I’ve had severe depression three times in 6 years after realising I cannot find a job that I can do and that sustains me.

I was a teacher before I burnt out - my serious executive dysfunction meant I could never keep up with the admin, marking, paperwork…

Again I am here feeling like I’m gonna lose my home

My mind is so scattered, adhd means most jobs are beyond me. People think I’m overreacting but it’s the Truth. I’ve lived it.

When I was younger I failed in every single job I had. I make mistakes constantly, cannot read or follow instructions and even simple photocopying I mess up every single time. My mind flits and flits.

The depression is so deep. I don’t know a way out.

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Idk if anyone else can relate but i fucking hate having adhd. I wish I was normal. I hate that i have to explain myself on why im not graspin things in school as fast as others. Why it takes me multiple tries to fully understand something it takes a normal person less time. My mind is never at rest. I sometimes wish you could SEE adhd that way people wouldn’t think im so fucking dumb and restless. Btw im fine. Im not gonna hurt myself. I js need to vent.

I love showering. It’s like self care for me and one of the best moments of my day. The feeling of warm water, quite hot actually, makes something special to my nervous system that calms me down.
So I look forward to take a shower everyday.

But I see many people struggling to even take one.

Is it just me? Maybe I don’t have ADHD?

I’m self diagnosed ADHD and autistic (AuDHD), according to a few self tests with clear scores. But I might just fool myself? Or it’s the autistic side that takes other for the showers?
I’m confused 😅

I’ve been on adderall for about 7 years now. I work an Office/corporate desk job. I noticed that my medicine makes me insanely productive during work. I’ll push to get as much done as possible, and I’ll be very efficient, productive and good with time management. Weird thing to complain about right? However, I noticed recently that I might be a little…too focused? To the point where I am taking very few breaks during the day. I get so locked in that I forget to drink water. I am sitting for most of the day and rarely stand up to stretch. Now I’m having body aches and pains from the prolonged sitting. I get so locked in and focused that I neglect my own wellbeing. I was wondering if anyone has any tips or tricks for this. How do I “snap out of it” once my medication kicks in and I enter the zone? How do I make sure I can be focused and productive at work while also making sure I’m taking lots of breaks, eating, etc. I recently started a lower dose but am wondering if I should go even lower? If you can relate to this- Please let me know what works for you!

I'm over 40 years old and was diagnosed with ADHD as an adult.

I've spent many years trying to achieve job stability, but I've been fired from multiple jobs. These experiences have taken a serious toll on my mental health, confidence, and self-esteem.

It's not because of a lack of effort or willingness to work. I genuinely want to work, contribute, and do my job well. I always try my hardest, but I struggle with attention, working memory, impulsivity, and handling pressure.

One of my biggest difficulties is how I react when something goes wrong. When I make a mistake, I become extremely anxious and feel an overwhelming urge to fix it immediately. Instead of slowing down and thinking clearly, I sometimes become overwhelmed, freeze up, or make even more mistakes.

Over time, this has created a vicious cycle. Every time I start a new job, I'm afraid of making mistakes, disappointing others, and eventually losing my job again. That fear makes me even more anxious, which affects my performance.

I'm receiving professional treatment and actively working on improving my coping strategies, but I'm mentally and emotionally exhausted.

The hardest part is that I genuinely want a stable working life. I want to feel capable, independent, and useful. But after so many unsuccessful attempts, I'm starting to question whether I'll ever be able to maintain long-term employment.

I'm particularly interested in hearing from adults who were diagnosed later in life and have experienced similar employment difficulties.

For those of you who have struggled with repeated job losses due to ADHD, what has helped you find and maintain stable employment?

Have certain types of jobs, workplace accommodations, treatments, or coping strategies made a meaningful difference?

I'd really appreciate hearing about your experiences, especially from people over 40 who have managed to find some stability.

Thank you for taking the time to read this.

Hi all my lovely ADHDers,

I came across a few opinions online, saying that ADHD is just a medical excuse for laziness or low agency. Having stimulants could even be worse, because these are all drugs. I have also seen some words labelling people with ADHD taking stimulants as "druggies".

I am currently taking Vyvanse and it transforms my life. But sometimes I do feel guilty or uncomfortable, thinking that I cannot even think or act properly without meds, unlike other normal people.

What do you think?

i rarely see people talk about the guilt you experience just existing with this disorder. it's so debilitating, I cannot accomplish anything. im 18 and my mother who has always provided for me and given her all is suffering because im struggling to do basic tasks, forgetting short-term important details, and cannot get off my phone. i sit here, having not showered yesterday, took 5 hours to enter the shower while sitting on the toilet, I haven't eaten, I can't arrange my bed, I can't clean my room, I can't do anything. and when I finally end up forcing myself out of this state, it feels so forced, so robotic and unnatural. im so disheartened by the state in which my life is in.

I’m 33 and recently just got diagnosed properly with having ADHD and not bipolar. Let me tell you the giant sigh of relief I’ve had since. Who knew your head could be so quiet.

Trying to figure the rest of my life out since last year, and was thinking this morning “should I be taking 54 mg of Ritalin and drinking 300mg of caffeine at 4 am?”

Long story short, I’m curious if it’s dangerous to be consuming 200-300 mg of caffeine with my 54mg of Ritalin in the mornings. I get up at 4, eat a small breakfast, and go to work right after I take it.

Edit; it’s conceeta ER

I even enlisted my mom who was visiting to help me find them. I couldn't leave to take my youngest back to her mom until I found them. I've trained myself not to panic in these situations because well, they're all too common. Here's the best part. My mom is ADHD too. She decides to help me look for my keys. She even offers to go check my truck since we can't find them anywhere in the house. Finally I think I should take my baby and go help her look. Walking towards the back door I glance down and that's when I see it: Beautiful keys, dangling down from the door knob.

We had thoroughly gone through EVERY spot I normally leave my things depending on the daily ritual I am working in. And they were in the door. God bless us.

Does anyone have any advice on getting through engineering with ADHD without meds? In fact, has anyone ever done this before and would like to share their tips or stories?

Basically I’m not formally diagnosed because my parents don’t believe in stuff like this, and I’m on their insurance (also it’s embarrassing to ask them about it). But teachers throughout my life have been recommending me to get checked. Im also the typical “gifted kid” like probably a lot of people on this sub but that has allowed me to get through high school with a high gpa because I’m great at cramming of course.

Even if I were to get diagnosed and probably wouldn’t want to get on stimulants because a family history of heart issues. But genuinely…HOW DO I SURVIVE…😭 College classes are really nothing like high school and procrastinating has a huge negative effect compared to a minuscule one before😭. I’ve tried all the stupid hacks to stop, I’ve tried mindfulness, lists, pomodoro but nothing works. Heck I can’t even pay attention in class at all😔

Not looking for medical advice, just asking this out of curiosity.

I'm a late bloomer, got diagnosed at 36, Primarily Inattentive, and properly medicated since a year back. Currently at 54mg Concerta.

I read a lot of threads both here and elsewhere about how people experience a energy boost after taking their meds. How all of a sudden you went from having a very brainfoggy day to cleaning the entire house, paying all your bills, meal prepping for two weeks, watering your plants and calculating next years holiday budget just because you remembered to take your medication.

I find this very interesting, as I cant relate to this energy surge. I take my meds every morning and feel basically the same as I always do. I forget things, I don't achieve all the chores on the to-do list and I still feel overwhelmed from time to time. I'm currently at the point where the only difference I notice from not taking my meds is that I might lock in a bit easier with meds, hopefully at the right task, my temperament is a bit calmer, and without the meds I usually get the classic brain fog and task paralysis.

Can't remember getting this sensation of energy even when I started my medication investigation.

So basically, am I a edge case from not feeling energised from methylphenidates, or is there other people like me who takes their meds and just feel normal afterwards?

26F- Has anyone developed heart palpitations and shortness of breath after years of taking stimulants without issues?

My symptoms seem to worsen with stimulants but still occur on medication-free days. I’m currently undergoing cardiac testing and wondering whether stimulants could be contributing.

I’m curious whether adding another medication, like guanfacine, could help. Has anyone used it as an adjunct to stimulants and noticed an improvement in palpitations or other cardiovascular side effects?

Have any other medications helped counteract the cardiovascular effects of stimulants? Or has switching to a non-stimulant ADHD medication worked better for you?

I’d especially appreciate hearing from anyone who developed these symptoms after years of stimulant use and found a medication approach that worked for them.

I'm not sure if this is an ADHD thing or not, but I can't stand to have wet hands. Just thinking about washing the dishes (by hand) makes me shudder. I don't even like washing my hands and will use hand sanitizer instead, if I have the option. I guess it's a sensory thing. Lots of hand soaps dry out my hands and leave them feeling gross. (And lotions are a whole other issue.) Now that I think about it, I don't love having wet feet either, but that's not as common an issue. I don't have a problem with showers, though. Apparently if my whole body is wet it's not as disgusting?

I've always had this aversion, but my challenges with it became much more noticeable to me during COVID because we were told to wash our hands so often and for at least 20 seconds each time. I REALLY struggled with that. Hand sanitizer has saved me from the ick many times. Does anyone else have this problem? Just wondering if this is something that connects back to my ADHD as I was diagnosed at 50 and have been looking back at my life trying to pick out which of my "quirks" are ADHD related.

hygiene is incredibly hard to start, my schoolwork is incredibly hard to start, going to the doctor is incredibly hard to start, literally going to the bathroom is incredibly hard to start, and even things i want to actually do like art are incredibly hard to start. i just feel like im paralysed man its genuinely hell; Executive dysfynction might genuinely be one of the worst things i have ever endured in my life. i am leaving everything to the last possible moment because i cant start it otherwise.

I’ve been taking 15 mg once a day for a very long time. I don’t feel like I need an increase, but I also drink coffee after I take my dose and several more cups of coffee throughout the day. Do other people combine their coffee with their medication? What kind of supplements do you take?

Hi everyone, I’ve been on adderall XR for about 2 years now, my dosage has fluctuated until we finally found a comfortable 2 15mgXR daily routine that works for me. Over this time I’ve had plenty of different colors/ looks to my pills, I’ve been a silent member of these adhd forms since I got diagnosed, and one thing I’ve read about is how different manufacturers sometimes feel like placebo/ have different side effects for people. While I have had plenty of batches I felt were less effective, I have never experienced what I have been with my most recent which is horrific insomnia. For the first 2 weeks I was taking this new script I couldn’t figure out what was going on with my sleep, I thought it was stress or hormone related until I realized it all started when I refilled my script and I DID notice the pills are a different color. I’ve never considered NOT taking my meds in the 2 year I’ve been on them because i feel like I really need them and they really help me but this not being able to sleep without basically drugging myself with sleep meds is just awful. I messaged my provider to ask if she could request the previous manufacturer from the pharmacy because at this point I’m at a loss. Has anyone else had any similar experiences? Thanks

The manufacturer is MALLINICK-SPECGX

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Wondering if anyone else struggled with this. (And ive tried moisturizer, it doesn’t help much). Every time I get out of the shower my legs get very itchy, but it’s not the itch that you relieve by scratching. It’s this really bad icky prickly feeling I can’t really describe. It usually fades after 15-20 minutes, but man, those 15 minutes can be literal hell. I also have this weird symptom associated with it where I can’t look at anything on the floor or anything that’s dirty. Idk please tell me I’m not crazy 😭

Hey guys,

I’ve been working with my support team on improving nutrition but I find that both remembering to eat and making my self food when I’m hungry.

My eating has been an issue leading to significant weight loss and has affected my mood so I’m eager to fix my eating habits but I’m struggle to follow the directions from my team 😔

This is a "new" issue due to retirement and lack of context and structure to my communication moments with acquaintances and small groups. All the blank stares and constant asks for repeats are making me panic. I have been as ADHD as they come all my life, but since I structured my life a certain way, none of these complications have been a major problem until NOW. It is taking forever to find a speech therapist as many of you know. I also have been wearing hearing aids for 20 years. That is surely impacting as well. Best wishes to all.

Anyone else have absolutely zero patience for video game dialogue that comes one line at a time?

It drives me insane. Unless the story is genuinely compelling or my choices actually affect what happens, I just can’t sit through it.

A lot of mobile games are especially bad about this. They’ll have pages and pages of dialogue, but instead of letting me read it all at once, I have to keep tapping through each individual line. For example, games like genshin impact, where winds meet, etc, and their style of games are just so annoying to read through. Even the “choices” they offer just lead to the same outcome.

At that point, I’d rather they just put the whole conversation on the screen like a book so I can read it at my own pace instead of constantly waiting and clicking.

Games I can absolutely sit through are like Baldur’s gate 3 and the mass effect and Dragon Age series. Games where the choices are real.

I'm not diagnosed as of yet but it is in the process so I'm unsure if this question belongs here.

Does anyone else really struggle with things "becoming part of the furniture"? Like something was placed somewhere then it wasnt noticed for a long while? Does anyone get it with digital things like messages and notifications aswell?

I've been trying to build a morning habit for years. I forget or don't notice really basic stuff and no matter what I do I cannot build a routine that sticks. I started using a tracking app that helps to keep things in mind and can notify you. I used it for 2 weeks then I forgot I had it for another 6. Been getting the notifications every day but I've just not registered them and keep clearing them. It's not like I get a lot of notifications either. I've turned off all but text, email, calender and that one.

The weirdest one is that I vaped for about 8 months, going through about 2 disposables a week then one week I forgot to buy another one and I didn't even register it for like 3 months which at that time I didn't want another. They were 20% ones aswell. It makes no sense to me.

There's more I've not mentioned here that happens. I'm just wondering what other people's experiences are with something like this and what else it extends to.

Curious if anyone has had the experience of having amphetamines (any formulation, doesn't matter) fail to relieve ADHD symptoms but had something else (e.g., methylphenidate, wellbutrin, strattera, whatever) actually help?

And just to be clear I'm not talking about when the amphetamine adjustment/honeymoon phase passes and you no longer feel that initial subjective boost/mild euphoria. I'm talking they literally do not help your cognitive symptoms at all, or you just feel worse on them than on other meds. Figure this doesn't happen too often but curious to hear if anyone has had that experience.

Edit: I'm aware that different people react differently to different meds, finding the right med requires trial and error, etc. No need to reply if that's all you're going to say.

20F, i got prescribed inspiral 5mg and am supposed to start the dosage day after tomorrow. (3 weeks 5mg 5 days a week, then revisit)

but i’m scared because this is my first time getting on adhd meds and i m having all kinds of thoughts like

- imposter syndrome because i am not hyperactive which is very big in adhd but i’m fairly okay on that one, i dont struggle w anxiety , instead i never get anxious, scared or even have 0 eustress which causes me to not /e scared of reckless behavior or not even study/ work even out of worry or anxiety. instead i hyperfocus, get distracted easily, procrastinate, and have impulsive behaviours (not with intent of sh) so i m constantly feeling like do i really need it bad enough?

- i m worried about dependency on the med and i really don’t wanna be addicted to another thing 🙏🙏🙏

- how does it react when u drink alcohol or smoke during its course?

ik i may sound stupid but i m vv new to this adhd meds thing and itll be great if someone could answer my questions. i never went to get diagnosed with intention on getting on meds but it just happened and i decided to finally do it because i have my exams since mid nov and i want to see the difference from when i normally have exam szn approaching and going on normally as compared to on meds.

I've been having this issue lately. When I take my meds, I have the ability to focus, but I just can't sit still. It can get in the way of studying for school and cause issues in class when I need to stay seated for an hour or more at a time. Has anyone else experienced this? If so, what do you do?