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Originally Posted by chaotic13
Simcha,
I find now that I am on medication that I tend to forget what it was like without medication. I also find myself questioning if I REALLY have ADHD and if I should REALLY be taking medication for it or just accepting myself the way I am naturally.
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Do you question if you really have whatever your other diagnosis are too, or just ADHD? I am not of the opinion that medication should be the only treatment for ADHD, nor do I find it necessary in all cases of ADHD; however, I do think that some mitigating measures should be used, preferably therapy with a psychologist or other specialist who has experience and skill in adult ADHD. Because of the lack of insight, someone to monitor progress is a good idea, IMO.
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For example I forgot to take my Adderall today and have really been walking around in a bit of a fog today. I can still work, but I've noticed several times today that I have floated off on people in mid conversation. I also wanted to take something with me to class with me today, took the time to find it, set it out in plain sight, and still left it behind. So one day off the medication and I've been reminded of what my days were like be for the Adderall. I definately work better ON medication than OFF, but ... is it really necessary? I can still function? I guess I will alway be reassessing these questions. I think for me I had reached a point where my life was totally out of balance and I could no longer cope with life AND ADHD. Now that I have gotten my life a bit more in balance issues associated with ADHD are a bit more manageable.
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Chaotic--finally someone who makes some sense to me.
If the symptoms of ADHD interfere with your life in a negative way, then I would definitely say it is worthwhile to seek treatment to mitigate the negative symptomatology. Can you still function without the medication? OF COURSE! You can function until you encounter something that your life's demands outpace what you can handle effectively. Does taking medication bother you? I don't like to take mine, as I feel a slave to it at times (if that makes sense), but I realize that 9 out of 10 times it is more helpful than not. I'm thinking of switching my meds to something else though to see if it works better.
Do you talk to your T about your ADHD related issues as well?
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As for no longer connecting with other ADHD sufferers, I'm not to that point yet. I do find myself observing other peoples' behavior and wondering about it. I don't think I have become intolerable of other sufferers. I think I am a bit more sensative about random comments about ADHD or the person who the minute they struggle with something immediately want to Dx themselves with ADHD. I think everyone can struggle with attention problems, disorganization, forgetfulness, hyperactivity, floating off  etc... I just struggle with where to draw the line.
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I am not intolerable of other people, and if it came off that way it was not intended. I have lost some of my patience and I find I am much I do not connect with most people with ADHD that I have ever met in my life, but then again most of them ARE NOT TREATED for their ADHD and remind me of people spinning in figure eights, fruitlessly.
I too am pretty sensitive as well to the random comments about ADHD or the self-labelers who encounter hardship in a certain area and dx themselves with ADHD. If you notice this type of person, they almost never are serious enough to seek out a therapist to see if they actually have a disorder, be it ADHD or something else; they are often more interested in labeling themselves with it than really doing something about their problems. That in itself is frustrating enough.
Off to bed with me.