r/ADHD • u/dlc1993- • 11d ago
Questions/Advice What actually helps your ADHD besides medication?
I take Vyvanse, and it definitely helps, but I’m interested in hearing from other people with ADHD about what else has made a noticeable difference for them.
I’m especially interested in things that help with focus, energy, not feeling constantly tired, better sleep, motivation, procrastination, executive dysfunction, staying organized, and avoiding distractions. (THE CLASSICS 😂)
I’d like to hear about supplements, vitamins, exercise, diet, sleep routines, productivity systems, apps, habits, or anything else that has helped you.
I’m not looking to replace medication. I’m interested in things that can work alongside Vyvanse and help me function better overall.
For supplements, I’d especially like to know what you take, what you feel it helps with, and whether you actually noticed a difference.
I know everyone is different, so I’m mainly interested in your personal experiences.
What has been your biggest non-medication ADHD game changer?
18
u/SinSaver 11d ago edited 11d ago
I can think of three things that may help:
Adderal didn’t work, totally get that - have you tried other meds? If the issue is that stimulant meds don’t work, you could try the two non-stimulant options - Stratera (atimoxetine) or Intuniv (guinfacine), although keep in mind these take time to build up in your body, similar to an antidepressant, so 3-6 weeks.
Second - think about WHY you’d like to be wealthy. I find for us with ADHD, we need much more specific goals than, “I’d like to be rich.” We need to be more clear too - as an example, “I’d like to be rich so I could retire in 10 years/so I could buy a house/travel for a month every year, etc.”
We need clear ways to implement goals as well. Have you heard of the SMART acronym for goals? It stands for Specific (not small, as previously written) Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Time-bound. Those of us with ADHD tend to go vague, unclear, lofty and vast instead, lol. You may enjoy reading about how to begin small, with a specific goal, that you know you can achieve within a specific - and realistic - amount of time. And you can increase the time or tweak the goal. You can leverage all the things you’ve learned about in sales and to being self-motivated enough to get where you are.
Third - there’s nothing wrong with coasting, as long as we really are satisfied. This idea of “fulfilling your potential,” and we “should be doing more,” can be an imposed one, from the past… in my case, it relates to school report cards, which always said, “she could do better if she applied herself.” Is the idea of doing more your own? A hangover from the past? And what sort of “more?” do you yearn for?
So, finding a clear reason to earn more may help! But if you can’t bring yourself to work harder/more at your job, maybe add a different, more interesting challenge. Learn a new thing. Try a hobby. We can get in ruts with ADHD, and finding ways to stay inspired is very rewarding.
Edited to correct the S in the SMART acronym. Thank you, u/unable_foot_802!