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"Adult ADHD" (Read 19048 times)

Iesu

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"Adult ADHD"
February 17, 2017, 11:09:32 pm
I did a basic search for ADHD and couldn't find anything relevant beyond disparaging comparisons of attention span/artistic merit etc so apologies if this has been well covered elsewhere. Please point me there if so.

I'm interested to know thoughts on ADHD in general from informed or just opinionated folks. I have often suspected I am "on the spectrum" and came across a basic diagnostic checklist (no idea of the efficacy of this btw), on which I score  >75% in the "potential indicator behaviour for ADHD". I don't know if this (result or test) is significant or not.https://add.org/adhd-test/

I have long been suspicious of medicalising behaviour in this way and have related reservations about seeking this kind of diagnosis for myself. I have family experience of youths (US) being diagnosed which I perceived more as a form of parental parental control of "challenging" behaviour via medication. Seems like a lot of the stuff around behaviour is pseudo science.

I wonder if this behavioural trait could be a convenient excuse for my inability to train for climbing? That would be nice.

Do I want to take Ritalin? No
 
Was this post prompted by reading an article in the Grauniad? Yes! #middleclasshandwringing ?

webbo

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#1 Re: "Adult ADHD"
February 18, 2017, 08:55:53 am
Having had recent experience of working with a couple of Psychaitrists who have a lot knowledge and expertise in this area. I would suggest that a more reliable way of getting a diagnosis would be by having an assessment by such as the above.
However I would also suggest that unless it is causing major problems in your life such as the inability to form relationships, hold down a job or study or involvement with the criminal justice system, I wouldn't bother.
You could also end up with a differential diagnosis such as Emotionally unstable personality disorder or the like, which might not help with work insurance etc.

mrjonathanr

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#2 Re: "Adult ADHD"
February 18, 2017, 09:08:52 am
18 questions may seem like a lot if you are in search of an answer but in the absence of a clinical assesssment it doesn't seem like a strong evidence base to me.

Webbo knows about this stuff in a way I don't - I teach children- so I'd listen to him.

Why not try practical strategies and see if you feel any benefit? I think yoga does what it says on the tin (so long as you have a good teacher in a style you like). Have you tried that?

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#3 Re: "Adult ADHD"
February 18, 2017, 06:22:42 pm
Not being funny, that has me in "warrants investigation" but I'm quite sure I don't have ADHD.

My kids would all be in the extreme right column, mind you...


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Iesu

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#4 Re: "Adult ADHD"
February 18, 2017, 10:55:39 pm

Why not try practical strategies and see if you feel any benefit? I think yoga does what it says on the tin (so long as you have a good teacher in a style you like). Have you tried that?

Funny that because I don't really perceive it as a "problem" per se;I looked into this more out of curiosity to see how I wouldn't score based on various comments about my hyperactivity (particularly from parents in relation to my yoof). My other half laughed heartily and knowingly at the questions and evidently thinks i DO have a problem!

I have practiced yoga fo a long number of years but am in a bit of a lull phase with it at the moment due to recurrent shoulder injuries. I hadn't really fully considered the benefits in relation to behaviour before but then I haven't delved far into the meditation/spiritual side.

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#5 Re: "Adult ADHD"
February 18, 2017, 11:29:05 pm
I'm doing more yoga recently because of a shoulder injury.. I go to a studio where you can attend a class which is the real thing, immediately preceding one which is just yogercise and pretensions, it's worth being selective.

By 'what it says on the tin' I mean I don't believe you have to buy into any beliefs, if it is an effective active meditation you'll get whatever benefit that may bring, or not, no need to overthink it. Ashtanga seems the best for me.

I never have the patience for quiet mediation though I can see the point.

Regarding 'problems'- if you don't think you have one- maybe it's not a problem.

Iesu

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#6 Re: "Adult ADHD"
February 19, 2017, 10:23:24 am
I'm doing more yoga recently because of a shoulder injury.. I go to a studio where you can attend a class which is the real thing, immediately preceding one which is just yogercise and pretensions, it's worth being selective.

By 'what it says on the tin' I mean I don't believe you have to buy into any beliefs, if it is an effective active meditation you'll get whatever benefit that may bring, or not, no need to overthink it. Ashtanga seems the best for me.

I never have the patience for quiet mediation though I can see the point.

Regarding 'problems'- if you don't think you have one- maybe it's not a problem.

Agreed on Ashtanga as the form of choice. On the other hand I have found more generic "yogercise" classes to be a useful complement keeping it interesting; I've been to various classes at various studios locally in Leeds and when abroad on trips. I was attending "proper" ashtanga classes last year which seemed to cause/contribute to a R shoulder impingement which put me out of action; vinyasa and d-dogs were extremely painful.

Not been back to classes since but I practice from books/vids/experience intermittently at home but am on another pull after subluxing my existing injured L shoulder in a cycle commute incident a month ago (other cyclist at fault!) and doing my L ankle ligaments coming down off Blencathra last weekend...

I've definitely found the activity based meditative "trance" to be a useful calming activity personally but with the usual "busy life, yet another selfish hobby" caveats/barriers to getting on with it! So v much agreed on the "take what you want from yoga" angle. I perceive it as a useful thing to practice but have never bought into the whole lifestyle deal (yet!).

Incidentally I have found yoga more useful as a training aid to climbing than any training I've ever tried; mainly due to my inability to focus and commit time to train (hard), my dislike of climbing on plastic/wood and my inherent flexibility (particularly wrt hips/lower back problems) being a major block (perceived) to progression (donning flame proof overcoat for posting such gibberish in the "training" forums in 3, 2, 1)

mrjonathanr

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#7 Re: "Adult ADHD"
February 19, 2017, 10:33:02 am
Sounds like a physio might be good for those shoulders!

Plastic can be awful- boards are better- but there's a few halfway decent walls around Leeds surely? It can be more motivations if you have regular  partners too.

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#8 Re: "Adult ADHD"
February 19, 2017, 10:47:11 am
hello mate, wheres the yoga class?

Iesu

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#9 Re: "Adult ADHD"
February 19, 2017, 11:01:26 am
Sounds like a physio might be good for those shoulders!

Plastic can be awful- boards are better- but there's a few halfway decent walls around Leeds surely? It can be more motivations if you have regular  partners too.

Yep I have a good physio who has sorted LBP and hip misalignment issues and who helped with last year's shoulder impingement. Unfortunately I think I have maxed out the work health insurance physio options for the policy year.

My regular Physio is a big advocate of yoga; in fact many years ago when i first saw him about the LBP he said "I can tell you have practised yoga because you're spine is very healthy", which is the best advert for it IMHO.

I climb at the indoor walls in leeds when I *have* to but don't enjoy it, have never climbed hard indoors and am generally not motivated by it. Proper training seems to be just totally beyond me and my current physical condition prohibits it anyway!

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#10 Re: "Adult ADHD"
February 19, 2017, 11:01:41 am
Hiya Krank, keeping ok? There's one at the Chapel on Mondays (I go to one over my way) but Pure in Macc seems well thought of.

You need to do more training. Chant 50 Om Shantis in penance....

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#11 Re: "Adult ADHD"
February 19, 2017, 11:03:55 am
hello mate, wheres the yoga class?

Leeds ones i rate are "The Yoga Space" on Meanwood Road and "We Are Wellness" on Headingley Lane; loads more about the place including a well regarded one in Chapel A i have never visited.

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#12 Re: "Adult ADHD"
February 19, 2017, 11:04:28 am

I climb at the indoor walls in leeds when I *have* to but don't enjoy it, have never climbed hard indoors and am generally not motivated by it. Proper training seems to be just totally beyond me and my current physical condition prohibits it anyway!

Are Caley/ the Cliff not accessible?

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#13 Re: "Adult ADHD"
February 19, 2017, 11:15:50 am
Caley has been coated in the usual green slime of death for months now, almscliffe is go to for quick blasts as I am disinclined to travel too far with two busted flushes for shoulders! I am based in Otley and cycle commute past Caley Roadside most week days so get a good view of conditions. Exposed bits of Caley might actually be ok today at a guess.

Time for some yoga stretching. Less talk; more rock!

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#14 Re: "Adult ADHD"
February 19, 2017, 04:42:38 pm
how dare you Mr.J, im training hard, got my tuck planche coming along nicely now. Ive fixed my shoulder and had a session at the wall yesterday as well. love a good OM :lol:

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#15 Re: "Adult ADHD"
February 20, 2017, 09:51:49 am
hello mate, wheres the yoga class?

Yoga makes you weak ;)

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#16 Re: "Adult ADHD"
February 20, 2017, 10:11:05 am
Funny that because I don't really perceive it as a "problem" per se;I looked into this more out of curiosity to see how I wouldn't score based on various comments about my hyperactivity (particularly from parents in relation to my yoof). My other half laughed heartily and knowingly at the questions and evidently thinks i DO have a problem!

On a relevant, and I believe, (via my other half who's a Clinical Psychologist) technically correct note, the last 'D' in ADHD is "Disorder".
Much like OCD and ASD, it's only a disorder if it causes you problems or negatively affects your life. Many people would meet the criteria for diagnosis, but this doesn't automatically mean they have the disorder, or require treatment.
Ergo, if it's not a problem, you don't have ADHD.


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#17 Re: "Adult ADHD"
February 20, 2017, 10:32:11 am
A former GF was convinced I had ADHD and printed out loads of material/tests for it... a good friend (not mutual)  who was a child psychologist laughed quite alot when I told her this. She said "Tom, you're somewhere on the spectrum - but who isn't..." (bear in mind we're both academics... :) ) I'm a bit more obsessive, sometimes distant, sometimes blunt (I mean rude really!) than many other people ~ but as this generally expresses itself as a tendency to lurk under boulders occasionally swearing and chuntering away to myself I suspect its not an issue... :D

What Durbs said...

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#18 Re: "Adult ADHD"
February 20, 2017, 11:28:46 am

Quote
Much like OCD and ASD, it's only a disorder if it causes you problems or negatively affects your life. Many people would meet the criteria for diagnosis, but this doesn't automatically mean they have the disorder, or require treatment.
Ergo, if it's not a problem, you don't have ADHD.

For sure.

I think if it's controllable you can play in your advantage, enthusiasm, lots of energy etc etc, I certainly did anyway. I wouldn't worry about getting a diagnosis if it's not causing huge life issues, at the end of the day, you just end up lableeing yourself with a term people don't really understand.

I personally find it really hard to concentrate and focus on one thing, hence the reason I probably never really or have stuck to a training plan. However, I am always doing something and changing things up, which I think has worked out for me.

I think it's worth being aware that in some cases it can lead to other issues in adulthood, anexity etc but whatever, the society we live in breeds those kind of conditions, mental health support is improving and access to help is great in my experience.

Hope that helps, fire me a pm if you want a chat


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#19 Re: "Adult ADHD"
February 20, 2017, 11:34:59 am
I suspect if they bothered with such things in the schooling system in SA, i would have been diagnosed on the ADD spectrum, but the view there is if you are passing your grades they pay you no attention, if you are doing badly and fail, you just repeat.

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#20 Re: "Adult ADHD"
February 20, 2017, 01:12:25 pm
"Tom, you're somewhere on the spectrum - but who isn't..."

Everyone is on every spectrum of everything! This really annoys me.

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#21 Re: "Adult ADHD"
February 20, 2017, 02:07:12 pm
"Tom, you're somewhere on the spectrum - but who isn't..."

Everyone is on every spectrum of everything! This really annoys me.

Does it annoy you like having the books on your shelf arranged incorrectly? ;)

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#22 Re: "Adult ADHD"
February 20, 2017, 02:09:01 pm
Thankfully Mendeley keeps all my reading material in strict alphabetical order.

Iesu

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#23 Re: "Adult ADHD"
February 20, 2017, 02:25:26 pm
On a relevant, and I believe, (via my other half who's a Clinical Psychologist) technically correct note, the last 'D' in ADHD is "Disorder".
Much like OCD and ASD, it's only a disorder if it causes you problems or negatively affects your life. Many people would meet the criteria for diagnosis, but this doesn't automatically mean they have the disorder, or require treatment.
Ergo, if it's not a problem, you don't have ADHD.

I would tend to agree with this position and my reason for asking the initial question was to explore other people's experience (professional or personal) with this. I am definitely guilty of  big-league navel gazing introspection, but I thought it was an interesting thought experiment to firstly discover the criteria for assessment, and then think about my behaviour, how some traits might be linked to said condition and how my life could be different/improved (or more correctly my other half's!) by more effective proactive management.

I had a similar response to the above from one of my brothers who as it happens is a support worker for young people with behavioural problems. He also cautioned against seeing a psychiatric professional due to the potential to dig up other "disorder"-like issues that probably aren't an actual problem either (much as someone else also commented earlier i think). He also said that my hyperactivity expresses itself in my busy recreational pastimes which are probably an unconscious management strategy that has evolved over my lifetime thus far.

Thank you all for your contributions and advice, always useful to hear other people's perspectives. Ta

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#24 Re: "Adult ADHD"
February 20, 2017, 04:34:11 pm
As another aside, I'm likely biased, but I'd go for a psychologist over a psychiatrist every time.

The former are much less likely to give a specific diagnosis, as opposed to the latter who can then prescribe if they've got a diagnosed condition.

That is to say a Psyschologist would probably say you have "trouble maintaining focus for extended periods of time and sometimes struggle to blah blah blah", whereas a Psychiartrist would go "You have ADHD - take ritalin".

[/generalisations]

 

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