As an ADHD Adult 3 things saved me

[normanadhdadult]

My mother had severe depression. She was on Desipramine for years. My doctor tried a variety of anti-depressants and stimulants on me for ADHD to no avail. I asked if I took my mom's medication since we are related if it might help me.

The doctor thought my suggestion was good. He said it would take a few weeks to fully know the impact. The day after I took the first pill, my life changed for the better. It was that fast for me. That was one major advancement for me.

Another is that I have white noise machines in most rooms of our home. I sleep with white noise in the background. When I hear distractions in my office, or anywhere, I turn the white noise machine on. It soothes me. It also allows me to concentrate because the machine drowns out ambient noise. Made a huge difference in my life. Some people prefer the sound of a fan. That is the 2nd big advancement for me.

The other big difference for me was to mostly talk to friends on the phone. By staying home and concentrating on school work, or work for my job, I was able to excel. I limited running around. It was too much distraction for me. It is hard to go out and then get back to work or study mode. That is the 3rd way that I beat the symptoms of ADHD.

I went from being sent to the Principal's office to getting a Master's Degree and excelling on the job.

I hope this helps some of you. If you have questions just ask. Good luck.

[Vickie109]

Thanks so much for your input. My adhd son is only 9, but it's good to learn all I can to help him. Everyone has always been surprised that our son is a good sleeper, but we have always used a humidifier fan at night in his room. We have white noise machines too, so I'll keep that in mind for daytime use as well. I have taken antidepressants for nearly 15 years. My son is doing well on Ritalin, but something else to keep in mind.

[normanadhdadult in reply to Vickie109]

A humidifier fan resonates with me. That steady unified whirring sounds works for me. I also can access white noise on the computer. Good luck to you and your son. I've heard that if your son has a doctor's note then he can use a white noise headset during tests. A white noise headset would have helped me tremendously in school. All the best.