Bleaney
Bluelighter
- Joined
- Mar 13, 2021
- Messages
- 1,672
I'm sure that there will be plenty of people reading this that have used substances and who also have ADHD. The 2 things go together very commonly as anyone who has looked into it will know. I've been finding out that on one hand, using substances and alcohol to self medicate for ADHD symptoms, is in itself almost a box ticked towards getting an ADHD diagnosis. While it's not exactly a symptom of ADHD, there is at least a strong correlation, and substance use is very common in the unmedicated ADHD population. Proper treatment for ADHD is said to dramatically improve the incidences and outcomes of any 'substance use disorders'.
The problem is that if you're not clean by the time of your assessment, even if you do get a diagnosis, you're possibly going to be seen as too high risk for prescribing the proper medications. Especially the stimulants. Not just in terms of being judged as more likely to abuse ADHD stimulant medication, but also all the potential interactions with other substances would need to be considered. Furthermore, the substance use will make the diagnosis itself more complicated because the substance use could also account for the ADHD symptoms.
I've already done one benzo taper and quit. But what I didn't realise first time round, is that it can take anything from a couple of months to up to 4 years for the gaba in ones brain to adjust and restore a proper balance post withdrawal of benzos. Even after a gradual taper of a proper duration. Fuck with the GABA in your brain at your own peril (that's a note to self as much as anything else.)
So not knowing about the potential length of post withdrawal time needed, and finding things extremely challenging, I caved in after 6 months abstinence and got back on the benzos, although at far lower doses 2nd time round. If only I had known about the length of time needed I might have stuck at it longer, although things were difficult as hell, they were gradually improving. My sleep had righted itself for one thing and that was a big step forward.
My life circumstances were incredibly stressful at that time, and it was just the wrong time of my life for my first attempt, but fortunately things are much more stable now, as am I. Plus now that I have realised that I have ADHD symptoms I have extra incentive to get off the benzos and to try to see it through this time. Benzos certainly cant be helping the symptoms of ADHD which I am experiencing, although I clearly remember that I had the symptoms long before I ever used a benzo.
As I say, the good news is that I have been using much lower doses of benzos 2nd time round. But the bad news is that I have also been using alcohol (whisky night caps in large quantities) to top up my total gaba and help me get to sleep.
So I'll have to reduce and quit the whisky first (which will also help my potential ADHD symptoms) and then start work on the benzos.
With a little experience and knowledge, I can now view this whole thing as a process, which will definitely help.. I know it will take months, at best, and I don't feel any need to rush through it, although it will complicate my ADHD assessment if I haven't quit all this stuff and got some clean time under my belt before my as yet unknown appointment date. But I guess any attempt to reduce, and any measure of progress towards that can only be a good thing, even if I may not have managed to get completely clean by the time my assessment comes around.
The first step has been to quit the daily modafinil and / or kratom which I had been using to self medicate my ADHD symptoms, as although these have benefited me, they also meant that I needed even more Bzs and alcohol to sleep at night.
TLDR: Has anyone reading this been through their own ADHD assessment, or are you about to go through it? How did you manage your substance use before hand, and did it affect your diagnosis and what medications you were prescribed?
The problem is that if you're not clean by the time of your assessment, even if you do get a diagnosis, you're possibly going to be seen as too high risk for prescribing the proper medications. Especially the stimulants. Not just in terms of being judged as more likely to abuse ADHD stimulant medication, but also all the potential interactions with other substances would need to be considered. Furthermore, the substance use will make the diagnosis itself more complicated because the substance use could also account for the ADHD symptoms.
I've already done one benzo taper and quit. But what I didn't realise first time round, is that it can take anything from a couple of months to up to 4 years for the gaba in ones brain to adjust and restore a proper balance post withdrawal of benzos. Even after a gradual taper of a proper duration. Fuck with the GABA in your brain at your own peril (that's a note to self as much as anything else.)
So not knowing about the potential length of post withdrawal time needed, and finding things extremely challenging, I caved in after 6 months abstinence and got back on the benzos, although at far lower doses 2nd time round. If only I had known about the length of time needed I might have stuck at it longer, although things were difficult as hell, they were gradually improving. My sleep had righted itself for one thing and that was a big step forward.
My life circumstances were incredibly stressful at that time, and it was just the wrong time of my life for my first attempt, but fortunately things are much more stable now, as am I. Plus now that I have realised that I have ADHD symptoms I have extra incentive to get off the benzos and to try to see it through this time. Benzos certainly cant be helping the symptoms of ADHD which I am experiencing, although I clearly remember that I had the symptoms long before I ever used a benzo.
As I say, the good news is that I have been using much lower doses of benzos 2nd time round. But the bad news is that I have also been using alcohol (whisky night caps in large quantities) to top up my total gaba and help me get to sleep.
So I'll have to reduce and quit the whisky first (which will also help my potential ADHD symptoms) and then start work on the benzos.
With a little experience and knowledge, I can now view this whole thing as a process, which will definitely help.. I know it will take months, at best, and I don't feel any need to rush through it, although it will complicate my ADHD assessment if I haven't quit all this stuff and got some clean time under my belt before my as yet unknown appointment date. But I guess any attempt to reduce, and any measure of progress towards that can only be a good thing, even if I may not have managed to get completely clean by the time my assessment comes around.
The first step has been to quit the daily modafinil and / or kratom which I had been using to self medicate my ADHD symptoms, as although these have benefited me, they also meant that I needed even more Bzs and alcohol to sleep at night.
TLDR: Has anyone reading this been through their own ADHD assessment, or are you about to go through it? How did you manage your substance use before hand, and did it affect your diagnosis and what medications you were prescribed?
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