i just wanted to share my discoveries with ya'll since some of you heard of me being diagnosed with ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder)

i recently started taking Ritalin aka methylphenidatehydrochlorid (prescribed of course) and i'm currently at 20mg in the morning, 10mg 4 hours later and 10 more 4 hours after that (the final dosage is 20mg 3 times a day)

i must say even though it's only been 3 weeks, i've seen quite an improvement, my head feels clearer, i sleep better and i've actually wanted to cook sometimes rather than just having someone else do it or eat frozen pizzas or microwave dinners
I've also been less spontaneous when shopping, which means less snacks which is good for my obesity :P

and when it comes to gaming, i still have a hard time choosing a game to play, but i've stuck with GTA4 for a few days, and i must say.. for last year or two, everytime i started a game it wouldn't last me more than 20-30min max, fx just 1-2 round of BF or CoD - but when i started playing GTA (first game i played after starting the medication)? i caught myself playing for 4-8 hours straight

and movies? before the meds, i couldn't watch a movie without checking facebook, email, steamgifts, reddit and so on.. but now.. 50% of the time, i can watch a movie or tv-show without checking anything

so all in all so far it's a success..

I mean there is much more to ADD than just focusing on games and movies, but it's a start atleast :)

11 years ago*

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Always good to hear somebody's life getting better. Here's to continuous improvement!

11 years ago
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hear hear

11 years ago
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So when're you gonna cook some meth?

11 years ago
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"Cap'n Cook?" That's not you?

11 years ago
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Well, my opinion on this matter is whoaaaaa look over there, free cookies!!!

11 years ago
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11 years ago
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hahahaha lolz. gg

11 years ago
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I lol'd.

11 years ago
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haha i still giggle everytime i read it :P

11 years ago
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Congratulations, buddy. Keep on going and take care.

11 years ago
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You're blessed that you can take ritalin. I have ADD & Aspergers syndrome myself and I'm highly allergic to medication in general. I tried ritalin starting with 4x5mg a day and within 2 days I was in a psychosis. A week later (when I was clear of the ritalin in my body) we tried again but this time 4x2.5mg a day (try to chop those small pills in 4 :p) and and again in 2 days in a psychosis :(

As a result, I do lack general concentration (which you don't lack anymore because of the ritalin) and I can't play anything (or watch a movie or read a book for that matter) for longer than half an hour without being distracted like hell.

Other question... How does your ADD reflect in buying games (and stuff in general)? I know of myself that from time to time I buy a lot of them...

11 years ago
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oh i'm so sorry you can't get the treatment you need :( have you looked into any natural remedies? (i don't know if there is anything that helps but there might be)

oh when stuff like bundles or steamsale arrives i'm like "OMG $1-5 games? buy them all! - but when shopping in real life theres a big difference, i look through the specials and i know what to get, before i just ran around the store getting stuff i might or might not use

11 years ago
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Sadly there are no natural remedies against ADD :( If there was one thing I'd have tried if tor sure, but most natural remedies come from ancient history, and ADD wasn't really a 'thing' back then ;-) It's because of not being able to take ritalin and the huge lack of concentration that I'm unfit for work for 70%. The remaining 13 hours a week I'm delivering mail (I have a university degree LOL) just to be busy a bit and earn some money and keep my disabled allowance (which is pretty good BTW)

Oh bundles and Steam sale... I guess you haven't even played half your library yet :D

11 years ago
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276 games total.. i've probably played like.. 2 thirds of them xD

11 years ago
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found this while looking for natural remedies for ADD

  • Herbs that calm, soothe, and nourish the nervous system include lemon balm, chamomile, hops, passion flower, skullcap, brahmi, valerian, and St. John’s Wort.
11 years ago
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I know for a fact that valerian is not working for people with ADD. With hops I could live though (more beer :D) I'm also trying to start drinking green tea lemon instead of coffee, but coffee tastes so damn good. St. John's Worth is very tricky with ADD. ADDers are known for depressions and St. John's Worth can trigger depressions.

I'll take a closer look at the other ones later on. If there's one that can help, I'll give it a try ;)

11 years ago
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To celebrate you being able to game again, have a giveaway on me. There are special rules inside, so watch out.

11 years ago
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Thank you from that other ADDer ;-)

11 years ago
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Such a nice gesture right there! :>

11 years ago
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Sure is, ain't it? I also won myself something thanks to that.

11 years ago
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i'm feeling the love <3 i have the game, but i appreciate your gesture more than i could any game i could have won

11 years ago
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I didn't check back until now, so I will only say one and only one word. Thanks.

11 years ago
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no worries i was busy writing up new suggestions for the website anyway :P it's amazing the wall of texts i make these days compared to before

11 years ago
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Congrats friend! All my best wishes to you!

11 years ago
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Yeah... Now I'm 100% sure I have ADD

11 years ago
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all i can say is, get tested.. changed my life

11 years ago
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I should, money and time are the sole reasons I didn't though.

11 years ago
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Congrats on that but what you describes seems to describe me too :/

11 years ago
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Wait, usually people with ADD will play most games for 30 mins - an hour then get bored? I guess I have ADD

11 years ago
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it's not that i get bored, i just start doing other random shit.. i mean i can be in some campaign playing like crazy, then 10mins later i've tabbed out and started doing 20 other things and i just keep forgetting what i was doing before the thing i was doing..

cod -> start movie -> checking email -> getting a snack -> start watching a tv show -> checking facebook -> checking reddit -> starting another movie while the first is still paused -> another tv show..

that's about 30mins of activities for me without ritalin

11 years ago
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Congrats. I also have similar problems, I'm diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome. I can barely play any game for very long these days, not sure why really. In the past I could play Starcraft/Counter-Strike: Source for 2 nights in a row.

11 years ago
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You just have to make it your uttermost interest. If you do, you would be able to game for hours and hours if no one stops you.

11 years ago
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Well I tend to be less interested in anything than I was before. I dunno if that's a bad sign. A big difference to the past is my girlfriend though. She is my uttermost interest. And she likes to watch as I play most games which kind of makes it more difficult to play because then alot of my attention is used to watch whether she's watching, ask her is she read what was written in the game (constantly) etc. So gaming has sort of become a thing that we do together. Also since I have over 900 games I can't decide what to play anymore and the whole list of games is a sort of "to do"-list which makes gaming a bit achieving instead of fun.

11 years ago
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Aspergers syndrome has nothing to do with concentration. Perhaps your shrink missed some ADD in you..?

...or...

Your Aspergers syndrome is telling you how easy the AI/predictable the other player in those games is and that's why you get bored of them/ That's the problem I have with a lot of AIs used in games :s

11 years ago
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Dunno:O I don't have that problem with AI though, I barely pay any attention to enemy AI.

11 years ago
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Nice to know you got help.
I had ADD for a few days/weeks and it was pretty damn annoying. I had to keep walking to stay calm.

11 years ago
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had ADD for a few days?.. it's not just something you catch and get rid off again O_o

11 years ago
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It was a side-effect of these new pills that I was taking. I had to wait for about two weeks to get off it because my doctor went on vacation.

11 years ago
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I don't think you understand what it means

11 years ago
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Please stop. You're not well informed with the subject, don't act like you know everything.

11 years ago
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on the contrary.. seems like you don't, ADD isn't something you just get out of the blue, or get rid off again - it's a messed up brainchemestry

11 years ago
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Look my response to your post above. I was on low dosage ADD/ADHD medication until my primary doctor came back.

11 years ago
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you got ADD from taking ADD medication - your story doesn't "add" up

11 years ago
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No, I was given ADD/ADHD medication because the new medication I was taking gave me ADD/ADHD.
It's really not that difficult to understand.

11 years ago
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i think your doc is a quack from what i'm understanding - what were they giving you meds for in the first place? because

  • A: there is no know substance that causes ADD/ADHD
  • B: a regular physician/doctor cannot prescribe you ADD medication, only a psychiatrist would be able to do that
11 years ago
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ADD/ADHD is not something you can be given man. You probably had the symptoms of ADD/ADHD as a side effect of that previous medication, but it didn't give you ADD/ADHD.

To put it plainly, I'm born with ADD/ADHD (which means it's a syndrome and not a decease) and it's in my genes. Much like I'm born with Aspergers syndrome and high sensitivity (HSP). It's all in the genes and you gotta live with it (take medications or learn to live with it that is).

Since you were not born with it (I guess from your story), you only had side effects that look like those of ADD/ADHD.

11 years ago
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'messed up brainchemistry' is putting it wrong. The synapse processing in our brain just works a bit different than those of a 'normal' brain.

11 years ago
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messed up brainchemestry is just putting it in layman's terms

11 years ago
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True... I've had neuro-feedback therapy to help 'cure' the ADD and I have seen how different synapses go compared to a 'normal' person (on paper that is). Sadly, my high sensitivity spoiled it all and backfired on the therapy big-time :(

11 years ago
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Glad to hear that, I hope you'll be OK ;)

11 years ago
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Glad to hear you get better =) I'm not diagnosed with ADD, but some symptoms are known to me =) So good luck fighting them ;)

11 years ago
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all i can say to people who suspect they might have ADD or ADHD - see a specialist and get tested - changed my life

11 years ago
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Hope everything goes OK :)
I wish you the best :)

11 years ago
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I've heard you can self-medicate ADD with nicotine, a lot of vapers keep their ADD under control by vaping e-cigs. Just a fun little tid-bit I thought I'd share. ;)

11 years ago
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Not a good enough reason to pick up an addiction like that, though.

11 years ago
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Well, nicotine along with caffeine is two of the mildest "drugs" we have. If I had ADD I'd much rather be addicted to nicotine (in the form of an e-cig, not real cigarettes) than Ritalin.

11 years ago
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i would much rather be DEPENDENT on ritalin (since its not addictive) than being hooked on nicotine in any form - i have a whole family of smokers, nicotine is horrible

11 years ago
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How is nicotine horrible? Because you have a family of smokers (I'm guessing you're talking about those awful old-fashioned toxic cigarettes)? Nicotine itself isn't dangerous. But oh well, to each their own I guess. :)

11 years ago
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yep, nicotine itself isn't dangerous it says so right here... oh, wait...

HAZARDS IDENTIFICATION

Emergency Overview
OSHA Hazards
Target Organ Effect:
Highly toxic by ingestion,
Highly toxic by skin absorption,
Teratogen
Target Organs: Peripheral nervous system, Central nervous system, Skeletal muscle., Gastro-intestinal system

GHS Classification
Acute toxicity Oral (Category 2)
Acute toxicity Dermal(Category 1)
Acute aquatic toxicity (Category 1)

Hazard statement(s)
Fatal if swallowed or in contact with skin
Very toxic to aquatic life.

Precautionary statement(s)
Wash hands thoroughly after handling.
Avoid release to the environment.
Wear protective gloves/ protective clothing.
IF ON SKIN: Gently wash with plenty of soap and water.
Immediately call a POISON CENTER or doctor/ physician.

HMIS Classification:
Health hazard:4
Chronic Health Hazard:*
Flammability:1
Physical hazards:0

11 years ago
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i think andie is a sales-rep at an e-cig or nicotine factory

11 years ago
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Ritalin NOT addictive..? You're kidding I hope? It's a speed-drug and junkies who can get their hands on ritalin will use that instead of speed. And if you're on ritalin and want to go on holiday you have to take a medical statement with you that you are legally on ritalin (for certain countries really needed or you'll be imprisoned as a drugs courier).

11 years ago
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Ritalin typically only has those effects on those who don't have ADHD/ADD

11 years ago
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Or at least that's what Big Pharma claims. ;) (I don't want to open a huge can of worms here, I just had to get that one off my chest! :P)

11 years ago
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+1 ;-)

11 years ago
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I can see your point, however you also have to keep in mind factors like how effectively the drug wards off symptoms, toxicity, duration of effect and addictive potential. If you look at it that way, Ritalin would be the better choice in every aspect.
There are also relatively new drugs coming out that aren't stimulants and probably less habit forming than Ritalin.

11 years ago
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Absolutely! I'm not saying the OP should stop taking his medications and pick up nicotine instead. I'm saying I've heard success stories from other people with ADD who have managed to keep it under control by vaping and therefore feel that they don't need the Ritalin. However, that's something that each individual would have to judge for themselves.

11 years ago
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Smoking cigs used to help a lot with my ADD. It was as nice to take a break and go outside to refocus myself. I quit smoking a few years ago because of the other effects on my health so the symptoms are back.

11 years ago
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That's why I think e-cigs are so fantastic. You get the benefits from smoking without actually smoking. No toxics or damage done to the lungs. I'm glad I quit smoking and swithched to vaping, since being addicted to something (in this case nicotine) isn't dangerous in itself and not something I'm bothered by.

11 years ago
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As funny as it might sound, vaping weed actually helps me to concentrate and watch through a movie, something I can't pull off without the usual distractors.

11 years ago
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i wish i had "herb" available, but as a socially anxious/awkward nerd that spends 24/7 in his room, it's just not an option

11 years ago
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Good to hear stuffs going well!

11 years ago
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Wishing you all the best! :)

11 years ago
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Here is my experience with ADD / ADHD. It all started whe... brb.

11 years ago
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ha, I see what you did ther...

11 years ago
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i'm still waiting..

11 years ago
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There goes your ADD, but hey, free drugs!

11 years ago
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I'm really happy to hear this!It's always nice when someone is feeling better :D
Just don't play too much :P

11 years ago
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Congrats, that's good for you :D

11 years ago
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Wow. How you were before actually describes me pretty well.

:|

11 years ago
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Same here, could this mean I have it too? How would I know for sure anyway

11 years ago
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I don't know. All I know is that my GTA psychological evaluation said that I had ADD as well. I've been seeing that a lot lately. I wonder if I do have it. It seems like it would be a good idea to get a proper diagnosis after I have medical insurance though.

11 years ago
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I was diagnosed with ADHD as a child, and I can tell you from personal experience Ritalin is not good for you, you might not notice it when you first start taking it but it permanently effects your brain chemistry, over the course of years being on the stuff the negative effects will become more apparent. Please do youre self a big favour and watch some documentaries on the drug and some of the damage it has done, while it may seem to have a positive effect upon starting your prescription it is dangerous. Pharmaceutical companies do not have youre best interest in mind they are concerned about 1 thing making money and short term results is all they have to support distributing Ritalin. Im sorry for coming at this so negatively but if I can save someone else some of the troubles it has caused me its worth it. There is nothing wrong with someone who has add or adhd they simply multi-task opinions on this differ sure, but Ritalin is not the answer believe me.

11 years ago
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What are the negative side-effects. You kind of tip-toed around that and I kind of want to know what you experienced. It's like a cliff-hanger at the end of a season. You just have to know what happened.

11 years ago
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Ritalin controversies and class-action lawsuits and long-term effects.

I'd suggest that you go read the studies and cases cited by Wikipedia and decide from there with your doctor. It is true that pharmaceutical companies are largely greedy and money-grabbing, but at the same time, they do come up with some stuff that, y'know, help people with diseases. From my five minutes scanning the Wikipedia article, it seems that long-term effects aren't yet proven, but that doesn't mean they don't happen. You are feeling a lot better, which is a good thing.

Again, if possible, look at the original studies themselves (it's no easy task, because scientific writing is ridiculously difficult to understand for the layperson; you could ask someone like your doctor to help) and decide (with your doctor's guidance) if you want to continue taking it.

11 years ago
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ADD and Asperger's here, thanks for the post. Helps to know someone else is as flighty as I am. I don't think it's serious enough for me to go on drugs (though, frankly, I wouldn't be able to take them anyway, I physically cannot swallow pills, my swallowing just completely locks up and the pill will never, ever go down) but it's still frustrating as hell to jump from one thing to another when I just want to focus on something.

11 years ago
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what about crushing the pill and mix it with a little water?

and god yes i hate the feeling >_< at times like now (1-3 AM) i get super confused easily and do 20 things at the same time - i'll be switching to something that works all day whenever i've reached full dose of the ritalin - so i won't have "gaps" like this

11 years ago
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I had to do that with some pills, but it's dreadful, nearly makes me vomit and is just generally very unpleasant. Wouldn't be able to do it on a long term basis.

11 years ago
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well dissolve it in something that tastes good, a glass of coke or something

11 years ago
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I might try that, but I'm afraid that pills have a magic "make anything taste bad" ability.

11 years ago
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...just curious... I have both as well (and am not on ritalin due to allergies). How do you sleep at night? I sleep real bad and if I sleep for more than 5h a night I feel blessed. As a result I do suffer of a light form of chronic fatigue syndrome as well :(

11 years ago
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I don't recall ever having trouble sleeping too little because of those. I prefer sleeping for 10-14 hours though. >.< That would be depression's fault.

11 years ago
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Closed 11 years ago by Torai.