The meds are not without their side effects. Every now and then I take a break for a week or so just to reset my biology. As my problems with executive functioning return, so does the depression.
I think the moral of the story is that interaction with your doctor should be ongoing. You should not just get a prescription for Adderal or Ritalin and check back with them in 2 years.
* Being told you're lazy
* Being told you're stupid
* Being told you don't care
* Being told you aren't trying (when you're trying incredibly hard)
* Being told you must have 'something' wrong with you
* Being told that your parents have given up on you
Is it the condition which causes this, or the diagnosis of the condition? I think diagnoses can easily inspire feelings of futility. It's no longer something you can change about yourself by wanting to change, it becomes a medical condition you've been stuck with.
> it becomes a medical condition you've been stuck with
90-ish% of people with ADHD respond well to stimulants, and have complete remission of symptoms. And for those who don't respond well to stimulants, we have bupropion, etc.
It's the one class of mental disorders where medication is very effective. For almost all with ADHD, it's not something you're "stuck" with.
No, it is not.
https://www.aafp.org/dam/AAFP/documents/patient_care/adhd_to...
If you have to keep taking amphetamines you are stuck with it. It is clear that something dopamergenic is going on with these kids, but no one is trying to find out why they do not have enough dopamine. You know we have biological pathways that produce dopamine which are controlled by things in our environment.
https://www.researchgate.net/figure/he-biosynthetic-pathway-...
Yeah, I said it, you can control ADHD by changing the environment. Zinc, B6, air pollution, protein intake, etc...
Yet all we get is a pill? And you are all happy with that?
Executive Dysfunction means you're screaming in your head to stand up and get work done, but your brain just keeps browsing hacker news. And not just monthly or weekly, but hourly. Sometimes even every few minutes.
Diagnosed or undiagnosed.
So, there's definitely a chance. Two thoughts:
- Everyone will occasionally exhibit some ADHD symptoms, the question is how often. Monthly? Probably not a problem. Hourly, or every few minutes? Probably is a problem.
- See a professional. Self diagnosis can't get you the help you need.
I should probably get it checked. Thing is I'm afraid of "faking it", if it makes any sense?
I'm definitely not, as you put it, the stereotypical "hyperactive", but on learning more, I realized how many little tics I have that I do but in very masked ways so as to not draw attention. But that aside, there is 3 different diagnosis for ADHD - primary hyperactive, primary-inattentive or combination (both to some level). Despite what I said about tics, my diagnosis was for the inattentive side of things. "Head in the clouds", "daydreamer", etc.
It's all relatively new for me, it wasn't something I really seriously considered until a year or two ago (and I'm in my 40s now), despite having a brother who was medicated fairly young and a father who displays many of the same traits (never diagnosed though). It's definitely helped me to know this, puts some puzzle pieces in place, so to speak, and gives me a path forward toward managing something I didn't really realize I needed to manage, but was having a significant impact on my life regardless.
BTW, when you talk about tics, do you mean physical tics, like fidgeting, walking around, moving your feet, etc? Because it's quite often noticed by others that I'm doing too much of that
When I was a kid, I constantly described myself as "lazy" and "tired". Now I understand I was really experiencing "executive disfunction" and "understimulation".
Adding those words to my vocabulary didn't cure my ADHD, but it did relieve some internalized shame and anxiety that were caused by living undiagnosed (and therefore untreated).
All that's missing is how there's no consequence underlying that hesitation; how you can't justify why you can't do the task.
"Oh all that stuff I've been struggling with wasn't actually my fault? With this magic pill I can get stuff done too and not feel like an imposter all the time? Heck yea!"
I can imagine what you saying applying to some childhood diagnoses. I cannot speak to anyone I know who was diagnosed in childhood thinking that way though.
As I kid I didn't have any inkling of what aspects of my personality and/or abilities were related to ADHD, and most people I've met who were diagnosed young have been in the same bucket.
If anything being diagnosed should help stave off depression since ADHD tends to mimic a mentality most people just refer to as "lazy". You don't have "executive function disorder", you just fixate on things you like and ignore stuff you don't. You don't have ADHD, you're just messy and disorganized.
Futility comes with a lack of understanding when it comes to this disease.
And by doing things it can even be "basic" stuff like laundry etc.
I'd go as far as to argue that a diagnosis opens the door to solutions even non medical ones.
I think you're getting downvoted because it sounds like you're encouraging people not to get professional help.
> it becomes a medical condition you've been stuck with.
It can feel like this. However, for me, it was much more of a "finally, an explanation!". It showed me my limits are a bit lower than I hoped for, but it gave me immense clarity about those limits. Plus finding your limits, realising there are things you'll never achieve... I think that's anyone's fate sooner or later. It's okay.
Though, being fair, those are thoughts other people will direct at those with ADHD as well.