I was recently diagnosed with ADHD when I visited a therapist a couple of months ago in a desperate attempt to help myself and my son find a way to deal with ongoing emotional abuse from my husband.
As I read in Dr. Hallowell's book, each treatment plan must take into account the person's strengths. Well, my biggest strengths are empathy, patience and kindness. I am a mother to five kids and even though I can be forgetful or distracted at times, I try really super hard to be a good mother to them (and I do all of the childcare, every bit, and have done for years, along with all of the housework). So I have done a few neurofeedback sessions now, in an attempt to work on myself, and it has helped me to be more focused. The bad thing is, I can function just fine, aside from little things here and there. I'd even say I get more done than the average person when my youngest child reaches an age where the child does not require so much on-demand care (it is hard for me to be interrupted over and over to nurse, etc, but I have always tried to do what is best for the kids). Right now I am still getting up at night with a baby as well as nursing, and handling the demands that are required for taking care of four other kids, so our house is currently disorganized, but I have learned that with a little time, and when I quit nursing, I can get back on top of things. So, sorry for the rambling, the ADHD should be plenty manageable soon (this baby is my last). That said, I do not think the ADD equips me to handle my husband effectively, so I guess that is another consideration.
Sorry, long story short, my ADD is pretty mild. The neurofeedback makes me irritable, and I just don't want to lose the part of my personality that is the best part of me. I'd rather be kind and a little distracted that focused and not myself or grumpy. Has anyone else had personality changes with the biofeedback? I am thinking of trying medication instead, at least if I don't like those results they aren't permanent.
Thank you!
Re-evaluating treatment is part of the process
Submitted by ShelleyNW on
Hello. I'm sorry to hear neurofeedback isn't working well for you. By all means try something new. Just as a warning stimulants can also make you cranky. You might discuss the non-stimulants like Straterra, or Wellbutrin, the latter being an anti-depressant that has had some success with ADD as well. Of course I'm not sure how the doc is going to like any of these while nursing. There is a newish book out called The Mindfullness Prescription for ADHD. It seems intriguing as a concept, that you can rebuild your neural pathways through mindfullness. I started reading it, but it's my spouse who has ADHD and he hasn't cracked the book yet so I don't know how well it works. The book reviews were promising. Good luck finding a path that works for you.
Neurofeedback and Personality Change
Submitted by eegbiofeedbk on
I am sorry you are experiencing this irritability. However, this is a rare reaction and is usually caused by practitioners who are using off the shelf protocols, or temporal lobe training or Infra low frequency training. The most efficacious and individualized method is to have a quantitative EEG done analyzed through the Neuroguide Database which is the only FDA registered database in use. Using the results of that your specific symptoms can be matched to metrics available through the database, of which amplitude is only one. In fact in adults rather than children the most deregulated metric is something called coherence which is consistency of timing between pairs of sites. When your treatment protocol is matched to your own individual brain and complaints and the provider uses Z score based training you should not experience this or any other side. effect.
ADHD Treatment W/O "Treatment"
Submitted by Mr.ADHDsuccess on
I have had ADHD all my life. I have been treated by many different drugs. My personal favorite was Stratterra. :/ Not! People have been living with this problem for generations. It is not new. When you throw the problems in someone's life in with a mix of chemicals you are bound to get something in the end you don't want. I have a great many emotional issues related to my ADHD medication from childhood. Frankly, I have quite a bit of animosity towards it, as well. Also, I have had my male pattern baldness from 18... My Dad did not go bald until he was 35. I just don't think it is a coincidence. Now, to my actual personal treatment W/O the treatment.
NO COFFEE,NO CAFFEINE! It makes you crazy as hell.
WHOLESOME FOOD! This one is a no-brainer. Try not drinking soda or eating at McDonald's. Eat a crapload of vegetables and less red meat. < Hate that one.. :/
RUN, PLAY, EXERCISE! And I mean A LOT! We are like sled dogs of the human race. We cannot be couped up.
YOGA, MEDITATION, BREATHING EXERCISES! Every morning before or after your run, exercise, or play. This is VERY IMPORTANT to be able to get CENTERED for the coming day.
Lastly, it helps if you are able to feel yourself in a jumbled up emotional state. Some mornings I find myself pacing my house doing absolutely nothing but thinking of what comes in the day. The mornings seem to be my worst times. If start to feel yourself getting "excited" stop, take a breath, stretch-it-out, and if you need to go for a short walk. Stop yourself from interrupting people just focus on there voice and try your best to stay on track. < My biggest obstacle. Still climbing.
Basically, you just gotta try and slow down. Keep your head focused by creating a daily play everyday when you wake up. Life is meant to be live the way you were made. NOT THE WAY DOCTORS MEDICTATE. Please stop using chems. People with ADHD are the one's who built this country. Now we are the Hyper and Overactive. What a load of Shit.
P.S. I am a CEO/Co-Founder of a successful company. ADHD is the reason for my success. Love IT and hate IT.
Peace, I'm out. *Drops the MIC*
Mr.ADHDsuccess
FYI
Submitted by ShelleyNW on
Baldness follows Moms DNA contributions. Happy to hear you've found strategies that work for you. Meds do help many and shouldn't be taken lightly, nor categorically dismissed. ADHD did contribute much, and still does, but it was not alone.
No baldness on my Mom's side. ?:/
Submitted by Mr.ADHDsuccess on
My mom's father and mother both had full heads of hair until they passed. Her grandfather's also had full heads of hair. No baldness gene's on my mom's side. I have heard this many times before that baldness goes with the mother. I do not believe it to be fully true. "Medication" can be administered in many ways. I personally think ADHD meds should be illegal. I also did not say that I have always been underweight. I have fits of rage associated with being medicated as a child. I would come down and have incredibly hard to control fits of rage. I am not a normally mean or angry person. If my mom had more time to help me cope meds would have never been an option. There are many other ways to deal with ADHD other than medication. It is obvious I have animosity toward my mom for putting me on that crap. You do know what adderall and ritalin ARE right? Its speed, Amphetamines. A few molecules away from METH. Not really any better or worse for your body. It is just given in dosages., so it doesn't kill you quite as fast. Sure I was focused and I done well in school. I was also 90lbs in 7th grade and I had fits of rage and I was always very socially awkward. Only when I took my meds. Days I was off I felt like a butterfly. Meds are never a good option. Learn ways to cope without meds. That is the key. Meds = easy road. My way= Success. Take it or leave it. We are not what they call us, ADHD. We are high-energy successful people if you let us be. FYI, Teddy Roosevelt was ADHD. I read a statistic earlier that was something like 65% of all ADHD children medicated spend the rest of their lives as alcoholics and addicts. Leave the meds alone. Take your kid for a run. If your American, you should probably go for a run as well.
Clarification
Submitted by ShelleyNW on
Since baldness goes through mom, at least according to 9th grade biology, it would show in her brothers or uncles on your moms side. I'm very sorry you had a poor reaction to meds. I saw somewhere that about 20% don't benefit from meds, or where the side effects aren't worth the benefit. Clearly that is the case for you. And it is great that you have found a way to thrive without meds. I do, however, maintain that meds are part of a viable treatment plan for many people. And yes, exercise is another part of a good plan.
My Uncle's have hair...weird?
Submitted by Mr.ADHDsuccess on
My mom always told me I would NOT go bald. She told me the same thing. 9th grade told me that as well. Here I am 25, and I have been balding since 18 or 19. If you know of any studies being done on this. I would agree to be a part. :)