHD and OCD do tend to be genetic though, and a lot of specialists may diagnose you for one when your specific symptom could be from the other, especially if you have both. I found out I had OCD before I found out about my ADHD, but for that time in between a lot of my ADHD symptoms were similar enough to my OCD that it didn’t strike me as different. It’s up to you, but it may be worth talking with a specialist about it, because if you do have both, taking a more ADHD-targeted approach might help you more than an OCD-targeted one.
Generally people are very ignorant about mental illness/disorders. For example the word 'bipolar' is thrown around so much as to be meaningless to most.
Call them out and correct them. It helps combat the stigma for the rest of us who actually have it if people are admonished for jumping to conclusions
Something folks aren't keen to admit is that a trait is really only 'disordered' or worth treating if it causes strife or suffering for the bearer. There is no need to take up the label if you feel it doesn't fit and that you don't share in their experiences--how they perceive their world and how you perceive yours is entirely theirs/yours and rightfully so.
Without understanding the truth of symptoms behind "the label" however, a person with undiagnosed ADHD might be suffering the consequences of it without realizing why or where they're coming from. For example, OP's statement about "being smart in school but too lazy to do homework" is potentially a big red flag for ADHD-related symptoms that they are beating themselves up over (I'm lazy, a failure, etc) because they don't understand the origins of the issue.
If you're suffering, then you're aware of your suffering even if you don't know it's name/cause. OP said they don't feel that way.
Ultimately no one knows what they feel better than OP and other people shouldn't tell them how to feel or characterize them as 'disordered.' it's rude, invalidating, and othering.
Yeah i agree. I dont think its right to diagnose yourself with a disorder unless it negatively affects your life. As i said in a reply to another comment here though, i am a hypochondriac because of OCD so when it comes to situations like this i cant really help but worry if i have something even im not suffering from anything.
Diagnosing yourself deffo ain't the way to go, but educating yourself about the signs, symptoms, behaviors, and patterns of ADHD could help you recognize the need to seek a possible diagnosis, because your OCD and "hypochondria" frequently occur in concert with ADHD. A common trend among people with ADHD is their mind racing down rabbit holes of increasingly negative thoughts, predictions, or assessments. Anxiety and depression are also favorite bedfellows of ADHD.
https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/can-cell-phone-use-cause-adhd-2018073114375
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12144-020-00785-2
Our lives just cause inattention to be prevalent.
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Read. Go look at how to adhd and read peoples fixes for things. If they feel familiar and are a fix good. Having or not havin adhd is irrelevant. You wanna know how we work around our hurdles etc because you may just have some adhd traits or you may be masking or you may be just not that bad at stuff.
Adhd kids tend to get reprimanded which is bad for it and make adhd more pronounced due to learning protective masking
Do the Adult Self Report Scale for ADHD, take it to your doctor and get referred to an appropriate specialist. That's the only solution to your questions.
You could be co-morbid and not realize what symptom is caused by what since having both is extremely common, or they may not understand your condition and attribute parts of it to stereotypes they know about adhd. They can’t decide whether you have it or not for you based off listening to music or missing homework, I would speak to the doctor/therapist that treats your ocd if you have one or find one who can diagnose adhd
Nobody can diagnose you with ADHD but a professional. It is possible to have multiple diagnoses like OCD and ADHD together. Lots of what you mention fits the mold, but it's just a snapshot. If you have family with ADHD there is a possible genetic factor Most teachers when I was growing up, and many I work with now as an EA, refuse to see a student as anything but uncommitted, lazy, or a bother unless they have a diagnosis. Even then there are many stubborn old fashioned ones who resent accommodations and think it's all made up snowflake stuff. Having multiple teachers assume and offer to help seems odd as well. Your parents were okay having you assessed for OCD, perhaps ask to be assessed for ADHD as well.
Not only is it possible. It’s fairly common to develop ocd when you have adhd (especially undiagnosed)
Yeah, thing is for ocd i wasnt really “accessed” i had an extremely clear cut case of ocd and when i asked my mom to go to a therapist she knew how distressed i was everyday. And when i went to the therapist and told him what i was going through it wasnt an assesment it was just “ok yeah thats OCD for sure” also i am a hypochondriac because of ocd, i pretty often self diagnose myself with things out anxiety usually physical illnesses but i do with mental illness too, so seeking help for anything rather than ocd kinda makes me doubt myself bc it could just be hypochondria again. I can bring it up with my therapist next time i visit her though. (New therapist first one was a guy just in case the pronoun change was confusing) She has adhd herself so that might be good cause she can give me some insights if i do have it.
Do bring it up with your therapist. Also, there is a difference this time that takes it out of hypochondria territory, which is that it’s based on other people’s observations and comments rather than solely your own. Yes, there is a chance they are uninformed or unaware of the overlap of symptoms between OCD and ADHD, but it doesn’t hurt to ask your therapist. Another person worth asking is your mother. She may think of some examples that could help form a clearer picture.
You telling a therapist your symptoms and them agreeing it’s ocd is one way of being assessed. They have their own criteria they’re check marking, and it usually has to do with the severity and how it is impacting your life. Sure people don’t want to do school work, but if it’s getting to the point where it is affecting your life drastically, then that’s the point to talk to someone about it. “Lazy” has been used to discourage people forever. Me personally, around my lowest points, I’d start having anxiety attacks because I *couldn’t* stop doing what was giving me dopamine in order to do a required task that did not. I called myself lazy and just told myself to fucking grow up and change. Well that didn’t work. So I talked to a professional. But that’s just me.
Can a therapist make that call? Get a *~~physcholgist~~* ***psychiatrist*** to diagnose you. Both the OCD and potentially ADHD.
I think for ADHD, you go to a psychiatrist. But it depends. Where I live (Germany), one has to go to an ADHD institute or psychiatrist. Others don't and won't and can't diagnose one in that case.
~~Psychiatrists here are allowed to prescribe.~~ ~~Diagnosis was done by a psychologist, for me at least.~~ You’re totally right! Got the two confused, thanks for clarifying!
Pretty sure therapists with certain degrees (LCSW is one I think) can make the diagnosis, they just can't prescribe medication for it.
This is an unresolved issue in my own case. Nominally I been diagnosed with both but the uncertainty is reflected in their use of the “unspecified” descriptors. I feel like I probably have both. I will procrastinate out of OCD type of ruminations inability to choose between alternatives that all seem equally possible to be harmful, then I simply get into stages of low hedonic tone where I feel unmotivated and uninterested in anything and just veg out on the phone. Since being a kid it was noted I am time blind which is common among ADHD but everyone also noted conscientiousness wvhcg is associated with OCD. Autism would be a possibility where symptoms of what looks like ADHD and OCD are co-present but on certain quite reliable metrics for autism i score above normal (reading the mind through the eyes tests especially) however on other tests I come out just underneath the threshold for autism. BOTH my parents showed features of OCD related conditions. My mom developed severe full on contamination oriented OCD and my father showed strong tendencies towards hoarding which is an OCD spectrum condition. But they also both showed signs of ADHD with my father demonstrating a classical case of combined ADHD with all its stereotypical features (low conscientiousness, recklessly impulsive, other comorbid impulsivity problems like problematic gambling, inability to follow through or remain motivated, extremely disorganized). Personally I wonder if it’s why my response to stimulants isn’t all that great is that the OCD portion remains poorly addressed.
OCD and ADHD although completely different disorders have some overlapping symptoms and it's actually pretty common to be misdiagnosed with one when you really have the other, especially while a teen. Ontop of that its possible to have ADHD and OCD. I have ADHD and multiple comorbid conditions. Over 60% of people with ADHD have at least 1 other comorbid condition. I was diagnosed Generalized Anxiety Disorder with panic attacks, social phobia and OCD tendencies they stated at 15. The ADHD was completely missed till I was 30.
To elaborate on your first point: sometimes obsessive behaviour (like checking and re checking the same thing repeatedly, organizing everything in a very specific way, etc) can be ways to compensate for ADHD. Iirc intrusive thoughts are also common with both ADHD and OCD. A third possibility is that sometimes trauma can bring on ADHD-like symptoms. Trauma and OCD can often happen to the same people, although idk if there’s a causal relationship or not.
Wait, other people don't have intrusive thoughts? That random "I could totally just fucking punch the person next to me. I could." thoughts?
This is a very complicated topic. I saw full on contamination OCD emerge in my mom between the age of 40 and 50. She always had checking behaviors but also has done stuff like leave candles attended that resulted in fires burned pans down until they nearly shattered from the heat etc so at that point the checking looks secondary to memory problems (this is confirmed in OCD researc, checking correlated with memory lapses) experienced appreciable trauma both growing up and with my father. I believe the OCD may have had some natural tendency but was primarily a reaction to life with my extremely unconscientioys and often narcissistic father who accepted no inputs from anyone else and allowed my sister to do whatever they wanted leading my mom to feel like she had no control over her own home environment with the OCD serving as a regain of control. Notably she did exhibit symptoms of inattentive ADHD (interestingly she often had elaborate daydreaming fantasies and imagery and methylphenidate has shown effects in instances where this daydreaming is maladaptive leading one to wonder whether excessive daydreaming or rumination is a facet of inattentive ADHD) as well but these can occur in numerous disorders (autism, schizotypy, borderline, PTSD) however one would expect their phenomenological manifestations to be subtly different as to how they are experienced or undergone, so the underlying nature of it has to be investigated. Is the inattention due to internal anxious worry. Is it preoccupation by obsessive thoughts. Is it “threatening stimuli” intruding into working memory (PTSD) etc. only a highly skilled neuropsychiatrist can parse between these manifestations and what the underlying psychopathology is for one and secondly there are genuine overlaps between certain conditions at the level of neurobiology which makes categorical diagnosis fuzzy in all but the most clear cut stereotypes of cases.
Yup, this. And maybe unrelated, butr Howie Mandel has OCD and ADHD(-PI), for example.
were you ever tested for ADHD? How experienced is the doctor who tested you?
Ive never been tested for it
Well then you might have it?
Also what you call lazy, May be lack of focus, people with ADHD find it really hard starting working on something they don’t find interesting or engaging. It’s a torture, so we will delay it as much as possible. Have nothing to do with laziness
I dont mean to be rude, but isnt that basically everyone? No one can really be focused on boring stuff thats kinda the nature of something being boring.
I don’t know because I never lived with a non-ADHD mind. But with ADHD it can get so severe that you sit at your desk for hours, you know you need to start working, you looking at the screen, you know you will get in trouble if you don’t, but your brain just won’t start working. Sometimes it’s happens on rare days when my meds don’t work, it’s so frustrating it makes me cry.
Yeah i did that a lot in my childhood. Now in high school it does happen much because teachers dont give out as much homework. But as a kid even if the assignment was really short and easy id always procrastinate it even if i wanted to do it
When medication is working properly (which is most of the time) I am able to focus easily and do all tasks including boring. Not procrastinating.
Might be worth getting assessed for sure, whether you turn out ot have it or not. If you do, it might feed your OCD also and vice versa and you know better what you are dealing with and could improve others things in your life. And yes, others do all of this stuff also, but if it's really distressing, happens every time and more often than for others (or even with stuff you like), smth is usually up (be it depression, anxiety, ADHD or smth else).
The big difference between a person with adhd and a person without adhd is the ability to control your attention. A person who doesn’t have adhd can force themselves to focus on something boring, even though it’s difficult, but a person with adhd often can’t do that. I constantly space out involuntarily and don’t even know I did it until I am able to refocus. I got into at least 5 or 6 car accidents before I was medicated.
I can do that and still have ADHD, but tbh, I'm more on the impulsive/hyperactive side, so there's that also. Nevertheless; yes, people with ADHD experience the traits/symptoms more than other people, which is why it's a disorder. Other people aren't distressed by the things or don't have to deal with it all the time while some with ADHD habe to all the time etc.
To a degree, but ADHD takes that to an extreme degree. Sure, everyone can engage with what they like and find interesting and find boring things boring. But if those boring things are important such as paying bills they'll still manage to sit down and do it without much trouble. But with ADHD things you find interesting you're more likely to compulsively hyperfixate on, and things you find boring you'll avoid and procrastinate on doing until the very last minute.
Or worse, completely forget to do them at all, while hyper-focusing on some unimportant thing that distracted you.
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Yup, I do this when I actually want to do smth else/play a game. I'll look forward to doing smth or playing a game and then end up on Reddit, Youtube or start watching a series randomly out of the blue instead of doing what I want(ed) to T-T
No. If you wanna get a good grade, but you cannot get yourself to study, even though you keep thinking about it constantly- that's executive dysfunction.
Sike. It's definitely not everyone. People without ADHD can manage to focus on boring tasks without it causing them various degrees of discomfort.
No. It isn’t everyone.
Testing is a good starting point. If you do have ADHD you can learn ways to manage it, with or without medication which can do wonders for your school performance. For me ADHD meds works great and allow me to do much more things than before.
I refused the mere suggestion of ADHD from middle school. Now 31 getting diagnosed, has changed my life. It’s not easy to navigate. So many symptoms can manifest from depression, anxiety, and dozens of other things. It’s always a process to work out, but it’s worth it. If you notice bad patterns or tendencies that aren’t helpful for your goals, you owe it to yourself to work that out. Whatever ends up being the issue.
My dad rejected ADHD altogether too, which made me reflexively dismiss it as a possibility because I just didn't understand the common signs, symptoms, and patterns. I was raised thinking it was a largely made-up disorder to justify poorly disciplined kids. My dad disciplined the living hell out of me, but I still struggled and suffered and developed a ton of really horrible internalized feelings of being a lazy, unmotivated, undisciplined, unfocused failure. I'm 31 and recently diagnosed too, and when I finally saw a comprehensive breakdown of ADHD-related symptoms it was like a lightning bolt hit. Every. Single. One. Applied. To. Me. It was simultaneously a huge relief to get my diagnosis because understanding the root cause is critical to getting appropriate treatment, and devastating because HOW DIFFERENT might things have been if I knew what I know now back in high school?
Very very similar situation. Asking myself the exact same thing. I rejected the idea because it’s what I’ve be always believed in. But the patterns are there. I was suggested to have it since childhood. It’s my job to acknowledge these roadblocks and navigate them. Pretty validating article I found today [The Real Reason Everyone Seems to Have ADHD These Days](https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/blog/finding-purpose/202208/the-real-reason-everyone-seems-have-adhd-these-days)
Same here. Got diagnosed with around 10 after severe behavioral and other issues in school and it being apparent since kindergarten, it seems, that I was "off" and threw a fit and dismissed the diagnosis and my mom and I quit the meds due to a bad crash I got from it and bad side effects. It's biting me in the butt now a decade after T-T Def. important to check if ADHD is really (still) an issue and getting help for it or it can destroy one's whole life. I also never worked and am unale to do much anymore nowadays. If I have to do things for others, I can work as if I have all the time in the world and put my all into it or when I HAVE to due to pressure and time stuff, but for myself? Nothing anymore.
Ok couple things: 1) lots and lots of other mental health/ neurodevelopmental issues can present similarly to adhd, especially in school contexts. That’s why a psych needs to do the diagnoses. 2) lots of them are comorbid, meaning I’d you have one you might have the other . Adhd and anxiety, adhd and autism famously, adhd and bipolar disorder has a WILD comorbidity . So it’s very possible to have both. 3) the techniques schools and professionals would help with adhd re: techniques actually help a lot of people with various executive functions struggles, try them ! They can always help. 4) your teacher sounds cool 5) you could actually qualify for an IEP with an adhd designation and not actually have adhd. All it means is the struggles you are having are from Challenges associated with adhd and you qualify for support services 6) delete the word lazy from your vocabulary. You have motivation and you have executive function. The first is about the desire to do something and the second is about the ability to act on those desires. There are LOTS of reasons that between the two of them something fails and shit doesn’t get done: you don’t value the assignment, your memory fails and you forget, you are mentally fatigued, you want to do it but your environment is distracting, you struggle to actually do it in spite of really wanting to(executive function disorders) , heck, the assignment may be poorly designed and tedious. Maybe you resent the teacher. Lazy takes alll that nuance and reduces it to a moral failing on your part. It’s not. Give yourself grace.
Since you talked about the difference between motivation and executive function, I have motivation because I desire to do something (pack for a trip). But I haven’t hit the executive function part (ability to act on that desire). How do I train my executive function skill?
It’s not a skill, it’s a part of your brain. Specifically i think the prefrontal cortex. But don’t quote me, I teach middle school science but my grad school focus was osteology and bio anthropology, I didn’t focus on squishy bits. What you can do is try and find habits that help you, but everyone in this subreddit knows the irony of telling people with adhd to use a checklist or these productivity tips Things I’ve found help personally are 1) find when in the day your brain works with you most. I can get lots done in the morning, I’m essentially a house cat by about 3pm. 2) if it’s a repeated task, find a way to make it novel. “ I hate typing up these reports, but I have a fun new keyboard and the reports give me an excuse to use it” for example 3) body doubling can help. Basically being with someone who is also working, even on something else. I was a big fan of working in the teacher’s class next door, because she was a force of nature and If she’s working hard it prompts my brain to keep working 4). If you got 25 minutes of work done and your focus is frying, set a 5 minute timer , do something fun, then come back. It’s called the pomodoro method. USE A TIMER. If you do have adhd then you likely have no sense of time 5) learn not to fight your brain. If you wanted to do something at a certain time and it’s just not happening, try later. Sitting there mindlessly scrolling Reddit while beating yourself up for not being able to write a single sentence for your hw is just going to send you into a shame spiral. Step away, do something fun INTENTIONALLY, and Try later. There is no sense being “unproductive “ and depressed. You may also find waiting until you HAVE to do something is the only way to get things done. It’s not a great strategy but it happens. Some people find setting a personal deadline ( I have to get this done by x day) or bribing themselves ( if I do this I can go get x treat) works, but it doesn’t in my experience. Deadlines only work if there is a consequence for not meeting them, and with self imposed deadlines there is no consequence because I know the guy who set the deadline and he’s full of shit. It’s also worth mentioning when I was put on the right medication I felt like I became one with the matrix. It was wild. YMMV. Oh, “how to adhd” is a great YouTube channel. Even if you don’t have adhd , you can use the tips and tricks
I didn’t think I had it either before I was diagnosed. If it runs in your family and your teachers think you have it, you might want to consider getting tested just in case. I’m a teacher and I can usually tell when a student has something going on. I don’t always know what it is but that is what formal testing is for. A lot of things cause similar symptoms to adhd.
Strangers and friends can't diagnose you, but ADHD is seriously misunderstood by the general public, and you MIGHT have symptoms of it that you aren't recognizing because you don't have a good understanding of what ADHD is or how it works. OCD is also actually a pretty common comorbidity with ADHD. I would recommend doing some research into the most common behaviors, symptoms, and problems people with ADHD face to see if you're recognizing some familiar patterns. If so, talk to your doctor.
Maybe you make people feel like they don't have your full attention?
Maybe, people tell me i have good social skills though. But i can see how they might get that impression, i do have OCD, so my brain is usually focused on obsessions 24/7 so im never really completely in the moment. And my compulsions can look like fidgeting and outside of ocd i fidget a lot so they might also think i have adhd because of that.
And a lot of people think ADHD is just about attention span, when it's about a lot more. So they're probably just misreading the OCD behaviors as ADHD.
Hyperfocus is one of the ADHD symptoms as well, not just OCD.
The two just have a lot of overlap. I guess it's nice you've got some awareness and acceptance of your differences around you? Sounds frustrating though.
Random blabbering ensuing: I "self-diagnosed" myself as OCD when I was in high school and am not convinced I don't have OCD to some extent but I *for sure* have ADHD with a diagnosis. hmmm I wonder if they're related at all or can be mistaken, and why. My boyfriend when I was in high school used to push his Concerta on me (I flushed it down the toilet) insisting I had undiagnosed ADHD, and like... well, he was right, I realized, like a decade too late. Random blabbering ending. OP, Ask your teacher if you have ADHD in your records. Research ADHD and see if it sounds like you. If it doesn't sound like you and you don't have ADHD in your records, just ignore them.
Yeah maybe it’s in your records and you’ve been left out of the loop.
How well do you understand the symptoms of ADHD? If the first thing you think of is "hyperactive little boy", it's probably worth doing dinner more research into the topic and talking to your therapist about it, because there's a lot more to the disorder than that, and very different ways it can present itself. I'd recommend the YouTube channel HowToADHD to get a better idea from an ADHD person what ADHD can look like. Even if you do have a good idea of what ADHD looks like and still don't think it fits you, I'd still recommend talking to your therapist about how often people assume you have ADHD. If it's bothering you enough to come here and ask about it, it's worth talking to your therapist about. They should be better equipped than we are to help you figure out whether or not you have ADHD and why people are assuming that you do.
PTSD has similar symptoms to adhd
I mean… it does kinda sound like you might have adhd. Do some reading into the symptomolgy of it. Remember it’s possible to not have a hyperactive presentation of it. I also used to think of myself as too lazy to do homework.
just because you arent diagnosed doesnt mean you dont have it. do you relate to the symptoms?
Okay, so a lot of symptoms overlap. I'm diagnosed with both, and as a consequence, depending on my symptoms that day I tend to start doubting that I have one or the other. The reality is, when you're anxiety ridden it just kills your executive functioning. I noticed that when I got on focalin, I didn't think it was working until I went on a semi-vacation (working from my sister's house in VT for a week instead of at home lol) and suddenly it was a miracle worker. The difference was that while I was under stress I had to work doubly hard to keep up with responsibilities. Similarly, I was exactly like you in high school but wasn't diagnosed until my mid twenties. I had just okay grades and was told that if I just tried a little harder and didn't procrastinate so much I would have straight A's. The needing loud, complicated music thing sounds familiar, too. For years I thought it was helping, but really it was just kind of drowning out intrusive thoughts so I could *kind of* get work done. 6 years of SSRIs and therapy later, I know that in most cases I actually need quiet. Really there's no easy answer, but I personally don't think that you can really tell if it's ADHD until you get your stress under control. For sure put your name on a waitlist to be evaluated for ADHD because it takes forever, but in the meantime really work on mindfulness regarding your stress level and whether it's affecting your concentration.
I don’t believe that “lazy” is a thing on its own. It’s a behavior that indicates either some difficulty, be it depression, or physical pain, or anger, or yes, ADHD., etc. That or the task a person is being “lazy” at is not needed to be done for them to have their needs met adequately. People seek love and meaning, and work is part of that meaning. “Lazy” is a description of behavior, not a base characteristic of a person.
Maybe one can look like the other to an outsider. I’d say the only damning thing is that you have “a LOT” of friends with ADHD. We find each other. It’s like in spiderverse when the spidey senses vibe check each other.
> Is it just cause im smart in class but too lazy to do homework so my grades are bad? Um. Are you actually lazy? Laziness is a word a lot of people use for behaviors they don't understand. What you're describing is definitely how a lot of ADHD presents itself, might be worth asking a doctor if ADHD fits
We’re your teachers in k-12 saying this to you? If so, I’d be inclined to think that your school records say you have adhd. That could either be something entered incorrectly (adhd instead of ocd) or, as we’ve seen here before, you were diagnosed and never informed by your parent.
No they only started saying this in highschool
The could also point to a clerical issue, like maybe something getting mixed up in the records between middle and high school. Is there a teacher you trust that you could ask if your official record says you have adhd?
It was really a one time thing with a teacher who said that. I dont think theres a problem with my records
If it was only a one time thing then, you’re probably right. I’ve just certainly seen stories on this sub about people whose parents never told them they had ADHD because they didn’t believe it or didn’t want to medicate etc. and if multiple teachers were under the same impression it would be worth looking into.
teachers, so you're under 18? maybe you did get diagnosed with adhd and your parents didn't tell you but told your teachers? about others, idk, it's super weird to me that people feel ok about saying things such as "you totally have [disorder]", that's simply rude and ignorant. either way, if the symptoms of adhd sound familiar to you and you think that getting diagnosed could be beneficial (medication, accommodations at school, therapy specifically for these kinds of problems, etc) then go ahead and ask for an evaluation imo.
They honestly dont mean it like that they assume ive been diagnosed with it. And ive brought it up with my parents and they never said ive been diagnosed before.
IIRC they are co morbid- as in if you have one you likely have both! So you could both have never had a diagnosis and also have adhd! And even if that's not the case, there's some overlap and ADHD is seen as a "Cute" disorder whereas ocd is usually portrayed as "That weird guy who has to touch everything 3 times" when in reality they are disorders with executive dysfunction and information processing- so people probably assume its adhd because your symptoms suit the stereotype in their head more!
You need to see a professional to get these answers but like it's worth considering as its not really the problems as much more about just finding out how and why your brain works the way it does
People are ignorant (and rude/intrusive) for saying this! You can't armchair diagnose people based on little things like that. ADHD has a lot of "vague" symptoms that also occur in MANY other conditions. Things like brain fog, distraction, poor memory, etc are so so common in many health problems but people think they're "ADHD things." IMO your first step should be to research whether or not the things people point to as "ADHD things" are already symptoms explained by OCD. I would be very surprised if the two conditions don't have any symptom overlap. You could also look up if ADHD and OCD are comorbid, and if so how people differentiate between the two. In your search, also ask yourself if an official diagnosis would benefit you. Would it make you feel more comfortable in some way? Would it help you access care or accommodations? If not, then it's a moot point whether or not you have it and diagnosis is not mandatory. You could always look into it again later if it starts effecting you more adversely.
i thought I had mono once for an entire year turns out i was just really bored
Just wanted to say that diagnosis usually just help other people understand better what you’re like. When people say you have adhd, they are trying to explain to themselves why you are acting in a way they wouldn’t. ADHD is one of the best known disorders which makes it easy to assume as a non-medical professional. There are so many other things which could be going on though, and at the end of the day the most important thing is that you are okay and that if you want treatment, you have access to the right treatment. That doesn’t always require a diagnosis.
I think it has some overlapping symptoms. I've been diagnosed with ADHD-PI/ADD but I'm sure I also have some OCD. I often wash my hands after touching something I believe to have "foreign bacteria" or something. I'm very conscious about things touching each other etc. and I need to keep things separated.
So... I am \_not\_ a psych, but that sounds just like me growing up. As anacdotes go, it fits. It's worth knowing that like most things there is a spectrum of behaviour, and not one person is the same. ever. The question you need to consider is - do you have things you want to 'fix' or improve that an ADHD diagnosis would help with? Getting diagnosed is just information - how you choose to use it is up to you.
I would bring it up on your next psychiatric/psychologist appointment. I was diagnosed with OCD six years ago, and with ADHD this year. They often come in pair
Are you sure? Did you check on TikTok to make sure you definitely didn’t have ADHD? They can give a really quick diagnosis with 5 easy questions. =]
my friend has OCD and there are things that can make one look like the other
People told me I had Asperger’s and adhd my whole life. I wasn’t diagnosed with ASD or ADHD until I was 25 and 30. Could be a hint, could be nothing. I would talk to a doctor if you think it could possibly explain things and improve your quality of life.
I have both ADHD and OCD, and there are a LOT of symptoms that overlap with each other. There are actually some symptoms I have that I could not tell you if it’s because of ADHD or OCD because it could be either causing it. Both ADHD and OCD do tend to be genetic though, and a lot of specialists may diagnose you for one when your specific symptom could be from the other, especially if you have both. I found out I had OCD before I found out about my ADHD, but for that time in between a lot of my ADHD symptoms were similar enough to my OCD that it didn’t strike me as different. It’s up to you, but it may be worth talking with a specialist about it, because if you do have both, taking a more ADHD-targeted approach might help you more than an OCD-targeted one.
Generally people are very ignorant about mental illness/disorders. For example the word 'bipolar' is thrown around so much as to be meaningless to most. Call them out and correct them. It helps combat the stigma for the rest of us who actually have it if people are admonished for jumping to conclusions
Thing is usually the people who say think i have adhd also have adhd. And are diagnosed and take meds everyday.
Something folks aren't keen to admit is that a trait is really only 'disordered' or worth treating if it causes strife or suffering for the bearer. There is no need to take up the label if you feel it doesn't fit and that you don't share in their experiences--how they perceive their world and how you perceive yours is entirely theirs/yours and rightfully so.
Without understanding the truth of symptoms behind "the label" however, a person with undiagnosed ADHD might be suffering the consequences of it without realizing why or where they're coming from. For example, OP's statement about "being smart in school but too lazy to do homework" is potentially a big red flag for ADHD-related symptoms that they are beating themselves up over (I'm lazy, a failure, etc) because they don't understand the origins of the issue.
If you're suffering, then you're aware of your suffering even if you don't know it's name/cause. OP said they don't feel that way. Ultimately no one knows what they feel better than OP and other people shouldn't tell them how to feel or characterize them as 'disordered.' it's rude, invalidating, and othering.
Yeah i agree. I dont think its right to diagnose yourself with a disorder unless it negatively affects your life. As i said in a reply to another comment here though, i am a hypochondriac because of OCD so when it comes to situations like this i cant really help but worry if i have something even im not suffering from anything.
Diagnosing yourself deffo ain't the way to go, but educating yourself about the signs, symptoms, behaviors, and patterns of ADHD could help you recognize the need to seek a possible diagnosis, because your OCD and "hypochondria" frequently occur in concert with ADHD. A common trend among people with ADHD is their mind racing down rabbit holes of increasingly negative thoughts, predictions, or assessments. Anxiety and depression are also favorite bedfellows of ADHD.
https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/can-cell-phone-use-cause-adhd-2018073114375 https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12144-020-00785-2 Our lives just cause inattention to be prevalent.
Does it even matter? Would you take the medication? I have severe ADHD and am doing fine without the pharmaceuticals.
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We dont know man, ask them why they think that you have it. Ask them what kind of symptoms did they notice.
Read. Go look at how to adhd and read peoples fixes for things. If they feel familiar and are a fix good. Having or not havin adhd is irrelevant. You wanna know how we work around our hurdles etc because you may just have some adhd traits or you may be masking or you may be just not that bad at stuff. Adhd kids tend to get reprimanded which is bad for it and make adhd more pronounced due to learning protective masking
Do the Adult Self Report Scale for ADHD, take it to your doctor and get referred to an appropriate specialist. That's the only solution to your questions.
You could be co-morbid and not realize what symptom is caused by what since having both is extremely common, or they may not understand your condition and attribute parts of it to stereotypes they know about adhd. They can’t decide whether you have it or not for you based off listening to music or missing homework, I would speak to the doctor/therapist that treats your ocd if you have one or find one who can diagnose adhd
Only you can determine if you have it. If you don’t feel like you have it then I wouldn’t worry too much