Comments on: Thoughts on Addiction and ADD

By: recovering drug ADDict

recovering drug ADDict — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 22:10:35 +0000

* oH, how I can relate to this blog *
always wondered why I loved the buzz from caffeine – it made me feel like I could actually concentrate and get things done ~ finally, it was great to catch up to the “regular” kids in my class
then doctors started prescribing “uppers” like ritalin and dexedrine ** and wowZER! did I ever soar on that stuff!!
but then… the depression came crashing in college and somehow the pills would get used up before the scheduled refills (well, dang! now what??)
it’s like my mind wanted more and more of the “uppers” and you didn’t want to be around me when the crash down came ~ only alocohol could calm me down during my moody times
it seems that I can “kicK” when I want to but for how long can I stay “clean” is always the challenge ~ as of today, i haven’t had a drink since last May (currently, taking provigil for focus)
* do I ever miss the “I’m on top of my game!” feeling that amphetamines gave me – jet alert and coffee does not even come close

By: Sean

Sean — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 13:34:10 +0000

I just saw your interview on fox 25. what insurances do you accept,if any.I am a 32 yr old male with a three year old daughter. Every career I have persued I have excelled in as far as i could go just shy of having to obtain a dgree or any type of classroom style education.I was diagnosed w/ add after being thrown out of two high schools. My parents constantly went after the school board to have myself take a core exam.Not until my junior year did the school system finally comply and found I had add. Thier findings labeled me as very intelligent with a very short attention span.after being injured on the job in2008 I am nop longer able to do physical laborand found myself either having to go back to college or obtain a minimum wage job. It’s seems to be a shame to waste my potential pushing a broom. If there is any information you could give me It would be greatly appreciated. Thank You for your time.

By: Tom Proko

Tom Proko — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 02:31:41 +0000

The biggest advantage to AA is that it is free. The only criteria you to enter their doors is the desire to quit drinking.
The are many overwhelming aspects to this area.
AA has a tendency to over emphasize higher-power/God. And many do not like that.
The other knock on AA is that they seem to gravitate only to the 12 steps and the Big Book, that were written in the mid 30′s. Thus ignoring any of the large strides we have made in this area in the last 30 years.
But
It is free.
It is with people.
It is a place that is available and that someone can go to, instead of going to a bar. Going to a bar is a bad habit. But, it is a habit. The best way to defeat a bad habit, is to work on a better habit. The Universe hates a void.

By: JJ

JJ — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 17:52:20 +0000

Dr. Hallowell and friends:
I have read both “Driven…” and “Delivered…” and they are helpful to me as an unyet diagnosed, but likely, ADD person. I would not say I have addiction issues so much as that I self-medicate with alcohol and sleeping pills to quiet my mind and relax and sleep.
I wonder if you can provide any information on co-occurrence of ADD with borderline personality disorder. That is my current diagnosis, after over 15 wholly ineffective years (I’m a 44 year old female) of therapy (including DBT) and medication for various types of depression and anxiety. I have had great difficulty finding information about how these two conditions affect one another.
I was a hyperactive child but always did well in school and college and on standardized tests. I think the very supportive and structured private school environments I was in helped me succeed. As an adult, however, I have never been able to keep a job longer than three years (often due to bad luck, i.e. layoffs), cannot seem to sustain a relationship, and in the past few years have lost the ability to manage money. I am an intelligent and creative person (I have a Master in Fine Arts degree) but have gotten to the point where I can’t even bear to look for a new job after so many rejections and failures. I don’t do well in an 8-5 office setting, mostly because I need to move around a lot during the day. I also believe working on a computer worsens my ADD tendencies.
I’ve been a “night owl” and suffered from insomnia since I was a child. That also makes finding a steady job hard. I NEVER wake up feeling rested, and after a few weeks or months of an 8-5 schedule, such as for a temp job, I can do little more than come home and get in bed at 6 pm. Then depression and guilt and self-loathing set in, because I feel like I’m doing nothing worthwhile.
I applied for SSDI in December but have no decision yet. I am hoping to do a STEPPS program soon. I wonder if you might have any other recommendations?

By: Debi

Debi — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 17:59:00 +0000

I have ADHD and a food addiction. I’ve been treated for bulimia and am purging less, but it still happens much more frequently than I would like. I am a cake decorator, which is a job I love and am really good at, yet I cannot stop eating my ingredients! I’ve tried over and over to control my weight and diet and I fail every time. I’m so discouraged that I just don’t know where else to turn. Should I give up my job? Anybody, please help!

By: Jared Rypka-Hauer

Jared Rypka-Hauer — Tue, 19 Feb 2008 15:48:08 +0000

I managed to kick my cigarette addiction using a combination of titration, relationship (my wife was a great help), and exercise. Our daughter is due in a couple months… that didn’t hurt.
I’m just 2 or 3 weeks nicotine-free, but it feels great! It can be done and, when I followed my plan, it actually worked pretty easily.

By: Jenna

Jenna — Fri, 18 Jan 2008 12:47:23 +0000

Hello to all!!
i can really relate to this subject. i have had adhd all of my life, but i wasnt diagnosed until i was 28. Because of that i self-medicated myself with drugs and alochol for 2 and half years. and let me tell you it was the worst time of my life. there are so many adults who are undiagnosed and who are going through the same thing as i did. oh yeah.. i am proud to say that i have 12 and half years clean and sober. I cant believe it has been that long.

By: Dave

Dave — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 04:16:49 +0000

I recently heard Dr. Hallowell on NPR and just purchased Delv’d From Distraction.
I live in the Charleston, SC area. How do I find help?
My turbo brain is wearing my skull thin! I’m afraid it will break out!

By: margaret

margaret — Thu, 11 Oct 2007 19:00:56 +0000

Please tell us more about the ADHD and fish oil study. Is there a recommended dosage by a childs weight? Are the effects immediate (within a few days) or within a few weeks? Thank you.

By: Tony

Tony — Wed, 10 Oct 2007 13:41:16 +0000

I was reading your blog on addictions and I must say, I never made this connection before. I too never though of procrastination as a source of addition. After reading one of your respondents comments, I made the connection. For years now I have been telling myself that the rush that I get from this procrastination has been a good thing. Subconsciously, I have made a connection to a reward that was terribly destructive. What an AHhHA! moment I just had. Thanks for providing the forum for this type of interaction.