Have you heard of VAST? It's related to adhd but I've not seen it mentioned much anywhere.
Sent March 2022~
I hadn’t, until you sent this! I’ve had a quick google and it seems interesting—just that it’s an alternate name for ADHD which doesn’t present it in a negative light (by using the word disorder). It stands for Variable Attention Stimulus Trait.
I’m all for changing the names of things to get rid of negative associations, but personally that one seems like a bit of a mouthful and took me quite a few reads to get my head around that full name!
Thank you for being so informative and kind! I wonder how do you know so much about ADHD. I have ADD but i've read someone change the definitions? So what is my new...definition?
You’re welcome! I’m just glad it helps!
I know so much about ADHD for a few reasons. First of all; I have it, so I have first-hand experience. Secondly, I’m studying psychology and biology, and although neither of them directly talk about ADHD, I notice things in people with ADHD that are different to what I’m being taught, so (Third) I do some research into studies that might have been done on the topic. I have done... a lot of research, basically XD
Yeah, ADD is now known as ADHD-PI (Primarily Inattentive). This is because the ADD label was spreading misinformation. It suggests that it is identical to ADHD but that the hyperactivity is removed, though this isn’t the case. People with ADHD-PI are still hyperactive, that hyperactivity is just internalised, instead. It manifests as racing thoughts, daydreaming, and inattention.
I got diagnosed with ADHD primarily inattentive pretty recently. Is it ok that I like to use the term ADD when talking about myself even though it’s outdated?
It’s up to you what you say, but the reason it got changed is because the name ADD is simply taking out the word “hyperactive” and saying that that’s what you have, when that’s not what it is. The name ADHD-PI is more accurate because it isn’t removing that hyperactivity, and is just specifying that you’re primarily inattentive.
People with ADHD-PI are still hyperactive, it just comes across in the form of racing thoughts and anxiety, rather than the need to constantly be doing things and being physically hyperactive.
Just putting this out there, because some people don’t seem to know:
ADD is no longer a recognised name. ADHD is the overarching name given to the three types, which are: ADHD-Predominantly Inattentive (ADHD-PI, which used to be known as ADD), ADHD-Combined, and ADHD-Predominantly Hyperactive-Impulsive.
hi!! first, i love your blog! second, i’m wondering if having trouble explaining ‘complex’ things/stories/concepts could be related to adhd? i mean when i’m not really interested in something it’s very hard for me to explain it to people it’s like i can’t focus in finding an understandable way of shortening a story so i blurt out sentences that don’t really make whatever i’m trying to explain easy to understand. or is it just me,,
Thank you so much!!
Yeah, that can be adhd! We’re very interested-based, so anything that isn’t 100% holding our interest at that moment can be hard for us to put a lot of thought into, even things that we used to find interesting, and used to be able to perfectly explain
I think I saw someone mention this before, but you bolding certain words is so good and helpful! So thank you for doing that!
Aw thank you! A couple of people have said that, and I do it in an attempt to help people read my stuff easier, but I didn’t think that it would have enough of an effect that I’d get so many people mentioning it!
I’m so glad it helps (although it kinda makes me sad, because it just shows how hard we find it most of the time that it makes such a big difference seeing it here).
So as far as I’m aware, there’s only 2 adhd discord servers that people know about, and one is only for age 15-17, and one is all ages but has hundreds of people in it, which some of us find overwhelming.
But there is another one!
It’s all ages
It’s small
Self diagnosed people are welcome
It’s for talking about adhd or just ranting about your hyperfixations
I’m just starting to taking Ritalin for my ADHD (I was on 10mg but my doctor bumped it up to 20mg this month) and I was wondering if you have any tips for someone who’s just starting ADHD meds if you take them? Should I take pills with water? Is there foods/drinks I should avoid? I’m really new at this and I’m still trying to figure stuff I should do and stuff to avoid !!
Hi! I don’t take meds myself, but I know people who take Ritalin, so I spoke to them.
A few of them said that their doctors told them it was fine to take everyday, but they get headaches or stomach aches if they do, so they only take it on the days they go to work.
Most also said that it can make them feel dizzy, but remembering to drink lots of water throughout the day makes that a bit better. For whatever reason, the tablets dehydrate you, so even if you don’t feel sick or dizzy, try to drink more than you normally would.
And yeah, it’s fine to take them with water.
Remember to eat, too, especially since some people found that the meds suppress their appetite, so make sure you eat something before taking it. Food helps your body take the pills, anyway, and taking them on an empty stomach can make you feel sick.
Also, If you take Vitamin C supplements, it can mess with the absorption of the medication, so it won’t act as well as it should. So you should try to avoid foods that are high in Vitamin C for about an hour before and after you’ve taken the meds.
Medication reacts differently to different people, and I know some people who thought Ritalin didn’t work, while a few others have switched to Ritalin from something else and thought that it’s done a much better job. But let me know how you get on with it! I really hope this helped
whats the difference between my therapist thinking i have adhd and an official diagnosis?
An official diagnosis is from a doctor, and it means that you can be prescribed medication to help you. Your therapist can’t give you adhd meds, and they can’t put it on your medical record like a doctor can.
(But when it comes to the accuracy of the diagnosis.... there’s not much difference.)
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