Just because my drugs aren't prescribed by a doctor doesn't mean they don't work.

Me until a year ago when I started seeking medical help (still no meds tho)

Ironically I have primarily inattentive ADHD (previously ADD) so youd probably find me spaced out rather than angry

Story of my liiiiiife

In my early 20s I was told I was too high functioning for drugs. Now in my late 40s I tried again as I was struggling at my new job, still won't prescribe me drugs unless I'm actually failing at life.

...🤦...

More and more lately, it's seeming like I might be audhd. 100% agree with meme. Caffeine and a fiery, passionate hatred for the evil world we live in has taken me far

The only thing missing here for me is a cast for a broken bone.

And spite. Never forget the spite. The major driving force.

Got diagnosed at 45 and got some meds, absolutely life changing

That is until your pharmacy runs out and you have to call 10 other places to find it while falling back on your old coping techniques that are way more work than you realized

Ain't life grand

I'd be a lot angrier if I was paying attention

I'm up there too and haven't been diagnosed, but after my second pot of coffee, I'm ready for a nap. Something's probably up.

Doctors won't prescribe me uppers because of my heart problems. Unfortunately nothing else has worked.

Oh yes, I rage

THC and nicotine for me.

Similar but different story: in my 20s I was too high functioning. In my 30s I got on meds annyway and it made a huge difference. By my 40s unfortunately, it seems like every stimulant-type drug makes me feel like I’m on the verge of a 12-hour-long heart attack. So here I am off the meds and living with all the noise again :/

this is the way

I raw dogged for 40 years before getting the help I needed

Silly question, but how do you even begin that process when you’re not a kid? I’m 34 and feel like I might have had ADHD my whole life, but never bothered looking into it. I’ve made it this far into a successful career without meds and I just assume that any doc will think I’m a wannabe pillhead or something.

Benn Jordan has a video on that, quite interesting

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRPeU1DYOWA&t=5

The way it was explained to me, ADHD is caused by dopamine or a lack thereof, at least in part. That means emotions can get out of whack, easily overwhelmed, intrusive thoughts etc. Meds aren't just legal crack to help focus. At least for me, they fix numerous symptoms.

I thought I was managing great without meds. Soon as I started them the entire world changed. They even got rid of the physical part of anxiety for me.

Good luck!

ask your family doctor, most can start the process of a diagnosis.

you can book a consultation with a psychologist or a psychiatrist. In order to be diagnosed, the symptoms you have must have been present before age 12. They will likely have you sit and do a 20 minute test to measure attention and memory. It will sound like it's going to be easy. If you have the condition, I assure you it is not!

Then your provider can talk meds. There's lots of options. The lambo of pills is Vyvanse (lisdexamfetamine), but there are a lot of others w various benefits and drawbacks.

e: the doctors are only there to prescribe pills, more or less. they won't think you're abusing the system

Same man

I have been successful despite ADHD. If your condition makes it harder to do your job, creates anxiety, causes you to procrastinate... that's enough impact. There's a test. If it says you got the condition, then there's no reason not to prescribe. I hope you can find better doctors

That is a silly question. Everyone knows this. If chalupapocalypse wants to explain it anyway for those of you who weren't paying attention though...

Good thoughts there, I was referred to someone else. Wish me luck!

Oh no, that sounds terrible. I've not heard of an experience like that before.

Yeah, sadly it's not too uncommon a side effect as you get older -- not just for ADHD meds but for all stimulants. I guess that's why you don't see a ton of coked-out 80 year olds.

And if you have regular doctors appointments in your 30s, probably you don't need the meds. Lol.

Eventually the caffeine and anger causes too many heart problems, it is what it is

Not necessarily to a good place

Spite. Don't forget the spite.

As someone who's in the same boat as you, what makes you think you've got it, out of curiosity (unless you don't want to share, which is completely fine too)?

I just got my meds TODAY! After 7 years of trying to get on them again. I miss normal life. Gonna go get it.

I feel the same way and hey what's this butterfly species I love it let's research that when I get back home!

It's all in our heads anyway.

It's when I'm not spaced out that the normies get nervous

Just because someone is surviving, doesn't mean they're living. Having quality in your life is important.

I'm 54, dealing with perimenopause symptoms finally drove me to desperation to finally address my needs. Consultation with a neuropsychologist, 2 weeks later an appointment for 4 hrs worth of testing, 4 weeks later we sat down and she went over my 16 pages of test results/eval. Inattentive ADHD, executive dysfunction, with some anxiety. Adderall has been life changing. I have greater awareness and understanding in regards to many challenges in my life, and she pointed me in the direction to get more assistance if I need it.

One of the biggest motivations for doing this is also to let my adult sons be aware, since there are genetic possibilities. My parents never would have discussed these things, I waited till my 50s to address them. If my son's are questioning, hopefully they find out earlier in life and can have better quality than waiting like I have.

Vyvance is the lambo? Bruh it's maybe the Honda Accord, reliable, long lasting, but definitely nothing flashy. Maybe a chip tune because it is technically dex. But seriously, straight dex is the Lambo. Hard to control, 0-60 in Oh fuck me, almost no levo side effects, put it anywhere and it works. As an undiagnosed individual I have run the gamut of different chems and Dex is beyond my favorite

is that what's wrong with me?

I thought I was just fat.

I'm here for a good time not a long time

Buddy, I used to think the same thing. I told my therapist as much when he suggested I seek medication for my clinical ADHD. What he basically told me was that Psychiatrists are not stupid. They'll listen to your story and they will evaluate whether or not you are a good candidate for meds. Substance abusers get weeded out fairly quickly, from what I have been told.

As long as you are honest with the doc, and willing to be open minded about treatment options, you'll be fine.

I feel like my kids having it diagnosed helped me a bit but it started with getting a therapist and talking about my life experiences. I expected to have to take a test but they just put me on the meds pretty quickly. My 3rd grade teacher suspected me but my parents never acted. I guess I am a clear case so testing wasn’t involved in my diagnosis

I'll definitely dig into this. Particularly since I'm older!

maybe the wrong analogy to use for people that actually know cars lol. thats just how my psych described it. Probably because it's top of the line and everyone wants it. I don't want a come-up or down. I don't want to feel wired for 4 hours then crash. Some people do, but that's why I avoided adderall and friends. I didn't ever want to feel the urge to abuse my drug either.

Vyvanse is so smooth and lasts so long that I'm on the lowest dosage and plan to stay there forevs by taking tolerance breaks. Lasts all day into the evening so I can be productive at more than just work. shits real nice

Doesn't use medication

Five cups of coffee a day

:-/

Being big definitely doesn't help. But being big AND angry AND over-caffeinated is just adding reasons for your heart to quit.

unfortunately adhd meds fucked me up even more, i prefer my natural adhd-affected brain, but i respect those who need meds to function

Possible? Sure.
Easy? Hell no.

I learned a lot about it when I was getting my son help. Made a lot of sense for what he was dealing with, his brain not naturally creating the chemicals that would help with emotional regulation so it was from 0-100 without him having any opportunity really to get a handle on himself. Meds and significant amounts of time working with him on coping mechanisms have been life changing for all of us.

Caffeine? For ADHDers? Idk about the rest of you, but that doesn't help me accomplish anything. Anger in the other hand ..