Marathon runners run a total of 26.2 miles in a race. For many, when they come to the 18-22 mile marker, there is a feeling of hitting a wall, where the racers feel sluggish, find each step more and more difficult and self doubts begin to creep in about their ability to perform.
So it is with many patients who suffer with undiagnosed ADHD. Patients have reported knowing very early on in life that they were different from their peers but many develop a system to deal with their inadequacies. This system may work with varying degrees of success until additional loads are added. This could be academically such as moving from elementary to middle school, middle to high school, high school to college, college to graduate school etc. Perhaps the additional loads are employment related such as getting a new job, or a promotion or self employment. For some the additional load is personal such as getting married, or having a new baby. Wherever the addition load comes from, it overwhelms the system that undiagnosed ADHD patients suffer with, and they begin to seek outside assistance. This assistance could be medication, counseling, coaching, therapy, other modalities, or a combination of these.
If any of this relates to you, a colleague, a friend or a loved one, I encourage you to contact me to discuss your options at (503)492-2200. As always I welcome your thoughts, comments or questions.
Hello, I am a 33-year-old father/husband/professional with, what I believe is undiagnosed ADD. I haven’t “officially” been diagnosed yet, but plan on it soon. Anyways, I’d love to join a support group in the Portland/Vancouver area (and would love for my wife to attend a group for spouses of ADD people) but my online searches have resulted in no matches! Do you have any suggestions, please? I look forward to hearing from you. Thank you!
Hi Jerry,
Thanks for your contact. I’m glad to hear that you are planning to see a professional and determine if you indeed have ADD/ADHD. Too many people are either unaware or unwilling to get the assistance they require and determine if indeed they have ADD/ADHD and maybe suffering unnecessarily.
The best local and national group I recommend is CHADD (Children and Adults with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder). The Portland Metro Adult Group meets on the third Tuesday of every month at NW 22nd and Marshall in the Wilcox building room #102 which is to the right of the main entrance to Good Sam Hospital as you are facing it. Please let me know if I can be of any further assistance and good luck!
Larry