ADD and ADHD

[flames_1987]

Usually ADD and sometimes ADHD is connected with kids who are hyped up 24/7 and can't seem to stop. ADHD is a little less severe or at least different then ADD as many of you probablly know.

Anyways, I've never really had a problem with too much jumping around and what not, but always found it a little hard to concentrate sometimes. Marks have always been pretty good, all pure subjects in high school with high 60's low 70's, so it was never that bad. However I did look into ADHD since I was sure I was not ADD myself, I looked into symptoms and examples when it came to ADHD. First off I thought the whole thing sounded stupid but the more I read the more I thought, wow! Tough time keeping organized, hard to concentrate over an extended period of time, sometimes easily distracted. Now there are a lot more serious symptoms which can lean towards a learning disability, that really affect people. Myn was not that severe what so ever yet I still was intrested to find ways to help myself and learn about it.

Talked to doctor, a few teachers and the folks. Started using dexadrin about 3 weeks ago, and man do I ever notice a change. I'm only a senior in High School so a lot younger then a lot of the posters here but the workload itself in grade 12 is still a heavy one. It's not a dramatic change in me as a human being all around, but it's little things like being able to concentrate and have my mind focus in on certain things much easier.

Anyways sorry for the long post, but my question was has anybody else ever though that they might have either, or has anybody even used or is on medication (dex, ridalin exc.)?

[CaptainCrunch]

I went through school before they even thought about it, when it came out I got checked for it, and sure enough I fit the profile. I don't really believe in taking drugs (I threw out my beta blockers because I didn't like the side effects). I do find that I don't have great concentration, so I had to retrain myself to keep my focus . . .

Hey you want to go ride bikes.

[Agamemnon]

I've got a friend who was a 'terrible' student in elementary/junior high; didn't respect authority, couldn't pay attention, didn't care about school (how unique!). He was diagnosed w/ ADD and currently takes 3 hits of Dexadrin every morning.

Back in my youth (ahem) my friends and I experimented using Dexadrin (not for its medicated purposes)... the stuff is basically speed. Take 2-3 hits of that stuff, and you're buzzing all night in a state similar to speed/ecstacy.

Supposedly the drug has different effects on ADD/non-ADD people, so I suppose I could chalk the 'drug-like' effects up to my being non-ADD.

However, I can't imagine being my buddy, taking 3 hits of those every morning and heading off to work. I think he's totally overmedicated, as he's (more or less) completely normal, he's just... lazy and late all the time. And high on Dexadrin.

[RougeUnderoos]

Originally posted by CaptainCrunch@Apr 27 2005, 12:17 PM
I went through school before they even thought about it, when it came out I got checked for it, and sure enough I fit the profile. I don't really believe in taking drugs (I threw out my beta blockers because I didn't like the side effects). I do find that I don't have great concentration, so I had to retrain myself to keep my focus . . .

Hey you want to go ride bikes.

Best post wind-up ever.


Flames 1987 said:

First off I thought the whole thing sounded stupid but the more I read the more I thought, wow!

A lot of people think it's stupid. It's not. It can be a pretty intense thing for some people. I've seen a lot of kids who have it in varying degrees and it totally alters their lives.

I knew two guys who had it and had quite an affect on how they played hockey. One guy went off-side all the time. The other kid would get distracted and not even really pay attention to the play. His dad was not real happy about that and it was actually part of the reason they took him to the doctor and had him checked out.

Anyway, if the drug works for you then I guess you were right. Do you think it developed as you got older? I've noticed I can't concentrate as well as I once did but I blame that mainly on abuse of certain substances.

Speaking of... you should ask your doctor if it's okay to get drunk at grad.

[Agamemnon]

Originally posted by RougeUnderoos@Apr 27 2005, 06:32 PM
I've noticed I can't concentrate as well as I once did but I blame that mainly on abuse of certain substances.

Too many contests of 'who can drink the most thimbles of gasoline?'

:P

[RougeUnderoos]

Originally posted by Agamemnon+Apr 27 2005, 12:43 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (Agamemnon @ Apr 27 2005, 12:43 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> <!--QuoteBegin-RougeUnderoos@Apr 27 2005, 06:32 PM
I've noticed I can't concentrate as well as I once did but I blame that mainly on abuse of certain substances.

Too many contests of 'who can drink the most thimbles of gasoline?'

:P [/b][/quote]
Bah. I gave up gasoline when I gave up on Guns n' Roses. Now I'm a bleach man. Javex, if you must know.

[Flames Draft Watcher]

Originally posted by CaptainCrunch@Apr 27 2005, 06:17 PM
I don't really believe in taking drugs

So you don't drink?

[Looger]

i htink, quite honestly, that the complexity of the human brain and the variations in it person-to-person leave a lot of room for deviations from 'average' and therefore nearly every personality trait is a deficiency of this or a a plurality of that.

when i was young, ADD kids were described as being hyper or 'a handful'. they were given outlets.

now they're given drugs.

oh, brave new world!

[CaptainCrunch]

Originally posted by Flames Draft Watcher+Apr 27 2005, 07:37 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (Flames Draft Watcher @ Apr 27 2005, 07:37 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> <!--QuoteBegin-CaptainCrunch@Apr 27 2005, 06:17 PM
I don't really believe in taking drugs

So you don't drink? [/b][/quote]
funny, but when I hit 30 pretty much all of my desire to drink vanished. Oh sure I'll have the occassional beer once in a while, but usually its once every few weeks.

I don't have the tolerance anymore.

[Reaper]

Well, I have ADHD of the inattention variety. I was diagnosed as an adult and the fact that I was has made a big difference in my life in that I can address the issues that surround the disorder.

I take dexedrine and wellbutrin for my ADHD and they have both been fairly effective in helping me stay focused and on task. While I still have to work at staying on task and being present in activities the medication really does help. I have to emphasize that it helps but does not fix everything. It is really part of the equation in dealing with my ADHD as I still have to strategize and plan around the disorder for the most success.

A lot of people just think you can just "try harder" or that ADHD is "all in your head." These people p*ss me off to no end because they just don't understand that it is not a matter of being willing to focus but it is also a matter of being able to do so.

Yes, a lot of children are misadiagnosed with ADHD and it only helps add to the social stigma that the disorder is imagined or mumbo jumbo. As a result, a lot of people with ADHD simply don't tell anyone else they have it and come off as being arseholes because people don't know where they are coming from.

When you have ADHD every day can be a challenge in terms of functioning in our society. Little things like being able to work in an office or being able to sit through a presentation with knowledge absorbed can be taken for granted by most people. Being able to complete work on a schedule or being on time can be very hard for me sometimes but the rest of the world really doesn't give a crap what your problem is they just know you didn't deliver as promised.

Sorry, had a little rant there. Now, I gotta get back to work.

[RougeUnderoos]

Originally posted by Looger@Apr 27 2005, 01:46 PM
i htink, quite honestly, that the complexity of the human brain and the variations in it person-to-person leave a lot of room for deviations from 'average' and therefore nearly every personality trait is a deficiency of this or a a plurality of that.

when i was young, ADD kids were described as being hyper or 'a handful'. they were given outlets.

now they're given drugs.

oh, brave new world!

It's not quite that simple.

It's not like parents are keeping their children cooped up in the cellar and they run wild only when let out into daylight. They get outlets.

You can give some ADD kids every outlet in the world but when the outlets are exhausted and the kid has expended a megaton of energy, they still won't be able to focus.

[Agamemnon]

Originally posted by RougeUnderoos+Apr 27 2005, 08:47 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (RougeUnderoos @ Apr 27 2005, 08:47 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> <!--QuoteBegin-Looger@Apr 27 2005, 01:46 PM
i htink, quite honestly, that the complexity of the human brain and the variations in it person-to-person leave a lot of room for deviations from 'average' and therefore nearly every personality trait is a deficiency of this or a a plurality of that.

when i was young, ADD kids were described as being hyper or 'a handful'. they were given outlets.

now they're given drugs.

oh, brave new world!

It's not quite that simple.

It's not like parents are keeping their children cooped up in the cellar and they run wild only when let out into daylight. They get outlets.

You can give some ADD kids every outlet in the world but when the outlets are exhausted and the kid has expended a megaton of energy, they still won't be able to focus. [/b][/quote]
It might not be that simple, but it also might not be that complicated.

Kids used to go outside and play with other kids, I know, I used to be one of them. These days I look at my little brothers (11, 13) and realize that 95% of their 'spare' time goes to videogames/television. I think they only go outside to skateboard or when they're forced.

Some kids are probably just mentally bored/physically unchallenged, and a bad result is invetible. Throw in the fact that one parent 'used' to stay at home, and now the 'normal' family has a much greater chance of both parents working, which hightens emphasis on television as an 'activity' to keep the children 'occupied'.

Keeping children 'occupied' and safe appears to trump stimulated and educated these days.

[RougeUnderoos]

Originally posted by Agamemnon+Apr 27 2005, 02:51 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (Agamemnon @ Apr 27 2005, 02:51 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'>

It's not quite that simple.

It's not like parents are keeping their children cooped up in the cellar and they run wild only when let out into daylight. They get outlets.

You can give some ADD kids every outlet in the world but when the outlets are exhausted and the kid has expended a megaton of energy, they still won't be able to focus.

It might not be that simple, but it also might not be that complicated.

Kids used to go outside and play with other kids, I know, I used to be one of them. These days I look at my little brothers (11, 13) and realize that 95% of their 'spare' time goes to videogames/television. I think they only go outside to skateboard or when they're forced.

Some kids are probably just mentally bored/physically unchallenged, and a bad result is invetible. Throw in the fact that one parent 'used' to stay at home, and now the 'normal' family has a much greater chance of both parents working, which hightens emphasis on television as an 'activity' to keep the children 'occupied'.

Keeping children 'occupied' and safe appears to trump stimulated and educated these days. [/b][/quote]
Yeah that could be true as well.

I think it's probably overdiagnosed and kids can be overmedicated, but there are a lot of children/people that actually need help and/or medication and it's not an issue of spending too much time on their ass or being understimulated.

[Tiger]

I don't know about anybody else but I believe it is mainly diet related
as most things are.

Like most people, I find that I fit the symptoms of ADHD and many other syndrome (cause face it, a lot of symptom are pretty vague, like troubles keeping concentration, hell I get bored lots I don't care about the topics especially all through high school and uni).

I do beleive that one should look into changing there diet before they start taking drugs, because there are a lot of side effects with them. I know I have a lot better concentration/motivation since I've cut out most the suger from my diet. and if you need help getting off sugar you can use Stevia (a herb) as a sweetener, which actually reduces your cravings for sugar.

[octothorp]

I'm pretty sure I have mild ADD. Nobody ever tried to diagnose me for it when I was younger, but everything I've read about the condition suggests that I have it. I've actually considered going and getting medication at times when it affects my on-the-job performance, but hey, I'm unemployed right now, so I'm free to let my mind wander...

[flames_1987]

Originally posted by RougeUnderoos+Apr 27 2005, 06:32 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (RougeUnderoos @ Apr 27 2005, 06:32 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> <!--QuoteBegin-CaptainCrunch@Apr 27 2005, 12:17 PM

Speaking of... you should ask your doctor if it's okay to get drunk at grad.

[/b][/quote]
Already checked this out, I am already 18 so I've had more then my fair share of drinks. I think it might differ to just how big the dosage of the medicine is and the severity of whatever you have when it comes to drinking. Myn is a pretty mild and not as severe as some.

[Agamemnon]

Originally posted by flames_1987+Apr 27 2005, 11:40 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (flames_1987 @ Apr 27 2005, 11:40 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'>

Speaking of... you should ask your doctor if it's okay to get drunk at grad.

Already checked this out, I am already 18 so I've had more then my fair share of drinks. I think it might differ to just how big the dosage of the medicine is and the severity of whatever you have when it comes to drinking. Myn is a pretty mild and not as severe as some. [/b][/quote]
Well... in my experience, Dexadrin makes you able to drink like a fish.

Act like an arsehole too!

[Calgary Flames]

I know it sounds wierd, but you really don't need drugs to help you with this stuff. Simple meditation excercises (Focus breathing) can help you to be more focused on your daily activities. Many Pro sports teams do this stuff to focus on their games, Phil Jackson and the Lakers as an example, and the Patriots in the NFL. Mediation is becoming quite mainstream these days.

A pill isn't always the answer, it can be a cast so that it slowly assists you through the process of getting through a disorder like ADD or ADHD but you don't want to be taking a pill for the rest of your life... you know?

I suffer from a disorder similar to ADD or ADHD but don't feel comfortable talking about it on CP... there are more than a fewjudgemental a-holes on this site for my liking to discuss what to me is a sensitive issue but I hope you can get it sorted out 1987.

[flmsfan2004]

Originally posted by Reaper@Apr 27 2005, 08:18 PM
A lot of people just think you can just "try harder" or that ADHD is "all in your head." These people p*ss me off to no end because they just don't understand that it is not a matter of being willing to focus but it is also a matter of being able to do so.

Do I ever hear you on that one! It is possibly one of my biggest pet peeves.
I had ADD without hyper activity. I was dignosed when I was in grade nine. I'm a girl and lots of girls just get passed over. In my case, because I don't have hyper activity, my parents and teachers just thought I was shy and really quiet- little did they know, I was really in a dream world most of the time.
I went from barely passing my courses in grade 8 and 9. To finishing high school and being on the honour role for all 3 years. I'm now going into my 5th year at university and working on my honours thesis. Being on Ritlian has changed my life.
The pills wear off in 6 hours and it is amazing how strange I feel without them.
Flames 1987, I totally understand what you are going through. At first when start taking medication, you feel like you are not your self. Working and concentrating is such a foreign concept. In time, you will realize that you still are yourself, the medication doesn't change who you are- it just allows you the ability to perform to your fullest potential.

[4X4]

Does anyone know if this is a genetic thing? I'm wondering because I'm pretty sure that I've got ADD, but I just don't like the idea of being on medication. My Dad, brother, and two sisters are all on ritalin.
I only found out about them being on ritilan two years ago. Once I did, I started to re-think my previous theory explaining my short attention span: smoking too much weed in high school. I don't really smoke anymore, except maybe on a camping trip or at a concert. But my brutal attention span persists. I used to be able to read a whole book in a night (junior high). Now, I can barely make it through a Lanny MacDonald post.
Actually, I can recall the (counter) evolution of my attention span. I subscribed to Popular Science in grade 9. By the end of high school (and many doobies later) I could barely make it through one of the 4 page spreads on whatever. I noticed that all I would read were the little paragraph thingies on new technology.

Now, my indoor recreation (computer time) is stuff like message boards, sites like APOD or wikipedia etc. All random things that never talk about the same thing for too long, and links to other things that pop into your head.

All in all, its no big deal to me. I'm great at what I do, but thats because its never the same thing twice. Go figure.