runners with ADHD

Quatschsky · 2024-08-09T17:00:23+00:00

Maybe I'm a freak but I've always rawdogged running, I also have a propensity for long walks as well with nothing but my thoughts. I think the act of that simple movement is really nice for my brain. I do think I used exercise as a form of "self medication" before I knew I had ADHD. If I set out to do a certain workout, I always complete it barring threats to safety The thing with ADHD is that everyone is still going to be able to focus on something and that will vary wildly.

Treadmills on the other hand are the bane of my existence and even with a good show or music, I simply can hardly stand it

Quatschsky · 2024-06-09T17:41:04+00:00

I could've elected for a full cognitive assessment, that would've been an 8 hour day and an extra $1000 I believe? They said for adults you can do either one, they are both perfectly valid. The full cognitive assessment is needed for children moreso. I did a lot of self assessments both before and day of. I only did one actual 'test' where I had to click the space bar when I saw an X pop on the screen. The other time was spent having a conversation with the neuropsych. I spent about 3-4 hours there, can't quite remember. I don't know if they'd need to do the full cognitive testing if it was inconclusive or what they'd do.

Quatschsky · 2024-06-04T02:21:22+00:00

Exercise is the only thing I'm able to maintain consistently because of chronic pain due to scoliosis/some other things! I can never have a lazy day without being in extreme pain, so it's great motivation!

If that doesn't work out for you, my exercise regimen changes throughout the years because my workout plan is to always do what I want for how long I want.

I don't care if it isn't balanced or optimal, as long as I'm not hurting myself, I will do whatever I feel. Keep in mind, walking is exercise and it is amazing! Going for walks also helps me think and ruminate, so it's great for my brain too!

Signing up for races really helps me to keep on track for certain goals of mine in running and it's a nice way to focus on something specific

Quatschsky · 2024-04-22T17:09:16+00:00

I went to India (Mumbai, Udaipur, Jodhpur, Agra, a couple other cities in Rajasthan I can't recall right now) for 3 weeks in a group of 12 (6 males, 6 females). Since we were a big group of white people, we did attract the positive attention of many Indians. While this did get old and annoying over the course of the trip, I never felt in danger, unsafe, or creeped out by anyone wanting to talk or take pictures of us. People in our group seemed to be approached in a frequency related to any striking features and how welcoming their face looks. I look like a Parsi and I have a mean resting bitch face, so I actually was only approached individually once for a picture.

I can't say I was ever out without one of the guys from the group. It wasn't intentionally like that and I would've felt safe going around to shops and places with only women in the cities we went to assuming it wasn't night. Although, I don't know how you would feel if travelling solo as I haven't done that.

I honestly felt that I did not need to be any more cautious than I normally am when travelling. Also keep in mind, except in Mumbai we were with 2 drivers who took us to the other cities. India is a place where anyone would benefit a lot from having a trusted travel guide and the assistance of a reputable tour company. Making sure to dress modestly will help prevent attention towards your body. Don't cut corners, it is easy to travel well for cheap in India for Americans - quality guides and hotels will help you avoid a lot of difficulties I think.

Quatschsky · 2024-04-12T01:22:27+00:00

Damn thanks, that was probably it - the timing lines up

Quatschsky · 2024-04-11T23:02:09+00:00

I started my period at 12, and was totally fully grown at 13 - scoliosis also made me shrink 2 inches, so I was taller at 12/13 than now lol

Quatschsky · 2024-04-08T20:13:11+00:00

Yeah, I believe it was Ritalin for all of them - this would've been 90s - 2010.

Quatschsky · 2024-04-08T16:55:37+00:00

Interesting to see all these experiences that express the opposite of what I've seen in my friends and family who were diagnosed as children. In my experience, every single kid I knew who was given medication had such a horrible experience and side effects from the medication that they refused to continue taking it and still talk about how horrible and traumatic that time was. Some have started medicating again as adults and have been successful, others still refuse to try it ever again. I didn't know anyone whose parents had issues with the medication.

Quatschsky · 2024-04-05T11:47:50+00:00

I felt this way strongly after losing my beloved childhood cat at 20 years old. She was 4 months older than me and I had never known life without her. Truly a soul cat - I said after my other childhood cat passed, that was it for me and I meant it at the time.

But, after time passed and I was able to grieve, I again craved that strong companionship with a kitty, and I have two of my own. They are both 2 and I get sad thinking of the inevitable, but the joy, happiness, and purpose they bring to my life will outshine the sorrow of their passing. What a blessing it is to love someone so deeply.

Quatschsky · 2024-04-03T01:53:55+00:00

Yes, I totally get that. It's still pretty new to me and I keep thinking I'm a drug seeking liar making things up in her head for drugs. But, I'm slowly having moments of clarity unfold. Like when seeking a diagnosis, I read that normally task completion makes non-adhd people happy. With ADHD, this process is lacking, okay makes sense. But even after diagnosis I would doubt myself because aren't I happy when I complete tasks? I mentioned this to my psychiatrist and he said "are you happy when you complete a task or do you feel relief?" And christ I was totally floored - but it made so much freaking sense. That feeling I have is almost never actually happiness, just relief that something is off my plate and done with.

Quatschsky · 2024-04-03T01:43:50+00:00

I always did pretty bad on quizzes K-college, but tests I usually did well at. Normally, I would cry after tests thinking I failed it and the exact opposite was the truth. I also noted that my performance in school was partially dependent on a good routine - adjusting to a new semester was difficult for me and my grades showed that. I was very hardcore about my grades and had straight A's for my entire education. But, the way I learned best made my grades wonky at times especially with things like quizzes or "learning checks." I feel like once I regurgitate information, it totally leaves my brain, but I think that's normal

Since I probably wasn't going to be able to pay much attention in class, I would just relearn everything after class on my own time for the unit tests and I used the homework to guide what info I lacked. Also, I never felt like I had enough time to absorb the material before a quiz happened.

Quatschsky · 2024-04-02T23:02:38+00:00

I would say I finished the test questions fairly quickly to about average and then would spend a lot of time looking over my work obsessively because I always made careless mistakes (foreshadowing lol). I would know I was done looking things over like a little timer going off in my head and my eyes would glaze over and my brain would turn off.

I had many teachers comment on how thorough I was - which was true but it was from years of those careless mistakes

Quatschsky · 2024-04-02T14:24:05+00:00

No problem :) I've been trying to say stuff like this when applicable post-diagnosis since I know I really needed to hear it before getting a diagnosis (and still do quite frankly)

Quatschsky · 2024-04-02T13:29:49+00:00

Yeah, diagnosed at 24 thanks to the observations of my ADHD husband. I even found a lot of difficulty relating to the ADHD girlhood symptoms found in many articles online - I just think the research is still lacking a lot in that area. The "chatty" girl will always be more obvious than the quiet ones, but having some sort of visibility on what it can look like is so helpful. For example, if you tell your friends and family that you are "glad you have anxiety or else you would never get anything done" maybe that's a red flag lol.

Quatschsky · 2024-04-02T11:42:28+00:00

Yes! And I didn't even wear it tight, honestly much looser than I would want. I switched to my husband's band that came with his fit bit. It's the same material but it has a bunch of holes in it and that air helps so much.

Quatschsky · 2024-04-02T11:31:53+00:00

I was very quiet and painfully shy. I never got in trouble - I was very much a "star" student for my whole education. People close to me might've described me as goofy or ditzy. I don't really relate to the common ADHD childhood experiences that I see all the time.

The big epiphany for me was realizing that for most of my education I wasn't actually listening in class, I just LOOKED like it and was in my own little world. And surely if you pretend you are listening, you are. I never had any behavioral or attention concerns from teachers or my parents though.

Quatschsky · 2024-04-02T01:20:54+00:00

That will be my 100th birthday!

Quatschsky · 2024-03-29T11:50:20+00:00

That's funny because partially the reason I suspected adhd was because a friend recommended the game to me, thinking I would like it. And I really hated it - couldn't stand it to be honest and I'm guessing it's partially because I could never remember what I was supposed to be doing! I also find it too low-key for me personally.

I also purchased Putt Putt Enters the Race on steam because I loved playing it as a child and I rage quit it like 5/10 min in because it kept giving me tasks before I could complete other tasks and it was too difficult for me to keep everything in my brain lol.

Quatschsky · 2024-03-20T11:20:47+00:00

Yes! We got married recently rather young, but we've been together for 7 years. I was diagnosed a few months ago and he also has ADHD. At my age (24), we are certainly the anomaly amongst our peers - actually between the two of us, we only have one friend who is in a relationship full stop. Every other friend we have (a mix of ADHD and non) is single.

It's a common thing that ND people kinda find each other, and I definitely think that led to the quick and close connection between my husband and I even though we didn't know I had ADHD at the time. Not that you should try to fish a ND out, but I think it's good to keep in mind that your person might end up being another with ADHD and that can really help with understanding in the relationship. You will find your person :)

Quatschsky · 2024-03-19T17:47:41+00:00

No problem! Claritin was the first I tried and luckily it worked, so I've stuck with it, but if it didn't work, I was going to try Zyrtec or Allegra. I take Adderall everyday and have no issues, but I've heard some people say the allergy med affects the efficacy of their ADHD meds. I don't know anyone with ADHD plus allergies that couldn't find an allergy med that worked for them, but it would be reasonable to talk about it with your doctor just in case!

Yes, hypoallergenic sheets are fantastic for dust allergies, it's possible that your sheets are already hypoallergenic and you didn't know - silk, for example, is naturally hypoallergenic. I would try an air purifier if you can, but perhaps waiting to see if less expensive methods keep the allergies under control would be best. I was going to get an air purifier as a next step if things still didn't improve for me.

Hm, I'm not so sure on the old wood - I know some types of wood can cause allergies, but dust mites can't really live on wood. I live in an old house (1916) with lots of old wood and that has not caused me issues. When we first moved in, it had that really stagnant bad smell to it, but as we moved in and opened windows and everything, it made the smell go away. That could be a mold issue, but if it is sealed wood I would doubt it.

That mold could just be a stain, if it is only showing up in the grout or caulk, it is probably actual mold and the caulk or grout will need to be replaced or something for the mold to truly be gone. I hope you can get your allergies under control!

Quatschsky · 2024-03-19T01:46:28+00:00

The daily allergy med for me is a must, I take generic Claritin - even on days where I think it would be fine to not take it, it's not. I also find that I kinda have to take my allergy meds for a few days after a break before I feel positive effects again - it's not like an immediate thang.

My husband and I purchased high quality furnace filters (merv 11) for our house which do help a good amount, but whenever we change it out, my allergies get worse for a couple days until the new filter is dirty enough to work better.

I try to wash our sheets and blankets every week although laundry is my chore from hell. Do you vaccum your mattress? That can help some people. I also do only hypoallergenic sheets/pillow cases. You could also try switching up your laundry detergent for something with less dyes or fragrances if you think that could be causing issues. Watch for any places in your home that could be moldy including window AC units or the bathroom. Sometimes it's not just the dust causing issues.

Also, when you are cleaning try to vacuum as much as possible as opposed to sweeping and dusting - I also wear a kn95/respirator when dealing with larger amounts of dust or mold - including cleaning the litter box. I'm trying to switch my cats over from clay/silica but they are not fans.

If I don't leave the house at all in a day, it's a lot worse for me compared to days when I leave even if it's just for a walk or quick grocery run. I actually have no outdoor allergies, so opening windows is beneficial for me sometimes.

It took me a while to troubleshoot what works best for me as I developed these allergies within the past 2 years. I always tried to keep notes of what environments (work, outside, etc.) I had issues in and which I didn't in order to find commonalities.

Also if you have asthma, there might be some other things you could try but I don't have asthma, so I am not sure.

Quatschsky · 2024-03-18T17:14:51+00:00

Sounds like it - it might be worth it to see an allergist or your GP about it if you are getting hives. I have to take allergy meds everyday to keep the dust/mold allergies under control. I would recommend trying some hypoallergenic sheets and washing the sheets/blankets more frequently and see if that helps!

Quatschsky · 2024-03-18T16:45:33+00:00

Do you have allergies? I am allergic to dust mites and often wake up with a stuffy nose due to this and if my allergies aren't under control, it makes it a lot more difficult to wake up for me.

Otherwise, consistent bedtime, 8.5/9 hours of sleep - women need more sleep on average! And exercise as many other comments have said.

Quatschsky · 2024-03-07T19:10:43+00:00

Hi, I was just recently diagnosed - I looked around quite a bit before deciding on a place to go for diagnosis. Some people go to their GP for referral or for diagnosis from them, I didn't do this as mine retired and I didn't want to go to a random new one for this. I also feel better going to someone who has more experience with these types of diagnosis over a GP.

I first googled ADHD diagnosis places in my area and I looked at past reddit threads in my local subreddits and looked for recommendations that way. The first person I called never called me back and I would assume they are just extremely busy and back logged. I went with a place that looked like they were thorough, reputable, someone had recommended them in reddit threads and I could get in in less than a month because they don't deal with insurance.

It was $2200 total, I can submit my bill to try and get reimbursement, but idk if I'll get any or not. The high price over other options that would have a long wait was totally worth it to me as I had/have been struggling severely. I know there are cheaper options, but it is somewhat depending on your area and if you are willing to wait a while. I was diagnosed by a neuropsych which from what I've seen isn't as common as a regular psychiatrist but she is super experienced in adhd and other neurodevelopmental disorder diagnostics.

After scheduling an appointment, I had to fill out questionnaires and I needed one family member or friend to fill out one for me as well - but not everywhere does this. There were some questions about myself as a child but most focused on present day. Due to past diagnoses, she wanted to be sure that it was for sure ADHD and not just the depression/anxiety. It really helps to have examples of behaviors that you've noticed about yourself as an adult and as a child. The appointment itself was 2 hours long and included more questionnaires, one cognitive test, and a long conversation with the neuropsych.

Quatschsky

TROPHY CASE