Not quite true. Those without ADD get about a third to half as much a “bump” as someone with ADD, and their gain(s) are not as consistent as those of people who actually have ADD.
False, the behavioral changes for ADHD kids are dramatic which non Adhd people won't have, but actual cognitive testing will show similar results.
False. He wasn’t remarking on IQ tests. Work on it. The ‘bumps’ in academic performance, such as the SAT (which is not an IQ test) are larger for the ADD youngsters.
I've gotten my diagnosis half a year ago. Never had any real clue that I had it, but looking back it made so much sense (poor academic performance, lotta social issues, bad at "staying with it" etc.) It began for me when I went to my doc with a lot of emotional issues, and she just asked me a bunch of questions, and she connected the dots from there. I had always associated adhd with unruly kids and not something adults really could have, so I wasnt convinced untill a psych essentially just gave up going through the checklist halfway since everything was a definitive yes from me and he gave me diagnosis.
I started on ritalin (8 hour Methylphenidate) felt fine on starter dosis of 20mg. Very buzzed first couple of days, went up to 40mg after a month and had very bad anxiety especially when the dose would taper off. On days issues would arise the meds amplified them greatly into the worst feeling of dread and depression, and on "good" days I would just wonder why my body felt so sad (Like I could tell there weren't any reason that I would feel this way)
I got switched on fast to the 12 hour version (36mg Methylphenidate) and the anxiety went away again, but I couldnt feel any effects really positive or negative. Ive been on 54mg for a month now, and for the first time since starting the meds I've felt a deep calm that I can't remember ever having. Im sleeping a lot better and its much easier to fall asleep too, something that was very hard on the first two variants (and before meds too). Emotional regulation have improved a lot for me, and I feel daily life is just 10-15% easier to get through
I've gotten my diagnosis half a year ago. Never had any real clue that I had it, but looking back it made so much sense (poor academic performance, lotta social issues, bad at "staying with it" etc.) It began for me when I went to my doc with a lot of emotional issues, and she just asked me a bunch of questions, and she connected the dots from there. I had always associated adhd with unruly kids and not something adults really could have, so I wasnt convinced untill a psych essentially just gave up going through the checklist halfway since everything was a definitive yes from me and he gave me diagnosis.
I started on ritalin (8 hour Methylphenidate) felt fine on starter dosis of 20mg. Very buzzed first couple of days, went up to 40mg after a month and had very bad anxiety especially when the dose would taper off. On days issues would arise the meds amplified them greatly into the worst feeling of dread and depression, and on "good" days I would just wonder why my body felt so sad (Like I could tell there weren't any reason that I would feel this way)
I got switched on fast to the 12 hour version (36mg Methylphenidate) and the anxiety went away again, but I couldnt feel any effects really positive or negative. Ive been on 54mg for a month now, and for the first time since starting the meds I've felt a deep calm that I can't remember ever having. Im sleeping a lot better and its much easier to fall asleep too, something that was very hard on the first two variants (and before meds too). Emotional regulation have improved a lot for me, and I feel daily life is just 10-15% easier to get through
Very interesting. Do you feel like it's helped your professional life and/or personal relationships? I assume you haven't tried Adderall? From what I've read online, some people have much better experiences with one vs the other (Ritalin vs Adderall)...
No, I found the "crash" from stimulants unmanageable. I take ALCAR and L-Tyrosine to great effect. I hear some take ALCAR with stimulants to ease the crash.
I started a similar thread a little while ago about running, but this isn't about running but about life. Anyone here get a diagnosis, go on medication, and then have significant life improvement? I am curious to hear stories...
Yes. Went from unable to focus and do basic homework, or organize myself, to eventually graduating high school with honors.
NOTE, however, this was coupled with cognitive behavioral therapy. To get a truly great outcome you need both. I was in LD and BD classes in elementary school with other kids who had ADHD, and some only did Ritalin and some only did therapy. I can tel you, anecdotally, those of us who did both have broadly succeeded more and generally been happier and more able to manage the ups and downs and shocks of life. And a LOT fewer substance abuse issues.
More recently, one of my kids was diagnosed and is taking Ritalin and doing therapy. Went from a clearly smart kid who was near failing classes in 7th and 8th grade to in the running for HS valedictorian in her sophomore year and almost no missed assignments.
Plus, her anxiety level—which was very high previously—has come waaaaaay down.
I’m a big believer in both medication and therapy for ADHD. In my work I see kids struggling with mental health issues brought on by neurodivergence. Those kids who can afford to get both medication and therapy improve dramatically. Those that get neither struggle and fall deeper into state systems. Those that get one or the other more often just tread water.
That all being said, everyone responds differently to medication. Ritalin works for me. Adderal caused me to have manic-depressive rapid swing episodes. There are some newer ones out there, too. Plus, slow release is a game changer. When I was growing up we had to cut my pills in half to get a step-down dose at the end of a day so I didn’t just have it go off a metabolic cliff and lose the medication all at once. That can create real focus and emotional control issues. Slow release pills have made that less necessary.
Even so, Ritalin and other medication doesn’t erase the disorder’s effects. Instead, it helps you have the ability yo manage them better. You still need the therapy to help you recognize symptoms and know strategies on how to handle them. Medication just makes the handling easier; it doesn’t provide the tools to do so, or prevent the symptom from appearing. Good luck on your journey and, if your journey is not as someone with ADHD but someone supporting another with it, good luck to both of you!
Do you guys see that there is basically something wrong with society...that everyone has to take these stimulants. Work in the medical field, and most millennials and younger (who seek medical care) are on these "stimulants", no one I knew in the 80s,90, early 2000's was taking any of this stuff. The laundry list of medications people are taking these days is insane.
Do you guys see that there is basically something wrong with society...that everyone has to take these stimulants. Work in the medical field, and most millennials and younger (who seek medical care) are on these "stimulants", no one I knew in the 80s,90, early 2000's was taking any of this stuff. The laundry list of medications people are taking these days is insane.
That was I was going to say. You're turning into drug addicts.
In the UK it takes a long time to get an assessment (sometimes years) and then there is a shortage of the drugs available so people can't get a prescription.
I've gotten my diagnosis half a year ago. Never had any real clue that I had it, but looking back it made so much sense (poor academic performance, lotta social issues, bad at "staying with it" etc.) It began for me when I went to my doc with a lot of emotional issues, and she just asked me a bunch of questions, and she connected the dots from there. I had always associated adhd with unruly kids and not something adults really could have, so I wasnt convinced untill a psych essentially just gave up going through the checklist halfway since everything was a definitive yes from me and he gave me diagnosis.
I started on ritalin (8 hour Methylphenidate) felt fine on starter dosis of 20mg. Very buzzed first couple of days, went up to 40mg after a month and had very bad anxiety especially when the dose would taper off. On days issues would arise the meds amplified them greatly into the worst feeling of dread and depression, and on "good" days I would just wonder why my body felt so sad (Like I could tell there weren't any reason that I would feel this way)
I got switched on fast to the 12 hour version (36mg Methylphenidate) and the anxiety went away again, but I couldnt feel any effects really positive or negative. Ive been on 54mg for a month now, and for the first time since starting the meds I've felt a deep calm that I can't remember ever having. Im sleeping a lot better and its much easier to fall asleep too, something that was very hard on the first two variants (and before meds too). Emotional regulation have improved a lot for me, and I feel daily life is just 10-15% easier to get through
Very interesting. Do you feel like it's helped your professional life and/or personal relationships? I assume you haven't tried Adderall? From what I've read online, some people have much better experiences with one vs the other (Ritalin vs Adderall)...
I do! It's easier to not freak out with dumb ideas or let my emotions get the better of me. It's not like its shut off completely but it is noticably down compared to the past. Professionally I feel more capable, especially for long term things (further training, education etc.) something I never could feel I had the energy for before. I have not tried adderall yet, where Im from its one of the last options. I think if ritalin doesnt work for me (so far im good, but I also know its take atleast two months to evaluate properly) next would be something alike called "vyvanse/elvanse" which I think is alike adderall, maybe not as strong. I would be more than open if my psych thinks its good for me, but from what I understand its basically speed/druggs and not to be taken lightly
Do you guys see that there is basically something wrong with society...that everyone has to take these stimulants. Work in the medical field, and most millennials and younger (who seek medical care) are on these "stimulants", no one I knew in the 80s,90, early 2000's was taking any of this stuff. The laundry list of medications people are taking these days is insane.
"Everyone" is a bit much. I would agree a lot of people think they have it, and maybe don't since the symptoms are so common/basic that its easy to trick yourself into thinking you got adhd. Everyone can't be distracted or forgetfull or have impulsively actions, the difference is when it happens so much it affects your life to the core. And its a lot more in the open nowadays, as I said my own experience was that it was something kids had and grew out of, not something adults had. I'll tell you that anyone who truly has it, suffers from it. I've ruined so many relationships from my absurd actions, had more than a lifetimes worth of bad situations I "somehow" found myself in and many years of just not understanding why and feeling like crap because of it.
I started a similar thread a little while ago about running, but this isn't about running but about life. Anyone here get a diagnosis, go on medication, and then have significant life improvement? I am curious to hear stories...
ADHD med (Adderall) changed my life.
I began taking medication around age 38. The ability to 'clock-in' changed everything for me. I was able to follow tasks, take business courses, perform at a much higher level than before.
I've tried Vyvanse as well and didn't do anything for me. Everyone is different, there are various types of ADHD. It's prbably useful to test some meds around.
Do you guys see that there is basically something wrong with society...that everyone has to take these stimulants. Work in the medical field, and most millennials and younger (who seek medical care) are on these "stimulants", no one I knew in the 80s,90, early 2000's was taking any of this stuff. The laundry list of medications people are taking these days is insane.
Maybe to an extent, yes, but my older brother has extremely severe ADHD (the worst I have ever seen) and there simply wasn't the knowledge of medication in the '80s and '90s.
He is now nearly 50 years old and has difficulty functioning in society at anything requiring major tasks (and he's an intelligent person.) Had he been on ADHD medication in his youth, I think his life would have turned out much better.
I'm 30 and haven't had any semblance of a directed life for quite some time, now.
I've gotten a lot dumber and have health and sleep issues which self-instigate, basically GERD and hiatal hernia.
Anyhow; I've been deathly afraid to take drugs for anxiety, OCD, and ADHD. I'm too aware of too wide a berth of knowledge regarding physiology but too little depth to have mastered any domain, with my primary domain of focus being my own pain and fear; thus it is too difficult to compel myself to take a drug which will incite attenuation, dependency, oxidative stress, and potentially lead to erratic behaviors and basically an amplification of undirected effort.
if anyone would like to say anything, I'm open to hear it, and of course, nothing discussed is considered as medical advice, likewise anything discussed is simply a talking point to be had between me and my medical practitioner
Do you guys see that there is basically something wrong with society...that everyone has to take these stimulants. Work in the medical field, and most millennials and younger (who seek medical care) are on these "stimulants", no one I knew in the 80s,90, early 2000's was taking any of this stuff. The laundry list of medications people are taking these days is insane.
You didn't know anyone in the 80s, 90s, or early 2000s. Or, not well. Maybe you should work on your people skills. People were on them, you just didn't know.
Do you guys see that there is basically something wrong with society...that everyone has to take these stimulants. Work in the medical field, and most millennials and younger (who seek medical care) are on these "stimulants", no one I knew in the 80s,90, early 2000's was taking any of this stuff. The laundry list of medications people are taking these days is insane.
That was I was going to say. You're turning into drug addicts.
In the UK it takes a long time to get an assessment (sometimes years) and then there is a shortage of the drugs available so people can't get a prescription.
This is incorrect. Multiple friends in the UK with ADHD. This is not their experience.
On top of that, most ADHD medication is non-habit forming at prescribed medication doses. Ritalin is a good example of that. Also, it's been around since 1955 in the US.
I'm not a millenial, zoomer, or whatever the young folks are called. I grew up in the 1980s. I received quality care at that time; something I have begun to realize was not the norm.
Even so, many doctors in the 1980s knew about Ritalin. And many in the 1970s did. And the 1960s.
The key is, with any ADHD medication, combining the medication with cognitive behavioral therapy.
Again, ADHD medications do not erase symptoms or the disorder itself. These drugs merely provide folks with ADHD the ability to manage their symptoms more readily than they would otherwise.
However, to know HOW and WHEN to manage said symptoms you need therapy. At the same time, therapy alone is not the sole answer. There will be times in anyone with ADHD's life where medication is important and, even, necessary to help them move forward and have good quality of life.
Finally, I have lived my life having to hear ignorant folks like some of the commenters here talk about how ADHD isn't real, or we're all just medicated, blah blah blah.
Ignore these people. They are ignorant. They are lying. I can tell you not everyone is on ADHD medication. I can tell you that there are meaningful processes in most western countries to get meaningful care.
Don't listen to the folks who are lying to you, or just want to sell you solutions. Diet alone, or non-science backed solutions like ketones or other stuff, will not solve your ADHD symptoms.
Medication alone is not a long term solution for managing your ADHD.
Therapy alone is not a long term solution for managing ADHD.
Therapy, coupled with medication, is key. Good diet, exercise, and health can help. Good sleep practices have shown greater benefits for folks with ADHD than without ADHD.
Do you guys see that there is basically something wrong with society...that everyone has to take these stimulants. Work in the medical field, and most millennials and younger (who seek medical care) are on these "stimulants", no one I knew in the 80s,90, early 2000's was taking any of this stuff. The laundry list of medications people are taking these days is insane.
Yes. there is something wrong with our society when everyone is "drugged up."
Interestingly enough, I was reading this article called, "Is more psychotherapy a dead horse? An essay on the (in)effectiveness of individual treatment for mental suffering" which is well worth the read if you have the time. Dr Sami Timimi is a child psychiatrist in the U.K.
Batstra & Timimi wrote:
"...early diagnosis of a DSM-disorder may also do more harm than good...A publication in 2020 as part of the national longitudinal study of Irish children examined the sociodemographic, clinical, and psychological variables that differentiate children with high hyperactivity/inattention behaviours, who had and had not received a diagnosis of ADHD. By age 13, those who had held an ADHD diagnosis at 9 years showed more emotional and peer relationship problems, worse prosocial behaviour, and poorer self-concept, than those who did not receive a diagnosis despite similar levels of ‘symptoms’ at 9.
A similar study, this time as part of the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children, included a comparison of nearly 400 children diagnosed with ADHD, matched to a group who had similar levels of hyperactivity/inattention but did not get an ADHD diagnosis. By 15 years old (an average follow-up of 7 years) those with the diagnosis were doing worse on a number of variables including self-harm, feeling that they could succeed academically, sense of self-efficacy, and demonstrating negative social behaviours [34]. Both of these studies suggest that in the long term a child may be better off not getting a diagnosis of ADHD even if it shows all the behaviours that may lead to a diagnosis. It seems preferable to speak in terms of variation and difference than in terms of deviation and disorder.
Both of these studies suggest that in the long term a child may be better off not getting a diagnosis of ADHD even if it shows all the behaviours that may lead to a diagnosis.
In the past decades, psychological and pharmacological treatment access has improved, but the prevalence of mental health conditions has nevertheless increased across all age groups, and particularly in young people. Recent r...
I started a similar thread a little while ago about running, but this isn't about running but about life. Anyone here get a diagnosis, go on medication, and then have significant life improvement? I am curious to hear stories...
Got diagnosed and medicated. Finished a computer science class I was stuck on for 3 months in a few hours, can now go on runs longer than 30 min without getting itchy/distracted, several times more productive at work which helps being in IT, wish I had started ask if this sooner.
Looking back all of the signs were there
However it has trashed my sleeping cycle still learning the best time to take it and the amount.
In short, once I was on medication I was able to focus on my work without having thoughts about everything and anything constantly intruding. My salary tripled within 18 months because of the increased production and focus. The doctor had me routinely undergo physicals. He said in his opinion they helped show I did have ADD as one of the markers was that the med (adderall) had zero effect on my blood pressure etc. This is not true for “normal” people. It also didn’t affect my sleep or appetite, which it will for normal folks. It basically just got rid of my incredibly muddled thinking and distractedness. It also lowered my feelings of stress, as counter-intuitive as thst may seem. ADD truly is real, and no doubt for some people it’s a problem involving brain chemistry. For me, it aeems thenmed awakened my forebrain.
ADHD is self reported, so of course anyone that wants to be on medication can eventually figure out what answers to give so they can get that prescription filled and an excuse for their failings.
It's not like there's a blood test and you are diagnosed with it. So you can have some pretty open ended questions that lead one to conclude that they have this condition.
"Do you struggle to stay on task?"
"Does your mind wonder?"
"Do you day dream?"
"Do you often misplace your keys, your wallet, your phone?"
... it's all stuff like that.
We seem to want to medicalize every aspect of human behavior. That does two things, 1) it removes personal responsibility from the individual. 2) it allows the medical profession to treat it by selling drugs and therapy.
Before you harm your body with some medication, have you tried the greatest medicine there is?....Meditation? Try 5 minutes at first, it will give your mind the capacity to focus more and more. You can do this also before running, like the visualizations offered by
