YOU ARE NOT ALONE - A companion online community discussion board for The Mental Illness Happy Hour podcast with Paul Gilmartin

I was diagnosed with adult ADHD in my last year of college in addition to my anxiety/depression issues. I'd been prescribed Xanax as needed for the latter two, and was given 10 pills at a time. I went through the bottle about every 6 weeks. I would have used it more because I sure as hell felt like I needed it more, but I was terrified of becoming addicted.

Once I got on my ADHD medication, I found myself needing the Xanax less and less. I have a bottle with 10 Xanax in it sitting on my desk that expired two months ago. Obviously, this isn't to say that Adderall can cure depression, just that there might be other conditions you have that amplify its effects. Getting those treated can go a long way toward fixing you.

Also diagnosed with ADHD, based on adult symptoms plus a childhood history of inattentiveness. On good days, I would like to believe that I am simply a highly creative person who does not fit into the corporate drudge mold, rather than label myself with a cognitive pathology.

Which is not to say that ADHD isn't real. It is certainly a poor fit with the predominant way of life, these days. And because of the problems, anxiety and depression often accompany it, usually out of a sense of frustration, failure and having been ineffectual or incompetent for one's whole life, from the first report card on through the latest firing, or divorce.

I take methylphenidate when I am at work, and that really helps me function more like an organized cog! I love it for that reason. I have tried Xanax, and it works for maybe a week, then blue moods and habituation set in. It's better to take a medication that cuts to the chase (quieting a rapid-fire, creative mind that jumps from one thing to another long enough to get shit done), than something like Xanax or Valium, which half-assedly treats a mood. Self-esteem rises, and anxiety goes away when you get things done and realize that the cognitive fog has lifted.

Since Paul's show is about mental illness and creativity, linked, and he is encouraging participation in the forums, I think there should be a bit more focus on ADHD, since so many people in the public arena, and in the creative businesses, seem likely to have at least some ADHD attributes. He has not yet opened that can of worms. I'm pretty sure plenty of past and future guests can relate.

I would also love to hear from a guest who was diagnosed with ADD or ADHD as an adult. This would be particularly relevant given the current Adderall shortage in the US...