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tweet by Johann Hari: The core of addiction is not wanting to be present in life, because pour life is too painful a place to be. This is why imposing more pain or punishment on a person with an addiction problem actually makes their addiction worse.
A lot of people are in denial about how often they engage in escapism. Whether it's alcohol, binge watching, reading, gaming, porn or their phone.
Personally I swapped drugs for podcasts, audiobooks, and audio dramas (shout out to BBC sounds). Helps drown out all the negative thoughts.
Not sure if that's a good idea either, tbh. But I'm still here, so maybe that's something.
Hope you're able to get in a better place so you feel less need to escape from life. Not happy, happiness is overrated. But just that you want to live, experience your life, and what happens next.
This is why ADHD is so hard to diagnose and treat in adults. You have found your coping mechanisms, it’s never about escapism or denial.
It took me a long time to realize I was doing exactly that, self-medicating for adhd. Even a small dose of proper medication has kept me off everything else. Too bad it cost hundreds of dollars and took months, once realized. Not to mention fighting the stigma of an addict
If you're taking Vyvanse, they just released a generic version that's much cheaper. You might have to ask your doctor to mark that a generic can be substituted.
I appreciate that! My adderall actually isn’t expensive, but it was 500 to be tested at my uni
A lot of doctors even are starting to recommend not medicating as that can disrupt your coping mechanisms and make your issues worse in some cases.
I feel like those doctors must not have much of a clue what having ADHD is like - my coping mechanisms keep me from killing myself, sure, but they do sweet fuck all to help me get my laundry done....
Consider replacing your washer with a fire pit. You’ll find dealing with your laundry less of a chore, because fire.
Yea, I’m with you, nah, I need my medication. At least a small dose. I only take 15mg a day anyway
But maybe not doing laundry as often is better than feeling like an emotionless zombie… medication affects people differently. Maybe “just” coping and surviving is better than being “normal” and productive for some people.
That trope needs to die. Medication doesn't make me feel like a zombie at all. Not even a little bit. I'd happily take more of my liver could deal with it.
Your experience does not equate to all people. Lots of people have very serious side effects.
It's called being on the wrong meds, yes I've dealt with it and finding your medication for the myriad of ways ADHD effects brain chemistry is fucking terrible but finding the correct med and dosage is not gonna zombify you it's gonna feel like a you just had the best night of sleep and can finally just do something without fighting yourself.
And some people will never find that right med and need to deal with a myriad of side effects.
Your experience isn’t what others experience.
Yep so the doctor would recommend a service to do your laundry, leaves you more “me time” to handle the stress. Taking medication has side effects as well, very few of them are fun. My kid hasn’t gained a pound in a year since starting his medication. Sure it helps him focus, but he’s now falling behind on his growth and has trouble sleeping through the night. You’re trading problems for other problems. Medication is not some magic fix all, that’s pure ignorance.
It’s funny that you think a doctor knows less than you…….
A lot of doctors disagree with other doctors. Lots of them straight up don't believe in ADHD, or adult ADHD in particular. Hell yes I believe I know more than some random random doctor about my own personal experiences, especially if the doctor refuses to acknowledge established medical science.
Like you are now with giving people side effects instead of working with them?
The established medical science is to try to figure out why the person needs to cope more or need medicine, most symptoms of ADHD can actually be resolved by dealing with issues at home, better diet, more accommodations. Forcing other peoples ideas of what normal is and medicating someone until they fit it, isn’t what any doctor recommends.
Unless they care more about money from prescriptions than actually helping someone and dealing with the root causes.
Now not everyone can have their home life improved and would require medicine, but that’s not saying that things couldn’t also be better without medicine.
Sounds like you need to do some research and get more than one doctors opinion here.
I've seen numerous doctors about my ADHD as well as a counselor who specializes in ADHD. The root cause is my fucking brain doesn't work right. I don't have ADHD from a messed up home life or whatever you're imagining.
And how am I giving people side effects? I'm a fucking patient. Take your condescending bullshit somewhere else.
Adhd is congenital it doesn’t come from home issues, but resolving home issues would make someone not need to cope. People just need to be loved instead of pushed away for their disorder.
I’m sorry your doctors haven’t explained this to you yet apparently. Not everyone can resolve home issues and is why medication is still an option.
Straight up no, I need fucking dopamine so my brain can function. Sure home issues can EXACERBATE ones struggles but they are not a root cause. ADHD is a spectrum, and sure some may not have it to the same extent where adjusting one's home life can reduce their struggles to the point where it no longer impacts their day to day, but that does not mean it's a one stop solution for ADHD. In many cases, getting to a baseline where you can function REQUIRES medication. The fact you do not understand this shows your complete lack of understanding when it comes to ADHD, for your kids sake I really hope you decide to learn more about it or your gonna fuck that kid up by not allowing them to be properly prepared for their future. Ffs talk about complete ignorance thinking ADHD is solvable with a loving home.
Yeah that’s issue, your loving family isn’t giving you your dopamine replacement so you require meds.
You can absolutely fix someone’s home life so they don’t need to be medicated, but not everyone’s parents or family want to help them with that.
You don’t ever need dopamine, there replacements and other stuff to get that high.
Your ignorance is why there’s the stigmata that people need help are drug addicts.
I’ve shown I understand the nuances of ADHD quite well, I am sorry that you’re hearing stuff that you don’t want to hear, you’re also showing symptoms with your stubbornness and lack of wanting to understand.
And yes adhd can be resolved with a loving home, im sorry you’ve been lied to by your family or doctor since they didn’t want to help. Maybe find a doctor who’s been using evidence and methods that aren’t outdated and proven ineffective.
Ok Gwyneth Paltrow.
https://www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/non-drug-treatments-for-adult-adhd
Maybe do some research and learn something instead of perpetuating that everyone needs drugs.
You’re using the excuses abusers use to justify continuing to abuse it. You’re nothing but a druggie.
If you are hav¬ing trouble with everyday functioning because of ADHD, then trying drug treatment makes sense. If the impact of ADHD is minor and you've figured out coping strategies without a formal diagnosis and treatment plan, your doctor may instead advise treatments that don't involve medications
Anyone who thinks they need drugs to function are abusers and I feel sorry for their friends and family that have to suffer by putting up with it.
We “gwyneth paltrow”s may actually know something here, if you put the drugs down so the rest of us can have the medication.
Fuck you, asshole.
Was more than willing to have a discussion until you went off the rails.
I’m sorry you’ve been lied to by your doctors, but there is other methods, and lying about it to others won’t help them.
Please stop the spread of misinformation.
What does that got to do with your doctors refusing to listen to newer techniques that have long disproven the older methods outdated?
If you think someone needs to be medicated to function, I feel sorry for wherever you live, since that attitude just leads to opioid issues. Proven over and over.
Maybe listen to the newfound information, you may learn something that would actually help you.
Your a fucking idiot and your gonna fuck up your kids development with this attitude, fuck I feel bad for them 😔
Is Harvard a good enough source for you…?
If you are hav¬ing trouble with everyday functioning because of ADHD, then trying drug treatment makes sense. If the impact of ADHD is minor and you've figured out coping strategies without a formal diagnosis and treatment plan, your doctor may instead advise treatments that don't involve medications
https://www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/non-drug-treatments-for-adult-adhd
There’s hundreds more sources that all say the same thing from this newer information…..
But hey, let’s listen to the druggie lmfao. It even mentions what I described about it disturbing already established coping mechanisms…. Would you fucking look at that…….
Says the one with grammar mistakes lmfao.
It’s funny that people say that someone has an attitude when they are only explaining that there has been newer information that doctors have been using.
I feel sorry for your doctors are following proven outdated methods that lead to opioid issues. Most of the people responding to me are proving that stigma. They are all “I need my drugs to function” and “it’s caused by my bad home”.
Both of those statements are factual incorrect and are used by abusers to justify their “need”.
But yea I’m fucking my kid up by not wanting to drug him for life lmfao. That’s an interesting perspective and I feel sorry for your friends and family that have to suffer putting up with a medicine abuser.
I understand what you mean, but some people's lives are very shitty, so I feel it's a stretch to say it's never escapism, even among those who have ADHD.
Fair I shouldn’t be so absolute, but taking away those coping mechanisms and replacing them with medication or other things can make it worse. Some people just need more “escapes” than others.
Escaping adhd-er here and present! Except not too present.
I just want to add a plus one for audio dramas, if which the BBC has some great ones, especially some old horror series. Sure, it’s not exactly a replacement, but every little bit helps. I’ve been clean of anything not proscribed for about six months!
Yeah.
One of the huge advantages for me is that, unlike tv/movies/gaming, you're not exposing yourself to light from a screen.
That means you can distract yourself, but there's also a relatively high chance you actually fall asleep. Light from a screen really messes up your sleep schedule.
IME also better than trying to sleep, and negative thoughts keeping you awake in the dark.
That’s such a good point overall. Something to focus on without additional unnecessary distractions.