Posted by mike21 on April 14, 2002, at 10:04:54
In reply to ADD diagnosis 1 week ago, completely calm now » Michael K. Junk, posted by katekite on April 13, 2002, at 16:45:56
Kate,
I've read a couple of your posts regarding the stimulants helping to calm you. One of them in anther thread mentioned obsessive-type anxiety. Your description of thinking several thoughts at once sounds like me, too. Also, I have had relief of some symptoms from valium.
I am curious if any of your now-diagnosed "ADD" symptoms could fall under OCD, obsessive-compulsive disorder. I am starting to think there might be some similarities between these two disorders.
Have obsessions or compulsions ever helped you to cope with anxiety? I am asking because I am considering stimulants in the treatment of my anxiety, which I believe is OCD-mediated. Or perhaps I should reconsider my own diagnosis to be ADD.
Anyone else have any thoughts?
Mike
> Most people with ADD find stimulants really decrease their anxiety.
>
> I wouldn't know the meaning of the word euphoria, personally. And ritalin has really helped my feeling frantic and anxious all the time, frustrated with life and that life is harder for me than others. I had vague symptoms. With ritalin I feel relaxed physically and think slowly. I can tell when its time for the next dose when my brain starts to think several things at once, or only parts of thoughts. Jumping around.
>
> I have to be honest though, I've only been on it for a few days so I can't know if the effect will wear off. Diagnosed at the age of thirty. But my brother was diagnosed at 4. 41 years ago. I do not doubt the diagnosis whatsoever. I simply wasn't physically hyper. Instead I was tense. I say 'was' because ritalin has helped more in two days than any other drug I have ever taken. I say this and at the time say I do not feel happy. Rather I feel hopeful and a little disturbed over all the years I had to feel tense.
>
> To me ritalin feels almost identical to valium, except with the amount of valium I would have to take to be able to feel this relaxed I would also feel stupid or really sleepy.
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> Certainly that is not the average response to speed. That is the ADD response.
>
> I have to say the reason it took me 10 years to try ritalin was because I myself really thought it was probably a pretty hokey diagnosis. That its so overdiagnosed, that yeah my brother definitely had it but that I didn't have every classic symptom and I did well in school so therefore it was a remote possibility.
>
> I am absolutely convinced now that it is underdiagnosed. If it took 25 years for me to get diagnosed there are others with milder cases who will never get diagnosed. Maybe its the modern diet, maybe its smog, maybe its drinking coffee in pregnancy, I have no idea. But it is a real thing.
>
> Sorry to rant. But I think everyone on any psychiatric medication deserves to have a real full evaluation. To get diagnosed properly to begin with. Try a continuous performance test. If you are going to be treated for life for anxiety issues or for depression its well worth the money to rule out ADD at the beginning.
>
> kate
poster:mike21
thread:101846
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20020408/msgs/103037.html