The Student Room Group

do i have inattentive adhd?

i'm in year 13 and i’m really struggling with a level exams right now. i’ve worked hard for the past few weeks but due to family issues and poor mental health i do not think i can achieve the grades i want for uni. motivating myself is already hard and now it feels even more difficult.

my gcses were good though. they’re way easier than a levels but i managed to get all 7s and 8s by cramming it all the night(s) before despite getting 4s and 5s all year round. my time management and concentration have always been poor, i barely listened in class, got my homework done, frequently lost and forgot things, etc... but since a levels are significantly more difficult, cramming doesn’t work and you need to plan your time well, which i’ve completely failed at doing. i’ve researched a lot and looked at the diagnostic criteria for ADHD in the DSM-5 and it seems like i only meet the symptoms for inattention, not much from hyperactivity and impulsivity. however i know that there are different types of adhd and inattentive adhd may fit.

but i do not want to self-diagnose especially if i end being wrong about it in the end. do you think it’s a possibility though? i really don't know how to manage this. i've talked about not being able to focus in class with my teachers but they've just said that "there are no distractions in class' and they probably think i'm using it as an excuse to not get the work done... my school has also referred me for ASD but waiting times are painfully long. what should i do? even if you think that i do not have adhd, how can i fix all this? i'll probably have to resit my a levels next year as a private candidate and i do not want to make the same mistake again.
Who doesnt now?

Its somewhat problematic that people are not getting full assessments but specific yes/no ones with such histories
Hey, talk to your gp. If you have been experiencing your symptoms for a while you may have adhd so please don’t blame yourself for the situation. You aren’t stupid or lazy, you brain just might process things differently. As you said, referral takes a long time so the sooner the better really. It’s okay if you have to end up resitting, it doesn’t mean you aren’t capable of your goals they might just take you longer to get there than others. I know comparison of yourself to neurotypical people is very hard to not do, but please stay strong and know support is out there. Just try your best!
Reply 3
Original post by Anonymous
Hey, talk to your gp. If you have been experiencing your symptoms for a while you may have adhd so please don’t blame yourself for the situation. You aren’t stupid or lazy, you brain just might process things differently. As you said, referral takes a long time so the sooner the better really. It’s okay if you have to end up resitting, it doesn’t mean you aren’t capable of your goals they might just take you longer to get there than others. I know comparison of yourself to neurotypical people is very hard to not do, but please stay strong and know support is out there. Just try your best!

Hi, thank you for your reply. I’ve been experiencing these symptoms since forever really but they’re becoming more difficult to manage ever since I started A Levels due to the significant workload. My school isn’t of much help either, they just think that I’m not capable but I know I have the potential. Waiting times are really long and since the nhs said in April that they are “unable to cope with the avalanche of autism and adhd diagnoses” I really don’t know what to do. I’ll definitely have to end up resitting but I’m worried that having to resit will affect my chances in getting to top unis.
Original post by Anonymous
Hi, thank you for your reply. I’ve been experiencing these symptoms since forever really but they’re becoming more difficult to manage ever since I started A Levels due to the significant workload. My school isn’t of much help either, they just think that I’m not capable but I know I have the potential. Waiting times are really long and since the nhs said in April that they are “unable to cope with the avalanche of autism and adhd diagnoses” I really don’t know what to do. I’ll definitely have to end up resitting but I’m worried that having to resit will affect my chances in getting to top unis.

Do some research into your courses entry requirements and how they look at resits. It might not affect you at all for some places! In my opinion, and that of many others, going to a top university is not THAT important. You get the exact same degree at say kings college that you would at Plymouth. If that is a dream of yours it may be hard to let go of but there are plenty of great universities in this country which aren’t top 10 etc. Also if you get diagnosed before you resit and it is on your UCAS it may be considered.
Original post by Anonymous
Hey, talk to your gp. If you have been experiencing your symptoms for a while you may have adhd so please don’t blame yourself for the situation. You aren’t stupid or lazy, you brain just might process things differently. As you said, referral takes a long time so the sooner the better really. It’s okay if you have to end up resitting, it doesn’t mean you aren’t capable of your goals they might just take you longer to get there than others. I know comparison of yourself to neurotypical people is very hard to not do, but please stay strong and know support is out there. Just try your best!

What is neurotypical person, what do they look like? apart from not neurodiverse

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