I'd like to start a discussion about relying on chemicals to treat the brain vs also using therapy/strategies (alone or with a professional) to treat the mind.

    My specific case is as someone who started taking Adderall XR and had a few realizations. I love this drug, it helps me a lot. It really helps combat the symptoms of ADD. But I noticed it does nothing for helping a lifetime of habits associated with not being able to think the way that's been expected of me.
    I keep reading posts by people who lament the effects being great at first but not sticking. I know this has to do with tolerance and body changes, but there is another issue. If you keep living your life the same way you always have, things won't change as much, even with a wonder drug. Sure you'll file three years worth of back taxes, clean your garage for the first time in ten years and finally get a sound financial plan... but when that initial rush wears off, you don't really know how to live the life of someone who can focus.
    I wonder if people are getting enough therapy. I do an extensive amount of journaling in the mornings, after I take my first pill. So many things have come to light for me. I've realized that just because I can now focus and achieve goals, doesn't mean that I ever learned how.
    I'm having to teach myself all these new skills. I'm actually becoming a different person and that person can't function under the old person's lifestyle. I always had tricks to manage my money (that didn't work), now I'm really getting things under control. The old style of doing things just doesn't fit anymore.

    Please, if anyone has come to these realizations and would like to share a little frustration and discovery, please reply. This is primarily targeted at adults and young adults. Elementary level kids have different lifestyles and also different metabolisms. But for the record it would be extremely interesting if a parent of an AD/HD child has encountered these same issues.

As of now, I am not in therapy, but have been on Adderall XR for about 40 days.  I remember the first few days and thinking that I could only take this med. 2 days a month and on those 2 days I would clean the house, manage my finances, and take care of adult responsibilities.  Shortly after I started, I noticed that the med. no longer makes me want to do my adult responsibilities (at least not as motivated as I was the first couple of days). 

As soon as I’m eligible, I intend to get into therapy or maybe hire an adult ADHD coach.  I have made TONS of changes that I hope I can stick to.  I got Quicken and scheduled all my bills (set up online banking), updated, and (thus far), maintained my palm organizer.  I’m an aspiring geek, so I hope these little technology tools will keep my interest.  The tools are all set up now—just gotta keep up with it. 

I now wear a watch with an hourly alarm and have a program on my PC to chime every 30 min (a different sound on the hour and at the 30 min. mark).  I’ve always had problems with losing track of time and these chimes really help!!  In fact—I think time mgmt. is one of my biggest problems.

Now that I’m finally employed full-time, there is more structure to my weekdays-structure is a big help. 

I’ve read delivered from distraction, women with add, you mean I’m not lazy/s/c, driven to distraction, the one about farmers vs. hunters and another one I can’t think of, plus a few money mgmt books, and the sort-of cheesy Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway.  Educating myself was key.  There are alot of tips available--i took what I could use.

After only a short time on meds, I know I can’t rely on them to get me where I should be in life.  But I’ve made much more progress while on them than when I wasn’t.

Super long post (again)—sorry!!

After many years of resisting taking medications for ADD, I started taking Adderall a week ago, 10 mg twice a day. It has not improved my concentration or alleviated much of the ADD symptoms. The reason I started taking it is that I couldn’t handle my ADD on my own anymore. I am 34 now, highly educated and have a steady excellent employment. But all of that came at a very high cost of effort, patience, frustration and sacrifice. Eventually, all that translated into mild depression and heavy drinking. Also, I noticed through out my life that there is a limit to my achievements that I couldn’t go beyond because I am too overwhelmed, impulsive, and indecisive for the many things that are going on at the same time in my mind.

While Adderall did not help with my concentration and make me attend to the task at hand more than I am used to, I noticed that I am more in control. Over the years I developed many self learned strategies to deal with my ADD but I was not in total control. I always forced myself to meet the deadlines with too much pain. I prioritized the important things in my life that are untouchable, mainly education and work, and that made me overlook everything else, especially myself. What I noticed over the past week is that I am more decisive and I care about myself more than I used to. I find that very interesting.

I think that I am not noticing the effect of Adderall on my concentration because I already trained myself to concentrate when needed and keep working on something and to never give up easily.

Invisiblemonki noticed an ability to drop things that are just impractical or unimportant.  Thanks for mentioning that!  I’ve been able to do that too, just didn’t realize it!.  Not only when I’m dilly-dallying, but even when I feel like someone has slighted me, I am able to move on.  I still do not ‘get over it’ but I am able to postpone the discussion.

Struggle said, “I care about myself more than I used to.”  Ditto!  I feel more hopeful now than I can ever recall.  I still don’t know if it’s the meds or all the other stuff, but the little successes (I’m really trying to notice them) are very encouraging.

One thing I totally attribute to the medication is a huge decrease in unconscious leg bouncing/gum chomping/(unnecessary)pen and mouse clicking and general noise making and fidgety-ness.    

PS—so far I’ve kept up with my Quicken bill paying schedule and new financial ‘plan,’  The Palm Pilot is still current.  Little successes right?  (50+ days and no late fees or service disconnects--whoo hoo!)

After many years of resisting taking medications for ADD, I started taking Adderall a week ago, 10 mg twice a day. It has not improved my concentration or alleviated much of the ADD symptoms.[/QUOTE]

Keep in mind that 10mg is a pretty low dose.  And though you may notice it doing 'something' it may not be enough..  I would guess that many on adderall are on more than 10 mg.  20mg is good for me.  More than that and the side effects become too strong.  (I have side effects with 20, but they are managable; dry mouth, slight lack of appetite.)  More thatn 20mg aand I am clenching my jaw all day and that sucks!  Talk to your doc and maybe try a higher dose.  Or maybe try ritalin, as it's a completely different type of stimulant.

Evvy;

Thank you very much for your advice. In fact, I tried a 20 mg generic yesterday morning. It made my ADD worse, I just couldn't keep my thoughts together. It was really bad. Toward the evening hours, my body and brain kind off calmed down and I was able to concentrate better and finish my work. I find that interesting. What is the difference between retalin and adderal. I am really bad about keeping up with medication and I can't accept the fact that I have to take medications to be normal. I thought it takes a lot of courage to handle ADD without medication, now I see that it takes a lot of courage to try medications. I just want to be normal like everybody else, I just want to have one single day without ADD to see how other people live and go around their business. The problem with controling ADD without medication is that eventually it becomes very depleting and exhausting because you have to keep reminding yourself not to be impulsive, to think before you talk, to hold on to something you just heard or seen because it is important and your mind may not be there when that important thing comes out. If you can imagine chasing your mind to have it guide you? How can we chase our minds when they are flying away all the time and when they do, we don't have minds to help us find our minds. That does not make sense, but that is my point. To put it in better words, every minute of the day I am always working hard on controling my mind in order for me to do the things I am supposed to be doing when in reality my mind should be directing me into doing the things I am supposed to be doing. Anybody has any thoughts about that?

Lol, well I just woke up and it's too early for me to get deep!

But I can tell you that both my doctor and my therapist have told me that they generally find that, as far as stimulants go, that for most  people either Adderal works or Ritilan.  For some it's one and for some it's the other..  And some can't tolerate any kind of stimulant...  For some it's a combo of stims and other meds like wellbutrin.  If you decide to medicate, it may take a long time to find the right dosage or cocktail for you. 

As far as the difference between the stims; Adderall is a mix of four different amphetamines, whereas Ritilan is Methylphenidate.  Two completely different stimulants that one may react completely differently to.

I'm sorry to hear that you had a negative experience on your very first med.  I'd advise trying to find a doc that treats many ADD patients as he/she will have lots of knowledge on different treatment options.

I understand how you feel struggle. I was diagnosed a year ago and ever since then, I've been frustrated and trying to come to terms with the fact that my chance at happiness and living a normal life is at the mercy of a pill. Even finding the right pill is a battle. I am still trying to cope and help myself adjust, but my mind just doesn't work with me and it gets tiresome.

I also feel angry that I didn't see this before, almost like I blame myself that I wasn't educated about adhd when I was younger. Now i've got a long history of poor academic performance, and a lot of catching up to do in college.

Sorry, sometimes ya gotta vent...