I have AD/HD like Ben & Jerry's has ice cream. Downtime is a big waste of time for me because I can't ever busy myself with useful things. For instance, I know a writer who works on her novel while ferrying her kids from dance to soccer to whatever. Impossible for me to even consider. I talk a little bit about that today and how I've been solving the problem. I'd love to hear your thoughts on the subject.
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11 comments:
Hi Douglas,
I have just started reading your blog. It's fantastic. My personal experience with psych meds is almost exactly like the one you've described. (I had depression.)
I wholeheartedly agree with your statement:"pills don't teach skills".
Thank you for creating this wonderful site.
Hi Douglas,
First let me say, congratulations on performing infront of an audience. I enjoyed it :). Also i have a similar problem with downtime. I have Schizo-Affective Disorder and there are times when downtime is my worst enemy. Its better to occupy my mind then to let parts of it take over. I take my sketch pad with me everywhere, and ill sketch anything i see but as you mentioned its not really productive and it dosnt achieve anything. Maybe I too should start trying to overcome insecurities that I have while accomplishing something that I can see as productive.
Thankyou for sharing
Courtney
Thank you for commenting, SP! Glad you dropped by. I hope to see you around here more often.
I know it's not popular to say, but meds aren't always efficacious and worse, they can be quite dangerous. For some teens, they've been deadly. Considering that Big Pharma isn't always honest about their meds, we need to be ever vigilant when taking them. Big Pharma hides the downsides of the meds, your doctor gets a kickback for pushing those meds, and you are the lab rat. Then when the side-effects start happening, MORE meds are prescribed to counter the side-effects.
Be careful, people! Please be careful.
As for downtime, though, what do you do, SP? How do you productively use waiting time? Thanks!
Hey, Courtney! Thanks for commenting.
Actually, I might disagree with you a bit. I wish I could sketch in public. It would be a very good thing to do with my downtime. It all really depends on what you think you should be doing with your time. For me, drawing, tinwhistle, and writing are the three things most important to me (aside from all my full-time dad duties). I forgot to mention that reading scriptures is an important thing as well. So if I waste my downtime doing anything other than one of those four, I get mad at myself.
Are you an artist? Then sketching during downtime isn't a waste of time at all.
Great comment. I hope to see you around more as well. ;)
~Douglas
Im not an artist.I sketch to keep my hands and mind busy and my sketches arnt shown to anyone they just end up cluttering my floor :P. So for me it is a waste of time but im glad that it isnt for you :)
Courtney
I guess you should think about what you want to have done at the end of the day - what bothers you most if it isn't accomplished or worked on - and try to work that into your downtime. OR enjoy the sketching. ;) If it makes you happy then you should keep doing it! LOL I was just referring to the things I do to fill time. Reading news isn't something I'm glad I did by the end of the day. :p
I hate downtime. It is one of the reason that I am late places - then I know I won't have to wait. I know it's rude, so I try to have things I can do if I must wait. I got hooked on Pokemon for this very reason. I could take my game with me, and if I was stuck waiting, I would just play the game. It was a game that you could just pick up and play and put down again at any time. Another thing I like to do if I am waiting is make a list. Mostly of things to do, but really any list of things will do.
That is so funny! I am late all the time for that very reason. I loathe boredom, so I avoid waiting. Nothing is more full of waiting than being early. So gouche. I make "fashionably late" an artform. ;)
I have learnt yoga and meditation. With regular practice, this has helped to get over many of the side effects of meds. It can be quite helpful during the downtimes.
Soulful, soothing music also works for me. Sometimes, I sing along with the lyrics
Recently I have started reading blogs-- and that's how I've found yours! You're a real inspiration.
I am really excited to see your blog - I'm struggling with ADD and depression myself, and it's great to find someone who understands the combination.
As for me, I like to jog and think about things. I know someone who always carries a planner and they organize their life. Different strokes for different folks, but boy is it hard to describe the energy that you get when you're doing something you like, that transformation from action to obsession.
Down time? That's something I would love to(be able) use when I am done for the day(home from work). I will go tend to my garden,which is in view of my 30x40 shop.
There it is with all the things I have started to build,or need to pursue the ingenious ideas I thought of that day(the 1's I remember,out of the 20 I may have thought of that day).
OOOPS...it's almost midnight,did I shut the water off,when I started to water the garden 7hrs ago? Get up and go finish my down time! Down time? (I'm saying this with a smile. Not complaining).
Scott
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