Hello

Hi. I have ADHD, and I've noticed that there doesn't seem to be much content on the web about ADHD from the perspective of someone who actually has it. So basically I intend to use this blog as a place to collect my thoughts on the topic.

I also have some sleep issues, which at this stage are yet to be determined. I'm seeing a doctor about this and hopefully will know more soon.

A second objective is to pull together information that I've found useful. I've spent countless hours searching and reading about ADHD and sleep issues, so hopefully I could be of help to someone going through the same as me. Also, now that I am on the cusp of trying out some treatments that aren't the standard amphetamine-like agents, I would have liked to read about other peoples' experiences with these new treatments -- once again, something I've noticed is lacking online and hopefully my writing can provide to other people.

Now, about myself. I have been diagnosed with ADHD, predominantly inattentive type, though I was hyperactive as a child and still am fairly fidgety. My ADHD is beginning to prove a little resistant to treatment. After about eight months on Dextroamphetamine, its effectiveness has worn off a lot, though when I started it was extremely effective. I recently tried Ritalin, and it was okay at first, but its effectiveness seems to have worn off recently as well.

I would like to add a little disclaimer: I am probably going to talk a lot about current research and scientific understaning of ADHD, and although I have done a lot of reading on the subject I am in no way qualified to put the contents of this blog into proper context. My writing is the opinion and understanding of an interested layman and should be treated as such.

If you suspect you have ADHD, please talk to your doctor. There are other things that can cause symptoms similar to those of ADHD such as Hyperthyroidism, certain sleep disorders or simply sleep deprivation, learning disorders, anxiety or depression. Many of these can co-exist with ADHD thus making diagnosis and treatment more difficult.

Finally, to those who might like to explain to me that ADHD is not a real disorder and that I'm just lazy or a victim of our fast-paced modern society or whatever, please take it elsewhere. You are wrong. ADHD is the impaired end of a spectrum of biological capacity to anticipate the future, inhibit behaviour and "privatise" thoughts and emotions (ie, keep to yourself inside your own mind instead of expressing externally). This is just the same as Dyslexia is the impaired end of a spectrum of a person's innate ability to interpret visual language. I am happy to answer questions, but won't be drawn into an argument about whether the disorder really exists. I have it, and I can tell you that it sucks.

So that's about it for now. I have no planned schedule for updates, so I don't know how often I'm going to post. I'm just going to feel it out and see what happens. So whenever the next post is, until then goodbye.