this post was submitted on 23 Jan 2024
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What are your "controversial" opinions that go against popular opinions in the UK? (feddit.uk)
submitted 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago) by [email protected] to c/[email protected]
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I'll start: Greggs is massively overrated. I genuinely don't understand how people hype it.

Edit: this is a casual community so it would be great if we could avoid politics lest it descend into chaos!

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[–] [email protected] 13 points 9 months ago (1 children)

It was hyperbole but my point stands. I feel “normal” on meth. In your words yes I feel like Clarke Kent. As in you suddenly feel how you think you’re always meant to feel.

Did you always feel that way when you used meth, or just after you were addicted?

If it is the former you might have ADHD or some other condition like depression where stimulation helps you.

I tried cocaine a couple of times in my 20s and it calmed me down, but everyone else was hyped up and annoyed me so I stopped using it. Tried meth once and it was also calming, so I figured it didn't work on me and never tried it again. When I was finally talked into seeing a doctor about concentration issues a decade later this was very helpful for the doctor as it led to me getting a full test and eventually the attempted behavior modification and then medical treatments.

My point is the effects ADHD people describe when ‘finding a med that works’ are exactly the same as those of a normal person doing stims. There’s literally no difference except heart rate.

It is the exact fucking opposite. The right stimulants calm down people with ADHD. They stimulate regular people.

Honestly it sounds like you have had some really weird experiences with terrible doctors and other people in general. But everything you are saying is like the bizzaro opposite of how these things work.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 9 months ago (2 children)

OK I'm gonna speak to my GP at some point cos this isn't the first time I've contemplated having undiagnosed ADHD.

Funnily enough I did an online autism test the other day and it said I was "Highly Likely" autistic. But then it says further down the page they charge ~£2k for diagnosis from a private clinic that obviously wants to push for more profit. Who do I trust? It isn't helped by the fact most ADHD, autism and cannabis diagnoses/prescriptions are private so there's a profit motive to them all. Poor people don't qualify. On Universal Credit and have ADHD? You're fucked cos the meds cost £00s per month or a 3yr waiting list if you're lucky.

Added to the fact diagnoses is just confirmation bias. I can look at every disorder in the DSM from BPD to bloody schizophrenia and I fit every single one. It's about picking the right memories. Am I asocial? Yes! But isn't everyone? Am I miserable? Yes, of course! Do I procrastinate? Yes! Am I selfish? Yes, sometimes! Do I shit twice a day? Yes! Do I have problems concentrating? YES!

But wait...is that cos I've been lay down on the sofa all day browsing Lemmy? Come to think of it does that explain everything? Is browsing Lemmy 12hrs per day the cause or a symptom of something?

I see people talk about ADHD symptoms online all the time and I go - "yeah I get that". It's become so common that "neurodivergant" sounds neurotypical! Do you remember how "OCD" got overused? People would say "I'm so OCD cos I had to bin the toast I dropped butter side up". Erm, no it's dirty and it's obvious. That's kinda how it feels when I see people complain about ADHD symptoms - "no you're not ADHD - that's just normal".

In fact lets try it:

  • Short attention span, especially for non-preferred tasks - yes absolutely.
  • Hyperactivity, which may be physical, verbal, and/or emotional - When I was a kid my mum and aunties called me "hyperactive!. As an adult I get very hyper around people I know to the point of being annoying. I've been accused of having 'child like energy'.
  • Impulsivity, which may manifest as recklessness - drug abuse and overspending into £20k debt so yes.
  • Fidgeting or restlessness - I climb around/over chairs. I don't just sit.
  • Disorganization and difficulty prioritizing tasks - my flat is a fucking bomb site and after 3yrs I've still not unpacked.
  • Poor time management and time blindness - I'm late to anything/everything or extremely early to compensate.
  • Frequent forgetfulness - I just showered and after putting on an item of clothing I forgot what I was doing and waked into the lounge before remembering and walking back. So yes, very.
  • Daydreaming and the appearance of not listening - all the time. I'm normally in my own world more than the real world.

So do I have ADHD? AFAIK everyone has those at some point. Fuck knows I assumed this was all normal and I was just shit at life...? My head's at war with itself. On one hand I don't want more drugs because I was an addict and antidepressants don't work. On the other I keep seeing reasons why I should ask for a diagnosis because it seems blindingly obvious.

I also did coke a few times as a student and once in my late 20s with the same result - calm mind but with palpitations. Someone told me it was probably "shit coke" but it had great reviews from everyone else. I also took modafinil for a few months and it helped my motivation - it's thought to act in a similar way to ADHD meds and is being studied as an ADHD med.

I don't know. It's annoying to think the 40yrs of my life being a complete cluster fuck could be explained by a diagnosis and some pills. Do you see where I'm coming from?

[–] [email protected] 7 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago)

Speak to your GP, tell them how you react to things and that you want to know if there is someone you can be referred to that addressed those kinds of things. Specifically things like 'I respond differently than others to [drug] and also these behaviors that are affecting [part of your life] and want to know what I can do to find out if this is something that can be addressed'. Don't say that you think you have ADHD or Autism, just focus on what you know and that you want to address it.

A lot of symptoms/behaviors overlap between diagnosis and have different treatments. For example, both Autism and ADHD frequently (but not always) have auditory processing issues where it can be hard to understand things someone said, not because of difficulty hearing, but how the brain is processing what is heard. A professional will be able to help sort out whether something is confirmation bias or an actual diagnosis.

The most important part of a disorder like ADHD is that it reaches the level of a disorder even though most people have the same symptoms from time to time! Like how everyone gets sad from time to time, but depression has similar symptoms but is completely different than just being sad.

Personally I think you have a lot of things that would be very good to speak about with a medical professional. They will be the one who can actually evaluate you and they will ask a lot of clarifying questions. For my diagnosis I also took a multiple choice thing that was a couple hundred questions in addition to multiple appointments before there was a diagnosis.

Funnily enough I did an online autism test the other day and it said I was “Highly Likely” autistic. But then it says further down the page they charge ~£2k for diagnosis from a private clinic that obviously wants to push for more profit. Who do I trust?

That is a scam and you should only trust licensed medical doctors who did not pursue your business.

I think you have been fed a ton of misinformation and really hope you speak to your GP and find out if this is something you should pursue. I won't speculate whether you have ADHD because I am not a medical professional, but that is the type of person that will be able to help. I look back and wish that I had been diagnosed earlier, but all of the experiences that led to medication reinforce the fact that it actually does help me and that it isn't just some placebo. Hell, friends I have had for decades can tell when I forget to take them!

The best time to plant a tree is 20 years ago. The second best time is right now.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 9 months ago (1 children)

But wait…is that cos I’ve been lay down on the sofa all day browsing Lemmy? Come to think of it does that explain everything? Is browsing Lemmy 12hrs per day the cause or a symptom of something?

Funny enough, it could be a symptom of ADHD, depression, or some kind of compulsion depending on why you do it. For ADHD it could be the stimulation or avoidance of something else. For depression it could be seeking some kind of connection.

But only a medical professional would know enough to narrow down the possibilities to reach a diagnosis. And you might even get the wrong one first! I was diagnosed with something else before ADHD, and it was mostly the horrible reaction to drugs for the first that excluded it and led to the one that worked. It is slow and honestly I hope you find something that helps you.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago) (1 children)

I love how this has gone from "ADHD and autism are over diagnosed" to "guys do I have undiagnosed ADHD and autism?"

[–] [email protected] 4 points 9 months ago

That's exactly what I was reading. It's like he hates part of himself and is proper angry or jealous about other people seeking and getting help.