Azraelle
Sat, Jun-12-04, 00:26
When my ex-wife and I , together with our 5 children, were diagnosed with varying stages of ADHD and OCD back in 1995, by a Clinical Psychologist MD specializing in ADHD/OCD/Tourettes, I learned that he had it too. He didn't believe it was real until the invention of PET Scans, around 1991, proved significant differences in the glucose metabolism of the frontal cortex of the brain of those who were then postulated to have it, and then he found that he was one of the lucky ones as well. I saw what he was taking--5 different medications, including Paxil--3 to combat the effects of his particularly acute case, and 3 to counteract the side-effects of the first 3.
I asked him how the devil he ever made it through med school, with the problems in concentration that he obviously had.
His answer? "I self-medicated. I smoked 3 packs a day. Nicotine is a good nervous system stimulant, almost as effective as Ritalin or Adderal. But it has nasty side effects, including addiction"
I am just wondering if many here may have ADHD or OCD and may, even unconsciously, be "self-medicating", e.g. "kicking the habit" may involve more of a psychological hardship than just nicotine withdrawl. No I don't smoke, never have, never will. But if the figure of 10-15% of the population may have some form of ADHD/OCD is accurate, and I believe it is, I have to believe that there is more to nicotine addiction than has been brought to light heretofore.
I asked him how the devil he ever made it through med school, with the problems in concentration that he obviously had.
His answer? "I self-medicated. I smoked 3 packs a day. Nicotine is a good nervous system stimulant, almost as effective as Ritalin or Adderal. But it has nasty side effects, including addiction"
I am just wondering if many here may have ADHD or OCD and may, even unconsciously, be "self-medicating", e.g. "kicking the habit" may involve more of a psychological hardship than just nicotine withdrawl. No I don't smoke, never have, never will. But if the figure of 10-15% of the population may have some form of ADHD/OCD is accurate, and I believe it is, I have to believe that there is more to nicotine addiction than has been brought to light heretofore.