Stressed? Anxious? Depressed? Take Some B Vitamins First.

[Note: this post is still pretty rough - and I apologize - but the info is too important for me to hold off posting it. I'll edit it up and fix it later. Tell everyone you know who may be suffering from depression/anxiety issues about this...ESPECIALLY COLLEGE STUDENTS! For now, scroll down to the block quotes for the hard info on the vitamins, and links to other websites.]

I've been dealing with some debilitating anxiety and depression (as well as having zero energy and sleeping problems) for well over two weeks, struggling even to finish up and distribute applications for retail jobs. I had just about had it yesterday. I was really in the pits and also had a headache so awful that I was ready to throw up - which is extremely rare for me. I got desperate for headache cures, and while I was at the grocery store I grabbed pretty much everything I could think of to help ward it off: gatorade powder (dehydration and a lack of electrolytes have caused plenty of headaches in the past), chocolate (for the caffeine), and chewable multivitamins (I hadn't taken any in weeks, and my nutrition had been AWFUL).

In addition to those, I also had a bottle of B vitamin complex at my apartment. I figured that the B vitamins are water soluble (meaning that a trip to the bathroom resolves any potential 'overdose'), so I took one of those in addition to everything else. Suffice it to say, my headache was gone within an hour - and within 2 hours, my mood lifted considerably as well!

On a hunch, I did a search this morning on 'B vitamin depression' and was BLOWN AWAY by what I found.

From an article on about.com (go here for it):

Vitamin B1 (thiamine): The brain uses this vitamin to help convert glucose, or blood sugar, into fuel, and without it the brain rapidly runs out of energy. [A deficiency of B1] can lead to fatigue, depression, irritability, anxiety, and even thoughts of suicide. Deficiencies can also cause memory problems, loss of appetite, insomnia, and gastrointestinal disorders. The consumption of refined carbohydrates, such as simple sugars, drains the body's B1 supply.

This is what the article says on just vitamin B1. I couldn't believe it. I pretty much had a holy grail to my depression problems - in the form of a six to ten dollar bottle of vitamins that would last me two months. Finally, my Paxil AND Adderal have a shot at doing their jobs. As I type, I can feel explosive energy that I haven't felt in months.

College depression rates are absolutely alarming; in 2000, reports were that 10% of students were suffering from depression and as many as 15% show symptoms. More recently, other studies have shown that up to 30-35% of freshmen feel totally overwhelmed. This is from articles from the U of Michigan and the USA Today.

There's a LOT going on while students are in college, there's no doubt. There are many stressors placed on college students these days - and the pressure is just getting worse. I have no doubt that this is a major factor - but depression makes what could be normal ups and downs into staggering difficulties. It is impossible to describe what the struggle is like if you haven't been to those lows. The worst part about it is that it drags everyone around the sufferer into the vortex of misery.

What I noticed missing from the two articles I linked to above are mentions of nutrition...college students are INFAMOUS for malnutrition. It's highly unlikely that someone is going to get all the nutrients they need from a well-balanced diet consisting mainly of ramen noodles, spaghetti, fast food, and mac & cheese - even if that mac & cheese is fortified (as a matter of fact, I think most of them are).

I have to wonder just how much of the depression rates in the US (which are higher than most first world countries) could be contributed to B vitamin deficiencies. Yes, there are still other, serious causes of clinical depression and anxiety - causes that MUST be addressed for someone to get healthy - but to a broke, desperate student (note: 40% of college graduates are without health insurance), this is by far the simplest, most readily available possible solution (in addition to being the most likely cause). In my opinion, it's totally worth it to experiment to find out if this is the root cause. It's a cheap fix.

Ten bucks (if that) at a 24 hour drugstore will get you B Vitamins at ANY time, and if you're wrong, you'll quickly know - and you'll only be out that $10. By comparison, anti-depressants are expensive, require a doctor visit and a prescription, and can take weeks to start kicking in - and even then, side effects could potentially make the problems even worse. I personally found that the vitamins started working within 3 hours. If you feel NO relief after 2-3 days, then this is probably not the cause - you need to seek professional help.

Some other articles:
MotherNature.com:
http://www.mothernature.com/Library/Bookshelf/Books/10/51.cfm
Psychology Today:
http://psychologytoday.com/articles/pto-20040726-000014.html
"B Happy":
http://www.archure.net/salus/bhappy.html

The B Happy site lists some toxicity info for a couple of the B Vitamins - which is important to know:

Optimum Daily Intake
Andrew Weil's "Eating Well for Optimum Health" says (pg 126) "The recommended daily allowances (RDAs) set by government agencies were determined only with a view to preventing deficiency states, not to promoting optimum health or treating specific medical conditions". levels.

Dr Shari Libermans "The Real Vitamin and Mineral Book" suggests that the Optimum Daily Intake should be.....
B1 25-300 mg (milli grams)
B2 25-300 mg
B3 25-300 mg
B6 25-300 mg
B12 25-500 mcg (micro grams)

So get the 100 mg size and take up to 3 per day

TOXICITY LEVEL for B-6 Pyridoxine and B-3 Niacin
Warning: do not take 2,000 mg of B6 Pyridoxine daily (nor greater), else you could get Temporary nerve damage (Shari Lieberman specifies it as "Temporary"). You would have to take 20 tablets per day of the strongest B Supplement to do that (keep it to 10 or less per day to be safe).
However, I am of the opinion that B-6 may be Cumulative, and 500 mg or higher on a permanent basis, might be what caused my foot cramping (however, I already had a foot problem, this just might have triggered the already existing problem. I could find no documentation on this, but I did cut back on B-6 by taking B-1, B-2, B-3, B-12, and Folic Acid in separate pills for a week or so, and the problem went away, then I found I could take a 100 mg size of multi B, but if I went over it would start again, and after a couple of months I was able to take at least 200 mg per day

FLUSHING & TURNING RED IS NORMAL & HEALTHY: 250 mg of Niacin (B3) makes you Flush, Itch, and Turn Red (around 30 minutes after you ingest it, or sooner or later), this is normal, OK, and is excellent for cleaning out fat deposits in your arteries and blood veins, however, Niacinamide (also B3) does not Flush and Itch (however, it does not clean your arteries and blood veins), so opt for Niacin, not Niacinamide

NO TOXICITY LEVEL for B-1 B-2, and B-12, The Sky is The Limit
There is no toxicity level known for B1, B2, and B12, and a few manufacturers make a separate B12 with 500 mcg, 1,000 mcg, 3,000 mcg, and even 5,000 mcg (take 1 to 3 times daily, stick under your tongue and let it dissolve underneath your tongue for more efficient absorption). I get at least a total of 5,000 mcg of B12 over a 24 hour period (used to take 20,000 per day for a while), and have notices that my musical abilities and coordination have greatly improved since I have been taking the larger dosages, as B-12 helps ones "Mental/Physical Coordination" (good for musicians and athletes). Many people take a separate B12, in addition to a "multi B" (As the amount of B12 in a B-100 is so small, typically only 100 mcg or 0.1 mg).

All-Nighters update!

I discovered an e-book that had been published - no more than a month ago, and ironically with the exact same title as my blog post - about pulling all-nighters. I was VERY pleased to see that most of the suggestions in my original post were either confirmed or reinforced by what I read in the press release. I'll break down what I read:

Confirmed: Save your stimulants until after 2 AM.
According to the info in the press release, your concentration/alertness bottoms out between 3-6 AM because of the circadian rhythm.

Reinforced info:

I suggested with sugar intake in my Vending Machine Nutrition post that a great, measurable way to get enough consistent energy to your brain is to eat 2-3 Skittles every 5-10 minutes. I use Skittles because they're bite sized, easily measured 'doses' of sugar. Gummi bears work too, as do any other candies in set sizes.

The brain is different from muscles in the fact that the brain has no ability to store energy; it takes all nourishment in directly from the blood. What I didn't know is that your brain burns a full 20% of all the blood sugars in your body. I knew the burn rate had to be high, but I had no idea it was that high.

In addition, the brain burns even more energy when trying to focus...especially between those low hours of 3-6 AM. What the guide suggested, that I didn't, was to actually use more sugar than protein for those hours. I still think getting some protein (heck, a non-fatty meal if you can swing it) is a very good idea.

One pack of Skittles should last anywhere from 1 1/2 to 3 hours...long enough to get you to 6 AM. I've tried it when I'm feeling absolutely gone (downing a can of pop), and I've been very impressed with the results. Just make sure your blood sugar levels don't collapse, or you're going to feel even more sluggish.

Update: Downsides of Alcohol consumption

The article/press release about the book mentioned that alcohol should not be consumed AT ALL before/during an all-nighter. I've read various other articles on what it does, and they basically repeated them - "reducing mental efficiency while studying" and messing with REM sleep, which is when the brain stores new memories. This is probably why blackouts occur; so much alcohol has been ingested that new memories CAN'T be stored.

While I agree with what they say about memory and sleep (I will not sleep well even after one drink), I'm not so sure about small (pre-buzz) doses of alcohol reducing mental efficiency. As I wrote in my post on alcohol, one of the other effects alcohol has is as a very fast-acting sugar. Ignoring the drug effects of alcohol, I think it's possible to use it like street cars use nitro for a fast power boost. One or two drinks typically make me feel hyper-alert. Beyond that I'm sluggish.

What it boils down to, basically, is that alcohol use depends on what you're doing during the all-nighter. If you're studying for a test, it's probably a mistake because of the effects on memory (and they're very clear, from an article I read in an old Psychology Today: "Is College Bad For You?"). You probably won't remember anything you learned while intoxicated very well after three weeks (let alone three hours), and the same goes while sleep deprived. Will that matter? That's your call.

If you're writing a paper that you feel is no big deal, alcohol might be irrelevant. I wouldn't recommend using it if you weren't planning on it already; but most of the research out there has focused on the long term (the memory effects, etc). I'm still not convinced about the immediate short run, though - which is pretty much the only thing that counts when you're in a crisis. The choice is yours, here's some info to help you make an informed decision. Alcohol can still come back to bite you, so be careful.

The book is available through LuLu for $15. You can be sure that I'm going to get it at some point!

A Case Study on Draining Schoolwork

Because I was always good at math (mental math in particular), I decided to be a physics major in college. Nearly flunking out of UMTYMP (A gifted math class; I took college level honors calc in 9th grade) in high school twice should have been a clue that this may have been a bad idea, but I was pretty set on it anyway.

The basics were GREAT - I love the conceptual side of physics. However, things went downhill quickly the more advanced the material got. Analytical mechanics and quantum physics? Ugly. I was hitting my threshold for frustration tolerance on a very consistent level...my ADD got in the way.

Whenever I hit my 30 minute concentration limit but made no perceptible progress toward finishing a problem, my brain just shut down - even with meds. I actually got physically tired, sluggish and was unable to think. If I couldn't do 30 minute problems, how was I supposed to do single problems that took SIX HOURS (quantum mechanics)?

I could not figure out how to make it work. Even though I had gotten my suggestions at the counseling center at the beginning of the semester (for my accommodations), and knew all of what was offered within the physics department, I didn't bother to go back and tell them I was having trouble with this stuff. How were they going to help me? In hindsight, I should have gone in to the professors the second I started to feel drowsy after working on a problem. However, that was typically very intimidating - and I was generally unhappy and felt like I was banging my head against a brick wall.

After failing one class and dropping two more, I finally dropped the major. Happily, though, I still had another major I was working towards, and a killer extracurricular that I loved - theater. Ironically, the decision to drop quantum (and thus the major) happened because a test was going to fall the day after opening night of one of the plays. Had I not dropped it then, I would have later had another test fall like that after a different play. I learned quite well the difference between quitting and cutting your losses.

Withdrawl: An escape without other options

What would you do if you were forced into an activity that caused you a lot of emotional pain and trauma? Does the working world expect you to stay at a job where people tell you that you're lousy for 13 to 17 years of your life? Of course not. An adult has the option to say, "I quit," and find an alternative, healthier work environment. Children, teens, and young adults in college do not have this luxury, or in truth ANY options. They are simply expected to tough it out or maybe find better classes (most of which are set up exactly the same way). Alternative learning methods/systems are usually prohibitively expensive - and these are placed on the parents' shoulders to recognize and find.

How would you survive this emotional onslaught, especially if you were fairly sure what was going to happen when all was said and done (i.e. inevitably fail your papers, tests, etc.)? More often than not, students just quit; before having any alternatives offered by the system. This doesn't even scratch the surface of our appalling high school dropout rates: 33% nationally - that is, 1 in 3 students. I don't know how bad it is for college students, though I read once that of a group of ADHD students polled who even tried college (20% of those surveyed), only a quarter of them graduated with a degree (1 in 20; or 5%).

If they don't outright drop out, they often give up mentally and accept their fate as underachievers (i.e., lazy good-for-nothings). The lucky ones will be stubborn enough to succeed in spite of problems - and seek out working survival solutions (what this blog is intended to help with). The way these achievement problems are labeled, and consequently handled, can make or break a student - both mentally and grade-wise. Even though I suspect that the information on graduation rates of ADHD students in college is outdated, I wouldn't be surprised if it still severely lags the overall graduation rate.

That *may* be changing as more colleges respond to the needs of these students (it would be about time), but unfortunately, students still need to be their own best advocates to ensure their survival in the academic wilderness. Most classes still use teaching methods that hit ADHD weak zones (like lecturing and long projects). To get a reprieve, get involved in extracurriculars.

With all the odds stacked against them, it's difficult to see the upside of getting through schooling - but it is worth it. I hope and envision that someday soon, having an LD like ADD/HD will be completely irrelevant to someone's ability to get through school and college. Until then, don't give up! There is an end to the frustration. Knowing this was one of the only things that pulled me through, and I wish you all a better academic experience.

Are You Lazy? How to Tell in Ten Seconds

There is no doubt that not doing schoolwork is a bad omen, but laziness is an over-applied reason. I can point out you're not lazy in about ten seconds through one simple question...

Do you have any hobbies or interests that excite you? Things that can engulf your attention non-stop; potentially to the point of losing track of time? That is, is there anything you're extremely passionate about doing that takes hard work? If you answer yes to any of these, you're not lazy. There are many examples of this that prove exactly the opposite of the laziness lie...that someone is really incredibly industrious.

Examples are performing arts, whether it be an instrument, dance, or especially group activities like show choirs or theater/stage performing is NOT lazy. Actors can work incredibly brutal schedules, spending 15 hours a day preparing, performing, and rehearsing. Anybody who plays a sport - even if they do NOTHING outside of practices, is still giving as much as they possibly can all the time. Extracurriculars in general give people an outlet as something to take pride in...and are a key debunker of 'laziness' and a savior of self esteem.

Another example is a student who can spend 2-3 hours a day faithfully playing a video game - in particular, I'm talking about players of MMORPGs - examples of which are World of Warcraft, Everquest, Guild Wars or Maple Story. The reason I bring up video games is because they are typically blamed for a student's problems, or worse, the students themselves are called lazy for engaging in these games. Parents and teachers may be aware of the addictive qualities of these games, but they more often than not (unless they are players themselves) fail to understand just how much WORK, TIME and PASSION players pour into improving their characters.

Case in point: I worked very hard on a character I had in a MMORPG (a game like Everquest or World of Warcraft) called Dark Age of Camelot (a level 50 Warden in Hib/Kay with over 1130 AC, if you're wondering); after a year and a half of playing, I checked how much total time was spent in game in this one character: to my embarrassment and astonishment, over 55 days were spent in game. That's over 1300 hours.

Is it fair to call anybody who works on a single project for that long over that kind of timeframe lazy? I don't think so, and I wanted to make a point of this. At its worst, it's misapplied time - but this kind of dedication is a mark of industriousness. Players who have such characters have every right to take a great deal of pride in their accomplishments. They've worked for it! How, then, if all of the above people are so industrious, can they not spend even twenty minutes on their homework? Simple. It's not at all stimulating, and I would hardly call a letter grade "feedback."

Even though I was diagnosed with ADD in second grade, the damaging labels did not creep into the picture until much, much later. How much sense does it make to call a primary schooler lazy? It wouldn't happen until workloads get more intense (middle school, roughly 7th and 8th grades)...which is when the label of 'lazy' starts to creep in like a slow poison. It's just not true - counter any thoughts, implications, or outright accusations of laziness with the above. You deserve better than that. Laziness is not the real issue. The real issue will be covered in another post.

Two fantastic gadgets & their uses

Though I've mentioned some of my personal gadgetry in passing, I didn't really fully cover it. I'd like to focus a bit more on these two things I've been using for a long time. The first is my PDA (I use a Palm Zire), and the second is my digital recorder (Olympus DM-10).

One of the great things about these electronics is that they can knock out the clutter in your life. Kali Karagias does a FANTASTIC job describing what an ADD/HD person's mind is like in her blog. Her recent post "When a Cork Board Isn't Enough" gets right at the core of the internal mess, plainly saying "It ain't wikipedia up there." Those of you without ADD have absolutely NO idea how true that is. It sucks.

PDAs

A PDA can help fill in the gaps. Not only can you essentially digitize all your sticky note reminders, schedules, calendars, phone numbers, and ideas, but you also get the benefit of being able to set ALARMS. I found this to be incredibly important during college, and my blog post on the biological importance of scheduling to ADDers can help explain why. It's a lot easier to take reminders to do things from yourself than from nagging friends, parents, teachers, and classmates (to name a few).

Typically, if something is not a regularly scheduled (say, weekly or daily) or recurring event, your brain will never register it. With a PDA, you can capture it at the time you hear about it and set it to remind you soon enough to take action on it. I can't tell you the number of times I'd be in the middle of something, assuming it's a normal day, when my reminders go off. I'd be puzzled by the chime, look at the reminder, and be surprised/relieved/happy to have dodged a potential bullet I never saw coming.

It's a fantastic tool for anybody who is busy...and is a GREAT compliment to a monthly calendar/weekly planner. A fantastic counselor at my college pointed out that you won't be able to do long-term planning very well, because you're typically limited by the screen to view a day's worth of stuff. This is a very good point, and is why I say it's a very good compliment to a calendar system - if you have one in place.

Still, I could program all of my classes in - start time, end time, the days of the week class met, and tell it when the end of the semester was, all from pretty much one screen. I LOVED it. You can find cheapo, basic ones for maybe $20 or so at any Target or Wal-Mart. The one I use is a basic, black and white Palm Zire, which cost about $99 at the time I got it. Even those basic models, once you learn how to use them, are VERY useful.

Digital Recorders

I hinted at their use in how I killed writer's block. In addition, if you've got 504 accomodations (and sometimes if you don't and just ask the professor), you can usually record lectures as well as conversations focused on brainstorming ideas. A few great things digital recorders have over analog tape recorders:

1. Higher end ones can record a minimum of 10-20 hours of audio at once.
2. You can almost always save the files on your computer.
3. MP3 or WMA file formats (on higher end ones)
4. Some models allow you to set 'index' marks in the audio...playback checkpoints, if you will.
5. Speech-to-text compatability (also on higher end models)
   

These are GREAT for storing archives of class lectures, and these things have an unbelieveable variety of uses. On a side note, rechargable batteries rock. 3 sets of them mean you'll never have to worry about missing anything - you can spend more time listening than scribbling furiously in your notes. Why 3 sets? 1 set in the player, a backup in your bookbag when the main set gets drained, and a 3rd one always charging. Cycle as they drain.

A word of caution

I know what some of you may be thinking...with all that audio archived on your computer in universally playable file formats, you could sell it to classmates and make a killing. In addition, you may also think you can just forget about class for the semester and have a classmate record the lectures for you. DON'T...PLEASE DON'T.

For starters, you usually need to get permission from the teacher just to have it - many of mine had bad experiences with that in the past. The teacher is trusting you with their curriculum - don't betray them by dishing it out to the highest bidder...just because your teacher let you record the lectures does not mean they will let the next person do it, if you abuse the privilege. DON'T take that privilege away from future students.

Second, an audio recording is not the same if you weren't actually there to see/hear/participate in the class. I have read in various places that one of the single, most important keys to success as a student is simply showing up in class...and I agree with that assessment. You know your own classes better than I do, but still - I think it's better to be present and nodding off than slumbering in your bed. In addition, if you're in class and you're nodding off to the point where your pencil starts to leave streaks across your notes (it's happened to me, it's NOT fun), you can always mark the point where you realized you were nodding off, come back to it later, and rewind back through what you missed. I digress.

While I recommend against selling/distributing copies of your lectures (or showing others how to do it), I see no reason why a classmate can't, in an emergency, listen to your recordings IN YOUR PRESENCE. Your #1 priority when recording lectures is to safeguard your professor's curriculum - and by not allowing copies out, you can still allow people to listen when necessary.

Price guidelines

The digital recorder I use, the Olympus DM-10, cost about $100...WELL WORTH IT. Most good ones are at least $80...though you can get inexpensive ones for as little as $30-$40. If yours doesn't have an index function, use a stopwatch (typically on cell phones) to mark times.

Index markers

The index markers I could set have been absolutely amazing for me, and this is the reason I chose the Olympus over others. You can set up to 16 index marks per recording, and jump directly to those spots during playback simply by hitting the fast forward and rewind buttons - just like changing tracks on a CD. It's amazing. I have used the numbered index markers in a number of ways, including the following:

1. During lectures and Writing Center sessions, to mark changes in topic (during lectures, I will hit the index button, and mark in my written notes which index # it is in the margin, like 'i2' and the time. Writing center sessions - this allowed me to re-hear material while I was playing back the brainstorming session; this in turn allowed me to continually regain my train of thought while typing).
2. During lectures, to mark points I either space out or nod off (marking the same way as above, and noting that i dozed off)
3. CAR DIRECTIONS; using a different index point for each turn - allowing me to keep my eyes on the road, while still getting the directions I need.

The possibilities are endless. Use your imagination! This is just a taste of what these tools can do for you. I have used both types for years, though some of the uses have been pretty recent (particularly the use with the writing center). Find your own, and let me know so I can add those uses to the blog!

Accomodations you have a reasonable right to ask for, under 504

I was looking around the internet for more information on the lawsuit that happened at Boston College [more appropriately to my knowledge, a college in boston] in 1997-98 when I came across a website with Legal Information and Resources on 504 accomodations in college settings. There was an abstract from a book/paper that was listed among the resources that had a HUGE list of possible suggestions. Some of these suggestions I had been coming toward on my own, but didn't know *could* be included, and others were TOTALLY beyond what I would have expected. Needless to say, they proved my point in my other post, My Views on 504 Accomodations.

The few suggestions that my college DID offer me will be boldfaced, suggestions that I've pursued on my own will be italicized, and other noteworthy ones I've thought about asking for will be marked with an asterisk.

In full, here is the abstract of the book and its info, taken from http://www.classaccommodation.org/legal_information_and_resources.htm, the site I mentioned above:

Author(s): Latham, Patricia H.; Latham, Peter S.
Corporate Author: National Center for Law and Learning Disabilities,
Cabin John, MD. [BBB35202]
Title: Attention Deficit Disorder in College: Faculty and Students.
Partners in Education. Source: 1998. 7p.
Abstract: This publication provides an overview of attention deficit disorders (ADD) and the legal rights of college students with ADD.
Possible accommodations that schools can make for students with ADD
are provided and include: (1) provide structure and reduce
distraction in class; (2) simplify and repeat instructions, as
necessary, both orally and in writing*; (3) give frequent and specific
feedback from faculty and disability services staff*; (4) provide
accommodations such as priority registration, reduced course loads*,
taped textbooks, tape recorders, course modifications*, tailored
assignments, modified text books, priority seating in the front of
the room, study guides, and summaries of important points; (5)
provide test accommodations such as extra time, quiet room,
alternative formats, and opportunities to seek clarification; (6)
allow course substitutions to fulfill certain requirements, e.g., for
foreign language and mathematics; (7) offer as electives alternative
learning style courses; (8) educate the student regarding ADD, coping
strategies, and advocacy techniques; (9) encourage the use of support
groups, counselors and advisors to assist with academic, career and
other issues; and (10) review rules and expectations and use
behavioral management techniques as needed. Possible strategies for
students with ADD are provided and a list of organizational resources
is included. (CR)
Availability: National Center for Law and Learning Disabilities, P.O.
Box 368, Cabin John, MD 20818; telephone: 301-469-8308; fax:
301-469-9466.
Accession Number: ED422699

One thing that wasn't mentioned that my college suggested, that I thought was pretty cool, was that they could get me a note-taker to help me take notes during classes, in addition to me writing my own notes; they could give another student in the class a carbon-copy notebook that they could then give copies to me from, among other things.

To be honest, though, I was pretty ticked off when I looked at this full list. I wound up using a digital recorder of my own (which was AMAZING), but was surprised that it was something that could have been offered by the schools. Adding course modifications, study guides, summaries and tailored assignments to the list pretty much threw me over the edge. Why wasn't I told? Why didn't I find out about this until AFTER I graduated? It was both liberating and infuriating at once - because I knew I was justified in being frustrated at the time, and could let others know what they can reasonably request. The one thing I don't know (and still don't have an answer to), however, is whether the school is obligated to suggest or fund these ideas. The answer to that question could be damning to a lot of districts and colleges.

Course modifications were one thing that I REALLY favored and was never sure were appropriate to ask for. Specifically, I'm talking about grade weighting. There were many times I felt like I was doomed the moment I saw that two or three papers were going to be 30-50% of my grade or more. I failed, barely passed, or dropped most of these classes due to extreme problems getting my ideas to the page on command. If I could shift emphasis to my strong areas (test taking), or if that emphasis was already there, I was virtually always guaranteed a minimum of a low B. I believe difficulty in writing papers (which I often flat out didn't) dropped my final GPA one full point.

Reduced course loads are a...somewhat dubious suggestion. For one, most on 504 are somewhat self-conscious about asking for help. Many times, ADDers get questioned/pressured about the validity of their requests from other students. It's a serious hassle, and often gets in their way of asking for VALID accomodations. It's sad that ADDers need to be encouraged to even ask for things they need to survive the system. To those who wonder: ADDers aren't looking for easy street, and it's difficult to acknowledge there's a problem. It doesn't surprise me that there's a high incidence of depression among students with learning disabilities.

I have also seen "reduced course load" suggested as a reduced credit load per semester. Don't get me wrong - when I've had to drop classes halfway through the semester it felt GREAT to only have three classes! I had more than enough time for everything. However, I feel that this is an incredibly unrealistic suggestion - I don't know of many (any?) standard scholarships OR loans that will last more than 8 semesters. If you don't have your credits/credit hours complete by then, what are you supposed to do? More often than not, lack of finances cause people to drop out. If finances DON'T force these people out of school, the falling grades from trying to do homework while working part-time or full-time to support tuition probably WILL.

More of these suggestions will be covered over time. First to mind are working with professors to structure grading, suggestions on paper-writing, and uses for a tape/digital recorder.

My views on 504 Accomodations

I have been using 504 Accomodations ever since I started taking meds for my ADD; which was in 7th grade. I've been using them long enough to understand what goes on with them, behind them, and how they're typically used - and I have a few things to say about them.

Overview

504 Accomodations, as I mentioned in my post "Why be diagnosed with ADD/HD?" require by law that schools and colleges do everything in their power to assist you to succeed...a lawsuit at Boston College between '97-'98 cemented that into place. This is in place to protect people with mental disabilities, of which ADD is included, from discrimination. It allows affected students to request accomodations with their studies (of which, I intended this blog to guide you) - including, but not limited to, extra time on tests, papers and projects.

The way the school system is set up works ENTIRELY against ADD/HD - such students are constantly tested on their worst weaknesses (assignments demanding hours of focus with little reinforcement or 'checkpoints' to gauge progress from), and it is an incredible nightmare to survive at times. When attempting physics homework, I would get physically tired if I tried to focus on a single problem for more than 15-30 minutes in one sitting (meds lenghtened this limit immensely). Likewise, if I was in a boring lecture, I would get extremely sleepy after 30-40 minutes. Heat or afternoon classes (2:30-4 pm was the worst) intensified this effect.

This is in addition to the assumed problems of scheduling time for writing papers, difficulties in writing papers, procrastinating the writing of said papers...

Purpose/Use of 504

Enter the 504 Accomodations. In my experience, the main use of 504 accomodations is to shield you from the worst consequences of 'screwing up' while in the system. As I said in my post about why you'd want a ADD/HD diagnosis, this alone is worth the price tag of an official diagnosis.

504 Accomodations allow you to ask for extensions on papers, get additional time to take tests, and so forth. This has also included reduced or eliminated penalties for late work, in the past. As I said, 504 is more of a shield than anything else...but a VERY necessary one! I doubt I would have graduated without using 504. Also - there were times when I tried to go without it, feeling like I relied on it too much. Don't make that mistake. Those accomodations are there for a reason - to protect you! I feel like, as a student, you need to do what you can to protect yourself from harm and loss. 504 is a solid way of doing that.

Limitations of the School System

I am grateful to an ex for helping me let go of the bitterness and anger I constantly felt toward the system, and that allowed me to see more of what was really going on. The system wasn't consciously trying to bring me down...what's happening is that - because 504 is still a relatively new thing for them to deal with - they're short on ideas.

One of my biggest frustrations was in going consistently to counseling centers and hearing the exact same limited ideas over and over - of which none changed anything. Extra test time, extensions on paper, seat in the front, ability to leave once during long classes to stretch; year in, and year out.

One of the main problems I have with 504 is that I feel like it's sometimes used as a copout by the system. Instead of truly changing to help the students, the system can offer a few suggestions and simply shrug its shoulders. They're complying with the law, and that's all that matters. They expect you to come up with the majority of solutions. To a point, this is okay - you have a better idea of your strengths and weaknesses than they do - but they are the ones who deal with hundreds of students every year.

It has been almost ten years since the initial lawsuit at Boston College led to revisions of ADA, and I am only now starting to see improvements in attention to students with LDs. My college has just this year added a position in its counseling department to focus on these students...which would have been nice while I was still there. It's a step in the right direction - these students should not be left to fend for themselves.

Parental Abuse of the System

I have started reading many, many reports on how competitive parents are starting to perceive college entrance requirements to be, and how cutthroat these parents are getting. In addition to going to college advisors (more or less performance coaches) as early as these students' freshman years to make them 'Ivy League material' (I believe some of this is documented in the book "Branded," by Alissa Quart), it's getting to the point where some of them are forcing doctors and psychologists to give their kids false diagnoses for LDs (Learning Disabilities)!

I have zero tolerance for this kind of behavior, and giving normal kids advantages they don't need infuriates me. 504 and ADD/HD coping tools can be looked at like a pair of eyeglasses (Drs. Hallowell and Ratey, authors of "Driven to Distraction," use this analogy) - someone who is nearsighted won't be able to see clearly until they have glasses to correct their vision. In this context, giving normal students these accomodations is like giving them a pair of binoculars! I find this kind of action by these parents dishonest, immoral, and inexcusable.

As I was beginning this post, I came across some resources that can help you understand what you can legally ask for/expect from your colleges/schools to help you with; only a tiny fraction of these were offered to me. In another post, I will share these resources along with my own spin.

Why be diagnosed with ADD/HD?

As I've described the symptoms of ADD to many people, they've commented, "Hmmm, do you think I might have it?" Sometimes, it's hard to say. Many other people point out that the things that frustrate ADDers (people with ADD) to no end happen to everyone. True enough, but the frequency of misplacing keys, forgetting assignments, zoning out when people talk to you, mishearing people, and so on plays an important role. Generally, if these things happen often enough to be considered disabling (getting in the way), you might consider seeking a diagnosis.

If you're wondering if you have ADD, Dr. Daniel G. Amen has a self-assessment over on his website. I have linked to it on the sidebar. It's a detailed 72 question survey, but the results - and the questions themselves - may very easily shock you. It's definitely worth your time to look if you suspect that it might be possible.

ADD affects virtually EVERYTHING a person does. The list is astounding; it affects friendships, jobs/work, school, social aptitude, ability to hear people correctly...straight down to a person's sex life. The tools used to treat ADD are fantastic - the meds are a lifesaver. Basically, the meds work by allowing a person with ADD to 'flip a switch,' and give them a choice to whether or not they want to focus on something.

A pattern I've noticed in people with ADD (and I haven't seen these things on any assessment tests), is that they all, including me, tend to have 'noise' of some sort going on in their heads all the time. Examples of this noise are constant self-conversations or music/movie scenes playing as background - which shuts out other conversations. Medication quiets or sometimes virtually silences this inner noise - and the first time an ADDer experiences this, it can be quite unnerving. It is far, FAR easier to function, though, without the background.

In addition, since about '97 or '98, schools and colleges have been required by law to accomodate students with ADD/HD. Yes, required: ADD is covered under the Americans with Disabilities Act, just like any other physical or mental disorder. One of the things this allows ADDers to get is time extensions on papers and tests. These are under a program called 504 accomodations, and I've been using them ever since middle school. More on 504 in a future post.

These reasons make getting a diagnosis from a licensed psychologist worth the time and money you would spend. Also, even if you were diagnosed before high school, you have to get re-diagnosed once you're 18 in order for colleges to accept your diagnosis. It will cost roughly $2000 (correct me if I'm wrong), but spread over 4 or more years - that's cheaper than a single class every semester, and it buys you legal protections from the worst consequences of screwing up.

The Art of Pulling an All-Nighter

If you're in a time crunch for reading this, the first paragraph or two below every section will contain the necessary instructions. If not, look for boldface. The rest explains the reasoning. The three main sections to look at are food, napping, and stimulants. Also, if you find this useful, please share it with your friends and donate to me through the paypal button if possible. Thanks, read on!

I was not really a good student. Ever. Whether it was my ADD that got me into trouble, my ability to understand/learn new things incredibly quickly, or my decision to take advantage of the previous two things and procrastinate till the very last possible SECOND...I don't know. I don't care either - I graduated (and by the very skin of my teeth, mind you - BUT I DID!). It was messy, but I made it.

Messy enough that I, toward the end of my schooling, once pulled 3 all-nighters in a single week (2 nights in a row on at least one occasion). In other words, I know how to compensate for a lack of foresight that leaves you sweating wikipedia entries (among other things) at the keyboard.

All-nighters are a sticky, sticky situation...especially if you're a busy student. It's a pretty unpleasant situation to be facing a paper due the next morning and start typing it at 10 pm that night. There's a reason for the facebook group "College Took My Circadian Rhythm and Shot It Between the Eyes."

Before You Start

Anyway, the first thing you have to do when you're facing an all-nighter is take an assessment of a few things:

1. Amount of available time, in hours, that you have to work on the project (realistically)
   
2. Length of project (in pages, assuming it's a paper)
3. Your average pace (typically in minutes/page...i.e. how long it takes you to type one page)
4. Amount of sleep you've gotten over the past two nights + naps (important, will affect pace)
   
5. Access to food (your sleep deprived, glucose starved brain will need it!)
   
6. Access to stimulants you can LEGALLY use (more on that in a bit)
7. How much previous preparation you've done (It's okay to laugh. I would.)
   

The better you know these things, the more accurate your contingency plan will be.

Why? I'll explain point by point.

#1: self explanitory. Subtract meals and classes from this time.

#2: see #3.

#3: perhaps the most important thing to know; combines with #2 to give you an estimate for how long it's going to take you. I've known people who have gone as fast as 20 minutes per page; I have no idea hth they did that - it takes me roughly an hour to type out one page, including time spent searching out resources (and I type at over 80 WPM). If you don't know your #3, a good rule of thumb is about 1 hr/page. (post if you disagree, this is VERY important!)

#4: Will affect how quickly your brain is going to work, and how often you're going to need breaks. This will become critical towards sunrise!

#5: Like #4 - see my post on vending machine nutrition.

#6: This is going to be very important later on at night. I say 'stimulants' and stress legal because, in addition to caffeine, ADD/HD prescriptions fit the bill for some. I take Adderal XR for my ADHD, and it works VERY well for me (and yes, I have used it for the 'side effect' of "sleeplessness") - but I recommend against taking it if you don't have a legal prescription. There are cases out there of heart attacks - this *IS* speed, people!

#7: Laugh all you want (OMFGROFLMFAOLOLOLOLOLHAHAHAHAHAHA...*ahem*), but this can speed up #3; if you're VERY well read in your subject, it *could* potentially double your typing rate. Chances are, though, that if you did that - you wouldn't need to be reading this. ;)

How to actually pull it off.

Before getting to the heart of the matter, I just want to start off by saying two things. One, I'm a total fanatic of naps. I LOVE naps, and have been able to use them to full advantage. Two, I don't drink caffeine very often...I usually 'save' it for emergencies such as these - so it also tends to have a more potent effect on me. Plus, caffeine reduces the effects of prescription stimulants (as noted by Dr. Daniel Amen in many of his books).

Now that you know all of this, it's time to get into the routine. Do whatever you normally do - music, no music...whatever. The keys here: 1, 2, 3, and 7 are fixed by the time you start typing; so there isn't much you can do about those. However, 4, 5 and 6 (sleep, food, and stimulants) are not, and can either grind you to a snoring halt or help you make it to the end. Careful management of these three things can keep you constantly productive for 8-10 hours or longer. Also, I recommend doing your project in a public setting - a lounge or a computer lab.

Food

If you've read my Vending Machine Nutrition post - you'll understand that sugar (High GI) - for a long period of concentration such as this - is a big mistake. You definitely want to get as much protein and low GI foods as possible. If all you have are vending machines, Snickers bars or nuts are your best bets. If not (or you're allergic to peanunts), try some other sources of protein; hard-boiled eggs, yogurt (plain if possible - use cinnamon to spice it up [according to You, The Owner's Manual, cinnamon actually helps insulin do its job, a bonus in this case), cheese, raw almonds. There are others, but those four are my absolute favorites. Beef jerky would also be a decent source (minus all the preservatives).

You don't ever need to feel full, but do not let yourself get hungry under any circumstances. If I start to feel sleepy, it's a good indication that my brain is starved for energy (in the form of glucose). Grazing on any source of protein will help you stay alert FAR longer than if you had sugars...I am hypoglycemic (my blood sugars dip too low), and my body is *very* sensitive to this. Protein helps a TREMENDOUS amount, and is released into the bloodstream far more slowly than pure sugar. All you need is a few cubes of cheese, a spoonful of yogurt every 15-20 minutes (or more), etc.

In addition, I have also heard that Vitamin C also helps. I have no clue how, but when I find out more I'll add the info. Emergen-C has been recommended to me.

Naps (Sleep)

Ok. This is a point where some of you may disagree with me. Many times I've advocated naps and many people tell me, "Oh, that doesn't work for me," or "...if I dare take a nap I'll fall asleep for hours!" I could use some more information on this from the nay-sayers of napping - because I don't really understand what's so difficult about taking a nap. My concern to you: if you're falling asleep within *five* minutes...you seriously need to be getting more rest! Ideally, it should take up to 20-25 minutes for a rested person to fall asleep. Americans just DON'T get enough sleep, period - and it's killing our ability to be productive (The Ingenuity Gap, don't know the author).

The way I typically do things:
With some form of alarm in place, I will:

• take a 5-10 minute nap every hour at the beginning of the night
• take a 10-15 minute nap every hour through the end of the night
• take a 45 minute nap every 4 hours for a BIG boost in alertness

The true goal of a nap is NOT falling asleep; it's just to give your brain a little rest. From many different sources (none of which I can remember), the ideal nap is anywhere from 10-45 minutes in length; NEVER LONGER. Exhausted, I've gone into a nap and just shut my eyes for 15 minutes and open them feeling absolutely amazing. You'd be surprised how LONG 15 minutes can feel.

Ideally; taking a nap is just shutting your eyes for a while. Occasionally, I've started dreaming, but when I've limited the time to under 45 minutes, I don't remember ever missing my alarm. Even 15 minutes is plenty. Now - you may be screaming at me right now, "ARE YOU CRAZY? THIS IS CUTTING INTO MY TYPING TIME!" Yes, it does - for now...but carefully managing your sleep at the BEGINNING of the night is going to grant you a minimum of 4-6 productive hours later.

According to You, The Owner's Manual, a stopgap measure in situations you *can't* sleep in is to sleep 15 minutes every 4 hours. This can be done for up to four days without trouble.

Just make sure you've got an alarm. I typically don't fall asleep, and sometimes my thoughts will drift during the entire nap, but that's totally okay. It's even better when, as you relax, you can feel your mind go fuzzy for a while. Those naps are SUPER energizing. The only requirement is that you close your eyes for the whole nap. If you fear you'll fall asleep, lie down on the floor with a jacket/bookbag as a pillow or something - just don't crawl into bed. It's better if you're in a public setting (just make sure you save your work before you nap so the labs don't log you off!), because it's harder to get *too* comfortable.

Stimulants

Ahh...chemical sleep in a can/pill/mug. Nectar of the gods! Basically, because stimulants increase your metabolism of food, you need to watch your food intake more closely when you use them; particularly caffeine, which crashes blood sugars, causing fatigue. My best guess is that energy drinks - some of which also contain caffeine - are the same way. Basically, my rule of thumb here is NO STIMULANTS BEFORE 2 AM.

While caffiene causes some positive feedback loops in the brain (I don't remember where I read this, but these effects can be felt up to 10-12 hours), it actually lasts only about 3 hours in the system. You're best off waiting as late as possible to start in with them. Once you've used them, DO NOT NEGLECT YOUR NAPS. Your heart will pound (especially if you've combined caffeine with prescription stimulants), but the nap will still do its job.

Prescription stimulants (for those with legal prescriptions) are a slightly different story. For those who have them: it's up to you when to use them. I've 'used' my prescriptions late at night for their main purpose for focus (because it's silly to work w/o them), getting the side benefit of staying awake more easily (though I have fallen asleep while on them, lol).

The Following Morning (the aftermath & recovery)

The familiar bloodshot, bleary-eyed aftermath... I can only imagine that you're absolutely exhausted after this ordeal (hopefully it'll take a few hours after you're done to catch up with you, if you've managed your naps right). Continue eating as much protein as you can into the day - just doing that alone has helped me stay surprisingly alert for the following day. If you have to (or can), nap in the afternoon...but try to do it before 4 pm or you *might* have trouble sleeping that night. If you can, exercise in the late afternoon or early evening - that'll finish the knockout blow you need to recover.

Disclaimer: You take this advice at your own risk. You recognize that these methods do carry certain risks; I will not be responsible for any damage/harm caused by using the methods described above. These are meant to be applied in worst-case scenarios if you have no other choice, and can lead to serious long term consequences if abused.

That being said, I wish you all the best of luck with your projects! Leave comments and suggestions (and donations if possible) ;) about what worked and what didn't work for you. I will likely create another post to specifically ask about napping strategies and habits. Take care and good luck!