I know it is possible to live a sucsessful life w/ ADD because ADD and in high school make high honor roll every marking period. I have learned that you can let your meds help you but you have to put in the extra effort that people w/o ADD don't and plan to give yourself that time. I am only a teen so I haven't been an adut w/ it but I hope this is helpful just the same.

I understand your situation.  I was diagnosed with ADD just a few months ago at 56 years old.  I have completed 21 years in the Navy and a BS in Forestry.  Look into a support group.  You are not the only one who has had this problem, traveled down this road, as you have stated.  A solution is out there.  Find a mentor who has had the same situation and get through it.  One step at a time.

P.S.  The BS was rec. when I was 48.

Every one learns in a different way.  You need to find out what works best for you.  For my son with ADHD he needs to write it down to remenber it.  Reading only is just a waste of time for him.  For some it is hearing for others is is seeing.  The other trick I found with my son was having music going with no words.  It was just enough distraction to help him do better on the task he was assigned.  The school should make consesions for your ADD.  Lastly I suggest that you chew gum while taking the test.  It activates the other side of your brain and it has been proven to increase you grade by 10%.  Whether you think you can or you think you can't your right!!!!

You can do it!!!!!!!

Debbie

Dear 48,

The following works for me and may work for you also. You have a number of choices here.  There are two ways to attack this.  First get rid of the depression.  I believe the key is to stop eating refined sugar and add in fish with lemon juice. Sounds pretty simple, but when you look at all the evidence this is my conclusion.  From what I have read, one of the underlying components of ADD is the inability to metabolize sugar.  When we eat a lot of it without a counterbalancing protein, it causes depression. Been there.  Several ways to rev up the metabolism is add in B vitamins and especially the B vitamin Biotin. Biotin helps us metabolize the starches and sugars and balances things out.  Also, a lot of ADD people are low thyroid also.  You may have to consult with a natural doctor or health care provider who specializes in this as the normal medical tests do not tell the whole story from my reading.  The other way to attack this is the "Get Clear" as I call it by eliminating all the poisons that are affecting your system.  An ADD body was designed to eat meat. A pure meat diet with beef cooked less than well done to preserve the nutrients in the meat and with all the fat on is the quickest way to do this.  Once you are clear, add vegetable items and fruits back in to determine what makes you feel better or worse. You also have to eliminate anything that has a manufactured scent to it (as it overloads the ADD brain), all food additives, sugar like I said earlier, and eat pretty much natural.  Additives, dyes, scents, hydrogenated oils, can all cause fogginess and all have to be eliminated to "Get Clear". Also, it is necessary for most ADD people to eliminate acidic foods except lemon, and ruby red grape fruit.  In order for our bodies to function normally we need to eat basic foods.  Two percent milk is the only one that works for me also.  As you do this you will find your ability to remember things increases significantly and you should be able to remember the info for the GED. Additional overall guidelines are to eat foods high in antioxidants but not in sugar. Antioxidants preserve the good fat needed to run our brain.  A high antioxidant food for example is blueberry jam with no added sugar. Basically what works for a diabetic person works for an ADD person.  However, you can eat sugar if it has been modified from its refined form. For example, the sugar in sugar pops is caramelized. Other examples are barbeque sauce, sweet & sour sauce, etc. When eaten with chicken strips, etc., these sauces keep the brain supplied with sugar and protein while not going to high.  Being able to think clearly for an ADD person is all about eliminating all the toxins while providing the right amount of energy to run our brains without overloading it with sugar.  If you would like to know more about this subject, email me at ADDDiet@thisistheplace.info. These are some of the things that work for me and they may be useful for you and is not medical advice. You should consult your medical professional before changing your diet or taking supplements. DavidLee.

add is very different  with each case. I think it is possible that you might have learning dissability with your add. please look into that. keep in mind that add is not unlike anybody's life,some do and some do not