> I have not been diagnosed by a specialist
Nice, tell me what your uninformed arse thinks.
Me and ADHD
361–370 of 455 posts
Re: Me and ADHD
#362I am trying to manage my ADHD sympthoms naturally. I don't believe that I should take stimulants until I have my lifestyle habits in order.
I found that sleep quality is the number one metric that determines the level of ADHD sympthoms I experience. I do yin yoga before sleep every day, and have fully quit caffeine. I also make sure to not eat at least 4 hours before bed and to not look at any screens 1 hour before my bedtime. Sleep is absolutely my number 1 priority in life.
Starting my day with some heart-rate elevating exercise is the second most helpful habit. I really got into power yoga during lockdown, I highly recommend it.
Having elevated blood ketones, either through fasting or eating low carb, are the third most helpful tool. My level of focus is just incredible when my body has switched to fats as the main fuel source.
My ADHD is quite manageable this way. I feel like having to work for mental clarity is better for me than relying on amphetamines.
Re: Me and ADHD
#363Earlier quoted context omitted.
I am not professionally employable without ADHD medication. I'm willing to that risk for roughly $3m in career earnings.
But just think of all those extra years you could have living in a cardboard box and feeling like a major disappointment! Or missing out on being completely spaced out, depressed, or anxious during major life events in your family!
And even having a family. Doubt I would without the medication. Relationships were impossible before.
Re: Me and ADHD
#364> hard time focusing on things that I don’t like or want to do Not trying to be insensitive, but doesn't that describe everybody? At what point does difficulty motivating yourself to do something unpleasant become an actual pathology? I identify with a lot of the symptoms he lists, but I've never thought that meant there was anything "wrong" with me, I thought everybody felt that way. Are there really people out ther…
It's actually a good question. I think the best insight I got on the topic was reading an article once about how to tell the difference between a child being gifted or having ADHD or being both. This is difficult since they often have similar traits, especially having a hard time completing certain menial tasks. The difference is that a gifted child without ADHD can complete these tasks if he likes the teacher giving…
Do you have a link to this article? Asking for a friend (no, really)
Re: Me and ADHD
#365what is in "What this looks/feels like" is really ADHD?
what kind of test do doctor do for ADHD?
Re: Me and ADHD
#366A lot of comments here are warning about the addictive properties of stimulant medications. For folks without ADHD, you should know that stimulants, like Ritalin and Adderall, do not usually cause the same response as in non-ADHD people. I've spoken with many people on stimulants, and none of them enjoy taking the medication, beyond what it has done to improve their lives. Furthermore, most ADHD people develop tolera…
Real talk: the difference between medicinal and recreational use of amphetamines is about 70 to 95mg.
Take 5-30 mg of Dexedrine, you'll be focused, a bit euphoric, maybe some jaw tension and anorexia. You'll get a lot done. Mild crash? It's a risk.
Smoke a point of meth and you'll be taking apart your toaster in no time. That's 100mg for those of you who grew up on the right side of the tracks.
I'm diagnosed ADHD, by the way. I prefer modafinil over amphetamines, I find the high milder, the wakefulness promotion is a nice bonus, it lasts longer too.
But this is, to be frank, what we used to call an old wives' tale. There is no medical basis for saying that stimulants hit ADHD brains differently. It seems to be a combination of wishful thinking, and doctors choosing to not let the general public know that low doses of stimulants will improve their focus and executive function as well.
Honestly I think that's a pity. Stimulants are a useful adjunct for productive work, at a reasonable dose. America did just fine, for decades, with de-facto legal amphetamine, nor has criminalizing it done much of anything to blunt the epidemic of abuse.
The difference between ADHD and the elusive "normal brain" is that a lot of us need our meds to function. I've taken a few months off, even a few years at one point, and looking back it was a disaster. I still take weekends off whenever I can, and the lowest dose I think I can get away with.
Re: Me and ADHD
#367> hard time focusing on things that I don’t like or want to do Not trying to be insensitive, but doesn't that describe everybody? At what point does difficulty motivating yourself to do something unpleasant become an actual pathology? I identify with a lot of the symptoms he lists, but I've never thought that meant there was anything "wrong" with me, I thought everybody felt that way. Are there really people out ther…
No.
You see "hard time focusing" and you think "I, too, find it difficult to focus on things I don't like"
But: you do it. When we say "hard time focusing" we mean things like, oh, driving an unregistered and uninsured car for six months because the idea of going to the DMV is, uhh.
Look it's hard to explain. But it's an inability and one that significantly interferes with living our lives, on a regular basis.
Re: Me and ADHD
#368A lot of comments here are warning about the addictive properties of stimulant medications. For folks without ADHD, you should know that stimulants, like Ritalin and Adderall, do not usually cause the same response as in non-ADHD people. I've spoken with many people on stimulants, and none of them enjoy taking the medication, beyond what it has done to improve their lives. Furthermore, most ADHD people develop tolera…
I'll echo this; I'm a serial founder who was diagnosed with ADHD in his mid-forties. The stimulant medications do not make me "high", do not provide any kind of buzz. Rather, they have a moderating effect. Explaining this requires correcting the misunderstandings in the public realm of how adult ADHD presents, but in nutshell: * The (largely mental) hyperactivity is controllable, that is, I retain my creative ideas g…
I'd diagnose you with something else. Chronic arrogance, also unwillingness to accept that you're pretty average and terrified of failure. Although, of course, you'll contradict me because it doesn't fit your narrative of being a super human. But yaknow, you keep blasting away your money into a psych's hand and taking medication which does best part of bugger all other than give you recourse for your behaviour.
Re: Me and ADHD
#369I was diagnosed in my late thirties, two years ago. The diagnosis rocked my world.
On the one hand, I struggle with the diagnosis. Everything I read about ADHD felt like a horoscope. To me, it seems everyone will recognize at least parts of the symptoms. People often respond by saying "Oh yeah, I got that too". I have a firm belief everyone is responsible for their actions and, ADHD seems like an excuse. And I don't want to have excuses.
On the other hand, I have taken Ritalin -I stopped when we COVID forced us to work from home- and it helped. A cloud was lifted. Also, I don't longer try to fight and apologize for all the little sounds that make me go bananas.
Re: Me and ADHD
#370What about pomodoro technique. I have mild adhd and I have seen great results to just follow the rule of the pomodoro ( focus for 25 minutes and a daily TODO list) super simple but I have seen great results. It has improved my work and happiness. When I was a child/adult under education system I used these medications and they had a great effect I could concentrate on something and be interested for longer times, I passed from average to one of the best in class. I wonder if Id used the pomodoro technique instead I would had felt the same, could this be solved with just discipline.