How did/do you self medicate?

[Amy]

When I was in college and for a while afterwards, it was alcohol. Now it’s just coffee.

Amy

http://acatwithadhd.com

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[trashman]

It used to be, pot beer loud music, partying. now its just coffee and food. when I grow up maybe I will just be able to be normal! whatever that is. sweet,sweets I love them.lol

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[Patte Rosebank]

It’s strange, but I’ve NEVER liked alcohol. Even the smell of booze (especially beer or wine) turns my stomach, and I hate the “burn” of the alcohol.

The one exception is Bailey’s, but it’s the sweetness and creaminess that I like. I have to add plenty of ice and cream to it—or just add a spoonful of Bailey’s to a cup of coffee—so I can’t feel or taste the alcohol in it at all.

Maybe my body has some sort of natural intolerance to alcohol. Or maybe I’ve seen people so out of control by booze that it terrifies me to think I might get that way too.

As for tobacco, I’ve never had even one puff, because I find the whole idea of it revolting.  I’ve never tried any illegal drug, because I find the whole idea of dizziness and losing control (and having god-knows-what in your system) terrifying.

That fear of loss of control & dizziness means that I’m one of the few people who freaks out on laughing gas!

And I hate loud music and partying, because they’re sources of major sensory overwhelm.

Sweets, on the other hand…

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[Scattybird]

Wow Larynxa – that’s a serious amount of self control. I’m guessing that impulsivity isn’t one of your core symptoms. Sadly I have too many WTF moments although Ritalin has largely knocked those on the head.

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[jojosephine]

Wow.

It is crazy now to think that all these years I was self medicating. I just thought I was going through my party experimental phase. so of course:

cigarettes-finally quit for good. I had quit on and off for years. but the longest I was off was in my pregnancies. but finally for good the physical addiction is gone.

I don’t drink alcohol anymore because over the last few years it really brought out my obnoxiousness and anger plus I can’t handle the hangover any more.

coffee

marijuana-this was the most acceptable (even though illegal), most effective form of self medication. I would take one hitters through the day. It made mundane tasks tolerable. stabilized my mood. and gave me a sense of peace and love towards the world and people. However, it made some of my symptoms of ADHD worse. I was really forgetful and if i took too much I ate everything in the house, I would have an anxiety attack, and become sooo tired.

food (yes mainly carbs)-I loved smoking weed and eating a gigantic bowl of cereal.

hyperfocus on an activity or subject that really interests me-making something or researching. (just noticed this as a form of self-medication)

in my 20’s I did ecstasy. Going to dance parties-not on a daily basis (weekend a few times per month). I loved the way I felt-but I guess everyone does (I wonder how it affects the ADD mind versus a normal mind). I always thought it affected me different. I didn’t just want to lay around and cuddle and touch and have sex like everyone else. It was the furthest thing on my mind. I would dance the whole entire night (like 8 hrs straight) that was so much fun. I had never tried it out side of the dance party scene (probably a good thing because I probably would have been able to function better in life and would have become dependent on it). I would never take enough to look weird like some people at parties. (Eyes rolling back or sketchiness) etc.. I eventually stopped because one day at an after  party which usually started at 6 in the morning. usually lounging time. and everyone was coming down. I saw what years of this life did to people. People missing teeth, horrible skin, sketched out personalities. It scared me. I have craved that feeling though over the years of course getting less and less with age.

Cocaine-wow. I tried this a couple of times and absolutely loooooved it. I stopped when I was scheming on how I can steal this from the person that supplied it to me. I immediately never tried it again because I knew I would become an addict.

 

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[blackdog]

This is one of the things that always perplexed me and made me wonder if I really have ADD. I heard about how people self medicate when they aren’t treated, but I never smoked and never used drugs. I did drink occasionally but only when I went out to a bar, rarely at home.

So I always thought I didn’t self medicate. But lately I have realized that I do.

When I was in high school I guzzled Coke by the gallon. And I had a habit of taking Tylenol 1, even when I didn’t really have a headache. And there were a couple of OTC cold medications that I really liked because they gave me a “high”.

Food is a big one too. I am always looking for a “treat” of some kind. Sometimes it’s something healthy, like sushi. Other times it’s a sweet or a fancy coffee.When I was in college I practically lived on chocolate bars and Coke, as well as other sweet treats.

I also use “retail therapy” a lot. I can’t go to the dollar store to buy something that I need and not walk out with a new bracelet, or hair clip, or decoration, or bouncy ball…..and of course a chocolate bar, pack of gum, bag of pretzels, Kinder Egg…

And vending machines. I don’t know what it is about vending machines but I rarely walk by one without at least looking to see what’s in it. I think it started when I was little and Mom would give me some change to go get a gum ball or a little toy while she was waiting in line at the check out. It made me happy then so it still does now.

But the number one self medication for me has to be daydreaming/fantasy. I started creating characters and stories in my head when I was very young to amuse and comfort myself. And I would imagine myself into movies and books, creating whole new story lines around my character.The self I imagined was of course pretty, smart, talented, and above all, popular.

I still do this from time to time but not nearly as much now. And I am trying to focus that creative energy outward and use it more productively by actually writing stories. Nothing much yet, but I am hoping to have enough time to focus and get something done that I might actually be able to send to a publisher some day.

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[Rick Green – Founder of TotallyADD]

There’s several here that I identify with. Carbs for many years. And food. Luckily a fast metabolism kept me from ballooning up.

Workaholic and adrenaline for sure. At one point I was writing two different TV series, and appearing in both, and directing one of them.

I used overwhelm and the anxiety that resulted from too much on my plate to drive me forward.

I do that far less often, but still way too often. The Procrastination Webinars, called Start Now, that we did with Dr. Ari Tuckman really clarified the cost of that strategy.

Never got into smoking anything legal or otherwise, despite two parents who smoked. Avoided alcohol because as a kid I heard it killed brain cells. And watching high school friends show up to class in the morning already hammered confirmed it for me.

I would have been a shopaholic if I had the money. And a sex-a-holic if I would have had more charm. Or the money. (Badda boom!)

The other big one for me? Caffeine. Even now. Just way, way, less.

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