Disorders in the Playground

[hyperfreak497]

I've been struggling with this for awhile, and, after the support I got after talking about my problems on the LGBT thread, I think I can talk with the playgrounders about this.

I've always been hyperactive and overenthusiastic, but I was never diagnosed with anything until maybe two years ago. All at once, I found out that I had bipolar disorder, ADHD, and ODD (Oppositional Defiance Disorder, a personality disorder that is kind of explained by the name). I tried medication for awhile, but it just gave me headaches and made me unable to write for long periods of time.

My entire grade knows about my ODD (thanks to one of my teachers; teacher-student confidentiality ain't as thick as you think), only one of my friends knows about my BPD, and no one except family knows about the ADHD.

I don't know if it's because of the disorders I have, but I'm constantly thinking about seemingly dozens of things simultaneously. For example, when I play music in band, it's always a struggle for me not to completely freak out. I'm thinking about playing the music, what nice shoes the person next to me is wearing, how my main character in my book would handle this, how I'm going to get my french homework done with all the commitments I have, and how anything can exist is everything must have had something before it to create it.

Off to school now, leave your thoughts about my situation or any relevant situation you might be in.

[Nightwing]

I have ADHD.

[Rex Idiotarum]

ADD, nothing that a good dose of Amphetamines won't cure.

I heard hypnosis and meditation can help, but how can I have either if I can't focus long enough to have them be effective? I wonder... maybe I can induce self-hypnosis by playing a game...

[Catch]

Eh, I'm pretty sure I have ADD, though I've never gone on medication, mostly because two of my friends who were treated with Adderall had complete mental breakdowns. Talking to themselves, hallucinating, and of course, the intense desire to kill everyone they knew. Fun times. So I've been dragging my feet about seeing a specialist, mostly because if I find out I'm wrong, it means there's no easy cure for what ails me. If I'm right, I might be stuck on meds that might radically change my personality. Neither sounds particularly appealing.

I also have a really close friend who has OCD, yet has never seen a psychologist about it. He's been in and out of the behavioral disorder division of the local hospital, yet he always managed to make it out, considering it's mostly voluntary. It's a real hassle trying to persuade him, considering he hates all his rituals, yet doesn't do anything about it. He doesn't really trust those in the mental help field, yet he's a Psych major. I make plenty of cracks about the blind leading the blind, yet I'm worried about him. He just doesn't function as well as he could and he really could use the help.

Advice on either situation would be greatly appreciated.

[Saithis Bladewing]

ADHD, OCD and a very rapid-cycling bipolar disorder have been confirmed, amongst the other mental issues I suffer from which have reached two digits. Not much else to say at this time.

[Rex Idiotarum]

Catch, I've been taking Adderall for years, my only drawback with it was that it gave me heart pains when I went on high dosages. Although, I do talk to myself occasionally, but more to sound out how things read when I type. And I do have an intense desire to kill everyone... but I think that's just my personality.

I have real hard time concentrating without it. Like, people think I'm on drugs when I'm not, and a different type of drug when on it.

[smellie_hippie]

Coping with ADHD is rough, and most people rely on a "magic pill" to fix it. Not likely. :smallannoyed:

Treatment for ADHD is possible, but it's different for each individual, and becomes even more difficult when bringing in outside factors from everyone around you.

Any methods you can use to reduce/eliminate distractions will greatly improve your ability to focus. Yeah, I know... not really rocket science, but it does have an impact. Put on your headphones with some classical music, or something that you will not distract yourself with, but it cuts down on the "random noise" around you. If you can't focus in class, sit in the front of the room, away from the window... to eliminate the distractions of things outside or things other kids are doing.

As for the "hyperactivity"... get the energy out. Bounce your leg, twirl a pencil, chew gum, drum on your thigh or bring a squishy ball to "mess with". If you spend you energy trying to concentrate and focus on all the movements you're not supposed to be doing, you won't get anything accomplished!

As for OCD... that's a little trickier. I haven't had much effect working with kids who have OCD. That's not to say that it's hopeless... but it requires a lot more effort, since faulty logic is involved. It's very difficult to convince someone to relax about things they have no control over, when that exactly what they obsess about all day long. I'll get back to this one after a while...

[Castaras]

Probably not really a "disorder" as such, but I have Aspergers.

Alot better with it now though, thanks to it being discovered from an early age(I was 2).

[Shadow of the Sun]

I've got OCD, and I KNOW what I obsess about isn't logical. And yet, unless I do, I get really anxious and worried and everything.

[Last_resort_33]

ADHD and Dyspraxia here

[Saithis Bladewing]

I've got OCD, and I KNOW what I obsess about isn't logical. And yet, unless I do, I get really anxious and worried and everything.

You summed it up better than I ever could.

[Rex Idiotarum]

My Parents claim I got ADD from getting my head hurt when I fell down a flight of stairs with a door at the bottom. Apparently, I hit the door on my left side, and the force of the blow caused the right side of my head to burst open. Surprisingly, that's my earliest childhood memory, I think, because I remember sitting on the stairs with a towel to my head. Then later, passing my grandfather on the way to the hospital. And later, I remember seeing the lights and the doctor, sitting in a chair awaiting the stitches. It was also the first instance where people realize I'm resistant to Novocaine, but also don't care to refresh it when it wears off.

But, I digress. ADD is a misfunction of the brain's processes. Drugs can help guide misdirected chemicals and help your brain function right.

[smellie_hippie]

I've got OCD, and I KNOW what I obsess about isn't logical. And yet, unless I do, I get really anxious and worried and everything.

Yeah... that's the trap.

Intellectually, you know that what you're thinking about doesn't make any sense... and it probably infuriates you that your logical mind can't overcome these obsessions.

The only piece of advice that I can offer, is to imagine that your intellectual reasoning is like that small voice of a conscience, crying out in a very small voice to help you through. It's there, but it's definately overpowered by the loud voice of your obsessive thoughts.
.......... now anytime that you take even a small step towards resisting an obsessive thought or a compulsive behavior, give yourself some recognition that you have given more voice towards the meek intellectual self hiding in the corner.

If this doesn't help, doesn't apply or makes you feel worse... ignore me.

[Haruki-kun]

ADD, nothing that a good dose of Amphetamines won't cure.

Don't. No good at all.

I have ADHD and was medicated since I was three until like two years ago. They don't help and they mess with your metabolism. Don't go there unless it's a strict order from the doctor.

[Exachix]

I don't think I have any disorders now, although all of my family are slightly OCD. Not really a problem though.

My brother is Autistic enough to require a special eduction certificate, but not enough to have to go to a special education school.

To be honest, if you are looking for the signs, everyone has an aspect of the Autism Spectrum.

[Rex Idiotarum]

Well, fine, I was overstating and hyperboling. But I have had good experience with mediation. So, if you think you may have ADD, don't just shrug off the doctor because people tell you drugs don't work.

Drugs sometimes work. And my Metabolism is fine. I can eat all I want and never gain a pound. Course, I never need to often eat.

Yes, of course, don't do anything about any of these conditions without talking to a doctor. But also don't be afraid to talk to a doctor. If a drug isn't working, or is making you feel funky, tell them, they will always help you find the prescription right for you.

[Brickwall]

I am a disorder!

They've not diagnosed me with anything, whatever I may actually have that's so abnormal. Although that just points to it not being a bad thing.

[Reinboom]

I have a small hand-basket of issues, many genetic received.
I used to have a temper, destructive, I focused and became afraid of it however. Whenever it would occur, instead I just break out in tears of a fear of it. Most of my siblings have the same type of temper, as does my father and the rest of the Sweet line.
I also 'suffer' from paranoia, bipolar, a non significant form of aspergers, a mild form of depression, and other undocumented disorders.
Many of these run in the family, and they have been labeled as strongly as schizophrenia for a few as well as had full disassociative disorder develop in an aunt, an uncle, and a nephew. A large portion of my family has been to prison who needed to be in a mental institution instead, and many many more have been (and a few still currently in) a mental institution.
I also have a minor case of diabetes (Type 2 and I don't have to take insulin currently, and don't have to check my blood sugar every day).

For more personal aspects, I also have a semiphotographic memory, but only to the point of memorizing in ridiculous detail things that have occurred in the past. I can count the number of steps on the stair case in the house my family lived in when i was 2. I can tell you the exact layout, and where everything was positioned in of the property we lived at from the ages of 3-8. I can give you the details of a puzzle on the back of co-co puffs cereal box that was sitting on the far end of a table in a friends house the day I stayed over for the night, the exact layout of what I saw of their house, the bedsheets color, where the tv was positioned, and even that recall the race on the super nintendo with F-Zero in perfect detail. This has memory has little benefit to me, since it never covers recent memories. What it does do, however, is also cover all bad memories - things I will blame myself for. Such as spot, my sisters dog, forcing his way through the front door behind me, while I was trying to close it, then chasing our cat - across the street - and being hit by a van. This contributes significantly to my previous disorders when they actually act upon themselves - and will bring myself to tears.
It also forces myself to build fake memories, ridiculously detailed fake memories. I've seen my father die, by tripping over my toys when i was about 10. I've seen my mother killed on a train - in detail I don't wish to describe. Unfortunately, I manage to slip into states that causes me to believe these are real memories at times. I do not know if this is a condition or disorder, but I treat it as one.

The bipolar disorder runs in the family, significantly, and it's quite severe. My father, my brother, and I believe a few of my sisters are all medicated for it. I've seen a perfectly happy conversation take place that suddenly turned around to my brother chasing a sister with an axe. Or one of my sisters chasing down a girl who was already on her way to leaving, and beating her half to death before my other siblings managed to pull her off (and struggled trying). I have the same sort of thing, and these - among other events - are the reason I'm self-suppressive on it. I've had it occur before with me - it labeled by my family as the "sweet temper" - and when it occurred, remember almost none of it and see only the after event. I see the small dresser I threw into the living room, broken, and my mother informing me "yep.. you're a sweet" (which was the main thing that scared me into suppressing it). I don't do it anymore, fortunately, and when it comes close - since I've realized how to notice it - I just run away from the current event.

[Quincunx]

"A brick to the back of the head" is neither a disorder nor a cure!

[rubakhin]

Jesus God, what don't I have?

I suspect the list is a lot longer, but to limit myself to the stuff I've been diagnosed with over the years: clinical depression (possibly manic), borderline personality disorder, gender dysphoria, hypergraphia, childhood sexual abuse related post-traumatic stress disorder, confabulation and some schizophrenic symptoms but nothing serious now (although I still have auditory hallucinations every once in a while, I really rather enjoy them), and my childhood psychologist was convinced I had Asperger's, but I think her reasoning was faulty. I'm intelligent, sure, and was driven to the point of obsession even at the age of ten - it was said of me that only Rubakhin the artist ever existed, and not Rubakhin the man - but that shouldn't mean I have neurological problems. Also, I have fantastic social skills. I just chose not to exercise them at the time because I was burdened with hateful indifference towards humanity from age seven to seventeen. At seventeen I became Alyosha Karamazov incarnate for no readily apparent reason, and now I sit around all day loving mankind. If I'm mad, and more likely than not, I am, I'm mad like Nijinsky. I keep getting told by the more old-fashioned types that I'm yurodivy, a holy fool ...

I was in mental institutions four times this year, mostly for suicide. Right now I'm not on anything and I don't see psychologists because I haven't got the money ... Generally speaking, though, I'm all right.

[Lorn]

Probably not really a "disorder" as such, but I have Aspergers.

Alot better with it now though, thanks to it being discovered from an early age(I was 2).
Same, I have Aspergers Syndrome.

I'm generally closed about it in real life aside from with my closer friends, beginning to be more open online.

Essentially, it's a form of autism, just milder. I get the social problems, but not as badly, and I'm generally able to get myself across/communicate - just really quiet.

To the extent I've gone whole days only answering my name on the register :/

I'm also beginning to think maybe I have something else, not sure what though - I've noticed myself doing things that I don't have an explanation for, and which aren't listed anywhere under autism at all wherever I look.

[CatCameBack]

Some pretty safe advice for anyone with ADHD:


Look at your diet. I know it's hard to control, especially when you live at home. Processed sugars in high doses (soda, candy) or binge eating (or not eating) will worsen BPD and ADHD symptoms.


Look at your sleep habits. Keep a sleep diary, by keeping a small notebook with you. When you wake up, try to remember how long you slept and how well you feel. Include any naps during the day. If you aren't getting REM sleep (deep alpha wave sleep, at least 5 continuous hours of sleep per 24), mood disorders are inevitable from seratonin imbalance.


Look at your work/school hours. If you spend all day indoors, the environment may be getting to you. Take a break to go outdoors while it's sunny. Plants need sunshine, and so do you.

These aren't a substitute for medication in severe cases, and may not be the cause. In some cases, though, they can act to help medication or, in some mild cases, allow you to function without it.

[Cobra_Ikari]

Major depression for a primary diagnosis, with bits of codependency and OCD thrown in for good measure. :P

And a (slightly less so nowadays) dysfunctional family, but who doesn't have one of those?

[PhoeKun]

And a (slightly less so nowadays) dysfunctional family, but who doesn't have one of those?

Only as many as there are people who don't love Sara Lee.

[Ranis]

I am hemophobic and passed out over three dozen times in high school. Imagine the kind of reputation a guy can get for that.

Plus, where I'm from, someone getting clinically diagnosed to oppose "the man" would have made you FAMOUS at the high school I went to.

[PlatinumJester]

I was diagnosed with Ginger Hair a few years ago. I always new there was a possibility of it but I never thought it would actually happen. The doctors tell me to take medication for it but that I'll always be stuck with some of it forever. It's made my life a real pain since everyone assumes I'll contaminate them and now I have no friends. My family were even hounded out of our neighbourhood for it and I know they blame me :smallfrown:.

I also have OCD because if I don't breath on a regular basis I start to feel really ill.

My parent's think I have ADD but I don't believe it exists (no offense).

[CurlyKitGirl]

While I don't have anything yet I have a brother with moderate-high autism and severe behavioural problems. Two of my cousins are autistic (one on either side) and Ryan (dad's nephew) may have Tourrettes. I also have two dyslexic uncles and one with epilepsy. The heriditary type.
My mum and two of her sisters have a thyroid problem. Mum's to the point of needing a radioactive drink to calm it down or something.
I have half a dozen relatives on both sides with cancerous problems, so it's likely there's a high chance of it being generic - and I've noticed a lump.
Oh yeah, and my sister needed a hand powered breather for six months when she was five at night otherwise she would stop breathing. That's also heriditary but thankfully it's been fixed for her.
I've been suspected to have ADHD, Aspergers and one or two other things, but so far I've never had anything professionally diagnosed.
What I'm really worried about is my kids if I have any. I'm a walking box of physical and mental problems.

[Cobra_Ikari]

What I'm really worried about is my kids if I have any. I'm a walking box of physical and mental problems.

If your parents had worried about this too much, you wouldn't be here. And that would suck.

*nods* Just a thought.

[GuesssWho]

Probably not really a "disorder" as such, but I have Aspergers.

Ditto. They didn't know until I was already a teen, though, so I'm kinda weird.
I also have depression and some tendency towards OCD. Oh, well.

[Hannes]

I remember hearing voices at some point, but I really can't remember the cause of it. It might've been because I was 5 and had 41 degrees C fever. If not, then... I can't really say for sure, but I think I had an attack when I was 13 when walking home. But again, it might've been from fever.

[Kitya]

As far as I know, I don't have any disorders or conditions (other than the Sarcoidosis, and that's health, not mental). However, the rest of my family has not been so fortunate.

My mother is a workoholic. And yes, I truly believe this is a mental problem. She literally cannot sit still and do nothing. Even watching a movie she has to be doing SOMETHING.

My brother (30) has been diagnosed with severe depression. He was fine up until a few years ago when this hit. He lost his job because he realized the medications he was on were making him feel suicidal and got himself to a hospital. They've changed his meds, he has a new, and better job, and all in all he's doing a lot better. He's even been able to go back to being in his community Acting group who do plays thruout the year, and enjoys being with his two little girls again.

My youngest brother came to us with a boat load of issues. He's adopted, and if there's one person in this world that I can hate, it would be his birth mother. He has Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (turns out he was born with a 90% alcohol level in his blood and had to have an immediate blood transfusion), dyslexic, ADHD, has anger management issues, and some other learning disabilities. Ritalin worked for him for awhile, at least he was able to focus on things and actually get some school work accomplished. However, with, or without it, he was still constantly violent and was removed from our home when he was 12 due to his telling his counselor that he was going to slit mom's throat in her sleep, and that he had an exacto knife stuffed in his teddy bear to do it with. And... turned out he actually had the knife. He's 20 now, has moved to a different province... and mom rarely hears from him. Last time she talked to him, he was in jail for assault. Part of me wants to say he slipped thru the cracks, but, the fact is, he didn't. My mom quit her preschool and all her volunteering to stay home with him and helped him as much as she could. The gov't paid for all his meds and his counseling. He had all the help there was to be given, and he refused to accept any of it. There's only so much you can do, when a person refuses to be helped.

I HAD an emotional breakdown when I was 18, but after some very intense counseling from two different counselors, and taking a course in Stephen Ministries (partly to help others, partly to help myself), I can honestly say I am recovering. I don't think anyone ever truly totally recovers from something like that. But every day I'm getting better. I am almost emotionally the correct age, whereas before, when I was 18, I had the emotional reactions of a 13 year old. It was puberty all over again practically. I still sometimes go overboard on an emotional reaction, but it's a lot rarer now. I've also learned that I am going to get overwhelmed sometimes when a bunch of things go wrong all at once, and that the only way to deal with it is to sit and cry for 5 minutes. I've learned that this is ok. Crying is a very good way to purge yourself of all those emotions in a healthy manner.

For any kind of problem, my pm is always open to everyone, as is my email. I was (until it expired) a certified counselor thru Stephen Ministries, and I really do love helping others, as long as they're ready to help themselves.

[Hannes]

Crying is nice. I think there's nothing wrong with men crying. It doesn't make you weak. Sometimes you just have to cry.

[ArlEammon]

I have acute disconasia, or however you say it.

[Cobra_Ikari]

I don't know if it's really relevant, but this seemed like the best place for it...

I am extremely uncomfortable with intimacy. Or, rather, intimacy beyond hugging and cuddling. Yup. Just...wanted to throw that out there. Mkay.

[Catch]

I don't know if it's really relevant, but this seemed like the best place for it...

I am extremely uncomfortable with intimacy. Or, rather, intimacy beyond hugging and cuddling. Yup. Just...wanted to throw that out there. Mkay.

While that's not really a disorder, it's quite common. I know many people, myself included who are or have been particularly nervous about relating to the opposite sex in a more-than-platonic manner. It can be quite intimidating, rather nerve-wracking, and a confidence issue in at least one department. Since the Playground isn't the best place for an extended discussion on that matter, considering the rules on sexuality, I'll offer my PM box if you've got questions or concerns. I tend to do a lot of advising on the subject, so anyone's welcome.

[ForzaFiori]

the only thing i've actually been diagnosed with is dyslexia, which i've basically trained my brain to work around. (its really amazing what the human brain can do) However, looking at my life, i also probably have mild cases of: ADHD, OCD, Depression, and according to a personality test i took in my psych class, i'm slightly neurotic. However, i'm managing to deal with it all myself. (although i did try Ritalin once to see what effect it had on me. I stopped being easily distracted, but was even more hyper than usual. really helped me clean my room though.)

[sktarq]

Only as many as there are people who don't love Sara Lee.

Right I guess I qualify for both.

As for myself I've never seen a shrink-though I've gone through bouts of major (suicidal) depression and my neurochemistry is described by my doctor as "atypical" with strong genetic factors-though I seem to caught the biggest maelstrom of it. Most of my friends who have some sort of diagnosis think I must have something too but frankly I think there is a massive degree of overdiagnosis and overprescription for this sort of thing. It seems to have turned into a society of if someone is different they must have some sort of "medical problem". I'm waiting for the trading cards. Frankly it scares the bejesus out of me as I know I'm different and don't want to be medicated when the gentelmen in white coats come. My being wierd doesn't disturb my life that much...caused me to restart school, drop out, disappear from family and friends (okay I regret that one), live in my car for awhile, great pain during surgery (opiates are useless), and have to make friends in ways that take more work than "average" but frankly I'm okay with that-build character as they say and plenty of my friends have it far worse. I'm not really sure if someone offered me a magic pill that could fix it I'd even want to take it....ever. I was always a very stubborn indavidualist (especially in my spelling of the English language) and couldn't imagine want to change who I am so that I fit in better. Learning skills to cope or compensate is one thing and some people do need meds to deal with what they go through but it seems now that every second kid has three different prescriptions and people drop their doctors names like the plastic surgons of yesteryear. I went to a very good high school way back when and more than half of the class was prescribed something for ADD or ADHD. As a top notch school you had to be reasonable driven to get in and very smart. Only one guy took the stuff and that was because his mother was a bear about it and had the nurse watch him every day (boarding school). You kow what, they all did fine. They just needed more stimulation and were now in a high stimulation enviroment. I thought then this would be a passing fad like the oversized "shorts" of that era-but it seems to have spread like wildfire. Recently I met several kids in a family who all seem to have about the same level of "issues" the younger ones just took drugs and never learned the coping skills their older siblings did (It's a family of six) the older siblings seem to have got the best end of the deal. They seem to have learned to "channel the madness" and use it to their advantage....OCD is studying to become a pharmacist, the one who couldn't stop hearing "music" in the background is getting his masters in composing and the girl with ADHD now runs a preschool (and can keep up with the kids).
hmmm better stop now.

Well. That turned into a rant.....(shrug)

[SurlySeraph]

I've been diagnosed with ADHD. Though I haven't been diagnosed, I suspect I may have a mild form of schizophrenia.

[Stormthorn]

This isnt very helpful, but i have a question to the person who started the thread.

Was the bipolar diagnosis ((es? Spelling not a strong point)) before or after you got that avatar of yours?

[DarkLightDragon]

I have a mild form of autism, and possibly ADHD.

[The Orange Zergling]

I myself haven't been diagnosed with anything, but my brother has Aspergers and it's shaped my life so much I guess I could be considered to have some kind of disorder.

[Vella_Malachite]

No diagnoses, but I am paranoid, asocial and suspect I have OCD, but that may just be my paranoia.

[blackfox]

Diagnosed OCD and seasonal depression (in the freakin' summer, and I live in Virginia. :smallyuk: )

[hyperfreak497]

This isnt very helpful, but i have a question to the person who started the thread.

Was the bipolar diagnosis ((es? Spelling not a strong point)) before or after you got that avatar of yours?

Oooooh, nice question, and I will explain for your benefit. I like this story, personally...

So, my avatar is what I envision to main character of my book to look like. His name is Jeff; he lives in modern-day, Anytown, USA. He feels like he can never do anything right, because he always thinks too fast for his own good. Indecision is how he spends his life, striving to make a difference, but never quite accomplishing that.

Hey, look, it's me with a different name!

Oh, yeah, and he's possessed by a demon and an angel at the same time. Hence the wings.

When I was younger, pre-diagnosis, I was always looking for an answer for why I felt this way all the time. To this day, I can't remember what it was that inspired me. Perhaps I had an original thought, inspired by my own mind and experiences. I don't know, and it's irrelevant to the story. So, at one point, I thought that the exact circumstance that Jeff is in had happened to me, to the point where I had actual character backgrounds for the angel and demon inside me.

When I was finally diagnosed, my semi-delusion reached a feverish height. I was utterly convinced that I must be under the influence of something supernatural. I've only shared this with one other person before now.

Finally, after months of slowly coming down from my denial of my mental imbalance, I gave up on the notion. But I still thought about Jeff (who, at the time, had no name; I just thought of him as myself), most notably before or during sleep and when I listened to music.

Then, I realized my passion in life: writing. My best friend and I had both had ideas for stories knocking around, and we started to write and critique each other. After a week or so, I decided to face the beast that was my own denial and give Jeff his name. I finally severed Jeff and I from being one person. The other benefit was that I basically have the entire story, beginning to end, character backgrounds and all, already planned out.

When I joined these forums, I had been working on Torn (the book that details Jeff's life) for a month or so, and thought he would make a good avatar.

That's really long...

[MisterSaturnine]

ADD, but mild enough to combat without medication. Still, my mind wanders...a lot.

Oh, and depression. The mind wandering and depression rarely mix, as the places my mind wanders don't tend to be very pretty. Or well-lit.

[Gungnir]

I'll add my name to the Asperger's list. I think it's mostly a problem because I wasn't diagnosed until I was like 15, I think, and even then nothing really changed. I've had little to no actual special education, which I'm starting to think I needed. My late diagnosis is ironic, because my mom is special education teacher, who has a lot of experience with Autism Spectrum Warrior Disorders. I guess I just came off as your standard shy, bright kid when I was little.

I had a small breakdown when I read the Wikipedia page on Asperger's. It was just really jarring to see almost my entire personality explained on a single random wikipedia entry, and to see individual traits I thought were unique about myself listed as symptoms. It still freaks me out a bit.

[rubakhin]

I had a small breakdown when I read the Wikipedia page on Asperger's. It was just really jarring to see almost my entire personality explained on a single random wikipedia entry, and to see individual traits I thought were unique about myself listed as symptoms. It still freaks me out a bit.


See, that's what bothers me about my diagnosis. Can't I just be very intelligent, intensely driven, and previously misanthropic without it being some kind of syndrome? I don't think the social interaction criteria really fit me at that age, either. I never had difficulties with social interaction per se, just no interest in actually exercising my social skills. I didn't develop empathy or desire for companionship until late in life, for whatever reason - quite possibly my extraordinarily messed-up childhood. My motor skills were fine, and, being a writer of fiction, I certainly do not have problems with linguistics or theoretical understanding of the human mind.

[Cobra_Ikari]

See, that's what bothers me about my diagnosis. Can't I just be very intelligent, intensely driven, and previously misanthropic without it being some kind of syndrome? I don't think the social interaction criteria really fit me at that age, either. I never had difficulties with social interaction per se, just no interest in actually exercising my social skills. I didn't develop empathy or desire for companionship until late in life, for whatever reason - quite possibly my extraordinarily messed-up childhood. My motor skills were fine, and, being a writer of fiction, I certainly do not have problems with linguistics or theoretical understanding of the human mind.

This is why you shouldn't let your syndromes define you. You are you. Being you may involve X Disorder, but that doesn't make you you because of it.

...does that make sense?

[hyperfreak497]

This is why you shouldn't let your syndromes define you. You are you. Being you may involve X Disorder, but that doesn't make you you because of it.

...does that make sense?

It does to me. I guess having ADHD, BPD, and ODD is part of who I am. But sometimes, I'm a perfectly coherent human being with normal social interactions. So I'm not just "the kid with all the disorders".

[rubakhin]

This is why you shouldn't let your syndromes define you. You are you. Being you may involve X Disorder, but that doesn't make you you because of it.

...does that make sense?


Actually, "you are you and not your syndrome" doesn't apply, but not in the way that you're thinking. I'm borderline, which means, among other things, I lack psychological identity and can't form a cohesive personality. Six months ago every single aspect of my personality was completely different, six months from now I'm going to be somebody else. *shrug* I like to think it helps me as an artist. Je est un autre. But in spite of that, it kills me to be in a long-term relationship - right on schedule, I start to hear, "I miss the real you, the old you. You used to be somebody else."

And then, of course, they leave.

The only thing I've managed to retain in my various incarnations was dedication to my work, which has, of course, given it a special kind of urgency. If I lose the desire to create, I lose everything. Which brings me to the point - that certain aspects of my mental makeup have psychological origins that may have been misdiagnosed as a neurological disorder. Aside from that psychologist, who saw me for something like three months when I was ten, no one else I've seen has breathed a word of the autism spectrum.

[thubby]

since i was in third grade (im in college now) I've had abdominal migraines (imagine all the pain of a migraine in the form of nausea and dizziness), which until a year ago has been habitually misdiagnosed, leading me to take a whole plethora of drugs from allergy medication to anti psychotics (you read that right). and i think the side effects of some of those drugs count (since some actually caused me to hallucinate, among other things).
as you can imagine i have significantly less faith in modern medicine.

[hyperfreak497]

Je est un autre.

Is that French? It looks like French...

More on-topic, I had oft-wondered how borderline-personality disorder worked. And now I have some inkling :smallsmile:

[Lykan]

I've been confirmed to have OCD, Dermatillomania (which is a variation of OCD), and Meniere's Syndrome. Oh, if this counts, I apparently also have General Anxiety Disorder.

[Azazel]

You people inspire me with your confessions.
It's very brave of you to do this. Many people would dismiss this kind of thing as proof that forums are the fishnets that catch crazies but all I see is kinship, unity and bravery. Well done, all. :smallsmile:

I've spent the past 40 minutes or so typing out my problems but at the moment it seems... unwise of me to expose such things.
I guess I don't have your strengh... we'll see...

[MisterSaturnine]

You people inspire me with your confessions.
It's very brave of you to do this. Many people would dismiss this kind of thing as proof that forums are the fishnets that catch crazies but all I see is kinship, unity and bravery. Well done, all. :smallsmile:

I've spent the past 40 minutes or so typing out my problems but at the moment it seems... unwise of me to expose such things.
I guess I don't have your strengh... we'll see...

Well, my problems aren't so bad, but I find it helps me stay sane to consider everything a joke. EVERYTHING. Even if it's not funny right now, it might be later, and almost all terrible things have some gruesome irony to them. For example, a good friend of mine died this summer--only 20 years old, a brilliant stand-up comedian who I took stand-up classes with (with him as the TA), and my mentor. There was a memorial at the comedy club we all attended for our classes, and for the first hour it was very awkward having death permeate a comedy club. By the end, we were all making jokes and laughing. It was a bit strange for people who came late, but I think it's the kind of thing he would've wanted.

Not sure how relevant this is to the topic though, so I'll shut up. It's generally not a good idea to let me wax philosophic anyway.

[Azazel]

Not sure how relevant this is to the topic though, so I'll shut up. It's generally not a good idea to let me wax philosophic anyway.

I'm remarkably similar on that point.
Sorry to hear about your friend.

Well... like I said, I might speak up when I feel more prepared for the possible consequences. Overanalytical nature and all that...

[MisterSaturnine]

I'm remarkably similar on that point.
Sorry to hear about your friend.

Well... like I said, I might speak up when I feel more prepared for the possible consequences. Overanalytical nature and all that...

Understood (especially the overanalytical nature part). :smallwink:

[Corlis]

You people inspire me with your confessions.
It's very brave of you to do this. Many people would dismiss this kind of thing as proof that forums are the fishnets that catch crazies but all I see is kinship, unity and bravery. Well done, all. :smallsmile:

I've spent the past 40 minutes or so typing out my problems but at the moment it seems... unwise of me to expose such things.
I guess I don't have your strengh... we'll see...It's easier on the internet, where you're effectively anonymous.

Me, I've got OCD, which isn't much fun. My GP also thinks I may have ADHD, though I think I'll see a psychiatrist to get that confirmed. I'd also have to be convinced that it isn't a side effect of my OCD, which can take some very odd forms when it wants to.

[Gungnir]

It's easier on the internet, where you're effectively anonymous.

It's like a confession box with a concert hall and a microphone on the other side.

I also turn to humor as a way to keep myself sane. For instance, I have that Autistic instinct to take everything literally, so I take advantage of it and produce a lot of face-melting puns. Take my avatar for instance. I was playing Pokemans, kicking ass with my alakazam, when my friend, looking over my shoulder, made a comment about it being "pimp". This immediately became my running joke for the evening.

[rubakhin]

Is that French? It looks like French...


It's Rimbaud - and I'm kinda wondering if Rimbaud wasn't borderline himself. It's a bit difficult to express the sentiment in English. Literally: "I is another." (Look up the lettres du voyant/seer letters if you're curious about what he was going on about.) Forgive me, I have a tendency to lace my conversation with references to history, literature, film, what have you. Often without translating them. It's a Russian thing.

I think there was a German film about borderline personality disorder recently, though I can't for the life of me remember what it was. It is a strange thing. I've known some people for years and even if they change significantly, there's an internal, instinctual consistency to them - a certain feel, a soul. I don't have that. Quite possibly I have no soul.

It's also a pain in the neck to get help because doctors hate dealing with borderline cases. We are and always will be half-feral wrecks, it's almost impossible to treat us, and anyone who knows us is in for a lot of pain. We are genuinely bad people. Twenty-five percent of incarcerated prisoners have been diagnosed with BPD. The doctors look at us and think, "Great. In six months it's gonna be another OD or suicide on my record. Gonna phone this one in, I guess." Not that I'm an exception. I'm such a mess that I'm nineteen and I've never had a job (although I've been searching for going on four years now), I don't have my license, and I never finished middle school, never mind high school. I live with my parents or my friends and lovers. Ach. I'm either going to become a famous writer or I'll die as a failure and seldom be remembered with anything but disgust. Even though I read an average of fifteen to twenty books a month, have fluently spoken some five languages in my life (all but the first two were learned academically - and I also have some basic German and Spanish), and I've done some very difficult experimental translations of poetry and plays. I wish I were stable enough to have made something of myself.

Still, I don't really care. I know I'll never live a good life and that I'll come to a bad end someday, but the important thing is to finish my work. That is, at least, the one beautiful and permanent thing I may have. Someone once told me that it wasn't so much that crazy people are driven to be artists, it's that artists are people whose shocking flaws would otherwise render them impotent.

[dehro]

maybe "I, is someone else" could give a better idea of what Rimbaud wanted to express..but yeah...

(and I was soo going to ask the same thing about that avatar representing the disorders..and vice versa)

[Roderick_BR]

I had a light case of depression from 13 to 20-21 years. Was nothing really bad, compared to some people. It just took away my will to do anything other than sit at home and watch TV, or sulking away in a dark corner of my room. I took medication and went to psychologists to help me get out of my "slump".
Still today, sometimes I feel like just give the finger to the world, and don't leave my bed. I usually force myself up reminding me everyone depending of my work (I work with programming, so if a company needs someone to get a program fixed, I'm one of the programming crew that fix it. If I miss work, I can screw up a lot of people).
The annoying thing about depression is how it seems to suck away your energy, inclusive your creative energy. I thank my friends for being around to pick me up when I was down, and for introducing me AD&D. As much as I like TV and video games, RPGs are great to keep the creative juices flowing.
As I said, I was lucky that I got a light case.

[Renrik]

If Asperger's counts as a disorder, then count me in on that count. You, see I don;t like to think of it as a disorder so much as an alternative order. An alternative order which I prefer to the strange ordering of neurotypical minds. I have Asperger's, as do about three of my cousins, one of my uncles, and an extended cousin (my father's cousin's son), and one of my other cousins had full-fledged Autism, but he's dead now, rest his soul.

So, yeah, my family's autistic as hell. Even the ones who aren't actually autistic have traits that put them closer to autism than most people. I always laugh when I hear someone saying that Autism isn't genetic. My gene pool is swimming with autism, so to speak.

Other than that, though, the only real mental disorders in my family are depression (both my sisters, some cousins, etc., but I'm pretty sure that's not genetic at all.), and Borderline Peronality Disorder on my mother's side, though I think that's not so much genetic as brought on by experiences (namely, abusive parents).

But yeah, my family is the Autism dynasty.

[BlackStaticWolf]

I have a schizoid personality. I could quote all of the symptoms, but it's fairly easy to look those up on wikipedia. To summarize: I'm basically unable to develop any sort of attachment to other human beings because my need to stay safely isolated prevents me from getting close enough to do so.

I can remember that when I was younger, I was not like this. My personality used to be more towards "shy" than abnormal, however as I've gotten older, I've simultaneously gotten better at appearing to be open and engaging while becoming more and more isolated and numb internally.

At times, there's nothing I want more than to be normal, while at others I look at other people's emotional dependence on the external world with nothing but disdain.

[Mauve Shirt]

I have epilepsy! I've been on Tegretol, Sabril, Topamax, Keppra and Lamictal. I've had personality problems as a result of being on different mood-altering medications all my life. I've had brain surgery, and as long as I keep taking Keppra and Lamictal I no longer have seizures.:smallsmile:

My seizures were crazy. They weren't grand mal or anything dramatic, but I'd get this blank look on my face and sort of crumple. I'd have an aura beforehand that sort of feels like a yawn combined with a tingling feeling behind my eyes, and I'd be exhausted afterwards. Sometimes I'd get up and walk around, which was always amusing in school, and terrifying when I almost walked out of a moving car.

Fun times!:smallbiggrin:

[†Seer†]

Slightly bi-polar, ADD, mild OCD (gotten worse this last year >.<), and while the name escapes me, abandonment disorder.

In short..my friends love me on sugar, but otherwise worry lol >.<

[Raistlin1040]

I believe I have acute insomnia. Now, I lead a fairly stressful life (Which doesn't help sleep patterns) , but I often have every few months a period of about 2-3 weeks where I wake up in the middle of the night, almost every night.

[hyperfreak497]

and I was soo going to ask the same thing about that avatar representing the disorders..and vice versa

I was really, really hoping someone would catch it.

Another thing I didn't mention beforehand is my tendency to shut down. I have no idea which disorder this is linked to, if it's just my personality, or if I have another disorder that does this, but sometimes, when a situation overwhelms me, I just completely shut down. I do nothing, say nothing, look at nothing. It's basically spacing out on heroin.

I've been going through a rough patch lately. My old guidance counselor once noted that I, like many bipolar diagnosees, go through mood phases. My phases usually last for a couple of weeks before they subside, but, God, do those weeks suck for my teachers.

I've gone into what some therapists of mine have called the "shut down mode" three times in the last two days. Twice in Geometry (yesterday and today) and once in English (yesterday, in the Guidance office).

Rubakhin, I can't say I have any idea what you're going through, but I encourage you to seek help. I've read your writing; with no falsehood I can say that it amazes me. Do you think your problems help you write? If you thought that you would have to give up your gift in writing to get better, would you do it?

[rubakhin]

Rubakhin, I can't say I have any idea what you're going through, but I encourage you to seek help. I've read your writing; with no falsehood I can say that it amazes me. Do you think your problems help you write? If you thought that you would have to give up your gift in writing to get better, would you do it?


Seek help? Can't. No insurance, no money, and it's been virtually impossible for me to get a job. Last time they locked me up they referred me to a place where the similarly impoverished could go for therapy, but not entirely for free. My family just couldn't afford the twenty dollar co-pay. For a while I was going every three weeks, which is no good, and then not at all.

Ach, my writing ... good? I don't know. This style of mine! It reads like it's been poorly translated from the Russian, I should stop trying to write in English at all. My problems? Do they help me write? Yes, I think so. For whatever reason, I'm not the kind of person who will sit down and talk about his feelings in the form of a poem, or write out a character who's suffering from the same setbacks in life. Hardly any of my actual suffering gets a direct transfer to paper, and so none of it is even remotely therapeutic. Still ... I think I wouldn't have developed the single-mindedness that I have about my work if I weren't stark raving mad. The dedication I have makes all the difference. I'll go far, very far ... into all kinds of evils. Almost everything I do on this Earth is to, in some way, benefit it. Every friend I make, drug I take, man I sleep with, girl I date, every experience I seek out, it isn't whether I want it or not, it's whether I'll be putting myself into a situation that I can mine for a story. If not for that I probably wouldn't have the slightest desire to leave the house at all. Although, it's not really about seeking depravity or self-destruction (like it might have been with some of the Decadents, for instance), but seeking beauty, to understand life ... Either way, this isn't the attitude of a sane man.

The one thing, though - those hallucinations - I would hear the most beautiful music. Beautiful. It ended up being the basis for a few of my short stories (including the one I'm finishing up for Iron Author) and a good part of one of my novels, Russian Fugue. I haven't heard them in months, but if there was even the slightest chance I could hear it again ...

The music aside, could I give it up to get better? Never. Nothing, nothing, nothing matters but my work. I don't know - I'm very suicidal. I'm a bit better now, but it used to be that if I suffered the slightest setback in anything, I would honestly contemplate suicide. ("Ah, we're out of sour cream. I could walk to the store and buy some ... so much work ... oy, weh is mir. Maybe I should just mainline Drano.") I'm still shocked I lived, when I was sitting there staring at the gun in my hand pretty much every single night for a few weeks. The only thing that ever stopped me was the idea that I should finish my work. (Whatever that means, finish my work!) I mean, the ONLY thing. I never thought of the feelings of my friends, my lover or my little brother Aleksander, or about happiness and hope, and if I did think of these things, they didn't move me at all. This world! I don't exist in the world.

It's totally pathological, I know. Even kind of funny, in a way. And it's far from healthy. But as long as I'm putting out a good final draft, who cares what happens to the man behind it? I certainly don't.

[hyperfreak497]

But as long as I'm putting out a good final draft, who cares what happens to the man behind it? I certainly don't.

I think there are people who would care what happens to the man behind the book; I also think that you have the drive to succeed. Although you say that your writing isn't therapeutic, I think it is, in a way, because of the way you've described it to me.

While writing may not make you feel any better about yourself, you said that it has repeatedly kept you from killing yourself (by the way, my friend tells me all the time, "suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem"), so it's good. Also, if your economic situation is as bad as you say it is, perhaps writing will help you. Are there any careers in writing you could pursue (journalists, serialized writer) that could support you until you finish your book (which, I personally believe, will succeed if it's anything like the writing I've seen from you so far)?

I, for one, care about the man behind the book. Finish it, then tell me what you feel.

Incidentally, how far along are you on it (word count and how far in the storyline)?

[rubakhin]

Bah, I don't know ... If I gave up writing, I've felt that it would seem somehow ... I want to say weak or arrogant, but no, just ... dishonest, dishonest somehow. It's strange, but the people around me, even if they're totally devoted to me, respond to my one-track mind. For some reason everyone I know has complete conviction in the extreme importance of my work. (Which I really can't understand, I'm not that good and I hardly write anything relevant at all. Might just be a Russian thing, though.) My lover said that the only circumstances under which he would leave me were if I stopped writing. He meant a lot by that ... too much to explain.

Careers? I don't know. What with one thing or another, I had to leave middle school (yes, middle school) and I imagine you have to have some sort of education for journalism. Publishing - I've been trying to put out some stuff in Russia, but since I don't want to translate myself I'm tied up with the translator right now.

My books: been working on one since March in various incarnations, and decided it might be interesting to tackle the third rewrite for NaNo. The second is about a fourth of the way done. They seem vaguely connected somehow, and I've been thinking there might be a third novel ... And that's not even counting the cycle of short stories and prose poems I need to get done. In other words, that's at least another year or two of work. Christ!

Maybe if I fixed them up a little, I could publish nearly all of them. Except for the second novel, which would be a bit dangerous for various reasons.

[The Prince of Cats]

Wow... I felt quite crazy after finding out I have cyclothymia, but I feel quite normal now compared to some of you people. No offence meant, of course...

That bodes well for the future; both my wife and I have disorders in our families on the schizophrenic spectrum (in her case, her mother was full-blown schizophrenic and mine is about as low on that spectrum as you can get and still have a recognisable disorder) and they are thought to have a genetic component.

[Stormthorn]

Oooooh, nice question, and I will explain for your benefit. I like this story, personally...

So, my avatar is what I envision to main character of my book to look like. His name is Jeff; he lives in modern-day, Anytown, USA. He feels like he can never do anything right, because he always thinks too fast for his own good. Indecision is how he spends his life, striving to make a difference, but never quite accomplishing that.

Hey, look, it's me with a different name!

Oh, yeah, and he's possessed by a demon and an angel at the same time. Hence the wings.

When I was younger, pre-diagnosis, I was always looking for an answer for why I felt this way all the time. To this day, I can't remember what it was that inspired me. Perhaps I had an original thought, inspired by my own mind and experiences. I don't know, and it's irrelevant to the story. So, at one point, I thought that the exact circumstance that Jeff is in had happened to me, to the point where I had actual character backgrounds for the angel and demon inside me.

When I was finally diagnosed, my semi-delusion reached a feverish height. I was utterly convinced that I must be under the influence of something supernatural. I've only shared this with one other person before now.

Finally, after months of slowly coming down from my denial of my mental imbalance, I gave up on the notion. But I still thought about Jeff (who, at the time, had no name; I just thought of him as myself), most notably before or during sleep and when I listened to music.

Then, I realized my passion in life: writing. My best friend and I had both had ideas for stories knocking around, and we started to write and critique each other. After a week or so, I decided to face the beast that was my own denial and give Jeff his name. I finally severed Jeff and I from being one person. The other benefit was that I basically have the entire story, beginning to end, character backgrounds and all, already planned out.

When I joined these forums, I had been working on Torn (the book that details Jeff's life) for a month or so, and thought he would make a good avatar.

That's really long...

But i loved reading it. I wish i could write. In my own head, i can put together a story, but after a few hours of typing, i just love interest and move on. Oh, and im ADD.
I got other things wrong with me to, cuz someone told me to see a therapist, but the circumstances are not apropriate (most likely, and i dont wanna test the mods) for open-age forums.

[hyperfreak497]

But i loved reading it. I wish i could write. In my own head, i can put together a story, but after a few hours of typing, i just love interest and move on. Oh, and im ADD.
I got other things wrong with me to, cuz someone told me to see a therapist, but the circumstances are not apropriate (most likely, and i dont wanna test the mods) for open-age forums.

PM me if you want to talk. And thanks for letting me know that at least one person took the time to finish that behemoth.

[Emrylon]

I have Dispraxia, it's mot as bad as it was when I was little. My Mum is a community nurse working wit children with mental disorders so she rcognised it at an earyl asge. My primary school was really helpful so its not bad at all now.

[Vaynor]

I guess I have mild OCD, not diagnosed or anything. Just little things, I get overly anxious if I'm late for something, and I can't knowingly step on a crack or line in the pavement.

[hyperfreak497]

I guess I have mild OCD, not diagnosed or anything. Just little things, I get overly anxious if I'm late for something, and I can't knowingly step on a crack or line in the pavement.

Take a peek. (http://xkcd.com/245/)

I used to amost do that very thing, and when I pace around my house, I always do it in a very specific pattern, without really thinking about it.

[Koga]

Everyone I come into contact with is convinced I have autism.

Which is ironic because I get so many complaints about being tottaly heartless to others with any sortof mental handicap. I don't see handicaps, only obstacles. A retarded person is equal to a cripple person, both have to maximize themselves by compensating for what they loss somehow. "Normal" people never excersize thier talents because they're happy just being normal..


The line between normal and handicap is a thin-one. Because most everyone is a harsh critic to themselves, what you might think is a very debilitating flaw, someone else would kill for instead of having the problems they have.

I figure unless you're in a big white room slamming your body against the walls trying to get away from man-eating oranges that aren't there. There is nothing wrong with you lol! So I have no reason to pretend like I pity anyone..

[prongs43]

I have no disorders that have been confirmed by specialists (I think), but I have noticed peculiar things about myself that I'm certain aren't normal. Such as becoming easily obsessed with something. Whenever I find something I like, I normally obssess over it and deal with it until something else comes along, or I begin to annoy the people around me to the point where they stop enjoying the thing I am currently obsessing (this has happened before.) I'm also afraid to drink at all due to issues with addiction. So yeah, it might not really be a disorder, but I still don't like it and wish it would go away. And I also tend to zone out into my own thoughts while people are talking, kind of like J.D on Scrubs, which causes issues in school of course.

Once again, not medical disorders (I think), but they cause me problems all the same.

[hyperfreak497]

I did it again. During Biology today, we had a substitute for our test. No one in my class understood the material very well, and I was having a bad day, so I went into the test believing that I was entirely screwed. I answered about a page and a half of material before I just zoned out. Like slacked jawed, stare at the wall zoned out. A girl sitting near me waved me back into consciousness, but the damage was done. I couldn't concentrate, and I was thinking about myself.

So I started to write down what I was thinking. I've heard that just writing down whatever you think is therapeutic. Thoughts just poured onto the paper. "I know not who WHAT I am," (crossed out with caps and everything) "We can't just be material," "Live your life to please yourself, yet keep in mind the others in your life. How can you lead a life of meaning like this?" Aaaaand, once I had about half filled the paper that I was scribbling on, I realized it was my test. And I kept going. Literally almost the whole page was full, no white space, when the bell rang. AND I TURNED IT IN.

My teacher will almost certainly turn that into the guidance counselor, who will tell my parents, who will decide therapy is good. By the way, those were the most mild, yet still memorable things I wrote down. I dipped into obscenity a few times. But, damn it, I can't remember everything. After having read the "This Is So Messed Up I Don't Even Have Words..." article, I wouldn't be surprised to find out that I just wrote about how much humanity sucks for the 45-minute period. I'm so screwed...

[rubakhin]

I feel for you. I did the same thing once or twice. I used to get catatonic episodes all the time when I was still in school. Except instead of writing I just drew eyes all over the paper. Schizophrenic-looking, abstract eyes. Scared the hell out of the counselors.

[captain_decadence]

I have ADHD (there is no such thing as simple ADD anymore, sorry to the people who say they have it, it's been struck from the DSM) and I have been diagnosed with a mild panic disorder, though it's mostly gone now. I have never believed in self-diagnosis, because even though I study these diseases for a living, I live inside my own head too much to accurately say what kinds of disorders I have.

Also, I've seen this in a few of the posts and its one of my pet-peeves so sorry if this sounds high and mighty or rantish. Bi-polar Disorder is not mood swings. Not at all. Not in any way. Bi-polar disorder is not changing how you feel in a rapid manner from sad to happy or sad to angry. Bi-polar disorder is a rather slow process of oscillating manic (extreme highs, not happiness or anger but the belief that one can do anything and has a mind racing and filled with possibilities) and lows (usually seen as severe depression but can be not as bad in some cases). Even rapid-cycling Bi-polars do not go through either of these in a single day, it takes them over a month to go from one to the other with a pretty good amount of time "in-between" where you don't seem to be truly having a disorder. Most bi-polars have long long amounts of time in each phase, sometimes over a year. It's not mood swings and people who blame their mood swings on being "kinda bi-polar" make me a bit angry.

[/rant]

[Rex Idiotarum]

Just cause we can sit still for five minutes doesn't mean our minds can.

[captain_decadence]

No, that's not it. They aren't saying that you have to be hyperactive, it's just a weird thing they did.

2 categories.

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder with Hyperactivity

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder without Hyperactivity.

The second is most commonly seen in girls, the first in boys.

[Stormthorn]

No ADD anymore? Whoot! I have been cured! JOY! Whooo!

Celebrate with me people, i spent years taking medication for a disorder that doesnt exist!

[Rex Idiotarum]

So, there's ADD, And there's ADD/H? *Sigh* Why do they have to bother to change a definition...

[hyperfreak497]

Also, I've seen this in a few of the posts and its one of my pet-peeves so sorry if this sounds high and mighty or rantish. Bi-polar Disorder is not mood swings. Not at all. Not in any way. Bi-polar disorder is not changing how you feel in a rapid manner from sad to happy or sad to angry. Bi-polar disorder is a rather slow process of oscillating manic (extreme highs, not happiness or anger but the belief that one can do anything and has a mind racing and filled with possibilities) and lows (usually seen as severe depression but can be not as bad in some cases). Even rapid-cycling Bi-polars do not go through either of these in a single day, it takes them over a month to go from one to the other with a pretty good amount of time "in-between" where you don't seem to be truly having a disorder. Most bi-polars have long long amounts of time in each phase, sometimes over a year. It's not mood swings and people who blame their mood swings on being "kinda bi-polar" make me a bit angry.

I'm not sure if I'm one of the people you're talking to, but, just to clear it up, I have week-or-two long mood swings. I'm pretty much on a low right now. I also have very, very fast mood swings, which therapists and psychologists have written off as part of the ADHD.

[captain_decadence]

Wasn't ranting at you hyperfreak497. Sorry if it seemed I was. It was someone in the middle of the second page, don't have enough patience to go and find it again. Sorry if you are in one of your lows. I have had depression before (which is, I can assume, a lot like the lows) and I understand how bad it can get.

Sorry about making people think that ADD doesn't exist anymore. It was a joke (Psychology is my thing and I tend to make weird jokes about it) because it was brought under the ADHD label as ADHD without hyperactivity.

[Stormthorn]

Ok, so i have ADHD, without the H, and its most common in girls but i, as a male, ended up with it? I can go for that. Get in touch with the feminine.

[Rex Idiotarum]

Yeah, give me another reason to think that I'm really a girl...

[Falconer]

I'm pretty sure I have touch of ADD, mostly because my mind tends to wander a lot, and about half of my family has it in some form or another. I also remember I could never pay attention in elementary and junior high school, always drawing, daydreaming or reading when I wasn't suposed to.

And even right now, I'm supposed to be doing homework...:smallamused:

[Vaynor]

Take a peek. (http://xkcd.com/245/)

I used to amost do that very thing, and when I pace around my house, I always do it in a very specific pattern, without really thinking about it.

I've read 'em all. :smallsmile:

I do that too, I walk in an L-shaped pattern (like a knight from chess) whenever I am walking on square sections of flooring. I don't know why.