Adult ADHD

RedViking said:
This is interesting. As someone that is also a bit ADHD (didn't get tested but the signs are there) and probably OCD, I find exercising and correct diet to make a massive difference. People seem to immediately jump on these meds that make you feel like zombie at times and probably has other long terms negative effects, but seldom make changes to their lifestyles. I am not judging, just interesting to see that many who are on the meds do not have a healthy lifestyle as well and doctors don't seem to encourage it as high priority. I do realise even with exercise and a good diet you might still need it, but I still believe it will make a massive difference, especially if you struggle with anxiety.
Click to expand...
A morning workout is probably the best thing for keeping the motivation up throughout most of the day.
 
Lupus said:
I got bored and distracted on most exercises, also not much of a people person.
Click to expand...
That's part of what I like about fitness etc. is that it feels quality alone time where I don't need to talk to anyone. Can just focus on my own thing for a while.
 
Something for you to listen too. Listen to part 2 as well

www.alieward.com

Attention-Deficit Neuropsychology (ADHD) Part 1 with Dr. Russell Barkley — alie ward

Focus. Productivity. Relationships. Distraction. Neurodiversity. How do you know if you have ADHD? How can you get others to understand your ADHD brain? What are your treatment options and how can they help? In Part 1, we talk racing thoughts, brilliant brains and the causes and effects of Attention
www.alieward.com www.alieward.com
 
Polymathic said:
Download the Brain Waves app choose the focus present, listen with headphones while you work
Click to expand...
If you going that route you just as wel to train yourself in having a focused mind by application of thought control, stillness and meditation. In fact most people can do with basic mind cultivation towards a more focused/stillness instead of constantly thinking about **** and being distracted instead of present.
 
Lupus said:
Don't do the exercise thing :-(, don't drink sugar, carbs maybe, don't really eat but yet still chubby probably cause of the not exercising thing.
Click to expand...

Thats a mistake, exercise helps a lot with dropping stress and anxiety which both increase syptoms of a number of things.
Weight has more to do with diet though and exercise is more for health and yes burning some calories but you have to do a lot to burn off a cheeseburger.
 
Just don't mix these meds with alcohol. I was pretty messed up some years ago. Now I am on night medication. Try to get exercise, get a cardio routine going.
 
Has this been assessed by a psychiatrist? Or is this a GPs doing? No disrespect to GPs there some who are very good and capable but I think a specialist or specialist second opinion might be in order. Concerta is a good drug but it's really difficult to stop once it gets its hold on you. Though at an older age do you really care if you dependent on the medication in exchange for good quality of life?

That said you already got enough lifestyle advice here but keep in mind if the Dr is correct the said advice can be very damaging. We all don't know you here and don't have any real information here like your Dr does. So if you trust your Dr and your Dr is specialised I would go with what they say.

This is something I've never understood. When it comes to diseases of the mind people are very quick to try to "get of the meds" or find alternative solutions that are "natural". It's all fine and good to make lifestyle changes to improve one's health however do not try things that will cost you in quality of life. It's almost as if people are ashamed of having mental conditions.

Think of it this way it would be a very bad idea to tell a diabetic or a hypertensive to stop their treatment or try alternatives to stop treatment as quickly as possible.

The brain is a organ just like any other organ albeit a complex one. It can get diseased overtime and may require drug intervention.

My advice get a second opinion and get a few psychology sessions in and take it from there. Psychology must be paired with psychiatry at all times. People often omit the psychology because of cost (time, money and social standings) but its really difficult to navigate ones own mind without professional help we arrogantly assume we know ourselves and our subconscious but almost 99% of the time we are wrong.
 
Last edited:
OCP said:
I was on concerta (80mg) for a year.
Massive difference in focus and memory. (Was a few years younger than you at the time)

Downside was it made me feel very "meh"
No joy in food / activities / life.

I ended up losing a lot of weight - about 10kg (normally average about 75kg which at 1.8m is already slim)

So I took myself off to and have been very happy and back to normal weight since.

If it wasnt for the side effects I would go back on it.
Click to expand...
I was also on it and also suffer from ADHD. I stopped using it because it made me sleepy to the point where it affected my work and I'd fall asleep during working hours - especially in meetings.
 
Herr der Verboten said:
If you going that route you just as wel to train yourself in having a focused mind by application of thought control, stillness and meditation. In fact most people can do with basic mind cultivation towards a more focused/stillness instead of constantly thinking about **** and being distracted instead of present.
Click to expand...

You have absolutely no idea what you're talking about. My mind just randomly think about shyte out of nowhere for no reason.

Getting my mind into a still state of meditation is no problem but it doesn't help me doing mundane tasks. Doing mindfulness during those tasks will make me focus on the mediation and not actually do that task at all.
 
Dr Kak Praat said:
You have absolutely no idea what you're talking about. My mind just randomly think about shyte out of nowhere for no reason.

Getting my mind into a still state of meditation is no problem but it doesn't help me doing mundane tasks. Doing mindfulness during those tasks will make me focus on the mediation and not actually do that task at all.
Click to expand...
ok.
 
The_Ogre said:
I was also on it and also suffer from ADHD. I stopped using it because it made me sleepy to the point where it affected my work and I'd fall asleep during working hours - especially in meetings.
Click to expand...

Odd. Methylphenidate actually prevents you from sleeping it's actually designed for narcolepsy.
 
Interested in this, as we just put my litey on a trial of ritalin for a few weeks. He was prescribed 10mg but we gave him half a tablet for the first week, tomorrow will be his first full dose.

We got to this point after and still going through all the external assistance he needs, OT, PT, ST, psych, Paed, neuropead..

Paed had told us not to tell the teacher for the first week to see if they picked up difference. When I told him earlier this week, he was surprised. He said he didn't notice anything different in class, but at home , we notice he is not always making funny noises, etc.

He has focused a bit more.

I really don't want him to be on this thing but even the teacher had said that his 9 year old son was on same and made a massive difference.

Of course , I think we need to focus on perhaps other environmental factors - less TV and more real exercise (though my litey never stops moving unless TV is on).

Good luck to Lupus all that live with it - can't imagine how it feels
 
RiaX said:
Odd. Methylphenidate actually prevents you from sleeping it's actually designed for narcolepsy.
Click to expand...
I only used it for a week and then thought **** it. Maybe I should have continued a while longer
 
Stop feeding your brain with dopamine all the time. Get disciplined. Don't eat junk, do weights daily and train, get proper sleep and meditate daily. Learn about nootropics and start out with lion's mane & L-Theanine. Go from there.
It's ALL about discipline. Cut out all porn, drugs of any sort (esp big pharma) and be aggressive with not watching TV, delete social media from your life and when you work only have the job on the table - no browser open, no distractions. One needs to learn to focus and train your brain's reward system properly. We are primal animals and one needs to understand the mechanics of this.
If you want to get serious be serious.
 
RiaX said:
Has this been assessed by a psychiatrist? Or is this a GPs doing? No disrespect to GPs there some who are very good and capable but I think a specialist or specialist second opinion might be in order. Concerta is a good drug but it's really difficult to stop once it gets its hold on you. Though at an older age do you really care if you dependent on the medication in exchange for good quality of life?

That said you already got enough lifestyle advice here but keep in mind if the Dr is correct the said advice can be very damaging. We all don't know you here and don't have any real information here like your Dr does. So if you trust your Dr and your Dr is specialised I would go with what they say.

This is something I've never understood. When it comes to diseases of the mind people are very quick to try to "get of the meds" or find alternative solutions that are "natural". It's all fine and good to make lifestyle changes to improve one's health however do not try things that will cost you in quality of life. It's almost as if people are ashamed of having mental conditions.

Think of it this way it would be a very bad idea to tell a diabetic or a hypertensive to stop their treatment or try alternatives to stop treatment as quickly as possible.

The brain is a organ just like any other organ albeit a complex one. It can get diseased overtime and may require drug intervention.

My advice get a second opinion and get a few psychology sessions in and take it from there. Psychology must be paired with psychiatry at all times. People often omit the psychology because of cost (time, money and social standings) but its really difficult to navigate ones own mind without professional help we arrogantly assume we know ourselves and our subconscious but almost 99% of the time we are wrong.
Click to expand...
Thanks Riax, I did the psychology and psychatric route a few years ago, they were more focused on depression as my gran had passed and and and. The symptoms I've got I've had since a child, I've always just gotten up out of class and walked out if I was bored, I've always never studied for an exam or test and either aced it or just scrapped through (depending on subject), I've always started things and never finished them. But then I do have moments of hyperfocus where I obsess over something.
My son was diagnosed with it a few years back, did the whole psychological route, we're also looking at taking him back to play therapy even at 11 as he's still having a few issues, but it has been a tough year, his gran died last year October, we took her dog in who shortly passed on, my dog of 16 years had a heart attack and died, his dog had to be put down due to cancer.
You're right the brain is a tricky organ and I've tried ways to counter my weird brain patterns, stimulants, downers and and, the one thing I did find is that stimulants seemed to make me focus and relax, downers did not.
 
Fulcrum29 said:
Just don't mix these meds with alcohol. I was pretty messed up some years ago. Now I am on night medication. Try to get exercise, get a cardio routine going.
Click to expand...
I haven't had a drop of alcohol since April 2021 :-) so no worries on that front.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top
Sign up to the MyBroadband newsletter
X