No medication works for me what should I | ADHD Information

I don't know if neurofeedback works.  I don't know all that much about it.  I am undergoing acupuncture and yoga at the moment.  I'm finding that the acupuncture gives me an hour of just relaxing and listening to soothing music.  That alone is beneficial for me.  But I also believe that it's helped with my depression somewhat.  The yoga helps me to focus on what i am doing.  Gaining physical balance, i believe will influence my mental balance.  I go to CBT counseling also to learn techniques and strategies to combat my ADHD, depression, PMS and anxiety.  This combination is working for me so far.  I just have to keep my expectations in check so I don't get discouraged or disappointed.

I think I understand what you mean by significant.  I think that's where the percentages come in.  If you have a high percentage of success then that study showed significant results.  I think what they mean by significant improvement is that their symptoms (whatever they may be) were decreased.  I know what works for one person may not work for someone else.  I think what you're looking for in terms of statistical data may be too specific.  You may need to contact a facility that's doing research currently to see if they're focusing on your criteria.  I also think that because each person responds differently to each medication, it's really hard to measure improvement in certain areas.  And even if you had that data, it doesn't necessarily mean that would hold true for you.  And just because something has a high percentage of success, it doesn't mean its' 100% effective (as nothing is).  There's no guarantees with anything.

my expectations arent that high. ive been trying different meds for years and years and im dont even have the mental requirements to work at burger king. my job performance was so embarrasing i ended up quitting.

I understand your frustration.  I didn't find any medication that helped me either, and I couldn't work at places like Burger King either.  But you do yourself a disservice when you say you couldn't "meet the mental requirements at Burger King."  They're not exactly mental requirements, but probably more focus-oriented.  Although of course I don't know you, you could probably meet more advanced mental requirements than the jobs you might have been trying.

Getting an education and finding the right job take some self-knowledge and self-acceptance that someone above suggested a therapist might help.  I know that seems slow, but it's actually a godsend that you've found out so young that you have ADD.  That gives you a leg up.

Not to give you the old "I walked 10 miles to school" routine, but I didn't find out I had ADD until I was in my mid fifties, so wonder if so many of the bad career choices I made might have been prevented... But I was still able to work doing something or other for the last 35 years or so. In all fairness, I did have a husband that helped me support us, though, and he didn't have ADD.

I'll be rooting for you, as I know it isn't easy.

Mig58

 

 

Mig58 - I totally understand what you're saying.  I'm 47 (pushing 48) and even though I was diagnosed with "hyperactivity" at a young age, I spent 35+ years struggling through life (bad marriages, bad jobs, bad choices, bad friends).  I find it ----- (can't think of the right word) when young people come here after just being diagnosed.  They have one up on me in that they have those 35 years to not make similar mistakes.  They have the knowledge of their ADHD.  I always felt it was a huge contributing factor to problems in my life but I couldn't get anyone to listen.  Then about two years ago, I finally got "re-diagnosed".

I agree that lizard king is selling himself/herself short.  We all have mental abilities to do something.  Burger King may not be the right fit.  Maybe try doing some volunteer work for a while.  There's little pressure.  They aren't going to fire you unless you do something really wrong.  You could even go to your local college and take some career assessment tests.  They're free.  That might help you decide what you want to do.

Hang in there lizard king and thanks to mig58 for a poignant post!
thanksfor the suggestions. but im not looking for work where people will alow me to be there even if i preform undesirebly volenteer or otherwise. i did take the carrere assessment test in hs and didnt help, but i have an apointment to take it again.

What are your positive strenghts?

Your concentration is probably pretty good when you are in some danger.

 

How can you scare yourself into better concentration, when you need to get something done you don't like to do?

Have you practiced the Tom Hartman exercises?

Otter40360.6351041667positive strenthgs im not sure. and my concentration may be good when im in danger hbut that is irrelivent because i dont feel like i should have to force myself into a dangerous situation in order to think like a normal person, and even if i did scare myself the wouldnt boost concentration anyways. i know this because when i am in a life threatoning sitiuation i am not 'scared' because life is not something that is presently enjoyable therefore i dont feel scared when it is in jepordy.  but i dont know who tom hartman is so im assuming nopI have a very similar experience. I am in college and no longer take
medication but I did for 8 years and none of them really work. Some did
help but due to side effects, I didn't think it was worth it and I have an
incredibly short attention span. To be honest, there is not much that is
going to change your attention span so you really need to just work
around that. I have just accepted that it will take me twice as long to do
most things. That's just how it is and I can't change it so I shouldn't dwell
on it. I have found things that help though. You really can't expect
something to magically make ADHD go away.

Where do you study now? I do the best at the library. For a while I used a
weekly calendar type thing. It had a block for every hour from 7am to
12am. I could start by filling in rigid things like appointments and class
time etc. Then I would find blocks of time and plan to go to the library
then. I'd go to the library then or would try to at least and would sit and
work for that time. Many times I would get nothing done at all. I would
still get more done than in my dorm and feel more productive. I would
then be able to plan ahead for a test instead of realizing the night before.

Since elementary school I had a 504 plan that got me accommodations
such as extra time on tests so in college I registered with disability
services. I got accommodations such as extra time on tests, a note taker,
free tutoring, priority registration, books on tape and flexibility with
deadlines. Tutors can help because studies show that adhd symptoms are
greatly reduced in a one on one situation. A tutor can go over the things
you miss when not paying attention in class. You can also look at
someone else in your class's notes to see things you miss. Books on tape
can help you pay attention better when reading and priority registration
can help you get a good schedule and classes that fit your attention span
better.

There are also academic advisors that can help you with study skills and
psychologists that can help you with issues that you face related to adhd.
Sometimes there are groups for people who have adhd where you can get
support.

Really the only way to improve adhd symptoms if you don't want to take
the lazy route and medicate is to put a lot of effort into changing your
habits and finding ways to compensate for the issues you are having.

I hope this helps some... I don't really know if you want this kind of advice
but it won't hurt i guess. Good luck in school.also keep in mind that no medication will be perfect. after a while it will
not
work as well and you will need to switch. it will only work for some of the
day and will most likely come with side effects. saying you won't do things
that other people with out adhd don't have to do is just silly and naive.
there is
nothing that is magically going to fix it so you can either be lazy and
complain or actually do work to improve. Some people can do hardly
anything and get good grades, some people have nothing wrong with
them
but just have to try harder and some people actually have something that
effects them academically and have to use strategies to make up for it. If
someone with cerebral palsy couldn't walk without crutches and had your
attitude they wouldn't get anywhere in lifemusicfanatic40366.0045601852

I have been from med to med for over a decade and nothing helps my concentration. I am in college now and having the attention span of a cricket is making my life useless. is there anything else i can do?

I would suggest seeing a behavior therapist to see if there's any techniques you can implement to help.  i would also suggest exploring alternative therapies.  if your wallet can afford that. :)  Just don't give up.  There's an answer out there for you, you just haven't found it yet!

but those alternative therapies are expensive. and if their effects werre proven to be permanent i would be more than happy to save up the money. and i read about the behavior tharapist stuff and dont see how that can help. in order to succede i need to find a pill or (an alternative that will have permanent effects) im not the type thats willing to use coping stratagies that normal people dont use, and thats especially true when it comes to lowering myself to ask colloges to give me more time on tests, using a calculater when other people dont get to etc. (but meds or the temperary alternative treatments are acceptible.)

[QUOTE=kjl2691]I would suggest seeing a behavior therapist to see if there's any techniques you can implement to help.  i would also suggest exploring alternative therapies.  if your wallet can afford that. :)  Just don't give up.  There's an answer out there for you, you just haven't found it yet! [/QUOTE]

Unfortunately, there is no cure for ADHD, meaning that nothing will be permanent.  Whatever treatment a person undertakes and finds helpful, they will have to stick with that treatment forever or until it no longer works.

I don't take meds either.  They don't help me.  But I do go to therapy.  My therapist helps me to see what I'm doing and helps me implement small, but meaningful, changes to make my life better.  Granted, it may not be as significant as if I were taking meds, but I'll take any change over none at all.

Yes, some alternative therapies can be expensive but you don't know what will fit into your budget until you do some research. :)

You may need to alter your thinking in order to have greater success (ask that professor for extra time on the test).  It's not like you're asking for more time because you didn't study but because you just need the time to concentrate.  It doesn't mean you're stupid or anything.  But when you have ADHD, you ARE different.  Your brain doesn't function like other people so you have to find ways to maximize your success. 

and if you do get a professor to make accomodations, it's noone else's business but yours and theirs.  other students may complain but too bad.  The point is that you might need a little extra help and there's nothing wrong with getting it.

i know medication has to be taken forever (if it works) what i ment by permanent was effects of alternative therapys like nerofeedback. but other than meds there is no way to boost concentration that has decent research?  Also when medications say in clinical trials x percent of patients showed significant improvement, how do you find what they mean by significant? because the word significant is relative, what one person finds significant another might not consider worth the money. is there a way to find the average percent of improvement in concentration for medications?