Posted by Andy Drinkard on March 13, 2003, at 18:16:45
In reply to medication just the beginning in ADD treatment?, posted by cybercafe on March 10, 2003, at 14:00:19
> my doc tells me that after finding the right stimulant it takes time to get over ADD
>
> is this true? and what do you have to do to get to the point where you can sit down and handle a 9 to 5 job?My experiencing is mostly against what your doctor told you, but that doesn't mean it's true for everyone (of course). I tried Adderall when first diagnosed, and instantly both my motivation and my concentration improved. It was a high...not a physical good-fuzzy-feeling high, but a mental high in that suddenly I found myself finally being able to follow through with simple tasks. Even better, I began to take pleasure in the usually-unpleasant tasks required of me (i.e. homework...I was 16 at the time of diagnosis).
For a more direct answer to your question, the "getting over ADD" part after finding the right medicine was for me just figuring out how to take my newfound mental focus and decide what to do with it. I know that sounds pretty stupid, but when first taking Adderall (I now take Concerta, which is by far the best drug I've ever taken for ANYTHING), I began to want to do EVERYTHING that interested me. I'd find myself wanting to do homework, read books, play sports, talk to people, and all sorts of other things all at one time. Now, I know that actually sounds a bit like ADD itself, but it's not really at all. The key is to be able to sit down and just begin a single task. The stimulant will help keep you focused and interested on that task until you're ready to move to the next one.
Thanks,
Bad Andy
poster:Andy Drinkard
thread:207768
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20030310/msgs/208819.html