Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Twice Exceptional Does this sound like ADHD?

Hi all,

I'd very much appreciate any or all advice I could get on this. Thanks so much for your time...

I recently turned 22 and have yet to go to college (I plan on going for a Ph.D in biology starting in the fall of 2016) despite a lifelong interest in medicine.

I've had a postgrad reading level for at least 3 years (which is when I had the WJIII, who knows how old I was when I actually hit that, haha) and have an almost endless supply of energy.

My parents never kept me challenged with books growing up (I pushed for the testing for years on a hunch as a teen) and I've recently had both medical and mental health professionals suggest that I may have ADHD because of my energy levels, etc.

I don't think this is accurate, however, because I've found that when I'm actually challenged and properly stimulated (most of the time this is in the form of a medical or science book), I can sit still and focus for hours on end without a problem.

Otherwise, I have lots of pent-up mental and physical energy and talk A TON. I generally want to run and run and jump around when I don't get to wear myself out. I sleep best after I've read a lot AND done martial arts; failing that, my brain keeps going.

I have a very close friend who's an astrophysicist who has essentially taken on a big sister/mentor role and, having been through this as the daughter of 2 gifted people and being gifted herself, she thinks she knows exactly what the problem is: I'm bored.

I have to say that I agree. For one, before she came along and gave me all sorts of books, I didn't have the reading material that was appropriate for and commensurate with my abilities, as my mother never supported them.

Since I've been getting the right books, I've been able to focus more and my mind no longer flits from topic to topic when I'm properly engaged.

For example, we were together for a long time the other day, I was reading an appropriate book while she worked and, like she said, I was fine. No fidgeting, no lack of focus, nothing. I was perfectly still.

She thinks it'll clear up once I'm in college but I just wanted to get others' thoughts. For what it's worth, she's nurtured my intellect and fed my brain more than my parents ever have and I'm more engaged and excited about learning than ever before.

(I've wanted to go to college almost my whole life, but it was never encouraged or supported by my parents, and I've only recently been able to get myself into a better position to do so. My mom's been discouraging my medical interests and book habits for YEARS.)

Thanks so much for your help and time!

Keep in mind that people with ADHD can focus really well on things that hold their interest. DD9 would sit and read an entire chapter book or do a big jigsaw puzzle when she was only 4. The problems arose in school when she was constantly distracted by what the other kids were doing around her, noises in the room (or noises far away!), etc. She doesn't filter things out, unless she is highly engaged by something, like a book or a computer game. She also has impulse issues, for instance she just got frustrated and grabbed her brother by the shirt because he wasn't doing exactly what she said (not everyone with ADHD has impulse issues, however, since there are different types). If you look up ADHD on Wikipedia, you will see a list of symptoms.

If you think that you can focus on schoolwork, then I would go for it and not worry about whether your past issues were/were not caused by ADHD. If you have problems with it (or with certain assignments that may not be as interesting as others), stimulant medication helps a lot of people. If you want to get a degree you will need to take a variety of courses and some of them will likely not be interesting to you. You will need to be able to pace yourself doing assignments, remember deadlines, etc. DD is on a small dose of Vyvanse and I can tell just by looking at her if she is medicated or not. But the right medication/dose can be difficult to find and you may have to work with your doctor to find the right one. Or find other strategies to manage your symptoms if you don't want to try medication. Hope this helps. Don't give up on your dreams.