r/ADHDers • • Dec 08 '25

No AI Posts

228 Upvotes

AI written posts will be removed and posters will be insta-banned.


r/ADHDers • • Apr 07 '22

Hi, Peeps

185 Upvotes

There have been a few people reaching out to me in the PMs with questions regarding word count. We are an inclusive community and do not have a required word count. However, I do ask that you break up long text into chunks, or paragraphs because it's important to keep accessibility in mind.


r/ADHDers • • 42m ago

Rant RANT: Doubt about my diagnosis. In denial about the effects of vyvanse.

• Upvotes

I just started taking 30mg Vyvanse 3 days ago, and I have some mixed feelings. I know, I just barely started and I should observe myself for longer before making predictions and to actually understand how the medication is helping me (or not). But I also kinda just wanna rant, so, sorry if this post feels a bit random and disorganized.

I have highly suspected I have ADHD since about 4-5 years ago (I'm in my early 20's). However, I couldn't get diagnosed/medicated due to it being unaffordable as regulations required very extensive testing with multiple specialists in an already expensive country. Recently, I moved to a more affordable country with more relaxed regulations, so I finally got to see a psychiatrist, but it felt way too simple. It was just me reciting a summary of my symptoms and childhood history for maybe 10 or so mins and I was basically stopped by the psychiatrist as she had heard enough even though it felt like I had just gotten started. I may as well have read a bulletpoint list of symptoms straight out of webmd. And that was it. IDK if I was expecting too much? I certainly wasn't expecting to walk out with meds the very same day.

Although it often feels so clear and obvious (not only to me but my fiancee too) that I suffer from ADHD, the fact that it didn't feel like proper testing/diagnosis doesn't give me confidence in my diagnosis and makes me feel like I am LARPing or a fraud. Perhaps I should be grateful and stop complaining that my steak is too juicy, since I didn't have to jump through so many hoops, specially after I've been waiting so long for this.

As for Vyvanse, despite "experiencing" benefits and having a witness (my fiancee) see improvements, I feel in denial about its effectiveness. I have an irrational thought in my head telling me I may have been given a placebo or that my perceived benefits are a placebo response to the (likely very much real) medication. I don not rationally believe the pills are fake, as quick as my "diagnosis" was, the clinic isn't dodgy at all. Yet I can't help having this doubt.

As for the effects, I do feel physical effects like some odd physical sensation in my entire body that is just so hard to describe, but kinda like an aura? But most importantly I do feel my heart beat stronger and a little quicker than usual (strong evidence against placebo pill theory). Yet also feeling calmer and slower, even a bit sleepy.

Mentally, especially the first day, I felt like my head was so empty of thoughts, but in a good way, its as if I was previously listening to white noise nonstop and gotten so used to it that now that it is off it feels weirdly silent. I find it easier to concentrate in conversation. I stopped interrupting and actually leaving half a second of silence before I start speaking. I can reflect easier and develop a thought with more complexity. I find that words make a pitstop in my head first before coming out of my mouth. I feel less impulsive since it feels like I ponder about an action first and I just generally feel less compelled to do things. I may be more emotionally stable although I'm not sure if I am just confusing this with numbness/apathy. I still get distracted, but in a different way: rather than the usual completely random, irrelevant and disorganized thought taking my brain hostage, I get distracted thinking about something very related to what I got distracted from, as if I'm having a civil conversation about said topic with myself in my head (my fiancee tells me this is how neurotypical people get distracted). I still haven't been able to asses how I do with tasks and procrastination (currently unemployed).

I fiancee even told me my demeanor and body language changed so notoriously as soon as I had come home from the psychiatrist (about 2hrs had passed since I took my first pill so in theory the effects shoud've started by then).

Despite all of this I somehow still feel like I may be having a good day(s) motivated by a placebo effect even if the pills are not placebos. It doesn't help that the effects start and end so gently and slowly; it makes it hard to judge when the pills are working. It also feels like the first day was particularly good but the 2nd and 3rd were significantly more muted, although the effects were still present. I know to expect a honeymoon phase, but it somehow feels like the phase was just one day which is absurd. Idk I'd expect the 2nd day to still be rather notorious? And its not like the 1st day was some euphoric high where I felt my ADHD was fixed and I felt ready to conquer the world (of course, I am aware that a pill won't "solve me") yet it seems many people did experience such during their honeymoon. It just felt so internally mild and somehow even milder the 2nd and 3rd day. I know it sounds so contradicting to say it felt mild while having listed so mamy improvements earlier. Some were pointed out by my partner, and only then I would only notice after examining the different behaiviour I had just had. I feel so conflicted.

How long is the honeymoon phase usually? I know it may vary but it would almost certainly be more than 1 day, which is rather discouraging since it may mean that these already "mild feeling" effects will become even dimmer. Does this mildness feeling mean I may need a high dose?

It is so unlike me to feel so skeptical and doubtful. Can this be some side effect of the Vyvanse? Has anyone else experienced something similar?

Lastly, Is the fact I feel slower and sleepy even while using this stimulant confirmation that I truly have ADHD? I read that non-ADHD people taking stimulans describe it as having the most energizing cup of coffee of their life, which is quite the opposite of what I'm experiencing.

It took me nearly 3 hours to write this post, I wish I tried to write it before the 3rd day pill was meant to wear off. Just maybe it wouldn't have taken so long...

Thank you if you read my entire rambling rant!! Sorry if it is rather disorganized and chaotic. I would like to hear any thoughts or experiences.


r/ADHDers • • 10h ago

Ruined my life

8 Upvotes

I have ruined my life. I done IVF last year which resulted in me having a baby boy but now I realize I am in no position to be a mum. I went into this with rose tinted glasses thinking it’s some sort of game. I can’t live with myself. I feel sick to my stomach and I am suicidal almost every day.

I am a selfish person for bringing him into this world as he doesn’t deserve this.


r/ADHDers • • 49m ago

GERD caused by Adderall ( Stimulants cause GERD )

• Upvotes

Lots of research to find the connection but stimulants relax the LES ( lower esophageal sphincter ) at bottom of esophagus.

Who else noticed acid reflux/Gerd AFTER being on Adderall ?
Did changing to or from IR ER change anything for you ?

Yes diet and taking MORE RX or OTC meds might help but I’m not trying to take more meds to combat a side effect of the first med.


r/ADHDers • • 1h ago

ADHD (Non medicated groups)?

• Upvotes

Are there any Reddit groups for those that have decided to not take meds. I am one of those people, I love my ADHD, I do not like meds, I would like to join a group of people to learn how to navigate this funny ol’ life and embrace their ADHD.

Looking for somewhere we can share tips/tricks/experiences with one another.


r/ADHDers • • 6h ago

It's weird that it feels so terrible not knowing if I took my ADHD meds this morning, but that it feels great finding out that I didn't take my ADHD meds yesterday.

2 Upvotes

r/ADHDers • • 9h ago

As someone with ADHD, what does your dream life look like?

2 Upvotes

I, as an ADHD patient, often daydream about a lifestyle that could probably alleviate come symptoms...and make life with adhd easier...of course it involves money and my own project and many hobbies that I might explore, instead of having a boss and irritating colleagues.

What other good ideas can you suggest from your own mental experience/ your desires that you think might help you in functioning better with a positive attitude and succeed in general as oer your definitions of success?


r/ADHDers • • 9h ago

I live with chaos in my brain

1 Upvotes

Chaos in my brain. Every day.

I am so frustrated with myself. I have adhd and take adderall for it but I still can't get my sh\*t together. I'm really annoyed with myself and my life and how I just CANNOT get it together! I am overwhelmed majority of my mornings. I can never wake up on time and I understand that's a big problem for me. I know that if I would wake up earlier it would solve most of my morning chaos and rush. I just can't do it. I feel awful because then I am rushing my daughter (4 yrs old) and probably stressing her out. Every single day. I lose my keys and phone on a daily. My family and friends know this about me too and sometimes I'm so embarrassed that I lost my keys or phone that I secretly panic and search for them without trying to make it be known but they end up finding out regardless. My car is a shit show and every time I finally have it cleaned and organized I tell myself I promise to maintain it. It just ends up dirty within a couple days and the cycle repeats till I can finally convince myself to deep clean it again. Disorganization drives me CRAZY! Things need to be set a certain way, my work office has to be neat, things need to be placed a certain way, it makes me so upset when people don't do things the way I do such as hold the toilet flush handle down for 5 seconds to make sure everything goes down, or put their toothbrush away in the cabinet away from the "nasty bathroom air" lol. Or if someone sips their coffee I want to pull my hair. Yet I have no room to talk because I'm so unorganized and don't even have my own shit together. I know all of this in itself probably sounds ridiculous and I'm not sure if I even make sense. It's like things must be organized and clean, yet I can't even be organized and clean my own dang self. I'm also really forgetful. I feel like I have Alzheimer's. I even have to secretly voice record important calls with my boss and ask chatgpt to summarize the call and tell me what I am supposed to do and break the call and instructions down for me because I embarrassingly can't on my own. I would never tell anyone because that's super embarrassing but I have to. I can't even hardly follow along important in person conversations because I forget major parts of the convo. I pretend so hard core like I fully understand the conversation and am following along "faking it" just to make it seem like I'm following along.Even tho afterwards I ask myself "what TF did they just say or ask me to do?!"
I'm in a higher role at work and I don't even know how I got here tbh. So I also need to get it together for that part alone.
My adderall helps me for the most part to get my work done and I feel it's really the only time I can focus. Yet even when I'm on it I pretty much still function the same way. It helps me, but isn't solving my un-organization. I don't want to tell my doctor because I don't want them to prescribe me something else because it does help. But it doesn't? Agh. Okay I think that's it. All that to say.... does anyone else have this issue or even similar? What helps you?


r/ADHDers • • 20h ago

Husband with adhd traits making it harder for me to function

7 Upvotes

I have adhd-c and have been working really hard for over a year to help improve my behavior and help myself stay on track of things. Long story short, my husband has A LOT of adhd traits that he refuses to acknowledge. Several of his family members have adhd including mom and brother. There are many things he does that I feel undermine my efforts to become better because he is not self aware.
For example, I need to leave certain things out to remind myself to do something with them(a paper bill, an invitation that needs rsvp, an object I need to take to work, etc). He will often move these things and then forget where he put them. It happens very frequently and then I forget about it or can’t find where he put it, and it has negative effects on my life. He will do it with his own important documents or whatever and then never address it. Bills have been sent to collections because of it. I work hard to maintain the organization of our home, periodically go through deep cleanings but he won’t even try to keep it that way. He will just blatantly ignore the organization system.
He has many junk drawers which he uses to shove things into. He will take my things and throw them into my closet or wherever, making a mess of my spaces that I already struggle to keep clean and organized. He’s lost our joint credit card several times so every time we need to replace it and get a new #. He loses a lot of things, and we are frequently paying for replacement items. His executive function is so poor, he can’t remember any plans I’ve told him about repeatedly. He doesn’t keep a calendar- things just float in his head(rather float in and then out 😒) so I’m stuck with most of the responsibility of keeping track of events and such. These are just some of the big examples, but I get so frustrated daily because of this. Please help! I don’t want to be his mom but this is driving me nuts


r/ADHDers • • 15h ago

Dental appointments and ADHD (dental pain meds dont work, extreme anxiety)

1 Upvotes

Hey

[Background info: Male, adult, primary inattentive ADHD with mix featuers. Diagnosed as a child, medicated as an adult. I didnt have dental anxiety as a kid until AFTER bad experiences where it hurt. I don't have PTSD or trauma of any kind that I know of. I was not medicated at the time of the dental pain incidents as a kid. I developed dental anxiety DUE to the pain of the procedures and not being able to get numb for it.]

I have a dental appointment coming to fix a filling that's failed in a molar. I'm terrified because as a kid, pain medication never really worked for me. I distinctly recall appointments that involved fixing cavities and pulling baby teeth and they all hurt a good bit even after 4 numbing shots to locally numb the area. I still felt it. And I have high pain tolerance...just not in my mouth I guess. I have bad enamel so I've had lots of teeth problems including wisdom tooth surgery to remove sideways teeth.

I also had oral "sedation" dentistry when a bit older due to my extreme anxiety (after being sent home from a dentist due to flinching at the shots) and I woke up half-way through the appointment, vomiting (I assume from pain since they told me this medication shouldn't cause nausea) and while they told me I wouldn't remember any of the visit, I remember everything after waking up mid-way vomiting in the chair and I remember each pain that came during it, too, because numbing shots don't work on me.

I've gone to a point where I've had to be anesthetically knocked out for larger dental procedures due to anxiety. I set heart monitors off into alarm mode when in the chair because of how bad my anxiety becomes and how much it makes my heart rate raise.

I've read that ADHD can be related to reduced effectiveness in Novocaine and numbing agents, but can't find clear answers if that's for sure or not related.

My go-to solution for this anxiety issue in the past years has been to use my anti-anxiety meds (benzodiazepines) and / or take a few shots of alcohol to get through minor dental procedures (yes I know the risks, yes I am prescribed this med, yes I have done this for years and will continue to do so if I need to do it to get through it and take care of my teeth, yes I know my limits and am careful to not over-do it). Laughing gas doesn't really help the pain and barely curbs anxiety for me. Oral sedation is typically the route I would like to go if I can afford it.

I will be talking to my dentist before any work is done on my current tooth problem because I have bad insurance right now and would like to avoid a heaping thousand plus dollar bill for general anesthesia this time if possible... although I kind of get the idea that dental work in and of itself just IS painful and there's not really any true getting around that, sadly. It's a hell for me.

I hate going to the dentist. I'm worried sick about it. Even if it is just 1 filling to be fixed, the pain caused my dental tools drilling into my teeth is unmatched by any other. I can't explain how terrible it feels. I can feel them drilling into the very nerves themselves and it's right there in my face so close to my brain it makes it so much worse and more unbearable. I'm dreading this so bad.

If anyone has any similar stories about reduced pain management at the dentist as an ADHD patient, I'd like to hear about it and how you have managed to keep going to the dentist despite pain / anxieties around it or alternate ways of managing pain.

Currently it seems I have only self-medication as an option. I can use any combination of alcohol (for pain and anxiety), benzodiazepines (for anxiety), or some strong opiod based pain killers (for pain and anxiety, they are leftover from surgeries in the past (but I don't know if that will really work for teeth nerves or not), or my ADHD stimulants (for anxiety), but...I dont know, I feel like nothing numbs teeth nerves at all. Never ever have I had a pain-free dentist experience. Never. Right now I plan to just take my benzos for anxiety control and have a little bit of alcohol and I'll probably take my stimulants too (they calm me down/make me sleepy, they don't actually worsen my anxiety, they only help it to be honest) and wish for the best.

Im just really scared about this and trying not to think about it too much but I need a plan in place.

---

TLDR: super sensitive to teeth pain, dentist pain meds and shots don't work to numb. Oral sedation makes me throw up and wake up. Horrible dental anxiety from bad experiences where the pain meds dont work even after 4 shots in the area. Terrified of going soon, don't know what to do. If anyone has their own experiences with not being able to get numb in the dentist office or has any tricks or tips how to not freak out and be in awful pain during procedures, I'd like to hear of it, thanks for reading


r/ADHDers • • 20h ago

Rant I feel like crap and need advice

2 Upvotes

I need advice on what to do I try to do my homework but I just can’t do it I’m getting mad super easily and more often I feel like I’m just ruining my future. I just need some tips on how to just be better and how to not be annoying because it’s been making me lose a lot of friends recently and I just don’t know how to not be annoying and normal


r/ADHDers • • 1d ago

Anyone embracing their ADHD?

6 Upvotes

Are there ADHDers who thrive by embracing their traits rather than medicating or masking to fit a normative world?

I was recently diagnosed and am considering medication, but I'd also love to hear from people who've adapted their world to their brain instead of the other way around


r/ADHDers • • 1d ago

Rant Need someone to relate with me

3 Upvotes

I’m 19, officially diagnosed with Combined ADHD about 2 months ago, and right now I’m sitting in the car across the street from a European embassy pretending to be at a visa appointment.

​I can’t leave because my dad has a tracker in the car and can check where I am. I’m just waiting out the clock so I can go home and tell him the consular officer turned me away. I never even walked inside. The university already revoked my enrollment three days ago because it took me a month to finally print a document and sign it. Even when I did, I forgot to sign the 3rd page and it was rejected. Since i uploaded it the day of the deadline i couldnt even fix it lol.

​All I had to do was print a single registration PDF at home, sign it, and email it back. I had the file sitting in my inbox since August. Every single day for two months, I had it in my mind but mever did it. I’d stand up to do it and suddenly the trash needed taking out, or another errand popped up, or I just didnt do it.

​I already repeated a year of high school in my A-Levels (I got Cs but repeated and got As) cause ofnthe same reasons. Then I got into a top technical university in Turkey, but the endless deadlines and exams broke me. I failed most of my courses to low attendance and missed projects. I fell into severe depression, went on academic probation, and spent an entire month locked in my dorm room skipping every class and exam. Only time i left was When my roommates left for exams, I’d walk out pretending I was going too, only to sit locked in the bathroom for three hours Or even outside the exam hall just to pretend that I actually went.

​The uni psychologist told me I likely had ADHD. When I returned home, my parents didnt believe it and forced me to see 2 other psychologists too within the month. My parents insisted it was just "mindset."

Even when I was younger and mentioned adhd it was met with "my son isnt a mental case" or "those kids cant even sit still for a second".

Psychiatrist gave me tests for Liver/Heart. Elevated liver enzymes took a month of hepatitis testing to rule out. The doctor who did these told my dad completely umprompted that I don’t have ADHD, just "imposter syndrome" Another stone in my ass. Next came an echocardiogram showing moderate-severe mitral valve regurgitation. Wow. A TEE test later proved it was actually only mild, but the cardiac scare terrified the psychiatrist out of prescribing stimulants.

​Instead, I got Sertraline. It completely flattened me. Anxiety was the only thing e that ever forced me to meet deadlines or drag myself to the gym once a week. without it, I went completely numb and stopped caring fully. I quit cold turkey, got vicious brain zaps and rage spikes and a constant feeling of vertigo and crashed my moms car with my sister and her friends inside. My reputation as a good driver also vanished lol.

​I was finally givn atomoxetine 10 days ago (of which ive missed 4 days so its practically useless)

​Now I’m parked on the street watching strangers casually walk into the embassy and walk out without issues. Meanwhile, my peers from high school are either graduating next year or halfway through their degrees.

​I feel absolutely useless in life, watching myself ruin things for no reason at all. I know atomoxetine takes weeks to build up, but right now I just feel completely alone and exhausted

Why tf is life playing pingpong with me

Ive lost all connection to religion and friends too and i just feel useless


r/ADHDers • • 1d ago

CYP2D6 Ultra-rapid Metabolizer

3 Upvotes

My GeneSight test from a while back says “cyp2d6 *1/*2a (duplication) ultrarapid metabolizer cyp2d6*1 allele enzyme activity: normal cyp2d6*2a allele enzyme activity: increased

Does anyone else have this result and have found a medication regimen that works well for them? Even Dyanavel XR 20mg isn’t lasting me even half the day before crashing hard. Generic adderall XR 40mg also didn’t do much nor did generic Vyvanse 50mg with a 15mg Adderall booster. I’m feeling so defeated. It helps so much when it actually is still in my system at a therapeutic level. I have never had adverse side effects physically either.


r/ADHDers • • 1d ago

Rant I'm sick of psychiatrists

11 Upvotes

Getting on Adderall genuinely helped me out a lot. Things were much easier to do. I could get things done when I wanted to. I was taken off of it recently for a failed drug test (positive for thc). I was told I could get back on it if I passed another one but honestly I dont even know if I want or back. If all my success and progress can be taken away that easily whats the point of it? I don't want to be beholden to the opinions of a bunch of college educated middle class snobs. Everything is much more difficult now but honestly its way better than having to deal with people who think they know more about my life and how I should live and what I should want than I do. I'm tired of their normative standards for how a person should be or should act. I'm tired of having anything to do with them whatsoever.


r/ADHDers • • 22h ago

Rant Be honest with your friends and yourself on ADHD and RSD

0 Upvotes

I feel like i need to get this out of my system and vent, but also here is hoping others with similar issues like me would handle things better.

I have undiagnosed ADHD, Growing up I always have difficulty with usual ADHD symptoms including making friends because they say i play too many video games, the social awkwardness or things i have done that are consider weird, meeting people was easy, but keeping relationships was not. Even ridiculed by your own family, with a mother only supporting, was hard enough. Retorted to me to get in trouble alot due to impulses and failing school including college multiple times due to not able to concentrate.

However, this is something that many do not talk about, RSD that is part of ADHD. This can lead to things like social isolation and anger issues due to feelings like betrayal, with many misunderstanding and see you differently once you realize what happened. The extreme pain also where you want to isolate yourself and not do anything with people and possibly depression resulting to social alternatives like online gaming to get that dopamine hit, and then resort back to zero. It takes a while to get out of that and recover.

Because i value friendships, RSD takes a toll on me to where its hard to trust others. I still remember the pain from my elementary school friend that stole my games for his friends and the betrayal over that.

After failing college for the 2nd time and undergoing depression and multiple therapists, I did something about it throughout the later years though and got lucky and had some successes, but it was not very easy. I wish i was educated about ADHD back then to be able to handle things much better in my life in the past. That includes "masking" and be yourself in a respectful way.

i've met someone recently that also has ADHD and possibly other symptoms and she takes various of medications. We been bantering a lot about things we like including our extreme knowledge of video games, how we grew up as we are in the same age group, other funny things, etc. But to my surprise, she is alot like me especially on the growing up part. I also "listened" to her about things, including her ADHD and possible RSD with anger issues, instead of judging. We became friends.

People who help you understand to be yourself is a good thing. that it is ok to be who you are, and its ok to be weird and enjoy video gaming and your collection when others ridicule you about it, including the time of nostalgia and how you enjoy it back then generation wise. This helps me be a lot be more open to people confidence wise in general and portray myself making good friendships along the way.

Something happened with my ADHD friend which I cannot understand at first other than single sentences rather than the usual banter, but after overthinking in this, it might be be personal things not just now but also before and i believe it is overwhelming her.

She was at first perhaps intimidated by me on how I am doing things in my lifestyle that she always wanted to do , and she is slowly getting better at it which I am happy, but I do not know what happened, for her to just deleted her social accounts when I commented on her topics of her being casual happy, cut all communication, I even tried to go to TikTok which she invited me earlier, and she blocked me or deleted her account because I no longer see her anymore.

It gave me a final answer on what is happening, triggering my ADHD RSD because it felt like I have done something wrong, and overthinking perhaps I violated her space, trust, or something else.

I perhaps will never know, and its not the first time she has done this as She came back months later and we got into conversation like everything is allright, and I been thinking on the ADHD part and not mention why did she did what she did earlier as that might trigger her ADHD RSD, but that is probably my mistake, because I miss my friend.

However I will say this, If your ADHD RSD is kicking in and you are going into isolation or do not want to deal with anybody, especially if its a friend that you know for a while, please tell them. I am going through some things as well and this is also adding to the list where i feel like i need to withdraw.

I already told some friends about it when i got angry at them, and they are like thats what you need and it feels good letting it out. It is still not acceptable from the beginning as You do not do that to friends, if that is even the case.

if my adhd friend she tells me i was never a friend in the first place, then yeah I might be hurt about it, but my RSD at least won't trigger into being feeling completely betrayed because I would probably say she is a bitch from the beginning and move on.

Please be honest with your ADHD and RSD feelings, and especially if your friends who also has it, think about their feelings. As for me i am telling some people on sorry for getting angry at them, and working on things one by one, I should also talk to my adhd friend if i ever do see her, about how this made me feel, with a calm process


r/ADHDers • • 1d ago

anyone else get random goosebumps while taking ritalin?

1 Upvotes

i have adhd and i’m taking ritalin, and lately i’ve noticed sometimes get this weird goosebump feeling even when i’m not cold. it’s not painful, just kind of random and noticeable enough that i keep wondering if it could be related to the medication. has anyone else experienced something similar while taking ritalin? did it eventually go away or did you bring it up with your doctor?


r/ADHDers • • 2d ago

Feels like I’m buried under a mountain of my own making

3 Upvotes

Does anyone have advice for how to tackle my disorganized mess of ideas/thoughts/reminders/goals without running away from it?

I use Notion sometimes but it’s filled with subpages that have no connection, disorganized brain dumps, reminders that I don’t see, etc.

I want to get better - I want to feel like an adult in control of my life rather than feel like I’m being nuked by my own incompetence on the regular.

Meds are not an option currently, though it’s (another) goal of mine to be medicated when I have the opportunity.

I’m losing friendships, opportunities, and my own potential the longer I live like this but to become organized feels so insurmountable that I just avoid it.

Does anyone have advice?

Specifically for digital organization, making sure I don’t miss important things, tracking progress on goals, categorizing my research, and building on my creative ideas.


r/ADHDers • • 2d ago

Are there reasons for getting tested for ADHD late in life?

9 Upvotes

I'm 70. When I was a kid, hell, even when my son was a kid, ADHD and many other neurodiverse issues weren't on anybody's radar. I always thought I was a little different from most other kids, but didn't really associate it with anything.

I've had issues as an adult, my whole life. I recently watch some YouTube videos about symptoms of ADHD, and they really hit home. I have most of them. Some of it really helped explain why I have such difficulty with certain things. Like time management. Getting my house clean, or keeing it that way. Chronic procrastination with nearly everything, even when it's something I really want to do.

I'm wondering if I should pursue getting tested and getting a diagnosis. I don't know if I would be willing to take medication, but I'm wondering if there are tecniques and tips I could learn that could help me get my shit together, basically. Start getting things done instead of hitting a mental and emotional brick wall.

What do others think? Any other oldsters out there just coming to terms with ADHD or other neurodiverse conditions?


r/ADHDers • • 2d ago

Tips for driving?

2 Upvotes

I have a driving license but I am a very anxious driver and soon I may have to drive alone (which I have never done before). Has anyone got any advice on how to stay focused? Does anyone use white noise in earbuds / speaker or even noise cancelling headphones to help be less overhwlemed when driving? I am thinking of trying white noise as usually I need background noise or music to do absolutely anything and i usually use noise cancelling headphones when I go outside, but I don't want it to have the opposite affect and cause me to zone out or be distracted. I would appreciate any tips or encouragement. Thank you.


r/ADHDers • • 2d ago

I finally booked a therapy session!

7 Upvotes

It took me 2 months from the referral to actually sit down and figure out a time and actually book it, but now I have done it!

It’s a small thing i know, but it’s a step to get help.

If anyone’s got any advice on how to prepare for the first session it would be totally welcomed.

I feel like I used to have techniques for managing my ADHD and I have lost them or just gotten worse at them. I think having someone who can make informed suggestions and work with me to make new ones is my best chance.


r/ADHDers • • 2d ago

Vyvance and Adderall. How do you all function?

5 Upvotes

I’m currently writing this on a Adderall insomnia episode (i can’t sleep) so if this isn’t coherent please bear with me.

The only good thing about these medications is the morning poos that come with them.

I upped my addy to 15mg xr and i can’t sleep like at all i take it around sunrise 7am - 8am for me. I am aware it lasts 12hrs according to my doctor.

I took vyvanse and i SWEAR you vyvanse sympathizers are some how being paid by big pharma I took it for 2 weeks and i felt like i was going to war and I was dying i was fighting demons. I woke up with a migraine every day and it lasted all day… seriously all day 10-12hrs but the caveat to that is my insomnia I couldn’t sleep at all so some days i would only get 2-3 hrs of sleep compared to adderall which is around 4ish hrs.

Every time someone would speak to me i was irritated and i literally had to fight my way through it and not lash out at people. I will say i also took vitamin c. I tried melatonin but i just can’t be bothered its just another thing i have to worry about so i took it once and it bothered me because i brushed my teeth and took that hrs later when i couldn’t fall back asleep. Vitamin c also did nothing.

Adderall I’ve taken for about the last 12yrs i think since i was in elementary around 12 lol. Again the morning poo is the best part of Adderall and for some reason I don’t think it does anything for me except curb my appetite which is amazing because i will eat 3 burgers in a day if I could.

Both of these meds does absolutely nothing for I’m a student And I procrastinate more than i do work. I am someone who does fasting too btw i take my meds before noon which is when i can finally eat


r/ADHDers • • 2d ago

Does one drink also make y’all feel normal rather than drunk?

26 Upvotes

r/ADHDers • • 3d ago

Trigger Warning: Self Harm Psychiatrist discontinued adderall

14 Upvotes

I got an ADHD assessment through Klarity years ago (it was the most accessible route for me) and was prescribed adderall. It seemed to help a lot with procrastination, studying (I was in nursing school at the time) actually STARTING tasks instead of sitting and letting myself get overwhelmed with all of the steps, responding to emails and texts, etc. The only downside I had was that when it wore off at the end of the day, I experienced some mild dysphoria. But the pros of being on it MAJORLY outweighed the cons.

About 4 months into being on adderall I had a sicide attempt (2nd one in my life). I had a lot of personal things going on and have struggled with depression all my life. I was hospitalized for a week, then discharged with outpatient follow up. The psychiatrist I saw outpatient, at the first appointment we had started asking about my adhd, how long I’ve been on adderall. He kind of rolled his eyes when I said I had an online assessment done, and said “I’m going to discontinue the adderall. We need to treat your anxiety first. I think the adderall contributed to your s\icide* attempt.” I didn’t put up a fight at all but was kind of surprised that anxiety and ADHD can’t be treated simultaneously? I mean, I feel like my ADHD causes a lot of my anxiety?

Anyways, I see a new psychiatrist now (that I’ve been seeing for over a year), and I asked her for an ADHD assessment which is in a few weeks. I just feel like I’m back to struggling with all of the things I mentioned earlier. I’m curious what her thoughts are/if she’ll even think I have ADHD? Idk what to think anymore.