Keaton
Bluelighter
- Joined
- May 14, 2010
- Messages
- 15,888
I totally understand what you are saying man. I think a lot of kids with ADHD (who aren't just misdiagnosed like so commonly happens now) just learn differently. Like this lady I met who I guess had bad ahdh explained to me that she just can't learn or function well in a typical classroom, she needed to be more hands on with learning and doing stuff. I hate that schools have this one specific way of running a class and how kids should learn, and if they don't fit into that, we medicate them. Kids are so over-medicated now. The very first time I tried ritalin, my first thought was "Holy shit, I can't believe they give this shit to 6 year olds." Like, it's fucked, we're getting kids high on stimulants (whichever way it effects them, its still a mind altering substance) in order to deal with them and wedge them into what we deem 'normal'. It's crazy to me. Like methamphetamine makes a lot of ppl more focused and motivated too, and a lot of people use it for that reason. I know a lady who is a big meth head and she is badly ADD, so she uses meth so that she can focus and stay on track, etc. But obviously nobody in their right mind would recommend someone with ADHD try meth to deal with it, but its not that different using other types of amphetamines and methylphenidate (which is so similar to cocaine). I was blown away when I started researching the similarities between methylphenidate and cocaine. Sooo many people I know who have ADHD and have taken meds for it say the exact same thing as you, that it makes them more introverted, quiet, stunts their creativity, etc. I can't imagine what it must do to childrens' emotions and moods. From what I've been told, even when taken at prescribed therapeutic doses, you still feel a bit of a crash later on? Do you find that?
How old are you? Have you considered trying to see how you would function without the concerta (Talk to your doctor first of course)? Or is your ADHD really severe when you don't take your meds?
I read that another problem with concerta and ritalin is that tolerance is built really quickly, even when taken in prescribed doses, so you have to keep raising the dosage to get the original therapeutic effects. I don't know how true that is but I thought it was interesting.
I realize though that for some people its so bad that they literally cannot function without meds and so they don't really have any other choice. It's such a complicated issue. I just think with kids, it has to be incredibly damaging to dope them up on stimulants.S
Sorry for ranting, this is just something that's always interested me lol.
Haha no apology needed. You hit it dead on the nose..
I'm 17, about to be 18 next month(wootwoot!)
I'm gonna address things in the order you stated them for the sake of ease:
1) Yes you do experience a crash but that only happen when you are going on it for the first time or going back in it after a very extended break. And lemme tell you, that crash is way more intense than any other crash I have ever experienced. It had me passing out mid text message at six in the afternoon...
2) I actually decided to stop taking it on June 15th (graduation day) and only recently began taking it again, I can function without it but it takes a lot of effort to get things done. I find that if I work in 20 minute intervals, taking 5 minute breaks in between, I can work much more efficiently than working with no break. But it doesn't compare to being medicated..
When coming off the pills I actually experience a very euphoric high. This is because unlike people without ADD/ADHD, methylphenidate calms me down, also ot inhibits the flow of dopamine. And when I got from taking it every day to nothing at all, the dopamine let's loose and I'm high as a kite all day.. Quite frankly, it is my favorite high lol
Also, when trying to come off, the problem is my mother, not the doctor :/
By the way, if you ever have any questions about ADHD feel free to ask