Attention deficit

[Adder]

Like we have discussed a couple of times, i don't think add/adhd is a disorder, since the foundations of a lot of the problems that add/adhd people do encounter, are difficulties with the structure on which western civilisations is build.

Bless you for saying that. :D Have you read "Attention Deficit Disorder: A Different Perspective" by Thom Hartman?


I don't find weed much help with memory either. Makes my memory a lot worse but it does help with sleep and turns off any racing thoughts so I can relax better. Without it I often end up still awake until 3:00 am or later. Since there isn't a scrap of weed around at the moment I find myself staying up a lot reading internet forums.

I mostly stick to Ritalin since it doesn't have to build up in your system to be effective like many other ADD meds do. That way I can decide whether I'd be better off taking the meds or not. I've found some things that I do better without the Ritalin and some I don't. Generally things that require a lot of attention to detail and repetitive I do better on if I take the meds. If I'm doing something creative I prefer not to be on the Ritalin.

I believe that conditions like ADD-H also come with certain gifts. I've known people who have been exceptionally successful in life. Then they get laid off or something and have to go back to school to train for something else only to discover that they have ADD. Due to the nature of their previous career they did exceptionally well but when they try to switch to a career that isn't suited to their unique talents they find themselves at a disadvantage.

To the OP: Do you have any trouble with RLS (restless leg syndrome)? I find people with ADD/ADHD tend to have that more often than those without. Weed does a great job on that. I haven't had a chance to try with real weed but many people with RLS have had good results. I have tried some of the weed substitutes like the Spice blends. It seems to work as well as the actual weed does and best of all it's legal (no risk of jail) at the moment.

Drawback however is the price. It's way more expensive than real weed. Workaround is that you can get the actual chemical and make your own smokables. Just be careful doing so.

I'm reluctant to try ritalin because of my experience with other similar stimulants (speed and coke). Speed makes me a mindless zombie and makes life tern and boring (and I know that a lot of speed is cut with ritalin...).

I like Ritalin because it can be taken whenever you need it. Many other drugs for ADD have to build up in your system and you can't stop taking them without weaning off them. Ritalin isn't like this so you can take it or not depending on what you plan to do that day. You can also take medication vacations with Ritalin so you don't build up a resistance.

Stimulants for ADD are very dosage sensitive. If you take too much you get just what you mentioned (zombie effect). Some people call that "sticky attention". For best symptom relief you need to take small doses of stimulants. Usually so small that you don't really feel the effects of the drugs but notice a change in tasks that were difficult without the meds.

I thought the same as you when my parents first suggested medication. I thought I'd feel drugged all the time. When I tried them however I didn't even notice when the Ritalin took effect. The only way we knew it was working was from teacher reports and I was spending a lot less time on homework (working all the way through as opposed to starting and stopping).

Nowadays however there is the T.O.V.A. (Test Of Variables of Attention) that can detect the subtle changes in attention the meds produce. A few years ago I had access to a T.O.V.A. so I did a baseline and then a test on Ritalin. There was quite a difference even though I still can't tell when the Ritalin is taking effect.

There are also non-stimulant medication options. Some are quite good for treating the ADD but I tried Straterra and found it to cause horrible dry mouth and a lot of dizziness when standing up after sitting for a while. Your mileage will vary. I just went back to Ritalin.

 

[Adder]

Can someone here please show evidence for the existance of ADD?!? Where's the proof?

PET (Positron Emission Tomography) tests have shown a reduced activity level in the brains of people with ADD-ADHD. The theory is that with reduced brain activity the patient is self stimulating to bring the brain to normal activity level. There is a difference in the brains of people with ADD. It's subtle and I feel it's more of a difference than a disability. Some people are wired for boring repetitive work and others are wired for scanning the environment and working in short intense bursts.

Mystic Warrior: Are you sure you really want a cure for ADD? One expert speaking about Dyslexia said this: "With the different brain structure you have special talents. If you change the brain so the person can read better you loose those special talents". ----Albert Galliburda M.D.

I think ADD and ADHD are the same way. A lot of very famous successful people have had ADD. Without that I wonder if they would be as successful as they were and would the history of the world would be a lot different.

 

[Illegalsmile]

Are you sure you really want a cure for ADD? One expert speaking about Dyslexia said this: "With the different brain structure you have special talents. If you change the brain so the person can read better you loose those special talents". ----Albert Galliburda M.D.

+2
ive always felt that, but could not manifest the thought into existence with words. Ditto