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http://www.teamliquid.net/blogs/viewblog.php?id=109935 part 3
I have recently been diagnosed with ADHD, with amognst a myriad of other things, gives its subjects a low tolerance to frustration, and the hyperactivity/impulsive part leads to a lot of energy that cant go anywhere with leads to frustration and more often than not, addictive behavior and drug use.
I had started treatment with ritalin at the age of 23, and it has been fucking amazing, I feel like im using mental PEDs
I had always had trouble when undertaking long term, often annoying, work stuff, after I started taking it, studying for 8 tests in a week became a joke, my only grade bellow 8 was in a test I had a migraine going into it.
It really shaped all my life so far, like weed, this diagnosis and ritalin treatment is opening a new door in my life, I have been dating girls and started working out, feel completely uninterested by a lot of the stuff that used to be vital for releasing my anxiety, like computer games and even hanging out with many of my friends.
I feel empowered to take matters into my own hands and start solving all the shits in my life, and I have activelly done that recently.
If anyone has questions, im all ears
link fixed
 
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Good for you ^^
How long have you being taking ritalin for? Does it have long term side affects and is it recommended for long term use?
I've been diagnosed with various learning disabilities through my life as well as ADHD and have also been medicated for other conditions but have always treated meds as a crutch to get me back to a place where I was comfortable and happy and able to be successful on my own - not that I'm ridiculing your decision at all, just want to know how taking meds long term is working out! :D
Also, maybe you should fix the link as it takes me to a guy saying WORD (i.e. not you).
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I started taking it a month ago, so far its been great, there are long term effects, and it causes dependancy, but im not worried, I think the standard is taking it for a couple years and then get off it
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Thats great for you man!
As a child I was dianosed with Child Depression and ADHD. I took meds untill I was like 12. I got off of them because there was a study that said they could stunt your growth. But I was fine getling off them. For 10 years I was fine. But last year I started hitting a downward spiral starting with my friend's death to me having a sezisure while driving and almost dieing to having a chance of white matter brain disease after an MRI scan. So I been thru alot this past year. So they put me back on some meds. I take a anti-depressiant, Adderall, and Ambien now. And my life has turned around!. Its great! I'm not depressed any more, i can accomplish stuff and be motivated, and I get great sleep (I have RLS and other big sleeping problems).
But looks great for you man! GL!
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If well diagnosed, ADHD treatment can do wonders for a patient. The problem is the correct diagnosis.
Awesome for you though 
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You're so lucky that Ritalin worked for you. I've been diagnosed (and not diagnosed) with ADD, and I took ritalin for such a long time, and it did utter shit for me. In fact, it was absolutely terrible for me. When I would take it, for about 30-45 minutes I would speed like nobody's ever seen. I'd talk about so much it was fucking incredible. Then I would crash, socially; I hated everyone and everything, and wanted to be alone. Always. But then when I finally was alone I would still be with myself and I would begin to just HATE myself with a passion. Then I got cramps, I didn't eat as much, my heartbeat was irregular, I would sweat and shake (like visibly: my hands moving two cm back and forth), and I would shiver. And it didn't even help my attention span, I remember sitting in the PSAT, and literally all I could hear was papers rustling and pencils tapping.
And what did my parents and doctor do? UP THE DOSAGE!
'Cause that is what this society is all about nowadays, right?
Anyway, I'm sorry to post this rant here. I'm really happy that it is working for you, since I know it is SUCH a bitch to have anxiety. Good luck to you, and all power to you as well
But... don't leave us completely, okay? Please?
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On May 11 2012 06:19 CyDe wrote:You're so lucky that Ritalin worked for you. I've been diagnosed (and not diagnosed) with ADD, and I took ritalin for such a long time, and it did utter shit for me. In fact, it was absolutely terrible for me. When I would take it, for about 30-45 minutes I would speed like nobody's ever seen. I'd talk about so much it was fucking incredible. Then I would crash, socially; I hated everyone and everything, and wanted to be alone. Always. But then when I finally was alone I would still be with myself and I would begin to just HATE myself with a passion. Then I got cramps, I didn't eat as much, my heartbeat was irregular, I would sweat and shake (like visibly: my hands moving two cm back and forth), and I would shiver. And it didn't even help my attention span, I remember sitting in the PSAT, and literally all I could hear was papers rustling and pencils tapping. And what did my parents and doctor do? UP THE DOSAGE! 'Cause that is what this society is all about nowadays, right? Anyway, I'm sorry to post this rant here. I'm really happy that it is working for you, since I know it is SUCH a bitch to have anxiety. Good luck to you, and all power to you as well But... don't leave us completely, okay? Please?
How long did you take it for? Because when you do any UPPERS doesn't matter if its ADHD meds, cocaine, energy drinks, pre work outs, caffine. Those are the side effects. You get really "hyp up" for a while, talking alot and working on stuff. Then later you crash, and feel like shit. This is with all UPPERS doesn't matter what. If you really have ADHD or ADD you will have these side effects up to a week in a half or 2. When I was prescribed them last year these side effects lasted for about 2 weeks. The first 2 weeks, like I would be really high at first, and crash later. The crash faded away, and then the high fades away over time. If you really have ADHD or ADD at 2 weeks if you don't feel "normal" then you were miss diagnosed
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I've always wondered if I have some form of ADD. From second grade all the way through college I've always had trouble focusing on and completing my school work. That's actually a major understatement, focusing on school work was one of the most difficult things I ever had to do. And after 20 minutes of almost any lecture I was bored out of my mind. Very few classes were ever interesting enough to hold my attention.
Then again, I have the ability to spend hours on things like making TL threads and editing Liquipedia, so maybe I'm just crazy...
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Obviously my first question is how do you know you have ADHD?
+ Show Spoiler +
I watched this. I got distracted easily. Went back to this thread before 2:00. I'm multitasking by watching the video and posting. I'm not usually energetic unless well rested. Are the symptoms obvious?
The disease is hard to classify since obviously hyperactivity and attention span are on a continuum where people aren't just either attentive or not: some are just slightly more attentive than others. In contrast when someone is sick with a cold you can usually tell by taking a blood sample and counting the number of antigens, or by observing the symptoms.
Back in kindergarten I got into tons of fights and would often leave the room while other children were sitting. I still don't think I have some kind of attention disorder.
There have been times working on robotics, sanding wings for a project, and working on code where I've been really attentive. Before you used medication did you have any of these things? Were you able to pay attention to games? Sometimes when I game my eyes get red (BW days happened very often) because I forget to blink.
There are people in the video I linked that disagree with taking ritalin. They claim to be happier overall without it. I personally just want to be more productive but I am very averse to medicine. I only started taking allergy medicine this year. How much have your grades improved due to this drug?
These above questions might be offensive but they're the first ones I thought of.
Some more general questions.
You don't want to spend time with friends. Don't you think that's a bad thing? I'd hate to not want to spend time with my friends. I'd hate to be the kind of person that didn't like to or that turned others down for illegitimate reasons (school is legitimate).
You think weed opens doors. I won't agree with you but what kind of doors does it open?
What is that link to the blog for?
This is my ignorance talking but I feel really jealous that you can take medication that ups your focus or mood. It doesn't feel fair  Do you ever feel you have an advantage or do you just think the medication puts you on level with the average person.
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On May 11 2012 06:35 TheToast wrote:
I've always wondered if I have some form of ADD. From second grade all the way through college I've always had trouble focusing on and completing my school work. That's actually a major understatement, focusing on school work was one of the most difficult things I ever had to do. And after 20 minutes of almost any lecture I was bored out of my mind. Very few classes were ever interesting enough to hold my attention.
Then again, I have the ability to spend hours on things like making TL threads and editing Liquipedia, so maybe I'm just crazy...
Not at all, read about ADHD and you will find out that being able to focus on things that please you does nothing to prevent a ADHD diagnosis.
I was just like you, and I actually leave my classroom like 3-5 times per class, that was gone once ritalin arrived.
Studying 5 hours and spending another hour doing a work ? no problem
Everything becomes so easy.
Check it out, maybe you have it and if you do treatment could do wonders
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On May 11 2012 06:37 obesechicken13 wrote:Obviously my first question is how do you know you have ADHD? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z2hLa5kDRCAI watched this. I got distracted easily. Went back to this thread before 2:00. I'm multitasking by watching the video and posting. I'm not usually energetic unless well rested. Are the symptoms obvious?
Not necessarily, specially since many people like to believe that these are common behaviors, and blame it on modern day machines and systems and how they are changing our lives.
A person with ADHD may have some or all of the following symptoms:
difficulty paying attention to details and tendency to make careless mistakes in school or other activities; producing work that is often messy and careless
easily distracted by irrelevant stimuli and frequently interrupting ongoing tasks to attend to trivial noises or events that are usually ignored by others
inability to sustain attention on tasks or activities
difficulty finishing schoolwork or paperwork or performing tasks that require concentration
frequent shifts from one uncompleted activity to another
procrastination
disorganized work habits
forgetfulness in daily activities (for example, missing appointments, forgetting to bring lunch)
failure to complete tasks such as homework or chores
frequent shifts in conversation, not listening to others, not keeping one's mind on conversations, and not following details or rules of activities in social situations
Hyperactivity symptoms may be apparent in very young preschoolers and are nearly always present before the age of seven. Symptoms include:
fidgeting, squirming when seated
getting up frequently to walk or run around
running or climbing excessively when it's inappropriate (in teens this may appear as restlessness)
having difficulty playing quietly or engaging in quiet leisure activities
being always on the go
often talking excessively
Hyperactivity may vary with age and developmental stage.
On May 11 2012 06:37 obesechicken13 wrote:
The disease is hard to classify since obviously hyperactivity and attention span are on a continuum where people aren't just either attentive or not: some are just slightly more attentive than others. In contrast when someone is sick with a cold you can usually tell by taking a blood sample and counting the number of antigens, or by observing the symptoms.
Back in kindergarten I got into tons of fights and would often leave the room while other children were sitting. I still don't think I have some kind of attention disorder.
Thats perfectly okay, most of the behaviors listed have to be exhibited over long periods of time and in several different envyroments, also note that some people might have ADHD but its on a level so superficial it doesnt really affect their lives.
On May 11 2012 06:37 obesechicken13 wrote:
There have been times working on robotics, sanding wings for a project, and working on code where I've been really attentive. Before you used medication did you have any of these things? Were you able to pay attention to games? Sometimes when I game my eyes get red (BW days happened very often) because I forget to blink.
Yes sure, I have spend years on end being completely addicted to games, played gaming marathons, and eventually it was like I had used it up, games stopped being able to give me pleasure, and when that happened even tho I refused to accept it and kept trying to play games, I just lost interest and played in a coasting sort of way, until I eventually lost complete interest
On May 11 2012 06:37 obesechicken13 wrote:
There are people in the video I linked that disagree with taking ritalin. They claim to be happier overall without it. I personally just want to be more productive but I am very averse to medicine. I only started taking allergy medicine this year. How much have your grades improved due to this drug?
Well, I would say they improved a lot, if you want a number id give you 100% (altho its probably much more than that), in my case specifically, I never really got to build up the skills to study thro the ADHD during my maturation, so it was so much harder for me now at college, ritalin simply takes it all out of the equation and lets me study to my full potential (which seems to be pretty damn high)
On May 11 2012 06:37 obesechicken13 wrote:
These above questions might be offensive but they're the first ones I thought of.
They are okay
Some more general questions.
On May 11 2012 06:37 obesechicken13 wrote:
You don't want to spend time with friends. Don't you think that's a bad thing? I'd hate to not want to spend time with my friends. I'd hate to be the kind of person that didn't like to or that turned others down for illegitimate reasons (school is legitimate).
Actually I phrased it badly, I want to spend time with them, I just dont get the same pleasure of spending time with them, I feel like I could have done more with my time more often than not (specially if just hanging around and smoking weed)
On May 11 2012 06:37 obesechicken13 wrote:
You think weed opens doors. I won't agree with you but what kind of doors does it open?
For me it was mostly about allowing me to be numb to the emotional distress that I was living, this state of peace allowed me to discover more about myself and how I came to be in the position I was in.
There was so much projected frustration leading to other mental afflictions, it became much easier to see how I was a product of these frustrations once I stopped feeling them.
On May 11 2012 06:37 obesechicken13 wrote:
What is that link to the blog for?
It was missing a few digits, I fixed it, answering other questions and will edit this post
I have been posting for a few years, about my experiences with weed and how it has affect my mind and life
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On May 11 2012 06:19 CyDe wrote:You're so lucky that Ritalin worked for you. I've been diagnosed (and not diagnosed) with ADD, and I took ritalin for such a long time, and it did utter shit for me. In fact, it was absolutely terrible for me. When I would take it, for about 30-45 minutes I would speed like nobody's ever seen. I'd talk about so much it was fucking incredible. Then I would crash, socially; I hated everyone and everything, and wanted to be alone. Always. But then when I finally was alone I would still be with myself and I would begin to just HATE myself with a passion. Then I got cramps, I didn't eat as much, my heartbeat was irregular, I would sweat and shake (like visibly: my hands moving two cm back and forth), and I would shiver. And it didn't even help my attention span, I remember sitting in the PSAT, and literally all I could hear was papers rustling and pencils tapping. And what did my parents and doctor do? UP THE DOSAGE! 'Cause that is what this society is all about nowadays, right? Anyway, I'm sorry to post this rant here. I'm really happy that it is working for you, since I know it is SUCH a bitch to have anxiety. Good luck to you, and all power to you as well But... don't leave us completely, okay? Please?
That sucks man, I was diagnosed by one of the best psychiatrists in Brazil lots of years ago with mixed bipolar disorder, and it was (imo) completely wrong as a diagnosis.
So maybe your condition has not been properly identified yet ... or maybe you are just unlucky and cant get along with the meds.
Either way, stay busy, best way not to go crazy, and work out, a lot!
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How does a psychologist diagnose ADHD? Other than self-reporting and questionaires, are there any actual tests that can tell someone if they have it or not?
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On May 11 2012 07:02 D10 wrote:Show nested quote +On May 11 2012 06:19 CyDe wrote:You're so lucky that Ritalin worked for you. I've been diagnosed (and not diagnosed) with ADD, and I took ritalin for such a long time, and it did utter shit for me. In fact, it was absolutely terrible for me. When I would take it, for about 30-45 minutes I would speed like nobody's ever seen. I'd talk about so much it was fucking incredible. Then I would crash, socially; I hated everyone and everything, and wanted to be alone. Always. But then when I finally was alone I would still be with myself and I would begin to just HATE myself with a passion. Then I got cramps, I didn't eat as much, my heartbeat was irregular, I would sweat and shake (like visibly: my hands moving two cm back and forth), and I would shiver. And it didn't even help my attention span, I remember sitting in the PSAT, and literally all I could hear was papers rustling and pencils tapping. And what did my parents and doctor do? UP THE DOSAGE! 'Cause that is what this society is all about nowadays, right? Anyway, I'm sorry to post this rant here. I'm really happy that it is working for you, since I know it is SUCH a bitch to have anxiety. Good luck to you, and all power to you as well But... don't leave us completely, okay? Please? That sucks man, I was diagnosed by one of the best psychiatrists in Brazil lots of years ago with mixed bipolar disorder, and it was (imo) completely wrong as a diagnosis. So maybe your condition has not been properly identified yet ... or maybe you are just unlucky and cant get along with the meds. Either way, stay busy, best way not to go crazy, and work out, a lot!
Yeah, I apparently have that as well: "a mood disorder." Pretty much they can't get me on anything, so they just go for the broader diagnosis JUST IN CASE. So now I am taking Lithium, and Seroquel, which makes me feel high on weed if I stay up.
I mean, I am not saying, by any stretch, that I am mentally normal/stable. I think I have something, and I wish meds could help. But they just haven't. I just kind of let go, nowadays, and embrace my... whatever it is. It may be slightly self-destructive, but honestly I like it.
As for someone earlier asking how long I took the Ritalin, it was for about...five months. Sometimes I wouldn't take and throw it out the window when no one was looking. I couldn't stand it.
I think I do have some sort of mood disorder, and some sort of attention deficit disorder, and a large amount of depression, and I really think that it will get better someday, or at least that I will learn to live with it. I, and my dumbass psychiatrists, just haven't figured out what meds to pump me full of.
But, again, if I want to vent all this (WHICH I DO), I will just make my own blog post; I don't want to clutter up yours, which is a really nice one , with my shit.
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Aren't we all a bit ADHD in the current day and age?
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On May 11 2012 10:43 iSometric wrote:
Aren't we all a bit ADHD in the current day and age?
Not really, the main difference for me is that ADHD only respond to positive reinforcement in a good way, and suck at the others (which are used a LOT more on us growing up as methods to motivate us to do certain things), which leads to frustration, this built up frustration starts projecting into other areas of the mind and creating new problems. Also TDAH is genetic, so theres a big chance people in your family have it
People who dont suffer from it (or any other ailing) can much more easily undergo tasks, specially when theres immediate punishment and long term reward, the difference only becomes palpable when treatment is started
+ Show Spoiler +
Positive and negative reinforcement
As Skinner discussed, positive reinforcement is superior to punishment in altering behavior. He maintained that punishment was not simply the opposite of positive reinforcement; positive reinforcement results in lasting behavioral modification, whereas punishment changes behavior only temporarily and presents many detrimental side effects.[2]
The accepted model of reinforcement began shifting in 1966 when Azrin and Holz contributed a chapter[3] to Honig's volume on operant conditioning. Skinner defined reinforcement as creating situations that a person likes or removing a situation he doesn't like, and punishment as removing a situation a person likes or setting up one he doesn't like.[2] Thus the distinction was based on the appetitive or aversive nature of the stimulus. Azrin and Holz defined punishment "as 'a reduction of the future probability of a specific response as a result of the immediate delivery of a stimulus for that response'."[4] This new definition of punishment encroached on Skinner's definition of reinforcement, but most textbooks now only present examples of the 1966 model summarized below:
Helpful definitions:
Appetitive stimulus: a pleasant outcome
Aversive stimulus: an unpleasant outcome
A positive reinforcer is a consequence that increases the frequency of a behavior or maintains the frequency. What is reinforcing is defined by what happens to the frequency of the behavior. It has nothing to do with whether the organism finds the reinforcer 'pleasant' or not. For example, if a child gets slapped whenever he/she says a 'naughty' word but the frequency of naughty words increases, the slap is a positive reinforcer.
A 'pleasant' consequence is not necessarily a positive reinforcer. Getting a birthday gift is not a positive reinforcer. There is no behavior that will increase (or be maintained) in frequency. When deciding whether or not something is a reinforcer or not, the basic criteria is whether there is a behavior that is increasing or being maintained in the frequency of its occurrence.
Consequences are not universally reinforcing. For example, happy face stickers may be effective reinforcers for some children. Other children may find them silly.[citation needed]
A negative reinforcer increases the frequency of a behavior or maintains the frequency. It is not punishment. These terms are often confused. A negative reinforcer increases or maintains the frequency of the behavior that terminates the negative reinforcer. In this case the negative reinforcer is present before the behavior. The organism performs a behavior that terminates the negative reinforcer. The behavior that terminates the negative reinforcer is likely to increase or be maintained in frequency. Suppose someone has a headache (negative reinforcer). The person takes two aspirin but nothing happens. Then the person takes two Tylenol tablets and the headache goes away. The next time the person has a headache it is likely the person will take Tylenol. That is the behavior that has been reinforced.
Forms of operant conditioning:
Positive reinforcement: the adding of an appetitive stimulus to increase a certain behavior or response.
Example: Father gives candy to his daughter when she picks up her toys. If the frequency of picking up the toys increases or stays the same, the candy is a positive reinforcer.
Positive punishment: the adding of an aversive stimulus to decrease a certain behavior or response.
Example: Mother yells at a child when running into the street. If the child stops running into the street the yelling is positive punishment.
Negative reinforcement: the taking away of an aversive stimulus to increase certain behavior or response.
Example: Turning off distracting music when trying to work. If the work increases when the music is turned off, turning off the music is a negative reinforcer.
Negative punishment (omission training): the taking away of an appetitive stimulus to decrease a certain behavior.
Example: A teenager comes home an hour after curfew and the parents take away the teen's cell phone for two days. If the frequency of coming home after curfew decreases, the removal of the phone is negative punishment.
The following table illustrates that punishment and reinforcement are a function of the presentation or removal of a stimulus and the valence of the stimulus.
Appetitive stimulus Aversive stimulus
Presented positive reinforcement positive punishment
Taken away negative punishment negative reinforcement
Distinguishing "positive" from "negative" can be difficult, especially when there are lots of consequences and the necessity of the distinction is often debated.[5] For example, in a very warm room, a current of external air serves as positive reinforcement because it is pleasantly cool or negative reinforcement because it removes uncomfortably hot air.[6] Some reinforcement can be simultaneously positive and negative, such as a drug addict taking drugs for the added euphoria and eliminating withdrawal symptoms. Many behavioral psychologists simply refer to reinforcement or punishment—without polarity—to cover all consequent environmental changes. Others would disagree with the above examples because there is no behavior that is increasing or decreasing in frequency.
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