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So I'm having this problem and my psych thinks it might be ADD, but ADD-I and I just want to run it by you guys and see if anyone else has a similar thing going on. I know that the descriptions of people with ADHD don't fit, but here goes. I have constant internal monologue that distracts me from everything and gives me a feeling like I'm not really "there." I've never really been hyperactive - as a child I had a normal amount of activity, but was always really aloof and missed entire sections of work because I didn't read the instructions. Anyway, I know that Barker guy has said that ADD-I could be an entirely different animal and not treatable with stimulants, but I'm hoping someone on here can tell me they've had some success or something cause I don't like feeling like I'm up a creek. I'm on concerta 18mg right now and the first week I had the honeymoon period which has faded and still no diminishing of the internal chatter.
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Feb 25, 2011 02:39
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OMG the internal chatter, yes I know exactly what you're talking about. I have ADD-I and stimulants definitely help me, but I still have a lot of that internal chatter going on. The biggest reason I wanted help was because I was very irritable and not being a good mother to my daughter, and Adderall and Ritalin both calm me down tons and allow me to think before I get angry. Ritalin was helping me focus more, but I'm on a really low dose of Adderall so my psych suggested I up it and see how it goes. EDIT: I just started taking Ritalin and Adderall about three weeks ago though.
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Feb 25, 2011 03:37
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For those of you who have experimented with drug use, what did cocaine or amphetamines do for you? Did you feel amped up at all? Stay awake for a day? Feel like you could take on the world? And I mean high doses of amphetamines like in some ecstasy or meth, not just your Adderall. Sorry if this has been brought up before.
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Feb 25, 2011 03:53
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Moms Stuffing posted:OMG the internal chatter, yes I know exactly what you're talking about. I have ADD-I and stimulants definitely help me, but I still have a lot of that internal chatter going on. The biggest reason I wanted help was because I was very irritable and not being a good mother to my daughter, and Adderall and Ritalin both calm me down tons and allow me to think before I get angry. Ritalin was helping me focus more, but I'm on a really low dose of Adderall so my psych suggested I up it and see how it goes. Good to know I'm not alone in that regard - the internal chatter and the irritation. I've noticed that when the concerta is "on" I'm more able to read and collect my thoughts, but still with a lot interference. I'm hoping that increasing the dose will help that, but when it's wearing off it's like my ADD gets even worse than baseline which sucks since it wears off right as I leave work and get to my real life. I've had some problems with severe depression and anxiety before and it can bring back some of those old feelings. I might be wrong, but I'm hoping that increasing the dose won't exacerbate that or, fingers crossed, will decrease that. Also, when it's working I'm less social which is a big negative for me. Why are you taking adderall now instead of ritalin, if you don't mind me asking? flavaaDAAAAAVE fucked around with this message at 04:35 on Feb 25, 2011 |
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Feb 25, 2011 04:25
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DONT DO IT posted:For those of you who have experimented with drug use, what did cocaine or amphetamines do for you? Did you feel amped up at all? Stay awake for a day? Feel like you could take on the world? And I mean high doses of amphetamines like in some ecstasy or meth, not just your Adderall. I smoked meth for a couple weeks. I ended up sitting down and watching TV, then going to bed a couple hours later. Ecstacy did what ecstacy does, made me feel happy, the typical physical sensations, but i don't know if I was any more energized than normal.
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Feb 25, 2011 05:00
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Took a test tonight that was all true/false, trickily worded multiple choice, and short answer questions that were all "list X from the book." All rote memorization. gently caress.
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Feb 25, 2011 05:07
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flavaaDAAAAAVE posted:Why are you taking adderall now instead of ritalin, if you don't mind me asking? Ritalin was giving me strange side effects.
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Feb 25, 2011 05:38
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Ok so awkward question........ possible TMI Anyone else's sex drive seem to go up? Like.. way up? I've always had a fairly high libido (average when on a downswing), but lately I'm just like...just take me right here I don't care. It could be attributed to a couple things, working out, being in a gym with cute dudes, etc, but it hasn't really been this intense before.
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Feb 25, 2011 05:43
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2508084 posted:Ok so awkward question........ possible TMI The first question is, are you scratching the itch, or are you referring to an increased itch.
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Feb 25, 2011 07:15
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I understand that it is a fairly common thing.
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Feb 25, 2011 09:25
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I think I may have found the reason behind my face tingling and I don't think it's related to the Adderall after all. Last night, my allergies got REALLY worse all of a sudden. Like from just a stuffy nose and blowing out excess clear mucus when I blow my nose to chest full of mucus, coughing up mucus, the works. It got bad this morning and coincidentally, my tingling showed up. Again, it's still confined to the cheeks of my face. That's when I put two and two together: I bet it's my goddamn sinuses! So far with the power of Google, it looks like my hunch is correct. I guess if it keeps going on, I'll put in a call to my GP. But, I'm kinda scared to see him. After I finished up with him when we talked about going on medication for ADHD, he gave me a list of people to see and he said from there "I ultimately write the prescription [for Adderall]". Well, I didn't see any of his people (which were only psychologists). I went to a psychiatrist and after talking with me, prescribed my Adderall. I'm afraid of the GP getting all pissed thinking I went behind his back. 
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Feb 25, 2011 14:10
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Oh God I wish that my sex drive would go up. I have other issues though regarding that. A friend suggested that I try weed to increase my sex drive. Do weed and Adderall mix? I've never done any drugs before unless they were prescribed by a doctor, so I am utterly clueless. I'm probably still going to chicken out and not try it. Moms Stuffing fucked around with this message at 14:50 on Feb 25, 2011 |
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Feb 25, 2011 14:42
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TheBigBad posted:The first question is, are you scratching the itch, or are you referring to an increased itch. Increased itch. If I could scratch the itch all day long should the opportunity rise though. I'm ready to go right now and I just got up ten minutes ago. I haven't even eaten breakfast! (or, alternatively, I know what I want for breakfast  ). Its not like I'm going to run out and go find someone to gently caress RIGHT NOW, I can control myself, its just an overwhelming caveman-type urge. Coincidentally, I have less of a desire to self satisfy.  must gently caress quote:Do weed and Adderall mix Or I'm not an addict See what meds you're taking and what their side effects are. A lot of anti-d's hinder the libido. WellB is one of the few that has little to no (or just no) effect on sex drive. ladyweapon fucked around with this message at 15:32 on Feb 25, 2011 |
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Feb 25, 2011 15:29
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I personally have completely turned my life around since I started smoking weed. I quit drinking, began living an active lifestyle and eating right. Also I went back to college. So, YMMV. One thing you gotta keep in mind is that 2508084 is absolutely right, if your doctor finds out you're smoking weed (or doing other drugs which I do NOT recommend) you will probably be labelled an addict and you don't want that on your medical records. Also, I don't recommend smoking weed WHILE on adderall, but if you're gonna smoke some in the evening like you would drink a glass of wine or something it's really not a big deal. Way less harmful than booze. I find it actually helps my ADHD, as where booze would just dull everything, weed makes me think about what I need to do and how to better my life. I prefer sativa strains, as indica will definitely just make you veg out all lazy. Also, you probably already know this, but if you live in California or Colorado you can get weed legally (with a doctor's recommendation) from a dispensary for your ADHD. You can probably do it in the other mmj states too but I have no experience with those. wilfredmerriweathr fucked around with this message at 17:56 on Feb 25, 2011 |
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Feb 25, 2011 17:42
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Weed is probably the worst way you can cope with ADHD. I hadn't smoked for like 4 months, which was my longest stretch in years and I smoked a few times, "just casually," and it got completely out of control. It's not that it's addictive, it's habit forming. Even though it helps me with anxiety, it really doesn't because I just get lazy as poo poo more often than not. Like sure I feel great now, but I'm going to be even more stressed out tomorrow because I didn't do poo poo to deal with what's causing the stress. Anyway, haven't smoked in like 2 weeks and I'm trying to keep it that way. Roommate is still smoking and it's getting really annoying smelling it, but I told him what's up and I think he gets that I'm trying to avoid it. People always talk about how harmless weed is, but it's really not.
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Feb 25, 2011 20:57
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2508084 posted:
One of the defining characteristics of addiction is the continued involvement with a substance or activity despite the negative consequences associated with it. I wouldn't medicate to lower libido unless it becomes a problem. The best advice is exercise, but you've already mentioned that, that is stimulating in its own way. Physical exhaustion is the only way I know to keep a healthy libido intact, while curtailing it at the same time.
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Feb 25, 2011 21:04
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TheBigBad posted:One of the defining characteristics of addiction is the continued involvement with a substance or activity despite the negative consequences associated with it. I wasn't planning on medicating to lower it, I'll just have to  more often or something. It was just weird. I smoked weed a couple weeks ago (last week or the week before), beyond that.. I don't know when the last time I did drugs was. 2008? The second anything negatively impacts my life I quit doing it. Its not just drug related, I don't let anything gently caress with my life. I was too fat, now I'm less fat. I drank too much, now I drink less (or just don't drink at all). I don't do drugs because they'll gently caress with how my meds work. I don't own a car because it would constantly and endlessly take my money away from me. v:)v
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Feb 25, 2011 23:20
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TheGopher posted:Weed is probably the worst way you can cope with ADHD. I hadn't smoked for like 4 months, which was my longest stretch in years and I smoked a few times, "just casually," and it got completely out of control. But see, I don't get this way at all. Maybe it's because I use it in moderation and not "yo guys lets get BAKED". But whenever I smoke I get poo poo done. It's been that way for the 8 years that I've smoked it, and I see no reason to stop. I am a better person for having started. But I only smoke a few times a week, and an eighth lasts me over a month. On the other side of the coin, I have a few friends that are such hopeless potheads, and I really wish they would just quit. They are always amazed that I still have most of the bag that I bought <x> weeks ago. Today's weed is strong enough that realistically you only need to smoke about the size of a pencil eraser's worth to get effects. I tell them "just don't smoke so much" but it falls on deaf ears. The trick is to not look at smoking weed AS the activity, but instead pursue worthwhile activities that you would pursue even if you weren't a bit high. i.e. working out, cleaning the house, doing laundry, working on your car, playing golf, reading a book, doing some calculus, writing a paper, or making love! Moral of the story: you can get mentally addicted to anything. That doesn't mean that it WILL happen. Things only become a habit when you let them. Everything in moderation. This TheGopher posted:I just get lazy as poo poo more often than not. doesn't happen to all of us. wilfredmerriweathr fucked around with this message at 23:32 on Feb 25, 2011 |
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Feb 25, 2011 23:24
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Not everything affects everyone the same way - welcome to drugs, but it sounds like Moms Stuffing doesn't consider it worth the ramifications. If you get busted for illegal drugs and it gets to your record, say goodbye to any kind of schedule drug (like, say, adderall). Unless you doctor shop and find someone who gives out scripts. There are alternative, legal, methods to try before you start using illegal drugs as a method especially when it can get your legal meds taken from you.
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Feb 25, 2011 23:43
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I genuinely dislike the argument, "but it works for me!" There are smokers who smoked tobacco for 60 years, lived to be 80, and didn't die from a smoking related death. Those people saying, "but smoking works for me!" isn't truly indicative of the nature of the drug. For every person you show me that uses weed in moderation, and doesn't get lazier, I'll show you a hundred people that have a problem. If it works for you, that's great. For far more people than not, it becomes a problem. For people with ADHD, it's simply too easy self-medicate with weed, and cause more problems than you fix. For people that lack self-control and have bad time-management, weed isn't a positive outlet. edit: There is a such a thing as cannabis withdrawal. An interesting excerpt from the bottom of the article: quote:Budney et al. argue that the upkeep of this neurotransmitter may motivate people to use cannabis in an addictive way. TheGopher fucked around with this message at 23:59 on Feb 25, 2011 |
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Feb 25, 2011 23:56
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I guess it just comes down to a personality difference. I have too much love for my life to spend it inside on the couch. I also quit smoking cigs after 11 years of being a daily smoker (the last 7 being over a pack a day) with really not too much effort. Sorry for derailing the thread with WEED TALK. Back to riding bikes, everyone!
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Feb 26, 2011 17:39
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2508084 posted:Ok so awkward question........ possible TMI When I first started ritalin the desire was nearly insatiable. Now it's back down to my average levels (which is below average).
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Feb 28, 2011 18:13
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I recently was switched to Strattera (40mg twice a day) and I feel like I'm back to my old pre-medicated self (that is I can't accomplish anything). So far the only thing I've noticed is a panic attack that occurred Saturday, but I haven't had any increased ability to concentrate. Does it get better with time or should I talk to my doctor about something else?
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Feb 28, 2011 18:16
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baronvonwalz posted:I recently was switched to Strattera (40mg twice a day) and I feel like I'm back to my old pre-medicated self (that is I can't accomplish anything). Can you be more specific with what you mean by "recently"? Stattera takes 4-6 weeks to really get a full effect.
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Feb 28, 2011 19:41
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I was described as organized today
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Feb 28, 2011 20:09
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2508084 posted:I was described as organized today I love it when that happens. "What's your secret?" "Scientifically-engineered meth." "...oh."
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Feb 28, 2011 20:45
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DRP Solved! posted:Can you be more specific with what you mean by "recently"? Stattera takes 4-6 weeks to really get a full effect. Okay, that's what I needed to know, it's only been 3 days.
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Feb 28, 2011 22:57
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baronvonwalz posted:Okay, that's what I needed to know, it's only been 3 days. As a pharmacy student, it's depressing to me that neither your doctor or pharmacist told you this at any point. Feel free to ask here if there's anything else that you're wondering about your medications that no one told you about.
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Mar 1, 2011 00:21
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DRP Solved! posted:
Yeah, this seems to have turned into a not-so-common "common knowledge" thing among docs. Everyone knows it takes over a month for the full effects to present themselves.  Yeah, no they don't. Some people will take the minimal effect they feel ~3 weeks in and conclude thats all the medication will ever do without giving it that extra 1-3 weeks to build up and fully incorporate into your system.
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Mar 1, 2011 01:46
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Note to self, 3 straight days of video games with seldom breaks does not help, and is in fact escapism. Something needs to change here. Luckily I'm going to finish writing a cover letter I've been procrastinating on for awhile and apply to a new job. Current job is just too brutal - too much mindless-office work that requires more organization than I currently have, and literally no challenging IT work to stimulate my brain.
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Mar 1, 2011 05:30
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TheGopher posted:and literally no challenging IT work to stimulate my brain. Side project at home? Thats how I got through high school. I hyper focused on coding websites and poo poo.
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Mar 1, 2011 06:01
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TheGopher posted:Note to self, 3 straight days of video games with seldom breaks does not help, and is in fact escapism. Hey, you! Listen to 2508084! I used to use video games in the same way, and it looks like you need a side project or something. Ideas: Think up a big project you want to works towards, that can be cut into tinier bits; e.g. right now I'm trying to write a web app in Perl (I language I never use). I broke it down into bits (e.g., set up my Linode for development, install/configure services, learn how to use Perl with Postgres, begin learner Dancer) and it helps a lot. It's challenging because I've never done any of it before, so careful breaking up of my steps forces me to organize and stimulate my brain. Another idea is to write up a guide on how to do something fairly complex (e.g., Install OpenBSD as a desktop or something), but write it in a way that your grandmother could read it and have a basic understanding of why/how it works (do not just list steps, but explain why it is done this way; it can be a learning experience as you have to delve deeper to understand the WHYs of a project instead of just the HOWs).
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Mar 1, 2011 15:07
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(controversial "advice" removed) helpful content: I found weed to be a very effective sleep aid, as long as I used it very sparingly--only on those days where I desperately needed to go to sleep and nothing else worked. In my experience, if you use it too much it stops working as well for this purpose. Weed is a mild psychedelic/hallucinogen and in general mixing those with stimulants makes it easier to have a paranoid freakout (stimulants encourage the "fight or flight" response). Of course I'm prone to paranoia on weed alone so your mileage may vary. Disclaimer: I don't actually smoke weed very often, and it affects different people in very different ways, so don't take my word for it. Socket Ryanist fucked around with this message at 15:56 on Mar 1, 2011 |
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Mar 1, 2011 15:12
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Socket Ryanist posted:This whole block of text makes me giggle. You know that dealers selling laced weed is almost entirely a myth right? Also, not all doctors are silly enough to label someone as a "drug user" because they smoke weed, especially in areas where practically everyone does, at least occasionally. That is so weird because someone just came in the mental health megathread stating they were busted for smoking pot, labeled an addict, and now they can't get their medications. If its worth risking your mental stability as you currently are, smoke all the weed you want. However, like I previously stated, if you are in any kind of program and on a schedule drug, they will take that poo poo from you in a heart beat if they find out you use any kind of illegal drugs. You would make me giggle but your crappy advice is going to give people the idea that their doctor would probably go "Oh ha ha! A mind altering drug that we're not monitoring and you just do whatever with while taking these other mind altering drugs that I'm giving you? Totally cool!" So take out that one part of "don't know what to peg it on" because you might. Unless your other drugs have similar side effects, then you're back to not knowing what to cut because you're taking unmonitored drugs. But hey, do whatever, its only your sanity you're screwing with.
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Mar 1, 2011 15:37
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I'm sorry, I live in california and I keep forgetting that we are actually a different universe than the rest of the US. Carry on. Edit: If smoking weed is part of your lifestyle then you probably have weed-smoking friends. Ask them if they know any weed-friendly doctors. They're easy to find around here and if you live near another major city (like chicago or NYC) then they might not be too hard to find there either. If smoking weed is NOT part of your lifestyle already then I think it would be silly to start smoking it if you're going on an adderall regimen. Socket Ryanist fucked around with this message at 16:00 on Mar 1, 2011 |
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Mar 1, 2011 15:43
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As a heavy smoker recently diagnosed and put on concerta (36mg at first and now 72mg daily) I don't find it a problem. It made me feel a bit uncomfortable if I smoked the first day or two on it or after upping the dose, but even that was mostly unrelated to weed. If you already know you can handle your poo poo while high/on drugs in general) then it should be fine. If not, then probably less so. It helps counteract the loss of appetite and inability to fall asleep though.
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Mar 1, 2011 18:04
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2508084 posted:Side project at home? Thats how I got through high school. I hyper focused on coding websites and poo poo. ClosedBSD posted:Hey, you! Listen to 2508084! I've been doing a few projects at home here and there, but without much purpose. It's hard to make myself go set up LDAP with Kerberos authentication just for the sake of doing it. When I have a need to do something, I love it. I recently ran through Linux From Scratch and learned a ton, but once I finished, and was left with, "go have fun!" my interest immediately dropped off. I'm not much of a coder, and I've never been able to utilize what I've learned from various tutorials to much effect. It doesn't help I get into the same situation as above, where I go, "What do I do with this?" have a few ideas, and lose interest because I don't really need to do any it. Another issue is that some of my ideas become way too complicated, or don't have enough practical purpose, and I lose interest that way. (Another issue is my math is pretty weak, but that's a whole other can of worms) The second I have a goal, and a purpose for a project, I can go all out and hyperfocus like a madman. If something breaks, you can bet I'm not going to stop working on the problem until it's fixed, or I force myself to take a break. I'm not really sure what I need to do differently. I really enjoy technology and computers, but it's such a struggle and I can't keep coming up with new ways to dangle a carrot on a stick for myself. TheGopher fucked around with this message at 20:12 on Mar 1, 2011 |
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Mar 1, 2011 19:44
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Side projects are awesome. It doesn't even have to be computer-based, just find a hobby that you like and want to grow at. That's why I paint and draw. The end product may be completely horrible, but the process of creating it is invaluable. (And shopping for art supplies is like crack to me. I can wander and stare at all the pretty paints for hours!)
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Mar 1, 2011 19:58
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TheGopher posted:It's hard to make myself go set up LDAP with Kerberos authentication just for the sake of doing it. When I have a need to do something, I love it. That's really why I took up art. After a confusing 2 years in art school, I realized I didn't want to do it professionally; I just wanted something to do. It also means having fun in lots of other programs. Like AGS Editor (Adventure game something). I'm starting a project to make a point and click adventure game using that program since I can't code, which is something you could probably do too. Hell, if you don't feel like making your own art you could just use sprite sheets. Off that topic, my sex drive just crashed into a wall once I got put back on Adderall XR and Effexor. Is this common with other people? Doesn't help I got my period and I'm going through a "god I'm so fat" phase either, but it's concerning to realize I've had sex maybe once a week in February.
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Mar 1, 2011 20:00
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Originally added this as an edit to my previous post: Let's knock it off with the weed recommendations, please? It's terrible advice to suggest using illegal psychoactive substances in regards to a mental condition. If it works for you, and you know it does, that's great. I could go on and on about all the negative side effects the drug poses, but I don't want to start an argument. The drug is controversial for more reasons than just its illegal status, and the fact there is relatively weak research on it should be a cause for concern. (This is mostly due to its illegal status) This is a topic about mental health. Cannabis has not been proven to be effective at treating any mental health condition, including ADHD. Anecdotally, I have yet to meet a single mental health professional in my experience that has advocated the use of weed, and have in fact encouraged me to quit and stop using the drug. Again, if it works for you, that's great. Stop recommending it. All you're doing is rationalizing your own drug use while potentially providing harmful advice for others. I've been meaning to take some lessons for guitar, and use that as a creative outlet, but I decided to focus on computer stuff because I'm pretty woefully under-qualified for jobs. I also run into the problem with guitar and musical instruments in general that I don't want to practice, and instead just play. Lessons definitely help with it, because it gives some structure and weekly goals while getting valuable feedback, but I can't justify spending $200/mo on lessons while needing to save money. I know there's a certain amount of making excuses I'm doing, but there's so many tiny issues that collectively are creating a huge problem of anxiety and apathy, that I don't even know where to start to deal with it. It may just be that my bad habits of coping with anxiety in the past, through escapism, is manifesting itself again. The laundry list keeps growing longer and longer, and the amount of stuff I'm not dealing with just keeps growing as well. Not really sure what I need to do anymore. I definitely need to see a therapist and possibly get on medication for my anxiety/depression, but the ability to do that is directly hampered by my job. I need a new job, but I'm lacking qualifications that would allow me to get a "better" job. I would get those qualifications, but I'm lacking motivation and battling anxiety to do it. It's a vicious circle.
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Mar 1, 2011 20:31
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