ADD meds?

[Ivar T]

Currently my motivation in school is going downhill. At the same time I'm feeling really depressed and just skip the gymnastic classes.

My parents have confiscated my keyboard to my home computer, so I'm writing this in school. It's a continuation of the problems from my previous support thread - "Inertia = Laziness". They still insist that "I could if I just tried harder". Which after several years I've begun to get sick of.

I wonder if ADD meds could help. I don't have a diagnosis of ADD, but in the last one and a half year it's also become harder for me to concentrate during lessons - every other thing just pops into my head when I try to listen.

I am very sceptical of meds. I've never been on anything before. So trying ADD meds would probably be a big step for me if I were to try them.

[Sophist]

Hmm, that's a tough call. The meds might help, although with autism's version of ADHD it's kinda hit or miss.

It sounds like you'd be doing better if your environment were just more supportive and better designed to fit your cognitive style. It's a shame your parents, while trying to "help" you, only seem to be making the matter worse.

[Charlie]

There was a reasonably big story over here in the UK a few weeks ago about there being people taking ADD drugs (illegally as they were not prescribed) when studying to enhance their concentration powers and thought clarity, as it is a stimulant (somewhat ironically as it "calms" people with ADHD). http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/7684963.stm

Of course I am not saying that I condone taking things like these tablets without prescription - it is more a case of showing what is supposedly does. I struggled through the back end of my education at college and university as I was not able to concentrate and then understand the work. I was mentally able to understand the work, but to comprehend it and inter-relate this information in the correct processing procedure was impossible, and I got distracted very easily. Of course I did not have a clue why it was all going wrong, and was able to hide it from the family. No questions were asked.

I feel that I may actually have some sort of ADD, not in the traditional/stereotypical sense of being badly behaved, but on finding it hard to concentrate for long periods (or even short periods), and then getting restless (although no hyperactivity), and I can get very easily distracted.

Whilst discussing this - from the Wikipedia page on Adult ADHD there is a section on indicators to show possibilities of ADHD (note it says not related to other medical/psychological conditions), and it is thought a minimum of 12 of the 21 would suggest it may be worth pursuing clinically

The Hallowell Center identifies the following indicators to consider when ADHD is suspected and recommends that individuals with at least twelve of the following behaviours since childhood—provided these symptoms are not associated with any other medical or psychiatric conditions—consider professional diagnosis[18]:

1. A sense of underachievement, of not meeting one’s goals (regardless of how much one has actually accomplished).
2. Difficulty getting organized.
3. Chronic procrastination or trouble getting started.
4. Many projects going simultaneously; trouble with follow through.
5. A tendency to say what comes to mind without necessarily considering the timing or appropriateness of the remark.
6. A frequent search for high stimulation.
7. An intolerance of boredom.
8. Easy distractibility; trouble focusing attention, tendency to tune out or drift away in the middle of a page or conversation, often coupled with an inability to focus at times.
9. Often creative, intuitive, highly intelligent
10. Trouble in going through established channels and following proper procedure.
11. Impatient; low tolerance of frustration.
12. Impulsive, either verbally or in action, as in impulsive spending of money.
13. Changing plans, enacting new schemes or career plans and the like; hot-tempered.
14. A tendency to worry needlessly, endlessly; a tendency to scan the horizon looking for something to worry about, alternating with attention to or disregard for actual dangers.
15. A sense of insecurity.
16. Mood swings, mood lability, especially when disengaged from a person or a project.
17. Physical or cognitive restlessness.
18. A tendency toward addictive behavior.
19. Chronic problems with self-esteem.
20. Inaccurate self-observation.
21. Family history of ADHD or manic depressive illness or depression or substance abuse or other disorders of impulse control or mood.

Personally I think all but 4 or 5 may apply to me, (I had to do it twice as well as I lost the thought process part way through it!)


I hope you find a suitable solution for the trouble, and are able to access any relevant help

[Ivar T]

Quite alot of that I feel applies to me. Sometimes I've wondered whether an ADD diagnosis might have been more appropriate for me without necessarily any AS diagnosis - as I don't have that many sensory issues or stim that much in any deviating fashion.

I'm not entirely sure how hard it would be for me to get prescriptions. I guess that is something that I should ask around in Norway to figure out.

[SomethingElse]

18/19 for me.

I've thought I might have comorbid ADHD (inattentive type) for a long time. I have also wondered whether having a separate diagnosis for it would be helpful (to combat the expectation everyone seems to have that those with autism can focus on something, as though we can focus on ANYTHING to a great degree, regardless of interest). I honestly think sometimes that they only way for me to function properly would be to have meds that allow me to concentrate.

However, I have no chance of pursuing such a diagnosis, I'm unsure as to how to fix myself, so that is basically the end of that.

[renaeden]

I have been diagnosed with ADHD and take medication for it. I definitely think the medication helps me at uni/school because I am doing well and am finding it reasonably easy to pay attention in class (except when there is a lot of talking and noise at once, I switch off). I do notice when I don't take my medication at lunch time that I daydream constantly in the afternoon and find it difficult to keep up with the class work.

I did badly in high school. It makes me wonder how I would have done if I took ADHD medication back then.

I know some people are very against the idea of medication for ADHD. But I am very glad it exists.

[Sophist]

I am definitely not against medication. If it works, then that's excellent. I just dislike that frequently people will turn to medication as the first or only source of behavior/cognition change, when there might be easier, healthier, or more effective alternatives.

Medication has its place most definitely. We just are prone to rely on it for almost everything. But that's no reason to throw the baby out with the bathwater.

[spirited]

Ok, Add/adhd kindof go hand in hand with asd's. I WANT TO CAUTION YOU ON THE MEDICATIONS PLEASE DO YOUR RESEARCH BEFORE PUTTING IT INTO YOUR BODY!!! I have taken the add meds, DON"T do the long acting! DOn't do adderall. I got tourettes disorder as a direct affect of taking adderall for only one month. I speak obsinities sometimes, I have a hard time working now. I swear randomly even through the night. I twitch and hiss, and now I suffer from MORE social issues and more depression. (Now, I used to be a very christian type, I have kids, I used to go to church, and I can't do that anymore) Try first drinking two caffinated beverages before studying, and see if that helps. also drink cafeine before class and tests... thank you for listening!

[renaeden]

I take short-acting Dexamphetamine. I have tried Ritalin but I made me feel numb in my mind.

On the Dex I am more able to get my thoughts together and I find talking easier as well. When I am in class I feel as if I want to do the work instead of wishing I were somewhere else like I used to. I wish I didn't have to take medication but I think that in some ways it has saved my life. I used to feel like such a dumb loser, good for nothing.

If you are to start on this medication, I hope you are very careful and start with a low dose. Take note of everything you feel as well. See the doctor often at first and tell them about any side-effects.

[Ivar T]

I do find possible side-effects worrisome, and I bet I will read a lot before I take anything.

Just now my mom called me ungrateful, previously she said that I was addicted to computers and that it was bad for me. At some norwegian forum someone with a similar set of problems is called immature by his mother... it just make me sad.

[Sophist]

Your parents don't sound especially healthy for you.

[SomethingElse]

My parents are exactly the same. People who are different to you are not going to understand you. Even people who are similar won't understand everything. It's not necessarily healthy but I don't think that that many parents are actually wholly healthy for their children (and vice versa!).

[Ivar T]

There has been a shift in winds now.

After having confronted my dad a couple of times, this time I felt that I articulated myself the best, and he gave me back the keyboard.

Some stuff said, as I recall them:

- When I have tried to find explanations for my problems with getting homework done, to better understand my problem and find solutions for them... I have experienced that my attempts of explanations has been rejected as bad excuses.

- It's great that you try to better understand your problems, but I and your mom really don't see any sense in them.

- Maybe it doesn't need an explanation, I have had the same problems for over seven years - it is there, and I have to relate to it.

...

- Without a keyboard I will neither get any homework or programming done.

- The only thing that you need to do to get your keyboard back is to promise that you'll do your best to finish of this schoolyear.

- I don't think your definition of 'try your best' fits my definition. There are limits to what I can handle that I don't think you you acknowledge.

- They only thing you have to say is that you'll try.

- I have throughout years disappointed, most of all, myself, by promises that I could not fullfill. I do not wish to disappoint myself anymore.

...

Finally it concluded with me saying "I'll try, my way", and he gave me back the keyboard.

[Aspen]

I'm glad that you got it back, anyway.

I wish there was a way of making them really understand how hard it has been for you, though.