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Originally Posted by HydroAddict79 or could this possibly mean that the reason why addicts seek these pills is because they are actually infected with ADHD and the others listed above & the narcotics "take care of it" anxiety etc...When they should actually be on some sort of anti-depressant or something....DAMN!
I FEEL STUPID! |
Don't feel stupid. I was diagnosed ADHD when I was 7 years old. My dad was against me taking any drugs for it. Later, around 14. I wound up experimenting and later using addictively for many years.
Eventually after too many runins with the law I got to an NA meeting. After being clean about 6 years I researched ADD and found out that it can continue even as an adult. (Hyperactivity may be dormant but many other symptoms can still be present. ) I sought a diagnosis and was treated. I was telling the psychologist about my recovery. She told me "You were probably self medicating the ADD all those years" maybe that was part of why I used, but for me there was another part that enjoyed being loaded.
I didn't like the way the treatment meds made me feel so after about 6 months of journaling and asking my friends questions about the difference i nmy behaviour treated and untreated, I stopped taking the meds. A few years back my doc thought I was depressed and put me on anti depressants. After 3 months, I didn't care for the emotionally detached feeling I had. I spoke to my doctor and stopped taking the antidepressants again. It's been determined I have some aseasonal depression. ( Winter blahs) I can usually get beyond this without meds but this year, although I didn't feel depressed, I had symptoms of anxiety, lethargy, and confusion. I went back to the doctors and he put me back on antidepressants and after a month, there was no significant change. Called the doctor, went back in and after listening to my symptoms again, he diagnosed ADD. ( I was under the assumption that he had that info in my files, but apparently not). He put me on a fairly new medication for ADD and the differerance has been night and day.
I was told when I got clean that although I might have other issues, if I could stay clean, and didn't have too many other problems coping, I should wait a little while before getting diagnosed for other problems as I had been using so long my brain chemicals were bound to be imbalanced. Each of us has to decide for ourselves, when and whether we need extra help or not.
It's real easy for this disease to go looking for answers and get us to substitute more drugs.
I try and run anything that seems like it might be a dope fiend move by my sponsor or some other addicts in recovery whose judgement I trust.
I would rather live my life completely drug free, but I didn't get clean to be confused, lethargic, depresssed, or irrationally anxious, so when it seems necessary, I look for some outside help.
Keep coming back.