On day 1. I am kind of hoping to find other ADHD individuals here. It’s a different kind of struggle for us, I think. I’ve been a binge drinker for a good while now, but just learned recently that I’ve basically just been dopamine seeking, since ADHD and dopamine deficiency go hand in hand. Combine that with extreme and constant boredom, and a problem with impulse control, and you get me lol. I recently lost a friend who was an old drinking buddy back in the day, and had another rushed to the hospital for having a seizure while detoxing from it. Kind of an eye opener. I’ve been lucky. I’ve never become physically dependent on alcohol, but I’ve absolutely openly abused it as a way to ease my ADHD.
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Hi there, ADHD’er here. I truly love dopamine. I used to get it from gaming excessively. 12-18 hours a day excessively. And from just any recreative technology. I’ve found that it erally helps to find healthy hobbies/habits that give dopamine. I started mountainbiking. Going for runs. Working-out. But also drawing or writing helps me with my dopamine deficiency 
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Yep - same - not with alcohol but it’s all about the dopamine rush. You’re not alone in self-medicating for undiagnosed ADHD.
Welcome!
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Thanks for replying! Finding new dopamine boosting activities is going to honestly be the biggest challenge lol. It takes more work to entertain our brains than most.
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For me the need for dopamine did decrease a bit after quitting gaming. Also a recommendation I have is mindfulness. I know, it sounds impossible for someone with ADHD, I know I was really sceptical when trying it the first time. But holy shit, the calmth and peace it gave me was incredible. And yoga is really good for that too
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Thanks! Yeah I’ve used other substances, nothing too hard. Kratom, MJ, etc. but alcohol has just always been readily available and quick.
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Understandable: in our mental health-denial habits, self-medicating is the norm. I found that seeking treatment & mental health attention has made a huge difference.
Have you spoken with your doctor about it?
No insurance. But I’m trying to find a job with benefits so I can get on meds. Knowing WHY I seek out dopamine so much is at least a solid start.
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Three major types of ADHD include the following:
- ADHD, combined type. This, the most common type of ADHD, is characterized by impulsive and hyperactive behaviors as well as inattention and distractibility.
- ADHD, impulsive/ hyperactive type. …
- ADHD, inattentive and distractible type
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No ADHD but i got ADD, very similar, i just dont have the hyperactivity. Basically the extent of mine is the occassional trouble focusing and im always fiddling with something if i have something in my hands. But i would suggest staying away from the stimulant adhd meds if you can, especially if your not wanting to be on any kind of mind altering substance. They have a non stimulant medication you can mabe talk to your doctor about. I stopped taking the meds about 20 years ago when i was around 11 y/o. The effects just werent worth it to me because i dont feel my symptoms are that severe. Hope this helps.
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I have inattentive ADHD. Same thing as ADD, they have stopped using the term ADD now, since the two are so closely related. It’s more of a mental hyperactivity, instead of being physically hyperactive. Stimulants actually work great for me. They clear my head up, but that’s just not in the budget. So lots of coffee for me. Haha. Also found that some dietary changes help a bit
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I’ve been diagnosed with Inattentive ADHD with a dash of anxiety and depression, ya know, because one mental health issue isn’t enough lol. I’m not physically running around constantly, but get mentally bored.
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Ya im always doin somethin
Found this this morning very interesting