medicate with food? | ADHD Information

I know that some add/adhd-ers are prone to substance abuse. I find that I don't get addicted to alcohol or drugs or cigarettes. But food is my "substance" of choice to abuse.

Anybody else addicted to high sugar foods or the "bad" foods?

I thought I was a compulsive over-eater and started researching that but my discoveries on that topic led me to ADD instead. I know I will eat when I'm bored but it's more to calm down my head - like I like to eat when I'm thinking or I'll eat to stop thinking. Y'know?

I saw this thread a while ago - but had to ponder it because I wasn't sure if I knew something about it. Still not totally but thought what the hay!

Those bad foods you speak about are essentially carbohydrates - sugar, pasta, bread, all are carbos.

We are generally like big shorted out batteries. We tend to go off in bursts of energy - then peter out fast. Carbs enter our body and become energy FAST. We like it because they give us a "rush" - like caffeine and nicotine. It's addictive too - in too large of an amount.

We all need some carbs - ignore atkins that fat demented guy was wrong! Where do you see low carb stuff now? In the bargain bin - so there ya go!

Too much carb - and your body can't metabolize it all and it becomes bad for you.

The trick is like everything in life - moderation. If you have a buddy that you can rely on - be each other's guide! Spend free time with that person - and encourage each other. Eat foods that have sugar that breaks down slower or cleaner - like fruits and veggies. Not as fun as a danish but hey what can ya do? Don't get your SO to do it - most hubbies are about as supportive as a seeing eye budgie. About as communicative as well.

If you don't have a friend to help - maybe join a local women's health center? Most offer diet help along with exercise. Support is key!

Hope this helps - I don't get hooked on food though I love turnovers every now and then - and pumpykin pie this time of year - keep me away!

Ok, well here's the real scoop on me (ice cream anyone).

About 1.5 to 2 years ago, I was in one of my slumps thinking that I wasn't accomplished and there had to be more to life. I was also upset that I had put on 50 pounds in the last 5 years. I have always wanted to own my own business, but would always start these stupid little things and never go anywhere with it (selling jewelry, massage therapist, etc).

I decided the only way to make money in this world is to sell things that have to do with sex or people's vanity. Since I wanted to lose weight, I chose the vanity and health field. I figured what better way to get in shape than to own a gym and be forced to work out 6 days a week.

So, since Curves was sold out, I opened a competitor, Slender Lady. Kudos to me for having a dream and actually going for it!

Here's the bad thing though. It's been 10 months since I've opened. We offer a nutrition plan too and I have made some wonderful friends with my members. But, I haven't lost a pound and my eating habits are even worse. It's like I know I'm not supposed to eat the junk food but will do it out of spite (anybody seen my nose? I think I cut it off).

So, to make this long story longer. My business is failing miserably. I have maxed us out on the equity of our house. I'm still working my full time job to help support our "normal" bills, and I am not doing anything to help me generate more business for the gym.

People think I'm busy, but I'm really not. I get to the gym at 4 and close at 7 (my aunt works for me during the day). I work out with or simply chat with my members and/or play solitaire if no one comes in. I only have about 45 members and only half of them actually come into the gym. So, please I don't want to hear about all the long hours I work. Most of it I'm playing (as you can tell by all my posts during the day today)

We are trying to support each other (my members and I) but we are all so wacky I think we feed off of each other. My ADD has kicked in tremendously and I am ready, as usual to throw in the towel like I do with everything else once it gets too hard or it doesn't live up to my vivid imagination of what I thought it would be.

And in the interim, I will eat a whole package of raw cookie dough behind my husbands back. But I find I can't squelch the craving. Food is my medication. I don't get any kind of rush from the sugar or caffeine. I am even keel. I just want to eat and most of the time it is sugary foods (not all the time though).

So, that's why I want meds. I don't expect miracles with the business, but I figure maybe I'll actually put forth the effort it deserves to get the business really going. Then at least I won't have regrets - as Glen put it, no coulda, woulda, shoulda - If only I could, should or would do the things I know I have to do but put off as I've done all my life.

Sugar. Mine is definatley sugar. Even in bread and things that people don't normally associate as high in sugar. They are. SUGAR!! WOO HOO!!Meditate on strawberries

Eating is my favorite pasttime!! Food, especially if it's sugar laden, draws me in...Thankfully, I have an amazing metabolism, so I at least have a healthy appearance for the most part. But even if I didn't, you only live once---indulge whilst you can lol

Have a great day everyone!

Amen Valzap!!! Preach it out loud to the choir!!!!

Awesome - that's fantastic to look ahead and leave the past as it is. It's dead just cover it over with dirt and move on with your life. It's the best thing.

Oh - and I know it's nitpickin' = but it's "woulda shoulda coulda" - has a different cadence off the tongue. Small detail but hell I'm ADHD so I can be fussy LOL.

Fantastic insight though!!! Kudos!!

O where, o where has my medication gone, o where o where can it be......

Any form of carbs is my addiction.

I always knew food was like a drug for me, from an early age, like when I started school and felt somewhat different to everyone else I remember going home and stuffing myself. Then I'd get teased for being fat. I don't remember what it was like before I started school.

I've had a very difficult life mentally and emotionally and knew food was a crutch but until I came to this site last week I had no idea it could be an ADHD thing.

Slowing down the thinking, is the thinking like something you can't turn off an ADHD thing too?

I thought it was because I've been so hurt continuously through my life by other people telling me I was WRONG that I haven't been able to turn off all those thoughts of not acting right, what if I say this or that, what will they think of me, did I do this right, or did I say that wrong, what if..... etc

I'm so carb addicted that I used to, if there was nothing else in the house eat sugar.

GymRose38635.7899189815Muy interesante Gym Rose
How 'bout chocolate strawberries? You think it would like double the calm?

You know they rekon if you're a chocoholic to try and substtute the chocy with strawberries. Maybe strawberries have the same feel good properties of chocolate.

Hmmm, that's a new one for me. I might have to try that one!

I just don't like strawberries - maybe I'll try it with grapes instead.

[QUOTE=valzap]

I wish I could overdose on food that is good for you - like strawberries, but I go for the fatty sugar foods. The dairy thing and carbs -

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Have you ever tried strawberries with sugar & cream & cocaine?
That'll do it for ya - guarantee!

Mr. Greenland,

Thanks for the post. I didn't understand the first part of it, but the rest was quite interesting. Does that mean I am supposed to start taking cocaine? That would prove the other poster's theory (balanced or whoever) that Ritalin=cocaine. Oh boy, he's gonna have a field day with that!!

I wish I could overdose on food that is good for you - like strawberries, but I go for the fatty sugar foods. The dairy thing and carbs - I always knew they helped you feel sleepy 'cause I fall asleep at work all the time!

Protein can wake you up!!! But, it's not as satisfying to eat for me. argh.

I have been medicating myself with food all my life. I want some real medication now. I just don't think it will be as fun to eat the meds as it is to eat a bowl of ice cream. darn.

Yeah, but Brookalea met some new dude there, so I moved to Greenland to impress her.

OMG!...I thought you said plants feel pain!!!

Maybe that's why cocaine is so bADD for you. They're getting back at us...

Good thing Novartis invented fake cocaine...

[QUOTE=Countrygirl]I don't see strawberries on that list [/QUOTE]

I got some in my frig. Does that count?

And the boys and I just had some for lunch in fruit salad topped off with yoghurt.............. Do they count?

Sure, I'll vote for that. Is that how you spell yogurt? I thought maybe you dropped it or something and that's why it hurt. Or maybe that's how you spell it in Ozstralia.

Have you met our other ozzie? I had to move to Antartica just to be in the same time zone...

I had to check the dictionary again there thinking I got it wrong but............... Yup that is how it is spelt here.......... . But then if I was one of those people who believed plants felt pain and all then I suppose it could have been the fruit that was hurting.

I sure have met Brookelea, what a wonderfully knowledgable lady she is too.

Antarctica, isn't that really cold............... But amazingly awe inspiring I bet.

Whoa, Dudettes!

AD/HDrs experience more addictive behavior than most other individuals, b/c they are self medicating. Food contains medicinal precursors. Check this out.

I just finished a mini-research project on insomnia mitigation. A lot of what I read also impacts ADHD & depressive behavior. Eating may not completely manage these disorders, but it sure can help. Again, it has to do with neurotransmitter balance in the cerebral environment. Here, see if this makes you hungry, I mean, makes sense:

Sorry, no resemblence, in chemical structure, nor pharmacology, of methylphenidate, ecgonine methyl ester benzoate, or the latter's metabolite, benzoylecgonine.

Their only similarity may be an effect on serotonin reuptake through inhibition of the serotonin transport system. However, this is only postulated at this time. There are three other areas where cocaine is significantly different: it's influence on norepinephrine reuptake, serotonin reuptake, and sodium channelling. Any combination of the four different modes of action has a logarithmic increase in the complexity of activity in the cerebral environment.

That ecgonine methyl ester benzoate's metabolite, benzoylecgonine, would be similar in structure or activity to methylphenidate is also untenable.

Methylphenidate

methylaphenyl-2-piperidylacetate

MPH is a dopamine reuptake inhibitor, which means that it increases the level of the dopamine neurotransmitter in the brain by partially blocking the transporters that remove it from the synapses.

Cocaine

ecgonine methyl ester benzoate

3-benzoyloxy-8-methyl-8-azabicyclo [3.2.1]octane-4-carboxylic acid methyl ester

Cocaine is a potent blocker of the dopamine transporter (DAT) and a less potent blocker of the norepinephrine transporter (NET) and serotonin transporter (SERT). Cocaine also blocks sodium channels, thereby interfering with the propagation of action potentials; thus, like lidocaine and novocaine, it acts as a local anesthetic.

Chamomile tea, warm milk, a high carbo / high protein pre-bedtime snack, melatonin, turkey, peanuts, tryptophan, lavendar, or hops are also known sleep aids. Alcohol is not.

Below are some other tips from some webpages dealing with insomnia.

http://www.askdrsears.com/html/4/T042400.asp#T042402

http://www.helpguide.org/life/sleep_tips.htm

SNOOZE FOODS

These are foods high in the sleep-inducing amino acid tryptophan:

Dairy products: cottage cheese, cheese, milk Soy products: soy milk, tofu, soybean nuts Seafood Meats Poultry Whole grains Beans Rice Hummus Lentils Hazelnuts, Peanuts Eggs Sesame seeds, sunflower seeds BEST BEDTIME SNACKS

Foods that are high in carbohydrates and calcium, and medium-to-low in protein also make ideal sleep-inducing bedtime snacks. Some examples:

apple pie and ice cream (my favorite) whole-grain cereal with milk hazelnuts and tofu oatmeal and raisin cookies, and a glass of milk peanut butter sandwich, ground sesame seeds (It takes around one hour for the tryptophan in the foods to reach the brain, so don't wait until right before bedtime to have your snack.) BEST DINNERS FOR SLEEP

Meals that are high in carbohydrates and low-to-medium in protein will help you relax in the evening and set you up for a good night's sleep. Try the following "dinners for sleep":

pasta with parmesan cheese scrambled eggs and cheese tofu stirfry hummus with whole wheat pita bread seafood, pasta, and cottage cheese meats and poultry with veggies tuna salad sandwich chili with beans, not spicy sesame seeds (rich in tryptophan) sprinkled on salad with tuna chunks, and whole wheat crackers

Lighter meals are more likely to give you a restful night's sleep. High-fat meals and large servings prolong the work your digestive system needs to do, and all the gas production and rumblings may keep you awake. Some people find that highly-seasoned foods (e.g., hot peppers and garlic) interfere with sleep, especially if you suffer from heartburn. (See gastroesophageal reflux). Going to bed with a full stomach does not, for most people, promote a restful night's sleep. While you may fall asleep faster, all the intestinal work required to digest a big meal is likely to cause frequent waking and a poorer quality of sleep. Eat your evening meal early.

I don't see strawberries on that list Maybe they're high in fat... [QUOTE=valzap]

Mr. Greenland,

Protein can wake you up!!! But, it's not as satisfying to eat for me. argh.

I have been medicating myself with food all my life. I want some real medication now. I just don't think it will be as fun to eat the meds as it is to eat a bowl of ice cream. darn.

[/QUOTE]

Hey, hide your pills in a bowl of ice cream! Great idea. That lump you feel could be 1. Ritalin. B. Cholate chunks. 2. Strawrbellies C. Cancer.
Hey, and on a Friday night, when you're out of fake cocaine, you can always snort ice cream. shouldn't burn soo bad. smoooooot and cool snufflations... Hey! We could invent flavored post nasal drip! mr wolfman, I thinks me you have some other problems!

but, why don't you get that patent going on the flavored post nasal drip.

Yeah, her name is "wifey".

Contrary to popular opinion, I have these great ideas, but trouble foloowing through.

Like, finding the real thing. Not that I need it. I'd just like to test it. Darn these trolls, they did leave some good ideas behind! Now I want to crush some ritalin and snort it, too. Good think I got no blades!!! Hey, I could use my pocket knife, eh? hehe

With my luck, if I go to buy some coke to experiment with, I'll either 1. get busted. 2. get hooked 3. get healed. I'm sooooo bADD...

[QUOTE=valzap]I know that some add/adhd-ers are prone to substance abuse. I find that I don't get addicted to alcohol or drugs or cigarettes. But food is my "substance" of choice to abuse.

Anybody else addicted to high sugar foods or the "bad" foods?

I thought I was a compulsive over-eater and started researching that but my discoveries on that topic led me to ADD instead. I know I will eat when I'm bored but it's more to calm down my head - like I like to eat when I'm thinking or I'll eat to stop thinking. Y'know?
[/QUOTE]

i self medicate on frozen strawberries. honestly. I eat about 6 lbs. every 3-4 days
when i get 1/2 way through the bowl, I feel this calm in the back of my head. Its like a drug.

I am hoping they will put me on meds that decrease the appetite. Maybe then at least I'll be a few pounds lighter by Xmas and I won't be embarrased to see friends I haven't seen in awhile. Very embarassing to own a gym and then not lose the weight.

But gym rose, I was you too. Had lost a bunch of weight and then put it back on. You should finish your tests for a few reasons: get certified that way you finally finish something. Then you can start working out again and start to feel better about yourself. Then who knows what will happen thereafter - things just may turn your way. And you can say you became a personal trainer to help yourself and then others. People are ok with that. My members love the fact that I'm "like them". THey know I can relate to the struggles....

That is so cool to hear a gym owner goes through what I do.

I tried to finish 3 time and 3 times everything else fell apart, my kids were terrified of me I was so volitile. I've come to the point of accepting that for me personally I just have to simplify every part of my life. We own our own plumbing and gasfitting business, I have my fingers in that pie as well as raising 3 very, very, very active ( 1 ADHD and 1 borderline ) boys, then I took on Avon then being a mod on another board and we have been forever renovating............. taking a breath here . And then there are all the church meetings I try to go to and I do the kids snacks each week for the entire Sunday School.........................

I did get back into the gym which complicated it all over again. But now I'm trying to concerntrate on our family business and being a wife and mum and that is it. It is so hard to not take on anything else but we've started to walk and hour a day as a family and I'm just trying to focus on keeping the house tidy and organised .

I've only been really focusing conciously like this for a couple of weeks and it is hard cause I do get so bored by the manotiny of keeping a house in order ( I'm talking about building my own computer from scratch at the moment though ) . But I do feel somewhat calmer than I have for a long time.

Thank you for the encouragement though, it really is appreciated. I'm just proud of the fact that I've done the dishes nearly every day for a week. Believe me in this house that is a major achievement.

Hey little steps are always important and if it's beginning to help you get your life in order then keep doing it.

But, here's one thing I will say - which may be hard to do - but you might want to consider cutting out one of those things that you are doing and find a way to exercise just by yourself.

I used to work out all the time (5 years and 50 pounds ago) and then I stopped. When I gained the weight back I found my body image is bad which in a sense has escalated the ADD symptoms because I am not happy with myself. It becomes a vicious cycle that is hard to break.

I admit, I'm under a lot more stress or worry a lot more now that I've started this business, but being able to work out with women is great. It's a half hour and we all de-stress. I love when they come in, pissed off and they really don't want to be there but by the end of the session, they are re-freshed, glad they came, and they leave feeling a little bit better because at least they know they did something for themselves. And that is the one reason why I haven't thrown in the towel yet - as I normally would have with any other thing I tried because it got too difficult.

With or without meds, if you are getting too stressed you need to take a step back and re-evaluate. Sometimes that alone can help you out and set you back on the right path.

BTW, I love the fact that your whole family goes walking. GREAT. Keep it up.

mmmm, candy corn. I just finished off a bag -while at my gym (see previous posts). I am very bad.

The thing is though, I never feel any better when eating the sugar. It seems I will eat almost as a soothing task more than anything else. It keeps my hands busy and I can concentrate a little better - or maybe that is to shut off my thoughts.

I can so relate to that.

I lost alot of weight after finding a personal trainer ( 30 odd Kg ) that's like about 60lb. Then I decided that I wanted to help others do what my trainer did for me so I decided to study for my certificates ............ .

Here was me all that weight gone until I tried to study. Studying fitness and stuffing myself with bags of M&Ms. The sugar cravings have always been a problem but as the study got more in depth I got more stressed out and my anxiety got worse and I put on all the weight I lost. Long story short, I never did do my final assesments cause the family couldn't live with my moods anymore............ Just like every other time I tried to "better" myself in an attempt to feel valuable or at least like I had accomplished something.

Unlike you guys I don't have a good metabilism and have yo yoed my entire life.

But yeah eating seems to help with concerntration.

GymRose38636.9634375

I am a huge sugar addict. I'm not so bad anymore . . . oh, wait a minute . . . I am eating directly out of a big bag of candy corn now . . . Hmm. Nevermind.

Funny thing about it is I can concentrate better when I stuff myself full of sugar, so before meds I got through many homework assignments with the help of a 32oz slurpee and a pound of skittles or sour gummy worms. The problem is that it did make me bounce off the walls, but I suppose I burned off all the calories that way.