The lighter side of ADHD
Isn't it strange that we have a government-ran education system that seems to identify those with significant potential for social change/upheaval and then manages to turn them into aimless mental health cases without the necessary learned skills such as how to study, how to overcome challenge, etc? Surely that couldn't be by design to maintain the status quo and weed out or disenfranchise potential challengers to it before said challengers had a chance to inspire action, could it?
Honestly, I don't think your thinking is correctly placed.
I do not think people with ADHD or other neurodivergencies are by design thought of, in first hand, as opposition Opposition that will be oppressors of the system. If anything, it's a second hand thought. Of course the surpressed will attempt to revolt on a personal or collective plane sooner or later. But really, I don't think people with ADHD are pre-identified as rebels by the system. I think it's more historicallly sensible that people with ADHD are just trouble inside school. They ask too much and remembers too little. It doesn't fit the practice of teaching. That's it.
Serious questions. If I think this is me, is there any benefit to getting an official diagnosis? And if so, what’s the best/least scammy way to go about it?
Maybe some type of med would improve your quality of life, and they are only available over the counter to folks with diagnosis+prescription. Having a diagnosis might give you a mental framework to to 'get to work' on improving the least fun things about it :) , like self help tips n tricks, or maybe working with a psychologist to see what might help you the most.
I will point out that, in the US at least, an official diagnosis isn't required to get those meds. It's just a lot easier to be prescribed them with it. I'm not officially diagnosed but I do see a psychiatrist who was willing to try them with no prompting from me.
Ultimately though they didn't work out because of the impact on my blood pressure, I'm on non-scheduled ADHD meds now that have made a huge difference.
What non-scheduled meds, if you don't mind me asking? I've tried a few supplements, but no luck yet.
It opens up options that your future self may want/need. There are many potential barriers to treatment, you really don't want to deal with these when you actually need to rely on those services.
Advice depends on location, some systems are harsh. Try to find groups in your area. You will be responsible for your outcome. Health professionals provide guidance and facilitate treatment. Medications can make things easier and enable more reliable behavior, but can be quite user-specific. Professional guidance highly advised.
Try reading this. It's dense, but extremely informative. https://annas-archive.org/* md5/1a4afb16e9cd8cd7799697ad09c4d08a
For me it was hiding my emotions while dying of anxiety inside. I thought it was normal for people to have multiple streams of thought at once and to wake up with your mind immediately racing til bed. I did it though, college, kids, house, corporate IT career, until I couldn't handle the grind of daily life and burned out hardcore, several times. Also drank excessively for 20 years.
Thankfully, you can get treated for depression and anxiety for decades, then spend thousands of dollars to get an official ADHD diagnosis, maybe. And the stimulants make my anxiety and depression so much better, and they are super easy to get. Also, no one will question if you really have ADHD, support all the way. Then, back to the grind which you'll run right into with a smile everyday. I love it! It's the best!
I'll be honest this makes me feel so much less alone. I should have completed my engineering degree by now, but honestly not blaming COVID itself but the situations around it and the isolation among other things sent me down a never ending spiral to the bottom. I come to learn I barely holding on by a thread most of my life and it started to unravel at 21-22. Getting ADHD takes forever in the UK, I just hope I can survive or find something to hold me up until that. I went from potential family top earner to a lost loser who is anxious when seeing people nowadays.
Sooo.. where do we go after stage 3? The meds just make me nap a lot :(
Work with a therapist to improve coping strategies and improve your sleep hygiene. If the meds are making you nap, chances are it's because they're allowing you to relax enough to actually rest. Developing habits that help you to sleep better may help (I'm pretty terribad at it myself).
Unmedicated, unemployed, and homeless. Like me.
living out in the woods, getting dirt on your hands, and learning to work well with feelings again.
try different meds or take them at a different time of day, many people experience a "crash" when stimulance like adderall or medikinet where off.
I take part of my meds in the afternoon (unless i forget it again...) because that way they where off closer to bed time.
The funniest part is I had the diagnosis as a kid but no one did anything about it. They were just trying to figure out what was wrong with me. I got rediagnosed as an adult and got on medication.
I guess knowing about it meant I didn't have to spend years trying to figure out why I was considered gifted but couldn't get shit done.
I got told because I was good as a kid I couldn't have it. Our system is terrible at actually dealing with the issue.
Crazy part was I only started wondering if I had it after getting prescribed double Sudafed for bad cold/congestion and could suddenly focus
Holy shit it's my life
I'm my case it was an autism diagnosis but otherwise yes.
For anyone reading this who may not be aware, there's a lot of overlap between the two diagnoses, and there's a chance you may have both.
ADHD may actually be a spectrum disorder. I've seen a few studies over the last few years that suggest this.
I didn't realize I was under surveillance
You shut your god damned accurate mouth.
NEVERRRRRRRR!
I'm deep in phase 2, just building up to phase 3 I think.
ADHD memes do seem to resonate with me, but I'm not sure I experience the deleterious effects to a severe enough extent to really have diagnosable ADHD.
Even if I am, I'm not sure stimulants would be the right way to go, and I'm already doing my best with ADHD style interventions to support productivity et cetera.
Stimulants aren't the only solution, they're just the solution with the most obviois results
Stimulants best short term, management strategies and lifestyle changes best long term
I've passed the third section and moved into the fourth, horrible section. "Diagnosed ADHD but no medication will work."
Went through most if not all of the stimulant treatments 15+ years ago. The most reaction I got was panic attacks for routine stuff at work. In the meantime depression has taken over, with similar lack of response to treatment.
I feel like I'm an onion inside of a Russian nesting doll stuck in a can of worms that tumbled out of Pandora's box and down the stairs to be kicked around the neighborhood by bored old timey kids before getting stuck in a storm drain and abandoned.
Maybe what you're experiencing is an accurate emotional assessment of the state of our society.
Wtf .. is this real?
I got diagnosed recently and don't want my job back. Freelancing is the way to go. Stay away from corporate culture, stay strong.
No some of us have been failures our whole lives, thank you very much.
I screwed up and am stuck deep in 2. I even screwed up a miraculous way out with this awesome startup. And I was diagnosed in kindergarten! No drugs, I’m healthy, just… Yeah.
I wish I could subscribe to this community over and over.
Hey, it's me!
Yeah I swear if they take away my meds and say just get over it
Yep. But at least my life makes perfect sense now. Everything just seems so clear now.