ADHD test in Thailand for adult male who's language of birth is English.

[notrub]

05 05 2024

 

I just saw a TEDx talk about an adult woman who discovered that she has ADHD. What she experienced fit me like a glove (she said this too).  I believe that I suffer from this problem and have clear early childhood memories of being inattentive and was punished during my entire school experience. (I am not stupid, btw).  In the weeks since I self diagnosed, many of the characteristics, such as being a poor organizer, forgetfulness, morning fatigue and other symptoms, (except impulsive talking over others in conversation,) are clearly experienced by me.  I just turned 76 so I can accept that some of these symptoms could very well be age related and or exacerbated by age; but my clear childhood memories seem to contradict this.

 

I understand that there are comprehensive tests where this disorder can be confirmed or otherwise. I saw a physiatrist at a main Thai hospital and she prescribed Ritalin 10mg which I am now taking.  She took me at my word but did not do any testing of any kind.  

 

My limited understanding of the discovery - treatment process leads me to believe that there are officially recognized tests to determine whether the disorder is present and if so the level of seriousness that is experienced. 

 

I do not have medical insurance here so a lengthy battery of tests would too costly for me.  Anyway, I don't think a deep dive into my consciousness is warranted just for confirmation of a condition that is experienced by 10-15% of North Americans (I am Canadian) running to 10's of millions of sufferers there.  

 

Equally, if I do not have it, the discovery could point me in a good direction to correct my forgetfulness, impulsiveness and other symptoms that I do have.

 

Any ideas of where and how I could take such a test in English by a qualified person please?  I would happily volunteer if a researcher needed me for a study or any other way that I could be tested that would not be prohibitively costly. 

 

Any comments will be gratefully received.  Thank you very much in advance🙏🏼

 

 

[IvorBiggun2]

22 minutes ago, notrub said:

I understand that there are comprehensive tests where this disorder can be confirmed or otherwise

I don't think so. My 15 year old son is diagnosed ADHD. He goes to see a specialist doctor about every 3 months, who prescribes Ritalin, and that's about it. 

 

Quote

Although there is no single medical, physical, or genetic test for ADHD, a diagnostic evaluation can be provided by a qualified mental health care professional or physician who gathers information from multiple sources.

 

https://chadd.org/for-adults/diagnosis-of-adhd-in-adults/#:~:text=Although there is no single,gathers information from multiple sources.

Edited May 5 by IvorBiggun2

[mfd101]

You've obviously navigated your way through life successfully (you even write literate English!) so why bother now at age 76? Just keep enjoying the life you have.

[proton]

I thought ADHD was a scam? They will almost always test positive for you- at a price, then you can join the legions of syndrome suffers having something to blame for your shortcomings.

[ChaiyaTH]

7 minutes ago, proton said:

I thought ADHD was a scam? They will almost always test positive for you- at a price, then you can join the legions of syndrome suffers having something to blame for your shortcomings.

It's everything but a scam, what a silly thing to even say.

[ChaiyaTH]

I have ADHD in my head since I was young, always had issues with school too when young while I thrived later on, on my own. For me it is not the ADHD that means you can't sit still and always walk around, it is just in my head. That sucks more as nobody can see you have it too. 

I stopped using Ritalin a long time ago as if side effects and have been smoking weed ever since, that does the trick. However when i take ritalin, it is almost surreal, how calm my mind is and how much better I can concentrate. To give you guys an idea, it is like that movie limitless. For me that pill is ritalin.

Would actually not mind do diagnose again here and get on the ritalin for a while, it does help me to get some additional work done with the focus and peace.

[impulse]

If the OP finds a way to get tested in Thailand, please post back.

 

After 20+ years in the US healthcare system, 6 sleep tests, 2 surgeries, hundreds of appointments, half a dozen "diagnoses", trying out about a dozen "latest and greatest" meds (including participation in a clinical trial of an even newer one), I gave up on putting a name on it (ADD without the H was the best match, but who knows?) and just went for the symptom relief.  Had to go 2 states over because my home state (Texas) makes it so difficult for doctors to prescribe Ritalin.

 

If the Ritalin's working, I'm happy for you.  I was pleased that it's possible to get it in Thailand, if only through a hospital pharmacy.  It wasn't difficult, especially with a note from the doc back home (in Colorado, actually)

 

Sadly, this is a discussion that's better had with a bunch of close friends over dinner, and not in a public forum that's not known for sober, compassionate and serious posters.  So don't let anyone convince you to abandon something that's working for you, assuming it is.

 

[simon43]

43 minutes ago, proton said:

I thought ADHD was a scam? They will almost always test positive for you- at a price, then you can join the legions of syndrome suffers having something to blame for your shortcomings.

And if you're in the UK, then you can claim disability allowance and not have to work... 🙂

[proton]

46 minutes ago, ChaiyaTH said:

It's everything but a scam, what a silly thing to even say.

 

When did all this start then? when I was young the only thing kids had wrong with them was hay fever in the summer. Now there is a long list of disabilities, syndromes and allergies to choose from. Apart from dyslexia, and some of that is a pretense for incapable, many of these afflictions are false, strange that they only seem to affect westerners.

[connda]

That's nothing that a little bit of stimulant like Ritalin wouldn't clear right up.  Just need a diagnosis and a prescription (wink wink) 

[IvorBiggun2]

21 minutes ago, connda said:

Just need a diagnosis and a prescription (wink wink) 

What are you on about?

[notrub]

Here is more information about probable ADHD and me.  I took a reading comprehension test when I was 5 or 6 or so.  There were 3 paragraphs. I can still see myself reading the first paragraph and being anxious, or something, I skipped to the 3rd, knowing at the time that I should read the second too.  I got all the comprehension answers correct except those contained in the second paragraph.  I knew that I should have read that paragraph too and did not know why I did not.

 

I was a bad boy and punished for being overactive for my entire school 'career'.

 

Now, when I am interested in something it is full steam ahead until I lose interest and the project comes to a screeching halt and I cannot continue without superhuman effort.  Normally I just let it slide.

 

Thanks again for your comments🙏🏼

[Ben Zioner]

2 hours ago, notrub said:

05 05 2024

 

I just saw a TEDx talk about an adult woman who discovered that she has ADHD. What she experienced fit me like a glove (she said this too).  I believe that I suffer from this problem and have clear early childhood memories of being inattentive and was punished during my entire school experience. (I am not stupid, btw).  In the weeks since I self diagnosed, many of the characteristics, such as being a poor organizer, forgetfulness, morning fatigue and other symptoms, (except impulsive talking over others in conversation,) are clearly experienced by me.  I just turned 76 so I can accept that some of these symptoms could very well be age related and or exacerbated by age; but my clear childhood memories seem to contradict this.

 

I understand that there are comprehensive tests where this disorder can be confirmed or otherwise. I saw a physiatrist at a main Thai hospital and she prescribed Ritalin 10mg which I am now taking.  She took me at my word but did not do any testing of any kind.  

 

My limited understanding of the discovery - treatment process leads me to believe that there are officially recognized tests to determine whether the disorder is present and if so the level of seriousness that is experienced. 

 

I do not have medical insurance here so a lengthy battery of tests would too costly for me.  Anyway, I don't think a deep dive into my consciousness is warranted just for confirmation of a condition that is experienced by 10-15% of North Americans (I am Canadian) running to 10's of millions of sufferers there.  

 

Equally, if I do not have it, the discovery could point me in a good direction to correct my forgetfulness, impulsiveness and other symptoms that I do have.

 

Any ideas of where and how I could take such a test in English by a qualified person please?  I would happily volunteer if a researcher needed me for a study or any other way that I could be tested that would not be prohibitively costly. 

 

Any comments will be gratefully received.  Thank you very much in advance🙏🏼

 

 

Why would you want to get diagnosed at 76? 

[Moonlover]

Every time a topic such as this posted, I read the same sad stories and they all seem to stem from the same western obsession with meditation and often very dubious medication at that.

 

There is no doubt that much of my adult life has been plagued with the affects of childhood trauma. I'd never even heard of it until a few years ago,' but now that it is coming out into the open, I recognize the signs and symptoms in myself and in others, mainly the 'baby boomers' who are, in the main my peer group. Post war years, European and British.

 

My approach has been very different. No doctors, phycologists or analysts and definitely no dodgy medication or drugs. And it all started when I found this website a few years ago. I now practice Qigong twice daily and have benefitted hugely from dong so. Go and visit the website I've attached below. I could just turn your life around.

 

The Flowing Zen Academy Home Page

 

Edited May 5 by Moonlover

[proton]

Renowned Harvard Psychologist Says ADHD Is Largely A Fraud

 

https://seasidespinedestin.com/harvard-psychologist-adhd/

[proton]

It's just pill pushing

 

 

[proton]

PTSD is another popular one, previously it was only combat veterans who understandably suffered from it. Now people claim to have it if they missed a plane or when fido dies. 😊

[Chris Daley]

The work place is now run by people high in extraversion.  My whole idea of being a teacher was to be immersed in academia and hang out with other nerds.  But that is not the case.  Most of the teachers don't have a degree.  One guy got fired because ''he didn't smile''.

 

So ADHD is actually a good thing now.  I am the opposite I am low in extraversion.  It is very difficult for me to fake extraversion or fake ADHD on a daily basis to keep my job.

 

Most jobs require hyperactive drugged up man-children.  Foreigners are seen as clowns and 'the funny guy' so use your ADHD to your advantage.

[proton]

Extraversion that's a new one, will look it up

[Moonlover]

1 hour ago, proton said:

It's just pill pushing

 

 

Absolutely spot on.

[NativeBob]

1 hour ago, proton said:

PTSD is another popular one, previously it was only combat veterans who understandably suffered from it. Now people claim to have it if they missed a plane or when fido dies. 😊

there's an american "veteran" living in BKK on PTSD-pension. I think more than 10 years. Clever dude ) Eternal holidays he arranged

[Seppius]

My hearing is very good, but I have never been able to understand most song lyrics, and need subtitles for movies

 

Found out recently, its "auditory processing disorder"

 

I read it's a symptom of ADHD, but a separate disorder

 

https://www.healthline.com/health/adhd/adhd-and-auditory-processing

[dingdongrb]

2 hours ago, Seppius said:

My hearing is very good, but I have never been able to understand most song lyrics, and need subtitles for movies

 

Found out recently, its "auditory processing disorder"

 

I read it's a symptom of ADHD, but a separate disorder

 

https://www.healthline.com/health/adhd/adhd-and-auditory-processing

 I actually miss those speed reading courses I took back in high school prepping for college. It helped me to better comprehend and retain what I was reading......and doing it at a much faster pace definitely helped.

[Ben Zioner]

So, ADHD same same Climate change?

[mark5335]

10 hours ago, notrub said:

Any ideas of where and how I could take such a test in English by a qualified person please?  I would happily volunteer if a researcher needed me for a study or any other way that I could be tested that would not be prohibitively costly. 

 

I was identified as having a spectrum disorder in my late 50's and then looked into obtaining a more thorough diagnosis at the well-regarded Manorom Hospital in Bangkok:

https://www.manarom.com/adult_eng.html

 

Although it was quite a revelation, I decided not to go through with the full diagnosis as there was little to be gained (in Thailand) by having the diagnosis verified at my age being post-career and semi-retired, and I had managed to stumble through school and university and an international career with a large MNC through masking techniques rather than prescription drugs. Accepting and understanding my trigger points including avoiding certain places and people allows me to get by. Knowing of the diagnosis has brought a lot of sense and understanding as to why certain things seemed to happen to me (and not to most others) which in itself was quite an epiphany and helpful in moving forward with a more positive attitude.

[Sheryl]

Definitive standardized diagnostic test does not exist. The diagnosis is somewhat subjective and made by a psychiatrist  based on symptoms and reported impact on daily life.

 

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/attention-deficit-hyperactivity-disorder-adhd/diagnosis/

 

You could see a foreign trained, English speaking psychiatrist for a second opinion (Manoram per link above being best) but it will cost and I'm not sure what the point would be. You are already being treated for ADHD. Is it helping/improving the quality of your life to a significant extent? 

[Sandboxer]

The test can be done at I'm sorry what did you say?

[oldscool]

An interesting and brave post.

 

Pinpointing mental health issues is notoriously difficult given how little we know for sure about our psychology, but there is a documented overlap between the symptoms of ADHD and of anxiety, and given your domestic situation as described in another thread, a high level of anxiety would be "normal" for any of us.

 

As for the wags that insinuate that such issues are fabricated, I'm sure other posters are old enough to remember the panic about the emergence of hyperactivity among children due to new "e-number" additives in food a few decades ago, while ADHD itself was first identified in 1902 according to a quick search.

 

And of course the internet has given us a huge surge in mental ill-health, the daily "culture wars" on just about any forum or MSM comments section are evidence of that, though I guess that's probably in the realm of OCD as much as ADHD.

 

I checked the treatments for ADHD, and the side effects of pharma seem to be potentially quite unpleasant, while weed (also recommended by some) may help in sleeping for some people but is pretty well universally agreed to play havoc with short-term memory, ie forgetfulness, apparently another symptom of ADHD, so possibly better avoided I guess.

 

I have some limited relevant background in psychology (not psychiatry), the Carl Rogers approach - basically a structured approach to talking it out, and unless the symptoms are truly debilitating I'd advocate something like that, or a good friend to chat with, not necessarily an easy thing to come by in rural Thailand.

 

A lovely house by the way, and concrete evidence of your ability to see projects through (ie contrary to ADHD), while your noticeably coherent posts don't indicate an inattention to detail (also contrary to ADHD). Stress and anxiety maybe?

 

Yoga and mindfulness are great of course, but sharing in the right environment is possibly even better.

 

Excuse my cod diagnosis. Cheers.

 

 

 

 

[notrub]

Thanks Sheryl and oldschool and thanks very much OS for describing me as coherent.  Here is a comment about ADHD sufferers being able to laser focus/function re subjects that interest their minds.

 

I started a business in the UK and employed many persons.  It occurred to me, (having read many studies), that the persons who I wanted to contact for work would have a limited window of attention.  So I decided to restrict every letter of introduction to one page.  We were involved in unusual methods of access to carry out civil engineering projects so an accurate, clear description of our services was of paramount importance.  

 

That meant every sentence had to contain words that were most efficient in their meaning without becoming incomprehensible, which can be easily done by a word cutting master like me.  Virtually every written word is reviewed and considered multiple times and spell checked; even today while posting these thoughts here.  It is of great interest to me to efficiently communicate by the written word so I do it. It can take hours...

 

My home here was built in manageable chunks that held my attention and material fetching took care of my need to be on the move.  Lots of errors that could have been avoided, however, and it is still  disappointing as I know better than to have let them happen.

 

I am (only) a time served qualified Canadian carpenter which I w as able to accomplish in manageable chunks with credits received for apprenticeship work in Quebec, California and Calgary.  I have also successfully taken innumerable courses in construction management, safety, strength of materials, taken courses at universities etc. etc..  All fairly short and to the point.

 

I have had people working under my direction both as a site superintendent or employees since I was about 25.  This meant that dipping in and out of the details that interested me has been pretty easy to do while maintaining overall management control.  

 

As mentioned previously, I exhibit all the symptoms except, hopefully, I do not talk over others in conversation.  The reason that I would like a test is to confirm this condition to myself and others who suggest that my self diagnosis is invalid.  There is no question in my mind that I suffer from this disorder.

 

A podcast called Huberman's Lab has some very good posts about ADHD even though mr Huberman has some controversy circling around him.

 

Will close now b4 another hour is claimed by one more sentence. 555.

 

Thanks a lot for your interest; it is helping me a lot.

🙏🏼🙂🤯

 

 

 

[Pouatchee]

On 5/5/2024 at 8:41 AM, notrub said:

I understand that there are comprehensive tests where this disorder can be confirmed or otherwise.

 

no tests like blood tests etc... you meet a psychiatrist, not a psychologist, and you sescribe your symptoms. generally adults who were adhdh as kids develop chronic fatigue as an adult. the doctor will prescribe you ritalin or concerta. it costs around 10 000bht a month. better go to gvt hospital cos its cheaper. these drugs are illegal if you dont have a scrip.

PM me if you have questions...