Can you have Adult ADDwithout all of the symtoms?
Question:
- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I have suffered from really poor self esteem all my life. I started to struggle with depression in my middle to late teens. When I was 25 I began to take medication for depression. It seemed to help some but life was still a struggle. I tried extensive therapy and it helped some. I accepted that my life was what it was and periodical was switched to a different antidepressant. My personal doctor decided that he was no longer willing to manage my medicine and referred me to a phycharitist. I went to him thinking that it was going to suck. Same old, same old, talk about my depression, change my medication and plod on. Part way throuh his evaluation he asked me to rate myself from 0 to 4 on a list of questions that he read to me. I had no idea what he was getting at and was ashamed about what my answers to the questions should be. On a lot of them I answered a 2 or 3 but they probably should have been a 4. The more questions that he asked the more ashamed and frustrated I got. When he was done he explained that I may have ADD. He renewed my prescription for Celexa and increased the dosage to 40mg a day. He also gave me a prescription for Adderall (10mg twice a day) and told me that I could have it filled if I wanted to try it. I came away from the meeting feeling conflicted but suddenly very hopefull that I had found the answer to my "problems". I had the prescription for Adderall filled and started taking it but it did not seem to help. Now I am feeling very depressed and frustrated. I am torn between believing I have ADD and not. I have read the Hallowell diagnostic criteria and most of them speak directly to me particularly low frustration level, starting and not finishing several things at once and a tendency toward hyperfocus that disappears when I start to ruminate about things. I also have an extremely dificulty in recieving negative feed back and do not have close friends. I am also concerned about becoming addicted to adderall as I have substance abuse in my past (primarly pot) and tend towards anything that will releive my sense of despair. Does anyone else have any experience with these feelings? Thanks
I’d encourage you to get a referral for a comprehensive evaluation. That would be by a psychologist, not a psychiatrist. It may be ADHD, it may be depression, it may be some form of a learning disability, there’s just too many "what if’s." My bias would be to see a neuropsychologist but most definately you should see one skilled in assessment and differential diagnosis. mark — The source of love is deep in us, and we can help others realize a lot of happiness. One word, one action, one thought can reduce another person’s suffering and bring that person joy. Thich Nhat Hanh Religious leader http://home.gwi.net/~mdmpsyd/index.htm remove peterhood69 for mail
Response:
Tom, Like Emma, I can relate to much of your story. It is my understanding that ADD hits everyone differently. Many of the same symptons, but in differing amounts. Even though I have been diagnosed, sometimes I think my symptoms are so unique that maybe ADD is just the closest thing they can blame it on. My experience with pot (years ago) was that it only made things worse for me because my thoughts were so scattered and my memory so bad in the first place. Smoking pot was a good escape, but it only made me spacier and unable to cope with life’s responsibilities. I look back and remember how I had a reputation as a space cadet. I ruminate alot too, but now I know that it is totally unproductive. I also realize that I don’t have many close friends either. Don’t depend on this newsgroup for all your support. I recently joined a local ADD support group that meets once or twice a month, and wish that I had discovered it years ago. It’s amazing to be in a room full of people who wrestle with many of the same problems. Try to find a similar group in your area, and hang in there. John Conrades "On the outside…looking in."
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I have suffered from really poor self esteem all my life. I started to struggle with depression in my middle to late teens. When I was 25 I began to take medication for depression. It seemed to help some but life was still a struggle. I tried extensive therapy and it helped some. I accepted that my life was what it was and periodical was switched to a different antidepressant. My personal doctor decided that he was no longer willing to manage my medicine and referred me to a phycharitist. I went to him thinking that it was going to suck. Same old, same old, talk about my depression, change my medication and plod on. Part way throuh his evaluation he asked me to rate myself from 0 to 4 on a list of questions that he read to me. I had no idea what he was getting at and was ashamed about what my answers to the questions should be. On a lot of them I answered a 2 or 3 but they probably should have been a 4. The more questions that he asked the more ashamed and frustrated I got. When he was done he explained that I may have ADD. He renewed my prescription for Celexa and increased the dosage to 40mg a day. He also gave me a prescription for Adderall (10mg twice a day) and told me that I could have it filled if I wanted to try it. I came away from the meeting feeling conflicted but suddenly very hopefull that I had found the answer to my "problems". I had the prescription for Adderall filled and started taking it but it did not seem to help. Now I am feeling very depressed and frustrated. I am torn between believing I have ADD and not. I have read the Hallowell diagnostic criteria and most of them speak directly to me particularly low frustration level, starting and not finishing several things at once and a tendency toward hyperfocus that disappears when I start to ruminate about things. I also have an extremely dificulty in recieving negative feed back and do not have close friends. I am also concerned about becoming addicted to adderall as I have substance abuse in my past (primarly pot) and tend towards anything that will releive my sense of despair. Does anyone else have any experience with these feelings? Thanks
Response:
(I have no idea why this did not make it on the NG last night, but maybe a second attempt to post will be successful. - JC) Tom, Like Emma, I can relate to much of your story. It is my understanding that ADD hits everyone differently. Many of the same symptons, but in differing amounts. Even though I have been diagnosed, sometimes I think my symptoms are so unique that maybe ADD is just the closest thing they can blame it on. My experience with pot (years ago) was that it only made things worse for me because my thoughts were so scattered and my memory so bad in the first place. Smoking pot was a good escape, but it only made me spacier and unable to cope with life’s responsibilities. I look back and remember how I had a reputation as a space cadet. I ruminate alot too, but now I know that it is totally unproductive. I also realize that I don’t have many close friends either. Don’t depend on this newsgroup for all your support. I recently joined a local ADD support group that meets once or twice a month, and wish that I had discovered it years ago. It’s amazing to be in a room full of people who wrestle with many of the same problems. Try to find a similar group in your area, and hang in there….and post again. John Conrades "On the outside…looking in."
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I have suffered from really poor self esteem all my life. I started to struggle with depression in my middle to late teens. When I was 25 I began to take medication for depression. It seemed to help some but life was still a struggle. I tried extensive therapy and it helped some. I accepted that my life was what it was and periodical was switched to a different antidepressant. My personal doctor decided that he was no longer willing to manage my medicine and referred me to a phycharitist. I went to him thinking that it was going to suck. Same old, same old, talk about my depression, change my medication and plod on. Part way throuh his evaluation he asked me to rate myself from 0 to 4 on a list of questions that he read to me. I had no idea what he was getting at and was ashamed about what my answers to the questions should be. On a lot of them I answered a 2 or 3 but they probably should have been a 4. The more questions that he asked the more ashamed and frustrated I got. When he was done he explained that I may have ADD. He renewed my prescription for Celexa and increased the dosage to 40mg a day. He also gave me a prescription for Adderall (10mg twice a day) and told me that I could have it filled if I wanted to try it. I came away from the meeting feeling conflicted but suddenly very hopefull that I had found the answer to my "problems". I had the prescription for Adderall filled and started taking it but it did not seem to help. Now I am feeling very depressed and frustrated. I am torn between believing I have ADD and not. I have read the Hallowell diagnostic criteria and most of them speak directly to me particularly low frustration level, starting and not finishing several things at once and a tendency toward hyperfocus that disappears when I start to ruminate about things. I also have an extremely dificulty in recieving negative feed back and do not have close friends. I am also concerned about becoming addicted to adderall as I have substance abuse in my past (primarly pot) and tend towards anything that will releive my sense of despair. Does anyone else have any experience with these feelings? Thanks
Response:
hey just because adderall didn’t work doesn’t mean it’s hopeless. There are other treatments which you’ll learn about if you read driven to distraction. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I have suffered from really poor self esteem all my life. I started to struggle with depression in my middle to late teens. When I was 25 I began to take medication for depression. It seemed to help some but life was still a struggle. I tried extensive therapy and it helped some. I accepted that my life was what it was and periodical was switched to a different antidepressant. My personal doctor decided that he was no longer willing to manage my medicine and referred me to a phycharitist. I went to him thinking that it was going to suck. Same old, same old, talk about my depression, change my medication and plod on. Part way throuh his evaluation he asked me to rate myself from 0 to 4 on a list of questions that he read to me. I had no idea what he was getting at and was ashamed about what my answers to the questions should be. On a lot of them I answered a 2 or 3 but they probably should have been a 4. The more questions that he asked the more ashamed and frustrated I got. When he was done he explained that I may have ADD. He renewed my prescription for Celexa and increased the dosage to 40mg a day. He also gave me a prescription for Adderall (10mg twice a day) and told me that I could have it filled if I wanted to try it. I came away from the meeting feeling conflicted but suddenly very hopefull that I had found the answer to my "problems". I had the prescription for Adderall filled and started taking it but it did not seem to help. Now I am feeling very depressed and frustrated. I am torn between believing I have ADD and not. I have read the Hallowell diagnostic criteria and most of them speak directly to me particularly low frustration level, starting and not finishing several things at once and a tendency toward hyperfocus that disappears when I start to ruminate about things. I also have an extremely dificulty in recieving negative feed back and do not have close friends. I am also concerned about becoming addicted to adderall as I have substance abuse in my past (primarly pot) and tend towards anything that will releive my sense of despair. Does anyone else have any experience with these feelings? Thanks
– -Katz Heitmann I never went to kindergarden so all I needed to know I learned from Shakespeare. You won’t survive long if you live in a Shakespearian tragedy. There are few human problems which can not be solved with the jucicious application of high explosives. (And if that doesn’t work, try duct tape) Reach out and byte someone:) -Compass Media
Response:
I have suffered from really poor self esteem all my life. I started to struggle with depression in my middle to late teens. When I was 25 I began to take medication for depression. It seemed to help some but life was still a struggle. I tried extensive therapy and it helped some. I accepted that my life was what it was and periodical was switched to a different antidepressant. My personal doctor decided that he was no longer willing to manage my medicine and referred me to a phycharitist. I went to him thinking that it was going to suck. Same old, same old, talk about my depression, change my medication and plod on. Part way throuh his evaluation he asked me to rate myself from 0 to 4 on a list of questions that he read to me. I had no idea what he was getting at and was ashamed about what my answers to the questions should be. On a lot of them I answered a 2 or 3 but they probably should have been a 4. The more questions that he asked the more ashamed and frustrated I got. When he was done he explained that I may have ADD. He renewed my prescription for Celexa and increased the dosage to 40mg a day. He also gave me a prescription for Adderall (10mg twice a day) and told me that I could have it filled if I wanted to try it. I came away from the meeting feeling conflicted but suddenly very hopefull that I had found the answer to my "problems". I had the prescription for Adderall filled and started taking it but it did not seem to help. Now I am feeling very depressed and frustrated. I am torn between believing I have ADD and not. I have read the Hallowell diagnostic criteria and most of them speak directly to me particularly low frustration level, starting and not finishing several things at once and a tendency toward hyperfocus that disappears when I start to ruminate about things. I also have an extremely dificulty in recieving negative feed back and do not have close friends. I am also concerned about becoming addicted to adderall as I have substance abuse in my past (primarly pot) and tend towards anything that will releive my sense of despair. Does anyone else have any experience with these feelings? Thanks
Response:
. . . I came away from the meeting feeling conflicted but suddenly very hopefull that I had found the answer to my "problems". I had the prescription for Adderall filled and started taking it but it did not seem to help.
You may still have ADD though. This particular med may not work for you, or you may not have been taking the right dose. . . . I am also concerned about becoming addicted to adderall as I have substance abuse in my past (primarly pot) and tend towards anything that will releive my sense of despair.
I understand the fear. The ADD meds really aren’t addictive at prescription levels, despite the bad press. But pot is not supposed to be addictive either – I suppose it was a psychological addiction? I have a pretty addictive personality (luckily only nicotine and caffeine have snuck in) and I have had no problem with my meds. Ritalin (which I take) does not give me a high feeling. In fact, I can’t even feel it in my body. My problem is not addiction, but forgetting to take it (or else forgetting whether I *have* taken it).
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