college student marijuana question | ADHD Information
Hello folks,My name is matt and i have just been diagnosed with ADHD.
Here's my problem: I have smoked marijuana for the past 6 or 7 years (I'm 26).
My diagnosis was that i had adhd but their main suggestion was that i quit smoking weed.
That's fine except that there is no way i will be able to do this semester without it. I'm a complete rambling but lazy and unproductive person when not stoned. When i get stoned, i can hyperfocus much easier so i get things done.
Now, i have brought up medication and ritalin a few times and funny thing is, the subject keeps changing.
Here's my main problem: My doctor thinks i am a pothead and doesn't really want to help. My friends (who have seen the list of symptoms as described in DSM-III-R) wonder how i managed to go undiagnosed so long. These friends are friends that have known me since kindergarten and therefore LONG before i started the weed treatment (self medication).
I have tried ritalin and it works incredibly well, like i could actually do things (and i put off things like laundry for weeks at a time cause they seem overwhelming, if you want to know how bad i am). The few times i have been able to get a ritalin (10mg), i have felt no urge to smoke weed (i don't actually like it, hate it really, i'm just useless without it, ramblings of an addict huh).
Now, i know that i am addicted to weed somehow, it's been to long not to be. Here's the catch: I have no problem not smoking so long as something else is there (and i don't mean other substances). I tend to just up and travel (far away like around the world) for no reason (financially it's a killer and i am no financial whiz). When i do things like this, i feel no urge to smoke.
Anyway, what i am wondering about is what i should do? If i screw up this semester (like all other ones), i can't get financial aid anymore and I will never have a career. I know that if i could get therapy and medication, i could handle a lot more things (and wouldn't smoke weed). How do i explain this to a doctor without sounding like an addict that wants more drugs? (hell, that's probably the perception readers will get just from reading this post).
Hi mattm,
Unfortunately there are a lot of people who would just say they have ADHD to get the stimulants. The rules are in place for a reason. Sometimes rules and regulations can be problems when they keep people from getting treated for a medical condition. What I find extremely interesting is "they" know that ADHD can cause people to abuse drugs looking to self medicate so to speak. Then when you finally find out what the problem is because you have been medicating yourself they won't prescribe the drugs that could be the solution.
Have you expressed any of what you have said here to your physician? If not you might want to try sharing this with them. What kind of Doctor diagnosed you with ADHD? I think your best bet may be to see a psychiatrist that specializes in ADHD. That kind of physician will be more likely to look at the whole picture. I hope you find peace.
-Gettingagrip-
gettingagrip38223.6078009259Hey Gettingagrip, thanks for the reply.It was a psychologist (consulting anyway) who signed the diagnosis. It was the psychoeducational consultant at my college that took me through the tests.
I have mentioned these things to both of them and i really want another opinion but i think that costs money and i am afraid that they will get mad.
I am only allowed financial assistance because of these people. I have failed too many times in college and actually this is my last chance no matter what. The only reason i get this chance is that is because they do agree there is something wrong with me and i promised to do better. I will get coaching and most other things that seem to be regular treatment.
They have stayed away from therapy and medication which i think (could be wrong but i have tried structure and have tried various coaches though i didn't actually know i was doing it at the time) is the most effective solutions.
Don't get me wrong, i need the coaching and stuff. I have to send most of my money to my parents cause i will just go out and spend it all (i really want a new guitar, for example, so i have to get my money to my parents as fast as possible). I'm 26, i shouldn't have to send my parents my money to budget for me.
Like i said before though, ritalin does work. I tried it once and got my best friend (aerospace engineer and friend of 24 years) to observe. He couldn't believe what he saw. He said it was the first time i ever listened to him (although i had been always, he just didn't think so).
Not sure where this reply is going as seems to be the case with the rest of my life so i will stop.
matt
If these people really want you to succeed would think they would do what is best. I know you are in kind of a tough spot right now having these professionals basically in control of your future. You still need to be an advocate for yourself. Only you have to live with the consequences of what happens here. Please don't be afraid of them. You are entitled to another opinion and you deserve to get one and they should understand that.
On another note I commend you for knowing enough to send your money to your parents to save it for you. That is really a forward step. At least you know that much about yourself. There are to many people out there in financial trouble because they don't know this.
Best Wishes. -Gettingagrip-
Hey Rae,I'm not sure if i understand your post. If i wanted rehab, i could book myself into a center. There aren't any around here who would take me though. The only thing i do is smoke marijuana and i smoke less than the 1-2g/day that is the minimum for rehab. Funding for such centers is much too low and it would be a real waste to have me there when a coke or alcohol addict would benefit much more.
I don't abuse any other drugs although i have tried Ritalin and Adherol with friends around to make sure nothing went wrong (and since they give that stuff out to little kids like candy, i wasn't worried).
Also, i am seeking help. I went to the Disability center at school and they assessed me. Problem is that they don't want to try the regular treatment of Therapy and Medication because they believe that Marijuana is at the root of my problems. That could be the case, too, but i would have had to have started smoking around the age of 4 (16 years prior to starting smoking weed).
Mostly i posted to let things out. No one wants to hear me complain but other people here may be going through the same thing and it's nice to talk with folks that can feel empathy rather than just sympathy.
That's all.
Hmm - this is a tough one mattm. Honestly, the 'mommy' part of me wants to come find you and smack you into next week. My son is only 11 and the thought of him being in your predicament someday scares the crap out of me. My family has a long history of drug and alcohol abuse, so that's where I'm coming from - not trying to pass judgement on you in any way.
I can see that you are looking for answers, and that is very commendable, and it's a great start. So - maybe instead of a psychologist or a GP, you could see a psychiatrist, as Rae suggestes, one who works with multiple ADHD patients and has some experience in these matters. Take your test results and the posts you have made here with you and show him/tell him what you are thinking and feeling. Let him know that you realize you need to make some changes in your life so that you can become a responsible adult and actually have a career of some kind.
Also - have you discussed this issue with your parents? I don't know your family and how you relate to them, but I can tell you that I would do anything, ANYTHING, to help my children. Maybe they can help you find the right resources to get off of the weed and onto ritalin if that is what is necessary.
Don't worry about your current dr's getting mad about you getting a second opinion. People do it all of the time and these guys are professionals - it's business for them. Get 10 opinions if necessary, but you need to start changing your life. I know if costs money - but isn't making long term positive changes in your life more important than a new guitar? Set some goals and use the new guitar as a reward for yourself as you reach them. I wish you all the best and I pray that you will find the help and support you need.
As far as the guitar goes, i'm sending my parents the money so that i don't do anything stupid like buying a guitar with my school money. I have had to do this my whole life and it is quite embarassing. And i already have two really crappy guitars but i can play them. I brought up the guitar cause it is one of my escapes (without which i would be completely and utterly bonkers).Actually, i stopped smoking weed almost two weeks ago. Luckilly it is not really a physically addictive drug, the addiction is almost purely phsychological. I only smoked in the evenings and never on a very large scale. I have also quit many times over the years for very long periods of time (usually when i can't afford to buy it). I only smoked a tiny bit this past semester and only passed two courses with D- and C-. First semester i had my whole loan and was able to buy my weed and, whoa, i got straight a+'s. I don't like this as weed is a social killer. It causes paranoia (although i don't feel that anymore) but it does make me very quiet and still and much more shy than normal.
As far as my parents go, they are fully aware of the situation. I was diagnosed with add roughly two weeks ago and they were the first people i talked to. They are just as excited as me at finding something that explains things. It's just kinda late and they are eaten up with guilt at having not seen this earlier in my life. I don't blame them and i don't blame the kids that always picked on me.
My main problem is that without the weed, i am absolutely useless. I sit and do nothing all day. At least with the weed i could voluntarily hyperfocus and so could accomplish some things. You might be thinking that i am doing something in the sense that i put up some real long posts to this forum but that is like my talking. I start and can't stop.
I am a very depressed individual as i have spent my entire life thinking that i was an absolute failure. Add to this not being able to maintain any friendships (weed cured that one too) and that includes relationships with women. I have never had any hopes of getting married or having a family of my own but now that may change.
My worry is that my doc wants me to be off weed for at least 3 or so months before trying anything and by then i may have (and probably will have) blown my last chance at college.
As far as your reply, thank you. Parents are the most wonderfull people in the world. Mine have been my only pillars in this world and they have sacrificed a lot on my behalf over the years and that eats at me terribly. I can't even count the times i have had great ideas for a business of my own, my parents try to help and then i just move on to some other idea. It has broken them financially and i have to live with that too, which is very hard.
As for my financial situation: I have been eating one meal of spaghetti per day for about two months now as i cannot afford anything else and the thought of preparing something else scares the hell out of me (as do many things like laundry, paying bills and other essential life activities). My parents don't have enough money to help me either (which i can't help but feel is my fault). Food banks have been suggested many times but they take transportation to and from which is not available.
The school is giving me all the help they can educationally and it is great. I need more help though and don't understand why it's so hard to get.
Matt - I'm sorry if I confused you in my response. I was hoping to give you some ideas on where to turn for additional help. The guitar thing was just an example, my point being - when you are thinking of spending frivioulously, try to stop, take a step back and think about the bigger picture - need to save money for xxxxxx'.
The over all point of my message is - get another opinion, perferably from a psychiatrist who can help you and prescibe new medication. If you are adhd, it's not your fault that you are having these issues - but dont' use it as an excuse either.
You need to be very clear in telling the new doctor that you need to focus for school. This is obviously causing you stress and you need to get through school at this time in your life.
Much luck.
mattm, have you tried talking to your parents about this problem - perhaps they could book you into a re-hab centre. (never know if you dont ask)
You really appear to be a train wreck at the moment and I dont think you are doing a very good job at keeping things together, so perhaps it is time to reach out for a lifeline.
Maybe it is time to GET HELP. Perhaps start with Narcotics Anonymous - maybe they have contacts that could help you.
Rae70
Hey MattI had the same problems in the past. We're the same age. The useless feelings you get WILL in fact go away after about a month or so of quitting. I know this sounds like a pretty bold statement, but when I first smoked, it was KB, Krippie, whatever you want to call it, 'dro, and I blew money fast in a few weeks time. Worst part was, it helped me (or seemed to) at one point narrow the spectrum of my ideas, creativity, focus, and most of the probs. I ran into without actually TREATING my adhd. I put my foot down on myself, feeling that I was going to be hating anything that required motivation if I quit smoking and went on the meds.
It sucked for the first three or four weeks, no lie, not to mention the crowd I hung out with. I'm glad I made the switch. I'm not as agitating (running my mouth a 1/4 billion mph) and (oh yeah, and changing the subject, then coming back, hehe). I can complete thoughts.
I took ritalin (20 mg, 3-4 times daily! As prescribed!) and ran into a few more select problems. One being an occasion where someone actually stole my meds from the nurses office in high school. Have you considered Adderall? I've taken every adhd med and found that it seems to have the least side fx, at least for a stim med.
I hope this all doesn't sound like a party crash, but I just wanted to to someone this who went through the exact dilemna I went through.
I'm in my second yr college now, Maj: B.A. - Psychology
There's no way I thought I would do this in high school! But I actually enjoy it. (by the way, I notice us LD peeps using parenthesis alot!)
Atom
hey man, can you please email me at euromatt@hotmail.com
Makes senseDamn!
mattm i just feel like you. i smoked about 2g of weed per day (mostly bongs) and i feel useless when not smoking. I also want to save money to buy turntables but i dont buy anything but weed and some f**king useless stuff.
haven't smoked for 2 weeks now, was quite hard on the first days but now i get used to it (i do smoke loads of cigarettes though).
the key is to find something you want to live for, it can be listening/creating music (playing guitar is nice ;), love or anything giving you some pleasure, ain't easy i know but you have to fight against this f**king disease.
believe in yourself dude!
hehe,
alright
The reason that I said you offer no reasons is that I responded to all the things you mentioned and you still came back that it must be a symptom of something else. Why must it? Modern research is stating that it is probably something hereditary and my mother definately shows the signs. But still, it must be something else.
The reason I said that it cannot be outgrown is that that is what I have read:
http://www.familyeducation.com/article/0,1120,1-239,00.html
http://pediatrics.about.com/cs/mentalhealth/a/adhd_controvrs y.htm
http://www.newideas.net/
http://healthlink.mcw.edu/article/1031002269.html
http://web4health.info/en/answers/adhd-symptoms-outgrow.htm
http://www.adventisthealthcare.com/Atoz/dc/caz/neur/adhd/ale rt03222000.asp
http://www.wrongdiagnosis.com/artic/ninds_attention_deficit_ hyperactivity_disorder_information_page_ninds.htm
http://www.laureate.com/services/adhd/generalinfo.asp
If you want, I can put up many, many more links to such info. These are by no means absolute but hey, they do point to their sources of info, i just can't afford to buy all the books
I'm 26, I want more than anything in the world to be normal. Why didn't I just outgrow it? Why hasn't my mother? Probably due to the fact that for many, many years it was considered an excuse rather than an explanaiton. I will never marry or have children as I can't keep focused on a girl for more than a month or so. I want to but can't. I know many others like this just at my college and you can't say that we are the only ones. There are colleges all over the place and there are young adults like me all over the place.
Why did I say "who cares what cuase it?" mostly because I have read tonnes and the general perception is that it is hereditary (I repeat myself). This was about me. Were I a child, I might look into why it came about but since it has been with me forever, i just want a shot at a normal life. To be able to do things others can do. I don't really care if my mother took an inapropiate drink during pregnancy (I asked, she said she did not and i've never heard her lie about anything).
There are ample other disorders that are "similar" not that cause adhd. These can include:
Bipolar disorder
Axiety disorder
Depression
chronic fatigue
Fetal alcohol syndrome
Lead poinsining
Learning disabilities (reading and math mostly)
Obsessive compulsive disorder
Postraumatic stress disorder
Pheochromocytoma
Seizure disorder
Substance abuse (my case and why it's been hard to get help)
Tourette's
...
but they are not "causes" and adhd is not a "symptom" of them. They are seperate disorders and are all catagorized by the American Psychiactric Institution.
Sorry for my heated comments but I read that it is hereditary, i see the signs in my family, state that and you say it could be something else. I don't care what cause it. I want my fair chance at life.
Tomorrow I will post thirty or forty more sites that mention the "myth" of outgrowing ADHD.
I'll work on the causes later.
you say****" There are ample other disorders that are "similar" not that cause adhd. These can include:
Bipolar disorder
Axiety disorder
Depression
chronic fatigue
Fetal alcohol syndrome
Lead poinsining
Learning disabilities (reading and math mostly)
Obsessive compulsive disorder
Postraumatic stress disorder
Pheochromocytoma
Seizure disorder
Substance abuse (my case and why it's been hard to get help)
Tourette's
...
but they are not "causes" and adhd is not a "symptom" of them. They are seperate disorders and are all catagorized by the American Psychiactric Institution.
BULLsh*t!!!!! DONT EVEN GO THERE WITH THE FETAL ALCOHOL SYNDROME YOU KNOW NOTHING!!!!!!!!
It is a know FACT that almost all those disorders you mentioned can be symptoms of Fetal alcohol!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Get over yourself matt, your life is far more normal than my son with fetal alcohol and yet you come here stating that my son doesnt have adhd from it. HE is Brain damaged far worse than you, stop feeling sorry for yourself!
Get a wife, have kids, at least you are mentally able to know why you get bored with them. My son has no idea. Hell he can't even use a computer or read a book or study info off the net! Most men have short attention spans when it comes to women so you are no different to most take comfort in that.
hey man,
Chill out our problems all suck to the person whose prblem it is. But some people like matt and ur son dwebble have actual things wrong with them, things in our brains are not proper for some reasons. Unlike people who are "normal" are problems aren't created from readjusting things in our brain, the things aren't their. For example, someone with depression or schizophrenia has a loss of serotonin. Someone who is sad will have an improper amount of serotonin circulating their body for a period of time and will soon be replaced with the correct amount whereas someone with a mental disorder will always have the irregular amount floating around. We all acknowledge ur son has i worse than us but that doesnt make are problems any better or relieve us at all because their is something wrong with our bodies that can't be fixed its not a matter of dealing with it, people who say get over it don't have it its not that were pussies or nething. haha God bless.
DWEBBLE-"Get over yourself matt, your life is far more normal than my son with fetal alcohol and yet you come here stating that my son doesnt have adhd from it. HE is Brain damaged far worse than you, stop feeling sorry for yourself!
Get a wife, have kids, at least you are mentally able to know why you get bored with them. My son has no idea. Hell he can't even use a computer or read a book or study info off the net! Most men have short attention spans when it comes to women so you are no different to most take comfort in that."
and man be nice to matt, above u state "and u yet u come here" when U CAME TO MATTS POST, if u came merely to tell matt he is wrong ur not welcome dude we feel bad for matt. Also dude i dont know how happy ur son is so im not refering to him but i no people with down sydrome that are way happier than me and when people say i feel so bad for him i say why? Just cuz someone isnt mentally capable as others doesnt mean its a bad thing. Whats the point of being smart or rich or handsome or all if ur not happy?
ps barrett i like ur style. You are chilled and that is cool. I just didnt like being told my son didnt have adhd coz of the other disorder when matt had accused me of saying he didnt have adhd it was from something else and then assumed I meant alcohol like my son. Nothing I said could get him to understand what I was saying and he over reacted to all I said. I did tell him to chill on another thread so I hope he can get it into perspective.
barrett you said ***"and man be nice to matt, above u state "and u yet u come here" when U CAME TO MATTS POST, if u came merely to tell matt he is wrong ur not welcome dude we feel bad for matt."*** my comment was exclusevely to him coming to the board itself. I came to matts posts with good intentions but he blew it out of proportion not me. If im not welcome so be it but I have the right to defend myself just like the next person.
I digress I tried to offer suggestions as nice as I could but got flamed for it so pointless offering ideas to someone that doesnt wanna listen. All the best and good luck
Oh and matt just to prove I know how to use a search engine..
http://depts.washington.edu/fadu/Tr.today.97.html
now pay careful attentoin to where it says ****As the study demonstrated, depression, suicidal threats and attempts, attention deficit problems, panic attacks and auditory and visual hallucinations were all present in this patient population. With the exception of attention deficit problems, all of these problems increased with age.******
Do you have any idea what dwebble is talking about, no not at all you have tunnel visiontunnel vision, wow. Can't keep my concentration in one spot without help for more than a few minutes. Guess I'm autistic too.No, I don't have a clue what dwebble is talking about. She just keeps saying that I don't have ADHD (I've been diagnosed by a psychiatrist) and that it is a result of some mysterious other thing that is yet to be mentioned.
Please explain what you mean to me.
ok I wasnt gonna get involved in this thread at all thought I would leave it between you and michelle but dammit when you accuse me of saying you dont have adhd at all that annoys the crap out of me! I never said you didnt have adhd, go read things properly and stop twisting stuff I said. What I did say was that some of the stuff you explained seemed to indicated more than just adhd not all you said sounded totally like classic adhd. Never said you didnt have it said it may be a symptom of something else not yet picked up on. To assume that most people with ADHD are just that is ignorant, there is very often an underlying cause.
You keep saying it is a symptom of something else to everything but you offer no suggestions as to what.
I also said in the other thread that there were many things that could cause ADHD but you accused me of saying it is a symptom of something else to everything but not offering you suggestions as to what. Thing is before you even posted I listed a number of potential causes most of which you eliminated from your situation and that is fine but you continued to say I never suggested possible ones even though I again mentioned amalgam and immunisation and yet here you were preaching to me to go use a search engine.
And then you said: *****"The thing is, the idea that it can be outgrown is so far a myth and is used most commonly by parents who have a hard time dealing with the fact that their child has some sort of brain disorder for life. "*****
Well that was a doozie matt of sheer stupidity and ignorance if ever I heard it. Prove it to be a myth! Most commonly used by parents? Bull! I was told it by numerous Psychiatrists, Psychologists and Paediatricians so bite me! I have a 12yr old daughter who has ADHD and I dont consider it a *brain disorder* I consider her to be unique and beautiful her brain has nothing to do with it. You want brain disorder then consider my son who can't reason and think for himself, understand consequences, make life choices and basically have the brain of an 8yr old for the rest of his life. THAT is brain disordered!
You said ***One can, however, learn to deal with it but that is about it. *** Cool so good on them more organic ADHD I reckon, where there are measures that help to balance things enough for a relatively normal life whether it be med helped or not. I know of a few ADHD folk who have done it with diet and stuff and it has been great.
You said ***"Last question: Who cares what caused it. It is never going away and so therefore must be treated."*** Many of us care what caused it coz it may be that a more thorough and precise treatment is needed. If I settled with the diagosis that my son was just ADHD I would be still struggling in a right state now. Without adequate information support networks cannot be set up properly and lord knows I could have done with them years ago.
you said***"Now, there are ample other disorders that seem similar to ADHD and so it is necessary to get a proper diagnosis and in most cases more that one opinion.*** But you just said who cares what caused it so how can you know if the diagnosis is the proper one or not coz you just made it clear you dont care!
I have been looking into ADHD for years now more than I care to remember so please dont assume that you are the only one out there that has looked and researched.
bloody NZer's cant take em anywhere this is the forum you are posting in (and like barret said, you came to my posting, sorry barret, don't want to get you involved in my stupid postings).
Children and Young Adults with ADHD
http://www.adhdnews.com/forum/forum_topics.asp?FID=11
Here is the thing, there is another forum,
Parents of ADHD Children Message Board
http://www.adhdnews.com/forum/forum_topics.asp?FID=1
Why are you even posting here? There is a nice forum just for you. This is for young folks who want to share stories.
I dont want to continue arguing as I hate confrontation and fighting. It's stupid.
hillo again,
Great topic matt, yea man i would sell all i had if i could find something to stop this disorder SO that i can enjoy my skateboarding.I dont know your case and for me its to hard to explain with words and make it sound half as bad as it really is so im not even gonna try and imagine what ur goin thro. Im glad u can enjoy doin whatever, especially playing guitar, it seems ur adhd doesnt inhibit ur guitar playing. My adhd seems to do the exact opposite, i get straight B plus' in school and can hang out n have a pretty good time but what makes all that stcik together is skateboarding and so for the past year ive been doing it because i hope it will get better and i can relate with anything i do to it. I LOVE it and i dont care about money id wrok at a diner or something just to enjoy skateboarding and my friends company like i used to. Maybe i wont try pot maybe i will, but whatever im just complaining, who am i to say i need more attetntion than u, god bless
About skating, I actually started this year. My roomate has a board (actually, regular and long-board) and I've been playing around a bit. I can't actually pull off any tricks except about a 1 inch ollie (but only while standing still) but man it feels great just to cruise around.I almost bought a board in September too but the music store was on the way so I stopped in and ended up walking out with a Les Paul (guitar, wine red, epiphone, not gibson but gibson are way out of my price range and an epiphone is a cheap gibson anyway). Since that cost roughly 7 times what the board would have cost (and I used pretty much all my emergency loan for rent and stuff to buy it, talk about impulse spending, it's my third guitar) I couldn't buy the board. I plan on getting one this spring. I used to have a board a long time ago (Tony Hawk, big giant wheels, a tail but no nose, old school 80's style, actually, I got it in the 80's) but I didn't have the balance. This year I just said screw it and started taking my roomate's board to the store, school, etc, in the hopes of building some balance and that's when I started wanting another one. I helped my buddy build a halfpipe in his back yard in '89 (11 years old). Couldn't use it but I could always watch. I also have and still do (almost exclusively) hang out with skaters. It's funny but I'm 26, still wear baggy pants and have never worn any shoes other than Simples, Etnies or Vans. Not sure why I never mentioned this yet as you have brought it up several times.
Have fun,
matt
My baby
Neat, i put up the last post and mentioned my guitar and all the ads on the page changed to Epiphone Les Paul, learn how to play guitar, etc. That's pretty neat of the ad people. I gues they search each post for keywords and put up ads.
Sorry, that was off topic
Hmmm well good luck. I know there are many adhd people who are FASD and it is a hereditary thing also, may be worth looking into just to rule it out. It can be caused from only one glass of alcohol at the wrong time and thats it takes. Way back when alcohol was something that was something we were never told to avoid when pg so many women drank it without knowing the damage it causes. My son has severe ADHD a diagnosis we didnt get til last year and around xmas time we got a diganosis for FAE thanks to the courts ruling for an assessment to be done. Until I knew about FASD I thought ADHD for sure but now I see that his behaviour is not exclusive to the ADHD alone.
I wish you all the best for the future and hope that you find some answers and success.
I should mention that my mom really frowns upon drinking, has been a girl guide her entire life (she's a guide leader now) and has never in my lifetime taken a drink other than a toast at a wedding (and often not even then).lol she sounds like me these days with alcohol. You sound like you have a great mum too I must add. I was never a guide tho my 12yr old is, but my hubby and I were leaders in the scouting movement. Supportive family is definitely something that makes all the difference with ADHD etc, so it sounds like you are very fortunate there. Keep us posted on how you get on. Hang in there I am sure you will do well. Oh and as for the world travel, where have you been to? I wish I had the guts to do some but I hate flying so have never left NZ, but travel all over our fair country.About my parents, most of my friends in highschool agreed that they were the best and kindest.
As to where I have been? I have been all over north america, south east asia and western europe. I just love to travel. I must add, I am pretty terrified of flying as well. Same with riding in a car, scares the crap out of me. Mostly is't cause someone else is in control of my destiny. Never stops me from doing things though. If you get on a plane, don't get a window-wing seat where you can see the engine. The engines vibrate all around and always look like they are coming off (although they aren't and thankfully my traveling buddy is an aerospace engineer and knows everything about planes and space shuttles, including stresses and tolerances).
Thailand is my favorite country cause the people are so animated and free to do what they will, not like here in canada. we think we are free but even crossing the road in the wrong spot is illegal and there is some sort of law or regulation that governs every single action we take. to restrictive for me.
Anyway, it's 1:00 am so now i have to go to bed and wait for sleep (luckily I have a good novel by anne rice to keep me occupied until said time).
Matt
Hey Matt all your travelling sounds great! I would love to go to Scotland and Ireland just coz that is my ancestry but it is a huge trip from here. I think from memory we have to go via Singapore and stop over there for ages before going on. Something like 24hrs to get to Ireland I think from here.
I've heard stories about seats by the wings, that would sure freak me out. I've flown domestic quite a bit and been near the wing but the planes arent too big and haven't really worried me. I did fly once in a rescue plane as a caregiver for an injured child and that was freaky coz it was one of those wee pencil planes that have the wee props on either side and I was right beside the wing then and I was in tears I was so scared lol.
I have always had a fascination with Canada. Is it really as pretty as it looks on tv? I love looking at the snow and great outdoors.
Funny thing, I've never been to either Scotland or Ireland. I spent several weeks in England but the funds were kinda tight and there was too much to see on the mainland (the UK is bloody expensive). 24 hours isn't too bad though. It took us 31 to get to Thailand from here with the longest stopover (6 hours) in Tokyo. It's neat though cause then you can explore that place for a few hours.
Canada is pretty cool but I'm not the biggest fan of snow and cold and since we get it about 4 of the 12 months of the year, it kinda sucks. Summer is great though as it gets plenty warm (average of about 25 or celcius) but fall is really neat cause of all the colors. As for the great outdoors, I spend most of my time in cities so I don't see much of it anymore. Funny thing is that they never show the cities on tv or movies, just snow and pine trees but it isn't really like that. Most of us live in fair size cities (several hundred thousand people or more). We do have tonnes of great outdoors, though, which is nice for escape should one tire of endless sirens and people, etc.
I think we're getting pretty far off topic though. Wat I forgot ta tell ya is that I used to that as well...It made my ADHD worse then ever now my ma gets on my cause bout it...lol...
mattm - life is tough - it is full of sh*t a lot of the time - but you HAVE to give up the pot. No doubt about that - it is only killing your brain cells.
No dr is going to take you seriously whilst you smoke it and that is the cold hard facts.
You are young and undoubtedly telling you that is just pissing you off - so I might as well keep going. Things do get easier as you get older but only if you follow the right order of things.
Pot (in my experience and I have had alot of experience in that area) causes you to become self obsessed and also to become a blamer.
If you truely want to change things - you have to be strong enough to throw it to the curb and discover who you truely are again with a drug misted mind. Once you have established that foundation again you can gain the respect of your doctor and get the help you need - unfortuneately you may have a lot of negative repucussions in the process including college issues, but you have to weigh up your pros and cons for yourself.
But I predict that I am just going to get another negative reply from you saying I dont understand, but I will say one more thing to you. I do understand, I sympathise and I only want all young people to be the best they can be.
I am a mother of 4 and if my son was going through what you were going through I would wrap him in my arms and love him as much as I can. Knowing no matter what I say wont make a difference unless he loved himself enough to do the right thing for him.
So now it is your turn to tell me off vent all you like. And my sweet boy, I am 33 and down to my last .00 with 4 kids to feed and a husband out of work. You are not alone in the tough world, a lot of us here to understand and were and still are where you are standing now.
Have faith in you and believe you can do it - because happiness is something that can be found regardless of the negative circumstances we are currently in.
By the way, I am currently celebrating being down to my last with a cheap .00 bottle of wine (whilst I write this post) and I am on to my 5 glass. So Things obviously look good! lol
Nothing changes - yet everything changes all the time.
Rae7038251.1960648148Hey folks, haven't replied in a while.Well, here's my situation as it stands now.
I have had to completely quit smoking weed which kinda sucks. I'm back to how I was before I ever started which is running all over the place, not really getting anything done and I can't sleep more than an hour or two a night (my eyes really hurt, and yeah Atom, we relly do like the parenthesis, it allows tangents though it probably isn't acceptible in grammar, it is kinda like the old train of thought). I have also been doing stupid things like I've hurt several peoples feelings simply by speaking (think before you speak, how unrealistic this is). I've also been going out and getting drunk alot more (in highschool, before weed, I used to go out at least three, four times a week. Weed cured this stupid little habit) which is not good as I really don't have any control over how much I drink.
As for seeing a doctor... still hasn't happened. I have to go to a re-hab center to confirm that I am not addicted to weed (as if it's actually hard to quit or something, just a pain in the arse) but that's no problem as it isn't really addictive unless you are hard-core pothead. Couldn't get that appointment scheduled until november 4th, which sucks. I do actually have an appointment with a psych doctor for November 22 but I'm pretty sure it will be too late by then as I am on my last chance in college and don't think I can make it (which really, really sucks as my test scores for memory, intelligence, etc were in the 90th percentile for the most part). Oh well, guess I just have to live with it. No post secondary = career flipping burgers. Oh well, what can I do?
As far as school is concerned, well, I'm not doing terribly bad, better than before but here's the catch:
61% assembly language midterm
92% math midterm
79% linux shell midterm
Now, notice the grades. I managed to get some Dexatrin (did I spell that right?), four of them actually. I took one to study for linux shell then one at that midterm. The other two were used to study for and write the math midterm. NOTE: I have failed the math class twice already, 46% the first time and 11% the second time. This is my last chance or they boot me out of college. Notice the difference in scores. I must also mention that my assignment and lab scores for the assembly language class are all 100%, just can't concentrate when it comes to long tests (without help anyway).
I have been given a laptop to use (from the school) and I suggest anyone that has ADHD and can afford it, buy one. I can now work on projects whenever I get the inclining and so have gotten them all in on time. I used to have to wait until I got home and by then, well, you can probably figure that my mind was very much elswhere. It also acts as a scheduling tool. I couldn't keep a schedule on paper but have no problem keeping one on the computer (although I can't put anything in any sort of time frame, just entries that must be done that day. timeframes scare me alot).
Thanks for all the reply's, I never expected my post to go on this long. If anyone is in the same boat, feel free to message me although I'm really busy with school and tend not to respond in a very timely manner but you never know, can't hurt.
Also, to barrett: weed is not really the answer. unless you are absolutely loaded with energy, it will slow you down immensly and it is definately frowned upon by the vast majority (main reason). If you do want to use it, use really small doses (after many years I still only like a puff or two off a joint, anything else is way to anti-productive as well as, with me anyway, makes me way to anti-social).
Anyway, I could ramble on all day pretty easily so I'll just end this here. Thanks for reading, especially if you have gotten this far in the topic.
MattSomething I forgot.
If you think you have add and you smoke, don't tell the doctor!!!! My advice is to just quit for a while first, then go to the doctor and then you are free to say as much as you want. If you have been able to quit, they will take you much more seriously. If you really don't want to quit, exercise alot (weed sticks to fat) and then eat lots of fatty foods right before the drug test (this is probably the only way to get it out of your system faster than normal, and no, the stuff from high-times does not make your pee clean and it is noticable to the testors, just look it up). The doctor's do have a point though, weed does have the same symptoms as ADD. If you know you were ADD symptomatic before starting to smoke, you may have it. If it all started after, it's probably the pot.
thanks,
mattm
Hey guys,
Yea ive been taking meds for a while and they dont work so im researching alot of stuff on my own. The thing is no one can make this go away, as of now so lets pray that someday someone finds a cure for this and other meurological disorders. I need to know if anyone here has smoked pot FOR medication, not to get stoned, and found it helpful. I do great in school but i cant enjoy life and thats more important to me than getting a good job. The thing is i know that getting stoned is a selfish excessive ofenjoying life and not helping yourself is a waste of a wonderful life. Since adderall doesnt get me high and i talk to kids who say they take it orally and they do(w/o ADHD), will pot not affect me like it would a normal kid? Also if anybody knows any good websites on neuroscience please tell id really appreciate it. Anyone one with bad adhd knows what im going through and that different meds work for different people and that (no disrespect) theirs is no other way to enjoy life than to forget your problem. The thing is our problems aren't normal we can't control um at all, God bless all.
whoa sorry matt new to this read downwards, but hey thanks yea i researched alot and the cases are really small doses. Yeas so good luck again thanks, and u dont get stoned right?Hey barret,See, the problem with weed is that you do get high, nothing you can do about that. I used it in small doses so I wouldn't get too high and could therefore do things (ever seen road trip? buddy is on the porch smoking with the old man and he explains how it slows him down, etc... that's what it does for me).
Thing is, I would only smoke it when I wanted to sit and work or get things done around the house or play guitar. basically, things that don't require me interacting with others. The minute people came over, if I had smoked, I got very antisocial (pretty big downpoint). Also, it is terrible on your lungs unless you eat it.
Thing is, where most of my friends will smoke and then get really giddy and giggle alot, I would sit and stare but I would also hit the computer and start working on something. I once did a test with mock LSAT's (SAT's for law school) to see how well I could score sober and stoned. I didn't do all that well sober but I got 78% right while stoned (pretty good for my first year out of highschool). I must mention, the LSAT's are like a big IQ test and I tried them cause I was helping my friend get into law school. I would help her do her study notes and I wrote a few essay's for her (actually did an entire 2nd year psych course for her, 5 essay's, got her an A :) ). You can find them on the internet and they are genuine. But, like I said, it really slows me down so there is no going out or anything like that after. Not the best if you just want to enjoy life.
You want a good suggestion for that? Sell everything you own and fly away for a few months to a strange country where you don't speak the language. That will take your mind off the old ADHD (and don't tell your parents I put you up to it as parents don't often like the idea). Pick somewhere like south-east Asia where it's really cheap. Problem with that is it is still expensive and you come back with nothing but then you can build up some more stuff, then sell it and fly away again. I've done it several times and it's the best thing in the world. There's so much stuff going on, especially when you don't have a clue what anyone is saying, that you just forget about the old problems. Also, no one will call you lazy or dumb while traveling (my favorite part) cause your always on the go and there aren't any projects to start and not finish, no deadlines, etc. Actually, other than playing guitar (which, after having stopped smoking weed my hands will no longer cooperate and I am a novice again, ouch) it's really the only thing that has ever made me happy.
Anyway, there are other things like that you can do but something high energy that forces you to think but not like someone telling you to, kinda voluntary forcing yourself.
Problem is always money though.Hi ya mattm. Is the ADHD the actual problem or a symptom of something else? I only ask coz my 19yr old son sounds similar to you but he has fetal alcohol effects with ADHD only a symptom. There are so many disorders out there where ADHD is only a symptom and not the cause. All the best.Could be but I've read a tonne of case studies and I can say that they are basically just stories of my life. Whether it's from something else or not, I am the exact picture of an ADD person and I've looked up other disorders and don't show the symptoms near as much.
Also, I'm very sure my mother has ADD and my sister too although I don't tell them that (we are an old fasioned family and though my parents agree that I have it, they must discover themselves about my sister and mother).
All the best to you as well,
Matt
hey matt,
I feel ur pain man. The adhd i mean. Ive got the exact opposite problem as u. Im on medication, Adderall, and it wears off every time i raise the dosage after about a month. Ill be happy for a month, then for the next 2 months while im "letting it settle" or switching the dosage im so unhappy. I skateboard and i cant have a good time when the meds dont work. I was wondering a couple things. Does pot help u do everything you need to do while enjoying it? Also, i dont belive ur getting stoned, is that correct, you do it because it helps? Finally, do u have to constantly increase the amount smoked to help, if it even does and does it really make not a smart as u were some odd years ago? Im asking because i need help and my doc isnt helping but i no hes trying. Its just its so lame. But man thats messed up if u cant get help. For sure if ritalin works go for it. God Bless.
Dearest Matt:
I wanted to thank you so much for your reply. I'm going to ask my son to read it. Hopefully if nothing else it will open up a good conversation about what he is experiencing in his life and we can work together on trying to make it better. I agree with you about giving honest information rather than orders, as I know from all my experiences, orders don't work. He know's how much I love him and he knows I have only his best interest in mind. He is very open and honest with me and we can talk about most anything. I don't always like what I hear but at least I know whats happening in his life and that gives me an opportunity to try to guide him in better decision making.
I wish you all the luck in the world in dealing with your situation. You have a lot to lose and it looks to me that you are trying to make good decisions to better your life. Your parents must be very proud of you. Life isn't always easy and we tend to make decisions in our lives that sometimes make it harder on ourselves. The key is not to beat ourselves up over it but to use the information to make better decisions that have a possitive effect on the rest of our lives. It also helps us to be better people and to help others. Thanks again!
[QUOTE=mattm]Hey Island Gypsy,
One thing about older folks is that they can never seem to understand that kids will do the right thing if you don't force them to. A well informed kid will do the right thing, perhaps after some experimentation, but if you just tell a kid to do something, it is an absolute guarantee that the kid will do just the opposite. The old methidology of forcing kids worked great when parents and teachers could beat them into submission but not so now.
Don't know if that post made much sense or even two cents but there are mine.
[/QUOTE]
I would have to say that is a very ADHD quality, defiance. Force them and they will stick there heals in
Matt why is it you are most persistent now? I am telling you as a parent of a FASD son that ADHD, Bipolar etc are most irrefutably and 100% definitely certainly without question symptoms of FASD. Sadly most doctors etc have no idea and it is their unlearned ignorance that make such stupid comments in these books that people go around believeing even though they have no experience etc in the field. These docs may have ADHD but that does NOT qualify them in FASD etc and in fact there are very few professionals worldwide trained in this area so I am sorry but your book is wrong when it comes to what it says about other disorders and you need to understand that because you have been received the wrong message Dwebble, I got that list of other syndromes from a book on adhd and a section that discusses other, very similar, disorders.There is no cause to come back with the gian bold letters like that.
haha no problem matt,
N i gotcha dwebble. Hope u guys sort this out, Barrett
matt I posted here because when you first posted I wanted to show you some support and give you some suggestions to look into only. I posted on this forum coz my son is 19 and there other board is full of parents of young kids that I dont really relate to. Never realised the forums were exclusive since I have seen other parents post here.
As for the bold, well you made a categorical statement based on one book which was totally and utterly wrong and well it just pushed all my buttons. Thing is not everything you have read etc is correct and it is frustrating when you make a statement so boldly especially to someone who knows it is wrong. You also kept accusing me of things I never said which was also damn frustrating. It just seemed like you over-reacted to everything.
I have no intention to fight with you, like I said on the is ADHD real? thread Im sure you are nice guy but you need to chill. I felt like you were getting on my case when you were posting to michelle and that sucked. Have a good day. 
Barrett what can I say other than have a good day The book i got the list from is called "Driven to Distraction" and is widely accepted. It is even under the book list from this site.
Here's is the link provided by this site for info on ADHD and you'll find it's remarkably similar to what most other sites say.
http://www.nimh.nih.gov/publicat/adhd.cfm#refAlso, the book appears as #1 on Amazon.com's Listmania!Best Books about ADD by Brenda Nicholson, ADD Coach
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/listmania/list-browse/- /34POC1BLYP0IN/002-0903407-4652834
I mention this book alot in my posts as it is easy to read, unlike a textbook so that even adders can make it through. Another selling point is that the two authors have add and so have the necessary empathy.
I suggest everyone have a read
Hey Everyone:
I'm an old mom of a 14 yr. old with ADHD and probubly have it myself. After reading all your posts I'm not sure if I'm suppose to be here or not, but I wanted to get some insight for my son and myself. On the subject of pot, I have smoked on and off for many years. I use it like a medicine for myself and not to get high. I actually would rather not get high but it goes with the territory. I, like you Matt, have a hard time motivating without it. I use it to clean the house. I only use it if no one else is around, as I don't like for others moods to bring me down. I like it because it's natural unlike stimulants and find it to be much less harmful. It is only mentally addicting not physical and with all my research it doesn't kill brain cells like someone else mentioned. I don't like chemical prescription drugs or non prescription, although they do have their place. My son is on Concerta 36 mg. We have a very open communication and a great relationship. He has started smoking pot and is a skater. I would rather he didn't smoke pot but I'm not sure which is better or worce, stimulants or pot. He insists that pot helps him more. I am concerned that he feels the need to smoke it at all but think it's less harmful than the stimulants. I wish they would research pot more for medical purposes as alot of people smoke it with ADHD so it must have some bennefits. At least it's natural and has less side effects. Just because it's illegal and prescriptions stimulants aren't doesn't necesarily make them better. I'm sure I will get alot of negative responses to this because everyone looks at life differently. As a young man with ADHD and many experiences, what would you say to my son on the issue? Thanks for taking the time for an old lady and sorry to bud in on your forum.
Hey Island Gypsy,Thing with weed is that it really isn't all that harmful other than the lungs. That's if you're at the point that your body has stopped developping. I don't think it's all that good for you at a very young age but couldn't say for sure as there have been very few actual studies have been done.
It does, however, produce the same symptoms as ADD if used in larger doses. I don't know.
Thing is, as much as I want medication myself, I can't have it due to weed. I don't like this as I have felt the same as you my whole life to chemical medicine. I have always been very skeptical. Weed grows from the ground and there is no processing that goes into it. Pills on the other hand are not natural. I didn't start taking aspirin, or anything like that, for pain until I was well into my late teens. Still don't take it unless I have a doozy of a headache.
One other thing about weed is that it is illegal and there are consequences to having some. I noticed you live in the United States where there is no understanding or proper research of any illegal narcotics just a "war" against them (I turn on CNN and there seems to be a "war" on everything for you guys, funny and I mean no offense to anyone whatsoever stateside).
Now I don't believe for a second that it is a gateway drug either. Funny thing is that I consider the stimulants to be the gateway drugs. Kids aren't smoking near as much weed now as it is much easier to get their hands on perfectly legal meds such as ritalin, etc. Remember, ritalin is basically the same as cocaine but lasts longer if you are not ADD and you snort it.
Hard choice to make. I know a girl who is 18. She has been on every ADD medication so far. Actually, she started with Dexadrine and was buying it on the "black market" at about 14 when she decided to go to the doctor. She says she never had ADD just got someone who did to coach her so that she could get the meds for free. She did and now has three to four 60mg dexadrine a day, drinks almost every day, smokes weed to come down off the ADD meds. She also uses cocaine and has since about 15. I see this and think that perhaps medicating at a young age, getting kids used to chemicals and pills might not be the best idea in the world.
I want them though. I wish I had had them when I was young. From what I have found, they give a glimpse at regular life (that's from buying them off the black market and doing tests to measure my behaviour and attitude while the chemical is in my system). I'm in a terrible bind right now as my story is not credible due to marijuana and so no real help is forth coming. That is something else to take into consideration. And I live in Canada where it should be legal soon enough. Actually, i did talk them into an appointment nov 22 but I will already have failed my courses by then and won't be allowed back into college for the rest of my life (it's already way to expensive and financial aid will refuse me if I fail anymore even though I just got diagnosed last summer and also have a learning disability to boot). This is becuase of weed and the taboo that goes with it.
Tough call but in my opinion he should not get into the weed too much. If he wants to smoke it, he will, nothing will stop that. You can't fight drugs, you must inform of the consequences. It won't really hurt him in small doses but it does containg tonnes of toxins that will hurt the development of his lungs and other organs (including reproductive). Same as cigarettes. Now, if the weed is eaten or smoked in a glass water bong with ice there are very few toxins and it is much safer to the still developing body.
Last thing: this comes back to the illegal aspect. You smoke it, you get caught, you lose your passport. That to me is the worst thing in the world. Losing the ability to leave the country would be terrible. You also lose credibility with lots of folks and there is more. Being a skater, though, weed comes with the territory. It is as much part of that culture as it is with mine and music.
Having said all that, and I'm pretty sure without actually giving an answer, I would give him as much truthfull info as possible and let him choose.
One thing about older folks is that they can never seem to understand that kids will do the right thing if you don't force them to. A well informed kid will do the right thing, perhaps after some experimentation, but if you just tell a kid to do something, it is an absolute guarantee that the kid will do just the opposite. The old methidology of forcing kids worked great when parents and teachers could beat them into submission but not so now.
Don't know if that post made much sense or even two cents but there are mine.
I believe many people who in the past ( and even in the present) used illegal drugs (marihuana, cocaine, etc), probably were looking for ways to escape the symptoms of ADHD or other problems that were unknown at that time. Some of these drugs may work, but the problem is that they have not been studied as much as Legal drugs (prescription drugs) so in short term they probably do the "job", but in long term ....? Remember, drugs won't resolve your problems, they just will make you forget then for a while. The best way to resolve a problem is accepting that there is a problem and finding proffesional help. Good Luck.. This is my case and the solution I think may help me and others:
I have a child diagnosed with ADHD, his taking Ritalin and he is in ESE (Exceptional Student education). His mayor problem is reading & comprehension. He has improved, but he is not in the level where he is supposed to be for his age & grade. I'm worry that this situation can lower (even more) his self-esteem, for not been able to get the same achievements as other. This is frustrating for students, for parents & even for teachers. Parents are blamed; Children are blamed or labeled. Schools are blamed. This is a neurobiological problem. This is nobody's fault. But, we all can do something, let put pressure in our political leaders so these kids can get more help. I think by preparing a special program/classes for this kind of disability (with psychologists, neurologists, teachers and parents input)Having these kids in a full time (separate) school with a fully trained personal in this matter & where they don't see themselves as “retarded” because the rest are doing great and they are getting D's or F's, will help so much! If the government has money for special schools & programs for "gifted" students, why not to invest in those who are in a "bigger" academic need. In my opinion everyone will benefit from this, even students who are not ADHD. Medication should not be the only solution, after all, they have side effects, too.
hey mattmi have been in the exact situations you have been...i am presuing an EE degree. as far as the whole roller coaster effects of adhd (academicly speaking) i to am walking that thin line of fiancial aid...what are some of the helpful ideas you were able to get from asking your question regarding marijuana & hyperfocus?.....also what sorta degree are you trying to achieve?.......any study tips?.....i hope we might be able to learn a lot from each other