I have some kind of learning problem. I sometimes feel overwhelmed by visual information. In grade school, I had trouble learning colors. In junior high I struggled to tell time from the hands on a watch. In my early 20s I had jobs involving cash registers and computers, and I struggled to learn tasks by repetition, but when I had to learn a new task, I'd forget the old one. I have trouble with street signs that have pictures -- I stare at them trying to figure out what they mean. I have lost job after job because of these problems. I also suffer from depression and anxiety. As a boy, I was very restless. Yet I have been told that I am very creative. Do I have ADD? One doctor gave me Ritalin, and it neither made me agitated nor helped with these problems.

-- Lonnie

Even if you showed some improvement in attention after taking Ritalin, that in itself would not prove you (or anyone else) had attention deficit disorder (ADD). That's because almost everyone would show an increase in alertness, etc. after taking the drug, because it's a stimulant.

The problems you describe seem to me more indicative of some kind of learning disability or other process than ADD ... but of course I couldn't say for sure without a thorough neuropsychological examination. And that's exactly what I recommend for you: Contact a psychologist specifically trained in neuropsychological assessment and ask for an evaluation.

A neuropsych evaluation consists of several different psychological tests that evaluate aspects of intelligence, personality, mood, memory and brain functioning. Only a psychologist or neuropsychologist is trained to administer and interpret such tests. The psychologist should be able to provide you with feedback about the nature and possible causes of your problems and recommend ways to cope with or change them.

You can find a psychologist trained in neuropsychological evaluation by contacting your state psychological association (usually headquartered in the state capital), the psychology department of a nearby college or university, your local community mental health center or even the Yellow Pages. If there's a large hospital near you, its psychiatry department may also be able to give you some names. (Be aware that neuropsychologists and neurologists are not the same -- neurologists are physicians with medical rather than psychological training.) Your physician may also be able to make a referral.