How do you know what is a problem??

[Anonymous]

I just wanna say it is really hard for me to explain my ideas,especially when I’m writing so keep that in mind.

How do you know what you need help with? I dont understand how people know when medication is working or not. I mean I am on it and I notice a difference in being able to start tasks and finish them easier but like how do you know if medication is right for you?

People say i feel frustrated on it and off it and if I have to think about myself I have no Idea because well, I have nothing to compare it too i guess. Like I dont know what is more effective for me when I’m in school having medication or not because school friends basically life has always been hard i guess (even I didn’t realize it was hard for me because I have nothing to compare it with thats just how life is) and now being diagnosed with ADHD I’m supposed to realize oh its this disability so I can get the right tools n stuff but how do i know what tools to use. like medication (what I was talking about earlier) you have to cope with different things. Maybe I’m just upset right now and in a downer sort of mood but like how am I supposed to know what “normal” is if i never was “normal” is.

The only reason I am posting this with so many mistakes is because If I try to check it over and fix it looks normal and people reading it will get it I will get all upset and decide not to post it because it isn’t good enough so please try to understand.

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[kc5jck]

I know what you mean. I’m 59 and recently found out I have had ADHD all my like. I have functioned well so far in most areas.

So now I’m not normal and these pills are supposed to change that? How will I know if they are working?

I’ve got 30 10mg Adderall pills. If I am going to do something that I normally have difficulty with or think I might be able to do better or notice a difference, I’ll try a pill. Things like a week’s worth of bookkeeping, organizing files, or driving a long distance. I have taken maybe ten pills (totasl, on different occasions, not all at once) and can’t say that I notice any difference. I will probably try double the dose to see if that works. If not, I’ll forget about meds and work a little harder with other methods of compensating.

Although I don’t think I’ve tried it with reading. I’ll try that next. Thanks for the suggestion. Your welcome.

Good luck. Let us know how it goes and what you find.

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[munchkin]

No worries about the post – I had no problem understanding it, and it’s much better to get it up there than over-analyze and talk yourself out of posting at all – been there, done that

I feel the same way – I have no idea what “normal” is, but I do know what other people complain about, and what things I have wanted to accomplish, but couldn’t. The more I read about other ADD people’s experiences, the more I can see “what’s me, and what’s the ADD.”

I know the medication I’m on (Concerta) is having a positive effect, but there are side effects. I can live with the side effects if I have to, but what if another med would be better? I am going to stay the course for awhile, but I kind of have it in the back of my mind to try Adderall at some point just to see how it is.

For me – ANY improvement is life changing! So, I would probably settle for something that is barely working for a long time before I would even think of switching. (Imagine if another med would work ten times better?!!)

Still – it’s been my experience that if you start jumping from one med to another too quickly, you can’t tell what is the med, what is the withdrawal, and whether you even took it long enough to really help!

I’m settling down, and preparing myself that this is going to be a long process… on the good side – I just sent 10 bags of old clothes to Goodwill – something that would have been absolute torture before – this time it was just a normal chore – no drama!!!!

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[Anonymous]

glad that you can kind of get my point I have an easier time having a conversation than writing , but I think that is because I have a Learning Disability, I mean I know I have one I just dont really know what it is and because I got diagnosed at 17 the testing or something was inaccurte cause like i have coaping mechanisms and the questions the testing asks are not …. hard enough to show my LD I dunno just glad for feedback

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[Anonymous]

it is difficult to know what the problem is. Im 60 and have known I was bad at understanding people .. what did they want or assume i knew , i interupt, and often panic and have a meltdown, not rage so much as deep fear .. so it turns out to be mainly ADHD … so maybe it s not me that was strange and needed to try harder.. the meds ahh i wish the drugs were doing something, but the

Wellbutrin and Straterra, after 2-3 month no feeling that anything is happening … maybe a bit less frantic ..but still prone to freaking out.

Not really clear on what to do next .. … good luck

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[Anonymous]

I think that the longer adhd goes untreated the more it can affect how we approach understanding people, and that affects our problem solving in how we talk to people. like adhd does affect how we understand people but it also affects how we think of ourselves? haha anyway in girls i know adhd presents itself way different than guys and so what we think isnt adhd (or affected by it) probably is. I watched this and it totally helps for me http://totallyadd.com/webinar-12-adhd-women

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[Anonymous]

especially since I feel like my biggest difficulty with adhd is actually accepting that I have it!

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[Anonymous]

I get swamped trying to remember to watch what is going on and trying to be ready to pause if stuff gets out of hand, to try to notice

if i’m going to panic .. maybe with years of practice but it feels like too little too late, and what is left that isnt lost .. cant be morose.

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[Anonymous]

Ya I understand what you mean … the way I look at it (my problems with social conduct and such) is that ya this is going to be difficult, it isnt gonna be a easy fix for sure, but not to blame myself everytime I act ADHD and people think I’m weird, I realise that it isnt my fault and what I can control is how I think of the situation. I can learn from my mistakes and with ADHD there is going to be a lot but thats okay becuase that is who I am and if it takes me a while it does, the only thing that matters is I haven’t given up and I’m looking to others and myself and this website for help … I dont know if that is all what you were expecting ahaha but I guess it was just something I had to say

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[Anonymous]

Sounds good .. some days i am more up beat, but yeah it s going to take time, not good at waiting … < laughs > good luck also

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[billd]

>>especially since I feel like my biggest difficulty with adhd is actually accepting that I have it! <<

THAT is normal! It happens with all sorts of things, not just ADHD. It’s part of the normal human process. Acceptance. Many go through a disbelief, then an anger, sadness, all sorts of things – and you need to go through it all, then accept it, and move on DECIDING to do something about it. And it’s a decision you have to make. It’s a choice – decision. Make that decision, stick with it.

Social conduct? LOL – that’s where I get into my most trouble Not that I’m not normally an ornery person anyway – my brothers and I are all fun-loving and can be quite “bold” and honest………. and I think even without ADHD – I’d have some of that. But with me, I’ve got it so bad I tick people off almost daily, seriously. I get them from miffed to so mad they want to kick my butt out onto the street. (I have trouble with being TOO honest at times)

>>For me – ANY improvement is life changing! So, I would probably settle for something that is barely working for a long time before I would even think of switching. (Imagine if another med would work ten times better?!!)<<

Yeah, I’m just starting that journey. I think there’s improvements going on already and I’ve just begun. Part is meds, then I’m trying to pick up where they leave off…………. however, the meds are not having much impact now a few weeks into it.

>>Still – it’s been my experience that if you start jumping from one med to another too quickly, you can’t tell what is the med, what is the withdrawal, and whether you even took it long enough to really help!<<

That’s what the docs and I have to work with now…………. I’m VERY VERY VERY impatient – I want it all and I want it now, so that’s going to be an issue. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gfLD-7bCtME

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