:confused:
I have read a few threads...all I read about are drugs, drugs, drugs! :eek:

I am having a very difficult time trying to control my ADD...I have been contimplating medications for a few months now (having never ever taken any) . Everything I read is depressing me even more! All the side affects! All I want is to be able to focus, go through a day w/o having extreme mood swings, have an intelligent conversation w/o forgetting details or general knowledge....Is there anything out there that is safe to take w/o having nasty side affects? No sex drive? THAT SUCKS!Anxiety? ALREADY HAVE PROBLEMS WITH THAT! I just want to be NORMAL!
Sorry, I just had to vent a bit...this is really frustrating me! I don't know what to do with myself! Any comments? Suggestions? Anything?

:confused:
I have read a few threads...all I read about are drugs, drugs, drugs! :eek:

I am having a very difficult time trying to control my ADD...I have been contimplating medications for a few months now (having never ever taken any) . Everything I read is depressing me even more! All the side affects! All I want is to be able to focus, go through a day w/o having extreme mood swings, have an intelligent conversation w/o forgetting details or general knowledge....Is there anything out there that is safe to take w/o having nasty side affects? No sex drive? THAT SUCKS!Anxiety? ALREADY HAVE PROBLEMS WITH THAT! I just want to be NORMAL!
Sorry, I just had to vent a bit...this is really frustrating me! I don't know what to do with myself! Any comments? Suggestions? Anything?

missTee,

I too have been trying to figure out how to function without meds for the last 10 years, since we moved to Germany where Ritalin is NOT given out like candy. I have done a LOT of reading (books and online) and have had therapy once a month for years. The result is that I have been trying to understand how MY brain works, what I need to function, how best to structure my daily life, etc.

My latest attempt to understand why I can function in the kitchen, but not just go into my studio and paint: I have been saying for some time now that "the preparing for something is separate from the doing of something".

I have put that into practice in the kitchen. Once I have figured out what to fix for dinner (a separate major difficulty :rolleyes: ) I then get out ALL the ingredients and chop the veggies and meat or whatever and put things into separate bowls or piles. I chop the broccoli and put it into the pot and put the lid on and put it on the burner it's going to cook on. I put water into another pot for pasta, rice, potatoes, and put the measured pasta, rice, potatoes NEXT to their pot. Then I get out the frying pan and put a little oil in it, or get out the larger pot for spaghetti sauce and put a little oil in it. When everything is assembled and in its place, I START the cooking part. Now I can concentrate on what order to turn on burners, what order to add things, etc. If I don't separate out all the gathering of ingredients and chopping of veggies from the actual cooking of it all, then disaster WILL happen -- something will burn while I'm chopping or looking for something or trying to decide on a particular seasoning or whatever. I call this cooking by the "bowl method".

I'm beginning to realize that the reason I freeze up at the thought about going into my studio and painting is that I haven't set up a SYSTEM for the preparation part of the job. I'm fine when I am in a class. Because I have to bring all my stuff each time, there is a required set-up period while I drag all the stuff out of the bag, set up my easel, put the canvas on the easel, choose and lay out the brushes, choose and squeeze out the paints, prop up my photo I'm using for inspiration, etc. Then I look over everything to see if I've forgotten anything, and THEN I can start painting.

Mentally I've been telling myself to just go into my studio and start painting. My brain freezes up and goes blank and I retreat to the safety of the internet, where nothing is required of me. But I've just realized that I need to make a ritual of SETTING UP, leave the room for a few minutes to make a cuppa tea, and then go back into the room, with everything laid out and ready to go. I can paint via the "bowl method" as well as cook using this method. :)

What I'm trying to say with all this verbosity is that if one is handicapped with a chaotic mind, then one has to EITHER learn to work around and with the chaos OR use drugs to smooth out the brain. Even with drugs, one has to learn better habits of what to DO with a less chaotic brain, which means you still need counseling of some sort, coaches to teach you how to structure your day, etc.

Some thoughts from the chaos of my brain.

--Rheanna

MissTee, maybe if we knew more about what aspects of your ADD you are trying to control, we could give you some helpful tips. Is it only the conversation thing (I'm afraid I can't help you much there) or are you looking for help in other areas, too?

I recently became aware of Homeopathics, they are an alternative to drugs. You may want to see about working with a Homeopathic Practitioner.

I worked with one for my children with there ADD. I did notice a difference with one of them. He isn't taking his "drugs" anymore that his medical Dr had originally prescribed. I would however check with your MD before stopping any meds currently being taken.

Hope this will help you out.

I agree that all the side effects people have listed on here can get very scary. Just keep in mind that medication effects everyone differently. For every person that has had those terrible side effects, there is someone that the medicaiton has helped. You just have a tendency to hear more about the bad stuff than the good. If you look on the back of an asprin bottle it lists the same "possible" side effects that are listed for ritalin. They just want you to be aware that every body(and brain)is different and what might have worked for one person might not for another. Just remember, if you try it and don't like it-stop taking it. Pretty easy:) And who knows-it might end up helping you! Good luck:)

I'm sorry I didn't get back to reply to the messages sooner.I lost a best friend Sunday night (7/09/05) :( I'm getting through it as best as I can.
But to reply to some of the posts...My problem is with focusing. Which makes it a problem to involve myself in a conversation because I'm not really listening to them. There are so many thoughts in my head that I can't think straight. Boy when I actually write this it sounds like I'm a real head case....:( I usually sit quite and nod my head or laugh when everyone else is laughing just to make it look like I am understanding what they are saying. But I can't contribute anything. I just get so damn nervous.I am getting nervous that people are going to think I'm dumb...maybe i am. I can't remember things that people say...and i am constantly asking them to repeat themselves because if they talk too fast...i can't comprehend what they have just said. I'm a mess. Double time now since dealing with my friends accident.
thankyou Dancergrl28,your comments made me feel better about meds and the side effects. more advice welcome.

:confused:
I have read a few threads...all I read about are drugs, drugs, drugs! :eek:

I am having a very difficult time trying to control my ADD...I have been contimplating medications for a few months now (having never ever taken any) . Everything I read is depressing me even more! All the side affects! All I want is to be able to focus, go through a day w/o having extreme mood swings, have an intelligent conversation w/o forgetting details or general knowledge....Is there anything out there that is safe to take w/o having nasty side affects? No sex drive? THAT SUCKS!Anxiety? ALREADY HAVE PROBLEMS WITH THAT! I just want to be NORMAL!
Sorry, I just had to vent a bit...this is really frustrating me! I don't know what to do with myself! Any comments? Suggestions? Anything?

missTee,

I'll try to be as objective as possible. I'm 53 years old but first time any MD even suspected ADHD was around October of 04. Later a shrink confirmed it and last Monday and Tuesday went through a battery of psychological tests that wrapped up an air tight case for the ADHD diagnosis. All my life I have had an impossible time with focus and attention. It was my wife that saved me from sure disaster by managing both my business and personal affairs.

I knew something was wrong and I tried everything possible to hollistically remediate it. One time I practiced hanging upside down thinking more blood in the brain would work. Funny. I'm laughing at myself thinking about it. Then there was mediation, diet, exercise, strobe lights (they are called mind machines) vitamins, and since I am religious, prayer. NOTHING WORKED. Maybe prayer because my beliefs are God teaches us not does for us. You know, love your neighbor. Then it is up to us whether to do it or not. So the prayer may have been answered in getting medical help.

And, typical of ADHD suffers, I spent an enormous amount of emotional energy blaming my character. Not enough self-control. Blah, blah, blah I go on and on and ended up depressed after most of those sessions.

I've done a lot of research and my conclusions are ADHD has its roots in biology. 1. After an outbreak of viral encephalitis between 1910 and 1920 doctors reported an upsurge in ADHD like symptoms of the surviving children. 2. Study after study shows a strong genetic link. 3. Studies of adopted children still show the genetic link. This is important with the nature or nurture question. 4. ADHD adults are more likely to be the product of prenatal damage and birthing problems. I was. 5. Toxins such as lead have been implicated. What do all have in common? All are capable of damaging the brain.

To add to the research, I tried my absolute best both days on the variables of attention test "TOVA" The difference in the computer generated graph between Monday, on Ritalin and Tuesday, no Ritalin, was shocking to me because I thought I did better on the no med day. But scores on Ritalin were well above average and without it sickenly low - one of the variables actually dropped below the lowest score of 40 for a time.

Are psychotropic meds like Ritalin and Adderral risk free majic bullets that "cure" ADHD? Absolutely not. But I got to tell you, nothing else has enabled me to read with comprehension, speak coherently, listen attentively and actually get most of the projects I start done. Nothing else has worked. I really wish something else would. But realistically I don't think that something else has been invented yet.

Bob

PS Very sorry for your lose