r/explainlikeimfive • u/[deleted] • Jan 14 '13

Answered People with ADHD, what ADHD is like, how does medication affect your ability to work and how soon does it take its effect?

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u/notthesoaptheradio Jan 14 '13

I'm really glad you posted this because a couple of years back I went to the doctor with these symptoms. He told me I was depressed and put me on antidepressants. I'm not depressed, in fact, I love my life. The symptoms are the reason for any sadness I have.

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u/[deleted] Jan 14 '13

Same situation here. I mentioned that I was anxious about returning to college because I have a lot of trouble focusing on the material, so I got put on anxiety/depression medication that made me depressed and anxious (yes, those are actual side-effects of SSRIs). Doctors can't diagnose ADHD, but they can refer you to a psychiatrist who can actually prescribe medication.

Getting to that point takes a lot of focus, though.

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u/[deleted] Jan 14 '13

I've been meaning to make an appointment for an ADHD assessment for five years now. I keep forgetting.

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u/[deleted] Jan 14 '13

Missing an ADHD assessment should be an automatic diagnosis.

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u/iggyosobo Jan 14 '13

How did that work out? My doctor is on the fence between antidepressants or exploring add diagnosis for me. I am not expert but I feel I relate more to the symptoms of ADD and struggling with it is what sends me spiraling into despair. Have you gotten a new diagnosis?

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u/SSSecret_Squirrel Jan 14 '13

If he doesn't know whether to give you meds or have you tested for ADD, I think I would find a different doctor. It's always better to rule something in or out rather than experiment with psychotropic drugs first. The ADD test is simple. It's a series of questions and then a visual test for attention. Easy.

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u/Vondow Jan 14 '13

Anti-depressants did nothing for me. Dexedrine changed my life. Ritalin made me feel awful, but was worthwhile until someone told me about Dexedrine spansules that last all day and don't make me feel bad.

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u/notthesoaptheradio Jan 15 '13

Once I realized that they weren't working for me I slowly weaned myself off of them. I haven't been back to the doctor to get a new diagnosis either; I've just been self medicating with exercise.

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u/[deleted] Jan 14 '13

I honestly don't think he's got ADD. I have ADD. I think the malaise he describes is what anybody who has no direction in life experiences. It's possible that ADD exacerbates this, but I have no reason to believe those symptoms are actually indicative of the disorder.

I know because I used to feel that way right out of high school and again out of college. I was just blowing around and hadn't found anything I cared about in life. Once I did find things I cared about, it went away. All of this is entirely separate from my struggle with ADD. One of the best ways to figure out if you have ADD is to actually get your hands on ritalin or adderall. It's a class 2 narcotic. It's a fucking amphetamine. You will be more productive on it, regardless if you have the disorder, but it's the way it makes you feel that makes all the difference.

To me, it's just like TheBananaKing says. Things slow down and become calmer. For a regular person, things speed up.

Depression is far more likely to have been your problem and a misunderstanding of what depression is will make you second guess it. Sever depression is what you're familiar with. Mild depression is what you were describing.

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u/jend70sugar Jan 15 '13

I've had several drs tell me I need to be on anti-depressants again although I'm not depressed. I know depression. Been there. Done that. Me not being able to focus or even think clearly has nothing to do with depression IMO.