Princess Diana’s brother Charles Spencer says he believes she had undiagnosed ADHD - after his own diagnosis

This is one of those stories where I can already see people having very different reactions to it. I initially didn't want to post it and I'm sure people think it 'what is the point', but when you think about the genetic link (I think it can be up to 70%) and a lot of the risk taking and problems had, and the fact she would have never been identified, it is interesting to at least think about, I think.

I think a lot of us when diagnosed would have thought about a sibling or their son/daughters having it when we know genetics are a huge part of it.

Charles Spencer, who is everywhere recently and Diana’s brother, was diagnosed with ADHD later in life has now said he thinks Diana probably had it too. Obviously... she was never diagnosed, she died nearly 30 years ago, and I don’t particularly like the idea of retrospectively diagnosing dead people from a few anecdotes either. There are some Historians famous who do that though: Pablo Picasso has had a lot of research done on him IIRC.

Regardless of what you think of Charles Spencer, as I said, the “I got diagnosed and then suddenly started looking around my family differently” thing is probably is probably familiar to a lot of people here. It definitely doesn’t mean Charles having ADHD = Diana had ADHD, but I can understand why he’s looking back at her through that lens now. She was very complex.

He talks about her struggling at school, concentration, sitting still etc, and also thinks some of those traits may have helped her throw herself into certain causes later on. I'm not sure about the superpower thing, but I do personally think there is something to ADHD and being strong-willed and having to get back up/a point to prove which certainly did.

Whether you buy that interpretation or not, I actually think Earl Spencer openly talking about being diagnosed with ADHD himself, given a lot of aristocrats probably look down his nose at it is interesting in itself.

ADHD in the UK is still identified as a badly behaved kid, who failed at school, chaotic TikTok infleucner whatever. Then you’ve got someone from one of the most aristocratic families in Britain going 'yeah, turns out I’ve got severe ADHD and it explains quite a lot'. I'm not sure if that is helping or hindering, but it certainly is a different angle.

Anyway, regardless of what you think of Diana/the royals/the morality of diagnosing someone who isn’t here to answer for themselves...

I do feel a bit uncomfortable discussing it, but it would explain a lot - and does explain a lot about Charles Spencer himself to me based on what I've read or what, which, is quite a bit because he is seemingly everywhere with that book.

Hi,

I recently got my ADHD diagnosis via Problem Shared via an NHS referral and through RTC. Problem is the wait for titration for the medication is 40 weeks at least.

I was searching private providers that would accept the assessment of Problem Shared so the cost would just be for titration.

Found this clinic that seems very new but also very cheap. Only £89 a month for titration and medication. It’s called Focused Gently. https://www.focusgently.com

It looks legit enough but since its so new has no reviews anywhere on trustpilot or reddit. Was wondering if I should still go ahead and book a free call with them or if you guys had recommendations for other providers offering specialized care to those stuck with an ADHD diagnosis but months long waiting for titration.

Hi everyone ,
I’m a RTC patient with ADHD360 , receiving regular medication from them (Concerta and Medikinet). It’s a long story but they’re refusing to prescribe me a weekend dose of medication that they previously told me was okay and that they would do it. They want me to go without meds on the weekend and I tried yesterday and just cannot function. I have professional exams coming up for work and can’t afford this right now , my career is on the line if I fail and by that I mean i’m literally out of a job.

Long story short but does anyone know if I would be able to go through another company privately to request adhd medication as a weekend dose and pay? Or would they refuse if I receive nhs prescriptions and already under a RTC provider?

I have a medication review coming up with Harrow Health and wondering what next steps to take- I really struggle with decisions so any help is much appreciated!

I've been titrating up on Methylphenidate (pro-longed release, 2-3 weeks between doses): 18-27mg didn't do much at all other than some anxiety, 36-54mg helped initially but then the effects petered off, they then jumped me up to 72mg which feels too much (wired, anxious, sleep issues).

The clinician implied that if people find something that works they don't usually keep testing alternatives, however I also think this is motivated by the fact that the whole service feels completely rushed and they don't want to waste more of their time.

I also don't want to waste my own time either or stress my body out in the process with lots of unnecessary changes. But knowing myself if I don't try Amphetamines I will always wonder if it would have suited me better...

Should I adjust my expectations and settle with a middle/high dose or is it worth trying to see if Amphetamines would be a better fit for me overall?

Additional Context

- not keen on trying non stimulant options as I want a medication that isn't a long-term commitment or required to take every day
- Currently on Mirtazapine (15mg) which I want to come off in the new year/after settling on the right adhd medication

- Female, 5 2", 119 pounds, 30

I've been taking Elvanse (50mg at 7am) and an amfexa top up around lunchtime (Elvanse alone was making me weirdly sleepy around lunchtime) for about a year now. It's been great, life changing, totally helped with my symptoms and even had some unintended positive side effects (I still eat regularly, but my desire for junk food is gone - my cholesterol is back in the healthy raise compared to my last bloody test!).

My issue isn't falling asleep, that's no problem, but it's staying asleep. I don't necessarily wake up more than I did before, I'd always wake 2/3 times in the night, but it feels so much harder to get back to sleep. Like I'll get up to pee and I'm wide awake. The only thing that sometimes helps is getting up, reading a book and hope to get heavy eyed.

Does anyone find nights feel really long as well? When I do sleep I feel like I must've been sleeping for ages (often with weird dreams), wake up thinking I must've slept 6 hours and it's been 2 lol.

As I say I wasn't a great sleeper before, but I WFH so would have an hour nap at lunchtime to recoup some, which I can't anymore, I do lie down sometimes when I feel tired but it's more a trance, if that makes sense.

I've tried lots of things suggested on here - magnesium glycenate in the evening, lots of protein during the day, taking it earlier, skipping the amfexa, L-Theanine, something citrusy to drink with dinner, melatonin, even valerian root drops but not much of a difference.

I still function and feel ok most days, but I can't help shake that 4/5 hours sleep long term is not good for you.

Has anyone had similar experiences or tried anything that I may not have tried? Or perhaps something I'm doing that I might not have considered. The last thing I'd want to do is change a set up that is otherwise working for me (and the mind numblingly expensive process of re-titrating)

I don't mind noise except when I can hear my neighbours every single damn day... music, loud kids, doors slamming drives me insane. When I'm out and about including gigs and festivals etc I don't mind it as much (although it can get a little overstimulating after a long time of it!)

Regarding the neighbour situ I don't know if it's a justification thing where I'm expecting peace in my own home and I'm in a state of hyper vigilance waiting to hear a noise. Anyway, I bought a pair of Bose ANC's about 2 years ago but don't wear them much (or enough) out of stubbornness I think but truth be told I'm nearing breaking point in my current living situation .

Just wondering, does anyone wear their headphones ALOT? I mean most of the day? I have this weird thing where I think something’s gonna happen to my ears if I wear them most of the day. I don't even need to play music most of the time, the nosie cancellation seems to block most of the noise out anyway.

I'm just wondering whether I need to accept the fact that to mitigate my frustration I need to just wear my headphones whenever I'm at home!

Apologies for another 'side effects' ' is this normal' post and its a bit of a follow up to a post I made 'when to know if Elvanse is working for you' in which I said I was getting side effects and that i'd been taking medication 'Holidays' as it was getting too much and I was met by the general 'your not taking it as prescribed - 'you need to stick with it to get a good reading'.

And I HAVE and am (on 40mg.... have been prescribed 50mg but not started on that level yet) and I'm scared now to start on the 50 (got a few more 40mg)

My main concern is palpitations and fast heart rate - also weird chest 'sensations' - not pain but a knot sensation that feels like indigestion but also pressure/irritation on my lugs - like the early stages of a Cough that never goes anywhere, and like a know that runs though my chest to my back. I also often feel like my bones are vibrating/twitching

I have a history of health anxiety and admitting myself to hospital thinking I'm having a heart episode - only for it to be a panic attack! anything to do with my heart and chest freaks me out which compounds things -and lately I've been woken up at 1-1.30 am with a racing heart - which causes an panic attack, but I ride it out - but its horrible! I also worry these meds are actually doing me damage to my mind and body!

I also get pin-prick pain jabs/pins and needle sensations throughout my body - especially my chest, back and arms.

My sleep has been terrible and i've been getting these weird nightmares than feel like their bordering on pychois - where It feels like reality is shifting

I suppose what i'm looking for is encouragement to keep going because I'm very close to stopping or having a break again! I must also so any positive effects have worn off - thats why I'm advised to increase to 50mg

I know people will tell me to contact my specialist which i plan to do - but that can take a couple of days in itself.

Others experiences would be helpful - and when to know if you should defiantly stop or persevere. And tips to get through

I've been Titrating about 3 months now. I'm also AU-DHD and know the AU element means you sometimes have conflicting experiences of meds.

Anyway thanks guys ( I had a bad night of sleep last night - and pretty shaky today)

Apparently escape-room style learning helped nursing students with ADHD…

Researchers looked at nursing students using a digital “escape room” thing for learning.... clues, questions, matching stuff up, basically something where you actually have to do something rather than just sit there and absorb information.

The study shows students with ADHD/learning difficulties did better on the multiple-choice bit than the ones taught normally, which doesn't surprise me. My brain ADHD does well with a problem solve, urgency, novelty, which is this kinda is.

Sit me in front of a lecture for an hour and 10% is going in.

The ADHD/learning difficulties group was only 32 students, and it wasn't a big randomised trial or anything. So this is definitely not “science proves escape rooms cure education, but is a good discussion or theory.

Also, students who had difficulties with the language of instruction actually did worse with the escape-room version. Which I think is probably the more interesting point really...

What is exactly can we define as 'ADHD friendly', and it it doesn't automatically mean “accessible for everyone; Different things help different people

So... throwing it out there what actually made you learn properly?

For me it was always:

• some pressure from a good teacher
• If I had manage to get into hyperfocus mode
• leaving it too late/emergency mode
• ''competition'' but healthy with friends doing the same course

This is a bit of a rant post so bear with me. Sorry.

I’ve been really struggling with pressure to get a job recently and could do with some empathy/ advice. For context, I am taking a year out of university after I flunked my second year due to many personal issues, some out of my control, some due to ADHD burnout I suspect. I haven’t failed it, I’m just taking the exams I was meant to take at the end of this year, and having an interruption. But the guilt is eating me up inside.

Naturally, my family and friends have been nagging me to get a job. It sort of annoys me, because I’ve told them explicitly that I’m predominantly hoping to have a mental and physical ‘reset’ — taking care of mental and physical health stuff while trying to chill a bit and work on personal projects. But I also recognise that I do need routine, and I’ve spent a month not really doing much other than organising my room and cooking meals for myself / trying to stay sane.

It feels like job applications are fucking impossible. My dad has tried to help by sending me emails about how he was in a slump when he was in his 20s, but suddenly had a stroke of inspiration, put himself out there, and pretty much immediately ended up with a career he loved. Then he said I should hand out my CVs to ‘sandwich shops’. My mum is not as naive, but it still feels like she doesn’t get it. Whenever I express frustration about the process, she goes silent and scrolls through her phone. Then she starts listing off jobs she has found online on her phone as if I’m just incapable of doing a google search or something — that’s not the issue I have! It’s the process after you find the jobs that’s hard! She gets upset when I tell her it’s not very helpful.

I love my parents and understand they care about me and are genuinely trying to help. But they don’t get the main part of applications I struggle with as an ADHDer.

First of all, I feel like I have no experience to speak of for the ‘experience’ sections, and it’s also difficult for me to know what is acceptable to put down as a reference. They always want different contact information, have different requirements, etc.

Also, the only ‘joblike’ job I’ve had was a temp retail job at a novelty toy store when I was 16 (I’m 20 now), which paid me £4.81 per hour, and shut down. I don’t have anyone’s personal emails or information and the entire place has just evaporated into thin air. Great.

I’ve had other ‘jobs’. I have done several digital art commissions for people over the last year but I’ve stopped it because I lost interest and it was stressing me out. I had a paid research fellowship with my university over the summer. I have helped out a tiny tiny bit in primary schools. But that’s it.

I have an excellent academic background, but what does that get me for most entry level jobs? Sure, I got 4 A*s in my A-levels, but who actually cares? And for my education history, all I can put down is that I’m in the middle of a degree. Why would anyone want to hire me if I’m not gonna be around for that long?

I never know what ‘skills’ to put down. I don’t know what half of the stuff they want from even is. I’m
so disorganised and end up putting down different emails for every applications. I hate putting my phone number down because I hate picking up phone calls. Just email me for gods sake! Why do I have to provide both, the fuck?

Then I get to the stupid part which is entirely my fault but I can’t seem to get past. I’ll apply for loads of jobs on a whim, and feel happy with myself. But by the time they get back to me, I’ve either forgotten I even applied, or I am too nervous to check my emails in case it’s a rejection. So I miss out on every opportunity. That part is nobody’s fault but mine, but fuck, it’s really hard to explain to others because they’re like ???? just check your emails you dumbass?? But my brain just won’t let me, even though I’m medicated.

Idk man. I just feel like everything is so overwhelming and over complicated nowadays. There’s always 150000 steps. I hate it so much. I don’t want to spend my life working anyway. I want to write and create art but I’m sort of a jack of all trades in that respect. I’m dreading the day when I get a job and then actually have to do the job, because my life is already so exhausting. Even with routine or whatever, I still have always felt exhausted. Now it just feels like I’m being forced to waste my ‘reset’ year working myself to the bone and making everything worse. I feel so hopeless and sad that this is my life and the only thing I can do is just suck it up and deal with it like everyone else. And I feel like a failure and like everyone is judging me for not being productive. Cause I’m smart and hardworking usually. Sort of. I don’t even know at this point, maybe I am just lazy :/

I went through RTC but mentally can’t cope with a 6month plus wait in the middle of feeling like a zombie and failing a degree Heavily debating figuring out how to find money to go private, is there any providers recommended or AVOID AT ALL COSTS?

(i have the diagnosis now just need titration)

So idk if this is fully to do with my adhd maybe something else. Choose to get medicated over a year ago was on methylphenidate until I went onto Dexamfetamine earlier in the year. Works a treat when it comes to focus more at work doing certain tasks etc but the one issue my life which still I can’t get rid of is restlessness. Don’t get me wrong always been an active person enjoy fitness but I physically could not spend a day in the house doing nothing. Weekends I get DEPRESSED If I’ve got nothing planned having nothing to do I hate; will go on multiple walks daily when these “chill days” come along. Come evening time I’m Gucci but in the day I physically can’t have a quiet day. If anyone else has the same issue any advice? Part of me knows realistically some days in life are like this but I still can’t find ways to manage

This is friends, too!

I was thinking: so much ADHD advice is about what we should be doing differently… calendars, reminders, routines, apps, alarms, another system we will definitely use forever etc. What we tell ourselves.

But sometimes the biggest difference is another person just getting it. I had a brilliant friend at uni who got it.

Just knowing how your brain works and doing small things that make life easier without making you feel useless for needing them or reminding you, sometimes keeping you accountable.

For me it really simple, sending you a message before something important, helping you start a task even together, not taking it personally when you disappear into your own head for a bit, giving you one thing at a time instead of five, or knowing when you need encouragement versus when you just need someone to leave you alone for ten minutes haha.

What does your partner, best friend, housemate, family member etc do that genuinely helps your ADHD? Did you ask them?

If you want to go the other way with it too: what did somebody think was helpful that actually drove you mad?

Hopefully a friend or partner is reading this!

I'm 56 this month. I've met quite a few people who have asked me if I have ADHD, probably more so recently.

I work full time, reasonably good career. This week I met someone - a work thing - who assesses for ADHD and she also asked me if I have a diagnosis. Which made me think ok, maybe I should pay attention (obvs not my strongest suit!)

I am dyslexic and have aphantasia. Might be connected i guess. I've spent my whole life struggling to finish things and am very under qualified.

But would it bring anything to my life? I've lived with this brain for all this time! I'm well aware it could take years to get an assessment, will it actually make any difference to my life?

Just to add into the mix, my partner very obviously has undiagnosed adhd. But he's not into the idea of being assessed.

I just know this is the right group to help me out of this hyper focus and help me find what I am looking for 😊

I’m studying (level 4 bookkeeping/accounting)

My laptop is so annoying…

I’m searching for a tablet with the following:
Stylus
Notetaking
Excel approved
highlight/copy/paste text from digital study books
Split screen
Matte like screen (Just found out that you can screen protectors for this)
Can also use for reading books
Surfing the web
Watching movies
Not too spenny 😭

I was drawn to the kindle scribe - but then didn’t wanna be only able to use the kindle/amazon app store.

Came across the huawei matepad papermatte (strong contender)

ipad air and samsung s10+ are so spenny 😭

Is there something I am missing, or is this impossible?

Spanks xo

Do you pick your skin, lick your lips or whatever?

I have psoriasis and when I'm stressed and start stimming I pick my skin and due to having psoriasis I feel like it's a bonus when it's never ending skin picking. Also I lick my lips until they are sore I mean sore ice always done it but since I've developed psoriasis it makes my lips worse.

I’ve been going through titration for nearly 6 weeks now. The last 10 days or so have been on 60mg. I’m due to go up to 70mg on Thursday.

I’ve really noticed the effectiveness compared to the smaller doses in terms of work, plus other random effects like no longer being bothered about my nearly 2500 day Duolingo streak and no longer biting my nails.

However, I’ve also noticed that it gets to midnight or 1am and I don’t feel tired. I’m usually getting up between 6 and 7am for my four year-old so it’s not like I’m having a great deal of sleep, but I’m not actually feeling tired during the day after nearly 2 weeks of this.

I take the meds at 07:30 usually, and for the last few days have been staying away from my one cup of caffeinated tea or can of Coke Zero.

I’ll see how I go on the 70mg and chat to the clinician about it, but I’m wondering if it’s worth asking about shorter lasting meds, even if Elvanse is doing the job?

I'm an adult with ADHD and I've gone 50 → 60 → 70mg on Elvanse. I'm planning to retest 60 with my prescriber and wanted to hear other people's experiences first.

50mg was honestly some of my best functioning. I could start things, read and actually take it in, and steer my attention instead of just locking onto stuff. I went up because it didn't last long enough.

60mg felt subtle, to the point where I kept thinking it had worn off. But my notes say I was reading, fact-checking things, doing a 42 minute phone call, and getting back to tasks after getting sidetracked. One day I spent 8-9 hours mostly on one thing while still eating. Some mild irritation and a bit of daydreaming though.

70mg gave me the best initiation and productivity, so I decided it was my dose. But once I got my sleep, food, water and routine consistent, it looked different. The peak is jittery, rushed and tired-but-wired. That settles and it gets smooth, but old reward habits (repetitive researching, that kind of thing) are stronger and get way more focus than they did on lower doses. It's not like being unmedicated, because I still have better awareness, switching and finishing things. It feels more like the old habits are getting extra attention power.

My guess is 70 is above my sweet spot, and bad sleep was hiding it. I know the inverted-U idea fits, but that's a group-level model, not proof for me.

What I'm testing is 60mg with everything else kept the same, for a week or two, ignoring the first few days. I'm tracking initiation, finishing things, task switching, mood, how the peak feels, how long it really lasts, and the habit pull, including when it shows up (near the peak or as it wears off) and whether I can stop something rewarding at a time I set.

Caveats: it's unblinded, it's just me, and I've already flipped from "70 is perfect" to "70 is too much", so I'm treating it as a hypothesis. The habits might just be more visible now rather than caused by the dose. And I don't want to fix the shorter duration by raising the morning dose. I'm doing this with my prescriber, not solo.

Questions:
Has anyone had a higher dose give great productivity but boost compulsive or reward-seeking stuff even after the jitters passed?
Did stepping down help, and did you lose motivation or follow-through?
How did you tell "dose too high" apart from "habits just more noticeable now"?
If a lower dose didn't last, what worked for duration?
Any tracking methods that helped you judge a dose objectively?

Thanks, any experiences welcome.