YAY-D-D FOR ADD!

[Parks]

Posted: 3/12/05 at 8:48pm

So, ADD has been a pretty big topic for the last few years. How do you all feel about it? Sometimes, I really doubt that it's a real learning disorder. Sure, there are some kids out there who need (like...really need) meds to calm down, but I think that most kids who take meds just aren't disciplined enough to sit down and shut up. How do you all feel?

[Type_A_Tiff]

Posted: 3/12/05 at 9:19pm

I agree with you for the most part. I do think there are some kids who seriously need meds to calm down and focus, but I think that as society becomes more commercialized, people begin to push guilt away from themselves and turn to medication as an "easy" solution. "It's not our fault Jimmy's twelve years old and still can't sit down and finish a whole meal. It must be a biological dysfunction." Especially now doctors seem so quick to prescribe drugs at younger and younger ages. Does anyone know a six year old who can focus on one thing for longer than 30 seconds? Or a 15-year-old who doesn't go through high school angst? This ADD diagnosis (and "depression") has only been going on for the last few years - surely it's not a sudden change in evolution?

I'm not saying these problems don't exist or that medicine doesn't ever offer a solution, but I think as long as people feel that they can't help themselves or deal with their (or their children's) behavior and problems, we're going to circumvent self-reflection and accountability, and the pharmaceutical corporations are going to have the last laugh.

Updated On: 3/12/05 at 09:19 PM

[Parks]

Posted: 3/12/05 at 9:42pm

*starts a slow clap...works up to a semi-fast speed clap...fast applaud!...OMG! MY HANDS ARE HURTING NOW!!..clap.* That was a wonderful response! That's EXACTLY how I would describe it if I weren't failing English right now.

[Liam]

Posted: 3/12/05 at 10:10pm

ADD IF FUN!

[Liam]

Posted: 3/12/05 at 10:11pm

"dont blame me its the A D D"

[DestinyBeckoned]

Posted: 3/12/05 at 10:52pm

This is not really relevant, but the other day when I was having a nervous breakdown about AP Chemistry, for some reason I just blurted out between gasping sobs, "Mom! I think I have ADD!" And now I feel really stupid and have no idea why I said that. So I'm kind of laughing at myself.

[Kimmygonbefamous]

Posted: 3/12/05 at 11:23pm

I think that while it exists, it's being used far too much as a cop-out for parents who don't want to actually, well, parent. The problem is, people want to solve society's ills by shoving pills at them. A little OT, but does anybody remember the MTV show Clone High? I particularly enjoyed the episode where Gandhi had A.D.D. "Gandhi has A.D.D.! Gandhi has A.D.D.! You get it from toilet seats! Use a protective sheet!"

[~FloweryFriend~]

Posted: 3/13/05 at 12:51am

1. Clone High ROCKS!

2. There is a difference between ADD and ADHD. I think a lot of people confuse them.

3. I have ADHD. I am considered a "mild" case in comparison to my younger brother, who takes about 3 times the meds that I do. I accidentally left my meds at home, and I have not taken them since Monday. Believe me, if you were around me right now, you'd wish I were on them. I can promise you that ADHD is a very real thing, and not just an excuse. :)

[Adoannie925]

Posted: 3/13/05 at 1:49am

I've been diagnosed as AD/HD and I've been on both major groups of drugs used to treat AD/HD:Methyphenidate (Ritalin) and Amphetamine Salts (Adderall). For a while, I realized that the medication was helping me tremendously, but it made me feel like I had absolutely no personality, and almost made me focus too well that everything began to become so perfect in my academic life, that well, it just felt strange because I was being so much less social and snapping at everyone. I decided to do a bit of an experiment with myself (take in mind, I've been on every dose of Adderall and Adderall XR, from highest to lowest, once a day to multiple times a day, and the Ritalin family of drugs didn't work for me), which would be that now that I knew what it felt like to concentrate, maybe I could find a way to motivate myself and sustain my concentration now that I knew what concentration actually was? It didn't work when I had a full schedule, but I arranged my classes this year where I have Bull **** classes such as "Senior Seminar," "T.A. for So and So" and "Study Skills" between my academic classes (and then I have lunch and nutrition in between my other classes) that I kind of get a break to refresh between classes which has helped a ton. I'm off my meds now, 'cause I just couldn't stand them, especially coming down off of 25 MG of Adderall...not something I'd ever wish upon anyone or ever want to repeat. When I started having emotional breakdowns at the end of my day when I realized the medication was wearing off, I knew something was wrong and I asked a mutual friend who was also on Adderall and she had a similar response which was "Oh, I go crazy when I come down off of it." Maybe it's not like that for everyone, but that was not the right path for me. If I become motivated, I can work really hard to sustain my concentration, but I still get distracted very easily, but the cool thing about AD/HD is I always have a million things going on all at once in my mind, but when it comes to acting, it really helps to see the many dynamics of a character. Part of my battle with AD/HD was not knowing I had it, but once I was diagnosed with it, I could sort of make sense of my thought process a bit more. I don't know-it's basically trial and error and meds work great for some people, but my experience was not pleasant. I'd rather work really hard to concentrate than feel really horrible when coming down off my meds, and feeling like I have no personality on them.