Adult ADHD

Off Topic
42

[quote]wirewound wrote:
Also, what the fuck is the medical treatment for being bad at math? If the drugs work, and they do - dramatically, then why shouldn’t people with ADHD take them?[/quote]

I think drugs have a certain utility for overcoming a poor attention span, albeit a much more limited one than is currently in vogue. The problems have arisen from the widespread irresponsible prescribing habits of psychiatric practitioners and the creation of dubious labels of mental illness to justify them. Labeling people, particularly children, with ADHD creates the impression that there is something materially wrong with them that ‘needs’ to be treated, and this mentality leads to the uncritical view of pharmaceuticals as harmless ‘meds’ rather than as the powerful psychotrophs that they are. When I was in high school, my school psychologist literally told me that ADHD meds “are like vitamins for your brain.” Now that’s fucked up.

43

Dated a girl many years ago who had ADHD. It was hell after a few months. Even worse after we broke up. She was a real life fatal attraction type of girl. Then she met another guy and the roller coaster started all over again for her.

I tried to get her to take some sort of meds but she refused. She was also a binge drinker and I think that just compounded it.

44

[quote]belligerent wrote:

I’ve been too hard on doctors in the past but I really feel comfortable indicting psychiatry. This institution has extended far beyond its legitimate utility and is now primarily engaged in what is little other than an aggressive drug pushing campaign. It’s the absolute epitome of everything that’s bad about medicine today, and a perfect illustration of why government/industry entanglements are so dangerous. Half of the shit they do wouldn’t stand up for five minutes in am unregulated economy.[/quote]

Handing out pills to bored housewives and annoying kids isn’t the sum total of psychiatry. I know there are market related problems with it, but it’s silly to indict underfunded non-profits and other institutions when their goal is the treatment of the severely mentally ill.

I mean who else would you really want doing this work, scientologist auditors? I’m not accusing you of being a scientologist btw, but the example helps my point.

45

I’m sort of enjoying this lil thread. Shows how some people will jump to all kinds of extremes and such. Talk of Big Pharma, and over-medicating and so on…just leaves me grinning a bit. As long as there is anything out there backed by some type of authority, there will always be naysayers and such. Yes, the psych field is based on both fact and theory, however, it all comes down to a simple thing: choice.

You can choose to take or have your children take meds, or you can choose not to. While various factors will oftentimes make this choice easier or much harder, it’s a choice to be made nonetheless. Scientologists and naysayers and preach and scream all they want, but the bottom line is, it’s up to the individual. I have been on meds for depression and such off and on for a hot minute.

I don’t ever take the meds just for the sake of taking them. I take them as a supplement to counseling from the docs and social workers. Yes, they level my mood out and leave me “sedated”, however I do know what I am feeling and thinking when we discuss certain things. The side effects and withdrawals can be a bitch, but they pass. I choose this route because it helps me to continue down the path of forgiveness and personal redemption.

I am physically healthier than most people. I eat pretty clean, although I do cheat. I work out like a madman. I eat fruits and such. I have friends. I have a girlfriend. I still take meds and see a shrink, as I don’t want my personal demons lashing out at those I call friends. Sorry for the rant, but just had to throw my penny’s worth.

46

[quote]belligerent wrote:
beebuddy wrote:
If you take out the last sentence this is a good argument that doesn’t rely on the indictment of the medical community. In fact, it’s the best argument yet IMO.

People are way to quick judge psychiatry. Psychiatry is charged with what is arguably THE hardest task we face as a prosperous society. Taking care of the mentally ill is very human and humane.

I’ve been too hard on doctors in the past but I really feel comfortable indicting psychiatry. This institution has extended far beyond its legitimate utility and is now primarily engaged in what is little other than an aggressive drug pushing campaign. It’s the absolute epitome of everything that’s bad about medicine today, and a perfect illustration of why government/industry entanglements are so dangerous. Half of the shit they do wouldn’t stand up for five minutes in am unregulated economy.[/quote]

Amen Brother , keep on preaching brotha!

47

[quote]Beast27195 wrote:
You can choose to take or have your children take meds, or you can choose not to. While various factors will oftentimes make this choice easier or much harder, it’s a choice to be made nonetheless.
[/quote]

You are inexcusably naive. If a psychiatrist or other mental health professional diagnoses a child with ADHD (or any other psychiatric label) and the parents refuse to comply with treatment recommendations, the mental health professionals can and often do notify the child protective services to have the parents charged with child neglect and the children forcibly removed from their costody.

The psychiatric establishment, in conjunction with big pharma, is currently lobbying aggressively for “universal mental health screening” in schools. This means that government psychiatrists will screen every child in primary school, label as many of them as they can get away with, and force parents to drug their children under the threat of CPS kidnapping.

48

[quote]belligerent wrote:
Beast27195 wrote:
You can choose to take or have your children take meds, or you can choose not to. While various factors will oftentimes make this choice easier or much harder, it’s a choice to be made nonetheless.

You are inexcusably naive. If a psychiatrist or other mental health professional diagnoses a child with ADHD (or any other psychiatric label) and the parents refuse to comply with treatment recommendations, the mental health professionals can and often do notify the child protective services to have the parents charged with child neglect and the children forcibly removed from their costody.

The psychiatric establishment, in conjunction with big pharma, is currently lobbying aggressively for “universal mental health screening” in schools. This means that government psychiatrists will screen every child in primary school, label as many of them as they can get away with, and force parents to drug their children under the threat of CPS kidnapping.

Meanwhile, if you’re an adult under the care of a private psychiatrist and you refuse to comply with treatment recommendations, and the psychiatrist decides that you aren’t mentally fit to make this decision for yourself, he or she can notify the state mental health authorities to have you involuntarily committed to a mental institution for forced psychiatric drugging. This happened to me two years ago and the result was 16 days of sheer terror at the hands of malicious, incompetent mental health professionals. It was literally the biggest fucking shit fest clusterfuck I’ve ever experienced.

Yes, it’s true that psychiatrists are capable of doing at least a snall number of good things for at least a small number people, but that’s hardly redeeming in light of everything else that goes on in this profession. Psychiatry is rotten to the core. What should be a bastion of hope for the severely mentally ill is now an insane profit-driven moster out of control. I strongly recommend that 99% of people should just stay away. Got problems? I got worse ones. But I’m far better off now than I was when I was mixed up with that charlitan called psychiatry.[/quote]

Oh Noes! The Gov’mint is gunna get us! Where’s my tinfoil hat, dammit?

Seriously, I WISH they were doing mental health screening when I was in school and I wish my parents would have been forced to medicate me - it would have made a huge difference in my quality of life throughout my teens and twenties.

49

[quote]Vicomte wrote:
It’s always been my belief that ADHD is bullshit. It everyone has it, it’s not a fucking condition.[/quote]

It’s real, and many do have it to certain degrees. It is exacerbated by a poor diet, lack or exercise,consumption of alcohol and caffeine, and not having to concentrate. you can learn to deal with it in some cases. If you’re very smart , you might have better coping skills for instance.

It takes a smart person to realize how they are and what makes it better and worse and the best way to deal with it. I tried strattera and it made me a zombie. Now I manage on my own.

50

[quote]roweski wrote:
I too believe ADHD is over diagnosed. I think many doctors jump on the bandwagon as it offers them an easy option when diagnosing patients.

I was diagnosed with a mild case of ADHD several years ago, but refused treatments simply because the sides were both harsh and vast.

Only recently, I’ve discovered that I have a Candidas Albicans overgrowth, which may well be the root of my concentration issues…
My ‘hyperactivity’ has subsided since the diagnosis was made too, again suggesting my symptoms were attributed to an easier prognosis.

That said, I’ve found nootropics such as Modafinil to be of great use. It really helps me to think straight and concentrate for prologued periods without feeling ‘trapped’. It’s pretty cheap if you can’t get it on a prescription either.

-Rowesk[/quote]

I don’t think it’s over diagnosed, I think it’s over medicated because both docs and pts don’t want to follow through. It takes effort to deal with it on your own naturally. Many people are to lazy to do what it takes, or to stupid.

Doctors get used to people not following through and just prescribe. you know ho few people do stuff on their own to help their stuff? I would say 1/100 are motivated enough. And I do treat people as a chiropractor. I get so few that eat well and exercise and so few that will, that I don’t even bother most times.

It’s like trying to teach a pig to sing, you just waste your time, and annoy the pig.

51

[quote]gatesoftanhauser wrote:
ADHD people love Michael Bay films. I wonder why??[/quote]

As someone with a “slam dunk” diagnosis for ADD I resent this post more than any other in the thread. Just because I have ADD that doesn’t mean I’m retarded.

As a general response to this thread, I don’t really care what random people think of the condition or medication unless they’re trying to impose their beliefs on me personally. At this point in my life I take medication for it because it has a strong positive effect on my quality of life. I tried it as a kid and didn’t like it. I tried it in college and didn’t like it. Eventually I went back to the doc and experimented with other stuff until I found something that works for me with a side effect profile with which I’m comfortable. With the supposedly evil pills I’m better able to get what I want in life. This isn’t to say that diet, exercise and various other strategies aren’t critical to an optimal response, but for some people they aren’t sufficient.

52

[quote]Beast27195 wrote:
I’m sort of enjoying this lil thread. Shows how some people will jump to all kinds of extremes and such. Talk of Big Pharma, and over-medicating and so on…just leaves me grinning a bit. As long as there is anything out there backed by some type of authority, there will always be naysayers and such. Yes, the psych field is based on both fact and theory, however, it all comes down to a simple thing: choice.

You can choose to take or have your children take meds, or you can choose not to. While various factors will oftentimes make this choice easier or much harder, it’s a choice to be made nonetheless. Scientologists and naysayers and preach and scream all they want, but the bottom line is, it’s up to the individual. I have been on meds for depression and such off and on for a hot minute.

I don’t ever take the meds just for the sake of taking them. I take them as a supplement to counseling from the docs and social workers. Yes, they level my mood out and leave me “sedated”, however I do know what I am feeling and thinking when we discuss certain things. The side effects and withdrawals can be a bitch, but they pass. I choose this route because it helps me to continue down the path of forgiveness and personal redemption.

I am physically healthier than most people. I eat pretty clean, although I do cheat. I work out like a madman. I eat fruits and such. I have friends. I have a girlfriend. I still take meds and see a shrink, as I don’t want my personal demons lashing out at those I call friends. Sorry for the rant, but just had to throw my penny’s worth. [/quote]

You have a good well balanced view. Meds didn’t do it for me, good living did. Some however need the pills. But blaming docs and big business ie, drug companies is stupid. they’re only giving people what they want.

People like to blame big tobacco, but you have to be retarded to ever start smoking. Even 100 years ago. If you can’t tell that this stuff is bad for you, you’re an idiot. Chris Rock said it well, people don’t sell drugs, they offer drugs.

53

[quote]BigKDawg wrote:
Most of the supposed diseases that we seemingly never had 20 years ago are because they are self-created by a self-monopolizing system that seeks to manage sickness and promote unhealthy lifestyles. Big Pharma wants you to be their money train for life!

You think ACS will ever find a cure for cancer? Not effing likely, considering they would be proverbally shooting themselves in the head if they did. So the ruse is they are always on the cutting edge with promising research “on the way”.

Talk about one of the biggest con-jobs perpetrated on the public bar none.
The best form of health insurance is the health you create for yourself. Too many people just dont want to man or woman up to the fact that optimal health IS a choice and commitment. Too many people are committed to following the path of certain disease and sickness.[/quote]

That’s a huge load of crap. These things do exist, but people don’t do what it takes. That’s the part of your post that isn’t crap.

54

[quote]wirewound wrote:
Meds are the most effective treatment.

Diet and mental hygiene help.[/quote]

Not for everyone. I was a zombie on the lowest dosage of strattera. I lost my sexual drive and sucked at it when I tried.

I stopped and manage it on my own. I stay away from alcohol and caffeine. I exercise and eat clean. I can slip up a little, but very often I let it go to far.

You can’t take a sample size of you and make a blanket statement. I manage better without it. Some can’t.

55

[quote]wirewound wrote:
humble wrote:
wirewound wrote:
Meds are the most effective treatment.

Diet and mental hygiene help.

I’d contest that. Their isn’t any solid proof of this.

What med’s do though is mask the problem whatever it may be.

Their is very little objective science in the whole field of this very infantile subject of psychiatry and psychology which in the words of John Taylor Gatto “have offered -->| |<-- this much to the true understanding of human nature” but instead created a gold mine out of the pseudo science of brain management, supposed diagnoses and treatments.

The masking effect can clearly be seen with the reactions people have when they forget to take their meds or stop taking them for any reason.

Results? 7-13 school yard massacres were because the children were on these dangerous psychotropics, and the other 6 are unknown only because the information wasn’t divulged.

This is not to mention the other domestic cases, and other rampages people go on.

This is because psychotropics don’t treat, per se. Treat has been an abused word. They mask and the problem still exists underneath all that chemical numbing down of the human concious, the soul and well being of a person. Once those numbing drugs wear off or are forgotten to be taken or one just builds up a resistance to them (oh yeh, there’s always a stronger med) then the beast which has been breeding underneath explodes in the fits of rage we have seen in the past and will continue to see.

The modern psychotropic drug is the exact same thing as the old water dunking methods they swore by in the past, the old electric shock therapy causing convulsions, bone breakages, brain damage and death, the old lobotomys which failed miserably all the time and were just scientists (albeit mad scientists) mental spoof-trial and error experiments which they misled the public into believing is the answer to the mental states that they witnessed in people.

The only thing is, that lobotomy, shock therapy and water dunking (not to mention countless other supposed and wicked treatments) is now conveniently placed in a mind altering and destroying drug!

Remember that psychiatry and psychology are the same pseudo-sciences that at the turn of the century actually had the nerve (read: complete incompetence) to label an African American slave’s tendency to want to run away from his oppressors as “Drapetomania”. Don’t believe me? Look it up and be shocked.

You know what the treatment was for “Drapetomania”? To whip slaves into obedience and rid them of this mental disease.

The day big pharma comes out and admits, it’s taking people for a ride, is the day markets will crash, economies will crumble and govt leaders will be living in slums! Govts can’t have this and it quite suits their agenda to have people believe that they need to be managed and that the best way to manage them is by using their specially created and very well funded psychotropics.

end rant

You’re an idiot. SPECT scans show significant biological differences in the brain activity of ADHD and non-ADHD subjects. It’s not all a conspiracy by ‘big pharm’.

The meds to treat ADHD are stimulants (except Strattera, which is a norepinephine reuptake inhibitor). ADHD meds are among the most effective and least questionable meds for a given mental illness available except perhaps the major tranquilizers. The side effect trade off is relatively small.

Ritalin, properly prescribed, would be more likely to inhibit violence in children than promote it. Perhaps it’s SSRIs to which you are referring.

Now please get in line behind Tom Cruise for the bus to crazy-town.
[/quote]

It is true that spect scans do show changes. But meds aren’t for everyone. I wouldn’t put a kid on them unless there were behavioral issues and grade problems. Meds can be great for kids, but oftentimes they can just be taught coping skills and sitting still. It can be done.

there is also the issue of the parents. Many parents have add ( it’s inherited ) and don’t have their own act together. I also think personally that a lot of modern life teaches people not to sit still and learn how to relax. How to have patience.

56

[quote]BigKDawg wrote:
wirewound wrote:
Meds are the most effective treatment.

Diet and mental hygiene help.

When you say something like that, you know that pharmacuetical fellatio is in full effect. Drugs NEVER will solve the problem behind peoples health afflictions. It simply alleviates the problem temporarily while continueing to throw the delicate balance of the body out whack. Pharmacueticals are band-aid medicine at best, Russian roulette at worst at least in regards to your health.[/quote]

You’re an idiot if you believe this. Drugs can be life saving for many people and many conditions. I do believe in taking care of yourself first, but I’ll take a drug if natural means don’t work. In some cases I’ll take one right away.

57

[quote]BigKDawg wrote:
wirewound wrote:
humble wrote:
wirewound wrote:
Meds are the most effective treatment.

Diet and mental hygiene help.

I’d contest that. Their isn’t any solid proof of this.

What med’s do though is mask the problem whatever it may be.

Their is very little objective science in the whole field of this very infantile subject of psychiatry and psychology which in the words of John Taylor Gatto “have offered -->| |<-- this much to the true understanding of human nature” but instead created a gold mine out of the pseudo science of brain management, supposed diagnoses and treatments.

The masking effect can clearly be seen with the reactions people have when they forget to take their meds or stop taking them for any reason.

Results? 7-13 school yard massacres were because the children were on these dangerous psychotropics, and the other 6 are unknown only because the information wasn’t divulged.

This is not to mention the other domestic cases, and other rampages people go on.

This is because psychotropics don’t treat, per se. Treat has been an abused word. They mask and the problem still exists underneath all that chemical numbing down of the human concious, the soul and well being of a person.

Once those numbing drugs wear off or are forgotten to be taken or one just builds up a resistance to them (oh yeh, there’s always a stronger med) then the beast which has been breeding underneath explodes in the fits of rage we have seen in the past and will continue to see.

The modern psychotropic drug is the exact same thing as the old water dunking methods they swore by in the past, the old electric shock therapy causing convulsions, bone breakages, brain damage and death, the old lobotomys which failed miserably all the time and were just scientists (albeit mad scientists) mental spoof-trial and error experiments which they misled the public into believing is the answer to the mental states that they witnessed in people.

The only thing is, that lobotomy, shock therapy and water dunking (not to mention countless other supposed and wicked treatments) is now conveniently placed in a mind altering and destroying drug!

Remember that psychiatry and psychology are the same pseudo-sciences that at the turn of the century actually had the nerve (read: complete incompetence) to label an African American slave’s tendency to want to run away from his oppressors as “Drapetomania”. Don’t believe me? Look it up and be shocked.

You know what the treatment was for “Drapetomania”? To whip slaves into obedience and rid them of this mental disease.

The day big pharma comes out and admits, it’s taking people for a ride, is the day markets will crash, economies will crumble and govt leaders will be living in slums! Govts can’t have this and it quite suits their agenda to have people believe that they need to be managed and that the best way to manage them is by using their specially created and very well funded psychotropics.

end rant

You’re an idiot. SPECT scans show significant biological differences in the brain activity of ADHD and non-ADHD subjects. It’s not all a conspiracy by ‘big pharm’.

The meds to treat ADHD are stimulants (except Strattera, which is a norepinephine reuptake inhibitor). ADHD meds are among the most effective and least questionable meds for a given mental illness available except perhaps the major tranquilizers. The side effect trade off is relatively small.

Ritalin, properly prescribed, would be more likely to inhibit violence in children than promote it. Perhaps it’s SSRIs to which you are referring.

Now please get in line behind Tom Cruise for the bus to crazy-town.

And you need to get off your knees and stop s–king Big Pharmas dick. Big Pharma and the “wonders” of junk science has done more to create a climate of learned helplessness towards health in many individuals.

You know like when people say their fat and blame it on genetics because according to research, its not their fault. Or how about the endemic rise of obesity, cancer, heart disease?

Its all genetic, ya know (BULLSHIT AND YOU KNOW IT) People need to wake their asses up and quit being such brain-dead morons to believe the tenets of f–king morons dressed up in white coats acting like their experts just because they have two letters behind their name.

For acute care, modern medicine is priceless. For treating chronic health problems that are largely self-induced, not so much.

[/quote]

There’s nothigngwrong with a little knowledge, you should get some.

58

[quote]mt006 wrote:
Now please get in line behind Tom Cruise for the bus to crazy-town.

Thats incredibly ironic considering that Tom Cruise is completely anti-Drug use

Without reposting the entire thread the poster I believe was trying to make a point that the miracle cure drugs that people are told to shovel down their throat often have vicious side effects that are ALWAYS DOWNPLAYED.

My personal experience is with a depressive who was on Prozac (made her extremely violent) and was addicted to Seroxat (a NON ADDICTIVE anti depressant with side effects including depression and suicide)

Any drugs that we are told “regulate” mental problems should be treated with suspicion since doctors are encouraged by a revolving door medical culture to proscribe drugs instead of treating illness

[/quote]

I would agree to tread carefully with these meds, but some do fantastic with them. Information is essential and understanding the side effects are also so. People also need to do their part.

59

[quote]wirewound wrote:
mt006 wrote:
Any drugs that we are told “regulate” mental problems should be treated with suspicion since doctors are encouraged by a revolving door medical culture to proscribe drugs instead of treating illness

I agree with a lot of that, except as pertains to ADHD.
[/quote]
Not me, you need to understand that even strattera can have serious sides. Sexual dysfunction and difficulty maintaining an erection were serious to me. Meds aren’t for everyone.

You sound as bad as the no med people. BTW, it took me a full year to normalize after 3 months of strattera. If it works for you great, but it’s not candy and it’s not for everyone.

60

[quote]belligerent wrote:
ADHD = insipid psychobabble

Some people are not good at paying attention, just like some people are not good at math, but a short attention span is not a mental illness. The psyciatric establishment, now thoroughly entangled with big pharma, medicalizes everything to fulfill profit motives. [/quote]

Wrong, it’s real and can be shown on spect scans. Some people aren’t good at regulating blood sugar, and we call them diabetics. but that’s bullshit, it’s a just a big pharma scam to hook people on insulin.

You’re another idiot.

61

[quote]hedo wrote:
Dated a girl many years ago who had ADHD. It was hell after a few months. Even worse after we broke up. She was a real life fatal attraction type of girl. Then she met another guy and the roller coaster started all over again for her.

I tried to get her to take some sort of meds but she refused. She was also a binge drinker and I think that just compounded it.[/quote]

It will. I can control my impulses well, but if I overdue it, I’ll pay.