Untreated ADHD Is Worse Than You Think...

[Jonn]

I found this video pretty good.

Undiagnosed and untreated ADHD can have massive consequences on our entire lives. Most parents underestimate the risks and opt out of treatments due to the stigma surrounding ADHD, therapy, and medication. They think they are doing something good for their children and being protective but it might be just the opposite.This video presents the possible outcomes of untreated (and even treated) ADHD for children, teens, adults and beyond. It discusses the comorbidities with both mental health and physical conditions, the financial burdens, addiction struggle, problems with the law, relationship issues, divorce, cheating, unwanted pregnancies, and everything in between. Because ADHD is much more than attention deficit and hyperactivity. It's a life-altering disorder and it needs to be taken seriously.

 

[Misty Avich]

I went through childhood and adolescence with untreated and undiagnosed ADHD. My behaviour was sometimes so bad at home that my parents were at their wit's end. I think a diagnosis of ADHD would have helped the family an awful lot, as common treatment for autism (as in behaviour therapy) wasn't quite suited for me. Also I think medication for ADHD would have helped me concentrate better in school and may have even helped stabilise my emotions at home.

 

[FayetheAspie]

As someone with unmedicated ADHD I have no desire to take these medications.
Also, ADHD does NOT excuse aggressive behaviour nor is it an excuse for taking illegal substances.

 

[Judge]

I'll likely never know if I have ADHD or not. Though I still often wonder why certain subjects and concepts are so much more agonizing to learn than others.

 

[Misty Avich]

I don't want to take medication for ADHD now, but I think I would have benefited from medication as a child. As an adult ADHD makes me who I am (way more than AS does), so I feel taking meds might numb my most hallmark characteristics.

 

[Shamar]

I found this video pretty good.

Agreed. I discovered ADHD after I lost a great job due to my own AD(no H)D combined with severe burnout at the age of 40. I tried Ritalin, but developed a tolerance so the dosage had to keep going up until I quit. I did develop a mindfulness about it and learned to be more aware of what I was doing. Dealing with it is really more of a mind set. Now, I keep a few methylphenidate to use when I really need it (usually less than once or twice a year). I once had a daily prescription I didn't use, and traded 50 old ones for a new prescription of 10, and I will be trading most of those back when they get old.

 

[Jonn]

As someone with unmedicated ADHD I have no desire to take these medications.

I have been flirting with taking ADHD meds for a couple of years.
Part of the reason I didn't was bc I read somewhere that it isn't advisable or effective for ppl over 65.
The other part is that you need a psychiatrist to obtain the meds and the one I had many years ago has retired.

Also, ADHD does NOT excuse aggressive behaviour nor is it an excuse for taking illegal substances.

I think it is a little more complicated than that, IMO, but I have no interest in arguing the point.

 

[Jonn]

I don't want to take medication for ADHD now, but I think I would have benefited from medication as a child. As an adult ADHD makes me who I am (way more than AS does), so I feel taking meds might numb my most hallmark characteristics.

I feel the same way regarding a different aspect of my life's struggle.
If I take down the main "Tent Pole", what will be left?
An empty husk?

Ppl have described me as "Dead inside" as a result of the psychological ritual abuse I suffered as a 5 yr old child.
What if it were true!

 

[Jonn]

I did develop a mindfulness about it and learned to be more aware of what I was doing. Dealing with it is really more of a mind set.

This is what I am attempting to do now.

I have been down the path of managing my ADHD and other "issues" by focusing on emotional stability.
This has been achieved considerably by:
-Focusing on proper sleeping patterns.
-Elimination of stimulants as much as possible, such as caffeine.

I have never been into drugs that heighten the emotions, such as meth, nor have I indulged in "downers" such as "Mary" or alcohol.

I have fallen off the wagon, and have been into chocolate lately. <sigh>
Time to:
"
Pick myself up...
Dust myself off...
And, start allover again...
"

Spoiler

 

[Misty Avich]

ADHD makes employment difficult, I'll give you that. I've figured the best sort of job for me is working with children in a preschool environment (age 2-4), like as an assistant. It's chaotic and brightly-coloured and no two days are the same even though they basically are but it doesn't feel as repetitive, if you get what I mean. That's the sort of stimulation my ADHD mind needs. Getting distracted is part of the job and it isn't hard physical work like cleaning can be.

Buuuut I can't do that until I have somehow cured my emetophobia. You cannot work with children if you have emetophobia. You just can't.