Posted by Sara T on July 16, 2000, at 2:11:36
In reply to Q for KarenB, other ADDers about focus, followthru, posted by S.D. on July 15, 2000, at 23:19:57
> Regarding that stuff about absent-mindedness, not staying on-task, starting 3 different things and not finishing anything, feeling like your running from thing to thing all day only to end up accomplishing nothing in a week...
> I hope I'm not being overbroad here, but what helps the most with changing those behaviors?
> "Overcompensating" by being forcing yourself to be anally organized and regimented? Other behavioral training to stay organized and to force good habits?
>
> If a stimulant does help you more than just with fatigue or sleepiness, how does it feel different than just 'stimulated'? I hope someone knows what I mean, because when I take caffeine or other non-Rx stuff, or the short Ritalin trial I once did, I think all it does is keep me more awake and alert if I'm tired/sleepy, or help me stay up all night working. I think studies show these stimulants can improve general mental quickness too. These may be good things, but they don't let me get by on less sleep over time, I don't find myself accomplishing more in the long term, and they don't address the kind of problems I described at the top of this message.
>
> If a stimulant is "doing something special" for the ADD, will I really feel it?!?
>
> peace and health,
>
> S.D.I can't believe it's 3 am and I'm sitting here with my bird on my shoulder answering psychobabble questions. I have told myself over and over to go to bed on time. Talk about your follow through!
Basically, the stims help keep up your mental alertness. But undoing the maladaptive behaviors you've spent a lifetime developing has to be done with therapy, or retraining and coaching. It's a relearning of more adaptive ways of doing things and you have to work at it constantly because it all falls apart sooo easily.
Sara T. (Glad to be on your list)
poster:Sara T
thread:40610
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20000708/msgs/40618.html