If you have ADHD, did medication help you and if so how?

[Stickworm]

Sorry for the long post - desperately posting for traffic.

I’ve got an ADHD assessment coming up in July. I cannot wait for it to come around. After over a decade of being diagnosed with anxiety and depression, everything about inattentive ADHD ticks all boxes for me:

• Feeling overwhelmed – I feel like there’s constantly too much to do so often don’t do anything.
• Easily distracted – i can’t sit still doing nothing. If I’m even watching an enjoyable film I have to scroll social media or play games on my phone, or bite my nails.
• Feeling a fake – I feel like I’ve been masking my whole life and in my late 30s I’m losing the ability.
• Forgetful – I’m always losing things and forgetting where I put things. As a child I was always told ‘I’d lost my head if it wasn’t screwed on’
• Lacking motivation - always thought I’m lazy. Have started hundreds of hobbies and courses over the years only to give up a couple of weeks in.

Depression and anxiety – had both all my life but assume it’s due to feeling so different and never comfortable in my own skin

• Socially isolated – I have always struggled to maintain friendships (don’t have many) and find socialising quite exhausting
• Feeling incompetent – am my own worst critic, even when I get praise for things I assume people must have got it wrong
• Low tolerance to stress
• Impulsive behaviour – i recognise I only really like things that offer ‘immediate reward’ eg. Booze, bad foods etc
• Disorganised – always overwhelmed by housework etc

I know medication isn’t a magic solution but I’m really at my wits end and struggling so much with all of the above - if you do take medication, how has it helped you? I also feel like a terrible mother as I am not very present with my kids.

Sorry reviving an older thread to see how you are all getting on. Id rwlaly like to know.

I'm thinking of doing adhd and autism assessment with DrJs through Right to Choose but bit concerned about shared care with the GP afterwards and really about medication and making sure I'm on the right thing.

I have no stop chatter in my head and I struggle to focus at all with work.

I'm v obese I know it's not a weightless drug but one of my motivations is to be able to have the executive function to plan what we eat, actually have food in and then actually cook it. If it was an appetite suppressant that would also be good....

Can't comment on shared care as I'm not in the UK, but exactly your point about the executive function makes a huge difference.

Also I do not struggle with weight (more the opposite way) but medication can help with impulsive behaviour, which overeating can be one. People with ADHD are more likely to struggle to lose weight and treatment can help. Stimulants can be an appetite suppressant also.

Meds made my brain go from 50000 thoughts to what one thing do I need to do. Made it easier to start but you still need to direct your focus. If you take meds with your phone in your hand you will be there four hours later having hyperfocused on your mobile. Set the task up you want to do then take meds.

They also stopped the constant background stream of emotions where I am constantly wondering how I am coming across.

Not without side effects. Also recommend eating higher protein and cutting out sugar. And reading books and podcasts on ADHD- loads on Spotify. There are lots of strategies, you defo need strategies and it can take like 2 years to really get to know what strategies work for you.

@Stickworm I know this is an old thread but I just wondered how you are doing now and whether medication improved things for you? Literally everything you have said applies to me too so I am thinking the same lines as you ADHD...every job I have I get overwhelmed within 6 months or so and take on too much and end up burning out. Angry at the kids it's not their fault but can't cope at work or home. Reached a point where I have to do something about it. I really things worked out for you?

@Purplefoxes no worries! I went with the psychiatrist above at the end of 2023, was diagnosed with ‘moderate to severe’ ADHD and have been on medication since. It’s been life changing tbh! The medication isn’t magic, there are still things that are really difficult, but it’s about learning and understanding you’ve been living with essentially a lifelong disability. The biggest change the meds have had on me is ability to regulate my emotions.