Does anybody have ideas for treating ADD in adults? My psychiatrist and I are sure that I have it, which explains almost all the crap I’ve been whining about here these past few months. I have a few pills of ritalin, mostly to see if it has the desired effect, which would confirm the fact. But I am interested in my options. Snarfing pills the rest of my life doesn’t sound like my idea of fun, and paying out a buttload of money for a “coach” doesn’t either. What do you’alls do?
Best place to start getting info that I know of: Children and Adults with Attention Deficit Disorder. It’s a neurophysiological condition, a chemical imbalance resulting from improper hypothalamus operation, and treating it medically goes right to the source of the problem. Counseling can help you adjust to the side effects, though.
There are other stimulant medications available than the methylphenidate-based ones like Ritalin - an adult co-worker of mine drinks about a gallon of black coffee every day, for instance.
I have what 99% of doctors would (and have) called ADD. I’ve taken ritalin, dexedrine, and adderall and I wouldn’t recommend taking them unless your job or marriage was at stake. Those meds are speed, pure and simple. Speed makes everyone feel better and able to focus more - not just people with ADD. What I’m saying is that no one would take ritalin and say that it isn’t working. I am far from being anti-drug - I can’t eat breakfast in the morning because I’m full from all the drugs I take. I’m even a pretty avid recreational drug user of types not unlike the ones you’d be taking. Just know that you’re taking speed and will probably get agitated, stressed, and quick to anger. If/When that happens your doctor will probably prescribe inderal or corgard to block the adrenaline and/or a benzo to help you sleep. The beta blockers will make you tired and listless and the benzo’s (particularly klonopin) will leave you with the worst case of aphasia and lethologica you could imagine. Or you’ll get xanax ,that, taken serially will stop working in just a few short weeks.
Does your shrink believe you are bi-polar at all? Do you have strong moodswings? If so, ADD meds will only exacerbate the problem.
If you tell me more about how/when you lose focus, I could be of more help.
I took Wellbutrin for a while, for a combination of Depression/ADHD symptoms and it worked wonders… then. Now it doesn’t work anymore 
There’s a new non-stimulant ADHD medication out that I’ve heard mixed things about, but I don’t remember the name (d’oh!). I’m sure your doctor would, however.
Ms. Absimia is ADD and tried a battery of anti-ADD drugs that KidCharlemane mentioned. Unlike his experience however, she did not feel extra on the ball at all. She felt slightly more focused. But it severely messed up the antidepressant she was taking, so she stopped.
Her new Psych gave her a prescription to try a new drug (which name I am not yet familiar with but will ask if you like) that is some sort of [BrainChemicalWhoseNameEludesMe] inhibitor. Since it works in a whole different way, he thought it might be worth a shot. (It is also, not surprisingly, rather expensive stuff).
A really good book about ADD in adults is Driven to Distraction, if you are ADD (and it sounds like you are strongly thinking in that direction), it will prove extremely useful. Ms. Absimia got a whole lot out of that book, as did I (it has a few chapters on how to live with someone with ADD without becoming Caretaker or PissedOff or whatever). It gives coping strategies, case studies, names of support groups, etc. I recommend it highly.
Good luck.
AbSimia