Hello, I am a newbie to this forum, and am coming here just to attempt to get my head around this whole ADD thing.

I have been pretty convinced for a number of years that I suffer from ADD, I have all the classic symptoms, which I'm not going to list because I am sure that everyone here is fairly familiar with them all.

I saw a psychiatrist today and was formally diagnosed with ADD, I have a follow-up appointment in a few weeks to work with a prescription and therapy for it.

My reason for posting is I am wondering if anyone here has any thoughts on alternative treatments, while I am going to begin Ritalin, I would also like to seek out some alternative ways to deal with my ADD...

Also, has anyone had any experiences with Ritalin? I am a little concerned that because I have been so sure for so long that I do suffer from ADD, that perhaps I am just projecting the symptoms on myself, and I worry what the medication might do to me if I am not suffering a severe enough form of ADD to warrant its use... Does the drug have very adverse side effects if it is taken by someone who doesn't have a very bad case of ADD?

As I said, I'm just unsure about taking the hard drugs for this condition.

Okay thanks heaps

I love exercise. Not just any excercise, but road running. I'm so focused and unconfined out there. I make it hurt so good. Come on baby maybe it hurt so good. Sometimes brains do work like should. But I think I just tore my meniscus, so its gonna be cycling for me for a while.