Intro and 2 questions | ADHD Information
Hello. This is my 1st post here, so I'll introduce myself some...
I will be 25 soon, and I was diagnosed w/ ADD about 7 years ago. I never had a problem growing up, at least that anyone could tell. I was always very smart, so I would either do all my work very quickly when I got it or right before it was due...and I got A's. College was a different story, because I just didn't go to class... And I have challenges with work now.
I was on Ritalin for a while...stopped med's...then started back on Concerta about 1.5 years ago. I have been having problems lately, so my Dr switched me to Adderall a week ago...although I an thinking I don't like it. I was surprised he didn't suggest Straterra, as he always did in the past (I haven't tried that yet). These med's have helped, but I have been too up or too down from them (the Concerta was putting me in a walking coma the last month I took it).
So anyway, I am battling some things lately...and I am not sure what is the ADD, what is just my personality, or if there is something else going on in my brain. I have just been really frustrated & stressed lately, and they impact me negatively.
Question 1 - Are there any recommended books to read?
Question 2 - I am curious if anyone else has this go on, because I don't really know any1 w/ ADD and my Dr wasn't much help. I tend to get focused to the point of obsession then lose the interest at the same fast rate. But the trigger for me losing my focus is usually when I almost get overwhelmed by all the information I'm trying to wrap my brain around...like I am trying to learn too much at once, if that makes sense. But at that point, my brain almost shuts down. I go from being fine...to obsessing over something...to a mental shut down...to being somewhat 'normal' again, before it all repeats.. But the mental shut down concerns me, because that is what impacts my entire life the most-it usually causes some depression and apathy towards things I should focus on, like work and relationships. Does anyone else experience this? I just don't know how typical that is w/ ADD.
I will spend more time reading the forum posts as well.
Welcome to the board! #1: "Driven to Distraction" by Edward Hallowell is probably one of the most highly recommended books on ADD. Hallowell is a psychiatrist with ADD himself (so he know what he is talking about), and he has taught at Harvard med school. #2: YES! This happens to me a lot. I get to that overwhelmed, frustrated point and it feels like my brain just wants to jump out of my skull and run for the hills. It makes my job nearly unbearable. I am an assistant buyer, and my job is either extremely boring, or I get 5 emergency tasks all at once. My brain can't handle either. It doesn't impact my home life as much, but it still happens there. Sometimes if I am in a particularly spacey mood, and someone wants me to make a decision (like whether I want to go to a friend's house for dinner), my brain freezes and I blurt "I dunno... ask me later!".You are definitely not alone. I am not on meds (yet), as I am still awaiting formal diagnosis. I have an appointment with a psychiatrist on Thursday. I know exactly what your saying! This is my first Post also. I am in my 30's and I too probably had ADD all growing up..but was just your typical kid in the 70's and 80's that just made it through without diagnosing anything other than hyper Boy! I realized when I was trying to do college and tests for my job that I had a concentrating problem. I was tested etc.. and was put on zoloft to straterra to concerta to effexor and finally Aderall xr 30mg. The stimulant (adderal) seems to be the only thing that works. I've been on it for a year or so and I really do seem different. I am able to concentrate better and listen to people. I do lately feel like I have become immuned to the effects. But everything you said in your post is exactly what happens to me. I'm also wondering if there is something wrong with my noodle.
Sonya, my 1st thought when I read what you said is that doesn't really happen to me...but that is and isn't true.
I have different things that go on...on normal day to day things, I tend to be absent-minded or my brain is just everywhere that I am not, LoL. I have some OCD tendencies, but they mainly come thru when I am under stress or feeling out of control. (Any one get like that?) I tend to be strict with habits anyway, like every time I go to my psychologist, I park in the same spot, I sit in the same chair, my actions when I go back and sit are all the same...and I notice that I do them after a while..and I don't get stressed out if someone is in "my" parking spot, unless I am really stressed out already.
As far as 'major' projects or events in my life, that is usually where the obsession to shutdown impact me the most. For instance, I got an aquarium a while back...well, I went full throttle into reading, talking, and learnign everything I could about freshwater aquariums, fish, and plants. After ending up w/ about 10 tanks...LoL But even while I was learning, I was trying to cram so much info in my head...and I had no problem focusing on it initially...but after a while it got impossible for me to wrap my brain around concepts, almost like my brain was just tired of learning. And that happens with many things, and I just cannot think about anything at that point.
But the latter situation is the 1 that is causing me the most problem, because it impacts my entire life. I shouldn't be so focused on something like that while I should be focused on work, but I just can't seem to get my brain off my current 'obsession'...until my brain 'turns off'....then when I level back out, I can control it better...until another obsession comes along. But this is an increasing problem, and I do not want it to ruin my job performance or my personal relationships (the latter I already have a rough time keeping friends because I tend to forget about them, like I don't have a concept of time in my head, almost, LoL).
I have a boyfriend that has bipolar disorder, so learning about that was and has been a bit of an off and on obsession for me. That was the last thing that really overwelmed me, and in a big way...probably because it is so personal.
But I am wondering too then, like BP....does ADD have triggers in a way? Like certain things that cause the symptoms to act up more than normal? (If that makes sense?)
I think I know what you're saying. ADDers tend to have a lot of interests, and tend to "hop" around a lot. A little while ago I was extremely interested in becoming a veterinary asistant. I looked into courses and schools, costs, distance ed vs. classroom... this went on for weeks. I felt like I just HAD to do the course... but then just as quickly as I became obsessed with it, the passion fizzled out. I tossed all my brochures and felt I was sick of even just the words "veterinary assistant".This has happened with many things, from career choices to hobbies to favourite foods. I go through "phases", and just as quickly as I thought of something, it's gone and I don't care about it anymore. Some things, like hobbies and food, may come around again.
I guess it just has something to do with our constant need for stimulation. We want something "new", and then when it is not "new" anymore, it becomes boring.
bcgirl197838426.5275578704
It is frustrating, especially since my med's aren't helping me lately. I'm just hoping I can figure out what's changing...if it is the med's or personal things going on or something else...
It's hard to relate to people who don't have some kind of issues, because they just don't understand why we work the way we do. It's actually helped me w/ my boyfriend, since I probably understand the way his brain works better than even he does at times, LoL. But it does suck feeling guilty about something that is honestly beyond control at times...when everyone thinks it should be easy to do. And I think ADD is looked at by many as an excuse disorder and not a real one...and I used to as well, so it was hard to accept. (I still think it's over diagnosed though, doctors don't spend as much time as they should w/ diagnosing and treating the person these days. Ok, that was my little rant, lol)
bcgirl... Yeah, that is about right, LoL. I go crazy if I don't have something to 'think' about, and it is actually seeming to get worse as I get older. I can't even relax anymore. I've probably learned that keeping my mind busy is the best way to control my impulsive behavior (like buying so many aquariums...which I have sold some, but dread cleaning the rest...poor fish went from 5 star care to enough to live). But boredom ends up w/ me doing foolish things, that I later regret... Or if I don't feel "useful" when I am in shutdown mode, it drives me into deeper depression for that short time.
I'm just glad I am not alone in having these feelings and thoughts-not that I'd wish them on any1! I may know better, but at times it still feels like it's all my fault and I should be able to not be like this.
KUDOS to both of you for being able to remember and describe each and every detail as to exactly what happens in your brain when hit the "zone out" mode!!!
I'm so spaced out, that I would not be able to tell you WHAT goes on inside MY head when I'm trying to learns something.......all I know is that one minute I'm reading about, say, the biology of plant life and photosynthesis, or something, and the next minute I'm on the Enterprise ship with captain Pickard and he is talking to me with his sexy accent, and thenI'm wondering why Riker grew a beard, and eyeing Data cause he's so fine...and wondering if Warf thinks i'm a wuss, and just how Giordi Laforge's viser works...can he really see me????...and i hope he doesn't have some sort of x-ray vision, and if he is looking THROUGH my uniform!........and if Counselor Troi knows about the crush I have on Data......and then we go into Warp speed
!!!!!.....and then the next minute, biology class is over....And i realize I spent the whole class reliving the last episode of Next Generation... 
But I could not tell you, what happened, in my brain, or what went wrong, or exactly why I strayed and where.....all is know is mentally, I was not there.....and I don't know what the homework assignment is...
Edit: I used an example from High School, but yes, I still relive episodes of Deep space nine (imagining that I'm a fellow shapeshifter, shapeshifing with Odo) when I am supposed to be working...
argh... the muscle clenching, tear-jerking frustration is very typical. obsession to absolute shutdown, I hear ya.
I was diagnosed about 10 years ago (im 20 now). I stopped taking meds around 16 because they turned into amphetamine addictions, and going through withdrawal at 2pm everyday was not a cool plan in my books.
Having survived highschool, university is proving a very different battle. Adders can't handle time management!!!!!!!!!!!! Except those of us who have become more balanced. I am recently very unbalanced and am seeing a Dr later today because I need to change my lifestyle and chemical input or I WILL GO CRAZY AND FLUCNK OUT OF SCHOOL!!!! EEEK!!!!
Try seeing a nutritionist - helps a ton