I'm having a hard time understanding a few things I need to know. I used to go to A.A. because of alcohol abuse and thought I was an alcoholic. But since then, I've noticed the "similarities" between being hyperactivity and alcoholism, minus the actual drinking.

The Big Book even has a phrase that says, "we seemed to be hyperactive". So I asked an old sponsor about this and he said, "we're all hyperactive". He may mean that alcoholics are hyperactive or vise versa.. I totally don't believe it.

I bring it up because i'm also at issue with the dependant/non-dependant designation, which I need to straighten out if I'm to get a drivers license again.

Will someone with knowledge about this paticipate in this thread?

Thanks
F

People who are hyperactive are often said to have "addicitive personalities (which isn't a real name for a disorder)."

One of the possible risk factors for untreated ADHD (meaning only the hyperactive -implusive & combined type) is developing problems with chemical dependency.

That isn't "etched in stone," it just implies that ADHD is a disorder of self-regulation and inhibition, so that without treating the ADHD, our impulse control problems put us more at risk.

It's a complicated subject, but there have been a number of posts on similar topics.

Please feel free to look up some of mine.

Welcome to the Forum.

mctavish23
(Robert)

Welcome!
Mr. Mctavish has taken the time to provide a plethora of resourceful information on this site.
I'm sure you'll find them as helpful, also (0:

Peace out,
Nova

I drank alot ,abused it for many years ,went to AA for many years ,had a great sponser made terrific friends ,many of whom I still keep in touch with today ,however ,staying sober did not queit the racing thoughts ,the edginess ,the moodiness .

finally getting medicated took away the desire to selfmedicate ,and has quieted the racing thoughts and stabilized the moodiness -I wish I had done this in my 20s ,no regrets ,I just think my life would have been somewhat different ,and I would have made better choices

The Big Book even has a phrase that says, "we seemed to be hyperactive".
I'm no expert on the Big Book, but I'm curious about where it uses the term 'hyperactive'. Would you be so kind as to tell me where to find it?

Anyways....I got sober, and THEN lost a job because I couldn't focus, concentrate, or othewise adequately attend to the boring, repetitive parts of my job...of which there were many. It led me to consider the possibility of ADD, I was diagnosed with ADD-Inattentive, and am now on Concerta, which does seem to allow me to concentrate much more.

That said, I am struggling to find a job/career that better suits me. I believe that if I continue to force myself (a square peg) in to a job that is boring and repetitive (a round hole), I will experience the same frustration, helplessness and eventually hopelessness that led me to drink.

Which came first? I don't know. I DO know that I turned to alcohol when faced with a frustrating, seemingly hopeless situation. I DO know that no matter what I do for my ADD....medication, coping techniques...there will be areas still where I get frustrated and feel helpless. And my former tendency to rely on alcohol to deal with that makes me.....an alcoholic. And I need help for my alcoholism, regardless of my ADD.

Of course, everyone is different. Since I am not of the hyperactive type, I know I cannot totally relate to that. But I can relate to the use of...and need for....medication. Whether prescribed or otherwise...as in alcohol.

So right now I'm not inclined to exclude myself from the 'alcoholic' label...because if I do, I just might once again turn to drinking as a way to cope. And I don't feel it's worth the risk.

I also would have to ask myself....am I just looking for an excuse to drink again? If so, why is drinking so important that I need to find a way back into a world that made so much trouble for me?

You might want to ask yourself that question too.....

It's also possible that long term alcohol abuse could lead to hyperactivity from neuroreceptor downregulation. Of course, this would not cause ADHD symptoms, just general hyperactivity when the subject stop consuming massive quantities of a depressant.