Hi,

I have an adult friend who is already medicated for ADD, anxiety, and depression but also has long-standing anger issues or possibly bipolar disorder. It’s spicy cocktail, and it’s not much fun for them or those around them. They don’t believe in therapy.

Is it possible to medicate yourself out of that many challenges all at once? Is there some central pillar that, upon knocking it down, might positively impact the other symptoms?

Would appreciate input.

  • Cris@lemmy.worldEnglish
    6·
    15 days ago

    People often don’t talk about the fact that adhd’s impulsiveness also applies to emotional expression and action, I had some amount of issues with anger as a kid that were definitely shaped by adhd

    I would think meds would help. I also think that’s a huge pile of challenges to face without therapy and guidance beyond pharmaceuticals.

    Meds are really best used to support personal work and growth in most cases, not the other way around. Not believing in therapy kinda raises red flags to me that this person might not want or be willing to change or try to improve on things- be mindful of how much you get pulled into trying to help, and how much that help is welcome or wanted.

    Hoping for good things for you and your friend, take care ❤️

    • Clay_pidgin@sh.itjust.worksOPEnglish
      4·
      15 days ago

      Thank you very much; I really appreciate your input.

      I wasn’t aware of a connection between emotional regulation and ADHD. I’ve got the latter, but not so much the former.

  • solxyz@lemmy.worldEnglish
    2·
    13 days ago

    From my perspective, they need some good therapy, or something that functions as therapy under a different guise. Medications can help manage Sx, but unless they learn how to examine and work with their mind, they’re basically going to spend their life feeling out of control and at the mercy of some combination of impulses/neuro-chemisty/exo-chemistry. It doesn’t have to be called “therapy.” But they need someone who can teach them how to work with the mind’s deeper patterns and forces (and honestly, most therapists can’t do this either). The only other place I know where this is done is in a variety of spiritual traditions.

    That combination of Sx also basically screams childhood trauma of some kind. Basically they need to learn how to bring healing to the wounded place in themselves is, in a hidden way, driving most of their troublesome behaviors. I can’t explain how to do that over text, but it is certainly do-able.

    They might have to hunt around for the right techniques or teachers, but if they pursue it with dedication, it is attainable.