ADHD - Adults

[shirt]

White-Noise said:

Can anyone share their top resources for support please? Websites, charities, groups or whatever you feel?

What support are you looking for?

I would suggest some introspection. Take some (decent) tests to determine your personality type, enneagram, communication style, etc.

Your ADHD will impact all of this, there will be themes. Look at how you think, feel and interact. Work out which bits of that you like and which you don’t. Map it out to see what are easy changes and which are more worrisome (e.g career/earnings related).

Then you’ll have a clearer understanding of what support is needed.

I find the school of life helpful as starting points for self analysis. Alain de Botton has a remarkable ability to summarize and create a feeling that life is a curious journey and dealing with your self should be treated as such. Emotional education is a good summary.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=W9X7u-MeJz0




To those waiting for the NHS, I empathize. Mine was done privately but still went through the whole process of seeing psychologists and being misdiagnosed. If you are starting from a place where you think you have it, then a 12mth+ wait is senseless if you can afford to circumvent it.

[Sporky]

nuyorican said:

Is ADHD medication not available on the NHS?

It is if you have an NHS diagnosis, which typically takes years.

If you have a private diagnosis you can ask for shared care, which transitions you over to NHS prescriptions, but it seems GPS are increasingly rejecting applications for that.

[White-Noise]

Sporky said:

nuyorican said:

Is ADHD medication not available on the NHS?

It is if you have an NHS diagnosis, which typically takes years.

If you have a private diagnosis you can ask for shared care, which transitions you over to NHS prescriptions, but it seems GPS are increasingly rejecting applications for that.

Do you know why they are doing that? I mean I know it costs money but that shouldn't really be a reason on the NHS for something that is part of their service offering. I do wonder if maybe they don't trust private doctors so when I spoke to them about this we clearly stated that he also works on the NHS and I had no issues getting the agreement but I haven't even started medication yet.

[Sporky]

I don't know, so I am just speculating that it might be either distrust of private diagnosis (I seem to recall that a couple of years ago a small minority of assessors were found not to have been appropriately thorough) or not wanting the extra work involved.

But I don't know.

[White-Noise]

Sporky said:

I don't know, so I am just speculating that it might be either distrust of private diagnosis (I seem to recall that a couple of years ago a small minority of assessors were found not to have been appropriately thorough) or not wanting the extra work involved.

But I don't know.

https://www.hweclinicalguidance.nhs.uk/prescribing-guidance/shared-care-adhd/

Yeah I think your first point is right so this explains it

[ben5575]

I watched a insta story last night about 'body doubling'. This is where you need to have somebody in the room, even if they don't say or do anything, to act as an anchor to enable you to complete tasks.

I've never heard of it before, but this is absolutely me. I am fine at work or doing stuff that I am comfortable with. But if I undertake anything on a large scale that is new to me, particularly DIY like refitting a bathroom or kitchen, I have to have my wife in the room with me or I just get completely overwhelmed by the 7 million different ways I could route that pipe, put the floor down etc. She doesn't say/do anything, but I absolutely can't function without her in the room with me.

I told my sister who's husband has ADHD and she told me she has a seat in the garage where she sits to enable him to get on and does his man jobs

[Motoring12345]

Got diagnosed today after a 9-year struggle and wait on the NHS, and have been prescribed Elvanse.

It feels bittersweet because in the last 18 months I've managed to sort out a lot of my life with private talking therapies, but at the same time, I'm 10-15 years behind in my career compared to my peers and I've had a string of failed relationships that I partially blame ADHD for. I'm still relatively youngish (34), but there's a poignant feeling in general.

[popeyewhite]

I read somewhere recently that at the current rate or overdiagnosis in eight years time it might be possible for everyone to have been diagnosed as being somewhere on the autistic spectrum.

[PlywoodPascal]

popeyewhite said:

I read somewhere recently that at the current rate or overdiagnosis in eight years time it might be possible for everyone to have been diagnosed as being somewhere on the autistic spectrum.

I read that paedophiles had more genes in common with crabs than other humans.

[popeyewhite]

PlywoodPascal said:

I read that paedophiles had more genes in common with crabs than other humans.

Oo passive aggressive, nice response.

[KAgantua]

popeyewhite said:

PlywoodPascal said:

I read that paedophiles had more genes in common with crabs than other humans.

Oo passive aggressive, nice response.

Ignore Plywoodpascals Nonce-sense

[PlywoodPascal]

where now for man raised by puffins?

[PlywoodPascal]

One young kiddie on Elvanse cried all the water out of his body. Just imagine how his mother felt. It’s a f***ing disgrace.

[Motoring12345]

A few observations on Elvanse:

Positives

1) Emotional regulation - I don't get easily annoyed at people or myself
2) Peace - My head feels quiet, almost eerie at times
3) Time - Time seems to have slowed down, in a good way. Before, it felt like there wasn't enough time to finish my chores and work.
4) Focus - I have more focus on doing boring tasks and not giving up at the first hurdle
5) Phone addiction - This seems to have calmed down as well. Don't have the desire to constantly check my phone and can go long hours without social media

Negative points

1) Anxiety - Feel more on the edge and anxious, started getting anxiety poops as well
2) Switching off - Been struggling to switch off after work and focus on my job too much, unlike in the past, I was done after 6.
3) Appetite isn't as strong as before, and I've stopped craving takeaways (maybe a good point?)
4) Constantly thirsty
5) I feel more subdued and don't have the desire to engage in small talk in the office
6) Giving up drinking - Had to skip work drinks

Edited by Motoring12345 on Friday 2nd May 13:28

[MikeGTi]

Interesting one on BBC News website today: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cg5vp62dnnro

BBC News said:

The review, led by King's College London, looked at 40 studies in 17 countries and found no clear evidence rates of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) had risen since 2020, despite reported rises in diagnoses and longer waits for assessment.

Some blame greater social media use and the Covid pandemic for rising numbers - but the researchers say greater awareness and acceptance were likely to be encouraging more people to seek help.

There were no signs the true rate of ADHD, known as prevalence, was on the up, they added.

I'm sure it mirrors quite a few people's view here.

ETA: Study is available here - https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/...

Edited by MikeGTi on Thursday 5th June 13:30

[272BHP]

Motoring12345 said:

A few observations on Elvanse:

Positives

1) Emotional regulation - I don't get easily annoyed at people or myself
2) Peace - My head feels quiet, almost eerie at times
3) Time - Time seems to have slowed down, in a good way. Before, it felt like there wasn't enough time to finish my chores and work.
4) Focus - I have more focus on doing boring tasks and not giving up at the first hurdle
5) Phone addiction - This seems to have calmed down as well. Don't have the desire to constantly check my phone and can go long hours without social media

Negative points

1) Anxiety - Feel more on the edge and anxious, started getting anxiety poops as well
2) Switching off - Been struggling to switch off after work and focus on my job too much, unlike in the past, I was done after 6.
3) Appetite isn't as strong as before, and I've stopped craving takeaways (maybe a good point?)
4) Constantly thirsty
5) I feel more subdued and don't have the desire to engage in small talk in the office
6) Giving up drinking - Had to skip work drinks

Why did you give up alcohol? I think the data on any interactions is pretty slim between them.

Or did it affect you and that is why you stopped?

[Motoring12345]

272BHP said:

Motoring12345 said:

A few observations on Elvanse:

Positives

1) Emotional regulation - I don't get easily annoyed at people or myself
2) Peace - My head feels quiet, almost eerie at times
3) Time - Time seems to have slowed down, in a good way. Before, it felt like there wasn't enough time to finish my chores and work.
4) Focus - I have more focus on doing boring tasks and not giving up at the first hurdle
5) Phone addiction - This seems to have calmed down as well. Don't have the desire to constantly check my phone and can go long hours without social media

Negative points

1) Anxiety - Feel more on the edge and anxious, started getting anxiety poops as well
2) Switching off - Been struggling to switch off after work and focus on my job too much, unlike in the past, I was done after 6.
3) Appetite isn't as strong as before, and I've stopped craving takeaways (maybe a good point?)
4) Constantly thirsty
5) I feel more subdued and don't have the desire to engage in small talk in the office
6) Giving up drinking - Had to skip work drinks

Why did you give up alcohol? I think the data on any interactions is pretty slim between them.

Or did it affect you and that is why you stopped?

The clinic warned that it intensifies alcohol's effects, leading to quick blackouts and sickness. Some people are fine, while others blackout after 2 drinks. I've only had 1 drink and felt fine.

I'm now on 50mg, which seems to be working well, as the 30mg started to wear off. It seems a bit too strong for the weekend, though.

[Sslink]

Motoring12345 said:

The clinic warned that it intensifies alcohol's effects, leading to quick blackouts and sickness. Some people are fine, while others blackout after 2 drinks. I've only had 1 drink and felt fine.

I'm now on 50mg, which seems to be working well, as the 30mg started to wear off. It seems a bit too strong for the weekend, though.

My experience of 50mg Elvanse is that, a "few" drinks still gives me that slowed down, relaxed, calm feeling but I can't "get drunk" in the same way, I still feel inhibited as if I was sober and end up just calling it a night way earlier.

[Motoring12345]

I'm 2.5 months into my titration period, and I've settled on 40mg now. That said, I'm at a crossroads - the cons currently outweigh the pros..

I had my st together before I started Elvanse. The main issues were procrastination, focus, completing tasks, and I guess the loud noise in my head- issues that affected my professional life. And those have all been resolved. However, everything else in my life has taken a nosedive. I've become messier, less social, lost motivation to exercise and eat healthily, and I’ve also lost my creativity. In the past, I felt a sense of urgency, and my weekends were packed. Now, I just stay indoors and do nothing. I've also become hypersexual; my sex drive was already high, and now it's a lot worse.

[dhutch]

Motoring12345 said:

I'm 2.5 months into my titration period, and I've settled on 40mg now. That said, I'm at a crossroads - the cons currently outweigh the pros..

I had my st together before I started Elvanse. The main issues were procrastination, focus, completing tasks, and I guess the loud noise in my head- issues that affected my professional life. And those have all been resolved. However, everything else in my life has taken a nosedive. I've become messier, less social, lost motivation to exercise and eat healthily, and I ve also lost my creativity. In the past, I felt a sense of urgency, and my weekends were packed. Now, I just stay indoors and do nothing. I've also become hypersexual; my sex drive was already high, and now it's a lot worse.

Interesting experiences. I'm currently still on the waiting list for titrations, but off the anti depressants.

My work is absolutely fked. Very hard to maintain any sort of motivation, procrastination is off the scale, productivity through the floor.

Home life is predominantly, almost exclusively, dominated by having a 3yo toddler and a pregnant wife, so hard to really get a feeling of what I would be like of a weekend without that.