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Exercise Addiction and ADHD?

Question by RocknRolla: exercise addiction and ADHD?
I was recently diagnosed with ADHD and am on medication. Everyhting is working out well, but I was just wondering if the urge to exercise every day can be a symptom of ADHD? I have other symptoms like forgetfulness, innatention ect. but as far as I can remember i always have to exercise every day at least an hour or I get really hyper and have kind of an “ant’s in my pants” do people with adhd often have trouble if they don’t get activity more so than other people? I notice when i take the meds I’m more able to focus and don’t have an urge to go for a run or anything…has anyone experienced this? oh, and also my mom told me I was always moving as a kid as well…haha
answerer 2…what I said was the adderall DECREASES my drive to exercise…which i guess is good considering it’s something that takes alot of time out of my schedule?

Best answer:

Answer by John
you just get bored quicker. that’s why you start the day really hyper. once you drain some of that power, you’d still have ADHD, but you’ll also be calmer. i’m being treated for depression and paranoia. without my meds, my mind is literally RACING. i want to do a trillion things at the same time. i also have a hard time focusing. maybe i should check myself for ADHD. how did you test for it? just a general doctor, or specialist? thanks

Answer by thready
stimulant medication for ADHD has been shown over and over NOT to increase addictive behaviors or substance addiction

it has actually been shown to REDUCE addictions because the stimulant stimulates the reward systems of the brain in the prefrontal cortex

now that you know how medication affects your brain’s reward system that is responsible for motivations like addiction, you might want to

a) check to see if this is really an addiction or if you are just a worry wort like me and you worry about everything

b) maybe the medication is not working like it should and you might want to check in with your doctor

c) see if you have any other stuff alongside ADHD because ADHD rarely occurs in people alone. It usually brings some of its happy friends like OCD, depression, mania, ect. along with it

the guy above me (john) might want to see just a regular old doctor because they can point you in the right direction for help. usually they refer you to a psychiatrist or they can prescribe you some yummy meds there without the middleman. but everyone with adhd should have a regular psychiatrist.

if you seriously think you have adhd (not just one time not concentrating because your roommate was having sex in the other room and the walls were pounding)
but you are seriously worried that you might have it, chances are that you do have it. thats just how it works. if you have trouble in your life and you cant pinpoint the cause, then usually it is your brain messing with you. thats how it was for me when my parents couldnt find what was wrong. they finally took me to my doctor and i was tested.

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