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Jared592 posted:If you drink straight mate report back and let me know if you get a slight cotton-mouthy feeling after drinking it (I did). This is now mate chat: I may try the straight mate. I already have a metal bombilla that I use for tea, because it's easier for me to drink with a straw. One of the advantages of being involved in an online community devoted to Uruguayan soccer? All the mate talk you can stand! So I may hit up the lads and ladies of Fuckyeahceleste to see what they recommend for mate drinking for a mate newbie. There are plastic 'gourds' you can get, as well as ceramic, and they don't need as much 'prepping' as a real calabash gourd does. But I'll also be drinking it in a cube farm, not in a dusty field with close friends around a roaring bonfire, nor at the Penarol-Nacional soccer match. In closing: Qu Appelle fucked around with this message at 23:13 on Jan 24, 2012 |
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Jan 24, 2012 22:38
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So a while back my doctor and I both agreed it would be good for me to increase my ritalin dosage from 2 40mg slow release tabs a day to 3. Seemed to work pretty well for a while until I noticed the effects started wearing off quicker and quicker, just like they did when we decided to increase. I didn't want to become too dependent on them, and I'd already had a taste of the withdrawal symptoms, like if I forgot to bring my meds to work and missed my lunch dose, I'd spend the rest of the day hating the poo poo out of absolutely everything. The worst was when I ran out for a full day and was stuck at work absolutely furious about every little thing for no reason whatsoever. I had to focus all my mental energy to keep myself from drowning in a sea of irrational rage, and even then it'd only take a moments distraction before I was so pissed off again that it felt like my head was going to burst. I've always been extremely slow to anger, so naturally I was more than just a bit worried about this. The ritalin also didn't really help me focus on the things I needed, it just made me focus that much harder on the stuff I already had trouble putting away. Sure, I could work harder, better and longer once hyperfocus kicked in, but when I got home nothing important would ever get done unless there was absolutely no way around it. Talked to my doctor, and he suggested I switch to Dexedrine. I'd heard about it in passing a few times and decided to read up on it a bit, it seems like it might just be exactly what I need, with a few bonus side effects like increased creativity, self esteem boost and better social skills. I figured it'd be worth a shot, so I'll be trying them out somewhere around Friday this week. I thought I'd ask around here though, does anyone here have any experience with Dexedrine? I'm just wondering what I should expect, and whether I should start getting excited or proceed with cautious skepticism as I usually do. If you've also been on Ritalin before and can tell me a bit about how they compare, that'd be great. Nastyman fucked around with this message at 23:37 on Jan 24, 2012 |
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Jan 24, 2012 23:33
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Dexedrine worked for me extremely well. However, it made me feel 'driven', and it was the only ADHD med I've been on that felt like I was drugged. It had a rapid ramp up and down time. I did get a lot done on the med, and I really liked it - the only reason I stopped it was that it tore up my stomach something horrible with GERD.
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Jan 25, 2012 00:41
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Jared592 posted:I've had Kava. I think I noticed an effect, but was put off by the reports of it playing around with your liver. Everything I read seemed to indicate that occasional use is fine. Yeah, I remember researching Kava and reading about the increased chances of liver damage. I was especially creeped out by the warning to not drink alcohol and Kava in the same sitting. I believe what I read is that the pure plant leaf itself won't affect the liver. It's all the nasty roots, branches, etc. that the islanders normally discard that causes it. Pharmaceutical companies buy up the whole plant since it's cheaper to just grind all of that poo poo up into a pill. I'm really tempted to started drinking Yerba Mate to supplement this lovely Concerta. I live in the heart of a hippy-ish community in FL, so finding it shouldn't be hard. I assume from your description of the effects that you drink caffeinated Mate? How do you find it interacts with your meds? At least with Adderall, I remember reading that caffeine will reduce the effects of the medication. I figure it can't mess with Concerta since, well, it isn't doing all that much. Does Yerba Mate give the same nasty withdrawals as coffee? Like a solid week of 'OWWWW MY loving HEAD MAKE IT STOP!!' headaches? (maybe I was drinking stupid amounts of coffee, too) --- The perfectionist thing affects me too. What's frustrating is that I know the perfection is part of what takes me a long time to get my programming done at work. I refuse to write code that just works. I want to write code that is future proof, idiot proof, and efficient. Then the boss wants me to just 'get it done' and turn it in. Of course, compounding the problem is the regular ADHD can't focus to save my life. Lame. I guess it's the story of our lives in this thread, but I feel that same perfectionist streak has helped me be great at things I want to be great at. Unfortunately, being a great Mechwarrior pilot, car racer, street luger, and cyclist doesn't help in the real world.
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Jan 25, 2012 01:10
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If I went the Yerba Mate route, it'd be instead of the drugs, not on top of them. E.g. I'd probably do it on the weekends where I still need to think, but don't want to take a Metadate.
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Jan 25, 2012 01:15
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Does anyone find that winter really kills their energy? I lift 3 days a week and do yoga on 3 more, so I'm well exercised, I get at least 7 hours of sleep a night, and my diet is decently in check, but the past few weeks have left me feeling dead. I have a full spectrum sun lamp that I use for an hour every morning, and that seems to help a little, but I just still feel completely exhausted, and nothing I've tried helps. I don't even know if my Ritalin is really working right or not in the past few weeks, I just feel so drained that nothing is worth concentrating on. Thoughts?
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Jan 25, 2012 15:29
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^^^^ Absolutely. Everyone I know feels less energetic during winter. I think it has something to do with the much earlier onset of darkness and, at least where I live, cold weather that makes you want to stay inside and be less active. Back to Mate-chat, I've never felt any withdrawal symptoms from Mate (non-decaf). No headaches or anything. For awhile, I was drinking a cup to start the day and a cup after lunch in addition to Adderall at the same times, and I was a loving laser beam of focus. I realized though that I could still do my IT job without ADHD meds and that ADHD symptoms were actually beneficial in some ways to this particular job (tons of short-term tasks rather than fewer long-term). I am now way quicker to become irritated/a ball of seething hatred at work, though, which has benefits and drawbacks. Now I just take a smaller dose after work when I want to focus on being productive. I got tired of being able to focus on individual atoms of information at work and then go home and feel like a wrung-out rag. Not good for the work/life balance. Jared592 fucked around with this message at 15:41 on Jan 25, 2012 |
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Jan 25, 2012 15:38
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Qu Appelle posted:Dexedrine worked for me extremely well. This seems to be the general consensus from people who've tried them. Sounds perfect, if it means I've got to deal with GERD so be it. I got my pills today already, just waiting to come down from my lunch dose of ritalin and then I'll be taking these for a test ride. e: Popped one on my way home. I just did the dishes and went right to work cleaning the rest of the house. I have absolutely no desire to dick around on the computer (yet) and I'm bursting with energy! Any other day I'd be slumped down in my chair right now kicking myself for being so lazy. Nastyman fucked around with this message at 17:51 on Jan 25, 2012 |
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Jan 25, 2012 15:44
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Are there any shortages with Dexedrine? Apologies if I asked already, but is Dexedrine a generic now? I'll definitely want to try that when I see the doc next time. --- Has anyone ever mixed-and-matched medications before? My performance at work is clearly suffering because of how ineffective the Concerta is. So I'm thinking I'll use the two weeks or so of Addderall I have during the work week. Then I'll use the Concerta on the weekends since it does help a little bit versus being un-medicated. This would definitely be a temporary thing to survive for another two weeks until I see my doc.  Not sure if I should tell him I did that though. So far he's been cool about working with me to try different medications and dosages. But I don't want to look like a druggie.
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Jan 26, 2012 02:10
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This week has been the first time in a couple years that I've tried to deal with my ADHD symptoms without medication. I've taken breaks from Dexedrine every now and then, but it was always during holidays or weekends or general slack-off times. I'm definitely not accomplishing as much as I would be if I was taking my usual 5-6 pills per day, and it's torturous trying to get out of bed and make it to class on time, but it feels good to know that I can still be a functioning adult. I have a tendency for perfectionism, and it usually leads to me pushing myself too much and over-medicating. For a while, I had accepted that I'd never be able to do anything without medication, so this has been a real eye-opener. But only in the figurative sense, because I could barely keep my eyes open by the end of my 3 hour class today.
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Jan 26, 2012 02:24
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Dexedrine has been a generic for decades now, and I don't think there's shortages on it. Check with a pharmacist to make sure. Caveat: last time I filled a Dex script was last August or so, and I had no shortage issues then.
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Jan 26, 2012 02:38
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Had my first appointment with a psychiatrist today, after everything was said and done he was convinced that I am manic depressive or BPD. Tried to get me on SSRIs. I was referred over for ADD from a psychologist, he gave me a script for Strattera. From my reading is is either a poo poo show or wonderful, since my insurance won't cover it I can't take it, and I really don't like the possible cardiac side effects seeing as I am an avid mountain biker. He is convinced that stimulant med will make me into a manic freak show, I have self medicated to the tune of 5mg or less a day and felt fine. I know I sound like a drug seeking fiend, but frankly I need to be able to get through my workday and run my business without being distracted by life. I noticed, when self medicating, my to-do list got cleared, small things that would've sent me into a spiraling freak out didn't phase me, I slept well, and my life just felt manageable. I'm not sure what to do, I've been unmedicated my whole adult life (now 29) but I am tired of the cycle of epiphany/ get poo poo done, get distracted, loose keys, forget what I was getting done...etc. Any thoughts?
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Jan 26, 2012 02:42
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What should I look for in a good psychiatrist or therapist? I am losing my access to the ones I've been seeing for free for the last year or so, and this is the first time I've ever had to shop around.
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Jan 26, 2012 03:27
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signalnoise posted:What should I look for in a good psychiatrist or therapist? I am losing my access to the ones I've been seeing for free for the last year or so, and this is the first time I've ever had to shop around. Perhaps you can ask them for recommendations? I've had to do that with doctors in the past.
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Jan 26, 2012 03:33
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Day 2 on metamina. I realize this isn't much to base a conclusion on but they seem to work really really well. I'm a little more jumpy than I usually am, but goddamn every chore I give myself gets done without hesitation. I've gotten more done the past 24 hours than the entire past 2 weeks. I'm assuming the effect is gonna be a lot more subtle once my body gets used to the medication, but for the first time in my life I feel like I am actually accomplishing something. Yesterday I cleaned most of the house with a passion usually reserved for video games. Speaking of which, I barely had any interest in games at all. Sure, I played a bit, but only to pass the time while the last dishwasher load finished up. When it was time to hit the sack I was genuinely tired and ready to sleep, and when I woke up I got out of bed, had a shower, got my breakfast and coffee and was out of the house 5 minutes before I'd normally even begin to wake up. It's like I'm actually a person for the first time in my life. 
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Jan 26, 2012 11:05
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so apparently if you want IR dextroamphetamine the proper script to write is "dextrostat" not "dexedrine". My doc has been writing me for "dexedrine" for 2 years and only now has a pharmacist refused to give me the IR tablets because of that.
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Jan 26, 2012 12:15
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Socket Ryanist posted:so apparently if you want IR dextroamphetamine the proper script to write is "dextrostat" not "dexedrine". My doc has been writing me for "dexedrine" for 2 years and only now has a pharmacist refused to give me the IR tablets because of that. What? Since when? I've been prescribed IR dextroamphetamine for 2 years and I've never had that problem. What country do you live in?
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Jan 26, 2012 15:34
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Yeah that's weird. Once, I had a doctor write me a script for dexedrine IR and the pharmacist filled it for dextrostat ER. Fuckin' idiot didn't believe me when I went back and was like "this is not the medication I was prescribed." Also I have had more than one pharmacy/insurance employee tell me that they carry desoxyn only to find out that they thought "desoxyn" was a)dexedrine, b)adderall or c) methylphenidate - even after I made sure they knew the correct spelling of "desoxyn" as well as the generic name. wilfredmerriweathr fucked around with this message at 19:40 on Jan 26, 2012 |
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Jan 26, 2012 19:37
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Has anyone experienced extreme fatigue on the pills? I'm usually a very low energy type of person but lately, even if I take my adderall xr (25mg right now) I just sort of want to crawl back into bed and sleep. I don't even have depression and that sort of thing flaring up right now either. It's just complete tiredness. Is it something I should assume isn't part the Adhd package?
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Jan 27, 2012 00:56
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It could be that your dose is too low. But really, all the meds do is enable you to focus on whatever it is you feel like focusing on. So if you really, really want to go back to sleep, it's gonna help you focus on going back to sleep. Try getting up, eating breakfast, exercising a bit (go for a run), and then take your pill.
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Jan 27, 2012 01:26
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wilfredmerriweathr posted:It could be that your dose is too low. But really, all the meds do is enable you to focus on whatever it is you feel like focusing on. So if you really, really want to go back to sleep, it's gonna help you focus on going back to sleep. That's what I'd try to do, but lately my legs/arms have randomly started giving out on me. I know it's not from forgetting to eat since I've probably gained 20lbs in the last week or two, so I'll just see my doctor about it this upcoming week. Hopefully it's nothing bad.
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Jan 27, 2012 01:37
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Could be the l-amph having an adverse effect on your peripheral nervous system.
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Jan 27, 2012 03:05
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wilfredmerriweathr posted:Could be the l-amph having an adverse effect on your peripheral nervous system. I was thinking that because I stopped taking it for a few weeks and just started up again, but I've almost taken it for 2 years now with a few breaks. It'd be weird for it to pop up as a problem now, wouldn't it?
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Jan 27, 2012 04:29
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Horrible Smutbeast posted:Has anyone experienced extreme fatigue on the pills? I'm usually a very low energy type of person but lately, even if I take my adderall xr (25mg right now) I just sort of want to crawl back into bed and sleep. I don't even have depression and that sort of thing flaring up right now either. It's just complete tiredness. Is it something I should assume isn't part the Adhd package? Is it winter where you are? I'm going through the same sort of problem right now. I've always known I get hit with some sort of seasonal mood disorder, and lately my light therapy box hasn't been enough to fight it. My doc had me go off my Ritalin for a few days to see if that could be it, but it only made me just as tired with no ability to focus on top of it. I have found that 10+ hours of sleep a night make it go away, but that really isn't feasible. I see him again monday for a followup on what to do. I think you should meet with your psych.
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Jan 27, 2012 16:13
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signalnoise posted:What should I look for in a good psychiatrist or therapist? I am losing my access to the ones I've been seeing for free for the last year or so, and this is the first time I've ever had to shop around. Ask them what psychs and therapists they go to (or that their family and friends go to). Doctors need help too, and they usually will know a bit more about the local options just by being in the field.
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Jan 27, 2012 16:25
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It's amazing the difference between Concerta and Adderall. The last two days, I've been using my supply of Adderall and I've already been more productive at work. I really hope this shortage is fixed soon. But then, reading this makes me weep for being forced to bounce around from lovely drug to lovely drug. All because of a few assholes that abuse the same med. (Yes, I realize the irony of posting about productivity on SA)
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Jan 27, 2012 22:19
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signalnoise posted:What should I look for in a good psychiatrist or therapist? I am losing my access to the ones I've been seeing for free for the last year or so, and this is the first time I've ever had to shop around. You want someone that has been able to maintain a practice for over 10-15 years. If a shrink can maintain their practice that long- they are solving people's problems.
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Jan 28, 2012 03:03
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Since going back to school this past summer, I've been seeing a doctor at my college for ADHD medication, and she isn't very familiar with different varieties of stimulant medication. I've been taking dexedrine IR for the past few years, and my tolerance has gotten to the point where taking a 5mg pill 5 times a day isn't really cutting it like it used to. I was referred to a psychiatrist who talked to me for 5 minutes before writing me a prescription for a super low dose of Concerta and sending me on my way. I'm probably the least qualified person to be in charge of how much/what kind of medication I take, but at this point, it feels like I'm the only one who knows what I need. I really don't want to look like a druggie and go to the doctor every week, asking to try something new. So it seems like my choice is either being stuck with something that doesn't work for a month, or being content with the one type of medication that hasn't made me too crazy yet. How do you talk to your doctors about what you want out of your medication? I was diagnosed with ADHD at 22 years old, and I still haven't gotten over the fear of looking like a sketch bag for wanting the right dosage. Edit: After a long, sleepless, anxiety-ridden night, I no longer fear looking like a sketch bag, because lack of sleep has made me the sketch bag. Should I go ahead and ask my doctor for anti-anxiety medication, sleeping pills, and ADHD pills that don't wear off after two hours? Or should I just call it a day and go back to my carefree ADHD-livin', sans stimulants? Sometimes I miss the days before I knew I had ADHD, and I thought I just naturally gave no fucks. It's not as much fun to be lazy when you know that it's caused by a deficiency. Major Boobage fucked around with this message at 12:47 on Jan 28, 2012 |
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Jan 28, 2012 04:37
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After reading most of this thread and a few sites on Adult ADHD, I have the feeling I could be nominated as being part of the gang. The only way I would consider taking medication is that if it means I will be able to stay focus and motivated on doing something. At 33 year old, I had rough times and even today I still have the feeling that im struggling even though I do have a good job and I have been in a relationship for the past 4 years. I might not have ADHD but it would sadden me to realise that most of the strugle I had with life could of been avoided with being diagnosed and treated earlier. Edit: to resume my thought, I could and will probably manage with life as it is without a diagnostic but I'm trying my best to get a better life and getting a better focus seem to be the way to go right now. Frog 1.0 fucked around with this message at 21:52 on Jan 29, 2012 |
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Jan 29, 2012 21:45
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Frog 1.0 posted:After reading most of this thread and a few sites on Adult ADHD, I have the feeling I could be nominated as being part of the gang. It won't hurt to try the medication. I put off getting a diagnoses and taking medication for too long, even though I'm much younger than you. If you managed to hold down a job AND a significant other for 4 years + I'd say you are doing better than most people with adhd and medication.
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Jan 29, 2012 22:17
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Have a question to those diagnosed. Do you find yourself sometimes have a new interest and pretty much put all your effort into it. To the point that it's part of your daily thought almost all the time? I am rarely that much stimulated by something but when I do find something stimulating I just go all out into it. Exemples: A few years ago I was very much into poker. I started buying books and read about strategies and was spending almost all my spare time trying to become better at it. I did this for at least 6 months and then I just quit it all without a reason. Same for learning guitar when I was a kid and many other activities through my life. Lately it's been discovering electronic music and car mechanic. Passions come and go.
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Jan 30, 2012 02:56
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Frog 1.0 posted:Have a question to those diagnosed. Do you find yourself sometimes have a new interest and pretty much put all your effort into it. To the point that it's part of your daily thought almost all the time? Yes. Not being able to stick with something, and the hyperfocus of being interested. You should get diagnosed. It's not about what you missed out on- its about living up to your potential. Is english a secondary language?
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Jan 30, 2012 09:06
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Yes i'm french canadian. I will defenitly get myself checked in a near futur.
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Jan 30, 2012 12:16
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I recently had that experience with a new game that my fiancee and I picked up to play together. I played the living poo poo out of that game, and she went at a casual pace. A couple weeks back I just couldn't bring myself to play it anymore. I kinda feel a bit guilty about it.
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Jan 30, 2012 13:47
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I like this thread because it has a whole lot of stories similar to mine and give me more comfort that there are other people like this and that it isn't a made up problem. Question: Do you like to tell people you have ADHD? Why or why not?
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Jan 30, 2012 22:52
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MildManeredManikin posted:I like this thread because it has a whole lot of stories similar to mine and give me more comfort that there are other people like this and that it isn't a made up problem. gently caress no, because if you tell anyone that you have ADHD, they either treat you like a special case or they treat you like you are a scatterbrained jerk who likes having an excuse. I was also diagnosed with asperger's a long time ago, and it's taken me years to learn to do things like maintain eye contact for the right amount of time, see little things in body language that I didn't notice before, all that poo poo, similarly to how I've had to adjust for ADHD with bursts of organization in hopes of keeping myself organized later. It sucks having disorders, and it sucks having to compensate for them, but NO ONE short of a psychologist, psychiatrist, or an incredibly close friend has ever reacted in a way that makes it any better.
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Jan 30, 2012 23:09
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Yeah, I feel like a lot of people smile and think "you lazy SOB." So I only tell some of my closest friends. Some of my friends don't even know, because they're the type who'd likely goonsay at great length about why ADD is bullshit. However, if I do meet people who volunteer first that they have it (diagnosed) I am open with them about it. I'm not ashamed of it, I just don't want to deal with misinformed people, and I care about what people think. It just occurred to me that I'll likely be a lot more open about it if/when I ever feel like it's under control. Right now, I just feel like a guy who for reasons irrelevant doesn't live up to potential. I grew up with it 0% under control, learned some behaviors e.g. list making that got me to about 10% and now am on Adderall which gets me up to maybe 20%. About to try some counseling. Jiminy Krimpet fucked around with this message at 23:56 on Jan 30, 2012 |
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Jan 30, 2012 23:51
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Is getting diagnosed with ADD difficult? I'm showing some symptoms of it and it runs in my family but I'm really nervous about going to a psychiatrist and trying to get prescribed medicine for it. Like they'll think I'm a junkie or something. I'm not sure if I have it or not, but I can't focus on poo poo. Can't follow lengthy conversations,make careless mistakes at work, can't watch movies for more than 15 minutes. Everything is such a chore for me  Anyway help would be great!
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Jan 31, 2012 02:43
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Douche Bag posted:Is getting diagnosed with ADD difficult? I'm showing some symptoms of it and it runs in my family but I'm really nervous about going to a psychiatrist and trying to get prescribed medicine for it. Like they'll think I'm a junkie or something. How old are you and how long has this been an issue?
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Jan 31, 2012 02:46
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Douche Bag posted:Is getting diagnosed with ADD difficult? I'm showing some symptoms of it and it runs in my family but I'm really nervous about going to a psychiatrist and trying to get prescribed medicine for it. Like they'll think I'm a junkie or something. For me it was a 500 dollar battery of tests that all focused on learning disabilities, and ADHD testing was among the stuff involved. You could get diagnosed from your doctor, or a psychiatrist, or whatever. I personally would get a full battery to look for stuff you weren't thinking about instead of jumping straight to "hey doc I think I got the adhd's" signalnoise fucked around with this message at 02:52 on Jan 31, 2012 |
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Jan 31, 2012 02:46
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