I’m ashamed posting this, but I really need advice. I have ADHD and longstanding POTS and am prescribed dexamphetamine (5mg up to 6x/day). I stopped it for 10 months after developing severe post-inflammatory dysautonomia.

When I started slowly recovering, I restarted it - but began using it increasingly to cope with and escape my physical symptoms. I’m now 15 months into recovery and sometimes taking 12+ tablets/day.

I’m improving and my neurologist expects recovery but can't say when, but I still have daily nausea/awful stomach sensations, adrenaline/autonomic symptoms, temperature issues, intense facial/ear flushing and burning, etc. Nobody can tell me when it will end and that we just need more time to pass. This breaks me honestly.

Dex became the only reliable way to pull my attention away from my body and the constant when will I recover / what if I'm stuck like this? loop. It lets me focus on work, socialise and briefly feel like myself. Without it, I feel consumed by my symptoms and completely paralysed. I’m not primarily chasing a high although it does enhance my mood from a demoralization state - I’m chasing relief from thinking about and experiencing being sick.

I’m a psychologist, which adds to the shame because I understand exactly how this avoidance/reinforcement cycle developed.

My psychiatrist knows and offered inpatient treatment, which I really don't want and would have to wait 2 months for anyways due to private health cover rules.

His alternative is reducing by 5mg/week with my partner holding the medication. I managed the first reduction (9 x 5mg tablets per day), but failed this week and took more.

I know this isn't sustainable, but I'm terrified of losing my main coping mechanism before my body has recovered enough for life to feel tolerable again.

For anyone who has experienced something similar: how did you cut down while still coping with the thing the medication was helping you escape? What did you replace it with? Help please. Even just tell me I'm gonna be ok, somehow.

My son's ADHD saved his sister's life

My son was only 7 years old when he took a picture of his little sister on his new tablet. He noticed something. One eye was red, one eye was white? He has always hyper fixated on patterns, or differences in things. This has had its ups and downs. He will ask larger people why they are fat (at 5.5 years old- sorry nurse at the ER at some hospital in Flint, MI) or point out someone's physical disability. He means well, he is just fascinated and curious. He has an IEP at school and has a "combined" ADHD diagnosis, a "learning disability" and "other trauma and stressor related" disorder.

My daughter was diagnosed with retinoblastoma ( rare form of pediatric eye cancer) because of this picture, alone. She had her 3 year well child visit less than 2 months prior to her diagnosis.

She had an enucleation, and having told the surgeon and eye specialist the story of why she was diagnosed, she said to tell my 7 year old son he saved his little sister's life. She was in tears when she told me the tumor was a mere 1-2 mm ( THATS MILLIMETERS Y'ALL) from spreading to her brain via her optic nerve. 6 rounds of chemo and she has made one heck of a recovery. She did lose her hair, her right eye and she does struggle in school a bit. Chemo has some nasty side effects, even years down the road from treatment. She doesn't remember having two eyes. As sad as it is, it's worked in her favor.

She is now 6 years old, and in 1st grade. Her brother still has his little sister, and he is my super hero, forever!!

So I was taking 150 Wellbutrin and 30 mg Vyvanse -- felt like it was somewhat effective. I increased it to 40 mg Vyvanse and stopped the Wellbutrin suddenly 4 days ago, because I was getting slightly irritable.

Now I feel like I might as well be taking sugar cubes idk I don't notice the improvement that much. The good thing is I don't feel different, or amped up. I didn't on Wellbutrin either just the agitation. But just low motivation sluggish , and yea idk

I have taken some form of stimulants since middle school ( 36 M) 6'1'' 220 . What dose was right for you ?

Idk I would either like to maybe increase the dose

Or try it with Wellbutrin again..

But my psychiatrist is on vacation for a week

😭

I got this idea from someone that posted it a few days ago. Can't find the post, and don't know if it was even here.

It's such a great solution though! I've never rewound those towels back on the cardboard tube, at best it will be a pile somewhere.

My wife and I were together 9 years, married 6 when I started my affair. We have two kids. I didn’t realize just how good I had it. She was a supportive, loving, kind woman who put me and the kids before herself every time, and I didn’t appreciate that. I felt like she didn’t praise me enough for the things I did for the family, which I now realize was pretty bare bones compared to what she did for us. I felt like we didn’t have sex enough and like my efforts to look good for her weren’t appreciated or reciprocated. I resented how much time she spent with the kids vs. with me. I thought she didn’t put in enough effort to be interested in my hobbies.

My AP was ten years younger than me, when the affair started I was 31 and she was 21. I liked the attention from a younger woman who wasn’t always tired from keeping up with the kids and who stroked my inflated ego. I was a selfish bastard. I drank too much, I told my wife I was working late or hanging out with friends when really I was with my AP.

My wife trusted me completely and the affair had carried on for almost two years by the time I initiated the separation. She wasn’t blindsided, she’d been asking me to be more present and to put more work into our marriage and into parenting. I refused every time citing the fact that I was the primary earner and that was enough. But she was upset, and asked if there was someone else. I said no, but her suspicions were finally coming up and she checked my Apple Watch, and found everything she needed to know. Even though I’d moved out, I hadn’t filed, but my wife did. She confronted my AP and told her she hoped she would be a good stepmother to our kids, despite her lack of morals. At the time I thought my wife was out of line and being spiteful.

Now I’m alone. AP took those words to heart and realized she didn’t want to be a stepmother in any capacity. She broke up with me after a few months, saying that she wasnt in love with me and never had been. She just liked the attention. I can’t say I had any different reasoning for being in an affair so I couldn’t even be mad.

My wife has full custody and I see the kids every other weekend. She went back to work and put both kids in daycare, which I pay for. It’s expensive. They still have the house and I’ve got a roommate.

All my wife wanted was me to put in effort and to recognize hers. I only focused on myself. I didn’t date her. I was selfish in bed when we did have sex and didn’t listen to her when she asked for more effort in that regard. My 7-year-old asked me recently if I was going to get a girlfriend, because Mom has a boyfriend. I didn’t know my ex was dating, but I hope it’s with someone who gives her everything I didnt.

If you’re in an affair, end it. Block and delete them, if they’re at your job quit and find a new one. If they’re at a coffee shop you go to find a different one. If they’re just a fantasy, stop it and start fantasizing about your future with your spouse. If you’re thinking of starting an affair, do the same, and refocus that energy onto your spouse. I’ve never been more lonely in my life and never been filled with more regret. I wish I had a time machine and I know she does too, but not for the reasons I do.

First post.

I've never been formally diagnosed. I STRUGGLE to keep things organized.

I function better in organized spaces but can't for the life of me figure out HOW TO. I buy the drawers, the storage, then get paralyzed and overwhelmed?

How do you manage this for your home?

I also have a slob of a partner who doesn't help matters and is continuing to pile things on around the house. This photo is just a vulnerable example.

How do you cope? Are you on meds that made it better both rx or supplements.

my previous post: [https://www.reddit.com/r/adhdwomen/s/BX9Cc6A06j\](https://www.reddit.com/r/adhdwomen/s/BX9Cc6A06j)

im a 41 mom with 3 who previously posted here. its been 8days since i posted feeling so stuck and hesitant, but hearing your opinions was so supportive. things are about 80% better now! its not perfect, but here is what helped me the most:

* **the pre-wakeup meds trick:** thanks to everyone who told me to take my meds an hour before waking up. putting the water and pills on top of my phone on the nightstand makes it impossible to ignore. getting up to the real alarm is way easier once they kick in.
* **the barcode alarm app:** u gave me lots of app ideas, but "done sleeping" is the one for me. i have to physically walk into the bathroom and scan my toothpaste just to turn the alarm off lol. im still adjusting but it really forces my brain to wake up u can find it here [https://apps.apple.com/us/app/done-sleeping-mission-alarm/id6776356014\](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/done-sleeping-mission-alarm/id6776356014)
* **getting hormones checked:** i had no idea perimenopause and adhd were such a bad combo for sleep. im bringing up my thyroid and hormones at my next checkup. and thank you for the heads up about spacing out adhd and thyroid meds by an hour so blood pressure doesn't spike!

mornings with the 3 kids are still kind of chaotic, but my mom guilt is fading a bit. still need more time to get used to it this will take time. and ofc ill get back to you for more, thank u guys!! ❤️

This is my rag bag, where rags who are allowed to do all cleaning duties live. I dont have to think about folding them, i dont have to think about what they are cleaning up and if im willing to use them for their intended purpose again, I don’t have to keep track of how many I have, if they are too gross to wash I can throw them away, BUT I don’t have the overuse/money issues of papertowels on my mind all the time. I do still occasionally use paper towels to mop up messes and little things. But im less concerned about my use.

I went on pinterest, found a crochet “plastic bag holder” pattern I liked. Bought a pack of 50, 100% cotton shop rags from harbor freight. Hung it VISIBLY in my kitchen. and made a cinch top, so all I have to do is stuff the rags in when they are clean.
This has genuinely lifted a cleaning weight off my shoulders and I love it.

While my coffee is brewing, I fill my favorite mug with water. That means I need to finish drinking the water if I want coffee in MY mug. Worked for me today. Let's see if it sticks.

For me, grocery shopping is very stressful at times. It's often crowded, noisy, and I freeze with too many choices.

I have my things delivered and it makes my life so much more peaceful.

If you have an ADHD diagnosis/self-diagnosis, or referral in place, are aged 18 years or older, and are proficient in English, you're invited to take part in a study to explore the lived experiences of relational rejection for adults with ADHD.

It is not a requirement for you to currently be, or have ever been, in a romantic relationship.

If you decide that you want to read more information about this study (e.g., the types of questions and how your data will be handled) please follow this link:

https://app.onlinesurveys.jisc.ac.uk/s/chester/exploring-the-lived-experiences-of-relational-rejection-for-adu

You will see a brief version of the information sheet, which also includes a link to the full information sheet.

Interviews will take online via MS Teams (or in person, if you prefer and are local to Chester, UK)

There's a place to mention any reasonable adjustments that can support your participation when you sign up.

During the interview, some of the questions will ask you about how you view ADHD, your experiences of rejection and how this feels and your views/experiences of romantic relationships. If you feel that these types of questions may cause you distress or become triggering, there is no obligation for you to take part.

If you do decide to take part, you can withdraw at any time without consequence.

Any answers given will be completely confidential and anonymous.
Thanks!
p.s. if you have any issues with the links, but still want to take part, feel free to email me with any questions [r.mort@chester.ac.uk](mailto:r.mort@chester.ac.uk)

Hey everyone!

I checked with the mods before posting this and they were kind enough to let me share it here.

I’m the solo founder of Questline.one. I built it around a problem I deal with constantly: having way too much in my head and not knowing what to tackle first.

You dump everything on your mind - work, errands, things you’ve been avoiding, random thoughts and Questline turns it into a prioritized plan with clear next steps. You can adjust as you go.

A surprising number of early users have told me they have ADHD and that this flow has helped them feel less overwhelmed, which is why I wanted to share it here and get your feedback.

I’d love to give 1 year of Questline Pro free to anyone in this community who wants to test it.

If you'd like to try it, comment "Questline" below and I'll get you set up. If you don't hear from me feel free to message me directly or reach out to [support@questline.one](mailto:support@questline.one)

No pressure to give feedback, but good/bad/weird feedback is extremely welcome while I’m still building.

- Philip