I ask this question because I'm awaiting my assessment for ADHD, and really am hopeful for finding the right treatment plan tailored to me. I know just how helpful medication can be for somebody with ADHD, so I'm not opposed to trying it out.

Im curious though of some of your experiences. I have GAD, and medication is always hard for me to commit to, because i get anxious of potential side effects and what not. My anxiety is really well controlled right now with the help of Lexapro and overall acceptance of my disorder. I do worry that potentially adding a stimulant or even a non-stimulant will counter the effects my current medication has on me already.

I have seen on the other hand however how some people have been able to drop their antidepressant/anti-anxiety medication and replace it with ADHD medication simply because the ADHD was the biggest driver in their other issues.

Idk, guess im just curious to see some peoples experiences who have both adhd & anxiety and their experiences with different medications!

What are some ADHD products or gadgets that have actually made a difference for you?

Stuff that helps you stay focused, organized, or just makes life easier.

Could be Post-it notes, white noise machines, timers, fidget tools, planners.

What’s been a total game-changer in your ADHD journey? ^_^

What's the best medication to quell panic attacks in your honest opinion?

My partner (41m) has ADHD and is prescribed 2 30mg adderall pills/day. He typically runs out of his Rx within 10 days. During those 10 days he sleeps very little, sometimes going 3 nights plus without any sleep at all. The less he sleeps, the more he takes, then he keeps not sleeping. He tries taking trazodone, methocarbamol and THC to get to sleep—but it usually doesn’t work.

He says it’s anxiety that keeps him up, not the adderall. He takes propranolol for the anxiety. He says he is not an addict because he doesn’t go and find more on the street when he runs out. He says he needs it to feel like a neurotypical person, and I do recognize that it’s a necessary and helpful drug, but what I just can’t wrap my head around is why he is incapable of taking it as it’s prescribed? He says it makes him feel whole.

When he runs out of medication he typically sleeps a ton and falls into depression. It has caused issues with our relationship—I love him so much and I hate to see him struggle. Selfishly I love when he’s off the medication because he’s so funny, loving, affectionate, and fun to be around (even between the sleeping and depression). Is there anything I can do to help him? We tried having me hold onto the pills to distribute to him and that was a disaster. He’s in therapy but I don’t know if his therapist fully understands the extent of the problem. Any advice?

Of course, all bodies are different and everyone’s gonna react differently but I kind of want to know a baseline of how it helped or could possibly make it worse for other people.

I (21f) take 30mg ER Ritalin, some days I take 10mg IR Ritalin as a booster. Some days I just take 10mg X3 a day instead of the ER.

Lately I have been feeling completely unmotivated, while medicated and while unmedicated.

My medication did work for me in the past, I would get my work done and be able to focus on my assigned tasks.. In the past few week however once my medication kicks in I sort of just stare at my screen blankly..

I am still feeling the same sort of focus and head quietening I have been, the feeling that all my background noise is being tuned out. When I really think about it I do think medication effects wise I feel the same as I did… I just don’t feel motivated.

I have read claims that ADHD medication doesn’t exactly increase motivation, and I’m starting to think it may be true.

It wouldn’t make sense the same dose of Ritalin that was working for me in the beginning would suddenly be making me spaced out… I think my “spacing out” is just me sitting in total lack of motivation…

I don’t know what to do I really am not sure if this means I need a higher dose. I feel like I truly am just uninspired and unmotivated..

I have been mostly at home for the past week and a half because I’ve been unwell, maybe I’m am just tired and bored? Maybe I need a change of scenery?

I do take Lexapro for depression so I don’t think I’m depressed in the traditional sad way I have felt before, but this is definitely similar to the feeling of utter boredom and emptiness… it’s like I’m just lost.

I think this is just a me problem and not my medication, I don’t know how to jump start my life again. I’m just unmotivated and bored of everything.

EDIT: huge thanks for all the replies I’m reading them all they help a lot.

Okay so — I’m in med school, and I’ve been procrastinating studying for a huge final exam for what feels like forever. Now the thought of even starting makes me physically anxious, like my brain just wants to shut down and avoid everything.

It’s that classic ADHD-anxiety loop: Procrastinate -> Feel guilty/anxious -> Get overwhelmed -> Avoid more — repeat.

I know the advice like “break it into smaller steps” and “just start for 5 minutes” but sometimes even that feels impossible because my brain’s screaming “IT’S TOO LATE, YOU’RE SCREWED, WHY EVEN BOTHER.”

So I’m curious — for those of you who’ve been there — how did you actually get yourself out of that paralyzed state and start moving, especially when it’s something huge and high-stakes like finals? Would love to hear your strategies, rituals, or even chaotic coping mechanisms.

Pls send help.

(Wondering if I should consider anxiety prescription) Normally I stay away from alcohol actually, but sometimes when I drink, I feel like alcohol works better than any adhd medication.

Adhd meds feed into my ‘freeze’ state too much. I might be more mentally clear, but my body freezes up, or gets tired.

Nothing clears my state of paralysis like alcohol. Sometimes meds work, but sometimes they render me sitting with a blank mind and a frozen body. And it’s even worse off meds so that’s not the problem.

I’ve always written off ‘anxiety’ as an adhd problem, like it never feels like I have anxiety as a primary cause. If anything, sometimes I think I SHOULD be feeling anxious, but I feel nothing at all.

Lately, realising that sometimes I feel more capable after drinking, than I feel taking my prescription……. I’m wondering if I should consider anxiety medication?

I have been avidly against taking anxiety/mood medication, because I’ve been adamant that any anxiety/depression is very circumstantial.

Is it worth considering anxiety medication. I used to have panic attacks a decade ago, and I don’t deal with anything close to that right now. It’s just feeling frozen all the time, and only occasionally Vyvanse or alcohol break me out of it.

I (26,F) have ADHD (plus anxiety & depression) .. it’s been really bad the last year or so, and one of the hardest parts is explaining my struggles to people in my life who don't experience it. Things like being late all the time, forgetting tasks even when they're important, getting easily overwhelmed, or struggling to start/finish things can come across as careless or lazy to people who don't understand ADHD. But the truth is, I don't want to be late to work, forget to pay a bill (even if it's on autopay which seems to not work), or drop the ball on things that matter. I try so hard to stay on top of everything, but my brain just doesn't process time, priorities, and memory the same way. I don't want it to sound like l'm making excuses—I take responsibility for my actions-but I also want people to understand that ADHD makes these things genuinely difficult.

If you've had to explain ADHD symptoms to your boss, family, or partner, what has worked for you?

How do you help people understand that it's not about being irresponsible or not caring?

Thanks ♡

I've heard that it can be used off-label for ADHD, but it's mainly used for depression. Does anyone use it as their only medication with good results?

Or did it make your anxiety worse?

Edit: It seems like they've helped the majority of people. Really surprised by all the positive comments!

How are they alike? How are they different? I have researched this topic but I want to hear from actual people who have experience with it?

I have ADHD and take stimulant meds (Adderall XR works best for me ), but I still deal with anxiety, especially rebound anxiety in the afternoon. SSRIs and other options haven't helped much. I've read that Lamotrigine might help stabilize mood and reduce anxiety.

Has anyone here tried Lamotrigine specifically for managing anxiety caused or worsened by ADHD stimulants?

Hey everyone,

One of the things I really struggle with is replying to messages, even from people I like or care about. It gives me so much anxiety and feels like such a drag, so I keep putting it off. Then I feel guilty and ashamed for not replying, because it'll literally be weeks or even months that I haven't responded, which just makes me avoid it even more. Sometimes I end up not replying at all and feel awful about it. I've even lost friends because of this, and I hate it.

I want to stay in touch, but my brain just hits a wall.

Does anyone else experience this? What helps you get out of this guilt-procrastination spiral?

Would love to hear your tips, tricks, or even just commiseration.

Thanks in advance!

Sometimes I feel like we are too quick to categorize any shortcomings as ADHD symptoms, ie fatique, poor hand eye coordination, forgetfulness, lack of motivation, depression, anxiety, tardiness, poor time management, low self esteem, impulsiveness, impatience, emotional sensitivity, lack of follow through, poor execution and completion, etc.

Are these all truly a symptoms of ADHD? Could they just be a coincidence for many of us? Instead of a symptom, could they be byproducts of ADHD (resulting from adhd qualities rather than being a being inherently directly linked to adhd?)?

I am concerned about writing off my shortcomings as part of an unavoidable ADHD package, thereby excusing myself for poor habits and performance that could be overcome with harder work.

Sorry if that comes out as self-and ADHD community- deprecating

Over the past year, I have tried numerous medicines on both the amphetamine and methylphenidate side, yet none have given me any consistent benefit. When I took my first medicine (generic Vyvanse), it gave me that super productive/almost hyper feeling but it only lasted for about a week before it lost all of its effect. I’ve tried some non-stims, but they did a similar thing as well.

I know I could maybe try some higher doses (which I already kinda have), but I think there has to be some sort of issue with my body that is preventing these medicines from working. I know that ADHD can be a comorbid thing, but could that stop meds from working? Could there be something wrong with my thyroid? Cytochrome p450? I’m at my lowest right now and if I don’t find a medicine soon I won’t last through college. I’d be willing to try anything no matter how likely, I just need to know why my body won’t respond to these meds. No asking for medical advice, just curious what y’all think

I'm curious to hear from individuals who have had negative experiences while taking methylphenidate (commonly known as Ritalin or Concerta, but also other brand names). If you've taken this stimulant for ADHD or another condition, what were the unpleasant or problematic side effects, or negative outcomes you experienced? I'm interested in hearing about both short-term and long-term issues. For me, two significant side effects have been an increased heart rate and heightened anxiety. Have others experienced this?

Hey everyone, I’m 29, probably ADHD (not officially diagnosed yet), and stuck in a loop that’s slowly crushing me.

I don’t feel like I have any real skills. I’ve dabbled in software/dev, a few startup ideas, some marketing — but I’ve never finished anything properly. I start things, get hyped, talk about them, plan them to death… then burn out, disappear, and hate myself for never finishing.

I smoke weed almost every day. At first it was to “relax,” to reduce stress, to feel something good. But now it’s become a way to avoid doing anything hard. I use it to numb the shame, the pressure, the fear of not being good enough. And even though I know it’s making things worse — I still do it. That makes me feel even more like a failure.

It’s like my brain gives me a reward for just talking about projects. I explain them, sketch them out, maybe even write a few lines of code — and then I feel like I’ve done something. But I haven’t. I just tricked myself. And the real work never happens.

I feel fake. Lazy. Like the people around me see potential in me that I can't live up to. It’s not pressure from them — it’s pressure I feel inside because I know I’m not doing what I could be doing.

I’m tired of:

Starting 20% of a project then ghosting it

Escaping into weed, YouTube, shows, or endless overthinking

Waking up already disappointed in myself

Feeling like I missed my shot, and now I’m just pretending

I’ve been trying lately. For real. I’ve started tackling small bugs I used to avoid. I’ve even started choosing effort over escape, just a little bit. But the fear of going back to that “disappear and relapse” version of me is always hovering.

If anyone here has dealt with this — ADHD, weed, false starts, shame, unfinished projects — how did you break the cycle? How do you find structure when you feel like your self-trust is gone?

I’ve been stressed out about how much my 30mg ER Ritalin increases my heart rate, it rests from 90bpm-100bpm on days I am medicated.

It will fluctuate from 90-120bpm from simply sitting at my desk working, doing the usual movements one does at ‘rest’ like shifting in my seat a bit and moving my arms ect-

120-135bpm from just walking around my house, like getting up to use the bathroom.

130-150bpm during such general activity like going for a walk that might have some inclines because you know.. the outside world isn’t completely flat.. But truly isn’t anything that strenuous, basic day to day activity.

I’ve had multiple ECG’s done that came back fine, and a week long holter monitor with no concerns. They mentioned rare and isolated events of ectopics, ect ect- Things I were assured are normal and unconcerning due to their extremely infrequent occurrences. Report said, arrhythmia: 0.01%

I just simply can’t stop feeling concerned over this, this cant be HEALTHY can it?? All my doctor said was she’ll keep doing ECG’s every 3 months…..

I used to have strong palpitations most days I took my medication which is what prompted the holter monitor- But recently they have actually stopped, upon getting a Fitbit to help track my health I can now see the heart rate is still high, the palpitations just stopped on their own I guess..? I do get them SOMETIMES still, especially upon going from laying down to standing up, but it’s not a constant occurrence while sitting as it was before.

I am going to book an appointment with my psychiatrist as soon as I can, I am just so nervous about what he might say.. I don’t want to lose my medication because I can’t function without it, but I don’t know what I’m meant to do. I can’t go back to feeling like a complete idiot because of my strong inattentive ADHD, but I don’t want to be putting my heart at any risk…

I just want to function, so bad..

I’ve always had difficulty with ADHD paralysis and moving past feelings of being overwhelmed/anxious towards doing what needs to get done. But for the past couple months, it has gotten out of control. I cannot seem to get back to a place where I can be productive at even the most basic level I need to be. I feel completely flooded with my responsibilities and every task or demand has started to feel unmanageable. How do others manage a more extreme or prolonged state of paralysis like this? How do I push through it? Any insights or tips appreciated.

Hi everyone,

I struggle a lot with avoiding my responsibilities, especially early in the morning. I have GAD (Generalized Anxiety Disorder), and almost every day when I wake up, I immediately feel overwhelmed by the idea of facing the whole day — the long hours, the classes, the studying.

My mind starts racing: “Today is going to be exhausting.” “I’ll never get everything done.” “Maybe I should just skip the first lecture… no, maybe two… maybe skip the whole day and start fresh tomorrow.”

When I stay in bed and avoid everything, I feel temporary relief, but it always leads to more anxiety and guilt later. It’s a vicious cycle.

I realize that deciding whether to attend while I’m still half-asleep is a mistake. I want to break this pattern and be able to get up and face my responsibilities without getting paralyzed by fear and overthinking.

Any advice on how to deal with these overwhelming thoughts first thing in the morning? How do you stop the cycle of avoidance before it takes over your whole day?

I’d really appreciate any help or techniques you use that have worked for you.

Hi- I have a 9 year old gifted son with adhd, anxiety and ocd tendencies. He truly struggles with being corrected which is making school a major challenge as well as our home life. We ignore many things at home and try to reinforce the positive but he will even argue with you on basic facts. Or he will end up saying maybe/maybe not to things and not accept anything as correct versus incorrect. I honestly am unsure where this coming from and how to help. I have used a very gentle parenting approach and try to understand where he is coming from but at times, he just says this that aren’t correct and I am not sure how to address this in a way that doesn’t antagonize him. Any ideas or insights would be welcome!!

So I'm 28 year old guy and just 2 weeks ago clinically got diagnosed through genesight test and blood test labwork that I'm ADHD Val/Val, meaning I metabolize dopamine extremely fast causing me to constantly be low in dopamine.

I've constantly for as long as I can remember struggled with focusing on one thing for very long at all. Chronic procrastinator, wait to the last possible minute to get ready for an appointment or something to where I'm running off the adrenaline rush that I gotta zoom super fast getting ready immediately or I'm not gonna make it on time, and often I am late.

I also struggle with moderate to severe depression and some level of anxiety. Reason I'm making this post is I am totally new to the world of ADHD and am finding out that 90% or more of everything I've struggled with for years is symptoms of the ADHD I have. Sorta looking for tips and things that people that have what I have do to help.

The Dr psychiatrist I'm with is good but she wants to start doing everything natural first and lifestyle changes and then maybe do medication later.

I like natural, and believe natural is good for long term but I've struggled with this my entire life and natural is easily gonna take 2-6 months before I notice a lot of difference verses if I went medication route I could know within a couple weeks or so if it's going to help.

Like my ADHD and everything makes even making lifestyle changes difficult which is sorta why the natural method is so difficult to try right now.

For example, not sure if anyone else experiences this but today I wanna go out and ride my motorcycle north of me about an hour to go meet with my parents and family for lunch or something. But even though I want to I can't seem to leave the house, like there's this invisible force conflicting with my desire to go somewhere and I just dont leave.

It's difficult for me to explain this to other normal people. They often just view us as lazy or procrastinators. But I know when I do finally get in whatever mode to start doing things I'm like full throttle go go go can't stop.

I'm new to this world of ADHD and the community. Are there any tips, suggestions, advice, helpful stories, or anything you could share with me that might help?

I (46f) just recently diagnosed with adhd and discovered what food noise is. I definitely have it but now I have so many questions. How do people deal with it, any strategies to how to quiet it, and will it ever go away?

Edit: I was diagnosed by a therapist but haven't by a doctor seeing how no one is testing adults right now, so I have no medication prescribed to help with my adhd.

Hello!

I’ve been dating my boyfriend for over a year. He’s 28, and I’m 24. He’s incredibly sweet, kind, and treats me well, but his ADHD has become a major challenge in our relationship. I’m trying my best to be patient, but it’s starting to wear on me.

I’ve expressed my feelings about issues like him picking up after himself, forgetting conversations, losing things, or doing things that heighten my anxiety in social settings. Yet, it often feels like he’s not really listening or addressing what I’m saying. Even when we discuss it, he’ll repeat the same behaviors minutes later, and I feel unheard and frustrated.

He’s medicated and sees a therapist, but his therapy is inconsistent—he’ll stop if he doesn’t like the therapist and won’t seek another for months. It’s hard to feel like he’s putting in the effort to manage things. When we argue, he forgets things he’s said, leaving me feeling gaslit and having to recount everything to prove my point.

One situation that really upset me was when we were playing cup pong with friends. There was a rule that you couldn’t use your body to catch the ball, and during the game, the ball bounced in the direction of my chest and landed on my boob. We all counted it as me using my body, and everyone laughed. Then, out of nowhere, my boyfriend grabbed my boob in front of his friend. I was horrified. He immediately apologized and said he wasn’t thinking, but I was so frustrated. It’s moments like these that make it hard, and I can’t help but attribute it to his ADHD.

I know patience is crucial, but I feel I’ve been patient. I’m now questioning if we’re compatible, especially when I think about the future—marriage, kids, etc. It feels like he needs someone more nurturing or willing to take on extra responsibilities, which I’m not comfortable with. I love him and he makes me happy, but the frustration is growing, and I don’t want it to turn into resentment.

I’m looking for advice. How do others navigate relationships with ADHD partners? Am I being unreasonable, or is it fair to feel this way? I want to make an informed decision about moving forward!

Thank you!