Adult ADD help. At the end of my thread....

[kellykins]

sigh.
I was just about to post about adult ADD and hoping that someone had a magic cure-all potion that really works, and then I read another post that basically said, nope, nothing to be done. Just be less distractiable.
sigh.
Having a baby and being a WAHM for a job that I make the hours and am completely independant has really really made my ADD glaringly obvious. I cannot concentrate on anything for any length of time.. at least, not anything important. I can cruise the net for hours. :P I am really becoming a bit unraveled over this because my scatterbrained-ness is really messing things up my house is a disaster 99% of the time, I have about 15 projects going at once, and if I dont get my poop in a group it may well eventually cost me my job--which I cannot afford to do.

Alot of times, I feel like holycrap there is so much to do.. and I just kinda shut down.. and then nothing gets done at all, and then I have more to do in less time and projects get sacrificed, corners get cut, and I get impatient with my dd (who is currently teething to make matters even better.) and I cannot start grumping at an 8 month old, its just not acceptable!

I don't even know where to begin. I have tried self-discipline stuff like FlyLady, and I get all gung ho for a week, or even less, and then pfffft.... I fizzle and just end up saying "ill start over next week". I've tried saying to myself OK, you can read web stuff until X time (usually another 15 min) and then it's on to work, or whatever... I just end up prolonging that 15 min. I end up diddling away dd's entire naptimes either reading magazines or cruising the net, or email or whatever, and not getting anything done. OR, I start reading a work email, start to respond, go check another email account, get up and go put laundry in or fold 4 random items, wipe the kitchen counter, go back to the computer and work on that work email, etc... and never finish anything! UGH!!
:

I want to be able to go to bed at night and say "OK, I got X, Y and Z totally done today!" but I just don't know how. I used to take Adderall and when I was little I took ritalin (yes, I was one that actually benefitted I think!) but nursing and Adderall don't mix... and I'd like to find a better alternative than amphetamines. :P Help??

[moppity]

I have heard good things about fish oil capsules being really effective with ADD. I have some for my DH but he never remembers to take them so I can't say from personal experience but I have seen some studies that say the effects are better than amphetamines

[Nico DeMouse]

Kellykins,

I hear you. I was diagnosed with ADD at 19. I was on meds for about 10 years, during which time I was able to learn a lot of coping skills that allowed me to successfully go off my meds a few years ago. I know not everyone agrees with medication. For me, they gave me a calm space from which to learn how to function well without them. Your description of how you feel right now sounds like myself in college, pre-meds. It can be horribly frustrating to be trying so hard and yet feel so powerless. I was always frustrated by people who told me I needed to focus or try harder.

Flylady did help me a lot, the timer and making the (short!) list of routines. I also sticky note reminders to myself all over the house in places I tend to get distracted. I have one on the front door that says "Don't forget your lunch!" for example as I can never remember to grab it from the fridge on my way to work. I put another on my computer that says "STOP!" as I tend to waste a lot of time on the interenet.

I was self medicating a lot with caffeine which I think was counterproductive. For me (YMMV) coping with the ADD is a little easier when I am well rested, well fed (nutritionwise) and not over caffeinated.

A big thing for me was learning how to break huge projects into little steps. I would get overwhelmed by a semester syllabus in college, shut down, and never go to class, which would compund my feeling of overwhelmed-ness. For me, writing lists of steps helps.

I'm not expert, but these are a few things that helped me. I wish you luck!

[Ruthla]

Have you looked into the Feingold Program? It's 100% safe for your little one and it helps many, many people. It's made a huge difference for my middle child!

In a nutshell, it involves cutting out all artificial colors, flavors, and fragrances, as well as the preservatives BHA, BHT, and TBHQ from all your foods and household products. Additionally, at first you remove high-salicylate foods such as apples and grapes- some people react to salycilates and need to keep them out of their diets forever, others don't react to them at all, and others can handle certain ones in small quantities.