Adult ADHD

[RootSkier]

I recently (within the last 3 months) got assessed and when I asked about the results the psychologist just started laughing and said she'd hardly ever seen a more obvious case of inattentive-type ADHD. Which is weird, because all this time, I thought it was adult-onset fetal alcohol syndrome.

Anyways, we are working on some treatment options right now and I have definitely had some moments where I wondered how the hell I made it to my 40s and somehow managed to fake a successful career while operating at about 20% of my apparent potential, in lots of ways.

[Self Jupiter]

Diagnosed with it in second grade, I was acting out at school. Was prescribed Ritalin, Adderall, Concerta and even Prozac if I recall correctly. Asked my parents if I could stop taking the drugs in ~4th grade and they were ok with it. Got re-prescribed Adderall in college and used it occasionally with good results.

Been self medicating with teh weed since sophomore year of college.

The comedown I get from Adderall these days is heavy, or it was the last time I experimented with it a couple years ago. Anyone else experience a change like that? I felt as bad as I did from the comedown that came with some Molly a bunch of years back, woof.

My back issues are going in and out of being acute right now, keeping from my usual exercise routine and that’s been rough.

I recently (within the last 3 months) got assessed and when I asked about the results the psychologist just started laughing and said she'd hardly ever seen a more obvious case of inattentive-type ADHD. Which is weird, because all this time, I thought it was adult-onset fetal alcohol syndrome.

Anyways, we are working on some treatment options right now and I have definitely had some moments where I wondered how the hell I made it to my 40s and somehow managed to fake a successful career while operating at about 20% of my apparent potential, in lots of ways.

That’s heavy, I’m sorry. You really have my attention on the career point, I want to make sure I’m not doing something like that as well. Would you mind if I PM you about that process if you don’t feel like writing more about it here?

[VTskibum]

Relatively minor/moderate inattentive ADD, diagnosed as a teen I think. Never really had the hyperactivity, but definitely lots of procrastination and then hyper focus to catch up. Stopped taking medication in college and guess I figured out coping skills and quite a bit of coffee!! 20 years into successful career and spouse who’s definitely not ADD, but one kid w it. I know what he’s going through but really hasn’t figured out any good coping mechanisms at 11y/o.

Consider taking medication again, but have generally found exercise, especially endurance sports (Mountain bikes mostly for me) help regulate pretty well more often than not. There’s a good bit of literature backing up what I said and XXX-er stated above.

https://www.outsideonline.com/outdoo...elp-kids-adhd/

https://www.bicycling.com/news/a2001...over-his-adhd/

https://www.bicycling.com/news/a2001...ling-for-adhd/


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[RootSkier]

Yeah no worries. PM away. But don't feel bad for me, I've been sort of ridiculously successful for the amount of effort I've expended.

[Self Jupiter]

Cool, thanks. I was trying to reefer to your self diagnosis.

I feel the same way about a few aspects of my life, job stuff often included. Like others have said, I can make shit happen when I apply myself. But I haven’t lived in the mountains in many years and I’m tryna make some time to go skiing!

[MagnificentUnicorn]

A lot you guys are talking about seems the same symptoms/behaviors as bipolar/depression/anxiety disorders. Is there a correlation/overlap? My ex was a lot like this.


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[Supermoon]

A lot you guys are talking about seems the same symptoms/behaviors as bipolar/depression/anxiety disorders. Is there a correlation/overlap? My ex was a lot like this.


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Over half of ADHD is combined with other mental illness like depression, anxiety, etc.

[ötzi]

I'm not gonna get tested, it might show I don't have it, and then what excuse would I have?

[Mazderati]

The comedown I get from Adderall these days is heavy, or it was the last time I experimented with it a couple years ago. Anyone else experience a change like that?

Dopamine levels decrease with age. Aging into a harder recovery (the short-term hormonal kind, not the addiction kind) seems like one possible explanation but IANAD.

[riser4]

I'm not gonna get tested, it might show I don't have it, and then what excuse would I have?

Word.

[Cisco Kid]

ADD = "Always Doing Dumb" things. When the plant super told me to "Turn this valve left and that valve right and don't touch that valve." I messed up and pumped 3000 gal of raw sewage into the bay. I still need to make a list for the market if I need to get more that 2 items.

[RootSkier]

Over half of ADHD is combined with other mental illness like depression, anxiety, etc.

Duh. Spend all day being distracted and unable to complete a simple series of tasks and then go home and have extreme anxiety about all those uncompleted tasks. Maybe those problems are related?

[J. Barron DeJong]

Read through this thread, and then some other stuff on inattentive type ADHD. Pretty confident I qualify….

[Supermoon]

Read through this thread, and then some other stuff on inattentive type ADHD. Pretty confident I qualify….

I am working through this book right now. It has a good self-assessment to at least get you in the ballpark of if you should see a pro, plus a bunch of coping strategies.

[J. Barron DeJong]

I am working through this book right now. It has a good self-assessment to at least get you in the ballpark of if you should see a pro, plus a bunch of coping strategies.

Thanks, I’ll take a look

[AK47bp]

I am working through this book right now. It has a good self-assessment to at least get you in the ballpark of if you should see a pro, plus a bunch of coping strategies.

Bit of a conundrum here.

I need ADD meds to read the book to find out if I should ask my doctor if I need ADD meds.




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[californiagrown]

The comedown I get from Adderall these days is heavy, or it was the last time I experimented with it a couple years ago. Anyone else experience a change like that? I felt as bad as I did from the comedown that came with some Molly a bunch of years back, woof.

I like vyvanse. For me, less unwanted side effects than adderal or ritaline. YMMV. Also, doctors are more likely to prescribe it because its harder to abuse (marketed as such too)- it has to contact the HCl in your stomach to become active, so no snorting or smoking.

[alpinevibes]

Checking into this thread as I think it's time to get myself in order. I've known for a while that this has likely been the monkey on my back, but avoided it out of fear/shame/anxiety. Thanks for the book recs and honesty everyone!

[Brownski]

You guys inspired me to dig out my book on adult ADHD. It’s called “You mean I’m not lazy, stupid or crazy?!” By Kate Kelly. Ironically, my bookmark indicates I only read about 1/4 of it.

[frorider]

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4500182/

[RootSkier]

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4500182/

Overdiagnosis in psychiatry occurs where patients are identified with a mental disorder when they do not have significant impairment and would not be expected to benefit from treatment.1 These problems can arise even when diagnostic criteria are met, that is, in the presence of milder symptoms that fall close to, or within, a normal range on a diagnostic spectrum.2 Overdiagnosis can lead to unnecessary labelling, unneeded tests, unnecessary therapies, and inflated health care costs.1 In medicine, with the best of intentions, practice has come to favour more tests and more treatments, all of which tend to drive overdiagnosis.2 This problem may be worsened by a prevailing cultural ethos that more is better.

So if you benefit from treatment, then you are not overdiagnosed? Is that what they are saying? As the child of a psychologist I am extremely skeptical of psychology in general, but this article reads like a whole lot of hand-waving.

[J. Barron DeJong]

So if you benefit from treatment, then you are not overdiagnosed? Is that what they are saying? As the child of a psychologist I am extremely skeptical of psychology in general, but this article reads like a whole lot of hand-waving.

Picturing a cancer diagnosis study where anyone who ends up dying is determined to not have had cancer….


(yes, I know that’s not a fair comparison to make)

[Supermoon]

Nowhere in the paper do they present any evidence that the increase is actually over diagnosis, or that there is individualized harm to an over diagnosis. Just a bunch of well maybes.

[frorider]

Nowhere in the paper do they present any evidence that the increase is actually over diagnosis, or that there is individualized harm to an over diagnosis. Just a bunch of well maybes.

A bit like the discussion of autism spectrum diagnoses. Or gluten intolerance. Bottom line (for me at least) is if the diagnosis and treatments are seen as helpful by the patient, it’s a win. Although I imagine most of us wonder if the pharma sales strategy for stimulants is part of the increased diagnosis,

If you can come up with a paper that directly shows adult adhd overdiagnosis rate, I’m sure it’ll get published. This mediocre paper seems to just be advising caution, and pointing out the data holes that should be filled.

However, one cannot have adult ADHD without first having childhood ADHD.
Confirming the presence of a childhood diagnosis in adult patients based on long-term recall is not a valid procedure. It is well known that memories of past problems are strongly coloured by present symptomatology.28 Thus adult patients with symptoms may claim that they had the same problems with attention during childhood, but that they were not recognized.

I mostly agree with the paper’s suggestion that where possible, the childhood symptoms being recalled by the adult patient should be confirmed by discussion with other family members.

[RootSkier]

Although I imagine most of us wonder if the pharma sales strategy for stimulants is part of the increased diagnosis,

Could be, but generic adderall is dirt fucking cheap, so it doesn't seem that likely.