So I have never really had a chance to discuss this with anyone else:
I have pretty severe ADD, and I feel like it causes some pretty insane mood swings for me. I feel as though I get really wrapped up in something (hyper focus) and it will really affect me (anything from feeling really euphoric to really anxious, to depressed and crying) . Then, when my attention runs out, I'm totally on to the next thing. I'm very confident that I don't have any bi-polar type issues or anything similar. But the mood swings are really getting in the way of my life at this point. Especially because if there really is a problem, I can't focus on the emotion that is inspired long enough to follow through with a solution before I wander off mentally. So I will have all these things that are really upsetting me, just adding up, and I can't keep my thoughts in order long enough to address the problems. (out of sight out of mind type of issue, if that makes sense?)
I just wanted to know if other people are experiencing this, and if they have any thoughts on it?
You are not alone. I am an adult with undiagnosed ADD. Ever since I was a child, I have had to constantly deal with the mood swings caused by this condition. I experienced the worse of my mood swings when I was in my twenties. The mood swings totally wrecked all of my relationships with other people except my sister who loves me unconditionally. I had one other friend but she eventually stopped talking to me because she had her own issues and I think she felt that I was not there for her the way that she needed me to be. It is so hard for me to be at ease and relaxed in social situations. I always feel that I cannot let my guard down because I feel that people will either hurt me, or I feel that I don't really have anything to contribute that anyone will really want to hear. I guess I would say I always feel extreme anxiety in social situations even when it is with people that I know.
yeah- I agree. I feel extreme social anxiety in most situations. Do you feel like your mood swings are party because you can't focus on an emotion also? Or do you think its more than you anger easily out of frustration? I have heard both before, so I'm just wondering.
I think that I get angry easily out of the frustration that I feel because I am not in control of a particular situation. I just want everything to be perfect. I know that this is illogical, but I just want everything in my life, in the world to perfect and in harmony. When I come to the realization that this can never be, I often become overwhelmed which often leads to me getting lost in the fantasy world that exists in my mind. By this I mean I often daydream to escape the complications of reality.
What do you when you become frustrated or overwhelmed?
Wow- I wonder sometimes if this type of idealistic thinking is common with ADDers- because I am absolutely the same way!
I have very recently learned that when I have one of these mood swings, that If I remove myself from where I am, and can ride it out. I used to do with with panic attacks- I tell myself in my head, this is a mood swing. It feels strong, but I have to let it pass. So even if I am just relaxing at home when it happens, I get up and leave. I do anything to derail my thoughts. It can take a couple of hours sometimes to get out of it, but its has been working so far! And I feel better afterwards.
It is so ironic that your coping mechanisms are so similar to mine. Sometimes when I become too overwhelmed or frustrated, I just go and grab me keys and drive until the mood passes. When I was working, I could not wait until it was time for my lunch hour so that I could remove myself from the stress associated with my work. When I would return, I would feel much better. It feels like I have to keep taking breaks, mental and physical, in order to survive the stress of each day. Since i was a preschool teacher, I would hyper focus on my students. While in this state, I rarely had time to engage in small talk with my peers which made me appear to be antisocial. Now that I look back on it, my work switch was constantly set to on when I was working. This was not the case for the other teachers. They somehow was able to take care of their students and find time to be social with the other teachers.
Do you have problems with your self esteem? This is a major issue with me and I would like to know if this is a problem for you.
Oh, yeah- I have major self esteem problems. Mostly because I feel like I can't possible measure up. My ADD symptoms prevent me from doing so much, and it makes me feel like I'm stupid. I want so much to be and do all of these things that I'm not capable of, and it really gets me down on myself.
And I agree with the hyper focus- my co-workers often think I'm irritable or anti-social because of that. When I'm at work I'm often in the "zone" : )
My lack of self esteem has prevented me from achieving the type of lifestyle that someone with my education and training should have. I am often embarrassed by what I deem to be my "lack of success" in accomplishing my personal and career goals. When I was younger, I used to really beat myself up for not being able to get over my fear of failure in order achieve the type of success that I felt that other people with my knowledge and ability have. I know that it is not healthy to compare myself with others, but still I continue to do this although I don't do it nearly as much as I used to when I was a young adult.
Now that you know that their are other people suffering with the same issues that you are dealing with, has that in any way affected the way that you perceive yourself?
I certainly understand where you are coming from with all this!
I think that knowing other people are going through the same thing just makes me want reach out and use that for support, and hopfully get some insight. I think that my self esteem issues branch out pretty far (I also have BDD) so I just try to be hopeful about the fact that I am doing everything I can to be the best that I can. Which honestly, you can't ask someone to do more than that, can you?
I feel that it is important for people with ADD and other behavioral and mental disorders to connect with others so that they understand that they are not freaks of nature. When I was younger, I feel that if I had just one person to talk to who could understand what I was going through emotionally, then I think that I would not have spent so much of my youth enduring extended periods of depression. Now that I know that I have ADD and have accepted that there are some traits about my personality that I have to accept, has helped to empower me in terms of boosting my self esteem. I know that I still suffer with esteem issues, but I am no longer depressed for extended periods of time. I know that I feel better now emotionally than I have ever felt during any other period in my life. I know that this change in attitude is directly related to me accepting the fact that I am a special and unique individual. I will continue to strive to be the best that I can be, and I hope that you will continue to do the same in spite of what other people might say, feel, or think about you. I really appreciate your correspondence. It has also helped me a lot.
May I ask what sort of treatment you have pursued as of yet? (if any)
I currently take 30mg adderall xr. I haven't done any therapy specifically for this, but I did find an ADD workbook at Borders, and it has been VERY helpful so far. It has certainly been helpful in pinpointing what my ADD affects, and ways I can try to counter that. It also addressing certain types of though patterns (touching on CBT a bit)
I have only recently identified that I have ADD. I have not been diagnosed by a doctor. Honestly, I am afraid of an official diagnoses. I am unemployed and I am afraid that future employers might see this as a reason not to hire me. I have been through several jobs. The jobs all ended the same. I always reached a point during my employment where I found my personal life overwhelming which causes me to leave the job. I have never been fired but I don't know if it would have been better if I had been. I am extremely embarrassed by this. At the time, I just thought that I was over stressed. I wasn't aware of what was really going on with me. I wish that I could go back in time and have a frank discussion with all of my previous employers to explain to them what was going on with me. I think that some of them would understand and maybe be willing to work with me. This is painful to me because it is directly tied to the lack of self esteem that I feel about my failures in life. I am smart and a great teacher , but it just seems that my chaotic personal life always interfere with my professional success.
Absolutely. The past is inevitable. So use it to develop something nice for the future. Never allow past setbacks to affect ur future negatively. You didnt ask for ADD or anything like that so dont blame yourself for it. think of what you can do inspite of it.
Believe me you can be a stronger person today because you went through the trauma of ADD and related relationship issues when you were younger. Be strong.
I am ADD as well and I so Very Much Understand. I go through the same exact things. I don't have any advice to give because I don't know how to control myself NOR my mind. I've tried so many ways but nothing helps or works. I also Have terrible mood swings. And I stay quite depressed and short tempered. I need help dealing with this as well. I also have very BAD Nerves and Bad anxiety, severe Social anxiety; and I feel scared ALL the time, about Everything.