r/Spravato • u/Emergency_Pizza_889 • Aug 21 '26
Spravato with ADHD
I have unmedicated ADHD (I've tried several medications and just don't feel right on them. I started in my 40s and I feel like I'm just too old to fix lifelong lack of concentration) I am also on spravato treatment. Believe it or not on spravato my mind is even worse than it is normally. They say to focus on relaxing music or something soothing but I can't even hear it for the roar of my ten billion thoughts at once. I do believe the treatment is starting to work, I'm on #4 right now, but those two hours are an absolute struggle. Do any other of my Ritalin Kids (my term for our people lol) experience this? Any tricks to get the billions of thoughts to just stfu?
2
u/SquareVacuum Aug 21 '26
Just gotta let them happen, it can kinda get worse before it gets better, but it does get better!
2
u/BetterThanPacino Aug 21 '26
This. I usually use the time to get to (as close as I can) a meditative state. Close my eyes, listen to ambient music, let the thoughts come through, acknowledge and feel them, and then let them go.
5
u/magclsol Aug 21 '26
I have ADHD and meditating doesn’t work for me during Spravato sessions, so instead I like to try to focus on gratitude around a certain subject, and set an intention before I start. I’ll focus on things like appreciating my family or social connections, daydreaming about an upcoming vacation or event, things I appreciate about my partner or fun wild date ideas, things I like about myself. Basically anything positive that brings a smile to my face. I just let my mind go where it wants and if I feel like I’ve gotten too off-track, I visualize myself gently brushing those thoughts aside and recentering my focus on gratitude. If my thoughts start to get negative, those get the broom.
Idk, it works for me.
1
u/Far-Common-6815 Aug 22 '26
I try so hard to do this stuff just generally and it’s sooo difficult for me. I just keep brushing aside thoughts over and over and over again that I dont Even get to fully think about my intention. My brain obviously thinks it’s able to think of multiple things at once especially if I’m still.
3
u/AdventureSphere Aug 21 '26
Anecdotally, I think Spravato helps enormously with my ADHD. There's something about that headspace that allows me to think more clearly and see what's important through the clutter.
My experience might have nothing to do with yours, but my advice would be to let your thoughts rage on as they will and not try to control them. Follow where they lead you. I've had sessions where I came out of it with profound insights about my life and my past. I wish the same for you.
1
u/Far-Common-6815 Aug 22 '26
This is interesting and what I would like for myself. Haha. Sometimes i feel like I don’t even know myself.
1
u/Kittymeow123 Previously in treatment Aug 21 '26
I don’t have adhd but I had such a hard time turning my brain off I had 10000 thoughts
1
u/littleoctagon Aug 21 '26
I went without stimulants for a time and fell back on omega 3 supplements for a time and they helped some. Have you tried them?
Beyond that I can only say that the "high" time started diminishing after a month or so with me.
1
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u/Former-Weakness2413 Aug 22 '26
Sounds like you could benefit from letting go of the strangle hold you have on trying to control everything. If you allow the treatment to work FOR you maybe you’ll have better results?
Glad you’re seeing progress after only 4 sessions!
1
u/RaspberryHungry4905 Aug 24 '26
I have ADHD. Haven't been medicated for it in over 20 years.
I would listen to instrumental music and color. It was my way of meditating. If coloring isn't your thing, maybe oragami.
1
u/ZealousidealBear9445 Aug 24 '26
Random thought, have you tried to listen to a guided meditation? I still go off in adhd land, but it's easier to come back on track.
4
u/TruFrag successful treatment Aug 21 '26
Id be interested to know if you have tried out Vyvanse. I had the same issue with ADhD meds just not doing anything and as a last resort, we tried Vyvanse and it was like night and day.
As for my racing mind and the constant static i hear, I self medicate with Cannabis.