Posted by squids on December 5, 2003, at 18:03:02
My Dr. told me something like 60% of untreated adults with ADD turn to substance abuse eventually. My personal experience, sadly, was exactly the case.
I have the type 2 ADD, inattentive type (I am prone to daydreaming and "spacing out"); this type was only recently recognized and put in textbooks. It didn't exist when I was a kid growing up. Because I was not hyperactive nor causing trouble in school, I was never diagnosed with ADD; just labelled as shy, introverted, and a dreamer.
Later on I was diagnosed with depression and put on all sorts of meds for that: imipramine, prozac, wellbutrin, zoloft, etc. These meds did help out my emotional lows and improved my concentration a little bit. I did make it through college and got a good job in the computer industry. But, as I got older, the ADD became worse. It grew more and more difficult to concentrate or keep my attention on something. I could not keep organized (everything went on the floor - my "flat file"), be on time, or finish doing anything.
It got to the point where I couldn't pay bills, get my work done, or do any of the "normal" things in life we take for granted. I didn't know what was happening, I though I was just losing it.
At some point I turned to substance abuse(stimulants and opiates). Exactly why I'm not quite sure. Partly to escape the frustration of having one's thinking turn to mush. Partly because I thought I could function better on them (which was true at first, but it gradually went downhill). Partly because I liked the stuff (possibly I have some biological predisposition towards addiction). Whatever...
As my use and addiction grew, everything in life began to collapse until I wound up more or less broke and homeless. I eventually went to a rehab program and have been clean for about 4 months now. And my concentration still sucks. I getr totally distracted by any little thing and cannot focus on tasks.
My doctor, fully aware of my substance abuse history, thinks I should take psychostimulants - ritalin or similar. He believes it will keep me from relapsing into worse addiction. I'm wondering if anyone has had a similar experience, and can comment on either positive or negative experiences of taking ritalin for ADD after a period of heavy substance abuse.
Thanks,
poster:squids
thread:286932
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/subs/20031014/msgs/286932.html