kaia@kaia@brotka.st
AD(H)D is the inability to self-regulate your impulses caused by a developmental delay of the prefrontal cortex. Your natural dopamine production is reduced. You are more impulsive. You prefer the immediately rewarding activities over the activities that reap long-term benefits.
Anything immediately enjoyable has the potential to be addictive for you. You have a much higher risk to become addicted. Not only to drugs, but also to “easy” dopamine-sources like video games or masturbation.
Your shame of not being able to perform despite being smart increases your risk of addiction as compensatory action.
Here’s a plan on how to tackle it:
Get an ADD/ADHD diagnosis, psychological help and maybe medication. Stimulating drugs increase your prefrontal cortex activity and help you with self-regulation.
Get sober! Cut out the addiction from your life - alcohol/drugs, excessive masturbation and video games. This leads to a long-term reduction of dopamine receptors in your brain. Fewer receptors means that less enjoyable activities will become more enjoyable over time. Like studying or chores.
Meditation strengthens frontal lobe activity and increases your ability to cut out distractions. This is the only pro-active thing you can do, while the others are mostly “don’ts”.
Strictly cut out distractions when studying/working (social media, phone notifications). These dompanine-high activties will drain your ability to study.
Stop shaming yourself for not being able to perform as well as other people - who might have a lower IQ. Accept that you have a medical condition and that our modern world with its many sources of cheap gratification is hurting you.
Sources:
Brynte, C., Aeschlimann, M., Barta, C. et al. The clinical course of comorbid substance use disorder and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder: protocol and clinical characteristics of the INCAS study. BMC Psychiatry 22, 625 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-022-04259-6
Véronneau-Veilleux F, Robaey P, Ursino M and Nekka F (2022) A mechanistic model of ADHD as resulting from dopamine phasic/tonic imbalance during reinforcement learning. Front. Comput. Neurosci. 16:849323. doi: 10.3389/fncom.2022.849323
Hauser, T. U., Iannaccone, R., Ball, J., Mathys, C., Brandeis, D., Walitza, S., et al. (2014). Role of the medial prefrontal cortex in impaired decision making in juvenile attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. JAMA Psychiatry 71, 1165–1173. doi: 10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2014.1093