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Relationships

Mumsnet has not checked the qualifications of anyone posting here. If you need help urgently or expert advice, please see our domestic violence webguide and/or relationships webguide. Many Mumsnetters experiencing domestic abuse have found this thread helpful: Listen up, everybody

Husband has ADHD and I'm struggling

150 replies

TheRamblingRose · 29/03/2023 21:07

So I'm just looking for some advice from anyone who has a partner with ADHD.

My husband has always been 'scatty' but after a few things last year he finally got assessed and diagnosed with ADHD. He tried the meds but didn't get on with them.

He's done really well at work despite his ADHD challenges, but he has a big job which he loves (for a charity) and sometimes I really feel like it takes the best of him, and particularly when he's stressed out, leaves me with a shell of a man who is only half present.

The mental load has always been bad for me as I tend to take everything on, but he's literally forgetting things a minute after I've mentioned something, it's driving me mad. I will always remind him of family stuff, eg if DS needs his PE kit for school, but I have to remind him the night before, the morning of, and even when he's on his way out the door he still won't have the effing PE kit. Trying to remember to remind him about everything is killing me! I have a full time job too and I'm tired and losing my patience, which isn't fair as I know it's not his fault. He's a really kind and wonderful person and I am getting shoutier than I want to be.

I'm not sure what I want to get from posting this, maybe some solidarity from other ADHD spouses and any tips or coping mechanisms that others have found?

OP posts:
Dontknownow86 · 29/03/2023 23:36

I have adhd op and yes it's totally normal to only be able to function in one setting. Unfortunately for me I could only keep this up for about 6 months until the other came crashing down and vice versa.

As pp mentioned, physically putting it in front of the door so the door can't be opened without it is one of the only things that helps me. I either won't update or read a whiteboard. Once it's just part of the room I'll stop 'seeing' it.

I strongly advise against trying to implement something for him. Anytime someone has tried to do this with me they just fundamentally don't understand how my brain works and we start getting annoyed with each other.

Ask him what you can try that might help and then try his suggestions / get him to Google some ideas and see what he will think helps.

Please also don't comment on what he's doing. Praise too early signals either 'task complete' in my head or 'I'm being patronized' then I'll struggle to continue. Comments along the lines of 'you're finally doing x then' will also majorly backfire.

Thehawki · 29/03/2023 23:51

Hey OP, agree with previous posters saying to place the item in front of the door. I place things on my door handle (if it’s in a bag) so I physically can’t open it without touching it. He’s probably got coping mechanisms at work and is worn out/ thinking of other things in the mornings and evenings. I find it so much harder to remember different/new things in the morning because I’m so distracted going through my work list in my head and making sure I’ve got keys, wallet, bag, sorted lunch and everything else. I’m sure he’s trying his best but he needs new strategies so that it doesn’t all fall on you forever. It will be a learning curve of what works and what doesn’t until he can get it right. Good luck xx

DeeCeeCherry · 29/03/2023 23:59

He has a big job that he obviously does very well, since he's been promoted several times. Incompetent indoors but competent outdoors how does that work?

justasking111 · 30/03/2023 00:03

In our extended family three generations of ADHD we write lists, have boards up in the kitchen, use phone alarms, outlook calendars, load the car up with sports stuff etc for school the night before.

We don't even find it unusual, it's a family quirk we've all adapted to. They're all extremely successful at work hyper focused. School has been challenging because they're wired differently. My son as a small boy told me it's because we're special. It's a simple explanation but true

Dontknownow86 · 30/03/2023 00:11

DeeCeeCherry it works because it probably doesn't rely on his working memory that much. Or he's exhausted himself at work trying to stay on top of it all so has nothing left when he gets home. Or his work the sort of thing he's intensely interested in so gets 'lost' in. Lots of jobs don't need the same skills as household management.

snitzelvoncrumb · 30/03/2023 00:24

I don’t know if this is any help. I have ADD, not medicated. I am a sahm, I manage just about everything with house and 3 kids. I have worked before kids, never been particularly good at anything. Really struggled with study.
My dh does remind me of non routine stuff, but I manage and rarely stuff up. I have learned to manage the kids by stuffing up in the past, and being the one to deal with the consequences has taught me not to forget PE uniform etc. I have a written routine on the wall and just look at that.

I would suggest giving DH a couple of things that he is responsible for, and do not bail him out if he forgets. If he hasn’t sent the right things to school, he has to sort it. I wouldn’t suddenly expect him to do everything, but start with a few and build up. Doing his own washing is a good start. If he forgets, only he suffers the consequences. Once he has had to leave work to bring forgotten items, or wear dirty clothes he will remember.
You can’t do everything, it’s not fair. Yes ADHD is a disability and needs understanding, but it’s not a free pass to be exempt for doing chores.

TheRamblingRose · 30/03/2023 05:56

To those saying "put the bag by the door so he can't forget it" you're missing the point. Yes, I could do that, but I want him to be jointly responsible for putting the bag there in the first place. Maybe that's unrealistic!

Also on the time blindness, this is the big one that has us arguing a lot, he isn't able to understand that it always takes longer to leave the house with the kids than he thinks. Even when I'm there saying it! Those with ADHD, what would help with this? He's always rushing at the last minute and it's a big source of stress for me.

OP posts:
BetsyTrotter · 30/03/2023 06:09

I thought I’d read that exercise is very important so many adhd cyclists/ runners. Could he get up early for a run or brisk walk - would his brain then be more focussed.

Beantag · 30/03/2023 07:33

TheRamblingRose · 30/03/2023 05:56

To those saying "put the bag by the door so he can't forget it" you're missing the point. Yes, I could do that, but I want him to be jointly responsible for putting the bag there in the first place. Maybe that's unrealistic!

Also on the time blindness, this is the big one that has us arguing a lot, he isn't able to understand that it always takes longer to leave the house with the kids than he thinks. Even when I'm there saying it! Those with ADHD, what would help with this? He's always rushing at the last minute and it's a big source of stress for me.

Again he needs to put some effort into finding what works for him. I set several alarms, I always get up earlier/start getting ready earlier than most people would need to because I know it can take me longer. I pre-pack and sort as much as I can beforehand, make sure I have essentials that have to be done at the time written down, I get myself more or less fully ready before getting DS ready so I can focus on that and then focus on DS. It is more challenging than for others but it's doable because I've had to find ways to make it work, as most women with ADHD and children do; no reason he can't. I also work a demanding job (after moving careers several times to find something manageable but in which I wouldn't be bored) and I get it, but he doesn't seem to be working on strategies because he feels he doesn't have to.

h3ll0o · 30/03/2023 07:45

wheresmymojo · 29/03/2023 21:41

I'm a woman, I have ADHD, a big job and have a memory like your DH.

I swear to God this isn't just strategic incompetence.

Some of us have severe working memory issues. It doesn't impact me much at work because I have specific coping mechanisms that don't transfer to home.

For example - I manage a lot via my Outlook calendar which is basically always open and in front of me all day.

I can't walk around at home with a laptop in front of my face 24/7 and that's what it would take.

I can't rely on alarms or things on my phone - as soon as the alarm has gone off and I've read the reminder and glanced away. I've forgotten again.

I can't use to do lists because I write a list and then forget the list exists.

I really don't think he can do anything about this - I should know, I have tried everything many, many times.

It's also not something that can be helped with ADHD meds (I'm on meds).

However I would talk to him about what he can do that rebalances things out. You need to accept that his brain can't do this type of task....so what other tasks can he pick up instead that he will be able to do and that balances the load out?

Excellent advice 👆

Ive been trialling meds for a year now and non-stimulants work best for me. I’m great at taking on the mental load and organising everyone but I simply can’t do task I find boring. This means the cleaning in our house falls on my husbands shoulders. Im about to return to a substantial role and will be using the extra cash to fund a cleaner and someone to do our ironing as we want to keep our weekends free. Could your husband afford to fund a virtual PA to keep him on track

Beantag · 30/03/2023 08:09

wheresmymojo · 29/03/2023 21:41

I'm a woman, I have ADHD, a big job and have a memory like your DH.

I swear to God this isn't just strategic incompetence.

Some of us have severe working memory issues. It doesn't impact me much at work because I have specific coping mechanisms that don't transfer to home.

For example - I manage a lot via my Outlook calendar which is basically always open and in front of me all day.

I can't walk around at home with a laptop in front of my face 24/7 and that's what it would take.

I can't rely on alarms or things on my phone - as soon as the alarm has gone off and I've read the reminder and glanced away. I've forgotten again.

I can't use to do lists because I write a list and then forget the list exists.

I really don't think he can do anything about this - I should know, I have tried everything many, many times.

It's also not something that can be helped with ADHD meds (I'm on meds).

However I would talk to him about what he can do that rebalances things out. You need to accept that his brain can't do this type of task....so what other tasks can he pick up instead that he will be able to do and that balances the load out?

Do you have children? What would you do if he wasn't there, would these things just not get done?

liquidgummybears · 30/03/2023 08:11

DeeCeeCherry · 29/03/2023 23:59

He has a big job that he obviously does very well, since he's been promoted several times. Incompetent indoors but competent outdoors how does that work?

The are lots of posts on this thread that explain how that works

Triantha · 30/03/2023 08:21

While he does need to put in some effort to organise himself and find a method that works for him, unfortunately there's no way to just "try" your way out of ADHD. ADHD is a disability, although it's not treated as one. Expecting him to find the one trick or system he needs to behave like a neurotypical person is just not going to work.

I've seen a lot of adaptability posts from people with ADHD saying they do things as seemingly extreme as taking all the kitchen cupboard doors off so they can see what's in them and don't keep wasting money on takeaways. The only laundry system that's ever worked for me involved multiple laundry baskets. My only way out of mess blindness is multiple little bins all over the house.

There will need to be effort from both of you (especially from him since it seems like you're doing everything at the moment) but be aware that what he needs might be a more extreme accomodation not just a planner or list.

Nalupa · 30/03/2023 08:24

Beantag · 30/03/2023 08:09

Do you have children? What would you do if he wasn't there, would these things just not get done?

I always wonder this too, it's part of the reason I dumped my ADHD ex. He wanted a future - marriage, kids. But I kept thinking "what if I went away for a weekend and left him with the kids? What if I died and he was the sole carer? What if I became disabled or very sick?". He simply wouldn't cope and the kids would suffer for it. In a relationship, I need to know they would cope without me for the sake of the kids.

Courgeon · 30/03/2023 09:06

I hyperfocus and mask at work so I'm often exhausted by the time I get home and need quiet and a low stimulus environment. I can't drive for long, 2 hours max, the demands of executive functioning overwhelm me. I drove 5 hours to Devon once and it look me at least a day to get over, worse coming back. Never again. Some friends who "love driving" have been hugely unsympathetic about this. They haven't even bothered trying to understand.

Some horrible things have happened to me because of ADHD, it's a daily ongoing battle and it's not too be taken lightly. The mental health problems people with ADHD get aren't because of the ADHD directly it's from the pressure of trying to fit in, in a neurotypical world and the associated shame when we can't.

VerveClique · 30/03/2023 09:13

Bookmarking, I’ll try to drop back later.

goldenotter · 30/03/2023 09:17

If your husband can hold down a good job at work then he can do a better job at home. ADHD or not!

Opaljewel · 30/03/2023 09:29

No I was saying he needs to put things by the door to remember. I do this my partner never does this for me but the difference is I want to manage my condition as it causes me more stress for me and others not managing it.

The time blindness was a huge issue for me. But using a timer to do things, reminders in phone calendar, giving myself extra time to do things like getting up earlier or getting ready an hour earlier than I normally would. Also sticking to the task I've set myself rather than trying to start 5 at once and making myself late not sticking to what I set for myself. Being realistic and not thinking I should do that now as my brain is commanding me to.

It's exhausting but it can be managed. Like I say check out matt raekelboom. He has many tips. Short videos with subtitles will help your husband to stay focused watching them. Him being a guy might help him watch it as well. He is also on fb and twitter etc. Give it a try.

ThreePoodlesinaTrenchCoat · 30/03/2023 09:32

goldenotter · 30/03/2023 09:17

If your husband can hold down a good job at work then he can do a better job at home. ADHD or not!

Not true, at least not without dropping something at work. That might be part of a solution, though - him going part - time.

Opaljewel · 30/03/2023 09:33

Makes me sad seeing some of these responses. Glad I aren't dumped by my partner of 17 years after suddenly findibg out I am adhd. If you work together as a team on it and the adhd person needs to take responsibility and get on board too, it can be manageable. There is no way if I had kids I wouldn't look after them. That's just an excuse. Maybe it's because I am awoman I would cope who knows.

But don't dismiss us as partners and spouses. I am loving and loyal even if I am shite with chores but I also maintain a lot of things my male nt partner doesn't like making sure we never run out of anything. I do the laundry and take to laundrette. He cooks. He washes up.

Wish sometimes people were more understanding of the nd brain. There are more of us than you think.

ADHDat43 · 30/03/2023 09:36

There are lots of different medications for ADHD. He should speak to his psychiatrist to make a plan to try different types and different combinations. I take a combination of short acting and long acting methylphenidate; friends take dexamfetamine; another friend takes kid dexamfetamine; another takes a combo of guanfacine and atomoexetine. There are SO MANY medication pathways to try; don't let him get away with saying he 'didn't get on with' the first one he tried!

ThreePoodlesinaTrenchCoat · 30/03/2023 09:41

TheRamblingRose · 30/03/2023 05:56

To those saying "put the bag by the door so he can't forget it" you're missing the point. Yes, I could do that, but I want him to be jointly responsible for putting the bag there in the first place. Maybe that's unrealistic!

Also on the time blindness, this is the big one that has us arguing a lot, he isn't able to understand that it always takes longer to leave the house with the kids than he thinks. Even when I'm there saying it! Those with ADHD, what would help with this? He's always rushing at the last minute and it's a big source of stress for me.

Start by identifying where it's actually a problem, and where it's just that you would do things differently.

Also remember that this should get a lot easier over the next few years as the kids need less.

BertieBotts · 30/03/2023 09:42

OMG how ridiculous - I am laughing at myself as I wrote a really long and probably helpful response but then went off to look at another tab, left it for (probably over an hour) and then realised I had two MN windows open and closed one, then wondered how this thread was going and realised I never even posted it! There's classic ADHD for you.

Anyway the gist was - you can't manage his ADHD for him. He has to want to manage it himself. That also doesn't mean that you just have to put up with stuff which is making your life difficult. You have the right to ask him to make changes.

Russell Barkley is the leading expert on ADHD and his resources are well worth looking at. In particular his four pillar approach to treating ADHD. No one of these is enough by itself, you need as many of them as possible.

Diagnosis (in particular, to check for other conditions which might be causing the same symptoms)

Education - the person with ADHD should learn as much as they can about the disorder. So should people living closely with them. This helps with the situations where you're upset thinking he doesn't care when actually he cares very much but the way he shows that will be different to a neurotypical person. It also helps him understand why certain things will help and others won't (for example, willpower/ "just trying harder" is basically a myth. I actually think this is true for everyone but it is especially visible in ADHD, because most people are able to equate willpower with strategies and planning which people with ADHD will struggle to do, and it's the strategies and planning which really make change).

Some good resources are Russell Barkley's talks on youtube, his book Taking Charge of Adult ADHD, the book "So I'm not crazy, stupid or lazy?!", the Youtube channel How To ADHD, some podcasts (ADHD Essentials, ADHD Rewired, ADDitude Experts) and Russell Barkley's ADHD Report which is free to view online and summarises all the most up to date research. (Sadly ended December 2022 but you can still read the old issues).

Medication - stimulant medication helps 70% of people with ADHD and for the remaining 30%, nonstimulant medication helps 90% of them. So 97% of people can experience some improvement in symptoms with medication. It is not accurate to try one medication once and then say "It doesn't work for me" - it is a process with trial and error and there are different stimulants, there are also non stimulants, there are different brands of the same stimulants, there are different formulations (extended / instant release for example). Medication does not completely eliminate symptoms but it helps with everything else. There are also "indirect" physical interventions such as exercise, getting enough sleep, treating other health conditions, cutting out other drugs (nicotine, alcohol, cannabis etc) all of which are much easier to keep up with when medicated. Of course it's a choice if you don't like/want medication but it seems silly to me to dismiss it if you have not tried all of the options.

Accommodations - these are all the tools like have a routine, make lists, use a planner - that often do not work well for people with ADHD (medication can make it easier/more effective to use these tools) AND extra things that maybe people without ADHD would not need, for example, I tend to arrange tasks that I start, whether that is a jigsaw puzzle, craft project, decluttering project, sorting the washing to put away - I figure out how to deal with interruption first and set it up so that WHEN I get interrupted/distracted, the task can be left in a state that I can understand it when I come back to it. A neurotypical person either would not get distracted from the task, or when they do get distracted from the task, they would hold it in working memory and understand/want to come back to it as soon as possible. What happens for me is that once my attention is off the task it no longer exists/is no longer interesting, and I might come back to it, but the possibility is remote. So to use the jigsaw example: If I was just doing the jigsaw on the table, then I get called away, I would not come back to it. The table now looks messy, and I'm not registering "jigsaw", I just register "stuff is here" so I would pile more stuff on top of it. The table is now out of use for anybody else and I can't even easily get to the jigsaw now either. When I do eventually clear the piles of stuff from the table, all the piles of sorted pieces are mixed up uselessly, there are bits which have fallen on the floor and been eaten by the hoover or kicked under the sofa or people are getting annoyed by finding them everywhere, someone left a banana skin on top of another piece and it has moulded onto the table. Even when I come back to it my previous progress is all undone and it's made life worse in the meantime because it was annoying people and we can't use the table.

Simple solution in this case - a jigsaw board. If I need to leave the jigsaw I fold it away and can store it neatly behind the sofa so it isn't in the way, my progress doesn't get undone and I can easily resume it at any time whether that is 5 minutes or 5 months later. But I basically have to treat ALL tasks this way and come up with mental "jigsaw board" type solutions for everything, because otherwise my entire life is like that dining room table with stuff piled on top of stuff and all the things are getting ruined by the weight of other stuff and it all feeds into itself and it's a cycle.

MovingToCranford · 30/03/2023 10:01

So many great strategies here, visual aids always in eye line etc.

Beyond ADHD there is the added aspect of male socialisation where he knows he can fall back on you OP. Many men still don’t get it that to run a properly functioning home, it has to be taken as seriously as work. It is work!

Would he be able to take a week off and spend it at home so he can go through new strategies, whiteboards, organisation, build new habits etc?

If he won’t, I think this is what would piss me off most. As others have said, he needs to take responsibility for his own strategies and care that home life goes to shit unless you pick up all the pieces. The caring matters more than the success I think. You want to know that someone cares and is trying.

vamptable · 30/03/2023 12:35

I have ADHD (medicated) and I am a relatively high achiever, career and education wise. I think it's because at work the day is very structured. I sit in front of my computer and can tick tasks off as I go along. I can't become distracted by something else because I'm at work.

At home I struggle because there is no specific 'deadlines' for tasks. I think about doing a load of washing and then become distracted by the TV, the cat, a sound outside, wondering about where my birth certificate is etc. I have tried setting alarms - as a PP has said, they will go off and I will forget 2 minutes later. I can put an item I must not forget right by the door (because I think I will see it when I'm walking out) and when I leave, my brain just completely blanks it out. I can put my car keys down somewhere and not know where they are within 30 seconds because someone has spoken to me and I have become distracted. I'll walk into the supermarket and have no idea what I'm there for, despite having known when I left my house 10 minutes before.

No specific advice, just some perspective. It's not always weaponized incompetence. I do feel for you though - I know it must be absolutely infuriating to live with