Will try to keep this as brief as possible.
For as long as I remember I have been anxious, even as a child. Also depressed but mostly anxious. Always daydreaming at school. Didn’t achieve much in terms of grades but not because I was lazy I just couldn’t grasp school really and also didn’t have the best time with girls there (I was bullied a lot).
I’ve flitttd about in jobs, never really had a ‘dream’ job but have had ideals about what I would do, apply and then give up.
Hobbies always much the same. Obsess over something but give up quite quickly.
Extremely socially awkward. I find big group things and small talk exhausting.
I can’t sit still not doing anything at all (even if watching a good show/film) - I play games constantly on my phone or bite my nails.
Constant intrusive thoughts.
All of this has been managed as anxiety and depression by citalopram for over a decade. Now however I seem to either be going through Perimenopause or have developed PMDD as for 2 weeks of every month I am a complete wreck. Can’t sleep, eat, focus, am an anxious mess. I’ve now seen oestrogen levels can have a direct impact on ADHD sufferers (dopamine levels) and I feel like all of these years it all makes sense and I perhaps have inattentive ADHD. Not to mention my daughter is currently undergoing ASD and ADHD diagnosis so it all feels like it’s clicking.
My question is, wait times to be diagnosed are likely to be years - has anyone managed to cope with just SSRIs (I’m thinking of increasing dose) until they can maybe be on something more suitable if diagnosis is correct?