Mayday! Mayday! I Have Problems!

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I cannot believe that we’ve turned the page on the calendar again and it is May! I’m not complaining, because May means nice weather is on the way. I’m looking forward to my neighborhood walks and sunshine.

Those walks and the nice weather will certainly help me. I have been struggling a bit. I noticed it a while back, but thought maybe it was just related to not getting enough sleep. However, after having a discussion with my therapist, I’m going to be looking a bit deeper at things.

I have felt like my temper is a bit shorter than normal lately. My patience level is sort of nonexistent. This is unacceptable to me. The littlest things are setting me off. After some discussion, she asked if I have ever been screened for or diagnosed with ADHD. I haven’t.

She mentioned quite a few things that I felt would apply to me. So I’m going to follow up with my PCP. I did some reading online and some stuff really hit the nail on the head.

“Emotional sensitivity and trouble controlling emotions are more signs of ADHD. Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria is common in adults with ADHS. RSD is extreme emotional sensitivity that occurs when someone fears they are being criticized or rejected by someone else.“

This is totally me. I tend to be defensive. Part of that is because of my past relationships. Constant criticism and rejection caused me to become very defensive. I hate that.

“Another aspect of emotional control and ADHD can be a quick temper. Someone with ADHD may get extremely irritated but move on from it quickly. ADHD can co-occur with mood disorders like depression, bipolar and anxiety.”

My wife says that I can go from 0-100 when I get angry. That is so true. The anger is there quickly. I already have anxiety and some depression, so I wonder just how much of this plays into my quick temper.

“Staying organized can be difficult for anyone, but those with ADHD will have a more challenging time keeping track of things and logically completing them. That’s because ADHD is associated with weakened function of the prefrontal cortex, or the part of the brain that controls behavior, emotion, attention and organization.“

Sam can tell you I am NOT organized at all. They joke with me at work about how my work station is set up – its a mess. I can be organized to a point, but I would say I am one of the most unorganized people. “I know it is here – somewhere – I just don’t know where!”

“Someone with ADHD may jump from task to task because they’re excited about those things, not because it’s a logical order.”

I will tend to do the things I WANT to do first, rather than the things I NEED to do. This happens ALL the time.

“Another extremely common symptom of ADHD is difficulty managing time. You may often be late for things or have difficulty sticking to your schedule. It’s not always being late or not showing up, but it can be more subtle, like procrastinating tasks and working on tight deadlines. You also may be regularly forgetful to the point that it causes disruptions in workflow or damages relationships.”

My wife likes to remind me of how I love to put things off. Things I need to do, but just don’t for whatever reason. Some of those things I put of to avoid confrontation.

“Trouble concentrating is one of the best-known ADHD symptoms, thanks to the reduced function of the prefrontal cortex. According to the DSM-5, a diminishing attention span is a core symptom of ADHD.  Anything can draw your focus from the task at hand — noises, people talking or daydreaming. Because of this lack of focus, you may overlook important details, lose chunks of conversations and have difficulty completing tasks.“

I often find myself zoning out. My wife has had to call my name three or four times while I get caught up in something on TV. Everything else just fades out and my focus shifts to that.

My therapist thinks that if it truly is ADHD, if those things are treated, everything else will start to get better. More control over my emotions and more patience. I hope she is right.

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Published by nostalgicitalian

I'm just a guy who likes the classics. I love Old Time Radio Shows. I love Classic TV. I love Classic Movies. I love songs from the "Great American Songbook". I dig songs from the first decade of Rock and Roll. Don't get me wrong, I am not opposed to newer things. My musical taste ranges from Classical to Classic Rock and Country to Rap. I love a good book and am always looking for something to read. I tend to lean toward historical fiction, biographies, mysteries, and more. I have always believed that our past (and the things we've experienced in it) make us who we are today. That being said, after reading through some old My Space blogs (yeah, that's about how long it's been since I blogged regularly), I decided that I should once again write. Welcome to my blog. I hope you find it interesting, thought provoking, and entertaining in some way. CONTACT ME AT - nostalgicitalian@yahoo.com

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21 thoughts on “Mayday! Mayday! I Have Problems!”

  5. The best thing you can do for yourself is talking to a therapist about what’s going on. It looks to me like you’re already in a good place; you have your facts written out and are not going into this blindly. Communication is key … with your wife and your therapist. I sincerely hope you get the answers you’re looking for. They are out there; you just can’t give up searching for the truth and if it turns out you ARE on the spectrum, then that’s one thing you can cross off your list. Best of luck to you.
    Words from a mother who has been there.

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  6. Good for you , for recognizing it and being proactive to try and get some help and change things up. that’s impressive. Once that is done, a path to improve shouldn’t be far behind. My sweetie has always said she is ADHD, it gave her trouble as a school kid. It doesn’t seem TOO noticeable to me, but she can get distracted but the part about being on time – that’s her! Thankfully she does a good job of being on time for work , but for everything else, she’s always late. And I tend to be the guy who’s prompt and even early for most things. WE’ve gotten used that difference by now. As for the getting defensive and annoyed when criticized routinely, that’s me…. but doesn’t everybody react like that?

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    1. To a degree, I can almost be OCD about some things. I don’t like change. I like routine, but at the same time, I find myself spacing out mid conversation a lot. So maybe a mix of the two….

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  9. Prayers to you. I’m going through something similar. I’m a 44-year old new dad, so “older” dad, and your symptoms sound very similar to mine. I just made it a point to get checked up once school is over. ADHD, anxiety, and depression run rampant in my fam. The tricky part is what you said – getting a clear diagnosis. There’s a lot of grey in there. I wish you nothing but the best. As of now, I’m just staying busy. Finding time to work out always helps, but with two little ones, that time is almost non-existent. Good vibes from good people to good people…

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    1. Thanks, brother! I have an appointment in August….first they could get me in. It will be a telemedicine call to talk with doc to see just what kind of testing I might need. Yeah, factor in working midnights and time for me is just not there. I would love to go to a gym or something. I need to lose weight and exercise. Very difficult to do.

      Praying for you, too!

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