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TheGopher posted: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. This is entirely my situation right here. I'm trapped in this dead end IT job as a computer janitor. I only get to do the occasional web development. I never get to do much web development at this job since I'm always getting assigned to the most soul crushing tasks like help random sales guy remember his e-mail password, help the secretary map a network drive, or set up a printer for marketing. I've talked to the boss about doing more web development and database type stuff and it doesn't really go anywhere. I've asked for more training and have been rejected on the grounds that the higher ups don't want to spend the money. But the company will happily spend money flying other employees to bullshit conferences in Vegas and putting them up in hotels, etc. I've got to get out of here, but I just don't feel qualified for anything. I'm also saddened at the realization that I won't get any training or valuable experience here. If I continue to stay here, my careeris pretty much over. It doesn't help that a lot of the jobs in my area want 5-7+ years of experience. I can't spend my life fixing printers. 
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Mar 1, 2011 21:47
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TheGopher posted: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 feel the same way, and here's the thing: you are going to have to create a need for your project, or you will lose motivation quickly. LFS is a good example of a bad project, mostly because it has the same effect on everyone, regardless of amount of ADD. It is great for learning the involvement that it takes to build a Linux system, but it really isn't a dangling carrot project. The steps are all given to you, you aren't really required to do any thinking, the final result is cool, but mostly worthless (I mean, there is a slim chance you will get use out of the system, and it really won't impress anyone on job applications except very technical interviewers that are rare). It's one of those things that makes you think in your mind "This is cool, but what's the point? Why should I keep doing this?" etc etc. Dangling a carrot in front of yourself means you have to make a good justification for yourself to do something. "I want to learn technology X" just doesn't work - you might shift your attention to a new technology as soon as you hit your first boring patch, and all technical projects have boring parts (I swear I've installed and wiped installations for 10-15 Linux distros, every BSD and Solaris just to do it with huge plans in my head, but as soon as it came time to configure services/etc to make the system useful, I'd get bored since I usually wouldn't NEED it. Likewise, I have program books that cover at least 10 different language that I have used for small projects, but never for large projects since I mostly just got the books to 'learn' the language.' What you need for a side project that will force you to stay involved is an specific goal that encompasses both the easy to focus on and hard to focus on parts, and possibly more importantly, deadline(s). You need to say to yourself something like "I am an IT professional who may be looking for a job in the next year. I need a personal website to host my resume and accomplishments. If I do this the easy way by putting it on a shared host, not only will I not learn as much but I'll probably get too bored to update it much. Perhaps if I rented a cheap vps, installed the most difficult Linux I could, and then used some old difficult language to build my website on it." Anyways, that's what I did. I rented a Linode, installed Debian (for now, will switch to Slackware once I have site completed and can just dump my Postgre database and copy ovver config files.) It's good at keeping my attention for 3 reasons: A.) I'm frustrated at OpenBSD's docs and the fact that I don't give back much to the open source community, so I decided that since I have a place I can run all sorts of scripts for scraping their webpage content and making it more presentable, I now have the means to work on a project, so I can't use that as an excuse. B.) Since I'm renting the server, any time the Linode goes unused because I'm not developing on or for it, my money is wasted. C.) I can't afford to stop giving this project some attention, because if I stop analyzing logs and spending time to make sure I have all the security configured properly and all my web apps are safe, some Russian kid will host warez off my server and I'll get a knock on my door from some three-letter agency. Basically, Fear and Money are great motivators for projects where general interest may fail.
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Mar 1, 2011 23:37
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Dolemite posted:This is entirely my situation right here. I'm trapped in this dead end IT job as a computer janitor. I only get to do the occasional web development. I never get to do much web development at this job since I'm always getting assigned to the most soul crushing tasks like help random sales guy remember his e-mail password, help the secretary map a network drive, or set up a printer for marketing. For as much as I've actually learned and accomplished, I often feel like a fake because of how many of my projects seem to not get all the way done due to lack of attention. Some things you need to know: 1. ) There is a huge difference in how qualified you feel and how qualified you are for a job. People are pretty terrible at guessing how prepared they are for a task, and usually estimate their abilities to be far above or below the task. This should not prevent you from applying to other jobs. 2. ) Years of experience are bullshit for plenty of reasons: -They are somewhat arbitrarily chosen by managers/HR -Years of experience isn't a good indicator of knowledge of a subject (Many managers are somewhat aware of this. -The numbers are set high to scare aware the people who pick up the "$software_package For Dummies" book a month ago. -People inflate the poo poo out of their years of experience anyways -Rarely are candidates found who meet every years of experience requirement on a job listing, hell if you have SOME experience in all the things they require. -Everyone has to start somewhere NOBODY, and I mean NOBODY is 100% prepared for every job they take or situation they face, and nothing is a better motivator for learning something than being thrown into a job where someone gives you all the tools you need and a goal to reach in order to accomplish a task. Stop feeling bad for yourself because you "think" you aren't prepared enough for a new job. You want a job doing web development? Take your drat  and/or make a cup of coffee, whip together a website for yourself/your mom/uncle's/etc home business, follow a guide for a clean resume or have that Goon in SAMart show you how to do it, and send some out to some jobs you "think" you are a couple years experience underqualified for.The fun thing about IT is that personal, non-professional work experience counts also. EDIT: also, remember that you've already decided that your current job is getting you nowhere. Even if you gently caress up in a colossal way at some new you get hired to and get fired, its impossible to come out of a job with LESS experience. If you are young, single, and either have enough savings to get you by or have parents that will take you in for some time if you do screw up in a MAJOR way, you have absolutely nothing to lose by switching jobs. And even if you don't have a situation where you might have some trouble if you are somehow fired, remember that if you are even competent enough to just barely do your job, you are still better than most of the IT market and the chances of being fired are low enough that it is worth your while to make an attempt at bettering yourself. text editor fucked around with this message at 00:05 on Mar 2, 2011 |
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Mar 1, 2011 23:55
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re: side projects I used to do this all the time when I was growing up. I wasn't challenged at school, so I'd just invent these ridiculous projects for myself using the ancient hardware I could get for free. BSD server connected to a token ring network of linux workstations strung throughout my house (to my parent's dismay)? Why not? Oh hey, solaris x86 leaked install files? Bring it on! NEXTstep x86? OH HELL YES too bad I can't actually DO anything with it. These have of course fallen by the wayside now that I have real obligations, and I spend the free time I have pursuing outdoor activities. But I totally feel you guys, and nothing beats actually completing your side project. That feeling of real achievement is something that (especially as a teenager) really made me feel more comfortable just being myself. And it sure does become useful in a professional IT career!
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Mar 1, 2011 23:55
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cloudstrife2993 posted:re: side projects It is pretty wonderful being in a field that changes on a daily basis and rewards those who change with it when your lack of attention requires you to keep on moving onto something new/different. I almost feel I had more motivations for personal projects and learning when I was a teenager. Hell, part of the reason I use Linux all the time now is because in high school I was fairly broke, me and my friend needed servers for CS at lan parties and PHP proxy servers for getting around the school's content filters, and when you're a teenager who wants to play video games in the school library and host games at the local lan party, knowing that your only way from point A to point B is by learning how to do something, you have to stay focused long enough to finish if you want to play games. text editor fucked around with this message at 00:21 on Mar 2, 2011 |
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Mar 2, 2011 00:08
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Dolemite posted:This is entirely my situation right here. I'm trapped in this dead end IT job as a computer janitor. I only get to do the occasional web development. I never get to do much web development at this job since I'm always getting assigned to the most soul crushing tasks like help random sales guy remember his e-mail password, help the secretary map a network drive, or set up a printer for marketing. It may be a financial drain in the short run, but I'd see if there's any local schools offering classes in the IT/computer subjects you're interested in, and then taking a class or two. You may qualify for tax credits on the tuition as well. I'd just watch out for fly by night/scam schools in the process if you go this route.
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Mar 2, 2011 00:24
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re: TheGopher/side projects/general anxiety etc. Are you working out? I mean really working out? I'm a million times less anxious overall, but especially after a good workout. I found more 'aggressive' types of workouts, like boxing, helped a lot with anxiety, stress, etc.
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Mar 2, 2011 01:49
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No, it's another thing I've been procrastinating on. I was running this time last year, but that only lasted about a month and a half. I should do something low-impact, because my feet are weird and gently caress up my knees. I would bike to get around at the very least, but it's too scary biking in LA for me to consider it. (Mayor of LA was hit riding a bike, and he had a security detail) I'm being extremely cynical here, but after the initial rush of "YEAH LET'S DO IT AND GET IN SHAPE," I'm afraid I'm going to give up whatever I take on in about a month because going from extremely out-of-shape to in-shape is really loving painful. I've done it successfully before, but it's harder to skip water polo practice when you'll get harassed by teammates at school the next day. That being said, boxing might be a good idea, or at least as some supplemental exercise to doing something more fun. I definitely need to be playing a sport, because I know I'm not going to keep exercising if I am only doing it because it's good for me. Once I get in shape, it wont be as big of a deal to go make myself work up a sweat without needing "fun" to be a motivation. At that point it's more rewarding than it is torturous and painful. Getting to that point is the sink-or-swim dilemma that I've been struggling with since I graduated high school.
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Mar 2, 2011 02:06
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TheGopher posted:I'm being extremely cynical here, but after the initial rush of "YEAH LET'S DO IT AND GET IN SHAPE," I'm afraid I'm going to give up whatever I take on in about a month because going from extremely out-of-shape to in-shape is really loving painful. I've done it successfully before, but it's harder to skip water polo practice when you'll get harassed by teammates at school the next day. Start a log and get harassed by goons the next day. My rear end didn't get in gear until I started my log. As far as boxing being "supplemental" hahahaha. I couldn't move for 2 days after my first session.
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Mar 2, 2011 02:13
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2508084 posted:Start a log and get harassed by goons the next day. My rear end didn't get in gear until I started my log. I should have phrased it the other way around. Sports being supplemental to more occasional boxing.
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Mar 2, 2011 02:27
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ClosedBSD posted:Awesomely helpful words Yeah, it really is time to stop beating myself up and doubting what I can do. I'm realizing it's especially silly to doubt myself now that I've been diagnosed with ADHD and been given medication. Its already helped me sit down and complete things. I guess leaving behind a trail of unfinished tech projects can do a thing or two to your confidence. My thing has been having trouble with estimating where I am skills and experience wise in comparison to what employers ask for. I've done the part where I make a personal website (it does need some updating and refreshing). I used to make web applications at work when they needed something automated. Heck, once I wrote an entire RMA system that lets our technicians file tickets for broken equipment. I did it in three days. Because I was bored. And that was back before I was diagnosed and had the luxury of focus pills! I also do freelancing for another company on the side and they love my development work. Looks like it's really time to go for it. I'll be hitting up the Goon in SA Mart that writes resumes and starting down the path of getting the hell outta the place! Qu Appelle posted:It may be a financial drain in the short run, but I'd see if there's any local schools offering classes in the IT/computer subjects you're interested in, and then taking a class or two. You may qualify for tax credits on the tuition as well. I'd just watch out for fly by night/scam schools in the process if you go this route. I've been thinking of doing that. I've thought of maybe going back to school and going for my master's in CS. I'm a self taught developer and I really can tell that my lack of the math and fundamentals is hurting me when I'm reading some programming discussions.
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Mar 2, 2011 05:15
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Dolemite posted:Yeah, it really is time to stop beating myself up and doubting what I can do. I'm realizing it's especially silly to doubt myself now that I've been diagnosed with ADHD and been given medication. Its already helped me sit down and complete things. I guess leaving behind a trail of unfinished tech projects can do a thing or two to your confidence. Yeah, stop doubting yourself, you sound like you have quite the experience under your belt, just go apply. You likely suffer from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Impostor_syndrome. It's fairly common. (it's not an actual mental disorder, just a weird thought process lots of people have about work they've done)
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Mar 2, 2011 05:35
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ClosedBSD posted:Yeah, stop doubting yourself, you sound like you have quite the experience under your belt, just go apply. I'll quit cluttering up the thread with my derail, but thanks for posting that link. I'd never heard of Imposter Syndrome. I've been reading about it and it sounds waaaay too much like me. Especially the parts where people praise my work and trust me to do even more complicated things.
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Mar 2, 2011 16:25
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Dolemite posted:I've been thinking of doing that. I've thought of maybe going back to school and going for my master's in CS. I'm a self taught developer and I really can tell that my lack of the math and fundamentals is hurting me when I'm reading some programming discussions.  I'm doing the exact same thing. The basic computer programming course I took last year was great, but once I hit SQL and more advanced concepts (like Constructors WHAT THE F-  ), I could also tell that mat and I needed to start dating again. Starting this late spring/early summer back at Elementary High School-level Algebra. After a year of math, or when I hit the holy grail of Calculus, I should be able to handle the programming better. Plus, on current job? I often have to translate hex into decimal on the fly - and I can do it 
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Mar 2, 2011 16:58
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Calculus is so rad. Literally the best math.
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Mar 2, 2011 17:38
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Heh, same here - wanna learn dat calculus! It'll help in programming and other hobbies!
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Mar 2, 2011 19:42
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DRP Solved! posted:
Fair enough. Since I've started Strattera I've had nothing but ill side effects, starting with a panic attack on Saturday that lasted a few hours (I never have panic attacks or even anxiety), constant drowsiness with me taking two hour naps a day every day, and removal of pleasure during orgasm. It's to the point where I'm not keen on waiting the three to four weeks to experience the full effect if this is only partial.
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Mar 2, 2011 20:24
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I tried a few different hobbies / projects and found that, as soon as I've worked on something for an extended period of time, I can't think of it as anything other than work and I'm no longer interested in it. I start thinking, "man, I should really do some work on that," which causes my hosed-up brain to say, "I should, therefore I don't want to, therefore hey look at that much more interesting thing!" and then I've forgotten about my project all over again. I eventually managed to get around that by finding a project that's varied enough, and large enough in scope, to be treated like multiple smaller projects. Whenever I start finding it difficult to focus on one sub-project, I just hop over to another for a while. This tricks my nonsensical brain into thinking I'm just doing whatever I feel like, preventing it from going, "wait a minute, I'm concentrating! This is unacceptable!! gently caress this, I'm shutting down until tomorrow morning." I still haven't reached the point where I can sit down and focus on something important without difficulty, but I'm getting there. I'm actually starting to enjoy some of the stuff I do at work, and I've been working on my current project for over eight months - the longest I've ever stuck with a single project without burning out - and I still find it interesting (it doesn't hurt that it's fun as hell, either).
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Mar 2, 2011 20:28
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Dolemite posted:Heh, same here - wanna learn dat calculus! It'll help in programming and other hobbies! Calculus + watercolor painting = win. Somehow. I will make this happen. 
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Mar 2, 2011 20:47
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baronvonwalz posted:Fair enough. I see from your post history that you were on Ritalin before the Strattera. Why the switch? Have you tried Adderall? I would definitely bring up the panic attack, drowsiness and sexual problems with your prescribing doc.
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Mar 2, 2011 21:16
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Strattera has a low success rate compared to other ADHD medications (40% IIRC). When I tried it I got so nauseas I was practically debilitated. I was taking super low doses too, and I confirmed with my psychiatrist that some people just have bad reactions.
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Mar 2, 2011 22:35
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Also, keep in mind that you have to weigh whether what you used to be is better or worse than what is happening now. I have logs and logs of my old behaviors and thoughts and one read over is enough to convince me that what I'm on now works well enough that its not worth the risk to my stability to change it without a Very Good Reason. Did you read the side effects before you had side effects? A lot of people will experience 'side effects' just because they read about them and now expect them to happen. Or they'll blame something on the pills when it had nothing to do with them. Thats why they say to give it 4-6 weeks because persistent side effects will continue to show while the medication can properly build in your brain and you can see what benefit may lie there.
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Mar 3, 2011 02:38
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Are there any ADHD meds out there that are actually depressants? I've found through experience that I actually am more capable of getting poo poo done calmly while drunk or on pain medication than I can with an energy drink or whatever. Also I am currently dealing with having insurance for the first time, gently caress dealing with insurance, I hate these people already.
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Mar 3, 2011 02:40
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signalnoise posted:Are there any ADHD meds out there that are actually depressants? I've found through experience that I actually am more capable of getting poo poo done calmly while drunk or on pain medication than I can with an energy drink or whatever. iirc, this is extremely bad for your heart and your brain. And no, there aren't, afaik e. this post, now with more acronyms. BIKES We need a for real OP with information and poo poo.
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Mar 3, 2011 02:41
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DRP Solved! posted:I see from your post history that you were on Ritalin before the Strattera. Why the switch? Have you tried Adderall? I was having terrible headaches that lasted all day a couple times a week on ritalin, so my doctor switched me to Strattera. I really wanted to try Adderall but they went with Strattera so I figured I'd give it an honest shot. I have an appointment now for Monday.
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Mar 3, 2011 02:52
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2508084 posted:Also, keep in mind that you have to weigh whether what you used to be is better or worse than what is happening now. I have logs and logs of my old behaviors and thoughts and one read over is enough to convince me that what I'm on now works well enough that its not worth the risk to my stability to change it without a Very Good Reason. I can actually get alot done without any medication, I've kept a 3.0 GPA throughout most of college without knowing I have ADHD. But it is helpful in getting me to accomplish things through planning, as well as keeping my home from falling into a messy chaos. 2508084 posted:Did you read the side effects before you had side effects? A lot of people will experience 'side effects' just because they read about them and now expect them to happen. Or they'll blame something on the pills when it had nothing to do with them. Thats why they say to give it 4-6 weeks because persistent side effects will continue to show while the medication can properly build in your brain and you can see what benefit may lie there. I did read the side effects, but didn't see anything about panic attacks or loss of pleasure from sex, it did say drowsiness but I didn't think that would translate into The Game of Naps. As for the 4-6 weeks, while that may be true of this medication, I can't afford to spend the next 4-6 weeks being King of Naps and freaking out while dealing with customers. The headaches I had with ritalin are preferable to that of drowsiness, anxiety, and sexual anhedonia. At this rate I'm not even going to continue taking the medication since I'm more accomplished without it. baronvonwalz fucked around with this message at 03:35 on Mar 3, 2011 |
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Mar 3, 2011 02:59
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signalnoise posted:Are there any ADHD meds out there that are actually depressants? I've found through experience that I actually am more capable of getting poo poo done calmly while drunk or on pain medication than I can with an energy drink or whatever. You're self medicating, and it's dangerous. It's too easy to let this kind of behavior get out of control and turn in a full-fledged addiction. You may be thinking, "Oh but I'm smarter than that, there's no way I'd let myself get addicted and gently caress up my life like that, I can be responsible." Go ask any addict how they let their bad habit spiral out of control, and you'll find a lot of people were thinking that exact same thing. edit: My point is, it doesn't matter if you're actually getting poo poo done or not. If the only way you're getting poo poo done is by drinking or popping pain pills (which is loving retarded) you're going to keep up that behavior until the negatives outweigh any perceived benefit. If you're going to try to get a controlled substance as medication for ADHD, you sure as poo poo need to drop the pill popping. Not only are they incredibly addictive and dangerous, but you will get labeled an addict for life leaving you unable to get your medication. On top of that, even if you don't develop a full on raging addiction, you'll still feel lovely from withdrawal when you're not popping pills, and use that as justification to self-medicate. I've done some dumb poo poo and tried pills myself, but never again. I know a guy that overdosed on Oxy, and he was a pretty loving smart guy who had his poo poo together. TheGopher fucked around with this message at 03:22 on Mar 3, 2011 |
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Mar 3, 2011 03:16
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Yeah seconding the advice to stop drinking and opiate use. I definitely had my day with that poo poo too, and they really did help me at first! Everything seemed much more interesting and thus I could focus on boring activities. But believe me, if I even go out and have just a few drinks now, my ADHD gets so much worse the next day. Not a hangover, but my mind just races. Don't even get me started on pills, take a few of those and I'll be feeling "not quite right" for like a week. Exercise releases endorphins, which are your body's natural opiates (ENDOgenous moRPHINS). You can get that same opiate feeling by exercising! And since it's an endogenous opiod protein chain instead of some short-acting external opiate, you'll be feeling better and more able to concentrate all day long! also yes insurance totally f-in sucks, and they will do everything in their power to deny all your claims. But as you are paying for it, and they are legally obligated to fulfill their insurance-y duties, you just need to get up in their face. Sometimes you may need to write a letter or wait on the phone for what seems like forever, but that's why we have ADHD medication! To make boring poo poo like that bearable, and to be able to eloquently ream the insurance company a new rear end in a top hat when they try to deny a claim for a testicular ultrasound for the possibly cancerous lump on my balls on the grounds that my policy doesn't cover "sexual inadequacy." (too much info?) wilfredmerriweathr fucked around with this message at 04:32 on Mar 3, 2011 |
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Mar 3, 2011 04:25
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TheGopher posted:If you're going to try to get a controlled substance as medication for ADHD, you sure as poo poo need to drop the pill popping. Not only are they incredibly addictive and dangerous, I am not taking pain medication or drinking for the purpose of studying though. I take pain medication for pain and I drink because I have a good beer handy, or I just feel like having a drink. I've just found it easier to focus when I have fewer thoughts kicking around. As much as I'd like to I can't bring myself to use pain killers for the high specifically for the reasons you pointed out. I never mix the two, I know what the interactions with all my pills are, etc.., but I have genuine pain issues that I have pain meds to deal with and I've noticed it's easier with those. But from the reaction here, holy poo poo I hope getting adhd medication doesn't mean I have to choose between pain and not being a basketcase. cloudstrife2993 posted:they try to deny a claim for a testicular ultrasound for the possibly cancerous lump on my balls on the grounds that my policy doesn't cover "sexual inadequacy." (too much info?) I suddenly feel like I was wrong when I said "back pain" to be relatively vague about the diagnosis (I have no official diagnosis). Like I start having a kidney problem and get medication and they deny it on the basis that it was for pain, and the pain was near my back. Or some bullshit like that. signalnoise fucked around with this message at 04:43 on Mar 3, 2011 |
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Mar 3, 2011 04:39
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Yeah, my primary care physician is now intimately acquainted with writing letters to my insurance company stating that "I am a doctor, and when I [ordered this test/prescribed this medication] I did it because THAT IS MY JOB and my patient needed it. It is my professional opinion that you suckas better pay up." I swear it's gotten worse since the "landmark"  healthcare legislation passed. The insurance companies are scrambling to try to pay out as little as they can now before the full rules go into effect in 2014 and they can no longer deny someone coverage for chemo because their cancer is a "preexisting condition."
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Mar 3, 2011 04:58
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signalnoise posted:But from the reaction here, holy poo poo I hope getting adhd medication doesn't mean I have to choose between pain and not being a basketcase. This is an issue for you and your doctor. There is a difference between your doctor and your psych working together (via fax through your medical file, usually) to get you on a particular regiment to ensure a proper quality of life AND self medicating with liquor and other assorted depressants (which is what you initially asked about). These drugs are dangerous and can easily be lethal (like most drugs) if mixed wrong. Theres nothing wrong with an occasional beer, but if youre drinking to sedate you can gently caress yourself up even worse. Same for taking opiates that your doctor doesn't know about. You can google all you want and you will still not know as much as your doctor about drug interactions and all the possible reasons not to combine two drugs in one person.
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Mar 3, 2011 05:17
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2508084 posted:re: TheGopher/side projects/general anxiety etc. Seriously... GO RIDE BIKES!
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Mar 3, 2011 05:41
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TheBigBad posted:Seriously... GO RIDE BIKES! heh seriously, when I bike to my transfer point to school vs when I don't, there is a difference. Its not life changing, but there is a difference in my overall alertness in class.
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Mar 3, 2011 05:46
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2508084 posted:self medicating with liquor and other assorted depressants (which is what you initially asked about). These drugs are dangerous and can easily be lethal (like most drugs) if mixed wrong. Theres nothing wrong with an occasional beer, but if youre drinking to sedate you can gently caress yourself up even worse. This is pretty much exactly what I said I wasn't doing, and no, I wasn't asking about self medicating with liquor. I was asking about whether or not there are any prescription medications for ADHD that are depressants, because self-medicating is retarded. I drink because I like beer. I happen to get some work done at home. I have prescription painkillers and muscle relaxers because I have terrible muscle pain that I can't afford to get properly diagnosed. It just so happens that I get some work done at home with those as well, and in both situations I've found it easier to work than with, say, coffee. I never intentionally mix my prescription medications with alcohol unless my pharmacist (also my boss, I'm a pharmacy tech and am face to face with medicinal interactions daily) tells me there are no serious interactions. To be honest it's a bit insulting to be accused of it just because of that question and in spite of already denying it.
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Mar 3, 2011 06:38
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I think it was more about the pro weed activists than your question. At least that's how it read to me.
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Mar 3, 2011 07:48
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TheBigBad posted:I think it was more about the pro weed activists than your question. At least that's how it read to me. Yeah, it didn't help anything that you came in directly after that wave of posts. Supplementing your legal drugs with illegal, undocumented drugs is always a bad idea. However quote:I've found through experience that I actually am more capable of getting poo poo done calmly while drunk or on pain medication than I can with an energy drink or whatever. doesn't exactly imply "I drink occasionally and that pain medication is prescribed by a medical doctor." Although, before the wave of posts, it probably would have been asked if it had been prescribed by a doctor. It still would have been heavily assumed that it wasn't though. In my experience, people who have been through the ringer tend to post disclaimers of some sort (prescribed by a doctor! not a harm to self! spoke about this with my therapist! etc etc) e. Maybe this is a me thing, but when people approach me about adderall and advice I'm extremely wary about what I say and how i say it. Most people just want to know how to get it, not how to solve a life-long issue. This is a very addictive, schedule drug. When someone comes in saying "I drink and take pain meds to calm down, are add meds the same" implies something... bad. Half a google will tell you that add meds are stimulants because it fills something lacking in the ADD brain, something that a depressant wouldn't feel. Alcohol in SMALL PORTIONS is an upper, alcohol in small portions over time (or extremely large portions) is a depressant. Alcohol lowers inhibitions which allows you to socialize freely, without worry. Worry, which is what a lot of ADD'ers suffer from, is great to get away from, but alcohol is not the solution to that because alcohol suppresses other important parts of your faculty. So do opiates. Ideally, you shouldn't be on an UPPER + DOWNER cycle with medications. e II: God I hope that makes sense, cause right now I'm all BIKES I like that theres a one word phrase that convey's how I feel. e III: Cause I can't quit chatting.  I will discuss this at my next doctor meeting on Friday however.I'm on Wellbutrin SR 200mg, Adderall 5mg 2x/day (e: oh and tempazepam 15mg when I 'feel is necessary'). I don't feel I'm as good as I could be with the adderall. While I am better than I was, I feel the meds could help me more. I do my best to focus, set aside time to do homework, etc, but what is the consensus on double dosing the days of tests (roughly once a week)? I.E. I take my normal dose in the morning, then mid-afternoon I take a double dose and two hours later I'm in class taking a test. I'm on the lowest amount of adderall possible, but I feel I'm still a little too BIKES to control. Why is "I'm still a little too BIKES" a valid phrasing? 
ladyweapon fucked around with this message at 08:07 on Mar 3, 2011 |
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Mar 3, 2011 07:55
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2508084 posted:Why is "I'm still a little too BIKES" a valid phrasing? Because bikes rule. Seriously. Hell, nearly any physical activity does. I relayed my story of doing jumping jacks for 5 minutes before a phone screen, right? I did, and wow - did it help. So now my question: Does Dexedrine-IR have a tendency for the body to develop a tolerance to it, and thus you need more? Or am I just not taking my in sync with my job? I end up either taking the pill on the bus about 20 minutes before I get to work, or at work itself at the beginning of the day. Scenario: Even with the drug in my system, I find it hard for me to 'settle down' and get into the groove with testing. It's a very new product to me, it's a very complex product, both physically and mentally, and a lot of the tests just aren't documented. And, even though I can't say where I work, I work on a medical device - so if our testing is lax and we gently caress up? People can die! Now, my boss did warn me at the beginning that it'd be intense for the first few months, and also that I'm doing fine so far. So I know that I'm doing OK. However, I find myself taking a small break in between tests to read SA or something, and before I know it, oops! An hour is gone! The other thing is that I seem to be tired in the morning, even after taking my Dex. I'm not drinking any caffeine until the afternoon, and then it's only green tea. I'm eating right, I'm taking a daily vitamin, I'm trying to get enough sleep, and I'm exercising a little bit (though I know I could do more). And I'm making sure to have my weekends be 'detox' weekends, where I do something fun. I can tell that it is working somewhat, though; I'm not getting bent out of shape over the sheer amount of stuff being thrown at me, and my hearing is better. Ideas?
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Mar 3, 2011 08:52
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Whats the night before your regular work week like? Are you getting enough sleep on your 'detox' weekend? Also, psychologically, small breaks are premium. It is better to take small, frequent breaks than it is to take lesser-frequent, long breaks. Small breaks allow you to process what has just happened and shift it into the queue for long term memory. When you go to bed, all of the stuff you learned properly today should be shifted to your long term overnight.
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Mar 3, 2011 09:00
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Exercise is the one thing I haven't tried in regards to treating my Anxiety/ADHD. My anxiety/adhd has played a role in making me avoid it. BUT I want to change that. Is the gym the best way to through yourself into exercise without procrastinating? (I find that it's easier to put it off if I try at home). And has it made a significant impact on your symptoms?
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Mar 3, 2011 10:42
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Yeah, get a gym membership. Get one! When I lived in apartment complexes that had a gym, I never could get myself out there to work out. But when I moved and had to join a gym, I found myself going all the time. What helps is that to even work out, you have to drive across town to get there. Then, once you're there, you have to work out because, well, what else are you gonna do? So I find that I'll stay focused and go through a whole exercise plan to make that trip worth it. The other motivator is that if you rean't going, you're pissing away your money. Now for cardio, seriously, BIKES!!! Everyone says it and it's just so drat true. The closest thing to adderall I found was going apeshit on my bicycle for 30 minutes or an hour. Bonus - cycling drops pounds off of you FAST! It's so easy to get into the zone and forget you've been on the bike for a while. I've gone for rides that I only intended to be an hour and find I've been out for 2! Cycling basically has that perfect combination of what I think pushes ADDers buttons: it's challenging, it's physical, and you get bombarded with sensory feelings. Yet, it's a simple thing to do. Just two steps: mount bike, ride bike.
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Mar 3, 2011 14:36
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