Posted by Viridis on May 24, 2004, at 2:41:11
In reply to Are Stimulants always calming if you have ADD?, posted by TheOutsider on May 22, 2004, at 17:17:56
I have ADD and take Adderall. At low doses I find it very helpful (greater focus), but at higher doses I find it irritating. So, I just stick with the lower doses. That doesn't mean that I don't have ADD -- it's just a matter of the appropriate dosage.
I also take Klonopin and find it very synergistic with amphetamines like Adderall. And Lamictal also helps to take the edge off. SSRIs like Prozac drive me up the wall, and Wellbutrin was a disaster for me.
You might try Provigil (modafinil) -- I found it stimulating without anxiety, and my pdoc says that it helps some people with ADD, although he doesn't consider it very reliable in this respect. But free samples are easy to get, and it might be helpful.
In the meantime, though, if low-dose dexedrine works, then I'd stay with that amount and perhaps add a benzo like Klonopin.
People with ADD often have low self esteem -- that's part of the syndrome, due to years of unfinished projects etc. But ADD people can also be very creative and productive, in a "live-in-the-moment" way. In many ways, it's not so much a disorder as a different way of thinking. I'm in academics, and I'm quite sure that a large proportion of my colleagues are ADD, yet many are very successful.
Cognitive behavioral therapy can be very helpful in sorting out these issues -- you might look into that. You'll be surprised at how good you are in so many ways, instead of just focusing on the negatives. One thing with ADD is that ADD/ADHD people tend to obsess over their failures instead of celebrating their successes. I think we're just more alert to our environment, and more aware than some others of our weaknesses.
poster:Viridis
thread:349716
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20040521/msgs/350051.html