![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
Dear Bio: Please stop giving the uninformed masses a platform upon which to spout their anti-science rhetoric in the guise of 'discussions'. I am really tired of being the sole voice of reason in the face of naïve, wild-eyed liberalism.
::is probably the most conservative liberal you will ever meet:: Get off my lawn.
And also, So, I did indeed visit the shrink and he did indeed diagnose me with ADHD. The doc sounded a little mechanical when prescribing, but I can understand that behavior modification via drugs is not his forte. He was in his element when talking to me about, well, me. When he discussed the medication options, however, his knowledge seemed limited to the back of the brochure. I was not concerned, as I have a built-in expert who has the letters 'D' and 'R' in front of him name to prove it (aka my father), but it pushed my fur the wrong way, anyway.
That is probably because I possess a very analytical mind and I'm not at my best when talking about yours truly (LJ notwithstanding), so it was probably the effect of having two polar opposites in a room.
XD Science, man. You're either a robot, or you just want to hug the world.
If this post does not make a lot of sense, it is because I am on my second day of generic Adderall. According to my father, it will take a few days of regular treatment for the real deal focus to kick in, but for right now I'm just taking it slow, cataloging what is different and what isn't.
What Is Different
- Focus? Bitch, I will show you focus like you ain't evah seen. It's pretty much like my self-discipline stood up, sized up the room, waited for someone to say the wrong thing, and then decided to take out its pent-up aggression on my poor, defenseless homework. I could definitely get used to doing what needs to be done, when it needs to be done.
- My hearing. I have always assumed that my hearing was just not the greatest in the world, as I constantly have to ask people to repeat things. But now, when someone talks to me, I latch onto the words they are saying and do not miss a thing. This has happened several times, even in crowded rooms. Never did I ever attribute my hearing issues to dopamine deficiency, but it seems there is a pretty obvious correlation.
Related Note: I may have to stop listening to music while I work/study, as I find my brain splitting focus between what I'm reading and what I'm hearing. I'm still focused, it just seems like an unnecessary distraction. Which is weird.
- According to friends, I do not fidget as much. I have never thought anything of it, but it seems that I am forever tapping my foot or fiddling with my necklace or chewing my nails. I knew it was happening, but it was never a conscious thing and thus never bothered me. So, I suppose the outward signs are there.
- My brain feels a little funky, like there's a cloud that's weighing down the moving parts that are normally in constant motion. I suppose this is what focus feels like. My normal mode is doing and thinking about twenty different things, and this is effective in select scenarios. But I can see how this single mindedness will be helpful in the school year.
- I am more awake. I didn't know that I was always fighting tiredness until I wasn't, anymore. I am rarely tired enough to just lay down and sleep, but I've always been fairly sedate. Now my brain is pretty much awake and pretty content to stay that way.
What Is Not Different
- I am pretty sure that I am still me. I seem to be calmer and more still, but I'm still the dark little realist I've always been. No irrational irritability (so far), no sudden mood swings. Good news... ? XD
- I'm not an automaton. I still feel the occasional impulse to goof off. It's just easier to ignore or pacify with a mental "I'll go paint my nails AFTER I finish this worksheet."
- My appetite has not shifted, so far. That is one of the forewarned side effects, loss of appetite. At this moment, I'm pretty hungry, so I guess I'm safe at this point.
This could all change as my system becomes more used to the meds, but for now I'm content to see how this all works out. I'm not taking the prescribed amount right now, and I am not taking it every day because it's the freaking summer and I'm allowed to be ADHD if I freaking wanna be. But during the school year, it'll be interesting to see how different things are.
::is probably the most conservative liberal you will ever meet:: Get off my lawn.
And also, So, I did indeed visit the shrink and he did indeed diagnose me with ADHD. The doc sounded a little mechanical when prescribing, but I can understand that behavior modification via drugs is not his forte. He was in his element when talking to me about, well, me. When he discussed the medication options, however, his knowledge seemed limited to the back of the brochure. I was not concerned, as I have a built-in expert who has the letters 'D' and 'R' in front of him name to prove it (aka my father), but it pushed my fur the wrong way, anyway.
That is probably because I possess a very analytical mind and I'm not at my best when talking about yours truly (LJ notwithstanding), so it was probably the effect of having two polar opposites in a room.
XD Science, man. You're either a robot, or you just want to hug the world.
If this post does not make a lot of sense, it is because I am on my second day of generic Adderall. According to my father, it will take a few days of regular treatment for the real deal focus to kick in, but for right now I'm just taking it slow, cataloging what is different and what isn't.
What Is Different
- Focus? Bitch, I will show you focus like you ain't evah seen. It's pretty much like my self-discipline stood up, sized up the room, waited for someone to say the wrong thing, and then decided to take out its pent-up aggression on my poor, defenseless homework. I could definitely get used to doing what needs to be done, when it needs to be done.
- My hearing. I have always assumed that my hearing was just not the greatest in the world, as I constantly have to ask people to repeat things. But now, when someone talks to me, I latch onto the words they are saying and do not miss a thing. This has happened several times, even in crowded rooms. Never did I ever attribute my hearing issues to dopamine deficiency, but it seems there is a pretty obvious correlation.
Related Note: I may have to stop listening to music while I work/study, as I find my brain splitting focus between what I'm reading and what I'm hearing. I'm still focused, it just seems like an unnecessary distraction. Which is weird.
- According to friends, I do not fidget as much. I have never thought anything of it, but it seems that I am forever tapping my foot or fiddling with my necklace or chewing my nails. I knew it was happening, but it was never a conscious thing and thus never bothered me. So, I suppose the outward signs are there.
- My brain feels a little funky, like there's a cloud that's weighing down the moving parts that are normally in constant motion. I suppose this is what focus feels like. My normal mode is doing and thinking about twenty different things, and this is effective in select scenarios. But I can see how this single mindedness will be helpful in the school year.
- I am more awake. I didn't know that I was always fighting tiredness until I wasn't, anymore. I am rarely tired enough to just lay down and sleep, but I've always been fairly sedate. Now my brain is pretty much awake and pretty content to stay that way.
What Is Not Different
- I am pretty sure that I am still me. I seem to be calmer and more still, but I'm still the dark little realist I've always been. No irrational irritability (so far), no sudden mood swings. Good news... ? XD
- I'm not an automaton. I still feel the occasional impulse to goof off. It's just easier to ignore or pacify with a mental "I'll go paint my nails AFTER I finish this worksheet."
- My appetite has not shifted, so far. That is one of the forewarned side effects, loss of appetite. At this moment, I'm pretty hungry, so I guess I'm safe at this point.
This could all change as my system becomes more used to the meds, but for now I'm content to see how this all works out. I'm not taking the prescribed amount right now, and I am not taking it every day because it's the freaking summer and I'm allowed to be ADHD if I freaking wanna be. But during the school year, it'll be interesting to see how different things are.
