I am stuck in a rut. I stopped taking my meds back in may, and replaced them with Omega-3's and a healthier diet

I haven't noticed any significant decline in work until now...

I have so much stuff to do, and absolutely no motivation to do it. If i actually make it to the library (where i study best), it is like i am mentally incapable of studying. I get this extreme fog, and feel super-spacey. I am chronically tired (despite getting 7 or more hours of sleep a night).

I am a student at the University of Michigan, it is my junior year...I NEED to be doing well to have any prayer in getting into physical therapy school...

so far the only thing that seems to help is coffee...something i swore i would never become addicted to.

Please help...i am falling into depression because of my lack of motivation...i feel so lost and feel like i have no control over my mind anymore.,...what is happening to me???

I am sure some people will argue with me, Dreeza, but IMO you are nearsighted and decided to forgo your glasses for more squinting. Some of us are severe to the degree that we need medications and just nothing else will do. I personally need my meds to get through life as a SAHM or else I wear myself out just cleaning the house.

I suggest you consider getting a new RX for your medications, at least until such time as you do not have to spend so much time studying. There is NO SHAME at all in taking prescribed medications for a known, and sometimes debilitating, disorder!

That's my 2C.

its not about shame, its about my beliefs. I was fully addicted to my meds, and was dangerously close to abuse. The highest dosage of concerta in one pill is 56 mg, my doctor had presribed me an additional 18mg, because i felt the meds werent working....then i was beginning to take 2 or 3 18mg along with my 56mg.

I now, after reading up on some things feel that ADD medications are unsafe, and shouldnt be taken, and that there are other alternatives out there. I was like a cocaine addict...sooo short on breath, couldnt barely run more than 5 mins before my chest would start closing up on me, and my heart felt like it was going to explode. All of that disappeared once i stopped taking my meds, and for me, it is not worth it.

Then I hope somebody comes along and tells you how to manage without the meds. I am sure your doctor felt they would be helpful. It never occurred to me that you had abused them. Have you only tried Concerta?

Sorry I cannot be of more help and I will gracefully bow out of this thread now because my beliefs are staunchly pro-medications. My child was so impulsive she ran out in front of cars and took off because she was "soooooo bored". Had she not been medicated I am sure it would have ended very badly, because I have had to have police/fire company intervention at least 3 times to get her back.

In your research did you happen to discover that the single most effective treatment happens to be prescription medications? At therapeutic doses they are NOT addictive.

Good luck finding alternatives.

Dreeza,

This seems like a theme amongst the college students that I can very well sympathize with.

Let's put a positive spin on things. You are almost done with the semester. A holiday break is coming up?

If i actually make it to the library (where i study best), it is like i am mentally incapable of studying. Hmmm, I see an oxymorin here.

Sounds like the library is NOT the best place for you to be studying. Are there quiet study rooms anywhere on campus? (Do they still have those?)

Tackle one thing at a time. Find pieces to complete in each assigment and get one done. Then another...sooner or later you'll have competed one of them.

Find someone to talk to...friends, family, school counselor, peer counselors, physician, etc. You need some one who will listen and care. We're always here to listen and help as well.

PT sounds like your goal...keep that in mind...you'll make it.

NJTrout

Sounds like the library is NOT the best place for you to be studying. Are there quiet study rooms anywhere on campus? (Do they still have those?)


NJTroutI actually have a locked study room assigned to me because of my ADD..it is in the library, i guess i should have specified that :p

I love it! It is huge, and has 2 walls of windows (research has shown windows = good for studying)

Thanks for the kind words :) I think i might make an appt with my ADD advisor...i havent complained to her in a while, lol

I love it! It is huge, and has 2 walls of windows (research has shown windows = good for studying)Sounds great! Accomodations for the ADD! Why not dress the room up a little. A holiday wreath? When I began to crash at my job a couple of months ago, I repositioned the picture of my son so he was always in front of me and brought in pictures of our dog. (He is the bestest doggie in the world).

Small changes helped me brighten up my cubicle at work. Wish I had windows (pout).

NJTrout

aww, i love doggies :) that is my dog in my avatar. His name is Oakley. I waste away many days on another forum....a dog forum, hehe.

Unfortunately, i cant really decorate the room....other people have the key (which SUCKS!), luckily, i have been super lucky about it always being available when i need it. It seems like someone has been using it frequently (the blinds will be down, when i ALWAYS leave them up). If someone is in here when i need to study for finals, i think i will have a mental breakdown.

Its the last room at the end of a long corridor thingy...you have no idea how much anxiety is built up inside of me by the time i reach the the room...i get SO worried someone is going to be in it. I just don't think i can request this room to be solely mine...although i might have to work up the courage to do so, cause if someone is in here when i need it, i will probably go into one of my fits where i uncontrallably cry for like an hour before realizing my life isnt about to end.... ::sigh::

Dreeza, Can you leave a note behind or a some sort of calendar and ask the other user's to sign up for using the room so no one is left in the cold.

Since others use the room as well, bring a folding picture frame with you...if you have a laptop change the the wall paper to a pleasing picture. I use pictures from either National Geographic or Nature Conservancy as wall paper (sorry I don't have the links handy.)

Above all this....SMILE :-)

NJTrout

dreeza well iam looking into the omarg 3s an 6s remabers E NUMBERS can efftct them interfer with how they work also....this time ofve year...there a few other portines an hormons that go dwon in dec an jan stay with it an i think it come back up again i have look at witch oteers are ecctted this time year i think you do fine just keep going an maybe have more zinc an b12 b 6 an see were things go i use them an it dose help be safe an good luck dorm

dreeza, omega-3's will absolutely NOT replace your medication. While i'm not terribly exprienced with add, i am extremely well versed in nutrition. Omega 3's are useful, no doubt, but most of the hype surrounding their usage is due mainly to marketing. Regardless of medication, try to work fish into your diet twice per week, this give's you all the omega-3 you need. But it's kinda like whey protein, it's good for you, but it isn't a miracle supplement.

If you insist on discontinuing medication, i would strongly suggest you get a lot of exercise, eat a very healthy diet, and see a therapist who specializes in ADD. He/she will probably be able to help you manage your time and efforts more effectively.

That all being said, if you have been diagnosed with ADD, you should follow the advice of a trusted medical professional. They know a great deal more about neurochemistry and the medical needs of an affected person than you or I ever will. It's kinda like when you fly, you COULD sit in the seat yourself and pilot the plane, but wouldn't you rather just trust the professionals to do their job and get you safely where you want to go???

Trusting your doctor and taking the medicine he prescribes you isn't being weak, it's being smart. Let's say your were working at macy's selling lipstick for a living, then maybe i'd say "hey forget about the medication". But that's not the case. you are going to college, you are there to make a better life for yourself. Right now you need medication to function most efficiently (or in your case, AT ALL!). If you choose to not continue taking it once you graduate because you can handle post-college life without it, then i will applaud you. But, as a fellow college student, i can back up the idea that going through college with ADD is very very difficult. Not taking your medicine may make it impossible. I guess we all have to make choices.

I don't trust doctors, plain and simple. They are taught almost soley how to treat with medications. Yes, i am making a blanket statement, but I have yet to find a doctor who would actually LISTEN to my problems, and not dismiss me like an unimportant sack of crap. How can they even BEGIN to treat me when they do NOT know me, or even TRY to get to know me??

Have you read "The Omega-3 Connection"?? the book, written by an M.D., has even convinced my Dad (who is a doctor, and totally aniti-holistic care) to start taking omega-3 supplements. They CLEARLY state that the reason why supplements are necessary is that to get the amount needed to have an affect on bipolar/depression (which apparently i have too)/ADD, you need to be eating pounds of fish a day.

And btw, i usually have salmon or tuna at least 3 times a week.

Sorry, i know i am getting defensive...im just having a bad day, and sometimes i just get sick of trying to tell people that while yes, doctors are extremely well-educated, they may be educated in the wrong field. Don't you find it interesting they know nothing about diet and exercise??? Why? hmm, maybe cause they dont get paid to prescribe it?? Some doctors just honestly DO NOT KNOW that diet and exercise are SOOOOO incredibly important....afterall, you dont see people encouraging doctors to learn about them, cause there is NO money to be made.

I completely agree that some doctors are incapable of treating a runny nose without messing it up. That's why i said "Trusted medical professional", i've had terrible doctors and great doctors. Now i'm just smart enough to drop the bad ones and stick to the good ones like glue.

About the omega-3 thing though, i won't get into it too much, i'm not going to try to change the way you think, but just consider that the only PROVEN benefits that omega-3 has shown for psychological conditions have been in the trials that studied cell membrane regeneration in the brain, if i recall correctly. There have also been some positive results observed with bipolar trials, as you mentioned, although these results are not proven. The guy who conducted the trials even admitted that they were not optimal.

A common misconception that supplement companies have played off of is the recent study of the mediterranean diet and it's tendancy toward a lower risk of heart disease. The cause is usually accepted to be the generally higher HDL levels inherant to the diet. The specifics of the benefits of this diet are not well known. They are still being studied. Unfortunately supplement companies are always quick to jump the gun when there are dollars to be made.

EPA is probably useful in helping with bi polar disorder, but there really has not been any evidence that even remotely supports the idea of it being affective against ADD.

Please don't get me wrong, i'm not trying to lecture you or tell you what to do, i'm just relaying to you my knowledge and opinion. You are more than free to completely disregard all of what i say as a load of bunk;)

BTW, I used to live in the tri-cities area and could have my old family physician (who was a GREAT GREAT GREAT doctor) make a reccomendation. I'd be more than happy to make the call. It'd be a bit of a long drive to midland i guess, but if it helps..... Just something to chew over.

edit- i missed the part about the med abuse, OOPS, having seen that i guess it just comes down to whether you feel you would be able to take control if you got back on them. What's really sad though is that your doc didn't work more closely with you to help avoid what you are going through. Additionally, consider talking to a doctor about looking into stratterra, it's a non-stimulant and might therefore have fewer addictive properties.

Dreeza,

Wish you had my psychiatrist. First visit was 1 3/4 hours. Left with Rx for Adderall XR. Besides the discussions about me we talked about many other subjects. We both listen to audio books in the car and we've been swapping titles with each other.

Subsequent 1 hour follow-ups have all gone over time. 30 minute visits..yup over time. Interestingly enough he has a mild ADD and a family member with ADD. We talk with each other.

Discussion of medicines occupies the first 5 minutes of each visit. That's all.

My doc wants to get to know me. FYI he also teaches and is an author. Your original post mentioned Univ of Mich. Is there a med school there? Might there be an MD you could get to like?

NJTrout

Jsf - Sorry for being so stubborn...you are totally right about the results not being optimal...he advises that many cases continue to take medication, but that the dosage can be lowered. I think i am being super-stubborn about this, because i am SO SO tempted to go back on meds, and I feel like the more i argue against them, the more I will remind myself of why i shouldnt go back on them. A lot of it has to do with the difference in my personality that my bf notices in me when i am on them. I dont know, maybe i really should try another drug...i just arggggg...i have a VERY hard time believing that way down the road, taking these meds will not lead to cancer or something....which is why i am scared to take them again, seeing as before may, i had been taking them since 4th grade.

I really appreciate all of your input. I am in Ann Arbor for school/Grosse Pointe when I am at home. If you happen to know of any female doctors that is actually willing to listen to me then, i would SO greatly appreciate a recommendation - i've been trying to find a good doctor!

NJ Trout - Yeah, i have a psychologist...she kinda annoys me. She is totally one of those people that will say like 5 words the whole time. I should prob get a new one, lol

Yeah there is a med school at UM, but honestly, if they were faculty at UM, i would feel like they would be the same as my other doctors

Dreeza,

Wish you had my psychiatrist. First visit was 1 3/4 hours. Left with Rx for Adderall XR. Besides the discussions about me we talked about many other subjects. We both listen to audio books in the car and we've been swapping titles with each other.

Subsequent 1 hour follow-ups have all gone over time. 30 minute visits..yup over time. Interestingly enough he has a mild ADD and a family member with ADD. We talk with each other.

Discussion of medicines occupies the first 5 minutes of each visit. That's all.

My doc wants to get to know me. FYI he also teaches and is an author. Your original post mentioned Univ of Mich. Is there a med school there? Might there be an MD you could get to like?
NJTrout
Wow you are incredibly lucky to have found such a great doctor. I've been searching for a good psychologist (my psych. just prescribes meds not talk therapy beyond "How have you been? Meds alright? o.k." But he does serve a purpose with the prescriptions. I'll keep looking for a normal therapist (they usually seem to need more help that I do:D )

I'm going to try the Omega-3s I've taken them on and of throughout the years as well as B-12 B-6, but also I totally believe in medication when needed (like in my case)

Dreeza;
You really need to see a doctor. If you don't like the doctor you currently have find a doctor whom you can talk to. Express your concerns about medications with your doctor and he might come up with something that works for you.

Trying to self-medicate ADHD+Bipolar with suppliments isn't going to work very well. Is it working for you now???

If stimulant meds are a problem for you there are nonstimulant approaches that can work well for some people. Talk to a doctor about it.

ME :D

J
NJ Trout - Yeah, i have a psychologist...she kinda annoys me. She is totally one of those people that will say like 5 words the whole time. I should prob get a new one, lol

Yeah there is a med school at UM, but honestly, if they were faculty at UM, i would feel like they would be the same as my other doctorsDreeza,

The first psychiatrist MD I went to was an idiot. She saw me for 10 minutes, billed me an hour and handed me a prescription for Prozac. This was an MD on my insurance plan so it cost me little. I still feel like reporting her to the medical board...nothing but a pill dispenser.

I found the MD I'm with now via a recommendation from my sons psychiatrist. My sons MD is only pediatric and adolescent so she gave me the name of the guy I am seeing now. Not on insurance plan so it is costing me a fortune and now that I am unemployed that may have to be put on hold for awhile.

My point is to find the MD or psychologist that you like. Don't settle. One look at the phone book will tell you there are plenty to go around and you'll find the one you like. Have you tried getting a referal from the local CHADD chapter? Just a thought.

NJTrout

Hey, I have had really bad doctors and really good doctors. It takes time to find a good one. Once you find one, keep them. But, you have to be willing to listen, learn, and make informed decisions, not knee-jerk decisions based on emotion. It can be hard, but there are many good doctors! I know, I have found some and appreciate them so much. After my bad experiences, it was hard, but I am getting great medical care now and doing very well.

Call the hospital's Dr. referral number. Many large hospitals have excellent services and will help you find a Dr. that takes your insurance and meets your needs. The teaching hospital I go to was awesome, I found great doctors quickly!

My best to you. Don't resist medical care when good care is available to help you find the best treatment plan for you! The only thing left is for you to make the decision. A good doctor will answer your questions and address your concerns.

Take care,
RADD

Dreeza. i'm not a professional, so i may be wrong, but here is what i think you should do.

Talk to your counselor (for add) about your problems. Just be brutally honest. Tell her that you do have ADD, that you probably do need meds, but you have a problem abusing them. Ask her for a solid reference on a local phsyc (at least for the time being) that is professional and personal enough to be able to help you. I don't think you should feel terrible about yourself right now, i mean this sucks, but you can make it better.

Unless i've misunderstood you, you need a doctor who has an intricate knowledge of medication and has the ability to work closely with you to make sure that you are using correct medication in the correct quantity. You need to be able to talk openly with your doctor about your problems, because as you already know, they can't help you with a problem that you don't tell them about. That is the kind of doctor you need and you should be frank about that when you talk to them. If they can't help you....well, those boots are made for walking.

Lastly, you need a person outside of the medical community, who you trust, to whom you can talk to about this stuff. For me, i talk to my best friend and (how cheezy is this) my mom. I know i can tell them anything. Having the support of loving friends and family is the first line of defense. Half of it means that you have to make the effort to involve them. Be frank and honest and ask for advice.

At this point though, you really do need the advice of a professional who really understand this stuff. Because if you have ADD, but have problems controlling the medication, that is a problem that only a trained professional can truly offer valid advice on.

Best of luck, i'll give my old doc a ring and see if he knows a decent female psych:) . Look locally though, for the time being.

Dreeza;
You really need to see a doctor. If you don't like the doctor you currently have find a doctor whom you can talk to. Express your concerns about medications with your doctor and he might come up with something that works for you.

Trying to self-medicate ADHD+Bipolar with suppliments isn't going to work very well. Is it working for you now???

If stimulant meds are a problem for you there are nonstimulant approaches that can work well for some people. Talk to a doctor about it.

ME :DI dont have bipolar...sorry if i mislead there.

I have full blown ADD, and apparently severe depression & anxiety (as diagnosed by my psychologist)

I dunno, maybe i am bipolar, cept i dont have ups and downs that last months...my mood swings are pretty severe, but i can be snapped outta them really easily, especially if i just start talking to my sister, and they only last minutes to hours, maybe a day or 2 at the longest.



JSF- i am actually REALLY open about my issues to anyone who wants to hear it, the problem is i have a really hard time expressing my feelings since my mood swings are just all over the place.
Nothing is wrong with talking to your mom! My mom, while supportive of me, kinda thinks the whole ADD thing is BS (she grew up in Europe)
I talk to my bf about stuff...but i think he gets really tired of hearing about it, cause there is nothing he can say to make me feel better really, and lately it makes me feel worse talking to him, cause i think he has given up on trying to help me, cause i, as you can tell, am stubborn, and when i am in one of my 'moods' i argue everything, and refuse to listen, and am incredibly negative.
I will look into another psych...i was hoping mine would get better, but she really isnt.

thanks everyone for listening to me and sharing your opinions, you have no idea how much it means to me :)

I believe what my pal Speedo meant was trying to self-medicate ADHD or Bipolar (as in this disorder and that disorder) is bound to fail. Either way, I believe you have gotten some excellent feedback today. Hope it helps!

Sorry, i know i am getting defensive...im just having a bad day, and sometimes i just get sick of trying to tell people that while yes, doctors are extremely well-educated, they may be educated in the wrong field. Don't you find it interesting they know nothing about diet and exercise???

Diet and exercise are the treatment doctors prescribe most . . . so much so that we the patent hardly hear it when they say the words. . . however as a hyperactive ADDer I can assure you although exercise will help you focus better it must be done frequently like 30 minutes of vigorous exercise every three or four hours. Exercise is NOT a cure for ADHD, it is very effective at remaining healthy and to help moderately improve focus but one can exercise 24/7 and still be as distractible as they day is long. I am hyperactive I exercise sitting in a chair and I still have ADHD. . . . .




Some doctors just honestly DO NOT KNOW that diet and exercise are SOOOOO incredibly important....after all, you dont see people encouraging doctors to learn about them, cause there is NO money to be made.

The herbal supplement business is doing the same thing but much worse They are not under the strict regulations and scrutiny that doctors and pharmaceutical companies are. . . herbal supplement are not regulated as to purity and content like prescription medications so placing your faith in herbal supplement claims while making above statement about doctors kind of boggles me brain a bit. . . it would be nice if we could eat our way out of being ADD. . . .I simply do not see that happening. Stop and ask your self realistically; “what in life is really that simple?”

They do have other things that are not narcotic they can use to treat ADD. . . it is up to you whom you wish to believe. My intent is to make you stop and think this through rationally and logically. . . . the rest is up to you.



Health care provider directories (http://www.addforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=33989)

Diet and exercise are the treatment doctors prescribe most . . . so much so that we the patent hardly hear it when they say the words. . . however as a hyperactive ADDer I can assure you although exercise will help you focus better it must be done frequently like 30 minutes of vigorous exercise every three or four hours. Exercise is NOT a cure for ADHD, it is very effective at remaining healthy and to help moderately improve focus but one can exercise 24/7 and still be as distractible as they day is long. I am hyperactive I exercise sitting in a chair and I still have ADHD. . . . . telling a patient to go on a better diet and to exercise is NOT giving the patient a treatment. Unless they are going into specifics on how they should be eating better, what they SHOULDNT be eating, and how to exercise, IMO it does NOT count. And most doctors don't know the answers to these things because they were never taught in the first place. My sis was shadowing a doc, and had to correct this 50 yr old doc when a patient asked "how do i lose weight" and the doc responded with "drink more water and dont eat fat" uhhh...while the water advice is good...no fat?? and that was ALL he said about it.
A friend of mine who is morbidly obese was told by a doctor that she could lose weight if he sewed her mouth shut. This comment lead her to seriously consider suicide.
Anyways, the examples are endless.


I never said exercise was the cure for YOU. I simply am sick and tired of medication being the first option. Exercise has helped some with ADD. Just like people need diff medications and dosages, people need different alternative therapies.







The herbal supplement business is doing the same thing but much worse They are not under the strict regulations and scrutiny that doctors and pharmaceutical companies are. . . herbal supplement are not regulated as to purity and content like prescription medications so placing your faith in herbal supplement claims while making above statement about doctors kind of boggles me brain a bit. . . it would be nice if we could eat our way out of being ADD. . . .I simply do not see that happening. Stop and ask your self realistically; “what in life is really that simple?”

They do have other things that are not narcotic they can use to treat ADD. . . it is up to you whom you wish to believe. My intent is to make you stop and think this through rationally and logically. . . . the rest is up to you.

Health care provider directories (http://www.addforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=33989)I know the herbal business is just as corrupt, but i do lots of research before buying a product. There are some regulations...or at least different ways that things are processed that help determine if they will be "pure" or whatever.
And eating your way out of ADD is NOT simple by any means. ADD symptoms could be caused by ANYTHING you eat, or maybe nothing. I've eliminated many things out of my diet, but still no luck. I just read somewhere that a high protein diet may be beneficial to those with ADD. This is NOT an easy diet for me to follow as i LOVE carbs. Giving up my 2-3 cans of diet coke, anything with High fructose corn syrup, anything with food dyes, anything with partially hydrogenated oils, and basically anything with chemicals is by NO means easy. You try shopping for that diet.

popping a pill is a million times easier.

Anyways, you do have a good point about making me stop and think, cause i DO need to do that as well. I often dive head first into things, forgetting there are other options outta there...part of my hyperfocusing issue i have. Also, i have a really hard time seperating my thoughts that deal with my long term health, and those that deal with my ADD.

Dreeza, Tammy is a nurse, and I sincerely hope nobody here is giving you the impression that popping tablets makes having ADHD any easier. Meds are our tools ONLY, and so is any regimen you adhere to. I believe even the Feingold diet has been debunked as an adequate treatment for ADHD; I believe it has been regulated down to an adjunct therapy.

Bottom line: NOTHING cures ADHD, there are only treatments and ways to manage and live with it.

Unless of course the NT/Farmer Society changes any time soon, but I don't see that happening ;).

popping a pill is a million times easier.

Gee if all it took was popping a pill, my life would be much easier Medications are a treatment tool only, that is it. There is more to ADD treatment than taking pills, especially for those of us who were well into our adult years before being diagnosed ADD.

There is education, life style modifications, emotions, behavior modifications, self perceptions shifts, and for some therapy, coaching. I am unsure of why you think all we who choose to take medication for our ADD do is swallow a pill and our ADD troubles are over. . .nothing in real life ever this easy. . . although it would be nice for a change if things were really as easy as swallowing a pill.


telling a patient to go on a better diet and to exercise is NOT giving the patient a treatment. Unless they are going into specifics on how they should be eating better, what they SHOULDNT be eating, and how to exercise, IMO it does NOT count. And most doctors don't know the answers to these things because they were never taught in the first place.

The specific of an over all healthy diet should be easy for some one who claims to be capable of researching alternative remedies for ADD This accusation coupled with the claim of careful research on ADD alternatives makes no logical sense. . . You treat your ADD your way this is fine by me it is after all your ADD and your life. Please do not bash others for doing it there way . . . above all do not misrepresent over all attitudes of medical professionals and their intentions.


If a nutritional problem arise that requires a special complex diet then few (if any )real doctors have a problem referring their patents to a nutritionist. When my ex-husband was diagnosis as diabetic his doctor referred him to a nutritional specialist because a change in diet is scientifically proven to be effective in diabetic treatment . Just like I have a diet I am supposed use to treat my hypoglycemia. . . diet is the number one (and only) treatment for hypoglycemia. . . . saying all doctors do is prescribe pills for what ever condition simply is not the case. I have never had a doctor once recommend pills for my dyslexia . . . I have had doctors recommend calcium supplements and vitamin C replacement with ascorbic acid because I have a milk intolerance and I am allergic to citric acid.


Why do doctors recommend medications for ADD treatment? This is simple. . .

Medications are an effective treatment for 75-80% of the people who have ADD. . . diet changes help only 4% of the population experiencing ADD symptoms. Diet changes are more likely to assist those who have a history of migraine head ache. . . this is according to empirical evidence. btw herbal supplements performed the same as placebos(sugar pills) which is why very few doctors recommend their usage alone as treatment for ADD.

Medical research and evidence of a treatments effectiveness is what doctors go by when treating a condition. . . ANY condition. . . .personally I am glad that doctors tend to use treatments that are scientifically studied, closely monitored and peer reviewed. . . then repeated while being proven SAFE and effective. It takes years to have a drug FDA approved and the scrutiny placed on medical science as a whole profession could not get any closer unless it involved some KY and a glove.

The practicing of medicine isn't at all like you are presenting. . . most medical professional do NOT play pin the tail on the donkey when choosing treatment options nor does your neighborhood treating physiatrist get any sort of kick back for prescribing certain medications. . doctors operate on very simple logic . . . #1)dead patents make poor cliental and #2)clinical mistakes and patent condition mismanagement can lead to big time law suites. . .



Feel how ever you want but please do not misrepresent the majority of medical professionals . . .or the way medicine works (in the US). Many that come looking for information here are new to this condition and are unaware of the facts. Which is why I am presenting them.

You want to discuss the effectiveness of herbal supplements or diets and exercise we have a section for this under ADD / ADHD TREATMENT & MANAGEMENT (http://www.addforums.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=5) This section has sub-section on all sorts of ADD treatment options from medications to meditation.

If you simply wish to argue we also have a debate subsection. . . .

look, i am really am sorry. I didnt mean to be so rude :( I was writing those posts at a bad time i think. While i still do not trust the FDA and doctors, i know i have no authority to be arguing about it, and definately no authority to make claims like i did.

Really, i am just angry that my meds didnt work for me after reading so many success stories.

I am angry my ADD affects me so much at the worst possible times
I am angry that it negatively impacts my relationship with my bf
I am angry my doctor just kept upping my dose without trying any other meds
I am angry that my psychologist laughed in my face when i told her my idea of good grades meant getting all A's
I am angry all she does is tell me to take meds, and give me no good reason as to why i should
I am angry she treats me like a crazy person
I am angry at the girl in class today who was doing a presentation on the "big 5 personality traits" who laughed EVERY time she said "neuroticism" like only crazy people would rate high in that...and of course, that i rate very high in that scale...

Most of all i am angry that i have been having all these angry feelings lately.

I dont know what happened to the person i used to be. The person who had such a high self esteem, and the person who was fun to be around, and the person who HAD fun.

Dreeza you have every right to assert some control over your treatment! If your psychologist is continually recommending the meds for you, it is probably because she is aware of the statistics my sis Tammy posted for you. You do have a right to know why, however. Perhaps your psychologist is only human like the rest of us is and you have merely to ask her why she believes you need to be on the meds...or alternatively, perhaps she is only human and has problems of her own ;) and is a wee bit arrogant and know-it-allish. Either way, you have merely to be assertive and ask questions, because the fact is those people with their degrees work for YOU!

Anger is a perfectly natural response to being stepped on, diregarded and insulted. Your feelings are always valid.

i am trying to find a new therapist...she just isnt helpful. I need someone who gives me lots of feedback...i just dont think she is a good match for me...definately not worth the rediculous amount i pay her. I feel like talking to a brick wall would be just as effective as my therapy sessions are, lol

Well I cannot say I could blame you for that. A therapist who is not helpful is not much of a therapist in my opinion. If she is not working out, then its your right to look elsewhere. Why keep throwing good money after bad?

am angry my ADD affects me so much at the worst possible times
I am angry that it negatively impacts my relationship with my bf
I am angry my doctor just kept upping my dose without trying any other meds
I am angry that my psychologist laughed in my face when i told her my idea of good grades meant getting all A's
I am angry all she does is tell me to take meds, and give me no good reason as to why i should
I am angry she treats me like a crazy person
I am angry at the girl in class today who was doing a presentation on the "big 5 personality traits" who laughed EVERY time she said "neuroticism" like only crazy people would rate high in that...and of course, that i rate very high in that scale...

Most of all i am angry that i have been having all these angry feelings lately.

I dont know what happened to the person i used to be. The person who had such a high self esteem, and the person who was fun to be around, and the person who HAD fun.

Okay honestly angry I can deal with and thank you for clarifying . . . finding out you have ADD can make you angry. In fact most of us who have come to accept our ADD and are now are able to even see it is a mixed blessing went through angry at some point in time. Being angry because the person who is supposed to helping you isn’t doing diddly squat is perfectly justified.

Picture hand reaching in and turning on light bulb. . . .I thinks I understand better now!



i am trying to find a new therapist...she just isnt helpful. I need someone who gives me lots of feedback...i just dont think she is a good match for me...definately not worth the rediculous amount i pay her. I feel like talking to a brick wall would be just as effective as my therapy sessions are, lol

Then you are right she certainly isn’t worth the money. Brick wall talking should be free or a sign of a long term marriage! Why are you seeing a therapist for ADD? I see a neuropsychtrist for my ADD medication management. If I could afford a coach I would do the coaching thing for goal setting. I have ADD but I don’t need therapy. . . I need a life that works. . . . talking about my dysfunctional life I could do before I began treatment for ADD it was the doing some thing to make it more functional that stumped me.

Meadd823,

My favorite line from Delivered from Distraction is "Knowing you have ADD is not an excuse. It is an explanation." I tell myself that everyday now.



Picture hand reaching in and turning on light bulb. . . .I thinks I understand better now!I've described it kinda the same way, but after my FIRST does of Adderall XR
"It's like puting on the correct prescription glasses. Now I can see."


I need a life that works. . . . talking about my dysfunctional life I could do before I began treatment for ADD it was the doing some thing to make it more functional that stumped me.

Let me attempt some clarification:

I was diagnosed back in the 4th grade...never bothered me, if anything, i thought it was funny. I have ALWAYS had good grades (thanks to my crazy parents - ok not crazy, i love them, they just were strict and disciplened me if i brought home anything less than an A). Anyways, i was put on meds, the teacher noticed HUGE improvements.

All this time no one every really told me what ADD was...all i knew is"Attention Deficit Disorder". Through middle school i had a rough time...but typical adolescent stuff...went through the whole period of depression, cried myself to sleep almost everynight throughout 7-8th grade (i hade super low self esteem). Best summer of my life was after soph year of HS...i went on one of those camping/hiking/white water rafting trips, and i didnt know anyone on it.
We all clicked incredibly well, and i became the popular (not in the negative sense though), i was kinda the leader, and since i was the oldest (not by much...but at that age, a year makes a big diff to everyone :p) i kinda looked after people...I dont think i have ever been so happy before. I LOVED the postive attention, the complete lack of awkwardness. A completely different side of me came out, and i LOVE that side of me.

Anyways, went back to school, and never ever felt that way about my friends...i am kinda the outcast of my friends, and while i have been friends with them for almost 5 years, we arent that close. We dont get into arguments (not that its bad, its just that we arent that honest with each other enough to do so, if that makes sense...), we dont confide to each other, minus a few times.

Anyways, all this time i ignored my ADD. I always got my work done. Then came senior year of HS...MAJOR SENIORITIS. My GPA dropped from a 4.0 the last semester of my GPA (my 1st and ONLY 4.0!) to a 3.3. Thank god i was already accepted at U of Michigan... I just simply stopped caring.

Anyways, come college, my ADD starting becoming more of an issue...i wasnt forced to do HW, so i didnt keep up with the material, so come exam time, i was screwed. I still managed to maintain an average GPA of 3.6-3.7 (somewhere around there)

Anyways, then i decided to go off concerta for reasons i have kind of explained (biggest reason was what it was doing to my heart rate, and my shortness of breath). Now came this semester. I am without any new friends at college (minus my roomate...but she kinda doesnt count, cause she was my best friends roommate frosh year, so thats how i met her...it was kind of a forced friendship). And now, this semester, i took on waaay to large of a course load, and all my exams were within days of each other (something i had managed to not have previously). I couldnt handle the stress of it all. Didnt know how to multi-task. Ontop of it, my bf of 2.5 yrs moved to NJ in may for a temp work position (we are doing fine, but i think it made things harder than i want to admit)

My bf IS my best and only real friend. I tell him almost everything. The one thing he doesnt like to hear about though, is ADD. Because he thinks i use it as an excuse, and doesnt want to accept that some things are genuinely harder for me (well, i dont think he does).

With all the stress of having 3 exams within 2 days, a 20 page research paper that is my whole semester grade for one class that i had YET to start, a 10 pg paper for another class, class registration (i tend to literally have mental breakdowns around this time), other random homework, and then volunteering, all due before and immediately after thanksgiving, i pretty much exploded and turned into this evil person. Which is what lead me to come back on here.

I thought i had accepted my ADD. Then all of a sudden i had these crazy symptoms of something that i had never experienced so strongly and so suddenly.

Oh, and i started seeing a therapist because i was having these crazy emotional crying spells, and was really confused about my bf (i mean, its hard knowing who is the "one", right?) as well as other things in my life (like not making any new friends, or having any really close girlfriends).

lol, hope you all enjoy my life story...sorry this post is retardedly long

Oh, and i started seeing a therapist because i was having these crazy emotional crying spells, and was really confused about my bf (i mean, its hard knowing who is the "one", right?) as well as other things in my life (like not making any new friends, or having any really close girlfriends).
To see a therapist for reasons like this sounds perfectly logical to me. I had been seeing a therapist for similar reasons myself. Some of my emotional issues are due to my bipolar and frustration with my own ADHD. I also have the pressure of having a child with severe ADHD and bipolar as well as a toddler who is very (maybe too) active, whom I find hard to handle since my usual mode is pretty slow and easy. Add to that my BDH who had a traumatic brain injury as a child and exhibits his own brand of ADHD, which currently remains untreated because he is a trucker and is forbidden to take stimulants, and honestly, he spends so much time on the road right now that he just cannot manage to make an appointment that he can promise to keep (he cannot simply see a psychiatrist, he must consult a nuerologist because of his brain injury).

All of the members of my household rely on me to understand the various mental issues and disorders, to manage the medications, appointments and various treaments. Add to that the sheer stress caused by just being a trucker's wife and, well, I need to see a therapist to keep my sanity ;). The only reason I am not seeing my therapist every week right now is that I am having difficulty finding anyone to commit to babysitting the toddler every week...seems few people want to have an extremely active and intelligent toddler tearing around their home during her terrible twos stage :rolleyes:.

I think I can relate pretty well to the concept of trying to cope with severe pressure along with severe ADHD. If you feel you need to see a therapist, you are probably doing the right thing seeing one. That seems like a sign of good sense and desire to find stability to me.

Please keep coming back and let us know how things progress :).

Oh, and i started seeing a therapist because i was having these crazy emotional crying spells, and was really confused about my bf (i mean, its hard knowing who is the "one", right?)

The "right one" is only an illusion simply because there is no such thing as a perfect mate only one who has flaws you can live with and who is able to live with yours. . . .the rest is boring commitment and a mutual decision to stay together.




as well as other things in my life (like not making any new friends, or having any really close girlfriends).

Like taking too heavy of a class load, while at the same time stopping your ADD medications so you are in a state of flux and do not have the emotional energy or the physical time to make new friends. . .

We all have time where we shine . . . the memories of the past positive event are cherished memories. That time will be in the past for ever but also forever in your memory . . . which you can learn from in the present. . . look for parts that can be repeated . . .look back not in anguished sadness but for clues. .. I will share what I picked up on

1) noticeable thing for me is the mention of the others being younger than you were. You may simple be more at ease with people slightly younger than your self. . . when I was young I tended to gravitate to people who were much older. . . now that I am older my self the age difference makes less of a difference but it happened naturally. . . .Gary my male partner is 48 and feels more comfortable with people who are younger than he is . . . I am six years younger. . . .

i was kinda the leader, and since i was the oldest.


2) You felt you had atomony and were free from the social binds of being known. . .you said you did not know them very well. Instead of feeling anxious you felt freedom . . . freedom from those who knew you and expect you to be this way or that. . . social expectations . . . . Do you realize you can free yourself from those binds any time you so choose by simply choosing not to play the social head games. . . . .
Best summer of my life was after soph year of HS...i went on one of those camping/hiking/white water rafting trips, and i didnt know anyone on it.


3)Then there was a part that came out about care giving. . . you” watched out after others” you may feel naturally at ease in helping atmospheres. An off the ADD brain idea perhaps less of a class load this time with volunteering time put aside. . .places you back into that helping role where you shined before.

i kinda looked after people...I dont think i have ever been so happy before.

These are only some observations from reading your last post . . . . . which I quoted below my observations the thoughts that come to my mind. . . you are miserable because you do not feel free to be who you want to be. Quit trying to be some thing you aren’t. It isn’t your job in life to be what your friend think you should be . . . . I see this because of the way you described how wonderful it was being with people who did not know you very well . . . this provided you with was escape from the confines of familiar social expectation. . . they didn’t expect you to be a certain way so you could be whom you wished. . . the feeling of “shinning” is when you found out you really like the real you. . .

I dont think i have ever been so happy before. I LOVED the postive attention, the complete lack of awkwardness. A completely different side of me came out, and i LOVE that side of me.

ya know you never left. . . that same person is still there inside of you waiting to be accessed again. . . . look for ordinary ways to go there again be with people who don’t know you from the past, people who don’t shackle you thus the volunteering idea. You were receiving the posative attention you were putting out there by caring for the others. You became you because you had the freedom to do so.

I do appreciate the expansion which leads me to my last point. . . .


sorry this post is retardedly long

ditch the negative self talk . . . . I am not advocating living in la la land but no sense in stabbing your self with a sharp stick either. . . if you do not respect your self how do you expect other people to respect you? The constantly being negative will attract more negative. . . being negative about self for me tends to draw people who feel good when other people feel bad. They are the kind who are more than happy helping me feel bad about myself then they are about finding good in me.

I ditched the constant blues (I do still have my moments I am human) and began respecting my self I found those who thrived off my bad feeling disappeared into the unimportant . I no longer tolerated some of the behavior. The people I hang with now are those who will offer an ear when I need to whine but they don't hold me down by pointing out my every flaw. They are uplifting by the living of their own lives. . .they see the good in me when I can not They are the sort who over come life’s hurdles some time when I see what they have to deal with without them saying a word I see my whining for what it is feeling sorry for myself when I know I would be a much happier person by being there for them in their time of need. My friends now celebrate with me on good days and feel for me on my not so good days. . . . they are accepting of them selves and therefore are able to extend that acceptance to me.

Using only the grey matter between our ears we create our own reality by choosing our perception . . .and our friends. I once read some where life is 10% of what happens to us and 90% of how we perceive those occurrences.

I do hope you can find some thing useful in my perspective. . . which is what this is my perception of life which greatly influences my attitude toward it. . . . .thanks for reading. . . . I know it is long. . . you have much to say; it is time you listened to your own voice. . .the anxiety maybe from you trying to tell your self some thing (IMHO). . . time to become you.

thank you so much for your post, i really appreciate the time you took to write it out :)

A lot of what you said is very true, i think i am just kind of in denial and/or constantly putting off "becoming my true self". I promised myself i would be better when i went to college...but since i ended up going to a college with many of my old friends, nothing really changed...i now find myself looking forward to get out of here, and go to a grad school where no one knows me. I dont know why its so hard to just be myself...

and i know i need to ditch the negative self talk!!

thanks again, i really appreciate it, your post has given me a lot to think about

Dreeza, if I could distill and bottle it? I would send you some of my famous "Does not give a rat's patootie" syrup ;).

I have discovered with age that many of those stupid, trite platitudes are actually true:

No matter where you go, there you are, for example.

You cannot be anybody but yourself without suffering severe consequences of the ego-self-esteem type. Good luck with it, I seem to remember it being a tough thing for me to get through my own stubborn skull at your age, and wait...wasn't that me, once upon a time, arguing vehemently that there was no way I had bipolar because I never lost touch with reality?

Geez how wrong we can all be sometimes -- :o I never gave anyone a chance for long enough to learn that there were classifications of bipolar that did not include severe psychotic mania. I had to beat my skull and research it on my own to get it through.

I take my bipolar and ADHD meds gladly now.

Be kind to yourself, kid, because some people in the world will be more than happy to treat you badly, and they do not need any more help with that pursuit.

but since i ended up going to a college with many of my old friends, nothing really changed...i now find myself looking forward to get out of here, and go to a grad school where no one knows me. I dont know why its so hard to just be myself...

Because old habits die hard. . . . they expect you to be this person and you are used to playing that role. Most people want to be a part of some ting and this part with your friends from school is some thing you are familiar with and kind of “fall” into. It can take a lot of energy to break out of a mold (the anxiety is a form of energy build up)

I do not know how much longer you have but if it is going to be a while the volunteering may help decompress the anxiety. They have every thing from big brothers big sister programs to helping the homeless, often an on-line search will be useful.

Crazy~Feet is right about becoming "more mature" (older) it does shift the perspective a bit. . . the desire to break the mold to get away from what has always been feels confusing because it is like graduating high school and begining college. The confusion and anxiety is caused by the difference. You are advancing toward independance,the feelings of doubt are a part of entering into adult hood and becoming a whole person in your own right. Despite the fact this isn't easy I have a feeling you will do fine.

Knowing I said some thing encouraging or helpful makes my day. Keep us posted, and keep your chin up okay!