What Happened When I Stopped Taking My Medication
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 8 มี.ค. 2017
- As much as my meds help me, it’s a battle to remember to do all the things I need to do to be able to take them: sign up for health insurance, pay my bill, make a doctor appointment, GO to that appointment, get my prescription, find a pharmacy that can fill it, remember to pick it up before it closes, remember to bring my ID so they’ll let me...
So when I miss a step and find myself without my meds, it’s easy to wonder...are they really necessary?
This is what happened when I forgot to pay my health insurance, stopped taking my medication for two weeks and tried to learn how to live without it.
Please share -- because the stigma is real, and no one should have to feel ashamed for getting the treatment they need just because their disorder is mental rather than physical, invisible rather than obvious.
Mental health is just as important as physical health, and it’s time we acknowledge that.
NOTE -- I do not recommend going off medication without a doctor's supervision. A medical professional should be accessible to troubleshoot problems. If you can't reach your doctor, talk to a pharmacist.
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LINKS:
Treatment Options: www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/adhd/treat...
Types of ADHD Medication: www.help4adhd.org/Understandin...
Why Stimulants Work for ADHD: childrensmd.org/browse-by-age-...
The Stigma against ADHD: www.additudemag.com/adhd/artic...
www.huffingtonpost.ca/2015/10/...
Simone Biles taking a stand against the stigma: www.espn.com/espnw/voices/arti...
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It can't be emphasized enough that ADHD is on a spectrum and whether or not you need meds is highly dependant on your severity and degree of frontal lobe development. Kids are more likely to have ADHD symptoms because of brain development. it's when those symptoms continue to impact the individual or the individual doesn't grow out of it that you know it's something serious. Because ADHD severity varies between people, medication is going to affect each person differently and like glasses, some people need them just while the read or drive, while others are blind as a bat without them. It's worth noting, ADHD can trick you into thinking you don't need meds when hyper focus kicks in. If you are doing something that is engaging you, it boosts your dopamine and allows you to focus. But it's all those boring, routine things that fall through the cracks that our ADHD can neglect (like renewing insurance) and thus leads to bigger issues when they create fires. Medication helps manage task switching, controlling your emotions, keeping organized and making sure your aren't skipping over important details. It's also worth noting, untreated ADHD can cause severe issues as an adult. I went untreated most my life, did everything I hyper focused on, but then hit a mid life bump and due to lack of medication and coping skills, had a complete psychological collapse. I've been putting my life back together for over a year now and am still not at 100%. So, with ADHD, I would advise someone to find the top psychiatrists and doctors who understand it, get real help and avoid the snake oil alternatives. ADHD is real and it can be life threatening if not properly cared for. The good news, there are lots of good coping tips and tricks (many of them on this channel) and meds do work for most people once you get them dialed in.
Nate Jones what do u mean by snake oil?
Daggeress Snake oil, originally a fraudulent liniment without snake extract, has come to refer to any product with questionable or unverifiable quality or benefit.
(It's an saying because in the nineteenth century people used to sell it as a cure all but it had zero benefits and people were selling fake snake oil to customers so it became synonymous with fraudulent activity)
Maeve Franklin oh okay i didnt figure u meant it was a real product lol, but I've never heard that term before so I was curious. thank you for taking the tim to respond :)
Daggeress I feel you man.
And lets not forget that hyperfocus isn't really a benefit most days. I have ended up in the ER because of it before. 100-degree heat, no air conditioning, so focused I forgot to eat or drink. I was one sick little brain.
I'm not medicated by my own choices and reasons, and it's a struggle. I wouldn't wish that on anyone. If medication helps, it helps.
“I missed wanting to do something and being able to sit down and do it.”
That got me
parkiepooh it got me too I feared up that’s the worst part of this for me
I cant wait for that one day, no one wants to let me try medication for my ADHD and idk what to do
What if your diagnose with adhd but your a pianist
Does that mean ........
Thats how I always feel
It's called discipline
I feel like I'm cheating sometimes when taking them, then I remember normal people feel that way 24/7 and I'm like "That's op af".
Mrmcwarpather this made me laugh 🤭😂😂😂
I feel the same way sometimes.
I wish i knew what that feels like. Im only medicated for my depression and it doesn't seem to be working too well. Dr doent want to treat my adhd as he thinks its just because of my depression. I just want to know what normal feels like.
@@autumnakins7640 Pro tip: ADHD is likely the root source, so it would be more effective to treat that instead
There is no "Normal", just neurotypical brains :)
@@nickbondar2586 Na, there are normal brains. Doesn't mean they're better or worse. But there is a standard.
You’re so brave, I’m still ashamed that I have to take meds to function and I’m not sure of your age but ADHD wasn’t really acknowledged here in Australia when I was a kid, doctors just labelled it “he’s just an energetic kid, he’ll grow out of it” and it wasn’t until my second child was diagnosed as ADHD along with my third some 3yrs later and during an appointment that I had to take them to, which was generally my wife due to me working, that she looked up at me and said you’re ADHD too, in a much more sensitive way I might add. So yeah I was diagnosed properly at 38 years old and my life began to make sense.
It’s been difficult not gonna lie, going that long untreated( sorry ‘undiagnosed’ would be a better term) created a lot of bad habits bc we find our own coping mechanisms and strategies regardless of how effective they are. But I’m still coming to terms with the fact I have to take what some consider illicit drugs to function on a day to day basis. Very happy I found this channel as well.
P.s. Sorry for the huge wall of text, I was gonna delete it like I always do after spending time compiling walls of txt but this time I thought what the heck just hit post. So I did. Thanks for making me feel brave enough to.
I feel for you. I'm 28 and undiagnosed.
I'm thinking a lot of things simultaneously as a reply to this post, but the most important one is this : you're not as hollow as you think, you just bottle up your emotions inside and feel empty. Trust me, I've been through similar stuff and I did feel I was hollow, but on my good days, I know I have a world's worth of great and awesome stuff inside me (those days are rare, but it's getting better). Stay strong. I'm glad you finally got diagnosed, and I'm gonna get myself diagnosed as well. Good luck out there!
Doesn't count as a wall of text if you make paragraphs 😁😆
Nothing wrong with having to take meds! Anyone who says otherwise have their own demons.
I'm pretty sure I have ADHD. I'm nearly 50. Just need to find a GP who will give me a referral to an appropriate Psych, very hard in rural area. Looked up the stats today dr Barkley says 5-6% of adults have ADHD - that's over 500,000 Aussies. Like he says, you wouldn't expect a diabetic to function without their meds, don't expect a person with ADHD to be able to without meds and or treatment/management. You keep on being you and don't be ashamed. If you had heart meds or asthma or anything else you wouldn't think twice, your brain is part of your body, treat it so.
Thank you for hitting the post button. 😊 My son has adhd. I am trying to understand more from comment section because here people write real life experiences. Thank you.
I've been off my ADD meds for 29 years now, and videos like this make me wonder how much better things might be if I worked with my doctor to explore taking medication again. Thank you for being here. You're awesome and I appreciate you.
Same. I've been off for 20 years now. I feel like so many things could ultimately be easier if I was medicated.
I felt it when she talked about the coping mechanisms she used to try to get focused. I hadn't realized I had been doing the exact same thing for daily task management. Don't sit down until you've gotten chores done... Make lists... Fidgeting with toys... Wanting to eat everything, so I cut out carbs...
@@chelseagirlatheart Meds for me just made things easier. Less fighting with myself to do something I know needs to be done, and less impulsive binge eating.
Well imo meds make things like work easier but I hated how it changed my personality. I wasn't as funny when I took them. So I basically wasn't myself. I just love the way I am.
I got to concentrate myself. Yes sometimes I still get distracted but I am okay with it.
I am 28 btw.
I couldnt afford them for too long after I was diagnosed at 20, and also I never got that "amazing" clarity people always go on about. I never cleared the brain fog or found focus to get my chores done. My brain didnt slow down.. I just felt SO BORING.
Now there's soooo many people on tiktok singing the praises of meds and I'm thinking about trying them again, but I've made it to 35 without needing meds.. Should I bother? I have never been ashamed of my adhd or felt it was something that I needed to change about myself but the Internet has made me feel like I should be striving to be neurotypical :/
@@tabzywabzy I am definitely not ashamed of my ADD. I consider it one of my greatest strengths. I don't advocate trying to be neurotypical when my ADD makes me feel "neurosuperior" in ways that neurotypicals can't wrap their heads around. My team at work often speaks glowingly about how I think outside the box and see things they never would have considered. My brain is not a problem. I just wonder if the few minor downsides, that I haven't overcome with years of work like the others, would be made better with mild medication.
My kids' psychologist explained it as... when your mom finishes reading a long article she doesn't say, "my glasses did a great job reading that article." No. SHE read the article... she just used her glasses to correct and aid her eyesight so SHE could see better. The glasses didn't read and comprehend anything. ... In the same way, your A.D.H.D. meds are not the reason for your success. Like the glasses, they are an aid that you need and use.. but YOU are the one doing the great works! Congratulations on a job well done !!
+Mc Kenna awww, I love that analogy! Thank you!!!
+
Mc Kenna wow very good explanation
That's such a helpful analogy! Thanks for sharing!
Mc Kenna you might find my channel useful. I am a knighted psychologist in Spain and share proven advice to control ADHD :)
Talking to ADHD person: "Try harder! *Your just not trying!*"
Talking to kid with broken legs: "Just walk it off! Stop fakeing!"
*EXACTLY THE SAME THING*
young Midoria exactly!
Exactly
I mean... it's not the same thing. Not to the outsider atleast.
People can *see* a broken leg. They can't *see* a broken mind. It is hard for them to believe you, because consciousness is a prison of isolation. Only things an outsider can perceive with their senses... like seeing and hearing... seem real to the outsider.
Only you are caught within yourself. Only you know that the depression, the anxiety, the ADHD... is as bad and debilitating as a broken leg.
I don't think it's right that people don't treat the 2 the same way. Because illness is illness dammit! But... I can see why.
It still hurts though. It hurts to let them have the benefit of the doubt when YOU are the one in pain, and they refuse to view you complexly. But you find peace taking that stance.
I would know. I have to do it everyday. And I imagine... you do too
Take care love!
i’m sure you’ve heard the second example a lot, izuku :)
My mother actually told me that I was faking my broken foot...
I take psych meds for mental health (including ADHD) and I also face a ton of stigma.
Nothing makes me more upset than ppl telling me what I should be doing to “conquer” my mental health issues with “natural methods.”
AS IF I’ve never tried any alternatives to medicines. I tried EVERYTHING before I got on meds.
depression and things? i have a really BAD experience with Concerta, depression + sleeping issues.
So how does it feels like when u don't take meds on a normal day?
Stigma against Adhd Meditation can be so damaging.
Or they start quizzing you, "but did you do this, or try that, or maybe you should get or do this thing I heard about." I realize many people mean it in good nature to help, but it feels like you're on the defense about what you are going through.
The hardest part about being diagnosed as an adult is realizing how much better your life could have been had you known you had it sooner and trying to get those around you to understand that you don't choose to be this way and it's not something you can just make go away.
Yup . I never knew why I had to drop out of college when I was like 20. I got diagnosed when I was around 30 haha before being diagnosed I’d gone to endless mental health professionals . One of the psychiatrists I saw once or twice a week for 7 years when I was younger. I wound up in a psych ward at one point. None of them apparently recognized it? Once I eventually went to a new psychiatrist she diagnosed me after like 2 short visits and suddenly I understood why I am this way and why my life is how it is. Suddenly I also had medication that at least did something, although I struggle to take enough of it.
My husband doesn't think I need ADHD meds because: "you just need to control yourself, its all in your head there's nothing wrong with you." At the same time he complains about me forgetting and losing everything, procrastinating over everything, and being too sensitive. This past week I've been really productive, ive been able to get things done and he's noticed. What he doesn't know is that I bit the $200 bullet, saw a doctor, and went back on my meds. He'll figure it out someday lol.
th-cam.com/video/55NpfNzdwMY/w-d-xo.html
You go girl!
I hope he takes the time and effort to learn and appreciate you better.
Yo, sounds to me that your husband needs to have more respect for you and your condition.
Sounds like don't need your husband....
@@samplentertainment58 That's so sad. I tried telling my mom as a teenager that I was having issues and she straight up called me a liar and lazy. I am so glad my boyfriend is really understanding. I told him and he just believed me and asked me so many questions to understand what it meant it showed he was really trying to understand. I almost cried somone believed it. :')
Your style of quick cut editing represents how someone with ADHD feels really well. I appreciate you.
As someone with adhd I love it because it's fast enough that I don't get bored
So true.
I like the editing, too ...and I still watch it on 1.5x speed :P
Hadn't noticed now I can't not notice... Love it though. Great job you are doing, I really appreciate it.
Usually I skip through intros and parts I don’t care for on other videos.
* empathetic crying right now * because your face of relief when you finally took your meds again - I felt that relief soooo deeply after going decades undiagnosed and unmedicated. Thank you for your vulnerability and honesty!!! I appreciate it so much and your channel is AMAZING
Just yesterday I was like "I have learned so many strategies, I can do this homework without meds! It's just one page." Ended up with three sentences after four hours and a complete meltdown. It is so frustrating to feel like depending on medication, but your videos do remind me that it's okay and help me feel a little less like a failure🌸 thank you
Perhaps a reframe to “I use medication as a tool to help me get what I want to get out of my life!” is in order? 🤔
Why be frustrated? If you need it you need it big deal. Millions of people need a med for one thing or another
this made me cry. this is how I feel everyday
Olivia Chamorro me too
It doesn't always get better, but you will. trust me
Yep. Got me as well.
Me too
Same .
Amen. I asked a doctor for meds and she freaked out, told me it was addictive, and took my meds bottle and walked out the room. I was begging for help, but she freaked out. I read my chart later and she wrote that I couldn't control my kids. Yes, the little one is wild but I just didn't have the mental capacity to keep up with him anymore that day. She shamed me when I was begging for help. She made me feel like an addict. I rarely take meds but I was in a place where I needed them. Instead, i was given antidepressants and sent on my way. Now, as I'm looking for a new doctor my initial conversation is "I have adhd and I'm looking for a new GP. I need someone who understands that adhd is a condition and who is willing to discuss that condition and write a prescription for medication when needed." It's infuriating that I have to preface an appoint with that.
Psychiatrist is the Dr you need. Not a G.P. or M.D.
Trust me I get that. They did the same to me but at work, baker acted me, then the doctor tried to convince me I'm bipolar because I had a meltdown... I believed them. I spent almost two years fighting a condition I didn't have with meds that made my actual conditions worse. Now I start all my doctor visits with the same line. I have ADHD, ASD, Depression, and Anxiety. I am not bipolar, and will not take bipolar meds if you prescribe them. I need refills on my stimulant medication can you refill it?
Your doctor needs this video
Wow, that is incredibly unprofessional conduct. She sounds like a quack who shouldn't be practising medicine at all. Just goes to show that being able to graduate from med school doesn't necessarily mean you are any good at actually being a doctor.
I hope you ended up finding a better DR.
watching this again got me thinking about how i was a "high functioning" adhder in my adolescence. i was a straight A student, i was involved in every extracurricular, i was into the arts - some might even say i peaked in high school. and i remember when i moved out and went to university, everything went downhill. i was fine, i was fine and then one day... i just wasn't. i was so mad at myself, so disappointed, and it felt like i was drowning in air. i barely scraped by university at this point and now that i've been medicated for almost a year now after fighting for literally years... i can say that you can only try so hard. you can only push yourself so far until you break. i was living in an abusive home and my survival instincts forced me to be a high performer, to have amazing memory where i can memorize every detail and now that i'm safe and away from that environment, i "lost" a lot of those skills. the point is : telling people to not seek treatment (whatever that means ... be it through meds, therapy, and/or both) is causing more detriment and harm to adhders because eventually we will break. eventually we will become catatonic and blame ourselves for every little failure whch can so easily snowball into this boulder that we keep trying to push but instead of pushing downhill or on flatland, we're pushing uphill.
This episode choked me up. I’m 63 and this week finally got ADHD help with meds and I wonder what my life would have been had I started 50 years ago. THANK you so much for what you do. PS you even look like my daughter who last year was diagnosed and who convinced me to look into it.
One way I knew there was a difference? My butt hurt at the end of the work day - and I realized I’ve never sat so long without jumping up after each email distracted.
Congrats!
Thank you all so much for your support on this video, I wasn't sure how it would be received and it's always scary to get raw like this. More than anything though I wanted people who needed to hear this, to be able to. Thank you for commenting and sharing!!! It makes such a difference!
How to ADHD i realy feel like thanking you i dont knwo if you ll read this but anways you doing such a great job youre bringing so many people to think about themself . I recently saw you viedeo about relationships and it made me realise how often i do that .Geting overly exited over people an dropping them and just now im starting to change that or at least to show them why its happening and that i did not start hating them . Im so greatfull i found you while looking for fidgetcube reviews you are a big impact on many lifes .
thank you from the bottom of my hart
How to ADHD you should put the fact that u have adhd in the title so when we share it people will see its about adhd cuz as it is, going off the title alone it could be any just about any type of meds for just about any type of illness. not criticizing i promise, just a tip to help spread the word to people with adhd who want this info..
.
How to ADHD you are awesome and I am glad you are here for the adhd community.
How to ADHD
Thank you
Seriously thank you
Your videos genuinely help and I can't thank you enough
How to ADHD Thank you. I had these moments and realizations in the first months of being on medication... at 37 years old. That's a long time to wait to get real help. I feel like I know just how you felt making this video bc I thought no one truly understood the level of effort it took for me to make it through each day. It was exhausting. I felt soooo nervous when you started saying you went a few *weeks* without your medication! It's only been one whole year and I don't know if I could do it. I really do know that I need the Rx, but it gets confusing when I do so good for a while. I think, "I could just remember how I feel, I'll just do *this*..." But that hasn't lasted long enough for me. lol. I am thankful that you made this for us.
I spent two years trying to conquer this naturally. Vitamins, supplements nootropics, Very strict anti inflammatory diet, exercised every day, meditated, cold showers, making list, watching motivation videos, trying g to read books on it, and I finally accepted I need meds.
I literally just started crying. This is the first video I’ve ever seen seen on the channel and I didn’t know I needed positivity and comfort from jet someone I just seen just saying but it’s OK that I am struggling to manage my own. I always feel so behind everybody else in my life and how they’re able to go about their day with little struggle at remembering simple things or finishing tasks but it’s good to know that i’m not alone. Just thank you. I didn’t know I needed that to be said to me.
You have my blessings!🥺💜💜💜
Please look for Dr Rusell Barkley on youtube. I've had ADHD my entire life, but I never understood it's extent in my everyday life until I watched those talks. For real, I've never been described so accurately by a complete stranger before, not even by my mom hahaha.
Receive any support you need. You deserve to have fulfilling life and not be judged for your choice of how you achieve it :)
((((())))))) Big hug. I feel the same and I'm thinking of contacting my gp to get on them meds. I'm physically and mentally tired of trying and failing.
You’re not alone. This channel is fantastic.
This literally made me cry because I’ve tried so hard to not feel like I was depending on my medication. Thank you for making me feel less broken ♥️
YESSSSS ME TOO!!! you just beat yourself up like wow how can I be this person this isn't me! But then you know you're not bad for needing medication at the same time!! it's such an internal struggle! I've found comfort in others that have ADHD as well! Like this channel and everyone in the comments and I'm so lucky to be surrounded by people that know I'm better with medication, especially my husband 🙏🏽😞
I take meds for recurring major depressive and GAD Generalized anxiety disorder. I'm 49 and will need meds for life. Going off meds for two years was a bad idea. Never again
It’s so hard when you hear people saying that you’re just not trying. Like please, I welcome you to experience at least 5 minutes in my head. Then you can tell me I’m not trying… it’s just so comforting coming to a space like this knowing I’m not alone. I also tried to go without for 2 years… also, will never again lol
@@lovepink04030 They're the same toxic people who are thoughtless about proactively preventing burnout.
Pansy
I never knew how cloudy my mind was before being medicated. It seriously feels like unveiling your eyes and seeing the work in front of you for the first time.
same! brain fog is real and until you see clearly you don’t realize the fog you’ve been straining to see through was so thick. It’s a game changer for sure.
Because your getting high on amphetamine lmao
@@ksarecords8099 Only enough to bring them to a normal level of cognition.
I feel like Ive had brain fog for 30 years. ADHD testing soon.
@@daveoflogheadaxemods5387 Me too. I’m 27 and I’m very nervous 😬
I wish there was an ADHD simulator that would give normals just 2 minutes of my brain. I described it to a friend, once. I said, You know what it's like when you haven't had sleep, the lights are too bright, everything startles you, you know you are supposed to do something but all you can do is stare around you wondering what it was? Add a sugar and caffeine rush and a huge load of guilt about every single thing in your life. All of that, forever." All she could say was "Wow."
imagine sometimes browsing these websites that have populs that you close then another popup appear . that is similar
There's a website www.understood.org that has a simulation of what ADHD looks like through a child's eyes. For adults that have ADHD, you can still use this to share with family and friends as an example of what it looks like. You pick the area of interest and then put the age as ”after high school” and then the simulation begins. www.understood.org/en/tools/through-your-childs-eyes/player?simq=66dc223a-29e3-4956-ae1e-e7b1beff3584&gradeId=5021be03-3ad0-4f45-8318-5201bd00fbb4&personalized=true
I've shared this with my loved ones. 🙂
Kitti McConnell you exaggerate to much man
Perfect description for me, actually. But then, ADHD is a disorder, and not everyone has every part of it, and the severity between different people varies, too. If every one of your executive functions is severely impaired, trust me: Kitti's description is dead on.
I was diagnosed with ADHD last week and have just started on medication. It's been helping me tremendously, but I have had that feeling that maybe I shouldn't be taking this "easy way out". It's such a huge change after being used to struggling and somehow I felt I didn't deserve it to be eased. This video really helped me reassure myself that it's okay. Thank you ❤️
Right there with ya. I just got diagnosed and got started on meds two weeks ago. Low dose and it was clear after the first day or two it’s not enough.
The first one I took made me see the potential and it was so freeing being able to just get to work on stuff and get it done without constantly battling every distraction and losing track of what I was trying to do. But it’s barely done anything almost if the time since then.
Definitely feels like a little like it’s cheating in some way to take meds but as many coping mechanisms as I’ve developed, when I have fun and exciting stuff in front of me, it’s nearly impossible to do the stuff that needs to get done no matter how important it actually is and we can’t let our lives fall apart because of what people wrongly stigmatize.
Wishing you the best on your journey!
Here I am at 70 and recently getting diagnosed, I was amazed at how much better I functioned after the first day of taking medication. It lasted 2 months before I realized that I was having a negative reaction to the medication. I switched to another medication and this one caused issues with my first dose. I’m now aware that the majority of the medications available for treatment are going to cause a negative reaction for me. I’ll continue to try more of the medications, although I’m not very hopeful that anyone of the medications will work out. I’m thankful for the two months of feeling what normal feels like. The internal chatter stopped. At least I can say that the daily energy expended without medication is twice what I spend unmediated.
Thats low self esteem telling you that. Nothing wrong with taking a med if you really need it
When people run their mouth its pure ignorance.
@@kimgreerpuchek1140did you ever find a medication that worked for you?
No meds? It’s a nightmare every time it happens to me. It’s almost impossible to get out of bed, let alone go to work and write code. Great video! People need to understand how difficult ADHD can be…
I feel like a drug-addict for taking my meds. They make you believe that you're addicted to legal speed.
😂😂
Same here. I'm trying to pass to an antidepressants, but for some reason only meds reuptaking dopamine and norardrenaline seems to work. Maybe snri, but til now just wellbutrin and ritalin worked.
@@mantralibre1367 Certain green teas do the trick for me.
That's literally what it is.
@@alb12345672 great idea, i will try drinking green tea 🍵
As a mental health professional (who has ADHD), I can't thank you enough for making these videos. Not only have they been SUPER HELPFUL for my clients who have been diagnosed with ADHD, but they've been incredibly helpful for me too. So, thank you. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
You are a legalized drug d e a l e r
@@jms0313 Actually, therapists don't prescribe drugs...That would be a psychiatrist or PMHNP? What is your problem anyway? Sounds like you could use some therapy.
@@jms0313 Toxicity is not welcome. You could have worded that in a more informative and productive way, yet you chose to attack people specifically studied in the ways to help those with cognitive issues. Rather than insulting and accusing, do your research into professionals and educate yourself on the why, not the what.
@@jms0313 Have you never taken medicine for elevated cholesterol or any sort of chemical balance issue? Do you take vitamins to keep your nutrients balanced? When people are unable to function because they are unable to stay focused, there are specialists who have dedicated their lives to helping those with these issues. There is a clear line between addiction and necessity, and you are clearly mistaken. Would you call a user of insulin a drug addict? Would you call a user of blood pressure medication a drug addict? I hope you never have to deal with a child or a loved one who suffers from any kind of mental issues, because I'd imagine you would treat them horribly.
I was hesitant to try a medication but once I did the difference was such a gift. I became aware during my work that first day that I was making connections with ease, felt more relaxed and my progress that day was markedly different than usual. I also felt a bit cheated once getting a glimpse of what life without ADHD might be like.
What are you using any side effects?
The minute she mentioned that she was ashamed I started crying. Seriously opened the flood gates for me.
Just got diagnosed today. I'm 42. I start my meds tomorrow morning. Feels like the first day of the rest of my life (or whatever that saying is)
Hi Joe
I relate to what you said.
I was diagnosed at 50, its strange being diagnosed later in life.
Onwards and upwards!
@@darrenjelley1665 is any medication working for you? Please tell me!
Hoping you feel better.
How is it working?
Not replying to us on how he has been since taking the meds. Did he die?
Crying in my room because it’s so rare to hear this. Most of my loved ones don’t want me on meds and it’s nice to feel supported
Dido
On your second sentence: Good.
idk why people are so against it. if it helps, then what's the problem?
This is a note of support. 😊
I support you
6 years later, you are still helping people by sharing your struggles. Thank you for helping me!
I was prescribed ADHD meds as a kid. My mom took them away, and refused to let me continue taking them.
I recently got re-diagnosed with ADHD as an adult, and will take those meds.
Your video inspired me. Respect ✊
People really don't understand how much ADHD can hurt you, especially parents who wont accept their ADHD child and try to curb medicating them or try homeopathic remedies for it. I grew up through my teens without a diagnosis and the emotional and mental damage caused by the pressure of work versus the actual ability to do that work is long lasting. Got very depressed in school especially over my work, and I nearly dropped out of School, then College, and even University because I couldn't focus on my work. Finally got round to seeing a doctor before the end of University and was lucky enough to get a diagnosis. The medication makes things so much more streamlined, and i feel my heart breaking whenever i think back to a younger me who hated herself to the point of su*cidality and depression just because she couldn't do work "just like other kids". It's very hard and people just don't seem to realize that.
this. this! I have been diagnosed as a child but didn't want to take meds because I was afraid of them changing me. now I am 26 years old and look at my clusterfuck of a life. I have struggled with depression and suicidal thoughts for way to long now, I am utterly frustrated when I see all the younger people even finishing their masters degrees while I find it almost impossible to finish my bachelors degree in a major I hate. I am currently seeking for professional help and believe I should give meds another try to perhaps finally turn my life around.
How did you help your family see that you have ADHD? I’m 13 and I’m struggling a lot, because I’m ‘perfect in school, so it’s probably nothing’ 😞
whew... this comment hit me like a truck because i basically went through the same thing.. ugh especially with parents underplaying it when i told them that my psychologist told me that i probably have it..
@jay Evans your first sentence was really helpful for me. Researching and debating over how to treat my ADHD daughter who is only 6, and have been scared to put her on meds so young and trying to consider all other options. Still open to different things, but your comment helped me see that it's not fair to her to keep her from meds or only do alternatives if meds is what she really needs. Love and best wishes to you. Thanks for sharing your story.
Same. I missed 3 months of school because I fell into a really bad depression and cost me my diploma because I just couldn't do the work, especially the end of the year senior project which was a verbal presentation in front of peers, not with my level of social anxiety, but school doesn't care, or doesn't know, or both. I was so apathetic to it all, so frustrated. I just couldn't "do it anyway" like my friends said they did when they didn't want to, and it's hard to explain the "I don't want to" is really "this is literal torture to me, my brain can't process it right". But you don't know those things as a teen, let alone being un-diagnosed on top of it. So you have no way to explain that blasted invisible wall that prevents you from your goal, no matter if it seems simple or should be easy. It's horrible.
Just wanted to say that the fact that you do jump cuts and are constantly moving to new places on the screen makes it significantly easier to focus on! Well done, very informative!
I dont know why but her videos make me twitch and I gotta paus several times
except half wayu through eaxh video when the music slwows down and she strts goign on about feeeling and then it feels like forever until she hgets to the point,.
@@9Calavera6 sounds like it triggers tics
Didn't notice until you pointed it out but it's extremely effective
I like that the jump cuts don't just stay in one position because then it would look like she's teleporting/glitching. This way is less distracting (to me) than when someone just leaves the camera/frame in one spot while jump cutting. That's probably why you never see that happen in mainstream footage (unless maybe it's for that jarring effect, like a timelapse/montage).
I don’t know how to put this without sounding weird. But we, the ADHD community love you. Because you stand for us and support us by making these videos. I can’t tell you how much being able to relate to someone even if its through the internet can make me feel. Thank you for helping us feel like we’re not alone. And also for helping us to not feel bad when we take medication or seek mental help.
We love you! We support you and thank you so much. Thank you thank you.
I almost wanted to cry hearing you express everything I've felt and continue to battle. This channel is a blessing
Just diagnosed at 36. It all makes sense to me now. I was so frustrated because everyone seems to have a sense of how to put things in order and make them happen. Me I struggled TREMENDOUSLY with that. I always had notes scattered all over the place of passwords, goals that change by the second, books that I was gonna supposedly read etc. Just got put on a low dose of stimulant medication and I can tell the difference im less impulsive, can plan and stay on task in a way that I never could. Your channel is one of the very best out here on adhd hands down. There is a lot of garbage content floating around you tube on adhd. Now that Im medicated Im finding my strengths and working on those to have a better life for myself and family. Hats off to you and a big thanks for sharing your brain with other brains 😀👊
me too 36 - now lets conquer the world
I was diagnosed 7 years ago at 59. It explained so much. 2 Things happened when I started medication: 1-I didn’t go home feeling defeated. 2- OTHER people noticed. My first day on medication - at the end of a 2 hour meeting - my Real Estate coach asked, “Did you start medication today?” I said, “Why do you ask?” She said, “Well, in our entire meeting you on ly took 3 rabbit trails... You recognized that you did... AND you remembered what you had been talking about before.” Wow!
Don't know if you will read this, but I am so happy that you found something that works for you!
Thank you for sharing your Story! It is very courageous of you & you are helping me so much❤
Medication just working till tolerance kicks in.
🙏🏼 Thank you-currently being criticised for ‘drugging’ my daughter! Made me really think whether I was taking the ‘easier’ option. So thank you for this.💝 My daughter is 9 and on meds since 1 month and I know she’s more content already. Coming across this video and your site is brilliant. I’ve showed her the glitter bottle and she wants to help make it!😍❤️💝
I got diagnosed with ADHD last week. I'm 52 years old. FIFTY TWO!!!
I cannot believe how different I feel on the meds.
I have clarity.
I can read and TAKE IT IN!!
This is LIFE CHANGING!
What are you talking?
I have a million words, but none of them feel right. "Thank you" is a good start. Hearing and seeing my thoughts reflected in your words truly helps.
Staying medicated can be such a chore. Feeling that defeated reliance on a drug in order to function, is daunting. Trying to live without and having to come crawling back is demeaning. Seeing your issues in your children and knowing that they too will be condemned to a life of medication feels damning. But hearing from a strong community, and watching videos like these, is helpful. So... thank you.
i felt the same today from 9am to 5 pm.
i went to my college.
reserved a room for myself so i wouldnt be distracted by others.
and i ended up crying, being angry at myself and anythibg and everyone around me. feeling compeltely useless and not being able to finish this little essay.
everythibg around me was perfect
a Nice clean desk. water,my laptop. no phone. no internet.
and i just couldnt do it.
it feels horrible and more horrible qhen you thibk about it. i spent the whole day and nothibg. nothingbhappened.
i recently had to leave my project because i wasnt trying hard enough...
would they see my ADD as an excuse?
my classmates talk about me not having the discipline to work through the essays...some even about my lack of motivation...
today i had one of the worst days again.
thanks for making the video
and posting it today. exactly when i needed it. seriously thanks...aaaand i might be even about to cry...so..
dontstresstoomuch I am so impressed that you know yourself well enough to get the quiet room. I didn't know what my brain was doing when I was in college. Try to remember to be proud of yourself for every step you take. I'm rooting for you 1000%. ❤
I'm so sorry you had such a bad day, I had one of those recently and it sucks feeling like you're a total failure. So I just want to tell you you're NOT. Your ADHD is a real thing making real impacts on your life, whether your classmates recognise it or not. Be gentle with yourself, go have a good cry, get some rest, and get up tomorrow and try again. You've made it through every bad day so far in your life and you can certainly get through this one. And if you don't manage it tomorrow either, it's ok. Maybe it's time to go get a bit of help from someone if it keeps happening, and that's nothing to feel bad about either. I also encourage you to talk to yourself how you would talk to a close friend going through this - you'll realise we're far too hard on ourselves. x
dontstresstoomuch I went through all med school without knowing I had ADHD. What helped me the most, was what my mom told me: YOU ARE MORE IMPORTANT! IF YOU HAVE TO SLEEP/EAT OR WHATEVER DO IT!!
lots of hugs
Marce lupi WOW! Your mom...you...life goals right there. ❤❤❤
I'm sorry to see you had a bad day! *sending you lots of support!*
I am 38 next week.. and the last few years got progressively worse to the point I am due an ADHD assessment 1st March. I know the cloudy mind you speak of... and the rest of the BS that goes with it... thanks for these channels, I now have a better understanding of ADHD instead of being like 99% of the world that thinks ADHD is just unruly kids...
Just even the fact that you tried proves that you are brave, courageous, and truly amazing. I am honestly so proud of you for even giving the thought of trying. I found your channel while trying to learn to focus (I don’t have ADHD but because of other mental illness I have attention difficulties) and your channel helped so much keep up the good work and don’t stop.
So yeah, this made me cry. Probably because I'm already depressed and having issues anyway, but your videos always hit so close to home.
fealubryne big virtual hug to you. I'd share my Kleenex but I don't know where I put it. ❤
* giant hugs * here anytime you need them.
Same, totally started crying half way through.
fealubryne me too and I'm in the waiting room at the muffler shop...
fealubryne I didn't because I am pretty sure my adhd has something to do with my hard time empathizing.
"if you still need meds as an adult, there's something wrong with you", yeah, there is. it's called ADHD! that's what's wrong!
✔✔
This is genius 😂😂😂😂😂
Not necessarily "wrong"... uh huh... yes, there’s something different about you 😜🤪✌🏼
Not wrong, just different! I know people with adhd and they call it a gift! The hyperfocus can make you solve problems really fast;)
@@davidjohn9006 My neurologist told me "Your brain is wired differently."
Thanks for this. It is really easy to feel alone with my condition as an adult. It is nice to know that someone feels the exact same way when they don’t take their medicine and they are aware enough to make a video about it. It’s very validating
I needed to see this! The stigma is real!!!😟 Everyone needs to hear this. Thank you so much!!!💗
This literally hit me in the gut. I felt like a drug addict taking my meds because other people kept saying it’s no different then being on hard drugs. Bad bad bad mistake. I fell off the deep end. Depression etc. I went two weeks and lost it, so I completely understand how you felt. Not to mention the crash for the first 4 days.
Yeah I feel you. I moved States a few years ago and had trouble getting my meds due to regulations. Lost nearly everything. It's really not fair how much harder it is to be a productive person with ADHD.
this made me cry..... i don't take medication because i do not have enough money to be buying it.... but i feel this everyday, i am in college and i can tell you i cry so much because i can not concentrate and i try so hard and i felt like no one understood that feeling.... everyone judges me and tell me i do not try hard enough but man i really do.
You're not alone believe me :'(
Cindy S try meditation atleast 20 minutes every single day .u will definately see the benifits. focus is a muscle the more u use it the better it becomes.
ADHD is not an issue of focas, its a deficit in the ability to control the executive function of the brain, telling a person with ADHD to focas is like telling an autistic person to stop flapping their hands around and to talk normally.
Ash h how do u know that she has adhd
Spiritual Gangster ....what......else would we be talking about???
You’re my new hero. I’m beyond grateful.
It’s so relieving that I’m not alone about these feeling. Thank you so much for what you do for myself and others
I here you.
I was diagnosed at 45 and put on meds,now I'm 72.
persistence
how has your life been different these last 27 years since the meds?
@@Ray-pp5qb I'm also curious
When I'm off my meds I'm either falling asleep on the spot and staring at a wall for half an hour or I'm very hyper and people ask if I'm high or drunk because I'm grabbing things, endlessly babbling and stumbling around.
Amanda Snider Me 2. Just till me its be fine or again I'm going to dactor ???im so scary 😞
i do that with or without thats nothing new. i bable no one listens. lol....we dont mind honey.
Was you doing things like that before you were on meds? Like the falling asleep on the spot or being very hyper? Or has being on meds and then off them made you worse?
Yeah same
Amanda Snider haha, staring at the wall, I do that too.
It’s been 8 years since I’ve been off my medications and I still struggle to figure it out. I literally just came across your channel and you have helped me out in so many ways. My wife didn’t fully understand the severity of my ADHD until I showed her your videos. It has gotten easier but there are still areas in my life that I still struggle dramatically in. I feel like meds or no meds it’s still something we will struggle with but together we can help each other just like your videos helped me and my marriage.
THANK YOU!!! I wish I could share this EVERYWHERE. I needed to hear this.
I stopped taking my medication over ten years ago when I was still in high school. I was asked if I really wanted to stop, and I did, but not because it didn't help me - they helped me so much, but I didn't want to feel like the medication was the only reason I was able to function. Since then I've graduated high school, gotten my undergraduate degree, and working on my Masters, but I feel like maybe I should take them again. It was so hard to function without them, and I have been able to function without them, but it is so hard, and the battle to get my mind to focus on what I need done before it becomes a time crunch ... the medication helped me so much, and I don't need to prove anything to myself on this anymore
I relate so much to not wanting to feel like I need medication to function -- one of the reasons I started this channel was I hated feeling useless without them and wanted to learn other strategies. I'm glad I did, those strategies have made a huge difference in my life -- but after a couple weeks without meds I'm glad I have those too. It really is so much harder without them, and just because I *can* do it doesn't mean it makes sense to struggle through it.
Luke Cox, let me put it this way. I choose to take my medication because I want to function at my best abilities, and use my wonderful skills and amazing brain and good heart the way I am supposed to. Just the way I choose to wear my glasses to be able to drive, read and write without hurting myself and others. Peace...
I am in a similar boat. I stopped around 7 or 8 years ago after high school and attempted to try college without them mainly because I could only go part time since I was on my own at the time and had to work to pay rent. Personally I feel I can function well enough without medication to be able to make a living but it feels like I am stagnating and I cant get motivated to do things for me.
You certainly don't have anything to prove. Please do this for yourself. You might have to try a few different meds to find the right one and the right dose again, but it is so worth it, especially if you can recognize yourself what a difference it is without them. You'll have so much more mental energy and won't have to struggle so hard to function. It won't fix everything of course, but it does make "adulting" so much more manageable. Good luck my friend and fellow ADDer!
I tend to take medication breaks 1. to lower tolerance building and 2. to make sure that I can feel the difference between the two states of mind. I tend to take my meds during the week, and not take them during the weekend... having a week long spring-break is... troublesome, and have had to take my meds a couple times this week.
I’m on it too. It sucks when you have to admit to yourself you need a pill to get through the day. I cannot function properly without it.
th-cam.com/video/55NpfNzdwMY/w-d-xo.html
Smo else who commented on this video said, "I feel like I'm cheating when I take my meds. Then I remember that this is how normal people feel 24/7."
your channel has been a lifeline for me. THANK YOU.
You have and still are a ray of sunshine in my quest to finding what works for me.
I've been diagnosed with ADHD 16 yrs ago and went off meds a year after being diagnosed as a teen. Now, nearing 30 I've decided to go back to taking meds after years of scrambling around trying to manage without and boy, I really needed this video. So thank you. Thank you so so much for your kind, wise and compassionate words
Getting medicated changed my life!
I'll never forget the first time I took them; driving to my first class that year, and feeling like I knew I had everything in my backpack I needed, and I knew where my list for my classes were. Just the assurance of knowing I didn't forget anything important made me almost cry with joy.
What medication are you taking? Please tell me!
@@kennyhumble3699 I take Adderall. Every one is different and different medications will work differently for people, so you should work with your doc to find what's best. Adderall cuts my appetite and makes me thirsty and grind my teeth a bit, but it's worth it
I'm currently bawling my eyes out. I've been off my meds for over a week now because my doctor's appointments didn't line up to get my refill on time. I have barely been able to work (I work from home), I cried instead of going to soccer because I was too anxious about being tired, I've been eating like crazy, afraid to drive, getting grumpy with my kids, obsessively cleaning, and feeling guilty because I really just want to sleep until my appointment ...this comment is also taking me 10 mins longer than it should. You do great work Jessica. The stigma alone makes it hard to talk about why I'm struggling because people just dont seem to understand. Anyways...longwinded... Thank you doing what you do! :)
That's withdrawal symptoms pure and simple
That's a withdrawal
The other comments dont get it. Its not just withdrawal. Its like suddenly loosing the ability to function like a normal person and its shamefully terrifying.
@@vespertine789 dont know. im off and on ad i can only say its been a roller coaster..not on stattera at all just wellbrutrin went back on it
im going to try tems therapy. its suppose to work for vets. ive got ptsd. cant take anymore stressors.
😬💥🔫?
Thank you for posting this. You have no idea how much this helps
My son has ADHD and your videos have been a huge help for me as a parent to understand what my child is going through and has helped our relationship and his self esteem. I cant thank you enough, seriously..... Thank You! 😁
I watch this video every time I feel ashamed for taking my meds. Thank you.
th-cam.com/video/55NpfNzdwMY/w-d-xo.html
I recently started taking Adderall after nearly two decades of living in denial of the way my brain works. These past months have been some of the happiest and most productive of my life, and when you started talking about how you felt without them, I broke into tears. I'm still crying while writing this. You described me exactly, and although it wasn't so long ago that I felt that same frustration, it feels like I'm a completely different person now. I've been saying this whole time that it felt like my brain but on glasses, and hearing someone else say it just hit home. I'm not sure you'll ever even read this, but this just meant a lot to me, and I wanted to say a heartfelt, genuine, fully-focused thank you to you for solidifying the thoughts in my head that this is better, and that I shouldn't be ashamed of myself like I was for so many years.
I'm so glad I've stumbled across your channel. I don't sit on TH-cam and watch video after video, but when they pop up in my notifications, whether old or new I love to watch. It's been so helpful to understand others because in return I've learned so much more about myself.
Absolutely loved your Ted x lecture. Was very emotional for me as I can relate. I’m a 51 year old male that’s been misdiagnosed my whole life. Until one certain Dr that prescribed one certain medication and made a difference day one. 😁 im so happy for what the future holds. Appreciate your videos 🙏🏼🙌
I’m a mechanic’s daughter and this is my explanation of how a stimulant, adhd meds, actually smooths out my brain.
If a car has a bad spark plug, it sputters and jerks because that plug is not firing in sync with the other plugs. Stepping on the gas (pressure to just try harder) doesn’t make the engine run better. In fact, most of the time, it sputters more. The engine’s performance is unpredictable and inefficient.
Add a new faster plug that can keep up with the other plugs is like taking your medication. The engine smooths out and runs more efficiently. Now if you step on the gas, the engine can keep up with demands.
Oh my god this is a brilliant analogy and I am officially stealing it. Thank you!!!
we should really also be looking at what keeps causing a plug to go bad. it's not normal wear and tear if it's only one plug so destroyed when the others are fine. if other cars don't have the same prob. etc.
@@legalfictionnaturalfact3969 The challenge is when it's due to genetics you can't just replace that spark plug. Neural development issues that are life-long cannot currently be repaired or replaced. We still know so little about the development of the pre-frontal cortex.
Great analogy. Love it
I should probably change plugs in truck🤔 thanknyou
This made me cry for sure. The shame I feel and how I've been made to feel like I'm a "druggie" or something and i need help or rehab because I cant do life without it.
th-cam.com/video/55NpfNzdwMY/w-d-xo.html
This was so validating. It was on my TH-cam suggested for so long and I didn't watch it because I was so scared this video was going to say "I learned coping strategies and no longer needed them!" and feel like I know ALL the strategies and still hit a brick wall when I try to sit down and focus on something important, but not fun even if it is urgent sometimes.
Your videos have helped me to understand a lot about myself and my childhood in the 1970's. ADHD didn't seem to be talked about back then, i never heard of it until 5 or 10 years ago. I remember hearing the word "hyperactive" being used to describe me. My parents especially my dad had no understanding and I feel he was quite vile towards me at times. I felt as though I was paralysed by fear of him. I think that is why i became totally estranged from him as an adult even when he was on his deathbed. I didnt want anyone to tell him i was there. I remember seeing a child psychologist and I never knew why. So many things are becoming clear. I am in such a confused and mixed up state when i think back and try to make sense of everything. .
The shame and stigma we absorb as children really hits deep and can infect everything. Really feel you mate! There is so much to unpack and question about your life as you start to understand what ADHD is. Feel for you mate.
It's so refreshing to hear for once that it's okay to take adhd meds.
since when is it not ok! since the big pharma puppet doctors are pushing them and no one is seriously researching powerful non drug treatments .
it is!!!! saying going natural way or that ADHD meds are harmful is what might be harmful to lives! ppl could lose lives and they do because of unmedicated ADHD when they get on a bad track. this is really unresponsible to say it like that, I think these should be banned. because harmful to peoples lives.
Every time I go off meds I always wonder if my accomplishments are because I did it or the meds did it. Thank you for this. Just subscribed after seeing your TED talk.
Yeah, that's like asking " Did I see the bird, or did my glasses see the bird?"
i get how you feel dude thats why i dont want to take meds cause it feels like it the meds not me
that is exactly the reason why I don't want to take them. it's maddening
@@RababaInc: I have always been anti drugs for treatment. I know in some cases they are necessary NOT optional like bipolar etc. All the research I have currently found seems to suggest that meds for ADHD is almost always necessary.
I forgot to mention, if u have ADHD do some research n make your own conclusion. :)
Well the meds themself aren't that complex.
Medicine does not pump out a project.
Medicine doesn't organize the house.
Medicine does not excel socially.
It's still your brain doing all that.
It's like saying that sutures heal the wound. They don't.
The sutures merely assist the body in healing the wound, nothing more.
But without it: big problems. So that assistance is still vital.
I was diagnosed with adhd in 2021. And even with meds I struggle a lot but without it's even worse. It makes me so incredibly frustrated to not be able to do simple tasks without taking medication. I feel like a lot of us struggle with the isolation of having adhd as an adult and I'm glad we have online platforms where our stories are shared and we can feel validated. Thank you for making this video!
Non medicated for 15+ years. This video hits hard, I can’t afford healthcare, so I can’t afford when I need my meds. I’ve learned to cope by doing work when I can focus, but it’s not the time that is best for my family or work :(. Thankfully I work with spreadsheets and my boss is understanding. Unfortunately, diet and exercise has suffered and I’m comically large which is frustrating (5’10” @250lbs). I haven’t really looked into other methods but after watching some of your videos, I guess I should take a look, my health depends on it, why can’t I hyper fixate on that brain?!
Look into Medicaid if you’re in the US, you can probably qualify if money is the issue. My insurance won’t cover it and can’t find a doctor that doesn’t require an appointment less than every 3 months (not sure if state law or bad luck). I just stick with Wellbutrin and it kinda helps the brain fog, but that’s about it.
Try GoodRX if in the US? It might help. I just punched in generic Ritalin (not sure if this med and dossage is what you personally need, but it is one of the most common so its just an example) into it and it looks like 60 tablets of 20mg is averaging around $20-ish at this time, most expensive pharmacy is just under $30 but that averages at about 50 cents a day. Prices can vary but they can really help keep costs down. Don't take meds myself, too many bad experiences, but if you think it could really help YOU then freaking go for it.
don't worry. you can afford healthcare. it's pharma you can't afford. get some kr a tom. same benefits, prob better, cheaper, easy to get online (head shops have poor quality and high prices).
there are a boatload of trolls and shills out there making crazy claims about it. you can always just believe them like many idiots do, but the data bears out the benefits. best bet is talking to real people with adhd and such who use it.
Pay OOP, adderall ir generic is cheap af with a discount card like goodrx and a good pharmacy.
@@f4ptr989 I’d love to but you can’t self diagnose. I wonder if I can do a virtual visit for it, if not its going to be an expensive visit to the doctor.
It's an awful feeling, when you notice your ADHD meds are running out.
Does the meds help you?
@@kennyhumble3699 Hello Kenny, I use Concerta, it does help me a lot! :)
@@ADHDPatrick Hi Patrick! Thank you for letting me know! I'm going to start this Wednesday! I can't tell you how bad my life and I feel right this day! I hope these meds help me too!
@@kennyhumble3699 good luck Kenny! Hope they help you like they helped me! :)
@@ADHDPatrick me too!
Anyone else hate it when people hate it when people say ADHD is just a made up excuse? 'Cause, I sure do!
ChloeGrayce I hate it when they say "you don't have ADHD, you're not hyperactive!"
THAT'S TRUE TOO!!!
ChloeGrayce
I don't mind that much. After all, there is controversy behind the claims of psychiatry. If it was crippling my life I'd be a little upset. Or if I'm going through a major depression and someone were to say just be happy it kinda would be annoying.
+Calvin25X I hate it when people say "you can choose to be happy". No. I don't get to "choose" for my brain chemistry to go haywire on me and cause depression. That's not how it works. Just like I don't get to "choose" for my leg to be magically fixed after I broke it. It requires healing (and sometimes a little medical help).
Kia Zi Shiru
yeah saying that to someone is kinda like a huge middle finger
For someone with ADHD you sure are good at stringing your thoughts together and presenting an unbroken, logical and organized talk for 5 minutes straight! - I wish I could do that without having to constantly 'reach' for thoughts in a conversation.
Thank you thank you thank you... your vulnerable honesty is a true treasure.
I wasn't diagnosed with ADHD-PI until I was 49. Coping mechanisms I learned over the years before getting diagnosed and medicated:
- Use an online bill paying service to pay regular bills.
- Multiple alarm clocks (one across the room requiring getting out of bed to turn it off).
- use an underpowered computer to access the internet when you can't afford to get badly sidetracked on the internet since the computer bogs down when too many tabs are open at one time.
- break tasks down into smaller and smaller pieces until it gets to a size where it is no longer too intimidating to start.
- create rules to help avoid problems. for example: one of my rules is dirty dishes do not go in the sink (no dishwashing machine) since if the sink is full then I find it much harder to get started washing dishes. Another rule which has become a habit is to always check the toilet paper level when I enter the bathroom.
- create habits such as my habit of wash dishes as I am cooking because I find that once I have eaten I do not do dishes.
- keep a notepad and pen by the bed for those times when thinking about what needs to be done tomorrow makes it hard to get to sleep - write it down before going to bed and look at it in the morning on waking.
- I use a calendar app on my smartphone which allows me to set multiple alarms for events. Using this I rarely miss a doctor appointment and I am not as late. I will start the alarms early usually 2 or 3 days before then another 1 day before then multiple alarms on the day of the appointment. If it is an appointment where I have to fill out paperwork I start 1 or 2 weeks early with a reminder to find the paperwork to fill out then a day or two later a reminder to get another copy of the paperwork if I could not find it.
- I use the side of the fridge to put important pieces of mail or other things I will need to be able to get my hands on when I need it. Emissions, car tax bill,
- I have found that listening to old, familiar music while I am working helps me to stay focused. If the music is not something I already know by heart I find my attention drawn away from what I am working on and instead I am focusing on the music.
I never found a coping method for dealing with avoiding getting sidetracked - for example my wife sent me down to the basement to get a hammer and picture hooks for hanging pictures and got sidetracked such that I came back upstairs two hours later without the hammer and picture hooks.
Something else I never found a fix for other than just trying to force myself to stay present in a conversation (almost never works). I wonder if using a fidget cube when talking to that person where you zone out on them regularly would help? I don't have a fidget cube (yet).
I wrote that last night after a 12 hour day at work. I forgot to mention what I do to help avoid forgetting thing:. I f I am wearing a jacket I put my car keys in the jacket pocket - not a single lost jacket since. But the single biggest help in avoiding forgetting things is typing up a "Before Leaving Make Sure I Have" list and taking a picture and make it the lock screen on my phone. Before being diagnosed and medicated I would forget things 3 or 4 times a week and after I got in the habit of checking the list on the lock screen it went down to one time a week and sometimes I could go a whole week without forgetting something.
Brian Marcotte Thank you, this was very helpful :)
Thank you! I'll start trying these out today :)
these are good tips!
I'm just looking into how to start getting through this. I was given Ritalin in in college in 2000 but never took the stuff. I always thought I could just figure it out and outsmart it. Thanks for those tips.
I’ve gone my entire life without ADHD medication, and now I think I’m at that tipping point where I need it! For the past few years, I’ve been getting the same effects of ADHD meds through self medication with marijuana, kratom, and nicotine, but each come with their plethora of side effects and often leave me worse off when they wear off. After experimenting with my girlfriend’s low dose of Adderall (taking the 15 mg in the morning, or taking only half of one at mid-day-1:00 etc) its like all the gears begin to turn all at once! Don’t ever feel bad for it, it is one of the most helpful things I’ve ever seen!
Thanks for all the hard work you put into your videos about ADHD. I'm just now at 30 realising that I likely have ADHD, and I've found your videos really helpful to better understanding this condition.
You channel is like a cold glass of crystal clear water. I appreciate 🙏 your messages including this emotional heartfelt message. Thank you!
This made me tear up. I get so tired of hearing about how bad my medications are for me and that I just need to practice more alternate treatment options.
When you said "I took a pill" and paused, I felt that in my gut.
I really, reaaally cant express how much I ve been touch by you.
❤️❤️❤️❤️I teared up when you did, after you took a pill. You are helping so many, please keep posting.
This is the first time I’ve ever thought about taking adhd meds... thank you for being so honest you might have changed my future
ADHD medication literally changed my life and reduced lots of stress!
@@ADHDPatrick has it? still hesitant to take them
@@RababaInc Hey John, I was diagnosed 2 years ago. I was also very hesitant to start using ADHD medication but I changed my stance on them once I saw how much I benefited from them :)
@@ADHDPatrick hey there. interesting. which ones do you take may I ask?
@@RababaInc I take Concerta /methylphenidate),its longlasting medication,. 1 pill lasts for 6-8 hours :)
Yes yes yes, this! As a fellow ADHDer, I thought I was the only one. I went without meds for only 3.5 days, but I completely lost grip on my planning, to-do list, daily structure and such from the first day without them. And the worst thing of all was that my motivation to do anything went out the window. I felt so lost without without my meds, but I beat myself up over it, thinking that "I should be able to function without them", and that I am just weak and should (wo)man up. That some people say ADHD is not real anyway. Well I guess....I really don't function great without my meds. Or at least not as well as when I do take my meds. I got my meds again today and just took my first dose of the day. I feel so much better now, and calmer too. There's no shame in taking meds! I'm so grateful I have them. I'm trying not to think too much about the fact that some people say ADHD isn't real and that some people compare methylphenidate and other ADHD meds (stimulants) to the white powdery drug that I shall not name here because I'm not sure if that's allowed.
Anyway... I have a to-do list to attack, so that's what I'm going to do now. Thank you Jessica for your awesome video's! Not only are they very educative and fun to watch, they also make me feel less alone. And that truly lifts my heart. So thanks a million 😊 Greetings from the Netherlands; Laura
Personally I'd love to try coming off but the amphetamine withdrawal is crushing. I can't get myself to get out of bed the first day and it only gets moderately better from there
My experience is exactly the same as yours. I took a week off from my meds, and it was the longest, agonizing, and the most stress I’ve experienced since before treatment. It sucks knowing my potential relies on medication, but the quality of life the meds have given me is something I refuse to let anyone make me feel like a drug addict, when I’m finally the guy I’ve always known I had inside me since grade school.
@@chrisbarry9345 yeah i was about to tell her, that she can't/shouldn't really judge those symptoms on their first days after kicking the meds (amphetamine/methylphenidat) cold-turkey. at this time your body is definitely in acute withdrawal, which means you're basically completely useless no matter what, whether you have ADHD or not. just saying tho.
i'm guessing you were feeling similiar or the same b4 you took ADHD meds for first time. bc then yeah of course the symptoms are in fact not directly related to withdrawal, but your ADHD instead. or at least thats what i would assume being the case ...
I have a really bad experience with Concerta, they give me horrible issues and really is not for me. At least stimulants(im inatentive type)
I would love to see someone who denies ADHD is real, to spend one day in our shoes and then tell us what they think then.
Thank you so much for making me feel i'm not alone, and for helping me understand its ok to have ADHD and its okay to take medication. I cry a lot with your videos, but they are good tears, tears of forgiveness. My sincerest and most heartfelt thanks for everything you conquer to be able to make these videos. Congratulations, what you make is beautiful in every way.
You are great.spot on for alot of what you say. I have been having a great experience with adhd meds for the last couple weeks. 38 years of self soothing and substance abuse has run its course. I am finding the meds im on have changed my entire outlook on life and can finally act on my best intentions. Thinking"clearly" for the first time in my life is amazing. Finally at home in my brain.
The thing that I get told a lot which annoys me a lot.
"You're probably just seeking attention because you're young. You don't have ADHD."
Just because we're young, doesn't mean we can't have stuff like this. Yes, some kids say they have it when they don't, please just...stop.
I went 3 months without the medication and I couldn't believe how difficult it was. I was diagnosed as an adult and medications helped me so much. I was so scared to ask my doctor to put me back on them. I felt ashamed that I couldn't be normal without medication but it makes me feel better knowing that the feeling is common.
As a truck driver I have to go through hoops because I take medication. Middle age, no accidents so far in my entire life (knock on wood), but they act like I'm a criminal. Part of the process is us learning how to view ourselves. The shame is something we can learn to overcome, especially as we realize ADHD isn't a moral failing.
The kid in my high school who was in a wheelchair his entire life shouldn't feel guilty his legs don't function properly. As if he did something wrong, or he is cheating everyone else being in a chair. Same with us.
Wow. Finding your channel has been a godsend.
I got diagnosed a couple of weeks ago by a psychologist.
The worst thing about Canadian healthcare is that you can’t get any appointments quickly. It took me a couple weeks before I could see my psychiatrist and I was scared to death he wouldn’t listen to me.
I have the deepest respect for my doctor. He’s helped me through some very trying times and I believe he saved my life. But when I told my psychiatrist he didn’t believe me because he said “you don’t have any history of it from childhood so you can’t have it.” (translation: I was tops in my class and I was a good little boy).
Once I cried in his office and we went over the symptoms and he reread my results from the ADHD self-report scale, he agreed to a two week trial for Adderall.
Folks, I am on day two and for the first time in my life my brain works. For the first time in 45 years.
I can’t wait to see what happens next.
I'm grateful for your honesty.
Go Jessica! She's brave AF
Siraj Raval hi Siraj!!! :):)
Is this a crossover episode?!
Yes!
This video just made me cry, and I wasn't even already feeling emotional. I have always felt so alone in this and so misunderstood. I have been feeling very "incompetent" lately trying to finish grad school. I just had like an hour hyper-focus session watching your videos when I should have been writing my thesis, but it was worth it. Thank you Jessica, you are an inspiration.
Grad school does that to you, it is years of performance without adequate recognition or reward. I wish you the best in coping. I’ve never taken adhd meds, but When I was writing my thesis, I had the best study and writing times when I took Sudafed.
same here
One feels alone and when comparing yourself with others who are able to start and stay on task. Just got up from the computer, can’t stay focused, like my brain does not want me to sit down and type. Constantly distracted and procrastinating. Detail the car, fix the irrigation, replace light bulbs; everything other than the research I should have finished weeks ago. It is good to know one is not alone. Thank you for sharing.
gosh I just wanted to give you a big hug hearing you struggle
You did good.
Sometimes, that’s all we need to hear. Thank you for all you’ve done for us brains. ❤️