Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Little Name Atheist on September 25, 2009 at 3:16pm

Thanks for creating the group, outlaw! I have ADD. Currently not on meds. My house shows it. I have enough problems with insomnia, and the medication just made that worse, no matter how early in the day I took it. I'm trying to make a go of it without meds.

I was diagnosed... at least five years ago, in my mid-40s.. As usual, I can't remember exactly when! I'd have to sit down and think about it. It would have made a big difference in my life if I"d been diagnosed earlier, but when I was growing up, it was my youngest brother (ADHD) who got most of the attention, because he was almost literally bouncing off the walls. Plus, in the 60s, I don't think the research was very advanced.

Do you have accomodations from your school? Now that I know I have ADD, I may go back to school and get some accomodations. I found that if I had a wee bit extra time for tests (especially algebra) I could finish. It's not that I didn't know the material, it's just that my brain would shut-down partway through.

I'll start recruiting people, since I check the new members list every day, anyhow.

Permalink Reply by OutlawGirl on September 25, 2009 at 3:32pm

Welcome Meabh! Glad to have you aboard. =D

Lots of colleges have accommodations for students with learning disabilities. Sometimes my mother thinks I should use them, but I'm too proud. I know that I can force myself to get my projects done (though some still don't make it in on time, especially toward the end of the year), it just takes far more willpower and energy for me than the average person can comprehend. If you think accommodations will help you get through school you should definitely take advantage of them. I'm just too stubborn for my own good.

I can't remember when I was diagnosed either. I'm pretty sure I started on medication sometime during the first or second grade. Interestingly, my father got diagnosed at the same time as me! When we talk on the phone I'm constantly shocked by his knack for dragging the conversation way off topic. Of course since I have that tendency too we can spend hours on the phone without either of us ever making a point!

On insomnia: Unless you’ve never had sleeping problems before, it might not be your medication. Personally I find it much harder to sleep without my meds. My brain goes completely nuts when I try to settle down for bed. I really hate having to shut off like that.

Most of the time I think about my writing while I’m trying to go to sleep. I try to stick to just reviewing what I already know I want to write, because if I accidentally come up with a new idea… so much for sleep.

PS – I’ve read that ADD tends to be less diagnosed in women because we express our symptoms differently and tend to be withdrawn rather than hyperactive, though this isn’t true for everyone. It was definitely true for me.

Permalink Reply by Little Name Atheist on September 25, 2009 at 3:59pm

Thanks, outlaw!

re: Colleges with accommodations: So I've heard! I understand the willpower it takes to get all sorts of things done. Doesn't it drive you nuts when someone says "Oh yeah, that happens to me too", and you just KNOW that they don't have ADD or ADHD. I always respond, "Yeah, but in your case it hasn't interfered with your quality of life."

re: The phone! I love talking with other people who have ADHD/ADD, because they don't get upset or confused by the giant leaps in topic.

re: insomina: I have always had problems falling asleep. I'd rather not be medicated. I've found that physically tiring myself out later in the day helps, but not right before bed.

Yes, I've also read that about ADD being less diagnosed in women.

Permalink Reply by OutlawGirl on September 25, 2009 at 4:10pm

It doesn't upset me so much. Even though I know their problems aren't as severe as mine it helps to know I'm not the only person who procrastinates. What really gets me mad is when people say things like "Why don't you just stop being lazy and do your work?" or "Everyone has to do things they don't like sometimes." My mom is fond of the second one. When I'm having a bad day where I can't seem to get anything done that's the last thing I want to hear. It's not encouraging, it's not helpful, and it shows no understanding. A simple "I believe in you, I know you can do it!" would be so much better.

I find it pretty easy to tell when another person has ADD/ADHD. I met a guy in my last math class who probably has it, though he hasn't been diagnoised (I recommended he look into it after talking with him a couple times). I haven't heard from him in a while but I hope he takes my advice. I could tell that it was causing problems for him.

Permalink Reply by Little Name Atheist on September 26, 2009 at 2:04pm

It doesn't upset me so much. Even though I know their problems aren't as severe as mine it helps to know I'm not the only person who procrastinates.

I don't think most people's procrastination has ended up interfering with the quality of their life to such a degree as it can for people with ADD/ADHD. When I get irritated is when someone who is supposedly a friend, who I've had occasional conversations about ADD/ADHD and how it has impacted my life, seems to have forgotten... and then starts telling me I should just pull myself up by my bootstraps. Honestly, if I had boots, I'd rather smack them a few times with my bootstraps.

When I know someone has a condition (like say... they have Asperger's Syndrome, or Chronic Fatigue), I read about it so I will understand their circumstances. I may not always remember every way that their condition effects them, but a quick reminder brings it all flooding back.

A simple "I believe in you, I know you can do it!" would be so much better.

Absolutely!

I find it pretty easy to tell when another person has ADD/ADHD.

I think I'm getting there, too. Someone dear to me has it, but won't take my suggestions that they do something about it... and that I would be willing to help as much as I can.

I hate to see someone else go through what I've gone through when some self-knowledge and application could prevent years of self-doubt and self-esteem issues.

Permalink Reply by OutlawGirl on September 28, 2009 at 10:56pm

When I get irritated is when someone who is supposedly a friend, who I've had occasional conversations about ADD/ADHD and how it has impacted my life, seems to have forgotten... and then starts telling me I should just pull myself up by my bootstraps. Honestly, if I had boots, I'd rather smack them a few times with my bootstraps.

I guess I've just had good friends. Still, it's not like me to blame people for their misconceptions. Even I have a hard time dealing with this and I have to live it every day.

Permalink Reply by Little Name Atheist on October 21, 2009 at 12:28am

I guess I've just had good friends. Still, it's not like me to blame people for their misconceptions.

You say misconceptions, I say willful ignorance. I have no problem "blaming" people for their willful ignorance.

Permalink Reply by Angela on September 29, 2009 at 9:57am

Hi! I just wanted to say Thank You! for starting this group. It's actually great timing for me because I get to go back on my medication (adderall) on Thursday. I've been off of it for nearly four years because of having babies/breastfeeding/etc. The meds makes such a difference for me and I'm so excited - I feel like I'm going to get my brain back.

I was finally diagnosed with ADD about 10 years ago (back when I turned 29 the first time ;) and getting on medications took me from working at a dead-end job to running my own freelance design business (with clients such as Adobe and Bank of America) in just a little over a year. HUGE difference. I've since become a stay-at-home-mommy, and I'm so curious to see how getting back on adderall will affect things. I'm hoping that I'll be able to get organized enough over the next year to even start taking a few classes again.

I also consider myself lucky to have a husband with ADHD, so we're both very understanding when it comes to all the wackyness that goes along with it.

Permalink Reply by OutlawGirl on September 29, 2009 at 12:51pm

Great to have you, Angela. =]

Wow, I couldn't imagine being off my meds for so long. The last time I went off my medication my grades plummeted and, consequently, my moods got worse. I'm not sure I could sit still long enough to have a baby without my meds. I grew out of being hyperactive a long time ago but I still get twitchy when I have to sit still for a long time.

Permalink Reply by Little Name Atheist on October 21, 2009 at 12:31am

I've been hoping to find a non theist ADHD group for a while.

I've been hoping to find an ADHD group, period. Once up on a time, there was one in the state, but I'm still trying to track down who started it, and if they might be interested in hosting another one.

Until then, I'm mighty grateful to have this group. If there's a lot of "I'm praying for you" in other groups, maybe I won't be so excited to find a local, in-the-flesh one.

Being banished from a family trip sounds dreadful!

Permalink Reply by Wonderist on October 16, 2009 at 11:13am

This is a great group. I'm so glad I found it. Already, just reading a few posts, I feel like I've found a home or something.

I just recently got a tentative diagnosis of ADHD (getting full assessment ASAP, but have to wait for the appointment). I'm having a crisis at work and in danger of losing my job (again). A colleague mentioned the symptoms of ADHD, and for each one I was like, "Yep, yep, that's me, that too, yep..."

I couldn't believe it at first. I used to think to have ADD you had to be unable to focus at all on anything. But I've always been able to hyper-focus on certain things that interested me, so I never even considered ADD.

But hearing all the other symptoms, and suddenly my whole life started to make sense. Especially my problems at work which had been screwing up my life in the last few years.

So, I still don't have an official diagnosis, but my doctor already started me on low-dose Dexedrine, and I'm only on my second day with it. So far it seems to be giving me a bit more energy and a little more ability to do little things that I used to always skip over because they required too much focus and forcing myself to do them. Just little things that always required so much frigging effort to do, like closing the cupboards, checking the mail, taking out the garbage, washing a dish when I need it, cooking potatoes, etc. Now I seem to be able to do them just automatically without needing to force myself.

So far, no help at work, but I'm hoping over time all these little things will build up into getting more stuff done in general, including work-related tasks.

Permalink Reply by Wonderist on October 16, 2009 at 1:14pm

I've heard that Dexedrine can require a creeping increase in dosage over time. Have you experienced this? Have you personally tried different meds to see if they work better for you, or has it always been Dexedrine? What do you think of Strattera? I hear it's also good for the depression side of things, and that it lasts 24 hours a day, no ups and downs, like anti-depressants.

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