I have trouble reading. Do I have ADD?

I see that this thread died - I have the same issue, exactly as described by nux bqt in the first post. I have been very successful in business and academics, but lack the ability to make reading a habit in my life, or even read a novel. Does anyone have a suggestion for what type of specialist to reach out to regarding this?

Other learning difficulties and disabilities can also present themselves alongside ADD:
Auditory/ memory deficits such as difficulty remembering details
Poor comprehension or understanding what has been read
Reversals for example mistaking b for d
visual memory deficits like copying
difficulty in reasoning the meaning of words.

It is possible that you have ADD, maybe see a different professional that specializes in ADD / ADHD

When someone has ADD they score low language comprehension. I graduated college and majored in reading intensive subjects. Being intelligent has its benefits and downfalls. Benefit is being able to be successful in academics/business, downfall is it masks a problem.

It might be ADD if it's not Schizophrenia or related mental illness. You would need to go to a Psychologist and then a Psychiatrist for that. Family doctor could also help. Despite me taking pills for Schizophrenia, I still had trouble reading and wondered whether it might be ADD, but the Pscyhologist told me that it must be Schizophrenia related. The Risperidone pills are helping me get A's. I stopped the pills for the last three weeks of school, and I believe that gave me one or two B's. Still, the pills do not cure everything. I am really frustrated right now and anxious that I can't read the essays and textbooks I am supposed to read. In the past, I have dealt with my problem creatively and have taken tests without the readings, and it was fine, but a problem arises when I want to be a perfectionist and want to read all the way. Pink noise from Youtube have helped me a lot: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pPk9HpXZLj8, but I still have motivation issues with reading. I think it might have to do with my changed personality. Also, today I wrote in my journal what I wanted: "Straight A's, comin' my way! Straight A's. President's List. Straight A's. 3.9. Straight A's, read, read, read. Read, read, read, read, read, read, read, read, read, read, read, read, read, read, study, preview, review, computer lab, use spare time wisely, use all the free time to read. I love being a student." Psychology study involving students who didn't do anything different and students who envisioned getting A's and students who envisioned themselves working found out that those who envisionsed getting A's scored 2 pts higher, and those who, for five minutes a day, envisioned themselves working, scored 8 pts higher. After what I wrote, I suddenly started reading the essay I needed to read. But after the first essay and written essay summary, I got tired and didn't want to read all the way of the second essay, so I took a walk. I think after each essay, I need to write the same mantra again. I'll try it out now.

From what you have mentioned, fanwu, this does sound similiar to ADD within the aspects of motivation issues. More research and knowledge of ADD is pointing in the direction that it is actually a motivational/reward system issue. I'd find an ADHD specialist if I were you. Although, that is only if you want help with that.

Mod edit

I feel I can share with this! Even tho I've got A*'s all the way through school and college. Also finished a degree in Maths at Cambridge with a first class. Maybe I picked Math as my major because of these reasons. I have to keep reading things over! Sometimes I'm reading something and just forgets what I just read. I don't even know if I have ADD. Like everyone just assumes I don't because I do so well educationally.

I'm in a similar situation: I received straight As through school; I received a 1st class degree at a top 10 university; I consistently perform very highly at work, significantly outperforming my peers.

However, I struggle to read books, and documents at work, at a normal pace: I regularly reread sentences, paragraphs and passages multiple times because, while I have read each individual word, I haven't decoded the aggregate information properly.

I suspect I have some form of ADD, but I do not want to take medication and it's not clear what lifestyle changes I could make that would present a net gain (i.e. I believe the costs would likely outweigh the reduction in frustration).

I intend to trial forcing myself to detox from high-dopamine activities (e.g. less YouTube; although I already don't participate in social media) to see if I can train my brain to enjoy less stimulating tasks and thus be willing to decode more readily the information it receives.

Fingers crossed.