do ADHD meds help

[wildflowers1996]

Lately I've been thinking I might have ADHD or actually ADD as I am not hyperactive

It might just be the internet making me this way as I feel it's got worse over time but

I feel I can't filter unnecessary information out
I cannot prioritise
I find it hard to finish things
In school I did well but I always left decisions etc to the last minute
I often daydream
I'm messy/ often lose things
I feel like my thoughts go 1000 miles an hour
My concentration is awful
I've always had sensory issues since I was very young

I don't know if anxiety is making me like this I don't think I was always as bad as I am now

But if it is ADHD - do the meds actually help? Do they make anxiety worse because I wouldn't be able to tolerate that

I just feel I cannot think straight at all
revision not decisions

But I am also terrible at making decisions lol
I have analysis paralysis and procrastinate lots

 

[_Broken_alice]

If you need them, they can very much help. They can cause anxiety though, especially if the does is too high.
Wish we could be on them. They help with keeping our thoughts organized enough to manage and calm down the inner chaos.

What you describe sounds like ADHD very similar to ours, and we are diagnosed, just not medicated.
The few times we got to try them, it was a day and night difference. We are so mentally non functional without them.

 

[ColorlessTrees]

I experience many or all of these symptoms, including so-called "executive function"—debilitating at times, but I do not have the disorder. Especially because none of its main hallmarks were present in childhood, or even early adolescence. There's been a huge surge in people believing they have ADHD, among other uncommon mental illnesses, due to social media. Social contagion is real, and I've been told by uneducated people I have it, but I refuse to let that sway me. Professionals have told me many things, either that I agree or disagree with, but never once hinted at this.

Not that it's the end of all answers, but I once read a book about the very problem of the over diagnosis of ADHD; plenty of symptoms have overlap with other disorders. Many of these problems can be caused by major depressive disorder, anxiety disorders, or bipolar, for example. I don't think it's a good idea to self diagnose something like this, or worse, seek confirmation bias on a false lead—and as much as I take issue with psychiatry, it's currently our only option for making sense of something like this. It'd be best to see if you can get someone to untangle this for you, or, rather get their best guess.

As for meds, I've heard that they do help people who actually struggle with the disorder, but every medication will have risk of side effects. Also, going to a professional with the intention of getting them comes off as drug seeking, even if it isn't intended that way; it's highly unlikely you could get ahold of them without a long and drawn out process of evaluation, diagnosis, and a pinch of luck.

I'm not making any concrete statements, or implying you're faking or something, though; I'm no expert, just food for thought. In any case, I'm sorry to hear you've been struggling so much.

 

[penguinl0v3s]

Lately I've been thinking I might have ADHD or actually ADD as I am not hyperactive

It might just be the internet making me this way as I feel it's got worse over time but

I feel I can't filter unnecessary information out
I cannot prioritise
I find it hard to finish things
In school I did well but I always left decisions etc to the last minute
I often daydream
I'm messy/ often lose things
I feel like my thoughts go 1000 miles an hour
My concentration is awful
I've always had sensory issues since I was very young

I don't know if anxiety is making me like this I don't think I was always as bad as I am now

But if it is ADHD - do the meds actually help? Do they make anxiety worse because I wouldn't be able to tolerate that

I just feel I cannot think straight at all
revision not decisions

But I am also terrible at making decisions lol
I have analysis paralysis and procrastinate lots

While these are symptoms of ADHD, I don't find it conclusive that it most definitely is ADHD over other potential diagnoses. Maladaptive daydreaming? Autism? Bipolar? Depression? Anxiety can also ruin your executive function. You'd be happy to know that even those without ADHD benefit from stimulants. Everyone wins from stims, except people with anxiety. In those people it can actually cause overstimulation and make things worse. The subgroup that does benefit is those with ADHD-induced anxiety.

 

[druggedonsurvival]

I don't think I could function without Adderall, although maybe I've just forgotten what it's like to be off of it. That's my experience, but everyone reacts to it differently, just like any psych med. You can always seek out a diagnosis by a professional if you wish to know whether you have AD(H)D for sure, unless you have no access to (or can't afford) psychiatric services where you live.

 

[wildflowers1996]

Thank you all so much, I really appreciate your replies
I have really bad OCD (diagnosed) so it could be that causing it? I don't know. But it sounds as though ADHD meds may not be the best idea as I already have a lot of anxiety and I don't want that to be made even worse
Unless I took non stimulant medication but idk

 

[Groot]

Microdosing shrooms/lsd can help with adhd, I've not tried it yet cos I'm too lazy atm to figure out how to dose that shit

Microdosing shrooms/lsd can help with adhd, I've not tried it yet cos I'm too lazy atm to figure out how to dose that shit

They can also help with anxiety

 

[Scacie]

Personally I find it genuinely really helpful, and like others said, its a night and day difference when I stop taking them. You can get some extra anxiety at the start/when in the process of increasing dosage, but I find them oddly relaxing in a way. When I'm on it it feels like all the noise in my head goes away and I can finally focus on things I want to do and I find it really calming and relaxing

 

[Regen]

I get "Elvanse" for a year. I really loved it!

It was the medication that helped me most of all (!) in 28 years of trying several antidepressants..... Sadly I cant take it any more because of hypertonie.

So, I think you can give it a chance.

I have BPD, Depression, PTBS and ADD. To get the diagnosis ADD you have to find a doctor who accept that ADD really exists and is not only a fantasy of some people.

Listen to your inner voice and try it. But medication is much more better with someone who helps you to manage your life with ADD. I never thought I could have ADD, but now I understand some of my problems as a child.

Much love to you!

 

[DyingToDie123]

There's actually a study about how stimulants can help with suicidal ideation in people with BPD. https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2805752

 

[zeecen]

If you have ADHD or ADD the medication can be extremely helpful. If coffee and other stimulants seem to reduce your symptoms then that may indicate ADHD or ADD.

However, I would caution against coming to any conclusions without a doctor's diagnosis. The symptoms you've listed could be the result of many different factors, not just ADHD.

 

[NSA]

Lately I've been thinking I might have ADHD or actually ADD as I am not hyperactive

It might just be the internet making me this way as I feel it's got worse over time but

I feel I can't filter unnecessary information out
I cannot prioritise
I find it hard to finish things
In school I did well but I always left decisions etc to the last minute
I often daydream
I'm messy/ often lose things
I feel like my thoughts go 1000 miles an hour
My concentration is awful
I've always had sensory issues since I was very young

I don't know if anxiety is making me like this I don't think I was always as bad as I am now

But if it is ADHD - do the meds actually help? Do they make anxiety worse because I wouldn't be able to tolerate that

I just feel I cannot think straight at all
revision not decisions

But I am also terrible at making decisions lol
I have analysis paralysis and procrastinate lots

when they work, they work. Only one way to find out. Some can exacerbate anxiety, but that can be mitigated with other meds and adjusting dose.

You could have inattentive type. Despite the name ADHD it's not always climbing walls, sometimes it's just climbing them in your head. I have combined type, which means I get the symptoms of both yay me.

Some other issues/conditions like cptsd, bipolar can look like it too though.

Read here and see if any of this stuff relates

Reddit - Dive into anything

www.reddit.com

Also, how does caffeine effect you? Does it wake you up or make you sleepy? It's really common (but not always of course) for it to make adhd people tired instead of awake. Not proof, but a bit of an indicator.

 

[ThatStateOfMind]

Lately I've been thinking I might have ADHD or actually ADD as I am not hyperactive

It might just be the internet making me this way as I feel it's got worse over time but

I feel I can't filter unnecessary information out
I cannot prioritise
I find it hard to finish things
In school I did well but I always left decisions etc to the last minute
I often daydream
I'm messy/ often lose things
I feel like my thoughts go 1000 miles an hour
My concentration is awful
I've always had sensory issues since I was very young

I don't know if anxiety is making me like this I don't think I was always as bad as I am now

But if it is ADHD - do the meds actually help? Do they make anxiety worse because I wouldn't be able to tolerate that

I just feel I cannot think straight at all
revision not decisions

But I am also terrible at making decisions lol
I have analysis paralysis and procrastinate lots

Sounds like you have ADHD, but I am no professional. I have been diagnosed and only tried one medication. Believe me, I'm not trying to talk you out of it, but my one experience wasn't the best. I was super emotional in many ways, and my appetite just vanished by the second day, even at night it didn't come back. Though, medication is often done through trial and error, I did Vyvanse, but there are other meds, none of which I felt comfortable trying after the Vyvanse. My ADHD is manageable without meds, which I know isn't the same for everyone. I can say the Vyvanse didn't make anxiety worse, it helped with it. I felt like being extremely social on it, which was a great plus, and I could and did churn out a 1000 word essay in 1-2 hours. it has it's benefits, but it also had some pretty bad drawbacks for me personally. I say meet a doctor, see if you have it, and try medication if you do happen to have ADHD. If you don't like it, you can always stop the medication.

 

[Unsure and alone]

@wildflowers1996 I personally do have ADHD .
My meds for it are extremely helpful to me.

However I also caution not to self diagnose and that everyone is different.
This means different reactions to meds.
The positive side of that though is even if the first med doesn't work another might.

Don't go crazy with it but in the meantime you could try having some extra caffeine.

This tends to help people with ADHD because many ADHD meds contain caffeine or a different stimulant.

Good luck.

 

[AlexYaBoy]

Lately I've been thinking I might have ADHD or actually ADD as I am not hyperactive

It might just be the internet making me this way as I feel it's got worse over time but

I feel I can't filter unnecessary information out
I cannot prioritise
I find it hard to finish things
In school I did well but I always left decisions etc to the last minute
I often daydream
I'm messy/ often lose things
I feel like my thoughts go 1000 miles an hour
My concentration is awful
I've always had sensory issues since I was very young

I don't know if anxiety is making me like this I don't think I was always as bad as I am now

But if it is ADHD - do the meds actually help? Do they make anxiety worse because I wouldn't be able to tolerate that

I just feel I cannot think straight at all
revision not decisions

But I am also terrible at making decisions lol
I have analysis paralysis and procrastinate lots

Not speaking directly on the matter, as this is only my personal experience. If you ever begin to lead a debilitating lifestyle, such as emotional stress at home, negative performance reviews at work or difficulty studying? Yeah. They can most definitely help to calm the brain. Similar to slowly applying your brakes.

In short: If your life spirals toward the abyss, medication for ADHD can definitely help to fix it. Definitely refer to your GP, though.

 

[sserafim]

@wildflowers1996 I personally do have ADHD .
My meds for it are extremely helpful to me.

However I also caution not to self diagnose and that everyone is different.
This means different reactions to meds.
The positive side of that though is even if the first med doesn't work another might.

Don't go crazy with it but in the meantime you could try having some extra caffeine.

This tends to help people with ADHD because many ADHD meds contain caffeine or a different stimulant.

Good luck.

I have ADHD and ADHD meds do not contain caffeine lol. I'm a chemistry and pharmacology nerd haha

 

[StillBreathing]

OP, I can relate to all the symptoms you are describing. I am undiagnosed but have tried ritalin (10mg IR iirc). It was like the entire world calmed down, the quietness of it all was really amazing, I actually broke down crying because I never experienced anything like it. I listened to music and it sounded completely different than from before. I became more social and could actually follow the entire conversations.

If you have these symptoms and you can see a therapist, get started as soon as you can. I have been in the system for over 5 years now, it's only recently that ADD/ADHD has been mentioned. Before that all I ever heard was depression, anxiety, seasonal depressive disorder etc.

If you do see a therapist, be completely honest from the get go, it is a long progress and I understand why. It is all very complicated for them to figure out what the problem is when you struggle to explain it all properly yourself (at least this is my case). Good luck OP, I hope you get the help you need.

 

[Ambivalent1]

Adderall helps focusing

 

[Unsure and alone]

I have ADHD and ADHD meds do not contain caffeine lol. I'm a chemistry and pharmacology nerd haha

Umm I'm very sorry if I accidentally gave wrong information.
Also I said caffeine or stimulants.
I am most definitely not an expert but believe my med does.

I appreciate your input possibly correcting accidental misinformation.

Since I am still unsure which is the case .
Now I am curious about learning a bit more about my med.
But not sure if I have the effort it would take to go look into that right now .
I've got a back log of things to look into already.

I will say I have absolutely no science for this but during a rough patch that I was off my meds .
( Red tape , I didn't choose to go off meds I know are extremely helpful to me )
For certain events I would have way too much caffeine because it did help some.
Not as much as the med.
But it still helped.

This personal experience also plays into what I said earlier.

 

[Tarrasque]

You sound like you experience pretty similar symptoms to me, but there's no substitute for an actual psychologist. If that's hard for you to get your hands on I really do feel for you, untreated ADHD is life on hard mode and people aren't very sympathetic to that. If you're unsure whether you think you have it you might try filling in the ASRS scale, where you answer some questions in the format of "how often does the following happen in your life". Link here but if it doesn't work for some reason it's easy to find on google, comes with instructions :)

I take concerta, which is methylphenidate, the same thing as ritalin. I think that they really do help, before I got diagnosed I wasn't able to do much of anything at all and I thought that was my fault, so even without the meds it really helped my self esteem to get diagnosed, and then the meds have given me a lot more ability in my day to day life. But when you're taking them long term the effect is fairly subtle. When you're on the right dose and they've bedded in, you'll probably feel pretty normal but have a bit more power to concentrate and do stuff, and perhaps shoulder more stress before you break.

I got given a single pill sometimes by a friend before I was diagnosed, and they made me feel absolutely euphoric and incredibly empowered, pretty congruent with the media image ritalin has as this magical pill that fixes your brain and makes you superhuman. But that high doesn't last forever - when I actually got diagnosed and started taking them consistently, the big high got followed by a big low, and I swang back and forth like a pendulum, a little less strong each time, until eventually I settled in the middle. Now I feel normal but it's a bit easier to get out of bed and it's a bit easier to do stuff, but it doesn't cure my ADHD. I still spend an awful lot of time building up to doing tasks, I still get overwhelmed easily if I'm doing as much in a day as a neurotypical human does, and I still find myself with my foot in my mouth when I can't concentrate on someone speaking to me. It's just all of these things got a bit easier to power through.

Personally I found I had to develop new coping mechanisms to cope with the way my brain works now, too - I have depression and complex PTSD, and now that I can concentrate it's important I keep busy so that harmful thoughts don't take root, because now it's more intense and I can go in circles for hours on some depressing thought without losing concentration, and I have a lot more ability to act on stuff like the urge to self harm. I also become absolutely useless if I have to do without them now. So at least in my experience there are downsides as well as upsides, but I still wouldn't want to go back to how I was before. It's really important to me that I at least have the power to pursue the things I want, and that's what these meds do for me.

I hope you can find out what works for you. People are discussing caffeine as a substitute which can help a lot, I used to take a lot of caffeine before I was on the meds and used a supplement called L-Theanine which people say smooths out the jittery high and eventual crash of caffeine, making it a more calm experience, which worked for me.