Why Everyone Has ADHD Now
HTML-код
- Опубликовано: 30 ноя 2023
- Go to our sponsor betterhelp.com/Wisecrack for 10% off your first month of therapy with BetterHelp and get matched with a therapist who will listen and help.
How the whole world got ADHD
ADHD seems to be the “mental health condition” of the moment, whether we’re self-diagnosing ourselves on TikTok or waiting three weeks to refill our meds due to the chronic shortage. But why has ADHD taken off in such a big way, and what can it tell us about our society? Let’s find out in this video: How We All Became ADHD.
Support us on Patreon! ► / wisecrack
Join this channel to get access to perks ► / @wisecrackedu
=== Watch More Episodes! ===
Is Therapy Speak...Gaslighting Us? ► • Is Therapy Speak...Gas...
Politeness Is A Trap ► • Politeness is a Trap
Therapy Can't Fix Everything ► • Therapy Can't Fix Ever...
Written by Amanda Scherker
Hosted by Michael Burns
Directed by Michael Luxemburg
Edited by Henry Arrambide
Produced by Olivia Redden
Music courtesy of Epidemic Sound
#adhd #culture #wisecrack
© 2023 Wisecrack / Omnia Media, Inc. / Enthusiast Gaming
I think the best description of ADHD/ADD was described by the guys on Cinema Therapy "It's Attention MISMANAGEMENT disorder" it's not that a person CAN'T focus, it's that they have difficulty 'directing' their focus.
100% - it’s either too much focus, or very crappy focus.
There's more nuance.
I mean, imagine along with me..
Why do so many people self diagnose as ADHD? Well, besides our shite medical system, you mean? Is there another acronym that's more inclined to tempt Pandora out of her box, attempting to find a commonality to the preponderance of dissonance resonating their reality?
...and then hyper-fixate, read everything available for free online and then pirate access to peer-review? If there's a self-diagnoses to give the benefit of doubt, it would be this one. At least they came prepared to the conversation, y'know, not wanting to bother the doctor, so they just did all the work for them.
That being said, the "mismanagement" you claim could be misconstrued in your assumptions. So, I'm super attuned to my body and my capabilities. When I'm 'off', then "what I should be doing" is off the table as well. Cuz I know I'll just make a mess of it somehow and ultimately, set myself back further then I would by just changing my focus to what I'm most capable towards at the moment.
But fret not. On any given day I have my main day task, my day relief task, my night #1 and a relief for that as well. So any day, ever, I have 4 things in the air - .min.i.mum. - but I'm always moving forward - and I religiously complete my tasks (this took a solid decade of conscious effort to know myself well enough, etc and remove hurdles/set myself up to succeed, and that's to say nothing of the tenacity and diligence, especially if ive been on the same tasks for months and id rather drink glass than keep on keeping on). I get a lot of shit done. My down time is spent either studying building codes, construction techniques, electrical everything, fabrication, machinist handbook, rigging, haynes or Chilton's repair manuals or listening to philosophical takes, hence being here. I can fix almost anything, I can make almost any tool I need.
My hero growing up was Station. No joke. It's tattooed on my knuckles, Idgaf what other people think. Shit, I barely even like other people. I will make my own good robot US's before I clock out of this mortal coil.
So what you'd call mismanagement, I'd call effective management, I just don't have time to explain my process or why's, and unless you're one of like 2 people in my life, it's not your business and you don't need to know anyways
So, there's some deeper perspective from your local friendly neighborhood ADHD dude.
Semantics
Billehs.
And that is just the tiny top of the iceberg. ADHD is so much more, it basically affects every aspect of you
The “you’re not good enough > i’m not enough > what’s wrong with me > does it have a name > could it be this > please help fix me” pipeline. Too much effing pressure and not nearly enough acceptance, of others not mostly of ourselves. Exacerbated by COMPLETELY unlivable conditions with food insecurity and housing insecurity “proving” that you really aren’t enough. It’s all a huge mess, whether or not you have a legitimate mental health struggle. Which - spoilers - we all do
This, exactly. Fortunately, I have never had to deal with dire economic conditions on top of the struggles engendered by having ADHD in this hyper-productive late-stage capitalist world. Self-esteem still absolutely sucks.
@@MrGksarathyIt’s not late stage capitalism world. It’s the US which is not the world. Housing,food insecurity,lack of healthcare access… THAT IS ALL UNIQUELY AMERICAN.
Actual first world actual civilized countries have solved these easily solvable problems decades ago. Why tf don’t you know that?!
This is why Americans have the government they deserve
I am (unfortunately) American btw
@@rlud304 I meanz the rest of the OECD is better, but they haven't "solved" these issues, bro.
@@MrGksarathy And you know this, How? Lol What other countries have you lived in? I’m going with none and also never visited. I’m quite sure you could not point to any country on a map to save your life.
There are countless objective measurable veritable issues that have been solved, you inane dolt. I already mentioned specific examples such as Affordable housing. Also, living wages, parental paid leave, free or reasonable cost higher education, worker’s rights such as to a month paid vacation, no overtime., universal healthcare, affordable groceries, convenient reliable cheap public transportation, police that are not corrupt thin skinned murdering thugs, a well designed well functional and aesthetically pleasing infrastructure.
American cities are ugly AF and inefficient and expensive and did I mention ugly? Speaking of infrastructure, how about that lead filled drinking water?
The US hasn’t managed to solve not having poisoned public water yet. Or not have third world poverty in the richest country. Or not have homeless camps in every major city. (That shit does NOT exist in actual modern civilized countries) Homeless camps are for refugees of war torn countries or survivors of disasters,not the richest country with a gargantuan military and 1000 military bases around the world.
Americans rely on f*cking food banks. Food banks aren’t needed in an actual first world country. Or how about DAILY Mass shootings and third world level violent crime and murder every few minutes.
Civilized countries are safe. It is safe to walk around at night. There are countless more examples.
Next time you feel the need to chime in🙄 please reconsider, professor
Problem is, ADHD causes trouble that can't just be "accepted away" even if you're living in your own cozy little world outside of capitalism. You'd have to live in some kind of utopia and tely heavily on others for ADHD to not impact you in a way that is detrimental to, for example, your health (living with rats or other pests is not recommended) or otger more objective measures. High pressure makes it worse but low pressure or no pressure doesn't take it away.
i got diagnosed with ADHD at 20 (now 22) after a friend with adhd said we exhibited similar behavior. i got professionally tested, and was diagnosed with inattentive. the first time i took meds for it, my life changed for the better. adhd isn’t some quirky thing, it was affecting my life.
I am a therapist who specializes in ADHD. Just wanted to throw this your way in case it helps: ADHD is recognized as a DISABILITY. You’ve basically been trying to walk without a wheelchair for 20 years. This for a very debilitating disorder. I don’t know you’d but I’m impressed you’ve been able do do everything you’ve done so far
@@Gregorio416 At 42 and still no where near even starting the process of diagnosis, I wonder if I'll ever get the help I've needed all these years.
if i used american definitions seen on social media to self diagnose for adhd id have big adhd fr but im in europe and it takes more than that to get evaluatred
How does one get tested? I likely don’t have it, but I’ve been walking around with a wall around my head when while trapped in it, I want to do everything and be accomplished.
@@deadinside8781 i got tested by my psychiatrist! asked him about it at one of my appointments, then got it scheduled for another time. for the test, you'll need to see a psychiatrist, as opposed to a psychologist, since they deal with the medications and more "analytical" and "medical" side of mental health.
That little joke at the end about "congrats you made it to the end, you don't have ADHD" just made me realize that during that 20 minute video I read an article on managing a media server, took a shower, and just had what a hobbit would describe as a second breakfast, returning to the video between each. My Dr. has called me a text-book case, but it's never been so obvious to me.
I checked my emails and discord messages as it ran at 2x speed
I kept zoning out, and had to keep rewinding to the last part I remembered over and over.
i watched at 2x speed,
was hyperfocused and ate up each of his words (at 2x speed of course)
As someone who absolutely has ADHD I've only made it like 2:27 into the video and I'm already quitting & I'm leaving after I leave this comment but that's mostly because I can't take this guy seriously if he can't check into his sponsor before accepting sponsorship. Betterhelp is an actual walking red flag. Not only are they shady af for many reasons but they have actually caused some people to be retraumatized or further traumatized tbg there's tons more reasons I'm just toomessed up and it's too latefor me to elaborate further. Honestly I hate to say Google it but like maybe do? Fr? I would if I were the one who was going to accept a sponsorship tho.... anyways so there have been a few youtube videos done about them I think Mickey Atkins is one creator who has made a couple...
I left like half way through to play showdown and reshuffle my stuff
What actually happened is that people finally got their diognosis due to people's lives being interrupted, meaning any functioning they had managed to snatch from the jaws of dysfunction fucking disappeared, and people went,"Huh, i can't function, why is that?"
Exactly this
A lot of people also had to deal with being cooped up with people with nothing to do over a prolonged period of time.
Not every hyperactive child has ADHD, they're just young and full of energy.
😂
Also not all mental health issues are inherent. Meaning that society and your environment can literally break your brain and lead to mental health problems. My thought is, yes some of us went undiagnosed when knowledge was limited and attitudes were dismissive, but also our hyperpaced, productivity, stressful hustle culture has burnt out people and induced some ADHD in people. Are brains are not static, they change due to interaction with the environment (if they didn't we couldn't learn stuff). On top of that, the fact that the world requires an ever increasing capability to focus our attention in order to not suffer negative outcomes, makes even more typical people appear ADHD. So tldr, better diagnosis increases prevalence, societal/environmental induction in people increases prevalence, and increasing attention requirements to keep up with the world thus broadening the range of capacity to focus which can be considered ADHD increases prevalence.
I was diagnosed with ADHD as an adult and I think it is over diagnosed. There are many factors, including mobile phones, that destroyed our ability to focus. Even people like me, who had no problem focusing on reading for example as children, now present all symptoms of ADHD
sad truth is that no matter the origin of adhd be it biological or social truth is that if you are even considering it you are probably struggling and that is often left out of the equation in these discussions about over diagnosis. for example my personal experience was of all my loved ones encouraging me to ask my doctor about it and after describing all the issues I have just functioning issues which have put me in a lot of trouble and cause a lot of financial anxiety the moment I asked if looking into adhd would potentially be helpful my doctor went on a tirade about how the system is overburdened cause "nobody can just be odd nowadays" and "everyone feels they have 2 or 3 conditions going on" he then went on to ask me if I wanted to be dependent on drugs for the rest of my life and informed me of the associated stigma (the irony didn't go unnoticed) and basically told me to "just organize better". like thank you I know the system is burdened and I know that there isn't necessarily anything wrong with me but fact is that I am still struggling with all the shit that is thrown on my plate as an adult and I don't have a choice but find a way to deal with it so??? what's the point of bringing all that shit up when I ask for aid like I am not in favor of capitalism either my dude.
You're correct. But the treatment is stimulants. So basically we've created a society where many people feel they need to be on stimulants to keep up with demands. I think this is a problem with society not our brains.
I'm sorry to hear about your challenging experience, and I appreciate you sharing your perspective. It's unfortunate when individuals seeking support encounter resistance or dismissal, especially when dealing with difficulties that impact their daily functioning.
It's essential to recognize that discussions around ADHD and mental health can be complex. While some argue that there may be overdiagnosis, others emphasize the importance of understanding and addressing genuine struggles that individuals face. The stigma associated with mental health issues, coupled with systemic challenges, can create barriers to seeking and receiving appropriate help.
In your situation, the dismissal of your concerns and the reluctance to explore potential solutions can be disheartening. It's crucial to advocate for yourself and seek healthcare providers who are empathetic and open to understanding your experiences.
TIP: In situations where seeking support for mental health, consider the "Association with Personal Experiences" strategy. Relate your struggles to your own experiences and stories, emphasizing the impact on your daily life to convey the need for understanding and assistance.
I only read a few sentences then I got bored and started to watch tiktok videos about farting burger tits. Adhd is in fashion now, glucose intolerance was so yesterday.
That's one very unprofessional doctor. I'd seriously consider a second opinion, considering his strong bias in this 'diagnosis'.
Reading this I can already tell it’s the United States.. our mental health system is in collapse as is our stupid healthcare system in general. I’m counting down the days until I can move to a country that actually cares about me instead of this sick fever dream this country wants to put on its citizens.
ADHD exists and it real.
That being said, I had what could be described as ADHD. Eventually my psychiatrist concluded I had a combination of recurring depression and tiredness. I started meds for depression and started forcing myself to not work all the time, not work on weekends. The meds helped me not feeling guilty about that, specially at first.
If you are working 80 hours a week and is always tired, guess what? You are tired, you need to rest.
You are working 80 hours a week and your productivity is not good? You are tried, you need to rest.
Sometimes stimulants will work to fight ADHD. Sometimes they are just stimulants.
Yes, I still work a lot, but now I manage to get rest time. You know what? I'm more productive. I DO more. And I feel better.
The fact ADHD exists doesn't mean everything is ADHD. Quite often it is not. Mine wasn't.
There is a word for this in medicine. When you have an unknown illness, but the treatment for a known illness has helped you a lot. At that point, even if we have no idea what you actually have, you know the treatment works. Taking oxicodone for an otherwise untreated toothache is probably a bad idea. But taking more rest or meditating or talking to a therapist because you think you might have ADHD is a different story.
no one's denying the existince of ADHD, it would be like denying the existence of cancer. but probably 80% of people saying they have ADHD don't have it, because you can't just go and self-diagnose yourself, these things are complicated that's why people study for years and even after these years of hard work they are most of the time not certain.
out of curiousity, how much are you working now? 80 hrs seems like a death sentence to me but im curious to how much you chipped off!
@@salihalbayrak-es8ky what if you haven’t been formally diagnosed, but you have every single symptom listed under the DSM-5 for the neurological disorder known as Attention Deficit Inattentive Disorder? 🤔
@@sammierose1150 the problem is you might think you have them but you basically can't interpret them accurately. if it was that easy these people wouldn't go to college, they would just grab a DSM-5. you can't diagnose youself just like how you can't diagnose yourself with cancer just because you show signs of them, science is much more complicated than that. there are even people self-diagnosing themselves with dissociative identity disorder, the fun fact is even the scientists are not sure if this thing exists
I was watching the conclusion to this video when he was congratulating everyone on making it to the end of the video without getting distracted... Unfortunately was like my 2nd or 3rd time coming back to the video to finish it.... P.S. ADHD is real, I have had it all my life, and without the medication I have trouble getting one task done without jumping to 3-4 other things... that is both in work and outside of work.
I was a carpenter for years--great occupation for someone with ADHD, it's much harder to be drawn off task, most of the time.
I was diagnosed ADD 25 years ago. Tried medication in school, but didn't want to feel like I needed them. Years later I went through all sorts of trouble, and eventually went back to psychiatrists. I was diagnosed again with ADHD, and started medication. It doesn't "fix" anything, it just helps me do stuff that most people find easy.
I was gonna post something similar to this. I didn’t feel like I needed them. 12 years of masking my symptoms and hitting that wall whenever I wanted to improve or do anything, I realized I should probably get back on medication. As a result, it doesn’t fix it, but it makes it much easier to go about life and be productive.
I'm 40. And your comment is almost exactly how my life has been. Except I've got into some shit. I just started taking bupropion and I'm not sure if it's working yet, but I don't feel much different. It's only been a few weeks, and it doesn't kick in until a month. Considering it's meant for depression and anxiety. I do want to get back on some sort of stimulant, but i may have burnt that bridge with abuse via addiction. I hope not. I just wanted to say that I had this conversation with my mom the other day and your point about "not wanting to need it" well I said to my mom at like 12 that it was turning me into a "goody goody" and here I am 30 years later wondering what good it did for my mom to respect that autonomy. I asked her that and she was like "was i supposed to force you to take it?!" I have never been able to keep a job. My longest had been 2 years. And that's a stretch for me and only happened recently. I keep trying, though. I have emotional regulation problems. And so much more, but I'm at a point in my life where I'm FUCKING OLD and I'm tired of doing the same shit again and getting the same results. So I'm trying to get back on meds. I don't want to need them either, but I don't want to keep smashing my head into a wall, thinking it will change.
@@ryanlillie8469 guanfacine may be for you too - it helps with emotional disregulation and is supposed to curb some of the impulsive negativity (while cooking.."maybe i should put the salt shaker back..naaaaw...no im not gonna put the stupid salt shaker back")
@@ryanlillie8469 ours stories are probably a lot more similar than you realise. I was addicted to the worst drugs, the ones they tell people never to try. My life had become a cycle of suffering, a slave to the chemicals waking me up and putting me to sleep. That was the result of me thinking I knew what was best for myself. I've been clean for maybe 5 years now? The hardest part was finding a direction for myself. My whole life I just kind of tried to make myself feel ok then get stuff done, then repeat that cycle. I had to figure out what I wanted, which had to be something more than just feeling ok. My conclusion was that I wanted to improve the experiences of as many people as possible. Once I had that direction, I could just start putting one foot in front of the other, improving my life in small steps.
I now run a successful small business. I accept my flaws, I forgive myself, I forgive others. I accept that much of my life is outside of my control, and I try and improve those bits that I can.
You can always improve your current situation. One foot in front of the other. You got this
Just helps me stay on task, but now the doc is reluctant to give it to me 'cause I have a heart med. I know other ways to deal with it, e. g. daily meditation, but ADHD makes that difficult to get into a routine of doing. Catch 22.
I very much appreciate seeing a RUclipsr, with a large subscriber following at that, be so candid and honest about struggling with depression.
Thanks - the rare positive effect of my (likely ADHD fueled) tendency to overshare.
@@WisecrackEDU I think people under-share even more, so it's cool >:p. (Also with ADHD, maybe speaking for myself too?!) lol
For me, the explosion in ADHD talk is just that all my favorite RUclipsrs are starting podcasts where they are willing to talk in depth about things they've never mentioned in public before. It turns out the vast majority of my favorite RUclipsrs are diagnosed with ADHD already. I wonder if there's something about this medium that attracts them or helps them succeed in a way that traditional employment does not.
I think you're onto something there.
i noticed the same thing. Maybe its that adhd shows in talking patterns, for example faster speaking, and as someone who has adhd you might like that faster speaking pace of someone, or that they generally have a faster pace of anything like editing and moving from point to point. What also ties into your point is that creative outlets in any form attract people with adhd, but they might also create more and more diverse content, which again, leads to you liking the content
Don't see it as a youtube thing. Acting and presenting in general is very much an ADHD thing. And together with autism (which lends itself a bit less to public presentation) is pretty much at the base of creative personalities.
Same here. I was talking about this with my partner the other day. Like attracts like
@@SarahAndreaRoycesChannel is it??
Gotta say, I’m loving this trend of taking shots at your company while addressing wider societal and corporate problems. Yo, Wisecrack owners, your staff deserve better compensation and benefits!!
I went to a therapist for anxiety and depression and was diagnosed with the inattentive version of adhd. Once I understood that the anxiety and overwhelm have their basis in adhd executive functioning issues I have been far less depressed as I have learned the skills to deal with organization that works for me. Yes, I take meds, but I didn’t for a year and did better just by starting the work with an adhd coach. The meds just made it easier but don’t cure the problem.
Hey friend- proud of you for putting in that work. Glad you're feeling a bit better!
This comes close to my experience.
I wasn't functioning well during my university studies and got to a point in my life where I genuinely felt like I was better off just staying in bed every day. Until one day I actually went to seek help for it, while not being sure whether I should.
At first I had to work through the depression but at some point in that process my therapist figured something out about me and presented me with the option to get diagnosed for adhd.
My mind at no point considered the possibility of me having it, up until the moment where I got the diagnosis and had to reconsider my whole life.
The great thing that has been happening in my life now is that I'm learning how to adapt to society by taking extra steps to function within it.
Medication in combination with multiple consultations has helped me tremendously. But like you say, it doesn't cure the problem. In my experience, it's trying to build a structure in your life that will make you better able to function despite your chaotic nature. It's an act of continuous self-improvement.
Is there any where I can find legitimate resources/info for questions I have about ADHD? Everything seems very pop culture and I'm curious if I might have been misdiagnosed. I have MDD & GAD but I see a lot of my symptoms talked about on RUclips & Tiktok as being ADHD.
@Paincicles check out how to adhd. It's a channel here on RUclips. Tons of valuable information and discussion, plus alot of people sharing their own personal, and often ADHDer's collective, experiences.
This is exactly how ADHD should be handled. With a proper diagnosis and biofeedback.
This is a really great video.
I'd like to point out that ADHD isn't a mental illness, per se. It's a disability that's caused by a structural difference in the brain, i.e. neuro-diverse, or not neurological. It is, however, listed in the DSM-V.
I'm a boomer who has it. That was fun growing up. 😞
It's still "fun" growing up undiagnosed with it today :(
Sorry to hear that. Here's hoping things are better for you now.
The DSM-V (Diagnostic Statistical Manual 5th Edition) is simply a book/tool that helps psychologists/doctors determine if you are statistically likely to have a certain condition. It does not 100% prove that if you have a particular series of symptoms that you have that condition. It's simply a guide.
@@PabloYaosIt honestly isn't that "fun" today. For me it was "fun" as a millennial and I wish I was given the support and decency my students have right now. For starters, nobody would have violently clapped in front of my face "to wake me up" without consequences.
I truly wish you have more peace right now ♡
Come for the knowledge, stay for Michael's humanity. Thanks for what you guys do, Wisecrack.
Really appreciate this.
As someone who has ADHD, one minor/major annoyance of mine is the ability to maintain routines. I didn't bring my own mask to work for one week due to renovations and had to use one-use masks. Then when the reno was over, I kept forgetting to bring masks for a week until I rebuilt that routine from scratch. Any stray from a routine can destabilize something that has been working well for years. I'm sure this isn't something that someone neurotypical has to go through all the time with every routine.
Agreed. Maintaining routines is a must, and it's so easy to lose them.
thats completly normal. stop taking meth
This is so accurate. And it’s so difficult to build them and work up to them being a part of your life. I keep underestimating their importance and that’s why I lose my keys 4-5 days out of every week. And then I have to deal with my own disappointment in myself on top of my family’s. It’s exhausting
Oh shi- I'm like this myself. Same thing with pants. So used to having certain item in a pocket then when I switch pants I always forget one object such as a USB cable and end up suffering from it
Same. I have to go to the gym 7 days a week because if I miss once I will usually miss several more days in a row. If I start a video game and don't play everyday afterwards I will miss a day and then I just won't play it anymore. This makes it hard to do tasks that aren't required to do everyday because I'll just put them off until it's at a critical breaking point. On meds I can slow down time and really get organized to accomplish things.
One way to look at it is society had let so many of us down for so long. It wasn't till the last 20 years or so that people started taking it more seriously and when I got my diagnosis my life changed for the better. I finally had tools and medication to help me live a relatively normal life
Thank you for reminding me to drink water cuz I definitely was getting a headache and needed some
Are you younger then 30? Only way youd lazily say that "it was only the last 20 years that people started taking it more seriously" is if your simply ignorant if history.
@@larkohiya what's your problem? I'm 33 when I was a kid in the 2000s most people weren't treating ADHD seriously. It was something that most people thought little kids had.
The only person ignorant of anything is you for having such an attitude with someone you don't know about something you think you know
@@larkohiyaNo you’re ignorant of history or of science. The last couple of decades has achieved an explosion of excellent research and knowledge about ADHD. It is one of the most researched and understood conditions today. That was NOT the case 30 or more years ago.
Also learn how to spell
One thing that this video is missing in the discussion of neurodivergence vs social influences on people mirroring those symptoms, I think, is the same thing that surprised me when I got diagnosed as an adult: there is a requirement for the symptoms to have persisted throughout childhood and how those symptoms have impacted on you from early childhood to wherever you are now
ADHD gatekeeping
It's also worth noting that doctors used to believe that only AMAB people could even have ADHD, so an uptick of diagnosis may also just be that more cases are being caught and treated instead of allowing half the population to struggle.
It's also understood now that people can have autism AND adhd, where for many years doctors have to pick one or the other. So many patients who were listed as just having autism are not being recognized for also having adhd.
You are not assigned male, you are DESCRIBED as male.
Diagnosed at 31.
I flew under the radar as a girl surrounded by boys with ADHD even though I always had issues such as dropping in and out of high school despite getting great grades (I did finish).
Adults around me took it for granted that ADHD appears just one way - hyperactivity, and just chalked it up to laziness or worse. Turns out I was struggling with inattentive ADHD.
My diagnosis was a relief. I internalized a lot of negative things about myself on account of the disruption my symptoms can cause, especially when I didn't know why I was struggling and assumed my symptoms were just character failings. Finding out there was a reason I am the way I am, and that the reason isn't my fault but just the way my brain is wired gave me permission to be kinder to myself. It was a weight off my shoulders and empowering because I'd been stumbling aimlessly in the dark but now I could get some help.
I have learned a lot of coping strategies and tweaks in the years since to help me be more productive and organized. Though it will always be a struggle, I'm still miles better than before.
ADHD is real, it's not the end of the world but it can be disruptive if it goes undiagnosed and untreated. If you know someone who has it don't minimize it. If you think you might have it, get tested.
I really liked the discussion about self-regulation, it dovetails nicely into the discussion about Meritocracy: If you aren't successful it's your fault and not the system. It's another example of how instead of looking at an overwhelmingly dysfunctional system of labor that has been established, we are forced to blame ourselves not being good enough because we can't focus through six video calls where cameras have to be on...
Wait, meritocracy is bad now? What's the alternative? Praise corruption?
Actually one big issue with western society is the exact opposite, the more value you produce, the less you are paid, which creates anxiety and depression on both ends. Interestingly, getting paid well for meaningless job seems to be worse for the human mind than struggling on sub-minimum wage but doing an important job.
What’s the alternative? If we accomodate everyone’s mental health, then no one will do jobs that no one wants to do but needs to be done. Society collapses.
@@andrasbiro3007meritocracy is how people deciding what merit is can reward, with general social acceptance, those people more prone to get corrupted by them.
That's pretty unimaginative, if we reduce consumption and waste we wouldn't need to have so many jobs and we could focus on the important things in our lives like our health and wellbeing. @@MrLense
@@andrasbiro3007The issue with meritocracy is that it is always a lie. You always have to pick a metric to judge people by and often, that metric doesn't reflect reality. Society ideally represents and balances everyone's desires, not just the people who can run the fastest or think the smartest.
Im a woman who was diagnosed a couple of years ago at 28, and it really changed my life. I suffered all through school, not able to get work done, forgetting things, diagnosed learning disorders, etc. I dropped out of high school because i had developed an anxiety disorder and just couldn't handle it. Medication has made a huge difference, but so has just understanding how my own brain works.
With that in mind, i think ADHD is both under and over diagnosed. We see undiagnosed people in their later years. So many people on the bottom of our society suffer from it and just never got the help they needed.
It's also worth noting that many other conditions, mental and physical, can cause similar symptoms to ADHD. Long Covid is one of them.
I really do think there is a connection between people just having a hard time in society, thinking they must have ADHD. I think a similar thing can happen with autism, though not as much. Because of the world we live in today, people dont feel good, and they look for an explanation. Someone who feels alone then feels a sense of relief when they find a community to belong to. I have no doubt that if society changed, we would have fewer people identifying with these conditions.
As someone that really suffered because i wasnt diagnosed on time, I really feel for others like me and want them to get help. At the same time, it can be pretty frustrating to see people use it as a part of their identity to the point of pathologizing nornal behaviors. I love watching lectures by Dr. Russell Barkley, a leading expert in ADHD. He says things like "there are not proven positives to ADHD" and explains how insisting there are can do a lot of damage to people who dont have them. It also takes away those talents and achievements from those who did them. Instead, they give that credit to their unrelated attention disorder. Its also frustrating for me to see people abusing the medication. Ive seen people offer them to others at university and state they take more than their perscribed dose when they need to focus more. Its so dangerous to do those things and can also make it more difficult for others to be trusted with their meds. Without mine, Im almost useless.
Idk, im rambling now, but think there is so much more to talk about on this subject that is so important.
Fucking thank you. Those "ADHD is my superpower" morons are just inhaling weapons grade copium
I'm a pediatric resident. One of the intensive care pediatricians I worked with said one of the things he most commonly sees in traumatic injury patients is ADHD that was uneducated cause it was summer or the weekend. He always advocates not taking breaks especially if participating in some dangerous activity
This idea of the diagnosis and treatment of neurological conditions when they negatively affect career success and capital gains also goes hand in hand with how many ADHD influencers and online resources will attempt to reframe one's symptoms as "super powers." People end up medicating to manage their symptoms to match the production expectations of an ill fitting job, or they find themselves in a career that exploits their symptoms. More often than not it seems to be some combination of the two, where the individual tries to suppress the negative symptoms while boosting the positive "super powers", which in my experience inevitably leads to burnout.
I recall hearing in a class that people with ADHD are the neurological X-men (also autism), but it was less about amazing superpowers and more about recognizing that some people just operate differently, but that this difference is seen as non-conducive to society. So someone with ADHD learns a certain way or acts a certain way that we should maybe start addressing, but that's not the assembly line way we do things right now. Instead of seeing it as bad and wrong, we could see it as a need for change in education.
@@ScooterinABo.o
Moved to a new apartment a little over a month ago & most of my stuff is still in boxes. On the bright side, it was a pretty easy move bc (again) most of my stuff was still in boxes from the last time I moved 🤙
yeah... i moved to my current place a bit over a year ago. over 80% of my stuff is still in boxes, and about 50% of that had still been in boxes then from my previous move back in 2014
Get your shit together, dudes.
Fuck.
Luckily my ADHD manifests the opposite when I move. I'll immediately start unpacking, organising and arranging stuff but in such an inefficient manner that I have no idea where anything is when I'm finally too exhausted to keep going, I'll barely have water and no food. I hyper focus until I'm almost passing out, then I finally have water and food and usually do the same a week or two later to wrap up.
I had horrible concentration and focus, but it didn't impact my school performance (in elementary and high school, anyways).
I talked to my doctor about it, and he diagnosed me with, "Thinking about girls too much."
I had a frustrated look on my face, so he quickly said, "Wait. Are you gay?"
I said, "No."
Then he said, "Yeah, you are just thinking about girls too much then."
I didn't get treatment until after I went from a "gifted student" to dropping out of two universities and losing what little self-esteem I had, and I have been in a depression cycle since!
This reads like a joke.....
Btw when i entered university i quickly realized that i failed to learn something important from school: "how to learn". I never had to put much effort into it, so i did not realize what i struggle with. I took more many extra years to deal with it. And tbh im still bad at it. Idk why im still studying and how i got so far.
This was me in a nutshell
12:50 the title of this book is meant to be tongue-in-cheek. It’s really about making people self aware of the problems we face as consumers in the attention economy. Actually a great read.
about taking ADHD medication on your free time, I once took my meds with me as a test on holiday with a large group of friends. I was so happy I brought my medication because the times I went without them I was just bouncing around and my mind was running a thousand miles per hour because I was excited. When the meds kicked in I felt like I could breathe again and calm down to enjoy my holiday and not bother myself and others with my chaos.
I think a big issue is that because medication doesn't make you feel particularly different apart from the whole 'I can now direct my focus,' that people assume this means you don't need it on days where you're only planning to relax anyway and don't have anything you have to focus on if you don't want to. This is honestly how I felt for about the first year of being medicated and it's a nasty trap to fall into. Now that I've started taking my medication even on the weekends I'm starting to realise how big of a difference it makes in my ability to meaningfully relax and actually care about things that need to be done.
More people get diagnosed because:
1) We now have the resources and the people needed to diagnose people and
2) People are less likely to avoid seeking a diagnosis as they can now get help instead of just getting a label
My grandmother definitely has ADHD but she's too old, nobody diagnosed people in rural communities back in her day (if anywhere).
3) There is an industry around it that is interested in identifying additional patients
@@ItssssJackGetting a diagnosis for ADHD can really help put your life in perspective. A lot of people end up blaming themselves for behavior that they ultimately have no control over.
@@methos4866 Agree!
@methos4866
More people are getting diagnosed because more awareness is leading more people to think they have ADHD, whether they do or not, which in turn means far more people try to get diagnosed.
ADHD is not a mental illness, it's a neurodevelopmental disorder. But more recent studies show that neurologically a neurotypical person can develop similar, but fixable, attention deficit symptoms. The diagnosis process can't easily differentiate between the two and since the medication will improve the focus of people, whether they have the actual debilitating neurodevelopmental disorder or not, it stands to reason that the amount of misdiagnosis may be a massive problem. As the people with actual ADHD are now struggling to get medication to help them function.
How can you be sure that she didn't manage her "undiagnosed" illness better than if she would have gotten "help"?
I'm a psychologist with a masters degree and a few years of clinical experience. And I must say, this video is very good, it's so well rounded that at the end it gave me chills. We will use this video as the base for a discussion next class (I'm a professor too).
I'm very impressed.
Reading this makes me hopeful for the future educators and medical professionals who will have a much better understanding of neuro-diverse disabilities than we do now. There are still too many outdated ideas widespread among the medical community.
Just a tip for folks who are new to this. According to the American Psychological Association, “psychologists attend graduate school in psychology. The American Psychological Association recognizes the doctoral degree as the minimum educational requirement for psychologists; these degrees include the PhD (doctor of philosophy), PsyD (doctor of psychology), or EdD (doctor of education). Some states allow people with master's degrees in psychology to use the term “psychologist.”
@@user-tc9ko6gi6j oh is it? I'm not from the USA and in my country psychology is way different, closer to France, I think. We don't have "counseling" as an example. It's one of the few fields of expertise that I think is done better here.
Most people on this thread are psychologist with a masters degree I noticed.
As a college student. Sick comment
I have one caveat to this.
ADHD is not a mental illness. You are not sick for being neurologically divergent.
This! ADHD is not a mental illness; a mental illness is a distortion in thought that can be developed and treated. ADHD is a mental disability; a way of thinking that one is born with which causes significant impairment in one’s ability to function. But being neurodivergent - that is, thinking in a way that is neurologically different from the norm - is neither an illness nor a disability.
ADHD, like autism, is a condition that can sometimes effect people who are neurodivergent, but not everyone who is neurodivergent has the disabling struggles brought on by conditions like ADHD or autism. Many neurodivergent people are just fine or, in some cases, do struggle somewhat, but only because society is structured for a neurotypical mental pattern.
Someone with ADHD will still have trouble focusing no matter how society is structured, just like a person without legs will still be unable to walk even if society gives them a wheelchair (and ALL potentially needed ramps/elevators/etc), and someone with autism will still have cognitive and sensitivity struggles no matter how we structure society. But someone who is simply neurodivergent has no generally disabling or distorted mental processes, which means it is neither a disability nor an illness. And luckily some people are finally starting to realize that and talk about it, but progress is slow, so it’s very important to keep talking about.
Are people who have ADHD and other neurodivergent disorders quirky and do they tend to think in a way that’s noticeably different from the norm? Sure, but that’s NOT the part that makes something a disability or an illness. To be a disability or illness, something has to be disabling in some way, which neurodivergence is not. Some neurodivergent people also have disabilities, but that’s not because they are neurodivergent any more than neurotypical people have disabilities because they are neurotypical. That’s not a neurodivergence thing, it’s just a human brain thing - sometimes they don’t work optimally, whether neurodivergent or not. For example, one sign of autism is avoiding eye contact, and even if we assume every autistic person does so, the only time avoiding eye contact is a problem is when other people decide to get abusive in response to a broken social norm. Not being comfortable following a social norm is not disabling or sick - the disabling part of autism is the cognitive issues, the overconsumption of energy due to a lack of effective mental shortcuts, and/or sensitivity issues so severe that they, instead of just being annoying can actually trigger uncontrollable meltdowns/shutdowns. That is what makes someone autistic, not the fact that they are neurodivergent and can’t seem to conform to social norms “properly”. But for someone who is neurodivergent more generally, they only struggle when others try to push their social norms too forcefully. If anything, it’s BENEFICIAL to have neurodivergent people in our society - it’s always valuable to have a variety of perspectives and ways of thinking. The fact that it’s so stigmatized is a real problem.
@@tunessystem787I agree to an extent but you’re making a lot of assumptions about others experiences. for example, my depression symptoms are related to my neurodivergence. Depression itself was very disabling for me and I tried many antidepressants before getting diagnosed with adhd and trying Adderall, which mostly resolves the depression issues. I also struggle with compulsive skin picking which is strongly correlated with my mood, thoughts, and actions. Picking is stimming, is fidgeting, etc. I avoid activities where I’ll likely start picking and avoid others because I picked and feel too self conscious after. For me, the flavor of ND I have is and has been very disabling by default for most of my conscious life.
@@tunessystem787 Thank you for expressing it so well. :)
@@franjkav I'm not sure exactly which assumption I made that contradicts any of that. But I also don't clearly remember everything I said in this specific post. >.>; But either way, I do relate to the things you describe, but it sounds like you might be further along. I've been through 3-4 antidepressants now and while they do help sometimes with a few things, they don't actually solve any of the problems that got me diagnosed as clinically depressed. The same seems to go for my insomnia - a large part of the problem is that my brain doesn't shut up when it's time to sleep, which the doctors keep saying is anxiety, even though I tell them that I don't feel anxious and the thoughts are not negative - in fact, they are usually positive, fun, creative, etc. I just can't make them stop. But they keep insisting that is still anxiety, but none of their anxiety/insomnia treatments help me at all. So I still don't know what the actual problem that's causing those struggles, so I definitely agree that it can be damn near fucking impossible sometimes to determine what the underlying cause of something actually is.
I remember when I was young my teachers in elementary school were SURE I had ADHD (this was in the early '90s no less) and my mother was so vehemently against that idea she instead insisted they give me an IQ test. To which they did, I scored a 138 and they tossed my ass into gifted classes instead. It didn't help. Decades later after going through various doctors we confirmed I don't have any form of ADHD. Instead I have clinical depression, generalized anxiety and am on the autism spectrum and the real reasons I struggled in school. Things we could have known DECADES AGO and tried to treat if my mother actually let me get examined by psychiatrists.
you need a purpouse. somthing to channel the intelect in to. dream big, set a totaly insane goal. just make sure its somethign you want. not something challenging for the sake of challenge
We have autism in my family, which I figured out about some family members, I think I may have a very mild form. I suspect many, as some in my family, have ADHD as well. You still may have ADHD, but as a milder, co-occurring condition. There is some thought today that the spectrum may include ADHD on one end, with bipolarism on the other, more severe end. It's not an unlikely probability as they all have some similar characteristics, especially, in my opinion, anxiety.
@@eirikarnesen9691 Exactly.
In my opinion, there's no such thing as laziness; there's always a deeper reason behind it, and if you can fix that, you can fix the laziness. Sometimes we're just too tired to do things, and even lazy people do things all the time, but they seem to get tired more easily, whether mentally, physically, socially, or emotionally.
What do you mean? Being lazy is awesome!
@@gjmottet Well, there's supposed laziness, and then there's working smart. 😹
I've been wrestling with the question of if I have ADHD, even tried meds, but came to the conclusion that no, I'm just massively depressed. I arrived at this conclusion for many of the same reasons you pointed out in this video.
I’m on Wellbutrin as an off-label for ADHD. As an antidepressant with non-stimulant ADHD properties, it might be worth looking into. Love and light to you ❤
@TheRonnieaj already on it. But, contrary to what I comment previously, I am going to talk to my doctor about starting an ADHD med. My brother has been on Dexadrine for a few months and swears by it. I've got nothing to lose in trying it.
@@gregoryferraro7379 Wishing you all the best! This world is crazy and challenging and new struggles are neverending. We’re all just doing the best we can. Take good care of yourself 😊
Hey, Michael! As an autistic adult, I would appreciate a lot if you could make a video about ableism in neoliberal society. Being an autistic person is not easy at all and it comes with so many prejudices from family to classmates that only aggravates my depression. Hope you could talk about autism and neoliberal society someday.
Love your channel!
If you're autistic, then you should be automatically understandable right? I can understand you clearly. Your sentences does not go into detail but rather clarify the topic in simplistic terms.
@@PoorDog69tf?
What do you mean by automatically understandable? It's rare that I find someone that understands what I say, regardless of how clear it is.
I've been a fan of this channel for a while, and I've thought for a while that as an ADHDer, it would mean a lot to me for you guys to talk about it. I also appreciate that you guys called upon the fact that most of the struggles of ADHD are due to the unfair demands of our society, and drew the parallel to hysteria. It feels good to hear a prominent channel talk about the issues and marginalization I face as someone with ADHD. Thank You
I suffer from severe ADHD. So does my mom and my kids. It's a real condition and I hate how everybody think they have it just because they get distracted sometimes. ADHD affects your mood, attention span, sleep asnd a bunch other things. When people throw it around like it's nothing, it takes away aswareness. When I got diagnosed. I told people and ther response was: "yeah, now everybody has ADHD". No, but I do.
I have had ADHD for many years. One of my biggest problems is hyper focusing on a project to the point I will miss sleep for sometimes a couple days but I know if I don't finish it in the single session I'll probably never continue to work on it and I end up with tons of half done projects all over the house.
@@drjjloveman That's a big problem. I've had to solve it through sheer discipline and with help from medication.
I bought a desk and proceeded to leave it unopened and unassembled for 2 years until I moved out of my apartment. Definitely an ADHD moment.
Very, very relatable.
@@WisecrackEDU🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉
I have pictures of my parents and siblings, whom I love dearly, sitting on my dresser instead of on my walls. They have been there since before the pandemic.
ADHDer here. I was diagnosed two years ago at 36. I think a lot of signs get missed in young girls because like autism, it was thought to be a "boy problem". I always thought something was a bit "off" with me so I am glad to finally have an answer! But navigating the world as an ADHD adult can be very challenging. People seem to loose their patience with you VERY quickly. I take Ritalin in the morning everyday (the extended release kind) and once it kicks in I want to do like everything lol. Yes it does affect my appetite. It is 10 pm here in Oregon state and I am just now eating for the first time 😂
your doctor prescribed you meth, and now you want to do things. its truly amazing how far the system has fallen. atleast be honest about it. we like meth
It’s not meth that’s a different chemical it may not be the best for your heart but at least I can function not every person need it but people like you are a genuine problem it’s a completely different experience than you would think the best way I can describe it is the mental fog from waking up that won’t go away before I got medication and was able to be a productive member of society I did actual drugs because I couldn’t do anything then I became depressed because I couldn’t do anything making me turn more to drugs so I’d rather this than the junkie I was this has added a minimum of 20 years to my life
@@unifiedatom7536 you have just changed the other drugs for meth dude. its literally just meth. it feels different, because its legal, so you dont have to hide it. nothing wrong with liking drugs, but dont come here and pretend you are sick. its just menth
@@eirikarnesen9691 Don't belittle our diagnosis because *you* have a drug habit.
@@annjepsen1621 i have read true here, and all of you are just drug addicts. none of you have adhd. well, one in about 20 where real. you deserve to get belittled. just admitt you like being high. everyoine feels better in life when they are high all the time. does not mean you have adhd
Great video. I was diagnosed with ADHD in 2020 and my life has been totally improved by being medicated. It's still hard to motivate myself sometimes but it's technically a little bit easier which is what matters.
Also I was only able to sit through this whole video because I'm working and I trapped myself in a chair so I couldn't get too distracted lol
Glad things are going better! Having a diagnosis can be so helpful.
People need to realize the primary function of a diagnosis; it’s categorizing people for treatment. It’s there to help psychologists, not define you to yourself.
And who are you to say that self-diagnosis can't help people treat their own issues and feel at peace with themselves? Not everyone has access to a psychologist or psychiatrist buddy. People are trying to say that they're struggling and need help. Regardless of the source of that struggling, they need help.
@@ravus9935 You have to recognize how much more complex you are than a reductionistic system, and how new the framework of mental disorders really is. The process of diagnosing and treating often serves industrialization; people are seen as machine parts to be greased up for the purposes of the machine. You don’t have some solidified pattern that exists in nature called ADHD, we’ve isolated those traits and decided that if you need Adderall to perform your duties, we’ll label that ADHD. I know I’m simplifying but my point is that you aren’t a list of behaviors, you’re another chaotic human being.
For context I have been diagnosed with ADHD and quit taking my medication after a few years.
@dancegod1691 You're absolutely correct. People are labeled with arbitrarily defined disorders because they struggle to exist within our industrialized, profit-centric society. If the current state of the world didn't force us to crunch so much to make ends meet and contribute to the corporate machine, we wouldn't have much need for diagnoses. The real issue here isn't our made-up disorders, it's the society that demands everyone contribute to the economic machine.
However, as that is, unfortunately, the world we live in, these arbitrarily outlined disorders are helpful in understanding how you as an individual struggle to conform to the social norms around you. People get diagnoses and medication because it helps them not only exist within the framework of society but, in some cases, live more fulfilling lives along the way. That's why people use disabilities as a tool to understand themselves. They're not defining their whole existence with it; they're gaining a better grasp of what they struggle with and what they need to do in order to find some semblance of success in this cruel, unforgiving, capitalistic nightmare.
In addition, many people receive important accommodations and help through their diagnosis. It's unfortunate that we need to be labeled to get aid in our struggles, but in this screwed up framework, people are forced to justify their lack of productivity through their disorder in order to get by.
@@ravus9935 But see my issue is they really ARE defining themselves by these diagnoses more than they think because they naturally assume that it knows more about them than it actually does. Then they focus on solving the “symptoms” highlighted assuming it will solve their inner turmoil. It helps people in context of seeking treatment but I’m warning against the status quo of giving any significant value to a diagnosis when it comes to how you understand yourself because it’s a distraction from the things much more helpful to ponder.
I was diagnosed ADD as a child. My mom gave me Ritalin just once and she said she hated how I was so calm that she never gave it to me again. She was a terrible mom tbh. 31 years later I finally got a prescription for Adderall and 6 months later a prescription for Vyvanse. I've been on it for about a year and a half now. My life kind of turned out ok 5 years ago at 34. I make more money than at least 80% of the population and am surprised as anyone else that I achieved such a feat since I was poor my entire life. I have two young kids and my meds have made me an even better dad than I could have expected. Adderall, while it has it's drawbacks, is the best drug ever next to working out and eating right. I can go days without it fine, but when I do have it, nothing can slow me down on productivity.
"make more money then 80% the population." Ok?
How do you make your money?
So, what do you do to make that kind of money?
I'm a career firefighter and an elevator mechanic. Both are great paying jobs. Believe me, I am well aware of how fortunate I've become, but it also took years to get this point. I'm very grateful and understand that just because you "work hard" (which I also did) doesn't mean you automatically get this. There has been an element of luck that has also been beneficial to me. I know what poor is, for 35 years of my life, so I don't let it get to my head.
I don't know man; putting kids on drugs...I probably would have sided with your mom.
Got diagnosed a few months back when my depression got to unmanageable levels of spending entire days sometimes even over a week in bed trying to force myself to sleep and stop being conscious. After some consultations and referrals I ended up in an adult ADHD expert's office.
Stimulants have helped me get out of bed and actually do things during the day. I'm still a mess and definitely need therapy to help manage myself but without stimulants I don't think I'd be here anymore. On my better days I don't take them, but when I start feeling myself slip into the hole, I use stimulants to help maintain the functioning adult facade, and even get shit done.
It's still dark, I still have entire weeks where I don't want to be here, but with stimulants I'm able to keep myself functioning and a part of society. 1st day I took them, I felt what it's like to be mentally present and alert. To know why you entered a room, to remember why that object is in my hand, to listen to someone talk and hear the sentences they're stringing not just the words. Idk what that can be compared to, it's so eerie, felt like getting back something I lost, but never before realising it was missing. Even just playing video games was better, because I could finally get immersed instead of fiddling around. I could finally read a book without having to read some pages 3 times. And best of all, when I go to bed, my brain no longer tries to thjnk about everything at once, that was the worst part. With ADHD every time I tried going to bed my brain would think about 20 things in parallel and switching between them every 2 seconds, like a dozen people speaking all at once but about completely unrelated topics. The noise was maddening.
meth wont solve your depression. it just helps you run on an empty engine. you must find meaning with life. a purpouse. could be anything, but for women it tends to be children, and for men it tends to be work/politics
Are you getting some therapy of some sort (I hope)?
@eirikarnesen9691 Appreciate the concern and, although there is truth in the sense of purpose bit, it is a bit simplistic for someone with ADHD. Having it myself, and being trained in helping people via teaching people to generate and nurture their purpose, as well as an M. S. in th field, it is certainly a good place to start.
I got diagnosed as an adult in the last few years and only sought out help after realizing that ADHD isn't just someone who can't sit still. I can sit still so long as I'm doing something I enjoy and find stimulating. It also had never affected my job and then when someone had asked on an ADHD group what jobs people have been successful at with ADHD, I realized it's because I have always picked places that are chaotic and over stimulating (restaurants, dog groomers, retail, hospitals). And to answer your first question, four to five years to assemble the drawers and headboard of my bed. I don't remember exactly because I bought it when I was pregnant with my first child and assembled them when I was pregnant with my second.
Lol. And we all have the ability to laugh at ourselves.
I struggled constantly with ADHD, it affected everything in my life. Most it was my personal relationships, my wife especially was affected. I struggled with addiction as well, all stemming from that need for stimulation. As time went on it became obvious that I needed help with this. Once I got on a med and her and I worked out a better way of conducting ourselves that accommodated my symptoms, everything got easier.
Weeks of waiting has become a norm. Having to skip days to save up meds because of shortage is just the norm now and it absolutely sucks.
Uuuuuuuuuuuuugh forealz FOREALZZZZZ!!!!
Where are you located? I haven’t had problems getting my Adderall filled for like 6 months now
I was undiagnosed for a long time even with obvious symptoms. A friend’s mom gave me an adderall who swore I had it and I felt so relaxed and almost took a nap and so much was quite and calm and focused though. Found out this was not a typical response unless I had adhd. After a year of therapy I just both cry from all the lost time but also just so glad that I have it. Sometimes I still wonder if there is narcolepsy but it’d be the same treatment regardless. It has been a drastically game changer for the most basic things. I got out of a toxic multi year relationship. I finally finished college after failing multiple classes regardless how “smart” I was told I was. I could go on but to me this was fundamental
Just my two cents on the "ADHD TikTok craze": I'm someone that defends self diagnosis as a starting point to seek help. I'm someone that started to struggle with university during the pandemic because online classes where terrible for my attention and motivation. So I started looking into why I was so bad at paying attention to things, why I could stay put playing games or researching a new skill for 12 hours without eating (hyperfocus on novelty). I realized I had ADHD 2 years ago but never got treatment because it's expensive and would be troublesome to negociate meds with my parents (who dislike psychiatry medication). So I understand relying on self diagnosis to find reasons to why you are the way you are. And social media, in a way, helps to bridge the gap between vague symptoms and day to day consequences of the condition.
But every time I see someone say that they have ADHD because they forgot something one time, or because they are too tired one time, or because they lacked self control one time... It pisses me off. I have a friend that thought my hyperfocus was a super power (because of TikTok) when in reality it's a detriment to my responsibilities.
Btw, today was my first day medicated. Didn't work much but it was a very small dose. But I could see how easy it is to have self control when your brain works, so I'm looking forward to that
Adhd medication doesn tactually make you "feel" anything, maybe thats why it felt like not much (or maybe you need a higher dosis what do i know). The first major thing i noticed is that i suddenly could choose between tasks. I could actually switch from gaming to cooking when i felt hungry. Previously i just couldnt. I didnt eat a lot of the times ( so much to hyperfocus being a superpower xD. Thanks for the superpower of being malnutritioned all the time). All people have the ability to feel things like depression or forgetfullness every once in a while or related to real life bad events for example. But not for everyone its a uncontrollable, deliberating mess every day of their life and thats what makes it an illness, not one singled out symptom you get sometimes.
I really hate that people claim they have ADHD without a diagnosis. I struggle with any and every executive function related task and this has damaged my self image and reputation. I can have a large "organized" mess where I know where everything is at, however coworkers and past partners see me as lazy, disgusting, and childlike. This lead to my identity being changed and I was envious of others who could perform better than I could in areas I struggle in. This has happened my entire life and when I got rediagnosed this year I cried.
I no longer see myself as a man who needed to grow up but someone who needed a toolbox of techniques and tricks , along with light medication, and suddenly I feel my latent potential is now fully capable to be accessed. I feel like a whole person and adult.
So, I really get this perspective. But I also think that we need to be open to self-diagnosis because of the failures in healthcare and diagnostic systems.
I recently had an obviously ADHD friend be rejected a diagnosis, as far as I can tell primarily because she's a woman of colour in her twenties and the specific medical practitioner she saw had no concept of what to look for in her. The issue with not accepting self-diagnosis is that without it people like her, who the diagnostic system has failed, or people who simply can't afford a diagnosis, get nothing: no support, no sympathy, no acceptance or community.
I personally deeply relate to your story. I'm autistic and ADHD, and coming to terms with that has finally helped me understand that the things I'd always been told I was (lazy in particular) weren't actually true. I just function very differently to most people. And I say that I'm autistic and ADHD currently operating on self-diagnosis.
Let me unpack self-diagnosis a bit there: for me, self-diagnosis meant about six months of research and the realisation that the need to bring parents to a diagnostic appointment would make it prohibitively difficult to get diagnosed with either of ADHD or autism. It also meant talking to my family and relatives about it (both ADHD and autism run in my family). My point here is that self-diagnosis isn't (at least in my case or in the case of any other person I have known to self-diagnose) just a case of watching a few TikToks.
I have ultimately found a place where I will be able to get formally assessed for both autism and ADHD later this month, which I'm very happy about. I have zero doubt as to what the results will look like (it does help that my partner of 6 years just got her dual-diagnosis a few weeks ago, and I'm a lot more obvious than she is). I'm also very fortunate to be able to afford to pursue diagnoses to begin with.
All in all, really sorry if this comes out at all judgey, I don't mean it to. I similarly felt self-diagnosis was deeply suspect and invalid for a long time, to the point of invalidating a previous partner (who with hindsight was clearly autistic) about her own self-diagnosis. But self-diagnosis is the only option a lot of people have, and while that's really not ideal it does give them access to community and advice and that great revelation, which you and I both value so much, that we aren't the failures we were always told.
Edit:
Autism diagnostic appointment delayed by a month, but I now formally have ADHD!
Let's not gatekeep ADHD. Some of the most productive people I know have their diagnosis and some of them haveit for more than a decade, at least two of them have participated in clinical studies. ADHD is an spectrum and struggles vary among people not just because of physical expressions but based on environnments, the tools we grow up with, the activities each one does, etc.
To get an official diagnosis you would need to go through a formal assessment which is not an easy process and VERY expensive. Most people you know who were "properly diagnosed", even as kids, were likely prescribed a treatment plan from their family doctor after one appointment and they stuck with what worked, that's it and if you think that's a formal diagnosis - it isn't (and that's ok). Not to mention we are still learning how ADHD developed and presented itself differently based on so many personal factors, it is not a one size fits all type of deal.
You say how upset it made you when others called you lazy and childlike but are you not basically doing the same by making huge assumptions about people you don't know.
I really really empathize with you. It HURTS to have people tell you you’re lazy, disorganized, unfocused, everything. I suspected I had ADHD for around 7 years before I was diagnosed just a few months ago in my mid-40s. I started leaning into a lot of cognitive changes which helped for a while, but it was hard (impossible) for me to maintain. It wasn’t until this year that things fell apart and I saw my PCP, who put me on Wellbutrin as an off-label non-stimulant until I could get formally tested. Which cost me $1500. I’m blessed I could afford it, but a LOT of people can’t, and it wouldn’t have made their non-diagnosis any less legit than mine was prior to a formal Dx. Let’s be sure to make space for that with others.
I get it but this is gatekeeping. I told my psychiatrist about my symptoms and he threw Wellbutrin at me, which has done wonders for me, but he refused to diagnose me with ADHD, saying that the VA doesn't allow him to do so (when that isn't true).
Im a USAF veteran that was diagnosed with ADHD in 2014 but since then through out my service and even now in the VA medical systems psychologists refuse to acknowledge that i have it opting to focus on my depression only. I recently read an article that said the VA system does not acknowledge that adults can have adhd recognized later in life. Ive been struggling with focus issues my whole life and i consider a major source of my depression and thoughts of suicide.
The question is the wording of the diagnostics criteria (and if the VA system is allowed to use their own) and what they mean with "recognizing adhd later in life" - the older diagnostics criteria (dsm iv and icd-10) didnt consider ADHD in Aduldhood. The newer one make the diagnosis possible (but you have to proof the childhood onset with statements from you, parents, former teacher or friends, school report cards and so on). If they dont like and adhd-diagnosis for you, maybe some form of ptsd would make sense? (some doctors treat it with ritalin too - as there are some similarities with adhd like dopamine/norepinephrine-systems and altered thinking processes)
I was diagnosed as a little kid around 80/81 when I was in first/second grade. My mom refused to put me on medication. I’m 49 and only started on adderall during covid because I had a marriage falling apart and making music which I’ve never had trouble with was becoming increasingly difficult. I got an official diagnosis during which both my therapist and psychiatrist were like “yeah, we don’t really need to finish the test, it’s very clear you very much meet the criteria”.
Most of my childhood I just saw myself as mostly broken. I was annoying, always stemming: tapping, moving, humming or whistling songs I was making up, getting up and walking around and often away from where I was supposed to be like going to the bathroom at a restaurant and something outside catching my eye and then ending up 3 blocks away before I realized I was eating dinner with a friend….i was called a burden by my mom and teachers, which is ironic because I’m now a teacher. Taking meds has helped. I notice myself having the ability to focus more but starting tasks is still very difficult when I feel the inertia of distraction or just turning my brain off by watching something or doing something I’ve done a billion times (like watching Community or Spinal Tap). The best has been understanding why I’m doing something so I can make it more of an intentional choice but still a work in progress. I wish I was aware of this and medicated as a kid. One interesting one I don’t have is forgetting to eat. Instead I forget that I have eaten so I’ve found myself snacking all the time. I’m also one of many with ADHD, depression combo with a fair amount of overlap. As a biologist/AP Bio teacher, my guess is that they’re all part of overlapping systems/mechanisms in our bodies. Not surprisingly it’s all over my family, including my mom that refused to medicate me because she wanted to take a more natural path which may have worked out if she then didn’t ignore it and make me (and my siblings) feel like we were just bad kids for it. Shame is a pretty crappy treatment. I’ve now learned to embrace it and to walk away from relationships where it’s just incompatible. The me that leans into who I am is more fun, creative and just plain interesting and when I felt shame for it my only successful tool to not upset certain people was disassociation where I shut everything and fall into a mental hole while my body just hangs out with the lights on while nobody’s home.
Kinda wish you addressed the issues of the under-diagnosis in young girls. As an AFAB woman I know I had these symptoms all my life but the medical field basically declared only boys could have ADD/ADHD until recently. A big chunk of that explosion is women finding out that they, such as me. I didn't find out that I remotely had ADHD until I was 28 years old.
So you do have a point, but the sexism of the medical field is a huge contributor to this issue.
Yes! A lot of conditions have baselines for diagnosis based on males of white America or European heritage. This results in both women and people with cultural backgrounds different then the baseline getting under diagnosed. Autism is another one like this
When I was studying psychology/mental disability in university, stuff I went through as a kid started to make sense. My professor gave me a self report scale and advised me to see my doctor. I didn't seek treatment because I managed well enough. When I told my family, they said I wad attention seeking and just a bit quircky... fast forward 10 years, my nefew got diagnosed and the psychiatrist said it's very likely that close relatives might have adhd as well... 😂 guess who got some apologies from their parents?
Yup, diagnosed a couple years ago. Nobody thought how much I had a hard time focusing, losing stuff constantly, and couldn't remember squat could be an issue. But Because I wasn't a boy unable to sit still I just needed to focus and get organized 🙃. It wasn't until my new therapist was certain that we finally got tested. I'm relieved that I wasn't just a born failure, but my god I'm angry how nobody caught the signs earlier.
AFAB woman?
@@alexbennet4195 afab - assigned female at birth, afab woman = cis woman = not trans woman
Yea I got diagnosed with autism (level 2) and adhd recently.. it is a hard time cause all the behavioral management I should have gotten would have helped me in so many ways; i actually use non stimulants because that what was prescribed at the time of my diagnosis. My therapist left the practice tho and they refused to refill it. So back to normal meds and this sucks. So this video makes sense cause I am trying to find meds outside of a practice cause I am still looking for a new therapist
Since you asked, I bought a band saw about two years ago. It’s still in my garage, in its box, in the place where IT MOST DEFINITELY WILL BE SET UP BUT ALSO STILL ISN’T.
The punchline is that I have several times considered buying a second band saw so one can have a wide blade and the other has a narrow blade. Several times.
I was getting ready to have an argument with this video when I saw the thumbnail bc I thought it was going to be one of those “ADHD isn’t real” videos but it was actually very insightful! I’ll probably check out more videos from you
Your recent video drops have been crushing it. I’m not sure if you started picking things different but the topics have been a different level of amazing. I would imagine that these times would give individuals such as yourself a lot to think about. Thank you for the brain food.
Thank you so so much.
@@WisecrackEDUYou guys are the Best 🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉❤❤❤❤❤
This one isn't crushing it. There is a bunch of misinformation and stigma in it.
you can’t just drop that in a thread and not elaborate, dude
Edit: I will elaborate!
Actually I’m just going to expand upon my last statement. If you are referring to the team mixing up a mental illness with a disability I am willing to give that the benefit of the doubt. About 20 hours ago a user named ShelbyKeunig2575 made a comment pointing this fact out. My reaction upon seeing this was to go “oh, oops!”. I’d watched the whole thing and understood the intended message. I don’t think it’s reasonable to get mad at them for making a technical mistake which I myself didn’t even notice, especially when they’ve acknowledged the comment as well.
I have ADD and i give up on taking meds because i didn’t like the side effects and i find alternative treatments like meditation and relaxation work much better for me
Ditto. Meds made me feel awful or shot my blood pressure sky high. I was diagnosed about 15 years ago as an adult after having my son diagnosed. Meds worked fine for him. I spent my childhood developing coping behaviors that got me through grade school, college and life in general and that was probably for the best.
I definitely think personal meditation and study is a great way to focus the mind and relax. Of course... Many people who have adhd go to medication first and totally do not see the merit in actually taking personal initiative in training their brain. And thats not blaming them. They never learned how. Just as someone who doesnt know how to swim would think water wings or innertube is required to function in the water.
Do all medications not work for you? If so, that sucks, but in my experience, no amount of meditation or relaxation or self-help would do jack shit. Mostly because they cannot address the underlying chemical differences that actually cause the symptoms.
@@larkohiya You're stupid as fuck. You think many of us didn't try other ways of solving our issues before trying to get a diagnosis?! No amount of self-help actually works on its own because you can't self-help fundamental structural differences in the brain!
@@MrGksarathy Yeah, the main problem for me was the mood swings i had when on the meds, i tried a lot of meds, but in the end in just want to enjoy my life. I work in construction and i find no problem in staying focused on the task at hand, i can listen to music and chat with coworkers
Literally had to go without my Vyvanse for the month of October. My entire city, or at least all the CVS locations, had huge shortages, and after weekd of pharmacy hopping, I was able to get the generic, and my life improved immensely.
I was just rediagnosed with a *strong* ADHD diagnosis (the first one was when I was a kid) and I was prescribed meds almost a month ago, and they finally came in. I pick them up today. Crossing my fingers for a focused weekend because it's finals week next week and I have a LOT of work to do.
The perception that many people seem to have ADHD may be influenced by a combination of factors. Increased awareness and understanding of ADHD, changes in diagnostic criteria, and a growing willingness to discuss mental health have contributed to more individuals being identified or self-identifying with ADHD. Additionally, the recognition of ADHD across the lifespan, including in adults, has expanded.
TIP: When exploring the prevalence of ADHD, consider the "Context Clues" strategy. Examine the broader context, including changes in awareness, diagnostic criteria, and societal attitudes toward mental health, to understand the perceived increase in ADHD cases.
Its so interesting to think about a relativly "new" diagnosis and its history. In the case of PTSD it a bit more clear, as it has more concrete symptoms and causes. With more subtle things like ADHD (where there is a spectrum from "very clear" to "isn't that something everyone has?"), it gets increasingly hard to process all the information for everyone. Self diagnosis is a blessing and a curse. We need better information and less stigma.
Man I get it. Doctors keep trying to prescribe me things. But I just try to find coping methods. You have no idea how many times I restart RUclips videos because I got distracted 🤣😂
When I was in school I was always the last one to finish a test (I have maladaptive daydreaming), when kids were finishing, I was still on the first section. No one understood or took my attention issue seriously, “Oh you can focus when you want to.” “It’s all in your head” bullshit (which made my daydreaming worse). It went undiagnosed for the longest time until I was 17 and put on a couple different meds that didn’t really help. Now as a 22yo adult, I’m really happy that fucking everyone has ADHD now and I now have another reason to not be taken seriously with this issue that is really ruining my life.
I was diagnosed with ADD back when I was 6 years old but at 4 I had a head injury which gave me epileptic. So I was already on barbiturates so was never medicated for ADD until I was in my 40s. Now it's ADHD though and I had to get re-diagnosed. Lucky for me my mother was a nurse and taught me to live with it by creating repetition in my daily life. I'm now on concentra and I must admit it is a game changer.
Last year it took me about 3 weeks to get HRT estradiol patches when there was a nationwide shortage here in England. You have my sympathies Michael, there's no sense of frustration and helplessness like it.
Stimulant medication shortages in the US are mostly due to the arbitrary limitations on how much pharmacies can purchase and dispense. It is maddening because it’s artificial and doesn’t need to be like this
It can be really frustrating when people say things like; "I find tidying up to be such a pain. I can get pretty impatient. I constantly misplace my phone. I hate mind-numbingly repetitive and inhumanely unstimulating task. I often hop from topic to topic when I think or having a conversation- I probably have ADHD too."
I'm not throwing shade at their own hardships or saying that they don't struggle, possibly even with ADHD. But those symptoms are not the same as the very very bad consequences of struggling with ADHD like getting in trouble with work and struggling to stay employed due your inability to conceptualize time and therefore fail at time management. Hyperfocus to the point where you don't realize a dangerous situation like a space heater lighting things on fire. Being so emotionally overwhelmed and disoriented yet having no impulse control when you get upset-"and paying a price for it. Only bring able to complete vitality important tasks when you're in an actual panic and the toll that level of fear and anxiety takes. Losing a very important check or money that was literally in your hand within the last 5 minutes ago, but your brain doesn't remember the position or placement of physical objects when out of sight. Feeling it is psychically unsafe (to both yourself and to others) for you to drive. Being told or treated like you have endless potential, but have chosen to be lazy and do everything stupidly wrong. Being so overwhelmed all the steps a task takes that you miss once any a lifetime events- or literally not being able see any easier way of completing those steps, despite it being obvious to everyone else. The secondary effects of ADHD like despression, social anxiety, phobias, self-harm, hyper-vigilance, substance issues, panic disorders, etc.
These things are are not akin to being a messy space cadet, who hates horrible jobs/tasks, procrastinates when they're uninterested, and talks spasticly like a manic-pixie-dream trope whom lost their phone and was already late twice this month. It really isn't.
Long story short:
Don't self diagnose.
Americaaaa.
@@lococomrade3488if I didn’t self diagnose I would have never gotten a real diagnoses.
@franjkav No. You self diagnosed, and then you really got diagnosed.
You being correct doesn't validate the experience. That's anecdotal and asinine, and you should want for other patients.
Recently left the military, but back in May it took the base roughly 3 weeks just to refill my adderall and omg that shit was torture. Doing basic tasks was even more challenging and i would find myself just sleeping through the day or staring at a screen while my room got filled with trash.
Weird timing you know, something that's been on my mind lately(a couple of months now? maybe?) is how casually people toss around the term ADHD. It's a bit concerning, especially among my close circle. We talk about it as if it's this trend or a convenient label for any kind of behaviour, and it bothers me. I've got ADHD, and when everyone claims to have it, it kind of diminishes what it really means. It's like the struggles I face sometimes get lost in this sea of misconceptions. I wonder how we can encourage a deeper conversation about ADHD and its real impact without it being diluted by misuse or misunderstanding like this video, and for that THANK YOU MICHAEL! You da best bro! The research and all. God bless you and this channel.
I have pretty severe ADHD which was diagnosed with a bunch of different tests up to and including brain scans. The number of people self diagnosing themselves with ADHD and the general over diagnosis had been a pretty big frustration for me as I (31 years old) grew up in a period where more than half of the people I met either didn't know what ADHD was or didn't believe it was real. At this point in my life, I can really only function without medication because I literally spent almost half of my life getting hands on behavioral therapy to help me develop the psychological groundwork to self manage. The idea that ADHD could be on the rise simply because the things you have to juggle just to exist in our society is too much for most to manage unmedicated is pretty terrifying to me.
I wasn’t aware there was any way to diagnose ADHD with brain scans, or any tests other than psychological ones and taking a detailed history. What type of scans were used?
@@trala8911 This was a really long time ago (maybe 2004-2006ish). I was a kid, so I don't remember the exact details. I do distinctly remember a test where I was taken super early in the morning, put electrodes on my head, and told to try and sleep.
I do know that modern brain scans of people with acute ADHD can have distinct patterns in brain activity. Of course, this all kind of presumes you can afford more invasive/in depth tests which is often beyond what most people can afford.
I was just talking about this because some people claim ADHD and they actually have OCD, depression, or PTSD. Coming from someone who has been diagnosed with one of those, they have similar symptoms.
I think this is important for people to know. I was diagnosed with General Anxiety Disorder as a kid and combined with a home life that I could definitely get a diagnosis for CPTSD from, I can definitely see how some of my symptoms were written off as just my anxiety disorder. Those and other physical illnesses can cause ADHD like symptoms and should really be addressed because if you don't have the tools to deal with them before ADHD treatment, they will likely get much worse.
For me, I spent almost 20 years trying everything and never getting any better. That's when other issues should be explored and taken seriously. If you're still struggling after trying to treat other illnesses like anxiety and depression, there should be more thought put into other problems that person could be suffering from. Had I been put on stimulants before I had learned tools for managing my anxiety, however, I think it would have done a LOT of damage.
depression and adhd go often hand in hand too.
The fact that the longest youve put unboxing was "almost a year" my most recent one i can think of is my birthday present from last year that i just started using last week 😂 a bit over a year. Im not even diagnosed, ive been curious because my tescher suggested it when i was young but my mom didnt wanna hear it. Ive also been skeptical of all the ad campaigns and people i know getting addicted. I was never sure what to do eith myself. Thank you for this video! I still dont know what to think of it all, but i do know that no matter how much scheduling and keeping track that i do, i fall off of it for a week or two at a time because i fall into a slump like i ran put of energy for it. Its tough to say.
I was diagnosed by a professional, not some weird app. I was prescribed a medicine... which never came in. Pharmacy always said that they didn't know when the next shipment would arrive. It's been over 6 months since the prescription was issued.
I'm sooooo glad i got diagnosed even if it was way too late. My entire childhood and youth i was told i just needed more motivation and better organization and while that's certainly true i also needed drugs lol... I never even wanted to take drugs. My problem was always not being able to control my actions and losing this entirely to drugs was super scary. But everything seemed so hard and i could just not understand how "normal" people would live normal lives without being completely miserable all the time. ADHD drugs don't cure all your problems and they won't make you focus on work all day. But if you got the right medication it can get you to a point where you feel like you actually have choices. It helps you take control of your actions at least for a few hours per day.
As someone diagnosed by a psychiatrist with ADHD, I left something in the box for 2 years. Unmedicated vs medicated ADHD is like wearing glasses and not. Some are able to get away with it, but some are severe enough to require it to function in society.
I love the comparison to prescription glasses.
@@dragoncox6230I have moved around quite a bit. Anytime I meet with a provider or mental health, glasses is what I compare it to.
If I say "I need my meds!" I sound like an addict. If say "It improves my quality of life and helps me function" it down plays it.
I instead compare it to glasses. Yeah, not having my glasses would suck, but I'd live and find work around, but I end with "Would you want me driving without my glasses?"
And that kinda hammers that point on how important it is that I am medicated.
@@TheDancerMacabredriving is such a good example because how many times do people with adhd get lost, go through red lights and arrive at the destination with no recollection of the drive there?
thanks for your good work
this is an excellent video. really really good stuff.
It's really annoying when I, as someone who spent over a year with different doctors and psychiatrists to finally get diagnosed with ADHD, hear people talk about how they too are totally ahdh because they watched a video. I've had many employers and professors completely disregard my diagnosis simply because they think it's just the excuse young people are using today.
Why let it affect you? Having adhd isn’t a personality trait you can gatekeep
@@JessieJellybeans Have to second your response. As someone who received an, apparently, coveted diagnosis of having ADHD, I don't like the notion that I can't be as successful or avoid being impeded by it without medication -- something I feel I have done for 14-years now to be clear.
Do you want people without a diagnosis that have ADHD to get diagnosed or not?
Content that raises awareness is a huge reason more people are getting diagnosed and that’s a GOOD thing.
... because it literally affects him and he explained how.
"Gatekeeping"? You're one of those people who pretend to have ADHD and use it as a personality trait, aren't you?@@JessieJellybeans
@jessieelizabethfleming6994 Found the self-diagnosed Zoomer.
Could it also be that the ever increasing demands for attention and productivity are creating such a stressful environment that it is burning people out and breaking their brains leading to the development of ADHD?
Hey, great question. Adhd is a developmental disorder, which means you have it since childhood. It is not something you can get later in life. However chronic stress and/or lack of sleep and rest can cause similar symptoms as ADHD(ADD) they do however disappear, if the burnout/lack of sleep is treated.
No. That isn't how ADHD works, see below.
---
"The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-V) specifies that ADHD symptoms must be (or have been) present before age 12 to meet the criteria for ADHD diagnosis.
Technically, this means attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is not diagnosed initially in adulthood.
Given the difficulty of diagnosis, however, your childhood healthcare provider might have missed it when you were young, and the increasing demands of adulthood make the symptoms easier to notice as an adult. By most standards, a newly diagnosed adult will have had the condition since childhood."
---
You don't "develop" ADHD from stress factors. It's not like a sore throat, ingrown nail or a headache, it's a physical imbalance that you either have or you don't, plus it has no cure so if you have it, it's with you for life. It isn't fun or romantic or endearing - it's a disorder.
If you truly do believe you might have it, make an appointment with a psychiatrist ASAP and don't jump to conclusions and assume youre probably right in the meantime because _you cant diagnose ADHD in yourself._
Nope. That isn't how ADHD works. Its a genetic disorder that causes our brains to be developed differently from birth. We have less grey matter and less activity in certain areas of our brains. That isn't something you can just develop later in life.
Like others have said, you can't just develop ADHD. There are cases of brain damage leading to similar symptoms, but other wise you can just get it from your enviorment as an adult.
You can, however, develop other mental and physical illnesses that have very similar symptoms to ADHD. Anxiety can cause a lot of the attention symptoms, but when treated, those symptoms can go away. Having Hypothyroidism can also cause ADHD like symptoms.
It's always best to see a professional. Sometimes, if it still feels off, you have to keep pushing for an answer. I know I had to with multiple undiagnosed conditions, but I finally feel like I have the answers after so many years of having to advocate for myself.
Oh are you gonna get earfuls over this one! Fyi: last assembly project obtained has currently been in the basement 8 months. But that’s only the one thing- xmas wreaths in my room? 3 to be crafted up & bows- half crocheted blankets? 3. Etc etc
It's so strange. Growing up I was diagnosed with ADHD, back then I felt like I had something no one else had. Today it seems like everyone can relate with me. :D
Definitely is nice to know that others have similar experiences with it too!
If I don't take my ADHD meds I see in double, I am unable to keep track of time and sounds take over my senses. In the past doctors told me I had depression. I did not. Once my current doctor, carefully and over time, diagnosed me with ADHD (and borderline dissociative disorder) and medicated me properly my life changed. I'm in my forties. Had I been properly diagnosed as a child I'm sure my life would've been much different.
I get very offended when I hear people went to a clinic, answered 15 questions on a questionnaire and then are diagnosed with adhd. Get meds then go home and bounce off walls and power through all their work and studies hopped up on meds they have no business taking. It devalues the plight of people like myself that are truly disadvantaged by this condition.
Yeah, the meds should actually make you slow down. The fifteen question assessment is a joke, the ones with 65-100 questions are a much better tool.
i wrote my undergrad thesis on this and i reviewed the authors you mentioned plus many more. i’m glad to see this discussion on adhd as a representation of culture and environment taylor we for a wide audience because this understanding falls in the blind spot a lot of people have about psychology and pharmacology for many reasons. also, i think we should be asking at this point whether we should conceive of solutions to people struggling with adhd in changes to how our society and lives are structured and the demands expected from us rather than applying treatments to the individuals with adhd themselves. i would love to talk about this with people i spent dozens of hours researching it (plus i have adhd)
Yes! Finally a systemic analysis. Honestly I hate how people act as if the world is always going to be this way and it's inevitable. The world has changed more in the last 200 years than it did in the last 10,000. But people act as though every single social structure we have is unchangeable. Or if we do try to change it society will collapse. It's bonkers.
This was masterfully made - you guys are amazing!
I remember the media saying this back in the 90s. That every kid was being diagnosed with ADHD and that was is over diagnosed. Things never change... Personally I take meds myself and they do help but I also tried a lot of other things first before I did that such as exercise and eating a healthier diet.
Also, I hope that those who need meds can get them. Good luck bc the world is a tough place and I wish success for everyone
My personal best for un-assembled furniture is four years...and I still have some shelves sitting around that need to be put up. I bought these five years ago. 😅
Great video. Here in the UK we have an historic tendency to massively under dx ADHD and other neuro - divergent conditions. I was dx with ADHD in 1975 aged 9 (non attentive type) but my father basically was embarrassed so just forbid it ever be mentioned again. I became a psychiatric nurse then a CBT and started noticing a lot of ADHD spectrum sufferers coming in without a dx as well as a lot of Asperger’s spectrum as well.
Fast forward ten years and suddenly everyone has it. And I get really, really pissed off with people who just trot out “oh I have ADHD” because they feel like it. One of the worst offenders was a woman I knew who has - in my opinion - health anxiety traits and she came out with “oh I have that, too!” when I had just talked about a quite serious issue. “No, Ellen! No you fucking don’t!!” I told her she undermines and belittles genuine painful, difficult issues of people by doing that thing.
We haven’t spoken again. So - bonus!
Moroccan here with ADHD and other stuff, people suffer here really with three main things:
-The costs, insurance sucks here mostly
-Lack of understanding plus misdiagnoses
-ADHD medication is not available here, you have to smuggle it from Europe, usually people smuggle it from France and Spain
As someone who actually has ADHD and was diagnosed with it in elementary school, I eventually just sad fuck it and gave up on meds because they weren’t available or were prohibitively expensive. This is new post pandemic.
I've found that background stimulation is great for me. I love having videos playing while I'm doing other things, it seems to help keep my mental momentum going between tasks.
I’m glad this video came out when it did. I’ve had a long history with depression and anxiety and have never stuck with psychiatry/therapy for more than a few months before getting burned out from medication trial and error. My wife was recently diagnosed with ADHD and I’ve been watching a lot of these videos mentioned to get a better understanding and finding myself relating to a lot of it. I never suspected ADHD was the underlying issue cause I did ok in school (up until high school at least) and I thought my inattentiveness was due to social anxiety more than anything else. I have recently been struggling more so I started therapy again and I have a psychiatrist appt scheduled next week and this was something I planned on bringing up. Like most psychological disorders, it’s hard to narrow down exactly what it is due to the comorbidities they all share but I’m hopeful this time around thanks to videos like this.
Thanks for this video. I need this. I'm happy I finally got the correct diagnosis after struggling for years.
Yeah the ADHD trend sucks a lot. I’ve always had ADHD but my parents chose for me to not medicate through childhood. I have inattentive adhd, never really been hyperactive too much besides physical restlessness like tapping but that’s more than manageable. I just couldn’t bring myself to complete a task; I’d have to read my textbook and I could read the same page 15 times, trying my hardest to pay attention, and at the end of the page I can’t remember a single word.
I’ve since tried medication and had good results with 27mg concerta for about 2 years, doing monthly refills. Went to my doctor hub to ask for a refill and they said I have to scheduled another in person appointment with my family doctor so that he can confirm I still have adhd, even tho he’s a fucking family doctor, not my psychiatrist. Soonest available appointment is 8 months away. So much for that.
I think I'd line up behind the idea presented that ADHD uptick might be a symptom of the level of desperation in our society as the post-war social contract breathes its last across the Western (and especially anglophone) world due to the late capitalism pillow on its face. I'd say we feel that we're one mistake away from destitution, and society tells us it's our fault for not having sufficient #grindset to be of value to capitalism. This means that typical differences in cognitive ability like attention (say 1SD below the mean) while statistically is typical, is the wrong side of 'useful'/'good' in a society where anyone who isn't a Randian superman/woman is deemed as unworthy. So it's not surprising we feel the need for a diagnosis to make up for any below mean trait.
There is no uptick. Its confirmation bias. The global rates are actually pretty consistent. What has changed is that more of us who fell through the cracks before are finally able to get help, because the disorder is more understood and diagnostic criteria is more comprehensive.
In the past studies suggested as many as 40% of adults with ADHD weren't diagnosed yet. Now we are finally able to get help, which can be mistaken for an uptick. We were always here.
Nah, ADHD at least is grounded in actual differences in brain chemistry and physiology. It's a neurodiverse condition, not really a mental illness. Our society has just become more and more hostile to people like me who have it.
As someone who actually has mild to severe adhd I do appreciate people trying to stop random people from saying they have it or pretend to have it. That stupid shit makes people with actual adhd not be taken seriously.
ADS stops when you are not stressed out with current situation. ADHD never stops.
As someone with adhd who probably has had a RUclips addiction since 2007. This channel is one of the few that makes me pause and think about what I’m consuming. You are definitely not part of the problem.
Going on 2-3 years now.
Also I’m working on pursing my adhd diagnosis after 15 years of ruling out everything else. I’ve reached the point where medication would be helpful to make it easier to function.
I had a similar experience as the friend mentioned regarding my mental health. When mentioning “hey I might have ADHD, can we test for that”. I was repeated l’y told that testing me wouldn’t even matter and would be useless. Instead, I was told that being 80% functional (so 20% wreck) was absolutely fine and I should be glad to have that.
Mental healthcare in the US is a joke.
"High functioning" is a special form of hell where your real struggles and disadvantages are trivialized and are disregarded.
Have you seen a psychologist for therapy? They can help you determine if starting meds would be good. In the mean time CBT support can make a huge difference.
@@yuelia9937Yeah that's screwed up. We should take people's struggles into account, period.
@danielmorton9956 yes, I’ve seen a therapist for a few years and am well trained in CBT. Because I’m extremely high functioning and in a high stress job, I kinda was wrote off and managed my issues myself. It appears that I can mask well enough to others until I’m very very stressed.
I’m actually getting tested in January so my insurance will actually cover my medications to treat my ADHD. My psychiatrist essentially figured out what was wrong via my prior history of misdiagnosis and diagnosis of exclusion.
@@yuelia9937yes it is.
i was diagnosed at 8 took som meds for a few months. then stopped until i was 30. I'm a software engineer working at a game company. i have some ikea shelving i bought near december 2022 thats still in boxes waiting to be built--one day and many gundum model kits nearly 10 years old. still in box unbuilt... also i watched this video and many at 2x speed. else i cant focus
Weird question since you probably don't remember.
But did taking meds as a child Vs adult feel different?
@@htsunmiku
I can vividly remember the taste of Ritalin. however i cant remember how it "worked" when i was younger. as a matter of fact. i didn't like it so i was probably not given enough dosage. now i have been on about 6 or so types of medication due to the ADHD shortage. Each one comes with benefits and drawbacks. especially at various dosages.
i could feel addreall xr after about 30min to 1hour. most XR's /extended release have about an hour gap before working. sometimes they work well sometimes they are off.
it depends on many factors, such as when you take it what you ate or drank or didnt before. and the dosage
but LSS yes i definately could feel the front of my brain activating much more frequently and having a much more overal sense of either elation or happiness.
also. the medicine doesnt cure your bad habits. it just gives you the boost to make you more cognisant.
if your leaving dishes on the floor your may be more inclined to pick them up and put them in the dishwasher or sink.
you may be more inclined to put your clothes away. you may even focus enough to remember some important thing you have to do at a specific time during the day.
but your still going to have things that may slip your mind. you just might remember about them sooner than you would have off the medicine.
you will still likely not do certain tasks if you feel the priority is lesser than another. but you will be able to reconsider your priority's.
by this long rant i might as well say i didnt take my meds today or for the last couple weeks because you can also put yourself into a state where not taking it every day might slippery slope you into not wanting to go through the process. then life gets difficult then you start taking it again.
I think we've all been ADHD but damn, success has been a hard rabbit to chase. I'm going back to college for the second time, I've had so many different jobs that didn't fit, and failed relationships because my home organization skills suck. I know that I am not alone, in that I am not ok with failure to finish tasks and succeed anymore. For me, it's the straw that broke the camel's back. The statistics on people who are unmedicated with Adult ADHD is dismal regarding finishing school and professional success. I don't want to fail, I've worked too hard and tried too hard with such limited success.
Brilliant vid. This is the first wisecrack vid I had seen in 3 years and forgot how good they were. Super inciteful
Whoa, thank you so much!
I was diagnosed when I was 18, then forgot for like 10 years and just never treated it. It was definitely a struggle and I couldn't figure out why until I was rediagnosed, now I've been told by 4 different docs that I have it and I still struggle to get it taken care of. Now it's getting the recognition for women it deserves and everyone acts like I tiktok diagnosed myself and I get eye rolls if I talk about it.