Adult ADHDParenting ADHD ChildrenADHD TreatmentADHD and Learning DisabilitiesAttention Deficit
PrintEmailDiscuss 3 COMMENTS!RSS

Become a Better You, Jane!

The conventional advice, the daily Oprahisms, doesn't always do the job on unfocused, attention-deficit minds.
Adult ADHD Blog | Tuesday March 10th - 4:53pm | More March 2009 Blogs
 
Jane D.

The promise of structure and planning disappeared this week, as I moved back to the suburbs and the father, stepmother, and sister. Since returning home from the trip to Florida, I have felt like a man without a country.

For some time now (since the health benefits ended), I haven't had Adderall. The difference I see without ADHD medication is that I tend to flounder more. The progress I've made in reducing the symptoms of adult attention deficit hyperactivity disorder—inability to focus, the constant lateness, the absence of follow through, say—appear to be backsliding.

For instance, yesterday evening I went through great pains to sit through a two-hour committee meeting for a non-profit, and, in the end, could not do it. I fidgeted, started text messaging, and scribbled a to-do list on the edge of a legal pad.

The thoughts scattered from one to the next: the film that a date was taking me to later that night, the boxes of my life that I would need to unpack. I stifled a yawn and had a sudden urge to pick up and leave. I was getting bored.

It is like that with the job search too. Despite joining a job-search group, the Laid Off Society of America, despite the support of friends and family—despite all the self-help books in the world and all the positive words of Joel Olsteen and the Chicken Soup series—I am unable to devise a plan and see it through.

At 33, the vision of a life of stability and bliss is anything but.

3 Comments:

  • Posted by foureyes - Mar 17 2009 @ 12:46 PM
    Rocking the Suburbs
    It might be slightly cold comfort soup, but I just wanted to let you know that your blog is wonderful. It might not be stability or bliss, but you're communicating and touching people. I just found it, then signed up so that I could let you know that it's already greatly appreciated. I'm sure I'll lose myself in reading a bunch of the archives this evening, when I'm not supposed to be getting ready to teach myself. Anyways, as an undergrad and before taking (generic) Adderall, I found that a tai chi class I took had the welcome and unexpected side effects of helping me focus long enough to start organizing my time and my life. Depending on where you are in Greater Unincorporated Gatorland, you ought to be able to find a class, perhaps even free. Sort of like with yoga (or skateboarding, from my experience!), learning to stay cognizant of what your body and your breath are up to can be a great trick to pull out of your pocket during meetings when you need a small distraction to stay focused but enthusiastic, Sewing Machine Leg-style fidgeting shouldn't happen. It works in the short term at least. Good luck on the job search - and please do keep writing.
  • Posted by Habbit - Mar 12 2009 @ 11:41 AM
    ...jobless, insurance & drugs
    i just spent a week of adderall cold-turkey when my script ran out. it was not pretty. dexedrine might be an option i should look into, isn't that what william burroughs and the beats took by the handful? but i digress, my adderall-less week shed light on how distracted i've always actually been, which was frankly terrifying. adhd has been a recent revelation for me, and I can't get over this concept that I've been working soooo much harder at things people generally find so simple. already started & lost a gig at a start-up. however, i think you're in NYC, you should contact dr.mary solanto at mt.sinai and take her 14 wk adhd class. pm me if you need more info.
  • Posted by Sandpiper - Mar 11 2009 @ 10:50 AM
    Road to Hades...
    ...is paved with good intentions. My to do list sits incomplete, my meeting notes have more doodles than information. Life is better with meds, thankfully I take generic dexedrine which comes in at a whopping $4.00 per month. So, perhaps exploring a med change might be an option??? It has been my standby for literally years, only downside is that it takes a special prescription. Not usually a problem. Good luck on the job search!
Join ADDitude or log in now to add your comments.
ADDitude DirectoryFind Professionals
Find Schools and Camps
Find Products
Related Content
Free Newsletter
Free Gift with Sign Up
Adult ADHD
Managing your time, money, career & relationships
Success at School
Keep kids learning! Tips for parents and teachers
Parenting ADD/LD Kids
Strategies for behavior, nutrition, friends & more
 
Copyright © 1998 - 2007 New Hope Media LLC. All rights reserved. Your use of this site is governed by our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
ADDitude does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. The material on this web site is provided for educational purposes only. See additional information.
New Hope Media, 39 W. 37th Street, 15th Floor, New York, NY 10018