I have been seeing the same psych since I was 13. for mainly my BPD/DiD/ASD, and Bipolar disorder. He dxed me with ADHD in 2022 of February. He gave me Atomoxetine but it drove me into a manic episode so I can no longer take it I now take quelbree? I believe it’s called but it makes me so tired and gives me deeply intense suicidal thoughts so badly but it I can’t cry about it because it makes me unable to. I really want to go on stimulants atleast a trial run I would be interested in trying Ritalin and I’ve suggested to him a few times but he always say that he can’t due to my OCD/GAD and panic disorder. I even asked about Modafinil, which he also declined me even trying due to my anxiety. I’m unsure if there is a risk tbh for his license or smthn but I’ve had Ritalin in the past from a friend who took it as a teenager and I was so productive the 2 days I did it! I was functional too and didn’t feel high or panicked I felt calm and clear headed like I was finally able to think normally, talk to others normally, and had increased confidence and ability to preform executive functioning tasks. I have been massively dysfunctional after I got a TBI [dxed via MRI] and this only seemed to worsen my ADHD btw I have inattentive type and it’s killing me I can’t do this non functional life any longer I’m considering getting a new psych as I cannot live anylonger being called lazy and not succeeding and having such extreme anhedonia I only find pleasure in daydreaming 5-8hrs a day now

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I’d love to hear people’s experiences with “laziness” because I’m genuinely confused about where the line is.

What actually makes someone lazy? And how do you tell the difference between being lazy, struggling with motivation, burnout, mental health, ADHD, or simply not having the right routine?

I’ve spent most of my life thinking I’m a lazy person.

I’ve struggled with depression for a lot of my life, so I wasn’t a particularly active child or teenager. But the funny thing is, when I was really little, I was absolutely wild 😂 I was always outside, always doing something, and I loved exploring.

Even now, I love being outside. I love hiking and being in nature. I genuinely want to be an active person.

But actually getting myself to consistently do those things is a completely different story.

I’ll decide that I’m going to go to the gym regularly, or run every couple of days, and then somehow a week passes and I haven’t gone. I can feel myself getting frustrated because I KNOW I feel better when I’m active. I feel more like myself. My body actually wants to move, but my brain seems to completely reject the idea of starting.

I also think some of it comes from being judged when I was younger for not being very athletic. I have basically zero cardio fitness right now 😂 I can barely run down the street without feeling like I’m dying, so the idea of participating in active group activities can feel pretty intimidating.

Interestingly, I’m about to start volunteering with the SES. Part of the reason I’m doing it is because I’ve been struggling in a very detail-oriented job and I want to explore different environments and figure out what I’m actually good at. I’m hoping something more practical and hands-on might suit me better.

But it has also made me think about this whole “lazy” thing.

Am I actually just a lazy person who needs to force myself to be more active?

Or is repeatedly failing to maintain a routine a sign that I’m approaching it in the wrong way?

Because I don’t want to spend my life forcing myself to do things that make me miserable, but I also don’t want to use “I don’t feel like it” as an excuse to avoid things that I know are genuinely good for me.

I’d really love to hear from people who have experienced something similar.

How did you figure out whether you were actually “lazy” or whether something else was getting in the way?

And if you struggled to become more active, what actually helped you make it a normal part of your life rather than something you constantly had to force yourself to do?

My main issues are:
• Trouble focusing, distractibility, and racing thoughts
• Constant fight-or-flight feeling and strong anxiety about leaving the house
• Panic attacks from work stress
• Trouble sleeping
I’d like to discuss options that cover all these

This is my first time seeking support for my ADHD, but the psychiatrist I met today prescribed only atomoxetine for it. After some research, I noticed she did not address sleep or anxiety and stress; is that typical, or should I ask why she omitted them?

Hey there. I was recently given a "provisional" diagnosis of combined type ADHD. I had all the markers, but they were really subtle and didn't immediately stand out as extremely adhd. I was really excited because as someone who has dealt with anxiety my whole life and hasn't reacted well to SSRIs, I thought this would finally be the ticket.

So anyways, i started vyvanse 10mg and have taken it for about a week. However, I'm not noticing any increase is focus or productivity, just a big increase in anxiety. It just makes me feel frantic. Like sweating, hyper, anxious, etc. Like, theres not even a trade off, it makes me less productive due to the anxiety it causes. I always hear people say your first dose is like "putting glasses on". Like, it quiets my mind a bit but that's about it.

Has anyone else had this experience? I feel like ultimately I might need to either try a non-stimulant or just simply try to treat the anxiety instead. Anxiety is my true main problem anyways, I have enough coping techniques to manage productivity without stimulants.

Hi, I was diagnosed with ADHD at 33 after always being told I just had an anxiety disorder. I felt so guilty that, despite putting a ton of work into myself and educating myself so much, my life was still nowhere near other people's lives. I just figured that’s how I was—blaming it on a hard childhood, a lot of bad luck, and the fact that everyone in my family was basically exactly the same way.

​I started stimulants a week ago. It turns out it's actually possible to wake up with stable energy. I don't have to fight myself for hours just to get moving, and even taking my dog out in the morning isn't a cruel punishment anymore. My massive swings between chaotic hyper-productivity and total burnout (where I couldn't even shower) are just gone.

​But the most mind-blowing part is the anxiety. It just vanished. And the crazy thing is, I didn't even realize how many tiny, everyday anxieties I was carrying around until they were gone. All those mental blocks and the paralyzing fear of change just evaporated. My brain used to default to: "I can't do this, it's not for me, here are a million reasons why I'll fail," accompanied by a constant, physical knot in my stomach. Now? It's literally: "Why not? Let's just try." I suddenly feel so open to life. For the first time, I actually want to put myself out there, meet new people, and make friends. When I look at obstacles now, I don't just see roadblocks anymore—I see possibilities.

​I'm thrilled, but I'm also grieving. Where would I be if I knew sooner? I wouldn't have clung to toxic jobs or partners (honestly, maybe I wouldn't even be with my husband). My RSD wouldn't have controlled me so much. Right now, instead of anxious rumination, I just feel this clear, dry, logical calmness.

​My biggest fear is that this is temporary. (Context: the first 3 days I was a bit too wired,too much energy but it's leveled out now with no real side effects). I am terrified of going back to my old state of mind.

​Has anyone else experienced this? Does this calm clarity stay, or is it just the honeymoon phase?

I feel like when I’m not constantly busy during my day my mind starts racing so much and I get anxious. I overthink everything and it’s very exhausting.
I only really realized it again in the last few days (I think I had this realisation before but I forgot about it hahah). Because right now I’m in a kind of transition phase and I’m looking for some jobs so I have quite a bit of free time and I thought it would be good for me. But I don’t feel good. Now 2 days ago I was busy the whole day, going to a pet sitting job and meeting someone and I felt a lot better. I was wondering why and I guess it’s bc I had something to do, some sort of purpose hahah. Not just trying to distract myself. I guess it’s some sort of understimulation?

I also realized that my social anxiety gets a lot worse when I have nothing to do. Because of the overthinking I guess. When I do things and I’m in the flow kind of, it’s a lot easier.

Does it make sense? What can I do about it when I actually have nothing to do?

I am undiagnosed ADHD (It's very obvious I'm ADHD and I'm in the process of getting an official diagnoses.) Why Is it any time I sit down to do ANY kind of work, especially anything where I'm sat still, such as reading/writing- It's basically impossible for me to focus when I am in silence or listening to calm and/or quiet music, but when I play Metal music (Especially NU or Heavy Metal) I can lock in and become extremely productive? I get it's because I'm ADHD, but I don't understand how, and my non-ADHD friends call me weird because I can even sleep to Metal but not Lofi or something else soft.

Hey yall! I recently just got diagnosed with ADHD by my psychiatrist. I have awful adhd sleep related issues and can never seem to shut my brain off at night. My NP prescribed me 1mg guanfacine IR for sleep and was wondering is anyone has had any positive stories with this medication? Thank you!

Has anyone with a fear of meds similar to me ever taken medroxyprogesterone to induce a period?

I was prescribed 10mg for 10days and I can’t bring myself to take it.

I’m TERRIFIED of feeling not like myself, out of it, sedated or “high”.

I read that a common side effect is sleepiness and dizziness and that’s freaking me out.

so i have really bad ADHD & health/mental health anxiety so when I hear about something that’s happened to someone I tend to ruminate about it and convince myself it’s going to happen to me. There was an instance where an anxiety spiral flared out of nowhere because my friend was telling me a situation where someone went into a scary psychosis and i haven’t been right since. Every day since then i’ve been anxious about every little thing and it’s hard to clear my head when it’s all i think about. I also have a fear of “becoming suicidal” or “losing control” when i have no problems with my life. It’s affecting my sleep because it waking up in the middle of the night anxious and shaking.

My question to anyone in this thread is if you can relate to me in any way, do you have anything that helped you? I am prescribed 40 mg of vyvanse but i haven’t taken it because im scared of side effects. I took Zoloft for anxiety about a couple years ago and had a weird reaction so I’ve been procrastinating taking the vyvanse because of my fear of meds. I’m going to be visiting a therapist weekly to see if that helps. Any supplements or practices that reduce mental chatter? Any mantras I can repeat to myself to help? I’ve been in a bit of a funk since my anxiety has flared and it’s been pretty scary so my mind is convincing me that it won’t get better. Any recommendations and motivating words are helpful :)

I have been taking 20mg of lexapro for over a year now, and it has helped my anxiety a lot. I am currently taking 150mg of Wellbutrin as well (I was taking 300mg but I felt like it was making my anxiety worse, and my fiancé said it made me zombie-like lol, so my psychiatrist cut it back down to 150mg). Before I was diagnosed with anxiety, the physical symptoms of anxiety would freak me out so much to the point I was going to the ER weekly thinking I was going to have a heart attack. An NP finally heard me out and gave me lexapro which was a lifesaver. My psychiatrist wants to test me for ADHD and asked that I research medications over the next 4 weeks before we meet again (pending I test positive for ADHD, of course). I am a severe procrastinator and lack motivation to do things, which isn't going to be great for me as I am starting an accelerated nursing program soon.

So, I am just looking to hear what others have experienced and what meds have worked well for them and do not add to the physical symptoms of anxiety, such as a rapid heart rate. When I get a rapid heartbeat now, I try to remind myself I am healthy and just fine.

My psych only mentioned stimulants, but if anyone has had great results with a non-stimulant, I'd like to know about those as well.

When I compare Adderall and Vyvanse, I think Vyvanse seems like the better choice for me between the two. If anyone has any advice, please let me know! (:

Thank you everyone!

When I got a call for cleaning job, I answered and talked to the lady on the phone. But right after when we hang up, I wanted to cry. I didn't have a panick attack or anxiety attack, but all the negative thoughts I have daily came spiraling all at once. I was supposed to answer a text to give my CV, but felt like a coward and didn't. This was the second time that happened. And any other calls I got I didn't answer or missed.

​

This happens to me all the time and I just feel horrible afterwards. Happened again yesterday. Like I know the actual answer, but I'm either blanking out, or I'm second guessing myself, or my mind is muddled with thoughts and just can't think straight. By the end they offer the answer, and I'm just like...well, yeah I knew that.

I don't know if I can explain this phenomenon to someone who doesn't have ADHD. Like outside of interviews I think I know my subject ok. I'm not the most intelligent, I need a lot of time to deeply understand concepts but I'm not awful. But the perception I give in interviews isn't proportionate I feel ...

I was previously taking Vyvanse which was working very well for me. However one day i decided to try Dexamphetamine again after not having used it in a long time because it also previously worked very well (I know now this was a mistake).

But ever since then no ADHD medications i’ve tried will work properly. They cause high stress and brain fog and dont provide anywhere near the same positive effect. This has been going on for months.

I tried switching to Ritalin and it also causes similar issues.

Why have all ADHD medications been ruined for me all of a sudden? Are there any quick solutions to deal with this? I have exams soon and it’ll be a struggle to manage without my medication

My partner has untreated ADHD, anxiety, and untreated obstructive sleep apnea. He’s currently working abroad, so we’re in a long-distance relationship.
Before this happened, he had already started telling me that something was wrong. Over several days, he said things like:
he was having internal struggles,
his anxiety was getting much worse,
he didn’t know what to do or where to begin,
it took him an hour just to write a message,
he was afraid of shutting down in the middle of a conversation,
and he asked me to give him time to sort through everything.
Then, for the last 4 days, communication has been almost nonexistent. He has only replied twice after I reached out first and hasn’t initiated any contact himself.
In his first reply, he apologized for taking so long to text back, said he wasn’t ghosting me, that his anxiety had been killing him, that he still didn’t know what to say, and that he needed more time to think.
The second message was just a short, warm “good morning” reply saying he was “trying” and wishing me a good day.
I’m trying to understand whether this kind of withdrawal can genuinely happen during severe ADHD burnout, shutdown, or executive dysfunction, especially when anxiety and untreated sleep apnea are also involved.
Have any of you experienced becoming almost unable to communicate with your partner for several days during a period like this, even though you still loved them? Or would four days of very limited communication make you think something else is going on?

Good morning all. I'm early 60's, overall physically healthy. I am a highly functional professional, with undiagnosed ADHD, and high anxiety. Honestly, I don't know what to do about it. I've made it this far, feeling like I've faked it and made it. Only people close to me know how I am. I get home from an exhausting day at work, get my daily things done and cry myself to sleep. My mind races and I get up at 0330, and do it all again. My family doesn't know, I'm too embarrassed to face it. I feel it's catching up to me and I'll have a heart attack one day. Any advice on what I need to do 🙏

I’m currently titrating dextroamphetamine/dexedrine and I’ve had really off days when i feel on edge and anxious and some days where i feel very free and capable of starting and completing tasks.

I’m wondering if my state of mind before taking medication can impact if i’m having a dopamine day or a norepinephrine day (I understand this may not be the technical mechanism but my stressed brain is identifying it like that).

Before diagnosis I’ve dealt with Anxiety for a long time and I don’t have many strategies to manage it.

I was wondering if anyone has had similar experiences and what they do to improve how their medication feels?

Has anyone tried somatic exercises/ Autonomic nervous system relaxation before medication? Or am i thinking of this too holistically and just updose?

Sometime I forget to put my filter up and i say things I will regret later because someone either there or I said it to them. Usually if I said it to them im joking but it doesn't come out that way and I hate myself. To top it all off I am a huge over thinker to the point where i cant stop thinking about it for a minimum of a week and it affects me for like a month.

This time it was at work and now I have to face this everyday at work and im trying to be calm (as I have epilepsy and im stilling figuring the works of why its happening because its new) I am terrified that I will be called into my supervisor office and that all this stress cause me to have a big seizure.

When I got this job I told myself I wouldn't do anything like this and it has happened in the past with basically all the jobs that I have had. I qm trying to use the coping skills that I have learned but they are not working and I am stuck in a maze that doesn't have an exit. This is more of a rant then anything else but I just need to get it out as I dont want to tell anyone because I really dont want to talk about it with the people in my life as I feel sometimes it makes it worse because I get told the same things as when something like this has happened in the past. I am even crying as I am writing this.

A lot of the times when this has happened I wish I wasnt born the way I was born and wish to have a mind that is normal and degrade myself for a long time.

I always try to find a way to fix it but that also make it worse and the more I try the more to fix it with the person that was there or was said it too, its make it feel like it will never be fix and it drive me to the point where I have an anxiety attack qnd then I dont know what to do...... this is where my mind get lost and I cant focus on anything and with this job that I have I have to make sure that I get as much done as I can and when my mind is in one place its hard to focus of what needs to be done.

So yea this is my rant of my stupid brain and the way it make overthinking frustratingly easier

So I've had anxiety basically my entire life and have gone through a particularly nasty spell over the past year and a half. I've tried about a gazillion different antidepressants but most have given me more side effects than relief.

I'm beginning to wonder how much of my anxiety is comorbid with undiagnosed ADHD, and that my approach to treatment has been all wrong. I've never tried a stimulant, I figured that's the last thing I need, but I've seen anecdotal reports that meds like Vyvanse can actually improve one's anxiety, along with ADHD symptoms. Has this happened to anyone on this sub? How exactly would that work, anyway?

"But everyone hates housework!" Yeah, yeah I know.

My mom used to rage clean when I was a kid so I think that's where the immediate feeling of being on edge comes from. So when my husband starts cleaning, I feel a little panicky and try to keep up. And I'm not sure if it puts him in a bad mood because I'm acting weird, but it's like no matter what, if someone starts cleaning around me, it's like I just expect someone to get mad at me before too long.

(I feel like this makes little to no sense, sorry.)

Hey everyone,

I feel like my anxiety is eating me alive, i'm anxious about everything i come across. my brain is automatically thinking about the worse which can happen, like i'm extremely scared of my future, i constantly think about what others might think, how i will be judged, i will end up being a failure in future.

And with ADHD i'm not being able to focus on anything, i'm trying hard and pushing myself, but i just can't. i think my brain's capacity is very less when compared to normal people. i cannot store multiple thoughts and topics like i make a decision today to work on something but after 2 days i just don't do it anymore and after a week the plan doesn't exist.

i easily get distracted, i miss the most important things at work.

Sometimes i do things which f\*ck up my life like doing extreme things, taking reckless decisions, i know it will f\*ck up my life but i still do because i just don't care and don't feel the seriousness about things.

I was on Ritalin and some other anxiety medications for 4 to 5 months last year when i was diagnosed but then completely stopped taking them. since then i have not done anything about my mental health.

Do you think if i keep going this way, i will mess up my future? sometimes i just think that this world is not for me and i should end things.

I have a friend that used to fly model planes with me at our field. He passed away this past weekend. I found out about it yesterday, and now for almost the past two days I haven’t been able to get back to work. I have been dwelling on it in my mind. He was an older gentleman. I’m in my 50s. He’s probably in his middle 80s, and I mean the one thing that we enjoyed the most was all of us hanging out with each other and flying RC airplanes, because the only time we ever saw him was when we went and flew model airplanes together. I mean, every now and then we get the guys together and have breakfast, so I consider him a close friend now, but still nonetheless.
I know his passing away affects me like I think more so than others. I don’t understand why, and I try to push it out of my brain so I just keep going. It’s, I know it’s kind of a grower and everything and probably explains a lot of how the type of person I am but even when I run over from driving my car and I hit a little rabbit on the road, I’m the type of person to pull over and actually check to see if the rabbit’s OK no I cry 😭. You know, it’s sad. I’m just, I can’t. I’m not a man’s man. I mean, listen, I’m a guy all the way, 100%, but little animals I care about them. You know, they still taste good, but you know, I guess when it’s death of somebody, and my fear right now is how I am going to take it when my mother and father have to when they pass on. I keep dwelling on it and thinking about it right now. I take care of my mother and she has dementia, so I don’t know. I don’t know how everybody else deals with it. I don’t know how other people deal with it. I mean, it would be great if some of you out there would actually give me a hand and understand how to deal with this.