"EXPERTS" Need to SHUT UP About ADHD! 

It bothers me SO much! I hate all of this!

The stigma is so bad I don't know how we will ever defeat it, but we aren't giving up either way! Thank you so much for always being so supportive, Robert ❤️

YAS

Okay the "less friendly" part scares me. I'm not on ADHD meds yet but I know from taking decongestants with similar composition that they would help me. I love that I'm friendly and outgoing, I'm very extroverted, I'd like something that helps me with my ADHD symptoms but I'd still likely to be friendly and outgoing (even if it's not always reciprocated, I like making people's day better), but I would like to when talking remember to swallow my spit more often (infodumping and fast talking).

This is almost exactly my life story…All the Best brother.

I'm also 27, going for a diagnosis in early June. My boyfriend's medicine he takes for lifelong flu complications had very positive effects on me (he gave me one for allergies, the active ingredient is very similar to the one in Adderall).

Yep, I feel you! 🙌🏻

I don't think they read the data. They go "drugs lmao" and start spinning theories from there 🙄 Medication is proven to be protective against drug abuse, violence, addictions, and any kind of antisocial behaviour, but they don't talk about this. I even read today that recent studies about heart health are showing that it doesn't have much effect in the long term since it really improves people's lifestyle choices as well!

@@AntoniasUniverseyup. all "what if you get heart problems from stimulants!!" like i'm not eating chip after chip, cookie after cookie, stuck on my couch with absolutely no drive to get up, move, exercise my body, scrolling my phone for hours. that'd kill me before the stimulants, me thinks

This is what I was thinking too.. like they have NO idea how much it affects us, cause all they can think about is focusing at work and school and how "snorting adderall" just makes us "overpowered" at that ☠️ Like yeah it's a personality trait, a significant one.. but also we have a billion other ones

right??? X_X the logic is lost on them

I mean they could just say they snort amphetamine, it doesn't have to be Adderall - problem solved! I hadn't seen the Dr.K take yet, thank you for sharing that! I'm pretty sure most of us have some trauma, so we would look like the second case... Actually I'm pretty sure most people have trauma in general? So maybe Gabor could do great in that field without implicating ADHD which should be beyond the scope of his "research" (he isn't a researcher) anyway. Also he never cites sources, and talks so confidently at the same time 🙄

And I love him! And you ❤️ Thank you!!

Oh my god a "shadow of the archetype feral child", what? 😂 Everything you said just resonates so much, sadly. And I have to wonder: Why us? What is with this hyperfixation people have on "fixing" ADHD "naturally" and having people "toughen up"? Must be their internalised capitalism or something. It probably happens with other mental disorders too and I'm just out of the loop, but it does feel a little skewed sometimes.. And no it's not cute 😩

Keep reading it man. Gabor Mate is legit.

Wow, thank you so much! It can be really discouraging sometimes, but it’s kind comments like yours that inspire me to keep going ❤️

Thank you for sharing!! I was afraid I am overreacting 😩 I used to think I want help from all these self-help "experts" and hearing crap like this always made me feel inadequate. I really feel for the ADHD-ers out there who are still trying to fit into these standards... Now I just want help from people who have been through what I'm going through and are doing okay on the other side - it makes so much more sense, as you said! How could anyone else guess how we feel?

It can vary, everyone is different. Having hesitation with regards to taking meds is a good thing, you're just being cautious. Taking the right med may make you feel "normal" initially before it becomes the new norm. It shouldn't change your personality, but it may help you express it more easily. If it changes your personality in any way, it could be due to the wrong med or wrong dose. Especially the wrong dose if you come off as robotic and mute. Which could indicate the dose is too high, even if the med is right. The process may not be ADHD friendly, but searching for a specialist and one that is very personable and communicative will go a long way. Regardless of how long it takes, always be your own advocate! As for the stigma, if you genuinely find what is best for you. You do not need to share anything with those who are less, than understanding or respecting of your boundaries and privacy. When you find the right med, you may find that you only wish to confide in a few people. All meds take time to adjust to, but a qualified doctor should be able to guide you through the process. It can certainly be confusing and scary, but once things settle. It may be very healing, empowering, and clarifying. Just keep people you trust informed, take things slow, and keep safe!

Wow, thank you for your response, I really appreciate this. It's sounds like it can be a bumpy ride but I guess it will be all worth it, will start the process asap...Thanks again and take care!! @@TheJoshShephard

Hey! I'm so thankful to Josh for giving you such an amazing answer, wow! I'm really proud of this community ☺️ Still, if you want we can have a quick call sometime and I'll try to answer any other questions you have / give you some encouragement. I'd love to meet you! Email me and we'll figure something out: antonia@antoniatheuniverse.com This is free, I'm just offering, sorry if it sounds weird * 😅

Just emailed you ☺@@AntoniasUniverse

Absolutely, I can totally understand the worry and hesitation. Also yes, in some ways it can! but it's possible for it to not be as bumpy. You may find a doctor faster, than expected or even find something relatively fitting early on. Best thing to do is to suspend expectations and trust the process. Hopefully you find what's best for you. Medication or otherwise!@@WorldOfEmm

Thank you for sharing! I really hope they did and I'm glad he spoke about it openly if that was the case. He has huge claims about ADHD in his books and talks without citing any sources, and that always bothered me a lot. The video Russel Barkley did on him breaks it down amazingly!

Absolutely, and I can understand to some degree. My opinion on him is pretty neutral, since I've only heard so little from him. I've taken info from him, and a few other guest on Joe Rogan's podcast into consideration. Among others to get a broad view of what people may deal with. Mind you ADHD is over diagnosed in some places, while simultaneously underdiagnosed. So there are valid points, and concerns with regards to meds and ADHD. Also the things brought up by various people could exacerbate ADHD symptoms. Like someone else mentioned Dr.K brought up trauma and ADHD and how they may look similar. While they look similar, it's possible for trauma to make ADHD symptoms worse. Another example, which could be a co occurring issue to consider. Are things like diet, and sleep issues. Sometimes people with horrible diets and something like sleep apnea? I believe we're shown to show similar symptoms. But when treated, the symptoms seemed to be less apparent if at all. But again, it's possible to have ADHD and the above issues. Which exacerbate ADHD, at least that's what I understand. Also I'll definitely have to check out Barkley's video, I've yet to really give him a proper listen! @@AntoniasUniverse

@@TheJoshShephard Thank you so much for the well thought-out comment and the amazing discourse! I agree with you pretty much on everything, though I'm not sure a Joe Rogan standpoint for example is necessary to consider 😅 But maybe I'm too negative... I saw a Johnny Harris video on him that painted him in a much better light than I thought and I liked it so.. he probably does get some things right. Also: You've helped a few people in the comments a lot and I really appreciate that! Thank you! ☺

Anytime! I can understand, Joe's positions on it and the way he normally talks about it can be poor at times. Among various topics, but I occasionally enjoy his clips. I can't find the one that's specific to Gabor Mate and his Adderall experience. But from the episode its on, he seems to pretty much articulate most of his usual opinions on the mater. But if you'd like to see the two other clips I saw a while back. The one in regards to insomnia is, Joe Rogan - ADHD & Sleep. It's with Matthew Walker. Though near the end he mentions his reservation with stimulants, he doesn't quite speak totally against it. Also majority of the comments mention how obviously to most peoples surprise, stimulants sometimes helps with sleep. The second video is a just a video that I think describes a good analogy for ADHD. Which is, Psychologist Describes the ADD Mind State. It's with Amishi Jha. She also goes into Meta-Awareness and behavioral training. In her test, she didn't ask her patients to change anything. But the behavioral training showed to improve the benefits of the medications. Which makes sense, since medications and behavioral therapy are sometimes both recommended! I'll check out the Johnny Harris video as well. There's more I can say, but I'll leave it at that for now! Glad to hear! Happy to help! Keep up the wonderful videos! @@AntoniasUniverse

I have read Dr. Gabor Mate ‘s books and watch his videos everyday. He is a gift to humanity. Dr. Maté explained my whole life struggles and millions of others that watch his videos. His approach to ADHD, highlighting the significance of trauma in understanding the condition. His wealth of insights, drawn from scientific data and extensive patient experiences,contributes to a comprehensive view of the intricate relationship between trauma and ADHD. Dr. Barkley PHD is great too. He emphasis on the scientific aspects complements Dr. .Maté ‘s perspective, providing a valuable balance uncomprehending ADHD. The exploration of both experts' contributions enables individuals to form a well-informed perspectives ,emphasizing the diverse factors involved in ADHD. This acknowledgment of the multifaceted nature of ADHD showcases the intersection of medical and psychological approaches, essential for addressing the intricate complexities of this condition.

Commenting so I can reply again later. I wrote something out, but right as I went to reference something. The comment closed out and I lost everything I typed~

@@TheJoshShephard Same thing happened to me in an above comment! Anyway, to answer this question: I would not stay in a toxic relationship if that's what it is. But I do like the idea of first educating them. The more humans educated about what ADHD is REALLY like and how meds can help us, the better! I think this video is a good start, but others on this channel would be good. And Dr Barkley of course. Dr Hallowell has some good books out. There are other youtubers as well on here that are awesome.

Thank you so much!! I'm doing much better and going to post a lot more in the coming months ☺️ I was writing a future community post about this today as someone shared a similar problem with me recently. They said their partner doesn't believe they have ADHD and refuses to support them. I thought "why do they even need to believe you to support you?". It's a strange logic. When kids have nightmares about monsters, we support them, even though we know monsters aren't real. All it matters is they are real to them and they are afraid and struggling. So I guess finding a way to communicate your struggles as descriptively as possible would be helpful. Sometimes the word "ADHD" and our medication just carries so much stigma that it's impossible to talk about it and be understood correctly. That's also why the stuff in this video makes me so angry... You could slowly try to sneak in some actual information about ADHD and your medication and therapy etc. into your conversations - like how do you feel, how does it help, what is different in the day when you are medicated, what has improved for you so far, maybe some study you've read that says that, no, medication is not drugs and not nearly enough to get you "high". Hopefully that helps. But also it might be that your partner already sees you in some set way and therefore refuses to be open minded. In that case - could you show them someone else (like me, or another person's video, or podcast, or blog post or something) talking about their ADHD experience. Maybe then he would see you in their words and finally understand a little? If possible you could even take him to your next psych appointment? Then he could hear things from a professional. I might have some more ideas.. feel free to email me if you need some more help and support! I wish you the very best ❤️

@@AntoniasUniverse thank you so much you truly are appreciated❤️

Maybe let chatgpt explain it to him. Or use Parkinsons as an analogy (destroyed dopamine system in the basal ganglia interfere with planned movement) while one aspect of adhd is a misbehaving dopamine-system in the basal ganglia that interferes with planned behavior/attention. You wouldn ask someone with parkinson to just try harder to stop shaking or move "better"

It's a tough conversation to have. Not even my mom "believes" in ADHD after so many conversations. So if possible and you're old enough: see if you can get an appointment yourself and tell her what happened afterwards. Otherwise: The school psychologist could be your first option. If you want to convince your mom to help you see someone else, I'd say focus on the "I feel like something's wrong" aspect of it and not the "I think I have ADHD" one, because ADHD is SO stigmatised. If you describe the symptoms and talk about what you feel isn't working for you, she might be more open to the discussion. You could claim that it's because you want to try therapy sometime, or you want to do better in school or something as a motivation. And if she is open and receptive to it maybe you could get her to research it together and see what she thinks when she reads some of the articles on additude.com or similar websites. Also my video "untreated ADHD is worse than you think" is aimed at showing parents the risks of untreated ADHD, so you could show it to her when she is open to it. Good luck ❤ Knowing the truth can be life-changing, so don't give up on finding out!!

My mum finally understands that I have it. Looking forward to getting on meds asap

Glad I'm not alone! I found it sooo disrespectful. 🙄 Sadly, my first therapist reacted just like him when I told her..

This ​@@AntoniasUniverse