4 ms·

Maybe a step back is in order. We can both agree that, clearly, we don't know whether or not OP has ADHD. They merely listed some issues around focus/motivatio

Maybe a step back is in order. We can both agree that, clearly, we don't know whether or not OP has ADHD. They merely listed some issues around focus/motivation. OP mentioned that the onset of this coincided with access to online video games & social media, which are distracting by nature, and that they are much better on days when they've had good sleep. Yet somehow it's putting the cart before the horse, to suggest that lifestyle might be a large factor, when OP listed lifestyle as a factor? Yet it's not putting the cart before the horse to jump to seeking an ADHD diagnosis? And it is over-diagnosed, and stimulants are overprescribed. I'm sure you'll disagree, but it's true. Of course stimulants will work, it's basically just speed. You can give them to anyone and they'll feel great. There's a reason overachieving students buy them off the street for exams. And I must now step back from HN today as, surprise surprise, I'm distracted by it!

thomastjeffery 4y ago
> Yet it's not putting the cart before the horse to jump to seeking an ADHD diagnosis? No. It's not. There is a huge difference between seeking a diagnosis, and seeking a positive diagnosis. None of us here recommended OP just walk to a psychiatrist and say, "I have ADHD, now give me meds." No one told OP to lie about their symptoms to coerce their doctor into giving them meds. > And it is over-diagnosed That is absolutely not true. In fact, the opposite is true for adults. ADHD is a lifelong disorder, yet the overwhelming majority of diagnosed people are children. It's expected that most adults who have ADHD have not been diagnosed. > and stimulants are overprescribed. Some people who do not have ADHD are mistakenly diagnosed. Some who do have ADHD are mistakenly undiagnosed. Many who are correctly diagnosed do not have stimulant medication available to them, despite it being the first line of treatment, all because there is so much fear and stygma about them. It's a complicated situation involving millions of people that won't be solved by OP avoiding a diagnosis. The fact that mistakes happen isn't a good enough reason to just avoid diagnosis and treatment all together. There is a significant chance that OP has ADHD, and if that is the case, they need treatment for it. > Of course stimulants will work, it's basically just speed. You can give them to anyone and they'll feel great. There's a reason that coffee and tea are the most popular drinks in the world: caffeine. It turns out that everyone can benefit from a small dose of stimulants. Those with ADHD see a much greater benefit because we reuptake dopamine too quickly. Having too much of a stimulant, on the other hand, can be harmful and lead to a substance abuse disorder. Thankfully, some formulations - like the prodrug Vivanse - cannot be abused. > There's a reason overachieving students buy them off the street for exams. And no one is recommending OP do that. Yet here you are equating a diagnostic visit with a psychiatrist with buying drugs from the black market! You distrust the diagnostic ability of trained physicians, yet you take prescribed medication yourself! Are you the only one allowed to benefit from Ann ADHD diagnosis? No. OP deserves the very same opportunity.

thomastjeffery 4y ago

> Yet it's not putting the cart before the horse to jump to seeking an ADHD diagnosis? No. It's not. There is a huge difference between seeking a diagnosis, and seeking a positive diagnosis. None of us here recommended OP just walk to a psychiatrist and say, "I have ADHD, now give me meds." No one told OP to lie about their symptoms to coerce their doctor into giving them meds. > And it is over-diagnosed That is absolutely not true. In fact, the opposite is true for adults. ADHD is a lifelong disorder, yet the overwhelming majority of diagnosed people are children. It's expected that most adults who have ADHD have not been diagnosed. > and stimulants are overprescribed. Some people who do not have ADHD are mistakenly diagnosed. Some who do have ADHD are mistakenly undiagnosed. Many who are correctly diagnosed do not have stimulant medication available to them, despite it being the first line of treatment, all because there is so much fear and stygma about them. It's a complicated situation involving millions of people that won't be solved by OP avoiding a diagnosis. The fact that mistakes happen isn't a good enough reason to just avoid diagnosis and treatment all together. There is a significant chance that OP has ADHD, and if that is the case, they need treatment for it. > Of course stimulants will work, it's basically just speed. You can give them to anyone and they'll feel great. There's a reason that coffee and tea are the most popular drinks in the world: caffeine. It turns out that everyone can benefit from a small dose of stimulants. Those with ADHD see a much greater benefit because we reuptake dopamine too quickly. Having too much of a stimulant, on the other hand, can be harmful and lead to a substance abuse disorder. Thankfully, some formulations - like the prodrug Vivanse - cannot be abused. > There's a reason overachieving students buy them off the street for exams. And no one is recommending OP do that. Yet here you are equating a diagnostic visit with a psychiatrist with buying drugs from the black market! You distrust the diagnostic ability of trained physicians, yet you take prescribed medication yourself! Are you the only one allowed to benefit from Ann ADHD diagnosis? No. OP deserves the very same opportunity.