Does anyone else have a ton of trouble switching in between tasks? I just finished dinner and started going on my phone, and now it's been 2 hours and I'm still laying on the couch, scrolling mindlessly. I can't seem to stop, and it's gotten to the point where I want and need to get ready for bed, but no matter how hard I try, I just can't. I get stuck in this loop every night where I start a task, but then just can't seem to stop. It seems like as an attempt to either distract myself from completing a harder task or moving on, I go on my phone or watch something with smaller gratification (ie short tiktok videos, watching funny or thrilling shows, buying things, etc).

Does anyone else experience this "paralysis" and have any tips on breaking the cycle? Any tips would be greatly appreciated! :,)

My mom always described me as "you have 100 wins but make one mistake, and everyone hates you."

I've made mistakes, but at the first sign of rejection or criticism, I push everyone away. I'm tired of burning bridges.

I don't know whether to go to hypnotherapy, seek out new meds, or shock treatment at this point.

So, I've watched shows like hoarders where the people are clearly not mentally okay and they let their houses go, and I've thought man, I'm bad, but I'm not this bad... But I get it now. My house is not as bad as what you see on TV, but it's the worst it's ever been. I'm a teacher, and I've been super busy this year. I've been putting in 12-14 hour days. I was given new classes that I have to create damn near e.v.e.r.y.t.h.i.n.g for. Needless to say, I'm barely holding shit together at my job, let alone my house.

Meanwhile, my husband is working and going to school full time, and studying for an upcoming certification exam. Annnddd also suffers from mental health issues.

We took a week to visit family mid Oct. When we got home, there were a few fruit flies around. Now, it's an all out infestation (vinegar traps aren't doing the job).

I try to start cleaning and become overwhelmed and depressed. We do dishes every day or two, but there are still some piled up. Our counters are needing to be washed, but they're covered in clutter. Our living room is over run with clutter and clothes. Our vacuum broke a few weeks ago. We got a new one last week, but it needs to be assembled. I have sensory issues with grit on the floor, and I'm going crazy... But at the same time, it's like what's the point of assembling it when there's clutter everywhere so I can't just vacuum.

My goal was to do a bunch this weekend, but after this last week, I'm exhausted. All I've accomplished was cooking a meal, cleaning a few things from the counter before taking out the trash, and work. My husband did a load of dishes... But it's like it's never ending.

I see no end sight to the overwhelm with work. My husband has a year or so more worth of overwhelming stress.

I just want to cry.

My DX is ADHD, ODD Non-verbal learning disability and NF-1 along with resulting motor delays .

As a kid I tried Ritalin it end up getting me more calm but if I got trigger.

I would exclate faster according to my EA notes (which I have a copy of ) he believed that I would snap on another student over something small, which I later did going after a classmate "like I was going to kill him".

I do clearly feel unbelievable terrible about this

Now I did assault but it was primarily related to lashing out during a break down type situation

(I am only currently dx with ADHD but I do think Autism is at somewhere from possible to likely ) to stupid stuff of trying to be a badass after spend time in the behaviour class

(It was like jail in school) or sometimes in repose to a demand and one normal fight in school (after being suspended for the strange stuff get 5 for fight was neat).

Yes I do attempt that I was a very high need kid and have issues beyond ADHD

I say that because it would always be throw a punch or kick out but never an attack with the purpose of injuring it doesn't really aline with my history.

I am just wondering of this is a normal potential reaction to Ritalin ? I've also heard that if I in fact have Autism Ritalin might have been a very very bad choice

My Parents were older so after that stop drugs for ADHD and basically pretended I didn't have it (only found out it was document after they died). Although I know my Parents were doing their best I do think pushing be though on mainstreaming was a very bad choice

I am currently seeking to confirm my DX to help get treatment including potential drugs but anyone reasonable might imagine am super concern about this past reaction. Clearly just looking for impression not medical advice.

Almost every time I salat I always forgot, which I ended up redoing it again and again because I kept forgetting, which always frustrates me. There's also times I missed a rakat or accidentally do extras.

One way I tried to overcome this is to only use 4 surah every time I salat, each one for specific rakat. But over the years it doesn't work any more, I start not remembering what surahI last used.

I tried focusing when I salat, but I always get distracted by my thoughts somehow or another, like: "I should use this method when I get back to work", "I wonder how's the newborn kittens are doing", etc.

Extra information about me: I'm undiagnosed, and don't take medication. I've been having this problem since I was a teenager, and now I'm 25.
Thank you in advance :)

It’s been a problem for me for all my life. I can never develop good habits and make them last. Ex, I sometimes get lazy and I don’t brush my teeth in the morning, or I don’t feel like washing my face. And then some random evening I suddenly feel an urge to brush all my teeth until each one is squeaky clean or spend 3 hours using all these skincare products, trying to make up for the past 3 weeks. So anything that takes consistent action over a long period of time ( eg. losing weight, learning a language) I can never get done. How do you guys manage?

It’s been a problem for me for all my life. I can never develop good habits and make them last. Ex, I sometimes get lazy and I don’t brush my teeth in the morning, or I don’t feel like washing my face. And then some random evening I suddenly feel an urge to brush all my teeth until each one is squeaky clean or spend 3 hours using all these skincare products, trying to make up for the past 3 weeks. So anything that takes consistent action over a long period of time ( eg. losing weight, learning a language) I can never get done. How do you guys manage?

I know I'm a difficult person in relationships, no one can read me. People always say i say everything without saying anything. I am the person who carries the weight of the my cousins trauma on my shoulder's (my own too). Every relationship says I'm cold and distant.

But I am the person to help and always look after everyone but myself.

Is this normal or is this another thing I should look into.

Life is life, if I want to live forever I'll die trying. But Jesus fuck life is boring.

I am currently an undiagnosed freshman in college, but I am in the process of getting a diagnosis. I was able to make it through high school fine and get into a great college for my major, but I have hit a wall so to speak.

I've failed two midterms already and have another midterm fast approaching, that I feel like I can't bring myself to study for. Unfortunately, I am in a very competitive field and failing a class or two will set me behind my contemporaries who share the same major as me.

I feel rather disappointed in myself most of the time which I am trying to work past, but I do fall into very depressive bouts from time to time. I can't say for certain that it is out of my control, because I don't have a formal diagnosis yet. I feel as though I exhibit all the signs of ADHD, inattentiveness and hyperactivity, and even the lack of emotional regulation. I have a counselor who also believes that I have quite a few symptoms as well, but there is a constant gnawing feeling in the back of my head that I am just making excuses.

I also can't help the feeling that I am bound to fail two of my classes. College is not nearly as forgiving as high school was regarding deadlines, and in high school I was able to build rapport with my teachers who adapted to my habits.

I feel that failure is imminent, and I don't really see a way forward. I tend to adopt a rather irrational all or nothing mentality, which I feel is deeply unconscious, and it's flowing out of me right now. However, I also believe that there can be a way forward through a formal diagnosis and proper help, but I am currently in that state of questoning whether I am just being overdramatic. I guess I am just wondering how some of you might've felt during that period where you acknowledged you might have ADHD, but didn't know for certain, and how you dealt with it?

I’m not sure if this is related to my adhd or not, but my sister has anxiety just like me and no adhd and doesn’t seem to struggle with this issue, which is why I believe it is related to my adhd. This has happened to me multiple times and I am wondering if anyone with adhd goes through this or has any tips. I have anxiety, ocd, and adhd just to clarify. I’ll have days where I do more than one thing and spend time with more than one person, for example I’ll spend the night at my boyfriends, spend the morning and afternoon with him, and then have dinner with my best friend, and I’m not tired after the day I just feel panicky when I get home and have nothing to do/when everything has calmed down. I’ve tried to reduce the amount of things I do each day but sometimes my schedule just doesn’t allow that especially having a part time job and being a full time student. I’ll get home from days like this and have full on panic attacks and if I don’t have panic attacks I cry for the rest of the night or until I fall asleep, I feel overwhelmed and overstimulated, the world just doesn’t feel right in these moments, like I’m in the wrong place. But when morning comes I’ll be just fine. Does anyone else feel this way, or have any tips?

.

I (31F) have been in a long term relationship with my girlfriend for the past 6 years. We both love each other so much but my ADHD and the crippling symptoms that come with it have caused us some difficulties. When we moved in together in 2020 it was an adjustment as I was the first person she had ever lived with. Lucky her that at the time I had undiagnosed adhd lol. Long story short she told me she felt like she had to mother me to do things and told me I think you have adhd. After some denial I eventually came to terms with it and got my ADHD diagnosis. I am now medicated as well. I know that I am a lot more self aware of my symptoms but some of them are still tough to manage. Before anyone suggests CBT I’m going to be honest with you. I don’t get it/don’t find that it helps at all. I did go to therapy quite a bit but it got expensive and I got to a point where I felt like it wasn’t solving any of my real life problems so I stopped.

She has acknowledged that I have made many changes that has helped our relationship but there are some things I just haven’t been able to fix. How in the fuck do I become more of a planner, a go getter, someone who is proactive and thinks of things ahead of time like a responsible person? I just want to be a better partner to her. The kind that she deserves. Somebody who is on top of their shit, productive and reliable. Her love language is acts of service and quality time. We don’t have any support from her parents which make things harder on us. So given that the family aspect of our life is hard enough I just want to make the life that we built for ourselves stronger and happier. I want her to feel more thought of and taken care of in the way she deserves. She is the love of my life so the least I can do is just work on being a better partner for her.

Any suggestions on ways that I can work on this or can anyone share what has worked for you?

I wish I was making this up, but no fucks of a lie, I sometimes forget how to breath…

Like, when I’ve just respawned after a zone out, the first thing that I focus on is my breathing, and then I just kinda like ‘trip up on my own breathes’ kinda thing? And then get confused and worried because then my first thought is ‘wow I really have to think about thinking to breath for ever’ until something distracts me enough to forget about it

anyone else make lists of all the things you could do in your free time? basically a list of activities and hobbies you might enjoy so when you feel "stuck" you can see this list of things to do besides zone out, daydream, overthink, or doomscroll.

i will also make lists of things to look up, and do further research on, which i heard in passing that caught my attention but for whatever reason could not get the info in the moment.

or on a darker note, a list of all the lists you should make? i have only done this a few times in my life but i dont think i was in a good head space LOL

I’ve had ADHD my whole life. I know the symptoms, the medications,I’ve done the whole dance.

Through the past 7 years I’ve had… 4 bad concussions. Twice because I’ve fainted which was NEVER normal for me til now. Every year sense the first concussion I’ll faint like twice a year. I never know when but it happens.

I also drop things. My hands will just let go. I don’t even notice. :/

Lastly my memory has gone down the drain. It’s short term. My mind goes blank, what am I doing, why am I here, think think think… I’ve always had a bit of a brain fog but nothing like this. It’s embarrassing and frustrating and I’m not sure if this is simply my ADHD anymore.

I have noticed that every time someone asks me to repeat myself because they didn't hear me, I always rephrase what I said. I've had a couple of friends get irritated with this if they partially heard what I initially said because they can tell it doesn't match. But by that point, I'll have forgotten the initial exact words and phrasing, and won't be able to repeat it.

Same problem when trying to relay a conversation, which is a common issue at work. I talk to clients and have to report to someone else what was said. If I'm pressed for exact wording, I'm at a loss. I can only paraphrase past conversations even if they just happened seconds ago.

I am out of my script, and in order to get a refill my provider doesn't have an appointment for a MONTH, and I am on day 5 of withdrawals. I am not sure what to do, and forgive me for any errors or lack of detail and cohesion, but I will try to list what has been going on:

• Incredible tiredness (slept 85-95% of the last 5 days)
• Depression and suicidl ideation
• Aches & pains
• Insatiable hunger
• No motivation

I've had my script since 2021, and it has been insane the inconsistency in my life due to refills. My prescriber charged me $150 for this month but won't even refill my script. I am currently living with my best friend, who says that I should go to the hospital but I don't know what the hospital would do for me. Can someone, anyone, please give me advice or guidance? Thank you all so much

I would like to know if the fact that I am afraid to listen to voice messages or that I have difficulty talking to people on the phone has anything to do with my ADHD. And if so, does anyone know what I can do about it? Unfortunately, this restricts me in my everyday life and there have often been misunderstandings and situations that are extremely unfavorable for me. Unfortunately, ADHD is quite untreated in Germany and that's why I'm hoping for your help.

ADHD runs in my (27f) family but I'm not diagnosed. I dropped out of college during the pandemic and I'm finally going back to school but I'm really struggling with what I'm 99% sure are ADHD symptoms. So I set up a telehealth meeting with a psychiatrist covered by my insurance this past week and it was... questionable.

The doctor opened the meeting by asking what we had discussed in our previous meeting. Even after I explained that I was a new patient he continued to refer to our "previous" meeting when he read off the questionnaire I'd filled out beforehand. He proceeded to ask me very basic "Do you have ADHD" questions but didn't seem to believe me about the severity of my symptoms. He prescribed me 10 mg of Strattera(atomoxetine) per day and said we'd meet again in four weeks. When I asked point blank about possible side effects and when the drug would take effect he told me that there weren't really any side effects and that it would take effect immediately. (Both of these things are very contradictory to what I've read online) He didn't say anything more about gradually upping the dose or what exactly the drug was supposed to do.

Caffeine makes me drowsy and my mom had a history of addiction in her early 20s( Dr knew this)- so I'm definitely ok with trying non-stimulants to start with. But idk about this guy

TLDR; I feel really weirded out by first ever psychiatrist appt. Is it normal to be prescribed 10mg for a whole month? (Isn't that a pediatric dose?) Should I look for a different doctor?

Among other symptoms of course. I find it difficult to concentrate on anything at all, even with assignments I had and work. I move a lot and I can’t even sleep at night anymore. I’m jittery and hyper when it’s 3-4 am and I should be sleepy. I haven’t got an official diagnosis but I’m like 80% sure I have ADHD because it doesn’t feel normal at all

I really struggle with avoidance. It’s been the most debilitating part of having ADHD.

I have avoided things for years in the past and it’s hard to hold down jobs and stay out of trouble because of it.

Lately I have been working with an ADHD coach and she’s introduced me to just working on things for 5 minutes or shorter. It’s been helping.

Whatever gets me to just do it for a little while. Does anyone else struggle with avoidance?

I'm so insanely frustrated with myself, I can't bear it
I feel that have not a single real person in my life I can vent to about my inability to do basic ass shit without being lectured or berated about how lazy I am, how I don't care or don't how I don't have basic discipline. I'm strangling my brain. I put myself in a position where I have to get the bulk of a multi-week research project done in a day, where I barely even have the full day cause 8 hours of it is taken up by my job. If I fail the assignment, I fail the class. I'm probably just gonna end up calling off tomorrow, which will tank my hours cause retail is godawful. I feel like I might explode, I've broken it into tiny step-by-step pieces, but even so no matter what I do I'll stare at the stupid screen for hours and just end up crying. Most of the time I can hold myself together but Jesus Christ, I hate this disorder so much.

Does any else hyperfixate on something and have a hard time pulling yourself out of it? I’m currently hyperfixating on counting all the small bumps on the yellow pad before a crosswalk, and it’s just one specific yellow pad. I don’t care about any other one. But I did the math for mine and it comes out to 7280 bumps on just the large bumps, but there are still small bumps in between and with adding that in it’s over 8,000. I cannot process that there is that many, because it doesn’t look like it! This is the only thing on my mind, I cannot stop thinking about it. It’s been 2 weeks. I want to sit down and count every bump, but I would look crazy doing that. What’s your current hyperfixation and how do you pull yourself out of it when it’s consuming your mind?

Here’s one of the -MANY- ways I know I have ADHD. My husband asked me some time ago if I’d put oil in my car yet (because I’d recently had to have a mechanic work on it and he informed me of a small oil leak which isn’t urgent but will require me to stay up on the oil). I said no; I keep remembering and forgetting. He said essentially to just set some time aside and do it. I asked how he remembers to do things like that: if he normally has to schedule it, or set a reminder or timers, and he said no. He’ll just decide to do it at a certain time and do it. I was GOBSMACKED by what different mental experiences/operations we have on such a standard level. This small comparison, more than my executive dysfunction, messy house, burnout, task paralysis, etc, somehow cemented beyond a shadow of a doubt that I have this disorder.

So what are some of your ADHD “tells”? Things that reveal to you beyond a shadow of a doubt that you have ADHD?

context: I have been struggling with ADHD symptoms for a while and my close friendgroup (all diagnosed ) are convinced I have ADHD. The problem is I want to get help on it because it frustrates me that I know I can achieve so much but for some reason I just can't do it. my moodswings have a massive impact on my schoolwork and motivation for anything and its just annoying because I know I could have done so much better on everything. i regularly work out and do sports and I eat relatively healthy. My sleep is mostly ok but I have had many all nighters because my brain keeps me up sometimes. When i tried opening up to my mum she straight up denied the possibility of ADHD existing saying i just procrastinate too much because im lazy. TBh i dont really know if shes right at this point.

Any tips on how to help focus? im at a bit of a loss because i do so much phsical excersise but it doesnt help at all

I'm aware that showering every day isn't a necessity, but I always feel much better and more likely to exist as a normal human being if I do, plus it gives me one less excuse to stay locked in the house.

At the moment I shower every 2 to 3 days depending on what I'm doing. I never go out without showering because I don't want people to think I'm gross and my hair gets mega greasy if I don't even after a day. I work at home so I rarely have a reason that forces me to shower.

A lot of the recommendations I've seen online don't really work for me:

• "Reward yourself for showering": In my mind I can just have the reward anyway.
• "Only do hair once every two days": I don't have any problems doing a proper wash when I'm actually in the shower.
• "Listen to a podcast in the shower": I don't get particularly bored when showering because it gives me time to actually zone out and think.
• "Turn it into a habit": I don't have habits/routines and I've never been able to stick to ones I've tried making.
• "Use nice products": Couldn't care less.

I have literally no idea why I can't do it regularly, it's just one of those things where my brain just says "nah I'd rather not". I even have days where I think to myself "I really should shower rn I'll feel less horrible" and I still don't do it.

I got diagnosed with ADHD a few months ago and my parents are completely unsupportive … Even after taking meds i find some stuff really hard to do like other languages… my mum teaches me Sanskrit but it’s so hard to study for even half an hour without getting into a fight with her… unfortunately she is the only one who can teach me a d she’s so boring istg…

help me

I am so tired of being treated like an idiot during discussions in university, right after we are handed a text in class (I am a humanities major).

I just can’t do it, everything distracts me. I can only concentrate fully when I have brown noise equalizing out all other auditory signs, and with nothing moving in front of me BUT the shifting of pages or the scrolling of the pad. I am wondering if I should just plug headphones in, even with the anti-social signals it sends.

I want to cry. My life is humiliating.

Hey all,

I’m 21F i’ve been diagnosed for 12 years. I was on stimulants for several years but eventually made the decision to go off of them after i graduated high school. During that time, I switched my psychiatric care to my father who is a doctor, he has been prescribing me strattera for a few years. (I know that is ethically dubious but i have a lot of trauma with psychiatric treatment following my SA in the psych ward).

Anyways, the strattera isn’t cutting it anymore. It takes me 3 weeks to do a load of laundry and i can barely drive without getting into an accident because my attention is dog shit.

I need to find another doctor to prescribe me stimulants (my dad can’t do it because it’s illegal for family to prescribe controlled substances). Does approaching a doctor for a specific prescription set off alarm bells? If so, how can i ask in a way that doesn’t sound concerning?

I (26 F) am a retail store manager. I was recently diagnosed with adhd and began medication early this year. Since then I've become more self-aware of my personal work struggles and have been working to improve them. Basically working with my brain not against it. I managed a team of several other shift managers, and several more associates. One of my managers has really been struggling lately. I'm very open about my diagnosis and mental health in general so we recently had a discussion about ADHD. This person is unmedicated, which is perfectly fine, but their performance has not been to standard and I think a big part of it has to do with ADHD and another diagnosis. I've found myself getting really frustrated because I've had to teach them the same task repeatedly or when I ask them why they didn't do something, They respond by saying they don't recall me showing them how. However, since my eyes have been open to my own personal struggles, I'm realizing that a lot of it has to do with ADHD for them as well. What can I do to best support them and help them meet expectations? Some of the main issues are not remembering how to do things (i.e. "I couldn't remember how to do this thing so I didn't do anything at all and just waited for my boss instead of problem-solving on my own") and time management. I know they have so much potential and previous coaching strategies have not been effective.

AAAHHH. Idk if I have adhd and it's rlly confusing and overwhelming for me. I'm too scared to ask my aunt for a diagnosis, because she will probably say that I don't have it. I'm kinda scared for my future if I don't get the diagnosis. Do I talk to her, or not? She is really strict, so I don't wanna make her mad. Any tips or advice on how to ask her for a diagnosis??