Posted by zeugma on September 16, 2004, at 18:15:22
In reply to you all are all wonderful!great advice to link:) (nm), posted by alesta on September 16, 2004, at 17:04:39
hi amy, i really appreciate that you encourage posters who try to help those of us who are having a hard time :)
linkadge, i hope you are feeling better. I am positive that you could get through your exams, but I have been through the mill with psych meds too, and I fully believe that SSRI's could cause cognitive changes.
About a week ago I tried to combine 100 mg Provigil with 20 mg Ritalin. The result was a dopamine overload that had some peculiar effects on my cognition. I found that my ability to process the 'language-like' elements of mathematics, such as algebra and number theory, was heightened; I was able to focus on details of expressions in a way that had never been possible for me (I have mathematical dyslexia, as well as minor but annoying (to me) linguistic dyslexia. These were alleviated by the dopaminergic combination. I am convinced this is because it improved my ability to single-mindedly focus on small details.
On the other hand, I was almost completely unable to shift my attention from one area of mathematics to another. In particular the application of formulas in geometry was even more difficult for me than usual. I normally experience an involuntary drift of attention due to my ADHD, but it was literally painful to shift my focus from one area to another. I think serotonin promotes a lightening of attention that explains why SSRI's can relieve OCD but can also induce attentional difficulties.
There is also the possibility that NE was involved in some of these cognitive effects.
-z
poster:zeugma
thread:391172
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20040915/msgs/391664.html