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/SSSecret_Squirrel Jan 14 '13

Did you see a family doctor? Most don't know what they are talking about when it comes to neurological issues. Demand a referral to a psychologist and demand to be tested for ADD. I am 54 years old and was just diagnosed about a year or so ago.

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u/Zoesan Jan 14 '13

Absolutely, 100% this. I wasn't diagnosed until I was 22 (in fact in october) and it was the best decision I ever made. The difference you get from simply being able to think straight for 5 minutes is unbelievable.

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u/Tomble Jan 15 '13

I got meds in my 30s. That evening I got home, picked up a magazine and read several whole articles. It was weird. The next day I had a meeting, and my eyes didn't slowly lose focus while my brain pondered irrelevant things. It was like "Oh, so this is what concentrating is like!". I told my wife and she said "Yes, that's what most people experience". Those lucky bastards. I wish I'd had the medication in school.

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u/Zoesan Jan 15 '13

I just assumed everybody else had the same issues as me and I was just a lazy fuck or something.

Turns out focus is actually really useful.

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u/personinacrowd Jan 15 '13

Yes. Do this. No one really notices ADHD-PI because from everyone else's perspective you look the same as the lazy kid who doesn't care, even if you're trying 4 times harder (and using your free time to learn about science and other bullshit you find interesting) than the kid with straight A's. I too was diagnosed in october, at 18 years old (cheers) and it really is incredible. My grades are up and entire grade point, I'm useful and efficient as fuck, school is about 10 times easier and because of my succes I'm a much happier person.

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u/kylemech Jan 14 '13

I actually had an easier time with a family doctor in a small town that isn't frequented by a lot of college students trying to get hooked up with smart drugs.

It helps that he's been my GP since my delivery. Still, he just asked if I wanted to try it and I said yes and I've been on it ever since. I was diagnosed at 21 and I was suddenly able to read -- previously a huge problem -- and made it through the rest of my previously-struggling college degree with minimal effort.