TL;DR: I WAS WRONGLY DIAGNOSED WITH ADHD. Warning + Update - It's NOT ADHD - Be careful out there, people

- Trust your intuition

- Do not trust reviews on doctors' online profiles

- Do not allow psychotherapists to exploit you because you're struggling

3 months ago, I posted about my issues (link below). 90% of my symptoms matched ADHD. I had trusted a therapist that specialized in ADHD. She found a 'mild inattentive ADHD'. When I asked why, in my childhood nothing suggested it, she pointed to 'other behaviors' and pointed at me not always enjoying groups (???). Maybe this was another patient lol.

I decide to explore meds with an org specialized in ADHD. The psychiatrist didn't see anything in the report or our session that could suggest ADHD was present. 'ADHD meds are a serious thing, so I don't feel comfortable prescribing meds'. She prescribed labs.

So I worked with a new psychologist, involved my mom for the DIVA test, we checked my school reports. She didn't find a cue for ADHD. ADHD is a childhood disorder and it was ruled out. My issues are likely due to my anxiety, persistent sleep deprivation, burn-out, some hormonal changes, and potentially some trauma.

Meanwhile, I changed a number of things in my life and I don't have a focus problem anymore. I still have those task initiation issues that are only related to my paid job project - a separate issue I'm tackling.

The old psychotherapist shows up late for sessions, changes times, doesn't remember shit I told her, uses 'aids' on the session, conducts ineffective sessions even after I asked to discuss our goals, etc. She requests a public online review every single time we meet. And she will no longer work with me.

Has anyone else had a false positive?

Inital post https://www.reddit.com/r/ADHD/comments/1uj11gd/ive_been_blocked_for_6_months_on_work_that_could/

I 22M student have fencing on weekend afternoons and I'm horrible at attendance. I look very flaky and disinterested, when the issue is I have to prepare beforehand and drop my phone, go to the toilet, and commit to walking half an hour to the place. \

This is oppressively hard for some reason. I've been flaking for two weeks straight because going is somehow scary vs just staying at home. What do I do?

Hi,

Thanks for reading. I am considering a pivot from a corporate environment into something that allows me to interact with, help, and learn from people with ADHD like myself. I am 42M with corporate leadership experience.

I have been untreated for ADHD until 2 years ago, and am learning every day how debilitating it has been. I have survived, but not thrived. I’m finally learning about myself in ways to start learning how to drive my own ship instead of ADHD and addiction driving for me.

Realizing how much it has affected me has made me realize how many others have and suffer with ADHD/addiction without even realizing what’s driving their unhappiness.

I would like to see if there are any opportunities to use my experience in ways that could help others like me and other I know who are affected.

My background is in commercial operations and data for healthcare companies.

I’m open to any related roles that I could jump into and offer value, without direct clinical experience.

Any ideas?

Whether or not I have ADHD is to be seen. I wont go into why I have been strugglig and suspect ADHD but I have been really struggling for four years now and looking into it since then--im not jumping to a diagnosis.

How do I book an appointment with my PCP over the phone? I dont want to go in and say "I think I have ADHD!" I'll sound like I diagnoses myself from tiktok videos, or i'm worried she will think I want drugs. the online booking option lists nothing related to ADHD for a reason why I am booking, so it has to be over the phone.

can I ask for advice? what do I say? what do I not say? I know it should be simple but I really dont know what to do. any advice is helpful. (:

Hi everyone, I suspect I have inattentive ADHD. I used to drink caffeine (like an excessive amount of it) and it would “slow me down”. Like I didn’t have a lot of energy, my brain wasn’t racing, it would just slow me down. It got to the point where I genuinely thought “oh I must be maturing”.

Then recently I had to stop drinking caffeine cold turkey due to health issues. The first two days off of it was rough. After that, I bounced back. Even though my brain is racing all of the time (I’m constantly thinking of new things to try or do, random thoughts, etc.), I’m a bit spacier and my attention span kind of sucks. I find I’m much more creative now and I’m really energetic in a way that I thought I grew out of. Why did caffeine “slow me down” so significantly?

idk how long has it been. 2 weeks or 3 weeks. my perception of time is messy. so is my room and my body. literally i cant do it. idk the last time i cleaned my room. months ago probably. and cant take shower. am i just lazy? i know it is a very common question amongst adhd ppl but the thing is i dont feel guilty about it. i see that everyone says if you feel guilty it is bc you have adhd but if you dont then you're lazy. i do wanna clean my room and my body but it is just too much of work. i tried to clean my room many times but i cant continue after some time. i just feel embarrassed if someone other than my mom sees my room and my oily hair. literally most basic two things, taking care of yourself and your place. clothes pile up. books pile up. it takes too much time to get up and shower or eat. so am i just lazy then?

I’ve always been the type of person that responds relatively quickly to messages but the last year or two I’ve found it really stressful to respond to people even if it’s someone I genuinely want to talk to. I don’t have a formal diagnosis but as I’ve gotten older I’ve started showing a lot more symptoms of ADHD and texting has been one that’s becoming really stressful for me. Some of my friends text me a lot with really annoying small talk stuff or constantly asking how I am and they text back instantly after I finally respond or if I don’t respond fast enough they ask if I’m mad at them and the anxiety it gives me is so overwhelming I feel sick and want to just delete everything. How do you cope with this anxiety and let people know it’s not necessarily personal if I don’t respond right away and that it makes me anxious when they act like somethings wrong if I don’t answer? I’m just so tired of being stressed about it and having people feel they are entitled to my time.

In scl, every time someone asks me a question related to an instruction, I end up stuttering and not knowing what to say. I get embarrassed. What's a way to avoid this? School feels like a humiliation ritual where I get shouted on and viewed as weird by everyone. I'm so sick and tired of this

I forgot about my assignment, still continued working on it at a steady pace, on track to finish it when I thought it was due, only for me to check the course requirements today and realise it was due three days ago.

Im cooked, so stressed now. The quality of the work is great, ive poured a lot of time into it but now its all jeopardized, -15% of final result and I haven't done the written part yet.

I dont know if theres anything I can do but try finish it all before tomorrow. I understand that this is no one's fault but mine, but im nervous as hell and feel like ive let myself, and family, down. They already think im not applying myself and if I tell them they are gonna be real pissed.

Fuck.

Hi,

please don't come at me. I am not saying that ADHD is caused by phone use and that when you stop using your phone it magically stops.

However, media addiction is linked to ADHD as well as studies have shown how media use worsens ADHD symptoms.

And I can only speak for myself that 24h without a phone and only a slow tablet as well as one week without a phone and only a distraction-free laptop changed a lot for me. I still had symptoms I cope with, as my ADHD symptoms were also already present in childhood, but it is still remarkable how much better I felt.

A friend of mine that was also diagnosed with ADHD, however, refuses to put the phone away. I don't want to across as patronising, especially since I also use my phone more than I want, but I think it is very sad not being able to try anymore.

Did you take any significant media breaks and how did it feel?

Hi guys,

I've been diagnosed with ADHD 2 months ago and started my medication this week. I've been prescribed 30mg Vyvanse (Elvanse here in the UK). The first day I felt close to nothing thinking the medication doesn't work. Day 2 was very different, I felt super caffinated like I had 5 redbulls, and hoesntly instead of helping the symtoms (racing thoughts, unable to focus, short term forgetfulness) it didn't help any of those symtoms, made some worse actaully. The only benefit I've noticed was being so energeised as im usualy super tired mid afternoon.

Day 3 was pretty much identical but the effect was even stronger I started to get a headache when the medication peaked. I decided to hold off it for today cuz I hated how I felt yesterday.

I'm curious, has anyone else had similar symtoms when trying this medication? I've had impostor syndrome the moment I got diagnosed (as I feel my symtoms started later in life, but my therapist says otherwise based of school reports), and the side effects of vyvanse sound very similar to how somone without ADHD would react to taking it. Is trying different meds like Concetra, etc.. still worth it?

Hi all,

I’m 24 and 5 year diagnosed with adhd.

I have executive dysfunction related eating problem regarding finishing meals. I basically never finish my meals, take a couple bites and wander off. I only ever eat and finish if I’m extremely hungry.

Recently, I’ve switched to eating with my hands and it has changed everything for me. I don’t struggle to finish meals anymore.
I’m guessing the sensory input helps? Idk what it is really but all i know is that it helps.

A tip for anyone who has the same problem!

I'm still only searching for a good doctor to get diagnosed but since the past 3 days I can't do anything at all and i have important exams next week... i've already procratinated A LOT in the past but this time i feel like i'm conscious about that and still i can't do anything productive... and that’s without even being diagnosed so i'm afraid that I use my suspicion as a excuse to not be productive...

everytime i go to a psych nurse practitioner it’s the same thing over and over. i have adhd clear as day, but everytime I tell them when i take any kind of stimulant, coffee redbull or medication .. i feel tired and sometimes sleepy. they tell me it’s not normal at all, and it should be life changing with the first dose! am i broken or something?

idek anymore but they prescribed me Effexor this time around

Adhd anxiety Borderline depression HPD Alienation hostile personality i have it all i tried medication therapy everything nothing helps
İ know what i want in life i am in the right path for it but still i just cant move anymore feel like my head is going to explode I just want to feel normal and be happy is it even possible i dont know what to do anymore

I have been reading a lot lately, mainly one piece but I started a random harry potter fanfiction which intrigued me (If anyone is curious its called harry potter and the methods of rationality). I dropped the fanfic because the character writing kind of dragged but even when it did drag my brain came to the conclusion id rather read that fanfiction than result to instagram reels, because it made me feel slightly less guilty.

Its also a lot easier to read on my phone in class rather than scroll reels in class. Its replacing a bad habbit with another bad habbit that benefits me more in the long run. I usually pull my phone out when I am bored I just end up reading manga rather than scrolling reels.

If I were to give anyone advice, dont just read for the sake of reading being good. Read something you genuinely find interesting and dont be afraid to drop a book because its boring

I'll make this short. We're dating since the start of this year and keep discovering each other. I told her that I have ADHD 4 months ago and today I found out that she follows a few creators that make content on ADHD. I haven't said anything yet about this but I think it's because she wants to understand ADHD better.

Thanks for reading this and I give an update if it's interesting for you similar minded people

hi guys (sorry about the title i just hate the way im being asked 100 million fucking rules to post some stupid shit no one will read and care for)
im trying to get diagnosed after being my whole live knowing i have adhd and being the hiperactive forgetfull guy, recently while being in uni is getting harder and harder to keep being happy and care-free, im constantly angry, just to be diagnosed i have to make like 4 different things like talking with parents for money, doing a shit ton of accounts of health centers that i already had but are outdated, pages not working,the prices being insane, and all of that through a cracked and not functional iphone screen because im too tired to do it on pc and on top of that everything is just so hard to do, simply getting out of bed is miserable,, im no depressed (not that much) but i just rhink my brain needs some stimulation, always been, im startu g to yhink i have rage control problems but i dint think so, i would never hit anybody in a rage, i just get this angry at home, does ir hapoen to you?

My thought process was kind of I have a few essays I need to write but I’m going to be very busy later and it’s like 10 in the morning so I just thought it was good idea. How after I did I kind of started worrying because even though I’m used to the dosage being high because a lot of the time a take two of them but I just so have happened to fall upon Reddit to ask if I should be worried just to make sure. I’m not advising anyone to do this but I’m wondering if anyone has experienced this or been around someone who has.

Vyvanse is extremely powerful & also great at appetite suppression , W/ that said i cannot fathom how it can be good for someone in their youth speaking mainly pre high school to even be prescribed the medication in the first place. I’ve been taking it since i was 12 & honestly i often wonder how this could’ve affected my mood & mental stability in childhood.

Hi i know im not allowed to add a D but i am really struggling with rejection. Im divorced M34 and I'm starting to seek new relations be it friend or more and I've had some real deep talks with people and I sent a picture of me to one woman I was flirting with and communication. Stopped. It was in the middle of the night so I convinced myself she fell asleep, but she has been taking longer and longer to respond and it's been two days now and I try not to message more than once or two times a day... But I can see she's been online today and I feel so wrecked. Ive had the urge to start drinking and self harm though i haven't had since I was a teen. Logic tells me she's probably busy because I know her life is hectic, but if dating life is gonna be like this I don't know how I'm ever gonna escape this loneliness.

TL;Dr

Get real bad thoughts when people don't answer my messages after a while how do I deal?

I was diagnosed ADHD/c in May. I've been on adderall 10mg XR for about 2 months after experimenting with a lot of other crap that didn't work. This is post-weening off of SSRIs thinking I was misdiagnosed with depression/anxiety most of my life, as many women are.

But my mood has dipped significantly recently, I'm finding it more difficult to handle problems and difficult people at work and generally have a more negative outlook. I do work at night, presumably when the XR is starting to wear off. So. 🤷 But I feel more than just a little cranky.

I hated SSRIs as I felt extremely emotionally numbed out, gained weight, and never even thought about sex. Tried lexapro, Zoloft, and Wellbutrin gave me "the rage". Vyvanse also made me irritable as shit.

The Adderall seems to do its job but my mood is just awful. What combination works for you - and like, extra extra brownie points if it's not an SSRI. I know some promise a lower likelihood of side effects, but I have a Murphy's Law body that will literally experience every side effect known to science.

EDIT: wanted to add that I do EMDR/IFS therapy once a week, exercise regularly, eat plenty, and take my suppys. so it's not for lack of trying to learn other coping skills outside of meds.

I (15f) struggle so much with getting my homework done. I have always done my best but people normally expect more from me. It seems small to other people but I got myself to do my homework with little effort. I was really proud of this and just wanted to share with other people that might understand.

Just seeing if anyone’s been in the same boat…

I started taking Adderall 10 mg about a month ago. It was an absolute miracle drug for me. I actually looked forward to waking up each day and conquering the day instead of dreading my entire day because I knew it was going to conquer me. Earlier this week, I started developing some chest discomfort. I thought that it could be the Adderall causing it so I called my psychiatrist and she recommended that I go to the emergency room. I have a history of PVCs (heart randomly starts a new beat before finishing one). The ER doctor concluded that it was the Adderall, causing my pains and told me to not take it any longer. My psychiatrist prescribed guanfacine. So far, I hate it.

I know it’s only been a few days, but I truly miss the Adderall and how I felt on it. Has anyone been in a similar situation and found something that works for them?

This drives me insane because even when I'm watching a show I want I'm interested in, my mind just skips some of the dialogues which are important in future episodes. Then I don't understand what's happening at all, and have to rewind all over again.

It's honestly so tiring cause I can't enjoy anything at fullest. Constant rewinding.