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Hi there,
Thank you for your letter.
It sounds like youve done a lot of research into ADD/ADHD and that now youre seriously wondering if you might be affected. You havent mentioned which particular signs of ADHD you can relate to, but if youre experiencing any symptoms that are making life difficult, then it is certainly worth looking into it further.
Its really good to hear that youre thinking of talking to someone about the possibility that you having ADD/ADHD. Its important not to give yourself a diagnosis without getting expert advice. Theres a lot of different information on the internet, and not all of it is correct, so its easy to end up reaching the wrong conclusion.
Talking to your mum or a teacher sounds like a really good idea. Once youve decided who youd like to talk to first, perhaps you could choose to speak to them when they will have time to really listen to how you are feeling. You could show them what youve read about the symptoms and how they relate to you. Also you might want to ask for their support to talk to your doctor. If your doctor thinks you might have ADD/ADHD, they can refer you to a specialist (such as a paediatrician or psychiatrist), who would be the one to diagnose you. Theres no simple test for ADD/ADHD, so the specialist would need to ask you and the adults in your life lots of questions about any difficulties that youve been having at home and in school.
If you are diagnosed with ADD/ADHD, there is various types of support available. The doctors should talk these through with you. Even if the doctors dont think you have ADHD, they should still listen to the things that are worrying you, and discuss whether you need any extra help.
You might find it helpful to see what other young people say about ADD/ADHD on our learning difficulties message board. Young Minds also have a lot of information about ADD/ADHD.
If you would like to talk about this further, you could speak to one of the ChildLine counsellors by calling 0800 1111 (this is a freephone number) or logging in for a 1-2-1 chat.
Take care,
Sam
You can talk privately to a counsellor online or call 0800 1111 for free.
You can ask me about anything you want, there's nothing too big or small. I read every single letter but I can only answer a few each week. My replies are published here on my page.