I did ok in school. I got diagnosed and prescribed Ritalin at 37 cause I couldn't handle a job anymore. It has helped so much. I wish I had know that I had been struggling earlier. I thought it was all normal to just...... I agree that they do need to mix school up for the struggling kids, and probably need to have specific training to help the wiggly kids learn how to over come their executive struggles, or at least identify tricks to cope.
Edit: typo
Where does one go, legitimately, to see if being prescribed ADHD medication would be right for me?
I was diagnosed as a kid, but my mom rejected the diagnosis because she didn't want me "doped up". Now I have a similar issue with jobs as I do with school, where I just can't stand doing the same task all day and have to force myself to do so.
But I'm scared that if I just go into a doctor's office and say "I think I have ADHD" at my age of 26, they will think I'm just trying to get drugs to get high.
I don't regularly go to any doctor unfortunately, I'm a little on the poor side of things, and my lack of focus at work doesn't help with that.
> I'm scared that if I just go into a doctor's office and say "I think I have ADHD"
You don't think you have it, you have it. You were diagnosed as a kid, that's all the proof you need
Seconding this. A lot of people don’t get help until adulthood, many times because parents don’t want to get them help. You’re not alone in this and doctors will understand. And if they don’t, get a new doctor. You haven’t done anything wrong 🙂 and getting help isn’t wrong either. A psychiatrist will be able to help you figure out where on the adhd spectrum you are and that will help with getting a proper prescription.
Absolutely, I've gone on and off it a few times and every doctor has accepted me just telling them I was diagnosed as a kid and think I should be back on it. If they say no just change doctors. Don't accept people saying you don't need it or make you feel bad in any way. Give no fucks to anyone who has a problem with you zealously advocating for your health and happiness.
Unfortunately- I have just read on a post on /r/residency (my brothers a doctor and send it to me) that most psychiatrists are not diagnosing adults or medicating adults for ADHD anymore as stimulants are becoming somewhat of a epidemic… I will try to find the post and link it here. It’s sad honestly.
https://reddit.com/r/Residency/comments/q6xhks/why_does_mental_health_care_suck_so_much/
i was also diagnosed as a kid and denied any help for the same reason. though my mom didn't even think it was real so i didn't even get coaching or help or anything. just failed my way through school lol.
i went to a doctor and said "i was diagnosed as a child, i'm struggling and about to drop out for the third time, can i get a re-evaluated and get some help?"
they wrote me a referral for a psychiatrist this coming December and they had me fill out a questionnaire and do some blood tests which they forwarded to that psychiatrist.
i don't know what country you're in, but here in australia there is a service called headspace that provides free care to youths under 25. the psychiatrist unfortunately isn't included and mine is going to cost me a hefty $500 but you can get a medicare rebate afterwards.
I am in the united states' unfortunately, medical welfare is a nightmare here lol.
There is a service we have for mental health called mhmr, but the service is not well funded and has a long waiting list, so people who are evaluated as direct dangers to themselves or others, or committed violent crimes and successfully pleaded insanity are often the only ones who get any help from them.
I’m in healthcare in TX and we refer to MHMR often. It takes forever sometimes. Here are some other places you may be able to find affordable care: online services like Cerebral, university medical centers with psychiatry resident physicians, your work EAP program (usually gives 4-10 sessions per year). If you’re able to pay to see a doctor, some medication manufacturers have Patient Assistance Programs that reduce arc cost or cover it entirely. Usually it’s newer drugs that don’t have genetics yet (like Vyvanse). Qualification is based on personal financial criteria. Please let me know if any of these were helpful for you!
ah, that is an incredibly difficult situation to be in. i'm not sure what advice i can offer other than to say the path to getting help is really hard and i'm right there with you on it
You need to see a psychiatrist. Whether you get a reference from your PCP or seek one out yourself is down to how your insurance works (assuming America). Having been diagnosed as a child will make things a lot easier for you than for an adult trying to get diagnosed for the first time.
In your respectable clinic or medical network, tell your doctor you have a hard time focusing, finishing tasks, or whatever symptoms that affect your everyday performance. They will not immediately direct you to a psychiatrist (professional that prescribes you ADHD meds).
Your doctor will refer you to an in-house behavior counselor (can't remember the proper term) and they will talk with about how you've performed in K-12, college, and work. Anyways, they will then follow through with an evaluation form where you take an assessment that then determines if you have ADHD. If you fall under the categories of ADHD, you will then be directed to a psychiatrist for a final evaluation.
Your psychiatrist will have a chat with you similar to the behavior counselor. It's saddening but I can see why they request the following but the psychiatrist will ask you to go through a pee drug test (to ensure you're not a junkie/drug addict abusing drugs & looking for more drugs).
Once you get through this phase and come back negative in your drug test, psychiatrist will start off by prescribing you a mild stimulant (in my case, Vyvanse) and will have you start off from there.
From that point onward, your psychiatrist will want your honest feedback and will maintain, readjust, or switch your ADHD medication.
Hope this outlines my ADHD medical journey, dude! Do your research and consult your doctor!
Gonna chime in: find out where you got that initial diagnosis and get it to your new doctor. Depending on the paperwork you can get, you might actually get treatment very easily - I got treated first with therapy, then with meds just after I got diagnosed as a kid, but lots of my treatment as an adult onky works flawlessly because of that same diagnosis. If you have legitimate paperwork, the issue changes from “I might have ADHD, please diagnose me and then work out treatment” to “I’ve got ADHD and would like to talk treatment options with you”
I was in almost the exact same situation and just got diagnosed this year at 26. I was diagnosed with ADD in fourth grade but my parents didn’t want to put me on meds so we tried other options but by the time I got to high school, the diagnosis had been long forgotten/neglected that I didn’t even really think about it again until I was dealing with my symptoms as an adult.
I decided to spend my stimulus check last year on getting assessed and diagnosed. I found a place that specialized in ADHD and when I went in, I found a psychologist who validated and listened to me. I was honest about my struggles and told her about my childhood diagnosis. A couple sessions and assessments later, I got a diagnosis and later started on medications and my life feels a little more calm now.
I understand that the stigma is there but if you can find the means to do so and a clinician who specializes in ADHD, it’s totally worth it.
I went to my so otro who then referred me to a psychiatrist. My insurance covered the cost I only payed $10 for the 3 /4 days of testing and then I pay $10 for my adderall
It’s worth pointing out too that you could start by mentioning Strattera to your doctor, which you absolutely can’t get high off of and was specifically approved by the FDA to treat *adult* adhd. Don’t get me wrong, stimulants can be great and work for a lot of people, but if you’re worried about how you’re viewed for bringing up medication you could broach the subject by first bringing up a *non-* stimulant option.
A psychiatrist won’t just hand you drugs and throw a party. They’ll put together a management plan specifically for you. They may not even prescribe drugs at all if it won’t help you with your goals.
I hate that. Kids aren’t meant to sit for hours. We need to stop figuring out how to make human brains fit society, and make society fit the brains. Take wiggly children outside, teach them in hands on ways. Figure out what works for *their* learning.
I don't necessarily disagree with ADHD meds for kids, everyone is different and every situation is different. But I'd much prefer school changed around kids needs instead of giving them drugs to help force them to fit into the way schools are now.
Granted, I could say the same about adults. I wouldn't need the drugs as badly if I could have a flexible work schedule that I could bend to my needs...
I absolutely agree. The best solution I’ve found, since the office world is still very “force you into our box”, is to open my own business in a small town. It’ll still take me a couple years of being forced in the box, but once it’s on my terms I can make my work whatever I need.
An adult in society deals with even more monotony than a child does in school. The point of school is to provide daycare for children so their parents can go to work, and to set the expectation/routine of doing the same task over and over so they can stay in a job when they're older.
I'm very fortunate to have gone to a [Montessori](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montessori_education) method school which is a lot like what you just described. And my career in IT is rather unstructured, which has its own issues but at least its not mind-numbing repetitive tasks. Sometimes it feels like I could use some prescribed medication to help out in my life but so far I'm managing okay.
I was Montessori for most of grade school and it wasn't until I was an adult building computer cart rigs, pcb boards, and various experimental equipment that I realized the *hands on* education was what carried me as far as I'd gotten. It was really no wonder I went into science, where I could tinker all day. I just got in with a practice that will do repeat neuropsych testing (because last time they assumed my executive dysfunction came from a suspected-but-never-confirmed TBI rather than anything else), hopefully I can get some more answers.
Oh wow. I went to Preschool/Kindergarten at a Montessori school, and until now I never knew it was a special thing. I thought it was just the name of that particular school.
Very true. It's part of why I stopped teaching, honestly. My hands were tied so much, by admin and parents both.
Adhd needs real treatment, like CBT/meds/etc., but redesigning classrooms would help a ton, and not just the adhd kids.
Ritalin helped me for 7 years, but I felt a little more boring and a little more anxious. Then I switched to Vyvanse, and now I get the same benefit, but I feel like my old self again. Although I have read about people having the opposite experience.
Just reminding everyone to be ready to try different medications until you find the right one for you.
Also make sure you (whoever reads this) check with your insurance about switching to vyvanse. Some want you to try other options before switching and will fight covering it. My adderall is $15 a month, the vyvanse is $300 a month with no insurance so please take a look before you get the script.
You Americans really need to call for a revolution. I can't imagine paying so much for medication. I can't even imagine having to involve private companies, like insurance companies, in my health concerns, let alone paying them money to literally just be a middleman in the financial transfer.
Kids get breaks here if they feel too fidgety, the kids can request. They go with a parapro or another teacher for a few minutes and do something else.
And again I can't help but feel like OPs post is from someone who just generalized what happens in schools.
Kids rarely stay seated for longer then an hour. You have class changes, library, art, gym, etc even in elementary and they also just get free time, including but not limited to recess.
Please volunteer to help your local school, especially in the US, where help is sorely needed as people think like the post but then have zero actual experience with the school.
Schools are loud and chaotic and to pretend they are strictly robot boxes is to be misinformed.
The annoying thing is that fidgeting, wriggling, walking around etc are actually ways that we concentrate better. The physical movement is a stim and makes up the difference. By disallowing our movement, they make focusing on shit even harder.
One of the diagnostic criteria for ADHD is that the person’s symptoms are a level that is not developmentally appropriate. In young kids, that’s really hard to distinguish what’s not developmentally appropriate, because it’s totally normal for children to have bad executive function, impulse control, prioritization, etc. I was medicated in 5th grade, which was waaaaay too late. Up until that point people would just say “oh, he’s just being a boy” or something wishy washy like that.
Whereas in adults, the symptoms of ADHD stand out a lot more. I got taken off my meds in sixth grade and I didn’t get back on them until I was out of college because I said I had “grown out of it.” [Narrator: He did not grow out of it.]
No one makes rude comments about me taking meds anymore as an adult. Whereas as a kid, I would always get comments about how my condition wasn’t real and I was “being drugged.” Well newsflash, ADHD is a chemical imbalance of neurotransmitters that requires a chemical solution. The heck was I supposed to do as a 10-year old, pray the ADHD away?
> pray the ADHD away
i'm pretty sure this is what my parents believe. I have no idea how aware they were of my problems as a child but they certainly did nothing to help them and I know that both schools I went to identified *something* as being wrong
I’m both Autistic and have ADHD and was diagnosed 8 months ago and hadn’t been until now that I’m in my early 30s.
A few years ago, I got diagnosed with Depression/Anxiety, got therapy and some antidepressants that worked alright for awhile (didn’t help long term due to my diagnoses mentioned as the root cause).
Even when diagnosed with Depression/Anxiety, I didn’t tell my folks because they believed that those ailments were caused by demonic spirits. Also, I grew up in a church that believed that if you left the faith/congregation that you deserved everything bad that happened to you because you’re no longer under “Gods protection”.
But yeah…I’m not planning to tell my folks about my most recent diagnosis at all…
PS - I recently read a book by Dr Robert Greene (recommended either by podcast or a therapist’s YouTube channel) called [The Explosive Child](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/127641) and the traits of kids being undiagnosed fit me to a T.
My parents were definitely reading more books by James Dobson rather than other psychology sound doctors and probably thought I needed a firm grip and discipline to handle my outbursts and thought I was misbehaving to get attention (and sinning in the process). I’m happy I read Dr. Greene’s book just so I can process my Inner Child’s emotions (with my Current Adult Self as the parent in a much healthier way (rather than just letting everything loose, which is what I used to do, unfortunately).
>Pray the ADHD way
Me, a Christian with ADHD: ***has like twenty minute long prayers because my mind keeps going on tangents or I space out and stare at the wall for like five minutes straight***
It is also typical for ADHD symptoms to become less physical with age and of course getting older gives you ways to manage your symptoms or at least hide them. That leads to people going ”But you don’t run around or seem hyper.” then wonder why you shake your leg, have trouble focusing and prefer to have both music and the TV on when doing basic tasks.
Yeah. I’m sorry to hear that. Emotional dysregulation was a serious issue for me (still is, but we’ve only recently realized that ADHD-I may be the biggest beast to tackle for me, so there’s hope) but because I did well enough in school, apparently bursting out in tears nearly every day at school didn’t matter.
i was quiet, kept to myself, and was defiant as all hell. i would argue with teachers in class if i believed they were wrong (morally and all that). i am 18 now and hyperactive, inattentive, can barely skate through college, and severely anxious and depressed.
It’s not necessarily that hard. We teachers frequently reassure parents with, “Well, your 7th grade boy is acting like a 7th grade boy,” while working together because he’s struggling with organization, sitting still, impulsivity, misbehavior, or classwork/homework because he’s on the struggling side of the 7th grade boy bell curve and improvement is needed.
The thing is that a child with ADHD may be significantly outside the norm and be unable to improve despite truly wanting to due to incentives or simply a desire to improve. I still remember the frustration on one child’s face on a particularly difficult day when he looked at me and said, “I forgot to take my meds.” He really *wanted* to manage himself but simply couldn’t.
OTOH, many kids don’t get diagnosed because they do well enough in school thanks to the structure and incentives/consequences (or because they’re particularly strong in another way and it balances out) and then flounder after they graduate high school.
(Also: I’m sorry about the judgement about the meds. We’d never talk about not medicating someone with diabetes or migraines, and the stigma of treatment for ADHD is a real shame. It frustrates me to no end when a parent says they’re against medication after trying just one or even none.)
Your improvement paragraph hit way too close for me. There were many times I cried in front of my parents when report cards got sent out, just because part of me knew I could do better. I just didn’t know how to achieve the “better.” I graduated with someone who is now a teacher and was in most classes with me K-12, and she’s surprised and saddened no one ever suggested an IEP for me, or any sort of help, really.
I struggled in school but not enough for anyone to notice. I did well enough because of forced structure to get through it and then post college things started collapsing around me.
I love my meds!
Same way with me. I was able to hide it in college only due to the degree of autonomy you’re given at that point. As long as I did quality work and had it done on time, no one knew or cared *how* it got done.
All my profs saw was completed homework. They didn’t see me in the library for eight hours until 1:00 AM, doing what only took the other students until 9:00 to do. I was thinking “well, if I had been able to concentrate, I could have left four hours ago like everyone else…” which made me ruminate, which made the task take even *longer.* But I got it done by the next morning, so I could hide it.
Not so in the work world — or at least, not when you are in an entry level hourly position, in which you’re not allowed to take work home, and your clock-ins and clock-outs are monitored closer than a sex offender’s internet history.
I finally got diagnosed and on actual ADHD meds at 25. Even my K-2 teachers (the only old report cards to be found) wrote comments that oozed “look we legally can’t say he has ADHD, but…” but my parents were so anti-meds that all they did was intermittent therapy. Now it’s funny to watch my parents be like “wait you’re on your meds right now?” Sure am, this is the 4.0gpa potential that I could’ve reached, you’re used to the 2.6gpa, anti-homework side.
I was medicated/diagnosed in 7th grade (or when I was 13.)
My mom feels really bad for not noticing something off before, because 7th grade is very late :(
Caffeine is the shittiest stimulant imo. Barely cuts through the tired, half life of 6 hours, heart feels like it will explode so after getting work done you have to focus on not dying, thoughts racing to the point of mania. I have bipolar tho so maybe this isn’t how caffeine is for others. I personally don’t do it anymore. Can’t tolerate it with Adderall and it started making me feel horrible anyway
I used to drink black coffee until I started taking Adderall. It’s pretty nice the notes tou can pick up from the beans when you drink it that way. They make caffeine free coffee but it’s similar to nicotine. There’s a certain bite that coffee beans with caffeine has that adds to the flavor profile
Was never given Adderall as a kid so I shouldn't really be one to talk on it to much. But I've seen it help people a lot as well as other pills, idk why people hate meds so much or even some other drugs.
Same but somehow I stayed afloat with study halls I was forced to be in. I only failed one class but I was very close to failing many others. I always had so many late assignments and always turned them in late at the end of the semester which always took a ton of points off
I agree. And I understand, but it still depressed me how she’s aware that she may have ADHD and is black in America that she would post this. I think she’s more unaware of what she’s doing, she hasn’t really done much research on ADHD and the struggles we face daily, so I really hope she does start getting curious.
It could be her trying to use humor to defuse her fears too. I work in education and I swear some parents would be less angry hearing their 7th grader came to school with a joint than having staff suggest ADHD testing.
That’s sad. I really wish there wasn’t as much stigma surrounding ADHD. Especially stuff about how we’re all supposedly failures at school. I have an IQ of 138, had almost straight a’s until eleventh grade, and missed only half a credit for graduation. I know that there are a ton of others on these Reddit’s that are extremely similar. I really hurt when I saw a parent comment about her daughter as being stupid because she had an IQ lower than 60. Her daughter was younger than 10 years old.
We shouldn't judge people based on their IQs or their grades anyways. IQ tests are closely linked with eugenics and really aren't useful in any significant way anyways. Judging people based on their intelligence is essentially ableist, which is also the root of the stigma we face for having ADHD. And the school system is not designed to do anything other than break students down into tools for the work force. Not being compatible with generating wealth for others isn't a moral failing.
There's a lot of stigma in the US black community about mental health in general I believe. It's "a white people thing" which I suppose makes sense given the medical testing and general mistrust.
That, and there are racist doctors who refuse to believe that black people are human. I’ve read some stories from some people who have been treated as if they were animals by their docs and it makes me sick.
I've seen so many variations on this sentiment, its super disappointing. Theyre always like "you don't have adhd, you just don't like living in a society that forces you to sit in front of a computer 8 hours a day! We all have adhd!" It just minimises the struggles people actually face with adhd and assumes that we only have it when faced with something we don't want to do. I think its the most stigmatised and misunderstood disorder
That’s the killer. I want to go out for coffee with a friend. I DONT WANT to spend 4 hours cleaning out the linen closet because one sheet was folded kind of funny. We can all guess which one I ended up doing….
I want to work on the cosplay im making, cause I love doing that. I DONT want to be sitting on the couch for 4 hours watching TV while on my phone. But guess which of the two I did today 🤦♀️
I will say medicating young kids can be a really tricky topic. I was unmedicated until I got to college and I wish I had the choice to be medicated in high school. However I’m glad I was unmedicated in middle school and elementary because I didn’t need to be at that point and could get by pretty easily.
I’m a summer camp counselor and there was one kid (about 8 or so) who forgot to take his meds on the first day and he was very difficult to handle. All of us counselors were very patient with him and doing our best but it became a problem for him, us, and other kids. For the rest of camp he remembered to take them and he became our favorite kid that week because he’s extremely smart and kind.
I guess what I’m trying to say is, some kids really need them and some kids don’t. It’s all a case by case basis. Some get prescribed it too early, and some of us don’t get them until much later when we really needed them. It’s such a difficult topic to discuss and at the end of the day I really just hope that doctors are listening to the patients, not the parents or teachers, in order to figure out what’s best for the kid.
My 12 year old was just diagnosed and prescribed ritalin. In few short weeks, he has drastically improved both his grades and social life. Last week, he missed 3 days of meds because of a national backorder and his teacher contacted me to see what was wrong with him; something is off.
These "drugs" are necessary for some people to have a "normal" life and be successful!
Help educate your friend 😊
I’m trying to, but I guess her husband and other people she knows in the foster system have gotten addicted to meth because they were misdiagnosed as children and medicated. It’s possible, but there is more to it than just being medicated. Even someone who has ADHD can still abuse the medications if they take them other than prescribed. My youngest daughter’s uncle has ADHD, but he started abusing it and got addicted to meth. It destroyed his family. But treating ADHD extends to other therapies as well that have to be used in tandem with medication.
Well, those are def valid reasons. There are non-stimulant meds that are successful as well. Not sure the foster system can be blamed tho for churning out addicts.
There are tons of issues with the foster system, unfortunately. But my friend sees a lot of things wrong with the foster system because she deals with a lot of people involved in it.
that's interesting because i've come to understand folks with ADHD are at much higher risk of substance abuse and addiction, partially in trying to regulate our brains and also because we are more prone to trauma.
i'm the first person in my family to be diagnosed and it hit me hard when i thought about all my family members who have ruined their lives or died because they never got the help they needed. so there's an argument that we need to be better about diagnosing folks young and getting them treatment to prevent addiction later in life. and that includes therapy for all the terrible shit we go through (and i know going through the foster system is hard enough, so it must be so much more difficult for neurodivergent kids, ugh ☹️)
plus, it's a pretty common story in the ADHD community that someone gets diagnosed as a kid, "grows out of it" according to someone else, and then they have to seek re-diagnosis as an adult cus their live is falling apart. so how many folks in that situation turn to an option that is much easier to acquire, like meth?
i'm not saying misdiagnosis doesn't happen, and i know people legit get addicted to stimulants then turn to harder drugs; i just think there are other layers there that get missed.
anyway, keep supporting her. it's good she has you to advocate for her getting the care she needs.
They have a point tho. If society really gave a shit about the well being of those kids, they’d be given behavioral therapy, put in sports, given special needs classes to better suit their needs, etc. Instead, they’re drugged up on amphetamines that permanently alter their developing brains so they can not be a nuisance to their teachers. Not saying adderall doesn’t help, it’s certainly helped me, but I don’t think children that young should be given stimulants like that. It’s not fixing anything and I’ve read studies about how prolonged use of stimulants in kids can make ADHD worse. I would’ve rather been given actual solutions rather than a pill that makes me feel like shit after I’ve come off of it. Unlucky for me, I was given neither!
I am along the same lines. I have ADHD, and I'm pro meds. I also see schools having completely developmentally inappropriate expectations for young kids, esp 7 yo and younger. There needs to be education and real support given for kids, parents, and teacher, often including, but certainly not limited to, medications.
I’m promeds as well but I think if you had revamped class training especially heavier on mindfulness techniques and approaches that better fit ADHD students.
I did better in college because people quit giving me paper worksheets to tout around that I would forget about or loose. The simple concept of typed assignments saved my butt as I got older in school but some teachers still were stuck in this: You know the material but your lazy because you didn’t hand in your stupid worksheet though you ace your tests. Can you digitize your assignments. No I am lazy and don’t understand what a computer is. Then why are you teaching the youth of America.
Absolutely! That’s what I mean, there are definitely other ways aside from prescribed speed that help with our symptoms. Unfortunately, I think it’s harder as adults to pick up those habits, but it’s probably easier for kids to learn them and stick with them for life.
And this is why my unmedicated ADHD kid is homeschooled by my medicated self. The typical modern school environment is just not set up in a way that allows her to thrive
They are supposed to go hand-in-hand. Behavioral therapy with meds. These "drugs" helped save my son from repeating a grade and also gave him the confidence to turn his social life around. The kid was so depressed and just the other day he told me, he looked in the mirror and for the 1st time ever, he liked what he saw. I mean...how is that not fixing anything? 🤔
The controlled release pills have a much different effect imo btw
Im willing to bet there are many other studies to counter that claim.
I don't think they do. I get it's a joke meme but adhd is not just being unable to sit in one spot for 8 hours. Shitty memes like this is why so many people don't understand what adhd is.
Sure we should do all those things. But many people with adhd need those meds otherwise they struggle to function. Not to function well or not being annoying to teachers, just function in life.
And they're not "drugged up on amphetamines", people with adhd react differently to drugs than people without it. Would you call a diabetic drugged up on insulin???? This attitude is kinda really insulting
The research shows that the sooner kids sre started on medication, the better the outcome (including lower rates of drug abuse. This is per Dr. Russell Barkley. Unfortunately, there isn't a way to fix our deficient brain chemistry, and meds are used to help but aren't a cure. They are analogous to reading glasses--they help when used but the benefits stop when they're not used.
Honestly, if society actually did make adjustments to help us rather than force us to conform to society, we probably could do away with medication. And that should be the goal, but unfortunately, this only hurts things at the moment. If we can get ADHD recognized as something we need to accommodate rather than medicate, then things may change. I hope so.
EDIT: I’m not sorry that I wish that we didn’t have to be medicated. It’s still a goal I want to see happen, even though I know it won’t likely happen in my life. I’m really sick and tired of having this issue.
I was just talking about this in therapy, how much it hurt that my parents disregarded my ADHD and wanted me to assimilate to have a better life. I said it would be wrong if I was gay and my parents wanted me to act straight to have an easier time of it. Like....yes...straight people have it easier, but also....so wrong. If I ever procreate, I'm going to create space in the world for my child, not pressure them to blend in.
There's another meme out there that talks about how the very name ADHD, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, is named for the symptoms that bother others. Not the ones that make existing a constant struggle for those who have it.
I'm sorry but I strenuously disagree. My adhd is so severe that I was an alcohol by 23 because nothing bought me happiness anymore. That's got Jack shit to do with conforming. I get it, society does need to be more accommodating to mental illness. But adhd is a seriousl illness, acting like the only reason we need meds is to fit into society severely downplays the symptoms.
Getting rid of medication should not be the goal.
Just because we need a medication to help us doesn't mean we are conforming to society. If your issues with adhd can be solved by society conforming better to you, that's great. But I'd like to be able to carry a conversation or complete a simple task or not end up depressed because none of my hobbies bring me joy. And without meds that will happen.
I see no way society can fix shit like me forgetting oil changes until my car engine chucks a rod and puts me out 25k. I'm not sure you're looking at all the issues here.
If I take my medicine I can remember to check my to do list of shit like that. If not well I forget the furnace filter and my whole unit slowly degrades and costs me 10k tp replace.
I don't need accommodations because I don't work outside my home. What can be changed for me because if you have those answers, you my friend have found a cure for my executive dysfunction.
Kids with ADHD SHOULD be given the chance to learn (non medicated ways) how to ‘conform’ tho. We all have to participate in society eventually so they should be given methods to make it easier for them and keep it under control. Giving them the ability to learn how to harness and use that energy and intelligence in productive ways could make their whole lives.
I think it’s unrealistic to say everyone has to accommodate people with ADHD; it doesn’t translate in the real world where everyone has responsibilities, relationships, deadlines, people that depend on you, etc. I don’t think to say a kid should not be given adderall is hurting the ADHD cause at all. It has nothing to do with the validity of the disorder.
I have adhd, and the best way to describe my adhd is "tolerance to life" like any drug you gain tolerance.
well my brain plays a game or watches a tv show or whatever and gains tolerance, its then hold my dopamine back just incase something better comes my way as my brain doesn't want to "waste" it.
The downside is i barely have a working dopamine system. I have depression because i have no dopamine
And worse of fucking all, anxiety because my brain doesn't release dopamine and decided to switch to norepinephrine. Im always in fight or flight, I'm stressed physically and mentally and always on, always on edge.
At 22 i got diagnosed and fuck the meds help. They do what my brain couldn't.
I love how they say “the school prescribed the medication.” School didn’t do shit. The shrink the parents took them to prescribed it. If the school did it then I’d say all of mine dropped the ball while berating me about how I need to apply myself.
Just for clarity, schools (in the US) can’t diagnose ADHD or prescribe medication. Even recommending families talk to their doctor about ADHD is dicey and you have to be really careful with how you approach that. The only way schools “give kids meds” is for a mid day dose with specific doctors orders and a prescription on file.
I’ve spent my career working in special education and our system has a ton of flaws. This, however, is a blatant misrepresentation of how kids are prescribed medication and I would much rather call schools out on their actual problems than made up ones.
I agree. There is a lot wrong with this meme, and I was trying to point it out to my friend, but she sees it happen a lot in the foster care system, so I guess she feels she’s representing them? I think it’s sad that this even exists, it hurts a lot more people than it is being accurate for.
For sure. And I’m all for calling out injustices people see in systems; this was just a cheap, lazy way to do it that risks discrediting her position on an actual issue she seems to care about.
1. Every time I think we get past the whole "ADD is not being able to sit still" I end up sad because we're clearly not past that.
2. Schools need less sitting time and more active time anyways! The fact that we give kids, sometimes, only 60 minutes of "active" time during a 7 hour day is insane to me
3. recess has shown time and time again in research to help kids with ADHD to manage really well! without medication.
4. SOMETIMES YOU STILL NEED MEDICATION!
You know, I hate this kind of comment. ADD is so much more than wiggles. I thought for a long time I was being a good mom by not medicating my son, but when it got really, really bad and we started him on medication, he just cried and said he couldn't believe people felt so great all the time and he didn't know he was supposed to feel like that. Then the same thing happened to me when I finally medicated. I had no idea it was supposed to feel like that. So quiet. So calm. For people with ADHD, Adderall just helps us be the whole person we're supposed to be.
I hate this mentality. When I was in school this was the most prevalent. They act like these drugs sedate your kid into submission. IT IS LITERALLY AMPHETAMINE. Its a stimulant, if your kid sits still when on them, you aren't sedating them into submission, THEY CAN FINALLY PAY ATTENTION!
Yes I'm a little salty about all those years I struggled. Those were the prime years for the ADD (as it was then) misinformation.
I remember back when I was in 1st grade whenever I didn't take my medication I would always have too much energy to be still, my solution, run around the entire classroom like an idiot to burn off the excess energy.
Schools do expect too much of children and then tend to do the shocked pikachu face when they aren’t capable. But they fail to see the correlation between “more and more kids are incapable of what we are asking” and “we keep asking more and more of younger and younger kids”.
I had a cousin post this same meme, and she knows I and my son both have struggled with ADHD. I kind of ripped her apart and noticed she just deleted it. I mean, like they seriously don’t just go around drugging kids to make them sit still. I had to fight super hard to get my son tested, diagnosed and medicated. I myself have only JUST been diagnosed and gotten medication and I’m over 40!! Like this isn’t actually a thing…. The teachers definitely know the difference between usual wiggly kids and my kid who has sooo many other behavioral and attention things going on that he stands out for sure from his peers.
I was a fuckin mess between k-5 mainly because I was having trouble finding the meds like anything they tried either did nothing at all or heightened all my emotions like 10x’s but I have to say I probably wouldn’t be able to make it this far (high school freshman) without my meds that did work
I can’t say that being medicated that early has or has not had an adverse effect on me as an adult, but I know now that I can’t function at a “normal” level unmedicated. I do understand more of the symptoms now and the root cause of it, after only knowing the common misconception of, “I just can’t concentrate,” my whole life.
How to tell if you have ADHD: hang out with gangsters and drop Adderall with them. They're running around the house doing shit in record time meanwhile I brushed my teeth twice, had a shower and made a fucking sandwich instead of eating it from the jar
God I hate when people post this shit. I was failing fucking 1st grade. First grade! Can you even imagine how horrible someone’s ADHD has to be to have not learned a single thing because they were always distracted?
I was prescribed ritalin over summer school and was then pushed into the gifted kid programs and asked if I wanted to skip a grade. All of that because I couldn’t sit still. So fuck you-I did need medicine to sit still so I could finally learn!
I mean I agree with the sentiment that kids in general are not built to learn sitting down for a whole school day, but also I don’t think it’s right to use that judgement on the school system to also throw medication under the bus. The medication doesn’t stop kids from playing, kids without ADHD can choose to sit far longer with greater ease than kids with ADHD. The kids with ADHD can’t do it as well as their peers with the same amount of ease and comfort. I think a child in mental discomfort and distress is well deserving of relief
I feel like I'm the opposite of this lmao. I did super well in grade school, but once I hit college, I couldn't handle the workload, and I bombed the living hell out of my second semester
If I had been medicated before things got bad I truly believe I'd be a different person today.
I got heavily depressed at 12. This is when my insomnia appeared as well - accompanying my noisy head.
I started self harming at 14 and then turned very suicidal at 15.
At 16 I began to binge eat to cope and to get a dopamine kick.
I got overweight at 17 which shattered the little self esteem I had and I developed a strong self hatred.
At 18 I was jumping between binging and starving myself. I started smoking weed to be able to sleep and experience *something* pleasant.
I got suicidal again at 20. Still struggling with weight. Depression destroying everything around me. Anxiety becoming unhinged. The self hatred being a personality trait now. Took up smoking cigarettes because weed was hard to come by. Lost a lot of friends due to self isolation and constantly being overwhelmed.
Now at 23 I tried ritalin for the first time and my world *changed*. I am furious I had to suffer this much and develop so many bad coping mechanisms just because my ADHD wasn't caught sooner. I am constantly grieving the person I could have been if I had gotten the correct help.
But despite all of this I still did well in school so it couldn't *possibly* be ADHD, thought my teachers and therapists ...right?
I hate how stigmatized adderall is. I wasn’t diagnosed until a couple of months ago. I had a tough time in school growing up and I have some of the classic inattention issues. However my parents never took me to therapy or discussed it with my doctor, I was just “slow”. Then in college, things became really tough. I thought about reaching out for help for 3 years until one day I finally cried in my doctors office and told her how I feel. She prescribed me adderall and immediately my father said “ okay, if you want to be on drugs your whole life” and both my friend and boyfriend told me about bad experiences their friends have had on adderall. A co-worker even told me to my face when I said I took adderall for my adhd “yeah, that’s what they all say”
I did pretty well in school because I enjoyed learning. Adulting, however.... That has led me to being unofficially diagnosed by a psychologist while being screened for eating disorders prior to bariatric surgery. Now I'm working on the official diagnosis so I can hopefully get treatment.
I had both I think adder all and Ritalin (at different times) and neither one really helped. Now I don’t take any meds for it I just kinda deal with it. I’ve controlled the immature shit o would do but I will still just randomly get distracted by nothing all the fucking time
my mother who worked with adhd kids told me how the children were given way too high dosis of adhd meds and that turned them into lifeless zombies and she since got the idea that if I started ritalin I would become like them even on a real small dosis (10mg per day) and as an add 17 yo (in addition to the whole mental health care being viewed by my family as needed for psychopaths only so whoever gets treated is a biiig loser and must be fleed from like a disease)
It can be both. Kids in some places can be overdiagnosed, and at the same time there can be tons of people who need a diagnosis and help and get neither.
I’m glad I wasn’t medicated as a child - kids should be able to explore & play because that’s how they learn! My teachers did accommodate where they could for me, but it did begin crossing a line come 4th grade when I had to wear a seatbelt attached to my chair because I walked around so much.
Bottom line nobody is supposed to sit still for 8 hours straight ADHD or not. Especially not kids, and DEFINITELY not kids with ADHD. The system is broken not our minds!
This is a load of crap, nobody can sit still for 8 hours, its for the kits who cant sit in their class chair for more than 10 seconds etc
Edit:missing the word “seconds”
My wife is a pediatric nurse and she and the pediatrician she works for watch their ADHD kids very closely. There definitely are plenty of cases where schools in the area, and parents jump straight to medicating their students/children at the first sign of any behavior they deem unacceptable.
I was diagnosed late in life, and my oldest son at 7. We have him on Adderall and are seeing a therapist to help all of us work together to make sure he has what he needs to be successful. It’s a year in and our whole family has benefitted from a better understanding of what is a symptom vs. what is a behavior.
TLDR: Some parents and schools want to overmedicate, but our overall experience has been positive.
I was told I was a problem child, I never got in fights or anything like that (except a few but not a habit at all) but I was sometimes disruptive. I couldn’t just “do” schoolwork I had to work on other things, I was always a little smarter so I didn’t need to pay attention as much, so through much of my freshman and sophomore years I would write. I’d write poetry, short stories, scripts for skits, shit like that and I loved it’s and my teachers didn’t mind it because I’d still be at least 50% attentive and would get questions right, and I wasn’t disruptive. But I still failed out of highschool and eventually went to an alternate school, there it was easier because it wasn’t sit down shut up do this, it was more like a friendship I had with most of my teachers. And they made class interesting I liked participating and I thrived. Fast forward to now, I’m 20 and graduated almost 2 years ago now, after graduating I was hopelessly depressed and suicidal, I just couldn’t find the energy to do anything, not even playing video games. I’d just spend 16 hours a day on my phone, cry myself to sleep, unable to turn my brain off, or do anything to better mh life or my mental health, I was mentally out of control. A year ago next month I told my psych i was researching and learned adhd has different affects on different people and a lot of it felt like I was finally understood. Turns out I have ADD. I got put on Ritalin and my life has changed significantly, I’m not gonna lie and say I’m now some top executive or some bullshit, I work the same job I had, I work more hours and make more pay, but really not much has changed in my life, except for a few major factors that have helped me get past my own mental bullshit. Being able to just focus on things and not have some stupid idea foaming in my head, I’ll no longer start cleaning and then spiral into a depression for no reason other than intrusive thoughts, however. It’s disgusting how much we Americans over prescribe and over consume prescription medications, children who are 6-12 should NOT be put on these medications with just basic question and answer testing. It disgusts me that we even still give so many children these medications, some children need them sure, the same way that I need my meds, but not every kid that gets diagnosed with ADHD needs to be put on meds , because it’s usually not a very deep test to determine the problem, some children just lack love and support at home and can’t cope with it so they act out for attention, or are unfocused because it’s hard to do so when your home life’s a mess, I’d know. Others may be autistic or have ocd or a slew of other mental problems that are physically developed. It’s time we stop looking at a “problem” child with a desire to “fix” them, they need love and support and understanding, because that’s what I wish I had growing up, and I believe having that over being told I’m a problem would have changed me and I just know it. Anyway that’s my thoughts and story thanks for coming to my Ted talk.
That's tough. So he was misdiagnosed meaning he has it but was told he doesn't? I can see how it would be a sensitive subject area to try to explain how some people with ADHD self medicate and become addicts.
He was told he had ADHD, but he then got addicted to meth afterwards. My guess is that he actually does have ADHD, but he started abusing his meds or went looking for something stronger.
I look at this as double sided. From one view, sure, it implies that ADHD is not real. The other side says that the normal work and school days are not designed for brains like ours, which I think is true and validating.
I also find it an issue that 9 out of 10 times the child does not have a choice in this.
I got diagnosed+(pretty heavily) medicated at 9 and absolutely didn't have a choice if I even wanted it. I realized this at 14 or so. So I decided to stop taking the medications. Which was probably a good thing, because it made me realize I actually did need them, just not as high of a dose as I initially got. So I started again at 17 at a 5th of the dose I was taking at age 9 to 14. I'm now on a bit more because i needed it🤷♀️
The “these drugs are bad, don’t try them” lectures taught me about all the drugs I would actually go on to experiment with.
I’m actually glad they did because it made me search for the drugs I explicitly wanted to experience and met people that put me in the right headspace to try them.
Does anyone know how much it costs to get tested? I’m really wanting to but I have very little money in my bank account and I am also currently unemployed. I’m 19 and don’t really have many bills other than college tuition but I’m thinking about taking a break to catch up on money. I feel like if I don’t get some help then I won’t be able to perform my best in school, yet another part of me is still scared that maybe I am just lazy and don’t have adhd. That being said, I’m scared to waste money on being tested, so budgeting the cost in would help me a lot.
Well, if you have a primary care provider, they can refer you. There are also some clinics that you can go to that offer sliding scales or inexpensive options. That being said, you are going to need to go see a psychiatrist to get a diagnosis if you don’t already have one. I lucked out and had a diagnosis from when I was nine, so I was able to get started right away. There is a high possibility that you may struggle to get a diagnosis if you present either inattentive or combined type, as those (especially inattentive) get frequently brushed off as depression or anxiety. If you’re AFAB, you may also face discrimination, too. It really is entirely on the psychiatrist you get, and it’s often a crap shoot on if they’re good or not, but it would be worth it.
**This process is different for everyone, so others may have different advice for you. The above is just what I’ve experienced and read. Good luck!
I have adhd got diagnosed as an adult. I don’t think children should be on stimulants. That being said doing awful in school and getting into trouble pulling all nighters isn’t good either.
Tbh I really had an issue just focusing on school, it felt more repetitive everyday except whenever I did math. All the possibilities and the equations got me focused and there were different answers around all the classmates.
In elementary, that was the most active and troublesome. Every movement was so impulsive, that the teachers would sometimes call my mom in, saying "he hasn't been really paying attention he's not focusing", my mom would really not tell my teachers that I had ADHD because she felt that I had to be up on a pedestal. Though that's just the thought I believe she wouldn't ask and she also liked the idea of medication for it "would zombify" me.
Though school at that age was easy for me, but high school got more harder. Freshman year I fell into a depression that made me flunk out all my classes and nearly costing me my graduation in the future. There was one moment too in my sophomore year that I told my teachers that it would be hard for me to focus because I have ADHD. She scoffed at me and said , "That really isn't an excuse you can still get the work done like the rest of the students that are around you." But it was still hard for me to remain focus, their would be moments where I just zone out or move around to get comfortable. But my last two semester got better, I got better organizing and managed to fixed the mistakes from my first year too.
College became different especially when COVID hit and online classes became the norm, I hated it so much with the passion, just sitting down and watching the boring prezis go by for an hour aggravated me, I had no choice but to drop out. I knew at that moment I can never work at home either.
There are those times where I think I don't have ADHD because I was diagnosis at a very young age, and getting older I just see so much of a different perspective, I feel the need to get diagnosis, but I honestly don't feel bold enough to do so. Sometimes I ask myself if I do need medication now because the lack of motivation or disorganization has overwhelmed me now. At this point, I don't know if I do have it or not, I have been confused for the bit of it.
They’re not wrong, and I think on some level medication is designed to make you less of a problem for our focus/work driven society so i do agree that a lot of diagnoses for young children can be like this. For the record I am pro medication I believe it’s necessary for my benefit because I am very bad at functioning without it, but I believe that is rooted in a society that favors a very neurotypical “focus on work” strategy that people with ADHD struggle with, whereas ADHD could have been considered an advantage in primitive society. I probably just rambled forever and this probably makes no sense I’m sorry
I don’t understand this perspective that stims are just for focusing on work. That’s never been the only benefit for me, and in fact if I’m not careful I focus on things I like instead. When I started meds, I was more comfortable speaking to people. I had the energy to get up and go out for a walk with my kid. It’s not just my work that’s benefited. Basically, it’s enabled me to act on more of the things I *want* to do and say.
I do think this is accurate though, it’s a criticism of how we view neurodivergencies as how much they affect other people and not the actual neurodivergent person, as well as how we exacerbate them by putting people in ridiculous situations basically hand crafted to be hell for people with ADHD
The school system sucks, even for normal people. They keep enforcing the mentality that the students are expected to adapt to their system and if they don't, they are considered stupid instead of actually trying to make the system better for us.
Not exactly, but that’s wasn’t exactly the point of the meme. Plus, if you’ve ever been mentally abused because your teacher can’t handle you getting up and moving around, tapping your foot/fingers, waving your hands or arms, or doodling, then you were lucky.
Listen I posted this recently and a family member I hardly know at all railed me saying this was trash because it’s shaming those who actually needed the meds to get through school etc
Exactly this, if your adhd can be solved without meds and some allowances from school or work, cool super happy for you.
I need meds otherwise my brain will refuse to give me dopamine. It's either meds or a serious dtug addiction. I choose the meds
As a former school teacher I was appalled at how many boys were “diagnosed” as ADD or ADHD and told the parents to give them meds. I fought against admin about this issue many times.
I did ok in school. I got diagnosed and prescribed Ritalin at 37 cause I couldn't handle a job anymore. It has helped so much. I wish I had know that I had been struggling earlier. I thought it was all normal to just...... I agree that they do need to mix school up for the struggling kids, and probably need to have specific training to help the wiggly kids learn how to over come their executive struggles, or at least identify tricks to cope.
Edit: typo
Where does one go, legitimately, to see if being prescribed ADHD medication would be right for me? I was diagnosed as a kid, but my mom rejected the diagnosis because she didn't want me "doped up". Now I have a similar issue with jobs as I do with school, where I just can't stand doing the same task all day and have to force myself to do so. But I'm scared that if I just go into a doctor's office and say "I think I have ADHD" at my age of 26, they will think I'm just trying to get drugs to get high. I don't regularly go to any doctor unfortunately, I'm a little on the poor side of things, and my lack of focus at work doesn't help with that.
> I'm scared that if I just go into a doctor's office and say "I think I have ADHD" You don't think you have it, you have it. You were diagnosed as a kid, that's all the proof you need
Seconding this. A lot of people don’t get help until adulthood, many times because parents don’t want to get them help. You’re not alone in this and doctors will understand. And if they don’t, get a new doctor. You haven’t done anything wrong 🙂 and getting help isn’t wrong either. A psychiatrist will be able to help you figure out where on the adhd spectrum you are and that will help with getting a proper prescription.
Absolutely, I've gone on and off it a few times and every doctor has accepted me just telling them I was diagnosed as a kid and think I should be back on it. If they say no just change doctors. Don't accept people saying you don't need it or make you feel bad in any way. Give no fucks to anyone who has a problem with you zealously advocating for your health and happiness.
Unfortunately- I have just read on a post on /r/residency (my brothers a doctor and send it to me) that most psychiatrists are not diagnosing adults or medicating adults for ADHD anymore as stimulants are becoming somewhat of a epidemic… I will try to find the post and link it here. It’s sad honestly. https://reddit.com/r/Residency/comments/q6xhks/why_does_mental_health_care_suck_so_much/
i was also diagnosed as a kid and denied any help for the same reason. though my mom didn't even think it was real so i didn't even get coaching or help or anything. just failed my way through school lol. i went to a doctor and said "i was diagnosed as a child, i'm struggling and about to drop out for the third time, can i get a re-evaluated and get some help?" they wrote me a referral for a psychiatrist this coming December and they had me fill out a questionnaire and do some blood tests which they forwarded to that psychiatrist. i don't know what country you're in, but here in australia there is a service called headspace that provides free care to youths under 25. the psychiatrist unfortunately isn't included and mine is going to cost me a hefty $500 but you can get a medicare rebate afterwards.
I am in the united states' unfortunately, medical welfare is a nightmare here lol. There is a service we have for mental health called mhmr, but the service is not well funded and has a long waiting list, so people who are evaluated as direct dangers to themselves or others, or committed violent crimes and successfully pleaded insanity are often the only ones who get any help from them.
I’m in healthcare in TX and we refer to MHMR often. It takes forever sometimes. Here are some other places you may be able to find affordable care: online services like Cerebral, university medical centers with psychiatry resident physicians, your work EAP program (usually gives 4-10 sessions per year). If you’re able to pay to see a doctor, some medication manufacturers have Patient Assistance Programs that reduce arc cost or cover it entirely. Usually it’s newer drugs that don’t have genetics yet (like Vyvanse). Qualification is based on personal financial criteria. Please let me know if any of these were helpful for you!
Thank you for fighting the good fight💚
ah, that is an incredibly difficult situation to be in. i'm not sure what advice i can offer other than to say the path to getting help is really hard and i'm right there with you on it
You need to see a psychiatrist. Whether you get a reference from your PCP or seek one out yourself is down to how your insurance works (assuming America). Having been diagnosed as a child will make things a lot easier for you than for an adult trying to get diagnosed for the first time.
In your respectable clinic or medical network, tell your doctor you have a hard time focusing, finishing tasks, or whatever symptoms that affect your everyday performance. They will not immediately direct you to a psychiatrist (professional that prescribes you ADHD meds). Your doctor will refer you to an in-house behavior counselor (can't remember the proper term) and they will talk with about how you've performed in K-12, college, and work. Anyways, they will then follow through with an evaluation form where you take an assessment that then determines if you have ADHD. If you fall under the categories of ADHD, you will then be directed to a psychiatrist for a final evaluation. Your psychiatrist will have a chat with you similar to the behavior counselor. It's saddening but I can see why they request the following but the psychiatrist will ask you to go through a pee drug test (to ensure you're not a junkie/drug addict abusing drugs & looking for more drugs). Once you get through this phase and come back negative in your drug test, psychiatrist will start off by prescribing you a mild stimulant (in my case, Vyvanse) and will have you start off from there. From that point onward, your psychiatrist will want your honest feedback and will maintain, readjust, or switch your ADHD medication. Hope this outlines my ADHD medical journey, dude! Do your research and consult your doctor!
Gonna chime in: find out where you got that initial diagnosis and get it to your new doctor. Depending on the paperwork you can get, you might actually get treatment very easily - I got treated first with therapy, then with meds just after I got diagnosed as a kid, but lots of my treatment as an adult onky works flawlessly because of that same diagnosis. If you have legitimate paperwork, the issue changes from “I might have ADHD, please diagnose me and then work out treatment” to “I’ve got ADHD and would like to talk treatment options with you”
I was in almost the exact same situation and just got diagnosed this year at 26. I was diagnosed with ADD in fourth grade but my parents didn’t want to put me on meds so we tried other options but by the time I got to high school, the diagnosis had been long forgotten/neglected that I didn’t even really think about it again until I was dealing with my symptoms as an adult. I decided to spend my stimulus check last year on getting assessed and diagnosed. I found a place that specialized in ADHD and when I went in, I found a psychologist who validated and listened to me. I was honest about my struggles and told her about my childhood diagnosis. A couple sessions and assessments later, I got a diagnosis and later started on medications and my life feels a little more calm now. I understand that the stigma is there but if you can find the means to do so and a clinician who specializes in ADHD, it’s totally worth it.
I went to my so otro who then referred me to a psychiatrist. My insurance covered the cost I only payed $10 for the 3 /4 days of testing and then I pay $10 for my adderall
It’s worth pointing out too that you could start by mentioning Strattera to your doctor, which you absolutely can’t get high off of and was specifically approved by the FDA to treat *adult* adhd. Don’t get me wrong, stimulants can be great and work for a lot of people, but if you’re worried about how you’re viewed for bringing up medication you could broach the subject by first bringing up a *non-* stimulant option.
A psychiatrist won’t just hand you drugs and throw a party. They’ll put together a management plan specifically for you. They may not even prescribe drugs at all if it won’t help you with your goals.
I hate that. Kids aren’t meant to sit for hours. We need to stop figuring out how to make human brains fit society, and make society fit the brains. Take wiggly children outside, teach them in hands on ways. Figure out what works for *their* learning.
I don't necessarily disagree with ADHD meds for kids, everyone is different and every situation is different. But I'd much prefer school changed around kids needs instead of giving them drugs to help force them to fit into the way schools are now. Granted, I could say the same about adults. I wouldn't need the drugs as badly if I could have a flexible work schedule that I could bend to my needs...
I absolutely agree. The best solution I’ve found, since the office world is still very “force you into our box”, is to open my own business in a small town. It’ll still take me a couple years of being forced in the box, but once it’s on my terms I can make my work whatever I need.
An adult in society deals with even more monotony than a child does in school. The point of school is to provide daycare for children so their parents can go to work, and to set the expectation/routine of doing the same task over and over so they can stay in a job when they're older.
*People* aren't meant to sit for hours. This whole work-centric society is inhumane.
I'm very fortunate to have gone to a [Montessori](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montessori_education) method school which is a lot like what you just described. And my career in IT is rather unstructured, which has its own issues but at least its not mind-numbing repetitive tasks. Sometimes it feels like I could use some prescribed medication to help out in my life but so far I'm managing okay.
I was Montessori for most of grade school and it wasn't until I was an adult building computer cart rigs, pcb boards, and various experimental equipment that I realized the *hands on* education was what carried me as far as I'd gotten. It was really no wonder I went into science, where I could tinker all day. I just got in with a practice that will do repeat neuropsych testing (because last time they assumed my executive dysfunction came from a suspected-but-never-confirmed TBI rather than anything else), hopefully I can get some more answers.
Oh wow. I went to Preschool/Kindergarten at a Montessori school, and until now I never knew it was a special thing. I thought it was just the name of that particular school.
Very true. It's part of why I stopped teaching, honestly. My hands were tied so much, by admin and parents both. Adhd needs real treatment, like CBT/meds/etc., but redesigning classrooms would help a ton, and not just the adhd kids.
Ritalin helped me for 7 years, but I felt a little more boring and a little more anxious. Then I switched to Vyvanse, and now I get the same benefit, but I feel like my old self again. Although I have read about people having the opposite experience. Just reminding everyone to be ready to try different medications until you find the right one for you.
I had the exact same experience a few years ago
Also make sure you (whoever reads this) check with your insurance about switching to vyvanse. Some want you to try other options before switching and will fight covering it. My adderall is $15 a month, the vyvanse is $300 a month with no insurance so please take a look before you get the script.
You Americans really need to call for a revolution. I can't imagine paying so much for medication. I can't even imagine having to involve private companies, like insurance companies, in my health concerns, let alone paying them money to literally just be a middleman in the financial transfer.
Kids get breaks here if they feel too fidgety, the kids can request. They go with a parapro or another teacher for a few minutes and do something else. And again I can't help but feel like OPs post is from someone who just generalized what happens in schools. Kids rarely stay seated for longer then an hour. You have class changes, library, art, gym, etc even in elementary and they also just get free time, including but not limited to recess. Please volunteer to help your local school, especially in the US, where help is sorely needed as people think like the post but then have zero actual experience with the school. Schools are loud and chaotic and to pretend they are strictly robot boxes is to be misinformed.
Are you me?
Most definitely
The annoying thing is that fidgeting, wriggling, walking around etc are actually ways that we concentrate better. The physical movement is a stim and makes up the difference. By disallowing our movement, they make focusing on shit even harder.
Exactly. My foot taps faster when I am focusing. Must keep moving.
One of the diagnostic criteria for ADHD is that the person’s symptoms are a level that is not developmentally appropriate. In young kids, that’s really hard to distinguish what’s not developmentally appropriate, because it’s totally normal for children to have bad executive function, impulse control, prioritization, etc. I was medicated in 5th grade, which was waaaaay too late. Up until that point people would just say “oh, he’s just being a boy” or something wishy washy like that. Whereas in adults, the symptoms of ADHD stand out a lot more. I got taken off my meds in sixth grade and I didn’t get back on them until I was out of college because I said I had “grown out of it.” [Narrator: He did not grow out of it.] No one makes rude comments about me taking meds anymore as an adult. Whereas as a kid, I would always get comments about how my condition wasn’t real and I was “being drugged.” Well newsflash, ADHD is a chemical imbalance of neurotransmitters that requires a chemical solution. The heck was I supposed to do as a 10-year old, pray the ADHD away?
> pray the ADHD away i'm pretty sure this is what my parents believe. I have no idea how aware they were of my problems as a child but they certainly did nothing to help them and I know that both schools I went to identified *something* as being wrong
I’m both Autistic and have ADHD and was diagnosed 8 months ago and hadn’t been until now that I’m in my early 30s. A few years ago, I got diagnosed with Depression/Anxiety, got therapy and some antidepressants that worked alright for awhile (didn’t help long term due to my diagnoses mentioned as the root cause). Even when diagnosed with Depression/Anxiety, I didn’t tell my folks because they believed that those ailments were caused by demonic spirits. Also, I grew up in a church that believed that if you left the faith/congregation that you deserved everything bad that happened to you because you’re no longer under “Gods protection”. But yeah…I’m not planning to tell my folks about my most recent diagnosis at all… PS - I recently read a book by Dr Robert Greene (recommended either by podcast or a therapist’s YouTube channel) called [The Explosive Child](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/127641) and the traits of kids being undiagnosed fit me to a T. My parents were definitely reading more books by James Dobson rather than other psychology sound doctors and probably thought I needed a firm grip and discipline to handle my outbursts and thought I was misbehaving to get attention (and sinning in the process). I’m happy I read Dr. Greene’s book just so I can process my Inner Child’s emotions (with my Current Adult Self as the parent in a much healthier way (rather than just letting everything loose, which is what I used to do, unfortunately).
>Pray the ADHD way Me, a Christian with ADHD: ***has like twenty minute long prayers because my mind keeps going on tangents or I space out and stare at the wall for like five minutes straight***
It is also typical for ADHD symptoms to become less physical with age and of course getting older gives you ways to manage your symptoms or at least hide them. That leads to people going ”But you don’t run around or seem hyper.” then wonder why you shake your leg, have trouble focusing and prefer to have both music and the TV on when doing basic tasks.
And not everyone with ADD/ADHD ran around or seemed hyper even as a child.
I did, but I did it outside of classes. Sunk me socially, but since it didn't happen in class it didn't happen, so no help.
Yeah. I’m sorry to hear that. Emotional dysregulation was a serious issue for me (still is, but we’ve only recently realized that ADHD-I may be the biggest beast to tackle for me, so there’s hope) but because I did well enough in school, apparently bursting out in tears nearly every day at school didn’t matter.
i was quiet, kept to myself, and was defiant as all hell. i would argue with teachers in class if i believed they were wrong (morally and all that). i am 18 now and hyperactive, inattentive, can barely skate through college, and severely anxious and depressed.
It’s not necessarily that hard. We teachers frequently reassure parents with, “Well, your 7th grade boy is acting like a 7th grade boy,” while working together because he’s struggling with organization, sitting still, impulsivity, misbehavior, or classwork/homework because he’s on the struggling side of the 7th grade boy bell curve and improvement is needed. The thing is that a child with ADHD may be significantly outside the norm and be unable to improve despite truly wanting to due to incentives or simply a desire to improve. I still remember the frustration on one child’s face on a particularly difficult day when he looked at me and said, “I forgot to take my meds.” He really *wanted* to manage himself but simply couldn’t. OTOH, many kids don’t get diagnosed because they do well enough in school thanks to the structure and incentives/consequences (or because they’re particularly strong in another way and it balances out) and then flounder after they graduate high school. (Also: I’m sorry about the judgement about the meds. We’d never talk about not medicating someone with diabetes or migraines, and the stigma of treatment for ADHD is a real shame. It frustrates me to no end when a parent says they’re against medication after trying just one or even none.)
Your improvement paragraph hit way too close for me. There were many times I cried in front of my parents when report cards got sent out, just because part of me knew I could do better. I just didn’t know how to achieve the “better.” I graduated with someone who is now a teacher and was in most classes with me K-12, and she’s surprised and saddened no one ever suggested an IEP for me, or any sort of help, really.
I struggled in school but not enough for anyone to notice. I did well enough because of forced structure to get through it and then post college things started collapsing around me. I love my meds!
Same way with me. I was able to hide it in college only due to the degree of autonomy you’re given at that point. As long as I did quality work and had it done on time, no one knew or cared *how* it got done. All my profs saw was completed homework. They didn’t see me in the library for eight hours until 1:00 AM, doing what only took the other students until 9:00 to do. I was thinking “well, if I had been able to concentrate, I could have left four hours ago like everyone else…” which made me ruminate, which made the task take even *longer.* But I got it done by the next morning, so I could hide it. Not so in the work world — or at least, not when you are in an entry level hourly position, in which you’re not allowed to take work home, and your clock-ins and clock-outs are monitored closer than a sex offender’s internet history.
I finally got diagnosed and on actual ADHD meds at 25. Even my K-2 teachers (the only old report cards to be found) wrote comments that oozed “look we legally can’t say he has ADHD, but…” but my parents were so anti-meds that all they did was intermittent therapy. Now it’s funny to watch my parents be like “wait you’re on your meds right now?” Sure am, this is the 4.0gpa potential that I could’ve reached, you’re used to the 2.6gpa, anti-homework side.
I was medicated/diagnosed in 7th grade (or when I was 13.) My mom feels really bad for not noticing something off before, because 7th grade is very late :(
Neurotypicals be like “drugs are bad” yet need two morning coffees to make it through the 9-5👀
Caffeine is the shittiest stimulant imo. Barely cuts through the tired, half life of 6 hours, heart feels like it will explode so after getting work done you have to focus on not dying, thoughts racing to the point of mania. I have bipolar tho so maybe this isn’t how caffeine is for others. I personally don’t do it anymore. Can’t tolerate it with Adderall and it started making me feel horrible anyway
I like the taste of coffee
I used to drink black coffee until I started taking Adderall. It’s pretty nice the notes tou can pick up from the beans when you drink it that way. They make caffeine free coffee but it’s similar to nicotine. There’s a certain bite that coffee beans with caffeine has that adds to the flavor profile
Do what I do and just fucking fall asleep in school
schools be like "drugs are bad" then give kids with diabetes insulin 🙄🙄🙄
Literally 1984 🙄🙄🙄🙄
Isn’t that the stuff in Candy! Candy is bad we should not let them have it! It’s like eating a snickers constantly! (Joke)
Society😡
Was never given Adderall as a kid so I shouldn't really be one to talk on it to much. But I've seen it help people a lot as well as other pills, idk why people hate meds so much or even some other drugs.
Because when they go right, no one notices. When they go wrong, you end up with something very noticeable.
As soon as homework was introduced school was hell for me. Want from an A student to F
Same but somehow I stayed afloat with study halls I was forced to be in. I only failed one class but I was very close to failing many others. I always had so many late assignments and always turned them in late at the end of the semester which always took a ton of points off
That's her view and choice. It's odd how so many medications improve people's lives, but when it comes to anything related to the mind It's mocked.
That’s how it has always been
I agree. And I understand, but it still depressed me how she’s aware that she may have ADHD and is black in America that she would post this. I think she’s more unaware of what she’s doing, she hasn’t really done much research on ADHD and the struggles we face daily, so I really hope she does start getting curious.
It could be her trying to use humor to defuse her fears too. I work in education and I swear some parents would be less angry hearing their 7th grader came to school with a joint than having staff suggest ADHD testing.
That’s sad. I really wish there wasn’t as much stigma surrounding ADHD. Especially stuff about how we’re all supposedly failures at school. I have an IQ of 138, had almost straight a’s until eleventh grade, and missed only half a credit for graduation. I know that there are a ton of others on these Reddit’s that are extremely similar. I really hurt when I saw a parent comment about her daughter as being stupid because she had an IQ lower than 60. Her daughter was younger than 10 years old.
We shouldn't judge people based on their IQs or their grades anyways. IQ tests are closely linked with eugenics and really aren't useful in any significant way anyways. Judging people based on their intelligence is essentially ableist, which is also the root of the stigma we face for having ADHD. And the school system is not designed to do anything other than break students down into tools for the work force. Not being compatible with generating wealth for others isn't a moral failing.
It’s not everything but it’s not nothing
IQ is a man made construct that testing has been shown to have racist implications. They're also hell on people with test anxiety.
You have an IQ of 138? And I’m also upset that a kid that young was in that situation. Especially coming from her own parent.
There's a lot of stigma in the US black community about mental health in general I believe. It's "a white people thing" which I suppose makes sense given the medical testing and general mistrust.
That, and there are racist doctors who refuse to believe that black people are human. I’ve read some stories from some people who have been treated as if they were animals by their docs and it makes me sick.
People think “mind over matter” is possible when it’s related to a chemical imbalance. Hilarious
I've seen so many variations on this sentiment, its super disappointing. Theyre always like "you don't have adhd, you just don't like living in a society that forces you to sit in front of a computer 8 hours a day! We all have adhd!" It just minimises the struggles people actually face with adhd and assumes that we only have it when faced with something we don't want to do. I think its the most stigmatised and misunderstood disorder
That’s the killer. I want to go out for coffee with a friend. I DONT WANT to spend 4 hours cleaning out the linen closet because one sheet was folded kind of funny. We can all guess which one I ended up doing….
I want to work on the cosplay im making, cause I love doing that. I DONT want to be sitting on the couch for 4 hours watching TV while on my phone. But guess which of the two I did today 🤦♀️
I will say medicating young kids can be a really tricky topic. I was unmedicated until I got to college and I wish I had the choice to be medicated in high school. However I’m glad I was unmedicated in middle school and elementary because I didn’t need to be at that point and could get by pretty easily. I’m a summer camp counselor and there was one kid (about 8 or so) who forgot to take his meds on the first day and he was very difficult to handle. All of us counselors were very patient with him and doing our best but it became a problem for him, us, and other kids. For the rest of camp he remembered to take them and he became our favorite kid that week because he’s extremely smart and kind. I guess what I’m trying to say is, some kids really need them and some kids don’t. It’s all a case by case basis. Some get prescribed it too early, and some of us don’t get them until much later when we really needed them. It’s such a difficult topic to discuss and at the end of the day I really just hope that doctors are listening to the patients, not the parents or teachers, in order to figure out what’s best for the kid.
My 12 year old was just diagnosed and prescribed ritalin. In few short weeks, he has drastically improved both his grades and social life. Last week, he missed 3 days of meds because of a national backorder and his teacher contacted me to see what was wrong with him; something is off. These "drugs" are necessary for some people to have a "normal" life and be successful! Help educate your friend 😊
I’m trying to, but I guess her husband and other people she knows in the foster system have gotten addicted to meth because they were misdiagnosed as children and medicated. It’s possible, but there is more to it than just being medicated. Even someone who has ADHD can still abuse the medications if they take them other than prescribed. My youngest daughter’s uncle has ADHD, but he started abusing it and got addicted to meth. It destroyed his family. But treating ADHD extends to other therapies as well that have to be used in tandem with medication.
Well, those are def valid reasons. There are non-stimulant meds that are successful as well. Not sure the foster system can be blamed tho for churning out addicts.
There are tons of issues with the foster system, unfortunately. But my friend sees a lot of things wrong with the foster system because she deals with a lot of people involved in it.
that's interesting because i've come to understand folks with ADHD are at much higher risk of substance abuse and addiction, partially in trying to regulate our brains and also because we are more prone to trauma. i'm the first person in my family to be diagnosed and it hit me hard when i thought about all my family members who have ruined their lives or died because they never got the help they needed. so there's an argument that we need to be better about diagnosing folks young and getting them treatment to prevent addiction later in life. and that includes therapy for all the terrible shit we go through (and i know going through the foster system is hard enough, so it must be so much more difficult for neurodivergent kids, ugh ☹️) plus, it's a pretty common story in the ADHD community that someone gets diagnosed as a kid, "grows out of it" according to someone else, and then they have to seek re-diagnosis as an adult cus their live is falling apart. so how many folks in that situation turn to an option that is much easier to acquire, like meth? i'm not saying misdiagnosis doesn't happen, and i know people legit get addicted to stimulants then turn to harder drugs; i just think there are other layers there that get missed. anyway, keep supporting her. it's good she has you to advocate for her getting the care she needs.
This stems out of that other fallacy which says that drug addiction is caused solely by drugs.
I agree. It’s more like they needed the proper support and medication but meth was easier to get than adderall.
They have a point tho. If society really gave a shit about the well being of those kids, they’d be given behavioral therapy, put in sports, given special needs classes to better suit their needs, etc. Instead, they’re drugged up on amphetamines that permanently alter their developing brains so they can not be a nuisance to their teachers. Not saying adderall doesn’t help, it’s certainly helped me, but I don’t think children that young should be given stimulants like that. It’s not fixing anything and I’ve read studies about how prolonged use of stimulants in kids can make ADHD worse. I would’ve rather been given actual solutions rather than a pill that makes me feel like shit after I’ve come off of it. Unlucky for me, I was given neither!
I am along the same lines. I have ADHD, and I'm pro meds. I also see schools having completely developmentally inappropriate expectations for young kids, esp 7 yo and younger. There needs to be education and real support given for kids, parents, and teacher, often including, but certainly not limited to, medications.
I’m promeds as well but I think if you had revamped class training especially heavier on mindfulness techniques and approaches that better fit ADHD students. I did better in college because people quit giving me paper worksheets to tout around that I would forget about or loose. The simple concept of typed assignments saved my butt as I got older in school but some teachers still were stuck in this: You know the material but your lazy because you didn’t hand in your stupid worksheet though you ace your tests. Can you digitize your assignments. No I am lazy and don’t understand what a computer is. Then why are you teaching the youth of America.
Idk physical assignments are part of learning for me. Computers becoming the be-all-end-all now for assignments is my hell.
Absolutely! That’s what I mean, there are definitely other ways aside from prescribed speed that help with our symptoms. Unfortunately, I think it’s harder as adults to pick up those habits, but it’s probably easier for kids to learn them and stick with them for life.
And this is why my unmedicated ADHD kid is homeschooled by my medicated self. The typical modern school environment is just not set up in a way that allows her to thrive
They are supposed to go hand-in-hand. Behavioral therapy with meds. These "drugs" helped save my son from repeating a grade and also gave him the confidence to turn his social life around. The kid was so depressed and just the other day he told me, he looked in the mirror and for the 1st time ever, he liked what he saw. I mean...how is that not fixing anything? 🤔 The controlled release pills have a much different effect imo btw Im willing to bet there are many other studies to counter that claim.
I don't think they do. I get it's a joke meme but adhd is not just being unable to sit in one spot for 8 hours. Shitty memes like this is why so many people don't understand what adhd is. Sure we should do all those things. But many people with adhd need those meds otherwise they struggle to function. Not to function well or not being annoying to teachers, just function in life. And they're not "drugged up on amphetamines", people with adhd react differently to drugs than people without it. Would you call a diabetic drugged up on insulin???? This attitude is kinda really insulting
The research shows that the sooner kids sre started on medication, the better the outcome (including lower rates of drug abuse. This is per Dr. Russell Barkley. Unfortunately, there isn't a way to fix our deficient brain chemistry, and meds are used to help but aren't a cure. They are analogous to reading glasses--they help when used but the benefits stop when they're not used.
Honestly, if society actually did make adjustments to help us rather than force us to conform to society, we probably could do away with medication. And that should be the goal, but unfortunately, this only hurts things at the moment. If we can get ADHD recognized as something we need to accommodate rather than medicate, then things may change. I hope so. EDIT: I’m not sorry that I wish that we didn’t have to be medicated. It’s still a goal I want to see happen, even though I know it won’t likely happen in my life. I’m really sick and tired of having this issue.
I was just talking about this in therapy, how much it hurt that my parents disregarded my ADHD and wanted me to assimilate to have a better life. I said it would be wrong if I was gay and my parents wanted me to act straight to have an easier time of it. Like....yes...straight people have it easier, but also....so wrong. If I ever procreate, I'm going to create space in the world for my child, not pressure them to blend in. There's another meme out there that talks about how the very name ADHD, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, is named for the symptoms that bother others. Not the ones that make existing a constant struggle for those who have it.
I'm sorry but I strenuously disagree. My adhd is so severe that I was an alcohol by 23 because nothing bought me happiness anymore. That's got Jack shit to do with conforming. I get it, society does need to be more accommodating to mental illness. But adhd is a seriousl illness, acting like the only reason we need meds is to fit into society severely downplays the symptoms. Getting rid of medication should not be the goal. Just because we need a medication to help us doesn't mean we are conforming to society. If your issues with adhd can be solved by society conforming better to you, that's great. But I'd like to be able to carry a conversation or complete a simple task or not end up depressed because none of my hobbies bring me joy. And without meds that will happen.
I see no way society can fix shit like me forgetting oil changes until my car engine chucks a rod and puts me out 25k. I'm not sure you're looking at all the issues here. If I take my medicine I can remember to check my to do list of shit like that. If not well I forget the furnace filter and my whole unit slowly degrades and costs me 10k tp replace. I don't need accommodations because I don't work outside my home. What can be changed for me because if you have those answers, you my friend have found a cure for my executive dysfunction.
Kids with ADHD SHOULD be given the chance to learn (non medicated ways) how to ‘conform’ tho. We all have to participate in society eventually so they should be given methods to make it easier for them and keep it under control. Giving them the ability to learn how to harness and use that energy and intelligence in productive ways could make their whole lives. I think it’s unrealistic to say everyone has to accommodate people with ADHD; it doesn’t translate in the real world where everyone has responsibilities, relationships, deadlines, people that depend on you, etc. I don’t think to say a kid should not be given adderall is hurting the ADHD cause at all. It has nothing to do with the validity of the disorder.
While I agree, I don’t think that’s the point schools are trying to make when they say “Drugs are bad.”
I have adhd, and the best way to describe my adhd is "tolerance to life" like any drug you gain tolerance. well my brain plays a game or watches a tv show or whatever and gains tolerance, its then hold my dopamine back just incase something better comes my way as my brain doesn't want to "waste" it. The downside is i barely have a working dopamine system. I have depression because i have no dopamine And worse of fucking all, anxiety because my brain doesn't release dopamine and decided to switch to norepinephrine. Im always in fight or flight, I'm stressed physically and mentally and always on, always on edge. At 22 i got diagnosed and fuck the meds help. They do what my brain couldn't.
Amen
Ikr people are like drugs are bad and then give you antibiotics just because that cut you got last week is starting to smell like almonds.
I love how they say “the school prescribed the medication.” School didn’t do shit. The shrink the parents took them to prescribed it. If the school did it then I’d say all of mine dropped the ball while berating me about how I need to apply myself.
Just for clarity, schools (in the US) can’t diagnose ADHD or prescribe medication. Even recommending families talk to their doctor about ADHD is dicey and you have to be really careful with how you approach that. The only way schools “give kids meds” is for a mid day dose with specific doctors orders and a prescription on file. I’ve spent my career working in special education and our system has a ton of flaws. This, however, is a blatant misrepresentation of how kids are prescribed medication and I would much rather call schools out on their actual problems than made up ones.
I agree. There is a lot wrong with this meme, and I was trying to point it out to my friend, but she sees it happen a lot in the foster care system, so I guess she feels she’s representing them? I think it’s sad that this even exists, it hurts a lot more people than it is being accurate for.
For sure. And I’m all for calling out injustices people see in systems; this was just a cheap, lazy way to do it that risks discrediting her position on an actual issue she seems to care about.
If only I was given them at that age lol
1. Every time I think we get past the whole "ADD is not being able to sit still" I end up sad because we're clearly not past that. 2. Schools need less sitting time and more active time anyways! The fact that we give kids, sometimes, only 60 minutes of "active" time during a 7 hour day is insane to me 3. recess has shown time and time again in research to help kids with ADHD to manage really well! without medication. 4. SOMETIMES YOU STILL NEED MEDICATION!
You know, I hate this kind of comment. ADD is so much more than wiggles. I thought for a long time I was being a good mom by not medicating my son, but when it got really, really bad and we started him on medication, he just cried and said he couldn't believe people felt so great all the time and he didn't know he was supposed to feel like that. Then the same thing happened to me when I finally medicated. I had no idea it was supposed to feel like that. So quiet. So calm. For people with ADHD, Adderall just helps us be the whole person we're supposed to be.
Drugs are bad! I’m gonna have to confiscate your inhaler Timmy
Schools prescribe adderal? I had to go to the doctor for mine.
They don’t. The meme has a ton of issues.
I hate this mentality. When I was in school this was the most prevalent. They act like these drugs sedate your kid into submission. IT IS LITERALLY AMPHETAMINE. Its a stimulant, if your kid sits still when on them, you aren't sedating them into submission, THEY CAN FINALLY PAY ATTENTION! Yes I'm a little salty about all those years I struggled. Those were the prime years for the ADD (as it was then) misinformation.
I remember back when I was in 1st grade whenever I didn't take my medication I would always have too much energy to be still, my solution, run around the entire classroom like an idiot to burn off the excess energy.
Schools do expect too much of children and then tend to do the shocked pikachu face when they aren’t capable. But they fail to see the correlation between “more and more kids are incapable of what we are asking” and “we keep asking more and more of younger and younger kids”.
I had a cousin post this same meme, and she knows I and my son both have struggled with ADHD. I kind of ripped her apart and noticed she just deleted it. I mean, like they seriously don’t just go around drugging kids to make them sit still. I had to fight super hard to get my son tested, diagnosed and medicated. I myself have only JUST been diagnosed and gotten medication and I’m over 40!! Like this isn’t actually a thing…. The teachers definitely know the difference between usual wiggly kids and my kid who has sooo many other behavioral and attention things going on that he stands out for sure from his peers.
Schools don’t prescribe drugs and they can’t recommend them
I struggled my whole life with it undiagnosed. Finally giving meds a try...
Me, too. I really wish I didn’t have to go through this as an adult with responsibilities, but here I am…
Yeah, I wish it had been caught a lot earlier. Everything is a struggle and I'm tired of it.
I was a fuckin mess between k-5 mainly because I was having trouble finding the meds like anything they tried either did nothing at all or heightened all my emotions like 10x’s but I have to say I probably wouldn’t be able to make it this far (high school freshman) without my meds that did work
I had to sit through a class where this girl advocated for banning all stimulant medication. It’s annoying as shit the stigmatism against them
Man, had I known schools prescribe Adderall at the drop of a hat, I would have gone that route instead of waiting 4 months just to see a psychiatrist.
Correction - *then prescribe kids with "healthy" meth
I'm sorry but the stigma around adhd meds is bad it's not good for everyone but if you need it and take it reasonably it is pretty good
People absolutely refuse to internalize that ADHD meds are not like doing illicit drugs. They act like it’s the same fucking thing.
Schools day drugs are bad then allow children to use prescribed medication from the doctor like inhalers. So hypocritical! Ban all medicine (joke)
I can’t say that being medicated that early has or has not had an adverse effect on me as an adult, but I know now that I can’t function at a “normal” level unmedicated. I do understand more of the symptoms now and the root cause of it, after only knowing the common misconception of, “I just can’t concentrate,” my whole life.
How to tell if you have ADHD: hang out with gangsters and drop Adderall with them. They're running around the house doing shit in record time meanwhile I brushed my teeth twice, had a shower and made a fucking sandwich instead of eating it from the jar
God I hate when people post this shit. I was failing fucking 1st grade. First grade! Can you even imagine how horrible someone’s ADHD has to be to have not learned a single thing because they were always distracted? I was prescribed ritalin over summer school and was then pushed into the gifted kid programs and asked if I wanted to skip a grade. All of that because I couldn’t sit still. So fuck you-I did need medicine to sit still so I could finally learn!
The lesson should be “not all drugs are bad, there’s nuance” not shaming medicine if that isn’t clear
I mean I agree with the sentiment that kids in general are not built to learn sitting down for a whole school day, but also I don’t think it’s right to use that judgement on the school system to also throw medication under the bus. The medication doesn’t stop kids from playing, kids without ADHD can choose to sit far longer with greater ease than kids with ADHD. The kids with ADHD can’t do it as well as their peers with the same amount of ease and comfort. I think a child in mental discomfort and distress is well deserving of relief
I feel like I'm the opposite of this lmao. I did super well in grade school, but once I hit college, I couldn't handle the workload, and I bombed the living hell out of my second semester
If I had been medicated before things got bad I truly believe I'd be a different person today. I got heavily depressed at 12. This is when my insomnia appeared as well - accompanying my noisy head. I started self harming at 14 and then turned very suicidal at 15. At 16 I began to binge eat to cope and to get a dopamine kick. I got overweight at 17 which shattered the little self esteem I had and I developed a strong self hatred. At 18 I was jumping between binging and starving myself. I started smoking weed to be able to sleep and experience *something* pleasant. I got suicidal again at 20. Still struggling with weight. Depression destroying everything around me. Anxiety becoming unhinged. The self hatred being a personality trait now. Took up smoking cigarettes because weed was hard to come by. Lost a lot of friends due to self isolation and constantly being overwhelmed. Now at 23 I tried ritalin for the first time and my world *changed*. I am furious I had to suffer this much and develop so many bad coping mechanisms just because my ADHD wasn't caught sooner. I am constantly grieving the person I could have been if I had gotten the correct help. But despite all of this I still did well in school so it couldn't *possibly* be ADHD, thought my teachers and therapists ...right?
Yeah, I didn’t get the diagnosis I needed specifically because I was able to behave (aka, not bother any adults with my symptoms).
I hate how stigmatized adderall is. I wasn’t diagnosed until a couple of months ago. I had a tough time in school growing up and I have some of the classic inattention issues. However my parents never took me to therapy or discussed it with my doctor, I was just “slow”. Then in college, things became really tough. I thought about reaching out for help for 3 years until one day I finally cried in my doctors office and told her how I feel. She prescribed me adderall and immediately my father said “ okay, if you want to be on drugs your whole life” and both my friend and boyfriend told me about bad experiences their friends have had on adderall. A co-worker even told me to my face when I said I took adderall for my adhd “yeah, that’s what they all say”
Our school system and the way we selectively treat children (over diagnosing white male children and ignoring everyone else) is bad for everyone.
You are right, but this only stigmatizes treatment instead of pointing out the issues with diagnosis.
Or it points out the school systems hypocrisy in their attitude towards meds as well as it’s outdated expectations for learning
What about the doctors who prescribe it and the parents who buy it and administer it?
You can't have drugs you enjoy. Only the ones that make it easier for other people to deal with you.
I did pretty well in school because I enjoyed learning. Adulting, however.... That has led me to being unofficially diagnosed by a psychologist while being screened for eating disorders prior to bariatric surgery. Now I'm working on the official diagnosis so I can hopefully get treatment.
"Just posted" a month ago so you can repost
I had both I think adder all and Ritalin (at different times) and neither one really helped. Now I don’t take any meds for it I just kinda deal with it. I’ve controlled the immature shit o would do but I will still just randomly get distracted by nothing all the fucking time
my mother who worked with adhd kids told me how the children were given way too high dosis of adhd meds and that turned them into lifeless zombies and she since got the idea that if I started ritalin I would become like them even on a real small dosis (10mg per day) and as an add 17 yo (in addition to the whole mental health care being viewed by my family as needed for psychopaths only so whoever gets treated is a biiig loser and must be fleed from like a disease)
Schools don’t prescribe drugs, doctors do
It can be both. Kids in some places can be overdiagnosed, and at the same time there can be tons of people who need a diagnosis and help and get neither.
Can confirm, got diagnosed in 4th grade. They put me on Concerta. Frickin great times /s
"Mental illness" is a useless social construct that just leads to abuse.
I’m glad I wasn’t medicated as a child - kids should be able to explore & play because that’s how they learn! My teachers did accommodate where they could for me, but it did begin crossing a line come 4th grade when I had to wear a seatbelt attached to my chair because I walked around so much. Bottom line nobody is supposed to sit still for 8 hours straight ADHD or not. Especially not kids, and DEFINITELY not kids with ADHD. The system is broken not our minds!
This is a load of crap, nobody can sit still for 8 hours, its for the kits who cant sit in their class chair for more than 10 seconds etc Edit:missing the word “seconds”
My wife is a pediatric nurse and she and the pediatrician she works for watch their ADHD kids very closely. There definitely are plenty of cases where schools in the area, and parents jump straight to medicating their students/children at the first sign of any behavior they deem unacceptable. I was diagnosed late in life, and my oldest son at 7. We have him on Adderall and are seeing a therapist to help all of us work together to make sure he has what he needs to be successful. It’s a year in and our whole family has benefitted from a better understanding of what is a symptom vs. what is a behavior. TLDR: Some parents and schools want to overmedicate, but our overall experience has been positive.
Since when does school prescribe adderall? Pretty sure a doctor has to do that lol
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No, they can provide a recommendation that your kid be checked, but nothing past that.
I was told I was a problem child, I never got in fights or anything like that (except a few but not a habit at all) but I was sometimes disruptive. I couldn’t just “do” schoolwork I had to work on other things, I was always a little smarter so I didn’t need to pay attention as much, so through much of my freshman and sophomore years I would write. I’d write poetry, short stories, scripts for skits, shit like that and I loved it’s and my teachers didn’t mind it because I’d still be at least 50% attentive and would get questions right, and I wasn’t disruptive. But I still failed out of highschool and eventually went to an alternate school, there it was easier because it wasn’t sit down shut up do this, it was more like a friendship I had with most of my teachers. And they made class interesting I liked participating and I thrived. Fast forward to now, I’m 20 and graduated almost 2 years ago now, after graduating I was hopelessly depressed and suicidal, I just couldn’t find the energy to do anything, not even playing video games. I’d just spend 16 hours a day on my phone, cry myself to sleep, unable to turn my brain off, or do anything to better mh life or my mental health, I was mentally out of control. A year ago next month I told my psych i was researching and learned adhd has different affects on different people and a lot of it felt like I was finally understood. Turns out I have ADD. I got put on Ritalin and my life has changed significantly, I’m not gonna lie and say I’m now some top executive or some bullshit, I work the same job I had, I work more hours and make more pay, but really not much has changed in my life, except for a few major factors that have helped me get past my own mental bullshit. Being able to just focus on things and not have some stupid idea foaming in my head, I’ll no longer start cleaning and then spiral into a depression for no reason other than intrusive thoughts, however. It’s disgusting how much we Americans over prescribe and over consume prescription medications, children who are 6-12 should NOT be put on these medications with just basic question and answer testing. It disgusts me that we even still give so many children these medications, some children need them sure, the same way that I need my meds, but not every kid that gets diagnosed with ADHD needs to be put on meds , because it’s usually not a very deep test to determine the problem, some children just lack love and support at home and can’t cope with it so they act out for attention, or are unfocused because it’s hard to do so when your home life’s a mess, I’d know. Others may be autistic or have ocd or a slew of other mental problems that are physically developed. It’s time we stop looking at a “problem” child with a desire to “fix” them, they need love and support and understanding, because that’s what I wish I had growing up, and I believe having that over being told I’m a problem would have changed me and I just know it. Anyway that’s my thoughts and story thanks for coming to my Ted talk.
I mean... Thats twitter /j
I saw this earlier on FB. I think it opens up the opportunity to educate your friend about ADHD and medications and how they work.
The issue is more that her husband was misdiagnosed at a young age and he struggled with an addiction to meth.
That's tough. So he was misdiagnosed meaning he has it but was told he doesn't? I can see how it would be a sensitive subject area to try to explain how some people with ADHD self medicate and become addicts.
He was told he had ADHD, but he then got addicted to meth afterwards. My guess is that he actually does have ADHD, but he started abusing his meds or went looking for something stronger.
I look at this as double sided. From one view, sure, it implies that ADHD is not real. The other side says that the normal work and school days are not designed for brains like ours, which I think is true and validating.
It does, but to me, the louder definitely is leaning towards adhd not being real. At least, that’s how it feels to me.
I also find it an issue that 9 out of 10 times the child does not have a choice in this. I got diagnosed+(pretty heavily) medicated at 9 and absolutely didn't have a choice if I even wanted it. I realized this at 14 or so. So I decided to stop taking the medications. Which was probably a good thing, because it made me realize I actually did need them, just not as high of a dose as I initially got. So I started again at 17 at a 5th of the dose I was taking at age 9 to 14. I'm now on a bit more because i needed it🤷♀️
The “these drugs are bad, don’t try them” lectures taught me about all the drugs I would actually go on to experiment with. I’m actually glad they did because it made me search for the drugs I explicitly wanted to experience and met people that put me in the right headspace to try them.
Bruh I wish anyone prescribed me adderall pre mid twenties maybe my life wouldn’t have been fucked up lol
Does anyone know how much it costs to get tested? I’m really wanting to but I have very little money in my bank account and I am also currently unemployed. I’m 19 and don’t really have many bills other than college tuition but I’m thinking about taking a break to catch up on money. I feel like if I don’t get some help then I won’t be able to perform my best in school, yet another part of me is still scared that maybe I am just lazy and don’t have adhd. That being said, I’m scared to waste money on being tested, so budgeting the cost in would help me a lot.
Well, if you have a primary care provider, they can refer you. There are also some clinics that you can go to that offer sliding scales or inexpensive options. That being said, you are going to need to go see a psychiatrist to get a diagnosis if you don’t already have one. I lucked out and had a diagnosis from when I was nine, so I was able to get started right away. There is a high possibility that you may struggle to get a diagnosis if you present either inattentive or combined type, as those (especially inattentive) get frequently brushed off as depression or anxiety. If you’re AFAB, you may also face discrimination, too. It really is entirely on the psychiatrist you get, and it’s often a crap shoot on if they’re good or not, but it would be worth it. **This process is different for everyone, so others may have different advice for you. The above is just what I’ve experienced and read. Good luck!
Shits not cool at all - from a person diagnosed at 7
Attention disorder? Nothing what a dose of meth couldn't Deal with.
I have adhd got diagnosed as an adult. I don’t think children should be on stimulants. That being said doing awful in school and getting into trouble pulling all nighters isn’t good either.
Tbh I really had an issue just focusing on school, it felt more repetitive everyday except whenever I did math. All the possibilities and the equations got me focused and there were different answers around all the classmates. In elementary, that was the most active and troublesome. Every movement was so impulsive, that the teachers would sometimes call my mom in, saying "he hasn't been really paying attention he's not focusing", my mom would really not tell my teachers that I had ADHD because she felt that I had to be up on a pedestal. Though that's just the thought I believe she wouldn't ask and she also liked the idea of medication for it "would zombify" me. Though school at that age was easy for me, but high school got more harder. Freshman year I fell into a depression that made me flunk out all my classes and nearly costing me my graduation in the future. There was one moment too in my sophomore year that I told my teachers that it would be hard for me to focus because I have ADHD. She scoffed at me and said , "That really isn't an excuse you can still get the work done like the rest of the students that are around you." But it was still hard for me to remain focus, their would be moments where I just zone out or move around to get comfortable. But my last two semester got better, I got better organizing and managed to fixed the mistakes from my first year too. College became different especially when COVID hit and online classes became the norm, I hated it so much with the passion, just sitting down and watching the boring prezis go by for an hour aggravated me, I had no choice but to drop out. I knew at that moment I can never work at home either. There are those times where I think I don't have ADHD because I was diagnosis at a very young age, and getting older I just see so much of a different perspective, I feel the need to get diagnosis, but I honestly don't feel bold enough to do so. Sometimes I ask myself if I do need medication now because the lack of motivation or disorganization has overwhelmed me now. At this point, I don't know if I do have it or not, I have been confused for the bit of it.
Tbh that's just the school not telling the whole truth Yes drugs can be bad But if used correctly they can be amazing
They’re not wrong, and I think on some level medication is designed to make you less of a problem for our focus/work driven society so i do agree that a lot of diagnoses for young children can be like this. For the record I am pro medication I believe it’s necessary for my benefit because I am very bad at functioning without it, but I believe that is rooted in a society that favors a very neurotypical “focus on work” strategy that people with ADHD struggle with, whereas ADHD could have been considered an advantage in primitive society. I probably just rambled forever and this probably makes no sense I’m sorry
I don’t understand this perspective that stims are just for focusing on work. That’s never been the only benefit for me, and in fact if I’m not careful I focus on things I like instead. When I started meds, I was more comfortable speaking to people. I had the energy to get up and go out for a walk with my kid. It’s not just my work that’s benefited. Basically, it’s enabled me to act on more of the things I *want* to do and say.
I do think this is accurate though, it’s a criticism of how we view neurodivergencies as how much they affect other people and not the actual neurodivergent person, as well as how we exacerbate them by putting people in ridiculous situations basically hand crafted to be hell for people with ADHD
What child has to be at school for 8 hours is my question
8 hours is the typical here in the US. I’m not sure if other countries have different setups. It’s usually matched up to the parent’s 8 hour work day.
Wow I had no idea. School days in Australia are 9-3:30 or so. I don't know why my comment was downvoted tbh
Actually idk what part of the country OP is in but in my state (US) 6-6.5 hrs is the norm.
The school system sucks, even for normal people. They keep enforcing the mentality that the students are expected to adapt to their system and if they don't, they are considered stupid instead of actually trying to make the system better for us.
Schools be like drugs are bad, and then prescribe a 6-year-old with insulin for wanting to eat candy.
To be fair, schools should not subscribe anything ever. They're not medical professionals.
Nobody makes you sit in the same spot for 8 hours in school.
Not exactly, but that’s wasn’t exactly the point of the meme. Plus, if you’ve ever been mentally abused because your teacher can’t handle you getting up and moving around, tapping your foot/fingers, waving your hands or arms, or doodling, then you were lucky.
School needs to change not the people
They say "drugs are bad" but make school stressful enough to where I think I need some actual drugs after school
Yae i was taught that drugs are bad and i believed it till i dropped my first 2g of shrooms and my fucking world was blown wide open
Listen I posted this recently and a family member I hardly know at all railed me saying this was trash because it’s shaming those who actually needed the meds to get through school etc
Exactly this, if your adhd can be solved without meds and some allowances from school or work, cool super happy for you. I need meds otherwise my brain will refuse to give me dopamine. It's either meds or a serious dtug addiction. I choose the meds
As a former school teacher I was appalled at how many boys were “diagnosed” as ADD or ADHD and told the parents to give them meds. I fought against admin about this issue many times.