TechChick said:
Tech, that’s because whatever stimulant you were taking was acting as it should in an ADD’er. Instead of hyping you up, it most likely calmed oyu down and focused you, right?
I know a guy like that. He’s never been diagnosed, but he’s no doubt ADD or ADHD. When he does a line, he relaxes…rather than amping him, he becomes more rational and is able to concentrate better.
Another adult ADDer here. I started Ritalin about a year ago. Isn’t it amazing to turn the page of a book without your mind wandering off?
I think the decision on whether or not to medicate should be based on how much the ADD interferes with your life. For instance, I’m in med school. I think that given the fast pace and constant motion of modern medical practice, ADD could be a real asset. The first two years of med school, on the other hand, are nothing but sitting on your ass and listening to lectures or studying for hours on end–ADD hell. I would not have gotten through it without the medication.
Trouble is, it’s hard to judge when a child’s performance is really suffering. It reminds me of a kid that I tutored in math back in high school–he was a high B student in a tough class, probably in the top 20%. His dad, however, thought he should be in the top 10%, or even 5%, and hired me as a tutor. I wanted to tell him that not everyone can be at the top, and that Frank was doing very well, but hell–it was 20 bucks a week!
As for the “overdiagnosed/overmedicated”–the psychiatrists I’ve talked to (quite a few–I’m probably going into it) say that ADD is not overdiagnosed in the population as a whole, but it is disproportionally diagnosed in upper class white males. That said, I think docs are quick to prescribe Ritalin because, Peter Breggin’s ramblings aside, it’s a fairly harmless drug. Unfortunately, a lot of parents aren’t willing to admit that the drug isn’t doing their child any good, and won’t have him taken off of it.
Dr. J
I have had ADD for a while, although it doesn’t make me feel too ansy most of the time. If I just try to focus really, really really really…wait, what was I saying? But really, I was on Ritalin for a few months, but I didn’t feel like it made a big difference.
Thanks, Silo. I haven’t tried Ritalin because it pushes up the heart rate, and I have a naturally too-high heart rate (100+ at rest ever since I was a kid) and doctors are, understandably, reluctant to prescribe a drug that might push it up any further. In my line of work (I’m a copy editor) ADD is, obviously, a disadvantage – one has to closely focus on often not-terribly-interesting material for long stretches. As I said, I have a million tricks to make it easier.
The biggest day-to-day problem I have is the social awkwardness that so often goes with ADD; the “why did I say that?” syndrome :o
Catrandom
Welcome Rosethorn, DoctorJ, Elthia. Thanks for subbing gaWd. Be back in a sec.
Sounds like you guys have ADD. If your son has ADD and is intelligent his grades will probably be like mine used to when I was young–erratic. I would get an A+ in some class B- in another C- in another D+ in another and an A-. That was my repert card from kindergarten through high school. It’s your decision to medicate. I suggest you read up on the subject a bit. There are some good books out there but I can’t seem to think of any now. Be objective. Try the diet thing too. Also some people do out grow ADD.
Lemme guess? While you friends were getting a rush, you were sharp and relaxed. 
Diagnosing is not an exact science. As a result, people do get misdiagnosed from time to time. I was one or twice. Let us hope that this should improve over the next decade or two.
Good advice. One important thing you left out was sugar. Cut sugar out of your son’s diet for a few days and you will notice a difference. Exercise and music are also wonderful things for the ADD mind, and don’t forget the Straight Dope.
People without ADD tend to get a buzz off stimulants. When people with ADD take stimulants they tend to feel clearer thoughts, are less distracted and more relaxed. I wouldn’t go as far to say a Schedule II drug is harmless. When I was younger I saw kids without ADD snorting like 6-10 10mg pills of Ritilin to get off. It can be abused by likenesses of amphetamine junkies and experimenters. I’ve seen it abused and wouldn’t say it’s a harmless drug. Especially when you start mixing it with acid and heroin and the like.
Doc J says:
As far as Ritalin being “Harmless”, I send the following link: http://www.ashevilletribune.com/ritalin.htm
**NOTE:**I have not verified the story to which the above link is in regards to. All I know is that a kid might possibly have died from his use of the drug.
I barely read it over, but I thought it might be an interesting read for those that think Ritalin was “Harmless”.
Silo…I just thought eliminating sugars from their diet to be logical so I didn’t mention it.
When I was a kid I was put on the Atkins’ diet and had pretty good success controlling my ADD/ADHD. Anybody else ever do Atkins?
Scheduling has little to do with potential for harm and everything to do with potential for abuse. You probably couldn’t take enough methylphenidate orally to really hurt yourself, but like you said, some people like to snort it. There’s also the matter of psychological addiction (no real physical addiction), which can be powerful, especially if you snort it. If given as directed, though, and administered under the watch of a responsible parent, the drug is very unlikely to cause any serious side effects.
The conventional wisdom about the drug having “opposite effects” in those with and without ADD is not quite correct. Just about anyone could take Ritalin and improve his concentration somewhat. That effect rises with dose up to a peak, after which concentration drops off as behavioral and other side effects increase. In someone without ADD, whose concentration ability is already near capacity, the effect on concentration is not as noticable, and the “buzz” effects predominate.
Dr. J
Chickenhead:
I have personally taken Dexedrine for many years. However, I have ADD. It sounds to me that you have what I like to call partial ADD. This is when someone has some of the symptoms of ADD, but not enough to make a positive ADD diagnosis. It sounds like the Dexedrine, in your case, is making you more alert, relaxing you and improving your focusing ability. A non ADD person would think faster, be more alert and get a buzz/rush off it. People with ADD do tend to hyperfocus on things they find interesting and have trouble focusing on things they’re not really interested in. You may have ADD, i’m not sure if you do or don’t. Find out.
By the way Dexedrine (dextro-amphetamine) is roughly twice as strong as Ritilin (meythylphenidate). They are both used in the treatment of ADD. But they work differently. Dexedrine mimics a brain neuro-transmitter called Dopamine. While Ritilin stimulates an increase in dopamine. They are both Schedule II drugs which means if you get caught passing it to someone/ selling it, you’re going to prison. So if your gonna keep getting it from your room mate be discreet about it and don’t let others know. One interesting fact is Dexedrine is used by astronauts on the space shuttle. They don’t have a lotta time to sleep up there, so after they have been awake in the space shuttle for 16 hours and they have to come in for re-entry they pop a Dexedrine to be alert. Dexedrine was very abused in the sixties, mostly by housewifes. As a result of this nowadays it is pretty tightly controlled by the DEA. It’s a pretty old drug too.
Nobody is gonna write you a script for Dexedrine if you don’t have ADD (sorry), but then if you do have it i’m sure you can find a psychiatrist in your area who is willing to prescribe it to you.