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Ruca705 t1_itl4owq wrote

As someone diagnosed with it for over 20 years, not a trained professional but I have studied a lot. I’ve never heard of remission in the context of ADHD. My best guess: ADHD remission = masking of symptoms, adaptation, coping mechanisms. How else would a neurodevelopmental disorder go into “remission?” It’s compensatory behavior imo. How this would translate to the imaging results I’m not sure. This is really interesting stuff!

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holler_bitch t1_itl6n27 wrote

Remission would be great. I didn’t get diagnosed until I was 27, and I felt mine got worse as I got older. I have unlearned a lot of my masking behaviors (which were actually high anxiety behaviors), but I would still be crippled without my medicine.

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Ketosheep t1_itldia2 wrote

How is it before and after meds? I have been diagnosed recently and the doctor is suggesting meds but I am afraid to loose my hyper focus if I take them.

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Edsgnat t1_itlp7el wrote

I gained the ability to focus on things my brain couldn’t focus on. The first day I took them I cleaned my apartment with no problems. I almost cried. My hyper focus is untouched.

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Ketosheep t1_itlq86b wrote

This is what I needed to hear, I think my job and professional success are dependent on my hyper focus to deal with emergencies, but my house… is a stressful mess. Could I ask what your meds are?

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Edsgnat t1_itlqwo9 wrote

I started off at 27mg of concerta, which is a slow release Ritalin. I was given 5mg of Ritalin to take as needed in the afternoons if my focus was waning. When I was studying for the bar this summer I was upped to 36/10. It’s easy to build up a depends so it’s not something you want to take every day.

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Sea-Mango t1_itn4myg wrote

Huh. Maybe I’ll have to give that one a try. I was on Ritalin from 11 - 20-ish, and then stopped. Which was… not a good idea, but 20 years of hindsight etc etc.

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EmulatingHeaven t1_itni6qj wrote

We all respond differently to different meds, if you try ritalin/ritalin types and they don’t work then def give something else a go too. I started on addy (and it works wonderfully) but it isn’t recommended for breastfeeding so I tried ritalin for a while. Did nothing for me. Back to adderall I went, and just adjusted my breastfeeding schedule.

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Sea-Mango t1_itnpd81 wrote

Adderall made me forget where my car keys where while I was driving with the keys in the ignition. At the time I was a teller, and my drawer didn't balance for a week. It was SO BAD XD

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KnutschKeks t1_itno4k2 wrote

My hyperfocus is my problem. My employer had stern talks with me because I missed appointments, because I forget the time and never notice when people talk to me when I'm working

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Lettuphant t1_itmp7ii wrote

I borrowed a pill as a study aid. Realised I was planning dinner for the first time in my life and started crying. Taking a pill made me realise I should get a diagnosis.

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WillCode4Cats t1_itxnbrk wrote

Careful with that logic.

The pills work the same for everyone regardless of diagnosis. If they didn’t, the. Why did you take it in the first place?

It’d be like saying alcohol only makes people who are actually alcoholics drunk. Of course, with the right dosages it makes anyone drunk.

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banditbat t1_itnvl5g wrote

This is how I felt the first day when I finally found meds that worked, but they have since stopped being effective over the past few months, even after stepping up the dose twice :(

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Issendai t1_itn0ihu wrote

Hyper focus is my drug of choice, and Adderall did nothing to stop it. It just means I have more levels of concentration in between “meh, bored” and hyper focus.

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Ketosheep t1_itn5f15 wrote

Yea the doctor said I can try the one that is for immediate response first so I can see how it feels, I mainly just want it to be able to clean my house. I don’t think it can help me not loose things (object permanence is horrible).

Everything else I already have a solid coping mechanism, it’s just exhausting.

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Issendai t1_itn92lc wrote

When I started taking Adderall, one day I took it too late in the day and couldn't get to sleep at my normal time. I ended up reorganizing the hall closet at 3 am because it was the most engrossing project I could imagine. Good luck! I hope you have the same experience at a more appropriate hour.

Do you like museums? Going to a museum for the first time on Adderall is amazing. It's like being high on details. You can look at things, really look at them, and sit in the feeling without the constant buzzing urge to move on to the next thing.

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Raichu7 t1_itncnan wrote

I seriously doubt you struggle with object permanence. Do you know an item or person still exists somewhere in the world when you cannot physically see them? Then you developed object permanence as a baby, like everyone else!

If you struggle to find things after you’ve put them down, but understand that they still exist, then you’re struggling with remembering where you put things, sometimes called out of sight, out of mind. It’s very different to object permanence.

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Anariel6 t1_itnecap wrote

People with ADHD often forget what things they actually own unless they are out and visible all the time. They often buy duplicates because they forget they already have one. If that's not object permanence struggles, then what would that be called?

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spraguester t1_itnvgxq wrote

That's just forgetfulness, object permanence is understanding that objects continue to exist even when you can not observe them.

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Ketosheep t1_itnjrlq wrote

I buy duplicates, I surprise myself with things I find in my closets. I do remember people but forget to talk to them for months.

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SparxX2106 t1_itlp8pk wrote

Well it depends. Do you want emotional regulation, being able to focus, not be time stressed, become more organised and have a calm brain? Then yes, take meds!

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Ketosheep t1_itlqqst wrote

My job depends more on my hyperfocus, so being able to make money for food comes before my struggles on everyday life.

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kitsunde t1_itlsbse wrote

There’s no issue with hyper focusing, there’s a brief initial adjustment period. Like on Concerta you’ll get hungry less, there was a bit of eye tingle at the start and some people report a headache. But after about a week your body adjusts.

If anything I find that that it feels hard to move my focus away and find interruptions more irritating on Concerta than without.

I got it when I was 34 and it’s a literal night and day difference in how well I handle my job. I can sit down and just do work, and procrastinating is a deliberate choice rather than a doom spiral.

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Kiosade t1_itmaed4 wrote

How hard was the process of finding a doctor and then how many appointments did it take to get to the “coasting on auto-pilot” moment? I’m pretty sure I’ve always had ADHD but am afraid of having to take a lot of time off work for dr appointments in order to get diagnosed/treated. Also worried about having to pay for $$$$ each visit…

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kitsunde t1_ito6x7y wrote

It’s very country dependent, I can’t answer that for you. It took me 1 visit to a private doctor and then it was just about finding the right dosage, it’s a regulated substance here so I have to go back every 3 months or so. It’s different in every country.

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SparxX2106 t1_itlr96u wrote

Well you will have a good focus non the less. So all i could advice is to simply try it out, as that doesnt hurt anyone. I can still very much hyperfocus on things even on medication!

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kingofshling t1_itncjbd wrote

My parents made me start taking the meds after getting diagnosed in fourth grade. Took them up untill junior year of high-school. They do help you get uninteresting work done but the side effects are not worth it IMO. Loss of personality, depression when they wear off in the evening, loss of appetite, loss of interest in hobbies, insomnia.

A lot of the people who rave about them just started taking them. The more you take them, the less effective they are and you have to keep raising the dose. I’m at my happiest right now when I manage my symptoms with exercise and meditation. I do use adderall quick release once in a while if I really need to get some boring work done. I definitely would NOT take these everyday.

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ExistingPosition5742 t1_itnhmet wrote

My ex husband was addicted to Adderall he started taking at 12. It has A LOT of negative effects over time.

I mean, it impacted him the way you think about meth impacting people. It just ruined his life. One of the doctors explained to me that it acts on your brain in some of the same ways as other stimulants, and over time it prevents your brain from learning to live without it, basically. Anyway, I'm very wary of it. I never knew people could get addicted to a kid's medicine.

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MurrayMyBoy t1_itnuy0b wrote

My sister got addicted to Adderall,Ritalin, and Sudafed at the same time. She has been addicted for 20yrs and she moves and acts like a person addicted to meth . I believe she has psychosis/paranoia from it. She acts like any other addict. Causes non stop issues for the rest of the family. I believe she never had adhd and just wanted to something to get her moving before work. It’s destroyed everything in her life. So I say if someone feels they need medicated please take it slow and take the absolute minimum of the dose.

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Ketosheep t1_itnjlg1 wrote

That is the approach my doctor and I are discussing, so I can have it available for when I have to get something boring done. I am 36 but i certainly wish I could finish unpacking my house after 3 years… and stop living in a messy pit.

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Dragoness42 t1_itottvc wrote

My ex just self-medicated with massive amounts of caffeine. Of course, he built a tolerance and had to keep drinking more and more coffee just to be normal.

I tried to let my kid use caffeine in moderation as-needed to help with focus, but his school banned caffeine. Didn't ban Rx stimulants for ADHD diagnosed kids though. We're in the early stages of trying out meds for him.

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Spitinthacoola t1_itm3lnc wrote

No loss of hyperfocus. Just able to aim it. Reduces appetite to low levels though so often have to remind myself to eat. Besides that it is a godsend.

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WhiteVorest t1_itm1u6q wrote

Your hyper focus is still there, but you need to force yourself consciously into it. So overall you tend to hyper focus less, but on things you actually want. I’m seeing some new and shiny piece of rabbit hole to explore, but now instead of going balls deep without second thought, I have yes/no prompt basically. Getting my pills was so to speak a full 180 turn. Maybe even 540 degree turn. When stressful event arises, be it home or work, I just focus on it as usual and see it finished perfectly. Start with lowest dose and see how you fare. Good luck.

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Ketosheep t1_itm3ip4 wrote

Thank you, I think I am mostly afraid of the unknown, and I can’t even imagine what you are describing. But so long as I don’t become as slow on emergencies as other people I think it should be fine.

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IIIPatternIII t1_itmv3ul wrote

Im sure others have mentioned it but just chiming in with my experiences. Meds will give you the ability to focus and regulate yourself but you still have to actually do it, and i specifically mean scheduling and adhering to a food plan. You need to eat, and drink water and medications like Adderal/concerta/vyvanse will decrease your appetite and potentially thirst. Sometimes fasting is good, this is not one of those times. I seriously cannot stress this enough for medical reasons you should go into it mindful of the side effects and how it can cause damage without strict and proper diet.

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HelenAngel t1_itndwyo wrote

I have autism as well as ADHD. I’ve taken Vyvanse for over a decade. It hasn’t interfered with my hyper focus at all. If anything it makes it easier to get into it (which can be both a good & bad thing)

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vanyali t1_itm63lg wrote

My kid is on meds and believe me, she still hyper-focuses on her favorite things just fine.

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bonesnapper t1_itnk44g wrote

I started meds last year and a job I am extremely interested in a few months ago.

Not only can I put 100% of my focus and effort into my work for hours straight, I can also do things like 'cancel my old car insurance policy' and 'schedule a vet appointment' before they become problems.

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girlfriendsbloodyvag t1_itnicrx wrote

Think about it like being able to hyper focus, without all of the extra noise.

You just -do- the task. Then it’s done. That’s it.

Getting on adhd meds has been life changing for me, in all of the best ways.

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alemorg t1_itnqu2q wrote

The most noticeable affect was that I felt for once in my life that I was able to sit still and think one subject at a time. I always felt like I was juggling multiple tasks at the same time In my head continuously but my thoughts slowed down. What I thought was anxiety bothering me all the time turned out to be mostly adhd. Now with the medicine I get anxious a little bit and get over it without overthinking it over and over the rest of my day.

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lcbk t1_itpuoyw wrote

For me it's so hard to just get up and do things because I'm not motivated enough, aka my brain isn't giving me any dopamine. I also have very low energy, probably because of the dopamine as well.

After 1 week of medicine I did things right away. I just got up and did it. It was incredible. I did however feel like the effects tapered off after about 6 months. The solution to that is either a higher dose, or to stop for a while and then start again. I prefer the latter.

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Ketosheep t1_itpw1az wrote

I get up in the morning with the help of stress and fear of missing a paycheck and debt. My job is incredibly entertaining to me for the most part, although I struggle with the will to drive to the office and to start tasks, once I do I finish very quickly.

My partner makes my lunch or I would just not eat at work, I drive home and dinner is already made too, so I just have to eat and spend the rest of the afternoon negotiating with my brain about washing the dishes or doing laundry, taking a shower. Some times I win, must of the time brain wins, couch paralysis, sleep super late and repeat.

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lcbk t1_itpzben wrote

I'm a stay at home mom so all I have to do is clean the house and feed the family. I manage but I'm not winning any prizes. Had it only been me, living alone, I wouldn't even cook for myself. Couch paralysis and sleeping late sounds very familiar. Stress is also a good motivator.

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Ketosheep t1_itq0z9x wrote

House work is the hardest thing for me, kudos to you for being able to do it!

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Kinsey93 t1_itn4zid wrote

What meds you got?

Starting titration this week… bit apprehensive

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listenyall t1_itlsy90 wrote

I think this is pretty much right but it seems like they're saying that the consistent masking, coping, etc is literally changing the brain into a "less ADHD" brain. That seems pretty possible--our brains can be quite adaptive, especially since this is focusing on kids as they grow into adults.

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residentmouse t1_itmy737 wrote

It makes sense to me also. The compensation (and masking, etc) someone with unmedicated ADHD has to do is relentless and constant.

After awhile, with much difficulty, it does become subconscious and automatic, much like a part of your personality — or the ADHD itself.

So I’m not at all surprised to hear that it manifests in changes to the brain.

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rjwv88 t1_itm7sqz wrote

there does seem to be evidence that maybe a 1/3 or so of people diagnosed with adhd in childhood don't present with any impairment in adulthood (figures are ballpark, but people used to think everyone grew out of it, if only!)

the brain keeps developing till the mid 20s or so (it doesn't stop after that, but it's slower), and adhd is fundamentally a developmental delay (with people showing about a 30% age deficit in terms of their executive functioning, i.e. a 15yr old with EF skills of a 10-11yr old), so it seems plausible that for some they actually do manage to catch up, they were just developing more slowly than their peers, whereas others never fully develop age-appropriate executive functioning skills... it's also possible that early intervention itself (whether through medication or behaviorally) might help 'train' the requisite brain areas and so reduce impairment into adulthood

there's also a secondary component though that you touched on, in that adhd impairment is very context-dependent, and some may find themselves in a position due to their job or other life circumstances where it's no longer impairing, in that case it's not exactly in remission, the biological deficit is presumably still there, but you also wouldn't meet the diagnostic criteria for adhd (as it needs to cause impairment in at least two settings)... basically psychiatry's equivalent of 'if a tree falls when no-ones around does it make a sound' haha

(as someone diagnosed later in life it was kind of the reverse for me, there were hints in childhood but it wasn't too detrimental, however as educational demands increased the impact became more and more severe and I sought help for it, took 5yrs but finally diagnosed at 33!)

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AaronfromKY t1_itl5stk wrote

I mean if the disorder no longer impacts their life, but is still physically there, maybe that's what they're calling remission? And if the compensatory behaviors aren't negatively impacting their live, are they bad?

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Ruca705 t1_itl6wu4 wrote

No, being able to cope is definitely a good thing. Didn’t mean to seem like I was against it!

I have heard of remission for bipolar disorder, which is usually when someone has gone an extended period of time without having a manic episode. But that type of remission is only achieved through the use of medication, 99% of the time. I would assume the same for ADHD honestly, but the difference to me is that bipolar isn’t a neurodevelopmental disorder present at birth. And, most people don’t get full relief of ADHD symptoms even with meds. I guess I’m just stuck on the use of the word remission here because what I’ve read up til this point is that the concept of people growing out of ADHD is outdated and incorrect, and that people learn to compensate and work around their symptoms, but they don’t actually go away.

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ManiacalDane t1_itloyjr wrote

I don't see how large parts of the brain being developed and linked together in a different way (sometimes vastly different) is something that you just... Grow out of. So I reckon you're right; remission is just... The outward-facing symptoms subsiding.

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Angerwing t1_itnxecb wrote

Your take reflects my lived experience (anecdotal as it is). I'm medicated for my ADHD and it doesn't neutralise my symptoms at all, it just mitigates some and pushes me in other areas so I can work around or capitalise on my quirks. Since being medicated I would describe myself as high functioning and my career trajectory has rocketed.

I can often trick myself to force interest in a task so I hyperfocus on that and produce great work. If I'm faced with a bunch of tedious busy work (my bane) I then spend most of my brainpower thinking about how to streamline the process. Workplace loves that stuff, and I love removing unnecessary work from my to do list. Some of the more complex work I've done has been thorough and detailed just because I was personally intrigued by the situation and wanted to deep dive for my own curiosity.

A lot of the thought processes behind the last paragraph have caused massive issues for me in the past. Hyperfocus on the wrong thing, removing unnecessary work by just not doing it, not trying to be interested and then blowing it off etc. The root causes are the same symptoms I've always had, I've just learnt to reroute them in to productivity.

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thruster_fuel69 t1_itlg829 wrote

Apparently I'm a super high functioning adhd, only medicated recently after like 20 years. Although I coped extremely well (did well as engineer), it was so much extra effort. Now that I'm on meds I see how hard my life was before. I would never call high function adhd remission myself..

For example, I was always exhausted and scared of context switching because I knew distractions would ruin my process. Now that I'm medicated there's no fear and in fact I'm very good at multi tasking. At the end of the day I'm not exhaused and defeated like I was before when i was supposedly in "remission".

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Angerwing t1_itnxpp6 wrote

FYI I can easily clock an ADHD individual online by their use of parenthetical comments (probably all those tangential thoughts).

Not making fun, I've been doing that extensively all my life.

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thruster_fuel69 t1_itny7em wrote

I've learned to trust them, honestly I think they act as my gut check on almost anything. A random, but actually deeply related thought always pops up to shake things up.

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Angerwing t1_itnz2k0 wrote

Yeah if I think about it I mostly use them as extra context, a side note, clarification, off the record opinion or as a qualifier.

But now that I've said it you won't be able to unsee it. Scroll through the comments at all the people who are saying they have ADHD and see how many do it (my people).

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proxyproxyomega t1_itlij1l wrote

imagine if the only reason it's called a disorder is because the brain functions differently than the 'societal normal'. like, if you grew up in an environment that was designed specifically for adhd and supported your potentials, you could have become those crazy smart people who are also a bit coo-coo (by societal norm standard). but instead, you had to take meds that basically 'averages' your brain so that you can participate in the society.

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thruster_fuel69 t1_itljbgs wrote

I think you can nurture yourself to be that, even far later on. Might need to eat some shrooms a few times, but its possible. I'm going for coo-coo crazy good at the moment.

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ThrowbackPie t1_itnm602 wrote

Isn't that exactly what it is? It's so prevalent that I can't imagine that it's truly an 'illness', as much as an alternative brain development pathway that happens to not be very compatible with a lot of society's requirements today.

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Sluggish0351 t1_itmhlyz wrote

Coping is likely huge. But in my case (ADHD diagnosed as an adult) I tend to avoid situations that would exacerbate issues that derive from ADHD. As a child you don't have that luxury.

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FrickinLazerBeams t1_itladd6 wrote

Yeah there's definitely no "remission" that I've ever heard of, and certainly not experienced. I'm much more functional now than I was as a child, but it's not because the ADD is gone. I'm simply better at dealing with it (and also medicated).

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imasequoia t1_itlhesa wrote

It might be related to the frontal lobe developing in the late 20s causing remission of executive function deficits.

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HateIsAnArt t1_itllx1d wrote

Yeah, and I don't think it's impossible for people to remap their mind to some extent. We all know that therapy can prove fruitful for people with depressive disorders, producing documented change in gene expression. I don't see why targeted treatments couldn't work similarly for people with ADHD.

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reh888 t1_itmfq4m wrote

If you read the article, that doesn't appear to be the case. The new neutral activity was in the left motor cortex, whose function is to control the muscles and limbs on the right side of your body.

It's related to how when part of your brain is damaged, sometimes another part will assume the functions the damaged part was supposed to do.

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popepaulpops t1_itm5hnz wrote

The original study looks at "symptom remission", mostly for hyperactivity and impulsivity. Kids and adults diagnosed with ADHD that experience symptom remission have corresponding increased white matter structures in their brains.

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TA2556 t1_itnma2z wrote

Developing new patterns and new coping mechanisms and strategies actually physically creates new neural pathways and could, in theory, lead to what one could consider to be a partial remission of sorts.

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bread9411 t1_itn9e50 wrote

Can I ask if you have any advice for talking to a doctor about it please? Up until I was an adult I very much had ADHD but as an adult it's kind of changed and the issue is I no longer have energy, it's more of an 'indifference' to everything, forgetfulness, ignoring reminders, not getting this done or completing things, that kinda thing. But the issue is because the 'hyper' part is gone, I'm concerned how seriously they're gonna take it and if they're going to notice it because I'm not a doctor but I have literally thought about this issue for years after a few friends that had recently been diagnosed with ADHD said they think I have it too, this was in my early twenties and they were about the same age, varying by a few years either side.

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ronnyFUT t1_itna8yt wrote

Sometimes I feel like ADHD remission is like sobriety.

“0 14 days since I forgot a deadline.”

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Thatdarnbandit t1_itnp64b wrote

I believe this is what the article was saying. That the brain developed the compensation and this brain activity is what was observed. The subjects were observed from age 6 through age 18, so over the course of many years.

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MightyWhiteSoddomite t1_itn00vn wrote

Probably "I'm OK now (and possibly don't want the meds anymore)" is considered "in remission"

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PickledPixels t1_itnjis3 wrote

If you are taking medication, I expect remission will never happen

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AlongTheWay_85 t1_itobik8 wrote

I’m 37 and was diagnosed with ADHD at age 8. I had it bad, for lack of a better term. I could not focus in class at all, in fact, in grade 2 the teacher dealt with my inattentive/disruptive behavior by putting me in the back of the class facing the wall. I was on Imipramine and other meds early on and in my tweens, but eventually went off of them. Over time I managed to cope, but at some point in my early/mid 20s it became evident to me that I just didn’t have the the problem anymore. No, I’m not just masterfully coping and deluding myself. I genuinely do not struggle to focus any more, nor do I have bouts inattentive “hyper-focus”. It is as if my ADHD just magically disappeared one day, and when I tell people this no one who knows anything about the subject (or thinks they do) ever believes me. But I know how I was and I know how I am now. It is possible.

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[deleted] t1_itllr8q wrote

[deleted]

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reh888 t1_itmfx2k wrote

Remission is a reduction or disappearance of symptoms, so yes.

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Wolfenberg t1_itln5p3 wrote

From what I know, ADHD is marked by an anti-synchronization between two brain regions where normally it is synchronized (so for ADHD people, those brain regions activate when the other doesn't activate, for normal people they work in sync)

I'd guess remission is when those two brain regions start correlating synchronously again.

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MrHydromorphism t1_itmvy1h wrote

I was told that this was a long-term result of medication and therapy when I was 9 in 1994. This is endlessly satisfying to read for me.

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MrHydromorphism t1_itmvypa wrote

I was told that this was a long-term result of medication and therapy when I was 9 in 1994. This is endlessly satisfying to read for me.

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MrHydromorphism t1_itmw15h wrote

I was told that this was a long-term result of medication and therapy when I was 9 in 1994. This is endlessly satisfying to read for me.

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MrHydromorphism t1_itmw23o wrote

I was told that this was a long-term result of medication and therapy when I was 9 in 1994. This is endlessly satisfying to read for me.

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timberwolf0122 t1_itncbt4 wrote

Could it be called remission if the medication worked?

I got a diagnosis at age 41, I take 100mg atomoxitine (generic strattera) and it has really changed my life.

I no longer life in a constant state of fight or flight, I can focus better and I'm a lot less prone to being locked on one task. Additionallynive grown emotionally and I can now empathise vs a best sympathizing.

Also things are easier, jobs, projects etc. I am think of a clear path forwards and carry it out

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Minute-Object t1_itne38u wrote

One thing many of us with ADHD have is the ability to switch into hyperfocus. Speaking for myself, as I got older I gained more ability to deliberately engage hyperfocus.

It’s a bit tiring, but can be very useful. I think that learning to flip that switch into hyperfocus might also be part of it.

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HalensVan t1_itneze6 wrote

Your best guess? It explains it in the article.

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OCE_Mythical t1_itng1xp wrote

Yeah for me atleast the illness never went away, it's just I have drugs and a plan. The two most important things.

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dhsjh29493727 t1_itnpsbg wrote

Yeah, my thoughts exactly. Here's a very telling quote from this article:

>Finally, the sample size was too small to claim cause and effect; there may be other factors that led to persistent ADHD.
>
>These limitations aside, this research provides neurological evidence that consistent use of strategies to cope with ADHD symptoms may be a way out.

​

tldr; The article invalidates itself as wishful thinking but then assures the reader that it's valuable.

​

I know that there's been a long-term notion that "most kids with ADHD grow out of it eventually" but anecdotally I've never heard of anyone for who it didn't get worse as societal expectations of adults took the place of the relative ease of childhood.

But isn't this basically saying that if you mask long and hard enough, eventually living a masked life just becomes your normal functioning, so you basically don't have ADHD, you're just expending more energy to be a slightly worse functioning regular adult?

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Resentful_in_Dayton t1_ito4nqf wrote

I feel that my ADD (I don’t have ADHD) is in remission. I no longer miss deadlines/work to the last moment, or procrastinate. Maintaining my organizational tools doesn’t feel difficult and if I start to slip I recognize it as a sign to lessen my work load and refocus. I don’t have nearly as much trouble finding things or organizing myself, and I don’t forget or loose things as I used to. I feel, generally, in control of my attention and time management.

Repetitive behaviours, positive reinforcement strategies, therapy, excercise, and ayahuasca have been the enabling factors.

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dhsjh29493727 t1_ito5rem wrote

ADD is an older term for what is now diagnosed as ADHD, with it's sub-variant diagnoses:

ADHD primarily Inattentive

OR ADHD Primarily Hyperactive

OR ADHD Mixed

What do you mean when you say that you have ADD and not ADHD?

Regardless, it sounds like you've put a lot of strategies in place to manage your symptoms and moved forward as a result, so good for you!

Interested to hear about what ayahuasca is like with ADHD if you'd like to share?

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Resentful_in_Dayton t1_ito826o wrote

I was diagnosed about 15 years ago, and was told I had ADD not ADHD, maybe I misunderstood something. Or has the research/understanding evolved since then?

I couldn’t say much about what ayahuasca is like with ADHD, in the sense that I have nothing but my own experiences to compare it to. That said, I was on Ritalin for about a year when I was first diagnosed and it worked extremely well and I felt amazing (unfortunately it stopped working as well over time and when they increased my dosage it went very badly and I had to stop all together). So I ‘went back’ to having ADD and was too nervous to try another medication (I had heart issues with Ritalin, among other issues).

I’ve been working with ayahuasca almost 12 years now- and if I don’t have too much sugar and sleep well, I mostly feel almost as clear/productive/in control of my time and attention as I did on Ritalin. Not as clear, but close. It’s a really marked change in terms of lateness, lost items, ect.

Ayahuasca helped in a few obvious ways in terms of resolving shame, trauma, and self judgement (which was creating an anxiety cloud that exacerbated procrastination and avoidance). It also regularized my meditation practice, exercise, good eating habits- which all contribute.

I think probably the most significant aspects have been around prioritization and conditioning my responses to impulses. I see now that my expectations of what can be done in a set amount of time are often/have been way way off and this has contributed to over commitment, which leads to overload, then procrastination, shutdown, complete loss of attention control. So, prioritization and time management is now, for me, understood as a more complex aspect of self care. Ayahuasca has helped me to begin to (very much still in process) clear the fog/numbness that ‘traps’ my attention and estranges it from my intention. I can still, intentionally, get hyper focused for long periods of time, but, I remain present in a way I didn’t previously.

It’s hard to really describe… but it’s definitely been a huge change- and one very clearly activated by specific ceremonial experiences.

The specific experiences have been either ‘seeing’ neuropathways being re-wired or an experience of knowing/being told that my neuropathways are being reset and I have an opportunity to reinforce the reset with behaviours. Like, a highway is being built between a and b where there used to be a dirt road- so I can now take that route, but I need to choose to, and I need to maintain it.

Hope that makes sense!!

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dhsjh29493727 t1_ito9izh wrote

I think 15 years ago ADHD was the term for what is now ADHD hyperactive, vs ADD I think is a closer approximation now to ADHD inattentive - but don't quote me on that. But I know that they grouped them into variations of one disorder, rather than being their own separate issues.

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Oh wow, yeah that's really interesting, especially how you've used it as a helping part of a wider sort of process to better balance life and work. I definitely understand what you're describing as far as the brain fog experience etc, as well as my frustrations with medication and dosages having varying effects between success and negative side effects depending on the dose though.

I wondered whether there would be any parallels between yours with Ayahuasca and other drugs such as LSD with ADHD. Which from my own experience can be extremely traumatic.

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choptheair t1_itm5tku wrote

You have a lot of opinions for someone that hasn’t done this research and it is no less valuable or valid since you “have never heard of this before”.

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Ruca705 t1_itmhavz wrote

This is Reddit, I stated clearly that I’m not an expert and this is just my opinion. I am allowed to have opinions, thank you.

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