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Possible links with ADD?

1K views 5 replies 1 participant last post by  g-funk 
G
#1 ·
Apologies if this has already been discussed elsewhere - I am still new to this site. I have been reading a lot of stories about DP/DR - nearly all I can relate to but one especially. A guy explained how he had had Attention Deficit Disorder when he was a child. I have realised that I almost certainly had this as well but in my day it was referred to as hyperactivity and nothing more was done to investigate it. He suggested a link between having this type of 'brain chemistry' make up and a link to his bad reaction to cannabis.

This seems to make a lot of practical sense to me with my limited knowledge, I wondered if any of you experienced any kind of AD tyoe disorder as a child as well? It seems pretty apparent that most of us have quite uncanny personality similarities already. Did we have a tendency towards DP/DR :shock: before it kicked it by our triggers I wonder? :idea:
 
G
#2 ·
Apologies if this has already been discussed elsewhere - I am still new to this site. I have been reading a lot of stories about DP/DR - nearly all I can relate to but one especially. A guy explained how he had had Attention Deficit Disorder when he was a child. I have realised that I almost certainly had this as well but in my day it was referred to as hyperactivity and nothing more was done to investigate it. He suggested a link between having this type of 'brain chemistry' make up and a link to his bad reaction to cannabis.

This seems to make a lot of practical sense to me with my limited knowledge, I wondered if any of you experienced any kind of AD tyoe disorder as a child as well? It seems pretty apparent that most of us have quite uncanny personality similarities already. Did we have a tendency towards DP/DR :shock: before it kicked it by our triggers I wonder? :idea:
 
#3 ·
Hi Lizzy

I have pondered the ADD link also. Though, I have to admit there isn't a link that I haven't pondered over. It's difficult to know when I'm being a hypochondriac and when I'm not! Since hypochondria is an anxiety disorder, I'm sure most of us here are very much more aware of any symptoms that our bodies throw at us, and can fit the description of many mental/neurological/biological illnesses if we try hard enough.

After Sleepingbeauty mentioned a book called 'Women and Attention Deficit Disorder', I bought it and read the first few paragraphs and thought wow, this is me. I always apply a rational side when possible so thought well its likely Im just 'wanting' this illness as an explanation. I did the self diagnosis checklist in the book and showed my boyfriend and we both agreed it sounded as though I had practically written the book. And he NEVER entertains my hypochondria usually.

However, I don't have it all the time, and I get the impression that it is has to be chronic to be diagnosed. There was a thread here the other day about Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Fibromyalgia and it became apparent that so many illnesses produce symptoms that overlap other illnesses. I believe that the symptoms are linked as opposed to the actual illness. If you think about it, the name given to an illness describes a collection of symptoms. Which aren't exclusive to that illness, so can occur but not necessarily mean you have that illness. Im finding it really hard to describe what I mean.

For myself, there is definitely an element of ADD 'activity' involved in my brain! I can totally identify with everything in that book. I often feel confused by the barrage of ideas that come into my head. Having done arts at uni, I had billions of ideas but could never express them as they would come and go so quickly, I can never stick to a hobby as I get lured by other ones, I can't tidy the house without spending all day doing it, because I can never finish one job before the next, I change my mind about my career every day, sometimes Im hyperactive but mostly I am so overwhelmed by everything I have to do that I can appear lazy and unproductive, not realising my potential. BUT did my dp (which i believe I was always predisposed to and experienced really young) cause this? The other day I had so many ideas come into my head that I had to write them down and I couldn't write quick enough. I ended up a bit dp'd.

Anyway, the point Im making is there is definitely an overlap of symptoms. Whether there is link between illnesses, Ive no idea. Sorry, a lot of waffle for not a lot of gain!!!

Buy the book - its really interesting. Thanks sleepingbeauty by the way for mentioning it

G-funk :D
 
#4 ·
Hi Lizzy

I have pondered the ADD link also. Though, I have to admit there isn't a link that I haven't pondered over. It's difficult to know when I'm being a hypochondriac and when I'm not! Since hypochondria is an anxiety disorder, I'm sure most of us here are very much more aware of any symptoms that our bodies throw at us, and can fit the description of many mental/neurological/biological illnesses if we try hard enough.

After Sleepingbeauty mentioned a book called 'Women and Attention Deficit Disorder', I bought it and read the first few paragraphs and thought wow, this is me. I always apply a rational side when possible so thought well its likely Im just 'wanting' this illness as an explanation. I did the self diagnosis checklist in the book and showed my boyfriend and we both agreed it sounded as though I had practically written the book. And he NEVER entertains my hypochondria usually.

However, I don't have it all the time, and I get the impression that it is has to be chronic to be diagnosed. There was a thread here the other day about Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Fibromyalgia and it became apparent that so many illnesses produce symptoms that overlap other illnesses. I believe that the symptoms are linked as opposed to the actual illness. If you think about it, the name given to an illness describes a collection of symptoms. Which aren't exclusive to that illness, so can occur but not necessarily mean you have that illness. Im finding it really hard to describe what I mean.

For myself, there is definitely an element of ADD 'activity' involved in my brain! I can totally identify with everything in that book. I often feel confused by the barrage of ideas that come into my head. Having done arts at uni, I had billions of ideas but could never express them as they would come and go so quickly, I can never stick to a hobby as I get lured by other ones, I can't tidy the house without spending all day doing it, because I can never finish one job before the next, I change my mind about my career every day, sometimes Im hyperactive but mostly I am so overwhelmed by everything I have to do that I can appear lazy and unproductive, not realising my potential. BUT did my dp (which i believe I was always predisposed to and experienced really young) cause this? The other day I had so many ideas come into my head that I had to write them down and I couldn't write quick enough. I ended up a bit dp'd.

Anyway, the point Im making is there is definitely an overlap of symptoms. Whether there is link between illnesses, Ive no idea. Sorry, a lot of waffle for not a lot of gain!!!

Buy the book - its really interesting. Thanks sleepingbeauty by the way for mentioning it

G-funk :D
 
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