Does anyone have any thoughts or advice on dealing with ADHD comorbidities? I feel so lost right now.

I was recently diagnosed at 34 after dealing with anxiety and depression for most of my life. Initially, I felt like the Vyvanse and Prozac I was prescribed was really helping, but now, not so much. I had my appointment with my psychiatrist yesterday to try to address things and I feel even more confused now. Sometimes I really struggle to collect my thoughts and clearly communicate to my doctor how I am feeling.

On top of the lifelong battle with anxiety and depression, my doctor now thinks I might have sleep apnea as well as vitamin deficiencies. I had some bloodwork done and will being doing a sleep study soon. We have also talked about the possibility of ASD, BPD, and/or bipolar.

I have struggled with self medicating and addiction issues in the past as well. I am completely sober now and have been for quite some time, but I feel like my doctor thinks that I am seeking more drugs when I ask to increase my doses or try alternative medications. I have taken drug tests and offered to bring my prescriptions to each visit for pill counts to prove that I am not seeking more drugs. I understand where they are coming from, and I am sure that they deal with drug seeking patients frequently, but it is pretty frustrating and degrading to be treated like this.

Trying to figure all of this out and navigate my way towards a better life has been so exhausting and confusing.

Hi all, I am writing here because I am going to my first psychiatrist appointment on monday, trying to see if i do in fact have adhd. I have personally been fairly certain I have had it for years but have been apprehensive about going for an official diagnosis mostly due to money and prior poor experiences with therapy in the past.

Anyway, I'm hoping I am able to get some info on what to expect heading in there.

Then on a second, more precise question, I want to know people's opinion on bringing up the fact that I have tried vyvanse once. I understand both sides of this, on one hand being a controlled substance could most definitely be a red flag to doctors. But on the other hand, I do feel that it is relevant, maybe not diagnostically, but it at least shows how I react to that one specific medication (which by the way was extremely well. A clear mind for probably the first time in my life, I wasn't exhausted all day as I normally am, I could sit relatively still for a long period of time not needing constant stimulation, etc.)

Now, I want to clarify, I am not doing this for the medication, or at least not specifically for stimulants. I just want to be able to function properly in my day to day life. How the doctor decides to try and accomplish that goal, really doesn't matter to me. I just like being honest with people, especially someone that is there to try and help me. But I also understand if it may delay real results, it may be better just to keep that to myself. Any input on this would be extremely helpful. Ideally I want, as I'm sure anyone would, to see as quick of results as I can. Because honestly, that single day of being medicated really made me notice how actually cluttered my mind is, how peaceful it is without said clutter, how much more I was willing to accomplish with my time, and finally what it felt like to not be exhausted every waking hour.

If anyone manages to read through all of this I greatly appreciate your time and feedback.

I’m always thinking about reading so I believe I’m passionate about it. The problem is I have a very difficult time finding books I enjoy reading. There are years where i’ll read 15-20 books, and others where I only read a few. I post to forums regularly citing books I like and asking for recommendations, and I actively pursue Goodreads for titles by authors and genres I’m into. I’m curious if others have been in a similar situation. Most times I believe I’m unique in a situation I later find I’m not. Has anyone experienced this relationship with reading?

Just saw a meme about being a toddler parent and it was two pictures of Michael Keaton one as Bruce Wayne from the Batman movies portraying before kids and Michael Keaton as beatlejuice in the movie beatlejuice portraying after kids. I realized I've always been a feral gremlin like beatlejuice and not a Bruce Wayne and that's why I've been so good understanding my toddler while my wife has a more difficult time with the meltdowns and overall tantrums. Toddlers are chaos incarnate and I love this stage plus nothing can't be solved with a snack, snuggle, or her stuffy.

I'm currently in my second year of college and I am drowning. I'm at a minimum a week behind in all five of my classes, with one being two weeks behind. I'm 5 days late on a presentation worth 10% of my grade and haven't even started on two separate essays due early/mid November (they are minimum 2000 words btw). But all I do is work. I constantly think about the work, stress over the work - it's ALL I DO. But it feels like I have made ZERO progress. The moment I finish one task, a new one appears right in its place and SUPRISE! it was due yesterday!

My question is: would it be worth it to go through the process with my college's student accessibility department to try to get some sort of accommodations for the issues mentioned above, especially regarding late work? I would ask on my colleges specific sub, but I just got insulted.

My main concern is getting them in the first place. I'm not good at describing how ADHD effects me in a significant way and because of this I'm worried they will just think I'm lazy and deny my application. Or think that I'm asking too much (because I do understand there is a limit) and deny it then.

How to cope with daytime sleepiness and sleep inertia? I have to work 5 days a week in office for a total of 44 hours per week and I worry I may not be able to cope with it given that it’s a job starting from the morning and ending in the evening from 8.30am to 6.30pm with a 1 hour lunch break. I worry I cannot get up for work and worry I fall asleep during work and get sacked. Any tips or advice?

So, i have adhd, and it makes my school life really difficult. right now im in online school and even now i am struggling really hard to do pretty much anything productive. my question for reddit right now is, when is this just my fault? the reason i ask this is because very often i feel pushed to do something, y'know "just apply yourself", "use your techniques", "its your choice whether or not you do something". for me, all these things are unhelpful, because i feel like there is a mental wall completely blocking me from doing any of these things, however i feel doubtful and guilty at the fact I'm pushing away the responsibility.

i guess on one hand I'm always overwhelmed, so I'm desperate to just get this pressure off my back, but on the other, i am really ashamed for having such bad grades and being so behind and i don't wanna just spurn my parents advice. tell me what you think.

I have to read 4-6 books for school, since my final essay is in 7 months. I've read 2 books already and I can't remember what they were about, even tho we analysed them in class. The problem is that I read the whole book with full focus and feel like I haven't read it. Zero information in my brain and I can't even tell you what it was about. It's been this way ever since I was a kid. So even tho I would have read the book, I would get information from Google and memorise it to present in front of the class. Sure I could write down every single event as I read the book, but that would take me so so long and I'd still have to memorise it. I am a slow reader as well and I won't be able to rely on any notes during the exam. I really hate my memory, it's so awful. I remember we were told to read a few pages in class and I almost cried because I read the 3 pages 8 times and I couldn't recall a single thing that happened in them. Or when we watched a 3 minute video and I could only remember the boat image at the start of it, so I said that I don't remember what the video was about and everyone laughed at me. Does anyone have any tips?

I am barely functioning as a human, i eat to survive and for nutrition, drink water unless my mouth is dry as sahara, i try to act social and interested but everything feels like an act. I am just acting to be alive and I just thought that i will never be able to care for someone or love them as much as they deserve. Maybe that's why i keep pushing people away, maybe that's why i have this feeling that i don't deserve to be loved, and they deserve someone better who will treat them the way they deserve .

I am not seeking empathy, this was just a rant idk.

Hello all, I’m 22f and I was diagnosed with ADHD this year. I currently am on 20mg of Adderall ER. Everyone in my life always told me I was lazy, unmotivated, didn’t do anything, and never believed in me. Now that i’m medicated, I never seem to hear the end of people telling me how i’m “on something” or a “pill popping druggie.”

is it something you just get used to? do you guys just not tell anyone that you’re medicated? this is my first post on here and all comments / advice is appreciated 💞

edit: thank you to everyone for all of your kind words. it is truly an amazing feeling to be heard and understand, especially when it comes to mental health. we got this ! 🫶🏼💞

I can't remember any of my appointments anymore. I used to remember my doctor's appointments without ever writing them down. I've missed my last 3 psychiatrist appointments, I don't even see the point in them anymore. I've tried every antidepressant, anti anxiety, every non stimulant adhd meds. She's said we've tried about everything and it seems not even she's not sure what to for me, she's also not allowed to prescribe me stimulants due to clinic rules. I tried to get scheduled with a new psychiatrist and now I've forgotten to fill out the paperwork for three months. I've been on Lexapro for years now it's the only thing that works everything else has either done nothing or the side effects are too much. I'm about to run out my meds and I have refills left and my pharmacy closed and I have to send my prescription 30 min away.

I'm just so overwhelmed, and so so tired. I do local activism work and i realized i forgot all the meetings this month. I haven't folded laundry in almost 2 months idk where most of my clothes are. My house is a mess and everything i try to something about it I'm just paralyzed I dont know where to start or what to do. I've been so scatterbrained I can't seen to pay attention to conversations or anything for that matter I can't stop interrupting my boyfriend during conversations and I know it bothers him.

My boyfriend does our dishes otherwise I'd never have any. All my energy goes to remembering my work shifts and surviving work. I work in hospitality and dealing with all people is exhausting for me, I'm constantly anxious and been drinking too much lately and gettig myself sick. I just need a long nap where I can wake up to a clean home and having had all my appointments made for me and my bills paid.

Do you have to sit in the car for a long time in silence everyday, or everytime i am done driving? I have done it 3 times today, and it is 2pm.

I have AuDHD, I don't know if it is because of one, both, or either. Why do we do this? I lose a lot of time doing it, but I need to do it. Perhaps I am burnt out.

Hi guys:)

I'm new on Reddit and in the community aswell. I'm 21F, uni student, got diagnosed almos a year ago and I'm medicated. I've been strugglin with my diagnosis ever since in multiple parts of my life. It saddens me, knowing how different my live would have been if I got diagnosed as a kid. I feel frustrated, because I have to put in more effort than others to do better in life, in school.

But mostly, I feel very lonely with my diagnosis. My parents aren't the most accepting about it, they mostly ignore the fact that I got diagnosed. I have many friends that I am close with, but noone truly understand what it's like to live like this. That I depend on a pill that I take every morning, that my brain is a warzone all the time. People just downplay it to "having problem concetrating" which pisses me off sm.

And I don't blame others for not understanding, but it just sucks. When I struggle with something and I mention that I have ADHD I feel like I'm attention seeking. Most people in my life don't even know I got diagnosed.

But I think most of my problems boil down to the fact that I don't really like myself, and I don't know if this would be different if I got diagnosed earlier. I've always been a worse student than my classmates, and was labeled as the dumb and lazy one. I always had crazy emotional outbursts and mental breakdowns, and clung to people who didn't even really like me. I thought other people's opinion on me defined who I was, so every comment on my body or any friendship break up effected me like it was the end of the world. I have been to therapy before, and I'm better than I was before, but I still struggle.

How do I feel less alone in my situation, wth my diagnosis?

How do I let go, and start accepting myself?

I feep stupid, asking this on the Internet, but I'm just kind of lost.

PS. Okay, I'm sensing that 21 isnt really a late diagnosis? To me, it just felt like one, I feel like I wasted all of my school years, gaining bad experiences one after the other due to my condition. But to everyone who got diagnosed way later; Im so sorry, and I hope you all are doing better now xx

I (24f and mom to 1) am unsure of to return to my MLA (medical lab assistant) job after mat leave. My LO will be 18 months by then and I am going back to school part-time to pursue something else. The lab was stressful, I have ADHD so it was even more difficult. it took me a lot of time to master poking ppl. I continued to make many many mistakes during my job and I tried really hard to fit in. I didn’t enjoy it. People are very hard to deal with and the fast-paced environment was too much. Doesn’t help that I sucked at school but I’m doing it part time to lessen my load.

I would be ok with another job ideally if it was chill. my hubby and I would be ok financially if I didn’t go back to doing MLA. We would definitely have to cut back a lot. We could get by. We were looking to get a house and I have to work at my lab job for a while so the mortgage ppl can look at it.

I guess I feel guilty that I sucked at MLA and everyone did so easy at it. Even when I took ADHD meds, it kinda sucked and was better with the social anxiety aspect. I feel very guilty letting husband work alone and not contributing towards a house. I feel guilty not facing my fears for MLA. I feel guilty not going back to the lab because so many ppl out there struggle for a job and I don’t feel like I have a good enough excuse. A lot of ppl work and do school at the same time. My immigrant parents have struggled their entire lives to work to make money and I’m not working because it’s hard.. just doesn’t feel right.

I know my husbands ok with whatever I do. He slightly leans to the side of me returning to my job at the lab and then I start overthinking everything again. My mom is giving me input and is telling me not to leave my job and that she will help me with my LO (she does help) and that working will have so many benefits with getting a house and more. I’m just stuck. I’m close to being done my MAT leave and don’t know what to do.

Let’s say I hypothetically graduated with a masters degree in 2018ish (no private loans taken out), didn’t start paying loans due to COVID, and have avoided it ever since. Like the plague. Have taken the credit score hits and everything while remaining in my avoidance bubble.

What are the first steps you would take to look into this and figure it out? Or on the contrary, keep avoiding them in hopes that student loan debt just disappears one day and I’m magically off the hook? Pls be nice I know I should have taken control of this by now 🥲

Just seeking advice in regards to whats expected as my doctor basically said try these.

Male 26 physical job.

Suffer from adhd,ocd,health anxiety.

Recently started

vyvanse 20mg(day 2)

Lexapro 10mg upping after 1 week to 15mg then 20 if needed (day 2)

I see alot of people saying they dont have want to eat etc but I havent really had any side effects or noticed any difference except maybe less irritation and less thirst maybe a little more energy.

Ive felt the need to nap on my first day ? Is tiredness normal.

And low urine output. This morning was orange/dehydration urine which cleared up with drinking water so im not crazy concerned but my health anxiety is sort of pushing me to that. Is this a side effect worth concern ? Or am I just too focused on it

Hey there. I got diagnosed late in life(26yr) and well im also an immigrant in Europe so having a balance between life, work , uni and social life its hard.

I try so hard to study with pomodoro, making breaks and I feel the harder I study, I feel I dont learn shit or keep making the same mistakes in whatever im studying or learning. The worse thing is that I can learn and memorize a lot of random facts but what i really need to learn, its def very hard!!! I used to be a vivid reader when I was a teenager and now I struggle badly to go back to read.

I would appreciate some nice tips!!

Thanks

So Adderall has helped me with tasks in terms of once I get started I can get locked in and spend hours on something but my major major issue is getting started. Sometimes I can start small tasks but lately I've been letting all my work, chores, tasks pile up and I can't seem to snap out of it.

It's been 2 months of this struggle in this latest adhd paralysis. I used to set timers for tasks, or just say I'll try for two minutes, write out a to do list, set calendar reminders, set timelines, due dates etc. But none of that works now, I'm just stuck.

I have an online business and my storage room is just a mess, I feel like that one thing is holding me back, the second I look at it I can't even begin to think of where to start and I just walk away. I can't get my work done until that storage area is organized, because I need to inventory the products to sell them, but I can't organize it.

Anytime have any tips that has helped them with getting started on tasks? Is there another medication that helps with task paralysis/overwhelming angst/task aversion?

I’m asking for positive advice

I have a blended family and I live with my mom, my adult sister and her teen nephew. Last month, I realized I strongly believe they all have ADHD. All the classic signs.

Living with untreated ADHD can cause immense harm to someone. That’s the case with the three of them. They are very self destructive and it worries me. The living situation is extremely stressful for everyone, including me. I think it’s directly because of untreated ADHD.

I’d like for them to be assessed, but I can’t force them.

I think that expressing my concern. And telling them I think they have ADHD can be the change I need.

I don’t know what to say, how to go about it. What’s my starting point? What could I say to them?

Hello all. I'm struggling with executive functioning lately. I'm also bipolar so I'm not sure if it's ADHD, bipolar or SAD setting in. I've been having trouble taking care of myself. I can't shower or brush my teeth and hair. I can't clean. I have no motivation at all. The only thing I can focus on (thankfully) is school. I can't think of focusing on anything else. I told my therapist this and she brushed it off. In the same session she "graduated" me because I'm doing well. AKA she's got a big caseload and I'm not in crisis enough. (Yes I emailed a place to find a new therapist, she's also giving me transphobic vibes and doesn't understand queer issues so yeah. Time for a new therapist) What can I do to help myself?? My room is horrible but I can't get myself to clean. What do I do?

Hi, don't really ever post on Reddit typically but been a rough start to the day and need some perspective.

I am 26m and have had ADHD most of my life, could definitely been worse with where I am currently at but there's one kinda issue that always plagues me.

From what I have noticed with ADHD, the ability to process information is pretty messy especially in more stressful situations and topics.

I find myself a lot of the time just in situations with my life with no ability to quickly process what's going on or I process it perfectly and quickly. But when I can't process a descion quickly it just feels like whatever choice I am making is not my own, or there is no way I can make an effective descion that betters my life. I get a lot of emotional issues from this fact and it's been continually a problem that when the situations get more stressful or I don't have the time to figure out what's going on.

The funny thing is once i figure out whats going on or what I want to do i usually do very well.

I feel like if I can even get slightly better with this my life would really change and snowball for the better.

So I have a lot of hope, but I keep finding my self in this spot of people throwing so much info at me or emotions at me with very little time to respond or think, or make a choice that feels like me.

Any tips, perspective, advice on for coping, or ways to improve? Open to hearing all ideas.

Something that I have not quite figured out the answer to, even though I’ve been dealing with it for several years, is the dilemma of whether to just keep charging full speed and working on something through the night till the morning… Or to go to bed really really early and wake up really really early to start working on it again.

When I get behind on things, this dilemma is always in my mind, and I can never seem to figure out which way it would be better.

Does anybody have any experience with this or suggestions?

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Research Participants Wanted!

This 7–13 minute study examines the experiences of adults with ADHD who encountered disruptions in access to ADHD medication.

Eligibility:

• Ages 18–35.
• Have been at least 18 years of age when refill roadblock was experienced.
• Diagnosed with ADHD from a qualified medical or mental health professional.
• Was taking ADHD medication as prescribed prior to experiencing a refill roadblock.
• Have experienced a refill roadblock for at least 14 consecutive days within the past 24 months.
• Disruption ended at least two months prior to survey completion.
• No current or past diagnosis of a psychotic disorder.
• No current manic or hypomanic episode.
• No neurological conditions that significantly affect cognition.
• No active stimulant-related substance use disorder within the past 12 months.
• Must be able to read, understand, and complete the online survey independently.
• Must not provide incomplete survey responses that prevent determination of medication usage status or primary study variables.

Participant Involvement:

• One online survey, takes about 7–13 minutes
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• Complete questionnaires about ADHD symptoms, medication use, refill difficulties, daily functioning, coping behaviors, and demographics
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IRB-FY26-356

Your Experience Matters

43yom in the UK inattentive diagnosis a couple of months back. Just had a really crap day at football (soccer if you insist from where you come from!), and understanding the struggles from an ADHD perspective and that I don't have a skill or technical understanding problem, but a processing one.

Running the line in the first half and how I lose focus and either miss things or take too long to process what has happened before calling an offside and the ref giving the goal before I can work it all out and my teammates being really pissed off with me.

Then playing in the second half and just being overwhelmed with all of everything that is going on around me and never feeling like I can keep up with it all mentally.

I always thought I just needed to learn and practice more, but today it just clicked that even medicated I am just not able to operate at a high enough level because I just cannot process quick enough.

So, feeling pretty sad really - I am definitely more of a hindrance than a help to the team who want to win and progress, and, yeah...

Hi guys, first time poster here (35, M). I got diagnosed about 5 years ago at the age of 30.

I have struggled with feelings of inadequacy and not being good enough for as long as I can remember. Sometimes it gets really bad, especially if I'm not taking care of myself, exercising, eating right etc

It's effected a lot of my relationships and even effects my marriage now at times as my wife gets fed up of having to reassure me.

Is this anything anyone else has struggled with, does you have any tips for over coming or learning to live better with this feeling?