When things finally start to get better | ADHD Information

I know what you mean. Looking back - I sure did some stupid things. I'm on Ritalin now and sure glad that I am. On it I think about how I would use people and take many things for granted. I was such a prick before. I have some very good friends, but for the most part - many people think i'm an out of control prick.

My fourth day on Ritalin, I called my ex and we spoke for a few hours about nothing. I was calm and just listened most of the time. She sure is a cool girl. I wish I had of seen this before.

I even called my mom to say that I love her so much. I sure love this happy feeling and hope that I never return to the way I was. I was heading down-hill fast. It's amazing how a medication can change a person.

I even finished a website that i've been working on for months yesturday! I'm so happy that everything seems to be in focus. I was a little scared on the meds the other night. But hey, I can't help it if I have this. It's just the hand I was help with. If meds do the trick to bring out the better person in me, then so be it!!

not sure38442.9289467593

 

I've been trying to deal with my add symptoms for a while now and my situation is improving a little - at least, I can cope with life better now and I'm starting to have a little more success. 

Now, I look at some of the things I did when my add was completely out of control and I can see that some of the things that I did were really ridiculous. 

In addition to burned bridges and wasted time, there's also a lot of embarassment for me.

I'm sure I still have some of the symptoms but I used to be so extreme ...  It's weird looking back.

Yeah, Yellowdog! Now, are you coping with or without meds? Either way, it's encouraging when we hear a story about seeing as clearly as you seem to be.

 

For me, medication has been part of the solution but not the whole solution.  I also went to counseling for half a year and have put together some other strategies for myself. 

In my case, I don't take medication every day.  When I'm not taking it, and even when I am, I also rely on other strategies I've learned. 

The counseling helped me to get over some past hurts and to think about future choices.  I feel that even if add symptoms come up, there are a lot of different ways I could choose to deal with them ... and, much of the time, i had been making some pretty deflating choices.

The medicine, for me, immediately made things focused and easier but didn't cure all of my problems.  I think it will take years to completely dig out of the hole - and, some things can probably never be fixed. 

For me, each step along the way has had snags and complications - it's been hard.

However, after spending many months trying to work with this problem, things are finally improving a little. 

I have reached a point where I'm embarassed by some of the things I used to do - I guess it's a sign of growth.  Maybe, a year from now, I'll be saying that about something i'm doing now ... who knows ...

At this point, I think I will actually try to fix some things from the past - to the extent I can - but also try to keep my focus on the present time and the future. 

[QUOTE=kristen]Notsure I am in the same boat. The most frequent comment I get is that I am incredibly genuine now. My view on life has changed hugely as have my morals. I live life with love and no regrets.[/QUOTE]

Kristen, as I reading the posts I get to yours and it just struck so true with me.  You mentioned "geniune" and for so long (I guess forever) I've heard this little voice inside saying, "this isn't you" and I kinda feel like I'm faking life if that makes any sense.  It must be a tremendous feeling:)

 

Thanks everyone for the kind words.

 

Kristen: I know what you mean about morals. I didn’t understand the word until now.

 

It’s amazing how “awakened” I am about my surroundings and the way I acted before. I can now look back and realize why every relationship that I ever had failed. On Ritalin, it’s the real me: calm, focused and wanting to do something with my life. And now I know I can do anything I want to.

 

At work, my boss has it in his head that people need to work 12-14 hours a day or they are not working hard. Before, I would put up with it not wanting to lose my job. Today, I just left after 9 hours and said: “I’m a hard worker and there is more to life.” I was really calm when I said it and he agreed.

 

Last week before the meds, I would have freaked out yelling “I can’t handle this!” Instead I was mature and very calm about the situation and dealt with it head on. I happy now and I need a perfect balance.

 

I really wish they had of diagnosed me in high school. Who knows where I would be now. I feel like I wasted all those years. I did go to College and finished, but it took me tow extra years. Unfortunately, I took out students loans and those two extra years mean I have to pay back over ,000.

 

Feeling like I do now and judging how I performed at work this week, I would have excelled. People really need to wake up to the fact that ADD is real and it wrecks so many lives.

 

I’m also trying to figure out the right dosage of Ritalin. The doc gave me 20mg of Ritalin once a day. I feel kind of medicated when I first take it in the morning – but after a few hours or so, that feeling is gone and it’s a very happy, calm feeling. I do notice though that around 3:00 it’s start to wear off.

 

So today I took another pill at 3:00 and felt that the dosage was way to strong. I’m thinking I’ll just try a 20 mg in the morning and a 5-10mg at 3:00. That should work. I’ll know for sure tomorrow and let you guys know.

Notsure I am in the same boat. The most frequent comment I get is that I am incredibly genuine now. My view on life has changed hugely as have my morals. I live life with love and no regrets.

It's great to hear what a success your meds have been to all of you.  I love so much what has happened for me, that I just want to tell everyone.  I think ADD is so much more common than people realize, and it makes me wish that everyone could feel this good.

For Not sure, it sounds like your changes are so dramatic... maybe you can rebuild things with your ex.  She has to be amazed by your progress! If you continue on this path, people will eventually believe your changes and there's always hope to repair the relationships that you've lost.