Would like to hear from survivors who have ADD/ADHD who would be willing to share anything that has been helpful for them during the healing process.

V.

I have ADD/ADHD/ plus depression and PTSD with alot of flashes of anger....what would you like to know in that the process of my healing took aloot of patience with my emotions and my state of mind and mentality....


Coop

I have ADHD as well, but I don't really have any insight on a connection between the two. Maybe more info on the issue(s)

Mike

I was diagnosed with learning problems RECENTLY. Along with other test results, and in combination with the testimony of my parents about my early childhood, this led them to conclude that I might well have had ADD proper.

So.......basically this is how it turned out for me. I had learning difficulties BEFORE the sexual abuse, then AFTER it happened, I gave up on school. I stopped trying. I stopped giving a shit about anything. I got straight D's or maybe a C once in a while. My parents didn't force me to apply myself so that compounded the problem. Hence, here I am today.

V,

I think someone with ADD/ADHD May have had different ways of trying to deal with CSA than children that do not have ADD/ADHD. They may as adults still work through it differently. Not necessarily a good or bad thing. I had learning problems as a kid and still have to watch what I'm doing carefully to try to keep from making a fool of myself. Hence one of these days I will type a reply to someone that looks like you need a code breaker to read it. My wife tells me that if they had these labels when I was in school one would have been applied to me. I think I deal with almost everything from a different angle.

Brokensoul

I was finally diagnosed with ADD when I was in my late 30's (now 46.) I found that the medication helped tremendously in reducing incidents of extended disociation and lessened the impact of triggers. In short, I spend a lot less time feeling bad and looking for things to self medicate. I don't know if there is a link between the CSA and the ADD as far a cause and effect, but it wouldn't suprise me. Treating it removed one more obstacle for me to move forward in my recovery and my life.

I think for my husband the ADD has greatly compounded his CSA related issues. I feel really bad for him as he feels very frustrating that there are all these things that are "wrong" with him. But there have been a lot of people who apparently had ADD/ADHD and they did things that changed life...Thomas Edison, Albert Eistein,etc...

The worst part of ADD is an inability to finish projects that he starts. It's a terrible cycle. Then he feels so overwhelmed...he can't finish them. Then he doesn't want to start another...and so it goes on and on.

Do meds help with this?

V.

I was on ritalin for years as a child but my psychiatrist said she doesn't proscribe ritalin for adults, I didn't really ask any questions on why, I just trusted her judgement. I just assume there is a downside to it.

Mike