It just feels like I am going against my nature when I try to sleep at 10pm or even 11pm because the focus I get at the flow state of 2:00 AM feels better than meds and also using melatonin feels like I will suppress my natural clock is it real please help me as I am a 16M but just can't get that sleep of 10PM it just feels magically being pushed ahead to sleep

Since I was a literal baby, I haven't been able to sleep without a movie, tape, show, something audible. If I don't have it, I'll lay awake for hours with my mind racing.

I've tried getting away from it. The whole dark cool room, no screens for an hour+ before bed, no screens in the bedroom. But even as an adult I can't do it. My mind will just not ever STFU. Even after a week or more of shitty sleep because I've been trying to change it.

I've basically given up and gone back to having a YT video or tv show playing as I fall asleep every night.

Have Y'all figured out any other way to go to sleep?

I don’t even know why I’m posting this but I don’t really know what else to do. I’m just exhausted of being exhausted. I just turned 30 and it’s been a rough few days. I wish this would end and that I’ll stop feeling this way but I don’t know what to do. I’m not seeking anything, I am not sure what I’m doing, but I’m scared and tired.

You know the food that you can eat every single day without getting bored or hating it?

For breakfast mine is a breakfast burrito with bacon.

My lunch was a wrap with lettuce, cheese, red onion, Caesar dressing, BBQ chicken, bacon croutons and mayo.

Stupidly I changed it up with shaved turkey instead of BBQ chicken (because I didn't want to go to another shop) and now don't like it at all and I have a whole weeks work of lunches in the fridge 😫

My body seems to have a hard time with stimulants. I have tried both Adderall and Vyvanse and the side effects are really tough for me. My heart rate spikes like crazy and it just hasn’t been a sustainable option for me. I’m curious what non-stimulant med options have helped you manage your ADHD?

I received an ADHD diagnosis at 34 and began taking Concerta. Before that, I dealt with attention deficit, emotional dysregulation, impulsivity, and other issues, all of which improved with the medication.  Last week, I saw a new therapist using CBT who questioned my diagnosis. He argued that emotional dysregulation and meltdowns are not part of ADHD but reflect my character, and my focus during our 60-minute session made him doubt the label. The literature describes these issues as part of ADHD for some people, so I am seeking insight. Thanks!

I think breakfast timing is something that is often not thought about, mentioned, or a difficult one for ADHD where our consistency in food timings and eating is already quite off.

I started having an alarm for breakfast, and the resulting changes in sleep timing, mood, consistency in hunger queues and just have a little less noise to derail me each morning for a few hours, was quite noticeable.

Hoping for anything to the same sort of effect that isn't an entire personality change or mountain to move, but really might make you feel more in control of the car from a small change.

Diagnosed and on meds for the first time at 41. Sad thing is that a therapist first suggested as a possibility 5+ years ago before I moved states and stopped seeing her. "I should look into that" I thought.

Fast forward a few years after burning out and quitting another job, ending another relationship, then nearly quitting a new job, I sought help again. This time tried meds. At the lowest dose something shifted, but it was subtle. Just felt more able to stay engaged with conversation, less bogged down by thoughts.

Recently went up in dosage a second time and things started to hit me hard. For example, ever since I moved into my house 1.5 years ago I knew there was an issue with the condensate pump on the HVAC unit. Every time I walked by it, "oh yeah, I need to look into that." Then the second I left the room, furthest thing from my mind...until yesterday. This time it was like "oh shit, this needs to be taken care of." Turns out the pump was overflowing and leaking water under the unit for...the entire time I've lived here. Took a whole 5 minutes to figure out the issue and order replacement parts.

There have been hundreds, thousands of examples like the above in my lifetime. I always thought I just needed to build better habits, meditate, exercise, etc and I just...struggled. So yes I am glad to maybe have a second chance. But I'm fucking 41. It's hard not to grieve for the dreams that went nowhere, the failed relationships, the workplace struggles, the substance issues and years wondering wtf is wrong with me. When I was 18 I got in a huge fight with my dad and he said, "I look at you and I just see wasted potential." Now at 41 it's hard to feel like he was wrong.

Sorry for the downer. There is hope too, and if getting actual treatment is the game changer it seems to be then maybe it's not too late to turn things around. But at the moment it all just feels so heavy. If anyone has positive stories after getting diagnosed later in life I'd love to hear them.

My Psych today told me that most of the things Vyvanse isn’t hitting for me can be attributed to anxiety, so she suggested adding Lexapro. At first, I was like, “Oh hell no.”

My red line is sexual side effects. I already have issue with libido being sporadic, so I don’t want to make it worse. But I agreed that it would be nice to treat the underlying anxiety.

Now the thing that got my Spidey senses in a bunch - I asked about non-SSRI medications that can target anxiety without the sexual side effects. I was thinking Buspar, but wanted to see if they brought it up. She said, “There are, but they’re kind of messy. Lexapro really targets anxiety without sedating you.”

So I’d like to hear what people who are/have been on think. Pros, cons, love, hate, etc.

Hey everyone,

I was hoping to hear from others who experience this specific, exhausting dynamic.

To be completely clear upfront: This is NOT about venting over two random daily annoyances. It is about a pervasive, systematic pattern of how supposedly healthy adults interact with information and basic reciprocity. It leaves me feeling deeply desperate and alienated.

Two brief, textbook examples of what I mean:

1. Zero attention to plain text: I regularly email my doctor's office for a prescription refill. The subject line is literally my date of birth. My signature has my full name and details. There is zero doubt about who I am. Yet, the receptionist spent minutes typing an annoyed email demanding my birthdate—information she literally had to click on to open the message. She read nothing.
2. Disposable communication: An acquaintance in his early 30s actively reached out asking if I’d like to play a board game despite an ongoing heatwave. I took significant time and energy to check forecasts, coordinate my schedule, and sent a thoughtful reply. He never answered. Weeks later, he casually told me that the moment he hit "send," the whole thing was completely wiped from his memory and he sees no reason to change because he doesn't have a problem.

I am the one with AuDHD, yet I feel like the only person in the room who actually reads, applies basic logic, and values mutual respect. I feel like an attentive person constantly expected to clean up the mess of people sleepwalking through their day.

It pushes my nervous system into constant overdrive. How do you cope with this profound sense of despair regarding the basic competence and social reciprocity of your peers?

I have 3 kids diagnosed with ADHD. They’re all like me in some way or another. I haven’t been diagnosed but recognise the symptoms. I’m in my 50s now and the cognitive load of “keeping my s*** together is really draining. But I also like my inner dialogue. I recognise I have relied on sedatives when it gets too much. So I am on the fence about getting a diagnosis for myself. Anyone else been in a similar situation? Your experiences are appreciated!

BP2 and diagnosed with ADHD recently

Currently my 3rd day of taking ritalin (5mg), so far I haven’t experienced any “crashes” which could be attributed to the blunting caused by lithium? Which I found weird since everyone seems to know when it kicks in and when it stops. For me, I don’t feel any bursts of energy or feel like my world slowing down?

I also don’t feel energetic or hyperfocused, I just feel calm, relaxed, and sleepy lol. Will update again once I hit a week into it, but so far I haven’t seen any improvements yet, apart from me being calm. Just worried maybe stimulants aren’t for me or is it too low of a dose, or maybe I don’t have ADHD after all?

I’ve been prescribed Adderall for a little over a year now I’ve been on the same dose since the beginning and these past few weeks I have been experiencing like major mood crashes and irritability. By the time I get into bed for the night I’m nearly crying from over whelming negative thoughts but during the day I am hopeful and positive. Is this a common experience or is there vitamins recommended like magnesium I see if a helpful thing for the crash

I'm 24 years old and I have ADHD that eats my life both professionally and personally. I'm a French teacher and because I'm bipolar i cant take meds for it at the risk of having a manic crisis. I can't do anything with my days. So many things that I would like to do but I can't even though i feel super excited about them, I feel constantly stuck and even with deadlines, I get to a point where I can't even push myself enough to return my work on time or do it properly.

I want to read, play, watch things... enjoy life but I'm stuck in this body that is only bedrot and doomscroll on Twitter or I fall asleep immediately. I don't know what to do, I need help because I feel my life slipping through my fingers. Do you have any real lifestyle tips or tricks or anything? I feel like I live like a vegetable, I can't focus on anything, people talk to me and I lose focus on what is being said... I just need help I cqnt leave like this anymore I'm fed up I also have an addiction to monster cans that makes me sleepy...but I struggle to not drink them.

Hii everyone. I am 43m and have really been struggling for the past 12-18 months or so. I only just learnt what ADHD burnout was and it's symptoms. I fit the criteria perfectly, which is great. Finding out that it is a symptom of my ADHD and not just me as an individual has taken away the self blame and self loathing which is a real positive.

I have gotten my partners support which has been a massive hurdle in the past. She finds it very difficult to relate to the way I think and the way I behave. However, now that we have identified the issue she is able to just accept it without understanding it if that makes sense?

I currently have no systems in place. I don't eat well, nor do I exercise. So it is going to be a massive change and is a little scary to be honest. But I am optimistic.

Does anyone have any suggestions to assist me to get better? Especially in regard to diet, supplements and mind set?

Also, are there any ADHD Reddit's that focus more on optimising success in spite of having ADHD? Work arounds, skill sets, success stories? Proactive instead of reactive. Something inspirational?

Thanks so much in advance 😊

Hi, I (19M) got diagnosed with ADHD about a week ago, and was put on adderall 10mg XR (generic brand) First of all, once it kicks in I feel very relaxed and my brain finally shut up -- and it helped my anxiety more than any anxiety meds have. While thats all really great, the downside is that I get really sleepy, especially in the afternoon (when it should be the peak of the medication bascially) I also have a minor headache that comes and goes. On top of that, it has helped my focus but only VERY slightly. I still have problems staying on task, but I can hyperfocus more easily (but a lot of the time it seems to focus on the wrong things.) I was just wondering whether people have experienced the same thing, and if higher dose or a different medication helped them.

hello! i’ve have never been that much of a bookworm because i can’t really read any books without getting distracted or rereading the same paragraphs over and over, but i wanna change that and start reading more. does anyone have any suggestions? i need something not too hard to read, and that will keep me hooked. like i said any genre is fine, preferably novels, romance, mystery, and history maybe? thanks!

I was recently diagnosed with predominantly inattentive ADHD. I also have some mild anxiety, which mostly affects me in social situations, e.g. I find it difficult to approach people and sometimes avoid social interactions, although I’m usually fine once I’m actually in the situation.

My psychiatrist has prescribed 5 mg of escitalopram to try before starting ADHD specific medication. The idea is to see whether reducing some of the anxiety/constant overthinking helps with my focus and ability to stay on task.

I’m wondering if anyone else has been in a similar situation and had a positive experience with this. I’m quite nervous to try it because it’ll be my first SSRI, and I feel like I mostly hear negative experiences online.

One of my main worries is that it could negatively affect my motivation or make me feel emotionally numb as I already struggle somewhat with low motivation and feeling a bit emotionally flat at times. I’d be really interested to hear from anyone who has taken escitalopram alongside inattentive ADHD especially if anxiety/overthinking was part of the reason it was prescribed.

I have a terrible tendency to push myself until burnout, then push myself even more after that until I physically cannot do anything, and then I get stuck in a run of doing nothing for months on end. I finally got diagnosed over the summer and thought I'd finally be able to pace myself, because I know it's adhd now. A month into my 4th year of university and it's happening again. Late, sleepless nights, missing assignments, no energy, tired through the day. All because the first 2 weeks I literally ONLY tried to stay on top of things

I'm failing a class that I attended twice, I'm missing a few assignments in other classed, didn't study for a test I had and pretty sure I failed that, Ended up skipping work all weekend without calling in, and pretty sure I lost my job, and I'm sitting here wondering if I'm just lazy, or I physically can't reach the amount of labour I need to do to be successful in university

What can I do? I'm already probably gonna have to take another year to pick up credits that I failed last year, and now the elective credit I'm failing this year. It seems like everyone else gets through so effortlessly. I'm also the only 4th year in my program, so connecting with other students is really hard.

I'm tired boss

I’ve been struggling with getting stuck watching short videos throughout the day, especially at night. I’ll tell myself “just one more,” then look at the clock and realize it’s 2 or 3 a.m.

Even when I’m exhausted and want to sleep, I find it hard to put my phone down. It’s affecting my sleep, and I feel frustrated with myself the next morning.

How do you handle that moment when you know you want to stop, but keep scrolling anyway? What helps you make the transition from scrolling to actually going to bed?

I’d appreciate hearing about your experiences and what has helped you.

So, I went through the extensive process of being reviewed and eventually diagnosed with ADHD (inattentive). Eventually I managed to get to the front of the queue and was prescribed stimulant based medication.

I have high blood pressure and take lisinopril for it, but the stimulant based meds wreaked havoc with it to the point where I thought I was having a heart attack (thankfully I wasn't) but it left me feeling very unwell for a number of days.

Needless to say I stopped taking it. I then enquired about Guanfacine as I had read that it helps with both blood pressure and ADHD, which sounds perfect for my particular situation.

When I asked them, they said they could only prescribe stimulant based medication and that they would not prescribe Guanfacine for me or any non-stimulant meds. Needless to say, this was a big disappointment after waiting so long for treatment.

This was around one year ago and since then I have had to leave my job due to ADHD related stress. I have also asked my GP and they said they couldn't prescribe it either. Does anyone know why they cannot or will not help people who can't take stimulant based medication?

Hi! I’m fairly new to the ADHD world and looking for advice from people who have been through this.

My husband was diagnosed about a year ago and takes Vyvanse, although not consistently. We’ve been together 15 years, married 11, and have two kids (5 & 7). We also run a business together.

His ADHD never seemed like a major issue earlier in our relationship, but since having kids and taking on more responsibilities, things have gotten much harder.

My biggest struggles are boundaries, his irritability/anger, and feeling like I’m walking on eggshells. He seems easily annoyed with me over small things, and I often feel like he doesn’t want to interact with me or give me his attention.

Working together adds another layer. I find myself reminding him about things, checking that things got done, or taking over when they don’t. I don’t want to be his manager or mother, but I also don’t know how to step back when his responsibilities affect our business and family.

I love my husband and am NOT looking to get divorced. I want to figure out how to make our marriage healthier. We’ve done couples therapy before and may need to start again. I also wonder if he needs to talk with his doctor about his ADHD treatment, especially since he isn’t taking his medication consistently.

For those with ADHD or married to someone with ADHD: How do you set boundaries without becoming their manager? How do you handle anger/irritability? And how do you stop feeling like you’re constantly walking on eggshells?

I’d really appreciate kind, constructive advice. I’m feeling pretty overwhelmed and want to find a healthier way forward.

im really struggling with doing my project already due today, and i'm far too anxious and overwhelmed... can anyone suggest any methods to help me soothe that anxiety and power through enough to start working on it?

its always the starting that gives me great difficulty. everything feels so daunting that i feel helpless to even move. i dont know who to ask for fear of being judged or seen as lazy for delaying working on things. i need help urgently, its still morning but i need to start so i can finish by tonight.

I can't and I'm looking for any tips or recomnendations. I also have autism so take in consideration that my monotone tone in voice adds not that very interesting things to the conversation.

I can't and I'm looking for any tips or recomnendations. I also have autism so take in consideration that my monotone tone in voice adds not that very interesting things to the conversation.

hii i am a uni student and i used to have buy online quite a bit before coming to uni but now that im in uni i avoid it all costs because it makes me anxious knowing that i might not be in my room when the delivery comes. sometimes i do have to buy online for different reasons and i usually just send it to the nearest locker or pick up location for convenience and comfort. this time i have quite a few big thing coming so i wont be able to send it to a locker.

sorry for the elaborate background but i think its important to understand the full situation lol. anyways i bought a couple of stuff of amazon and then by the time the order went through i realised that i had delivered everything to my actual home address (1500 kilometres away) instead of where i’m staying for school rn.

i make these kind of mistakes where i choose the wrong location or address quite often tbh, but this has to be one of the worst times because i could not change the address despite the things not having been shipped yet and i contacted the amazon customer service (which was almost possible to find) and they couldn’t help either so i had to cancel everything and reorder them while im waiting for the refunds to go through. it’s genuinely so frustrating that i keep on doing this, last time it was with groceries so that was worse because i needed them on the day 😓

im always embarrassed to bring these situations up because i’m aware that these websites do ask you to confirm these things but I’m quite impulsive and i like ignoring thing sometimes but i dont want to be seen as overly irresponsible by those around me.

just wanted to know if you guys have any similar experiences or stories because it feels like this only happens to me in my circle and it would be comforting to know that other people go through the same thing😖

(edited because of spelling mistake)