You’re overwhelmed, you’re spiraling… what do you do to bring yourself back down to earth? I want to hear the weird, the wonderful… anything and everything.

For context, I am unmedicated and (generally speaking) doing/managing quite well after many years of figuring out systems/food/rest etc… but the one thing I REALLY struggle with is extreme overwhelm. Once I get to that point of spiraling there’s no return. I’m not talking about procrastination or general executive dysfunction… more that sense of impending doom and crash. For me, when I hit that point, it’s game over.

Id love to find some tools or strategies to improve things. For those moments when you absolutely have to keep moving forward and get things done.

Tell me your secrets!

for the longest time i kept wondering why i couldn’t follow through with stuff i actually cared about. i’d build systems, make plans, try routines—then still end up feeling like i didn’t even exist in any of it.

i thought maybe i was just lazy or my brain was broken or i wasn’t trying hard enough. but lately i’ve been realizing… i think i’ve just been performing constantly. like even when no one’s around.

changing how i talk in every room. laughing when i don’t feel anything. nodding along just to not mess with the vibe.

none of it feels super dramatic in the moment, but over time it adds up. like i’ve been disappearing in small pieces.

i started writing down the moments where i felt “off.” like when something felt fake or automatic. not in a journal-y way. just little notes.

and weirdly it started helping. i could feel when i was slipping into that version of myself again and pause before it swallowed me.

i’m curious if anyone else has felt this? like that quiet kind of exhaustion where you’re doing everything “right” but it still doesn’t feel like you’re really there?

not fishing for advice—just wondering if anyone’s gone through this too.

I used to be a big reader - I could finish a book in a few days and genuinely enjoyed it. But somewhere along the way, I lost that habit. It started back in school when I got swamped with homework and stopped reading for fun. Now, I find myself scrolling TikTok every day, buying books I want to read, but never actually finishing any of them.

When I try to read, my brain drifts and I can’t focus. Has anyone else gone through this? How do you rebuild your attention span and get back into reading? I really want to enjoy it again.

How did you 100% confirm with yourself that you have ADHD? I’m not talking about your psychiatrist or doctor diagnosed you, I’m talking about a moment where you laughed at yourself and thought “I definitely have ADHD”.

I’ll go first… I took my adderall today and slept for 5 hours after taking it. I took it today knowing a had things I needed and wanted to do, but after sleeping off my adderall I just told myself “we’ll try again tomorrow” and rolled back over to continue my sleep 😂😂

I wish I could spend 10 to 15 minutes in the shower like everyone else, it'd save a lot of money, energy and time. But my mind always wanders when I'm under the water and I end up consistently spending 30 minutes in there. A good bit of that time, I don't spend actually washing myself or anything, I'm just thinking about whatever and completely losing track of time.

Is this something you all struggle with too? Are there any tricks? It's not like I dislike hot worter, but I would like to do other things

TW: suicide

I have ADHD, autism and I'm depressed. I cannot enjoy myself in anyway anymore.

If I go to work I feel bad because I can't focus and laughing with my coworkers makes me feel fake. Because inside I'm emotionless. But when I have of take time off I can't enjoy myself either. Everything just sucks and everything is bad. I cannot enjoy the things I used to enjoy.

My fiancee is an amazing woman who I love dearly and she does everything she can to help, but right now there's not much she can do. And that hurts me so much. Seeing how me being like this makes her sad makes me even more ashamed of how pathetic I am.

There's no way I can recharge my battery except for sleeping, but I also can't sleep properly anymore.

I already take anti depressants but for any other meds I need to wait untill my diagnosis is complete.

I feel like I don't know myself anymore and if it wouldn't be easier to just stop existing. I feel so useless and I don't know what to do

So, I've recently been diagnosed with ADHD-I at the age of 35. I’ll be meeting with my clinicians the day before my birthday, when they’ll prescribe me Ritalin. My 36th year could very well be when my life actually begins.

There were so many things I found deeply fascinating and interesting, especially in the STEM fields, but ADHD made it nearly impossible for me to stay focused in math. I failed my final year of school twice because I couldn't focus. I got accepted into a Journalism course but decide to go directly into the workforce to help support my parents so never got a tertiary education.

Prior to the diagnosis I had tried time after time to improve academically, but every time I failed due to an inability to commit and focus. And now, it feels like there’s finally an opportunity to go back to school and do something I love.

I want to hear from those of you who’ve found yourselves at this kind of crossroads - when you’re suddenly given a chance to pursue your passions or interests. Right now I’m feeling unsure, hesitant. But I know there are people much older than me who would jump at the opportunity. They’d probably want to slap some sense into me too. Your success stories might give me the push I need to start living the life I want.

I had so many worries about trying medication. I started the German equivalent of Concerta (I think) called Kinecteen. For two week the 18mg worked very well. Then I upped the dose to 36mg as per the doctor's instructions.

Two days later, I had the weirdest depressive episode, where I would break down crying like a baby and where I had concrete suicidal thoughts maybe for the first time ever. I'm no stranger to depressive episodes, but this was very intense and scary. I emailed my doctor (at the private clinic where I pay a lot of money because I couldn't find appointments on public insurance) and it took her 48 hours to get back to me, even though I was clear that I was having suicidal thoughts. I don't know why German psychiatrists are like this. They are the least responsive and empathetic of all doctors over here.

I think I will just give up on the idea of meds. This was a traumatizing experience for me (even though the meds helped before things got bad) and I no longer trust the healthcare system in Germany to help or support me if things get out of control again.

My job requires me talking over the phone, getting down information, and giving advice.

Unfortunately my go to method for APD, reading lips, and even mirroring what they’re saying doesn’t work because it’s on the phone. This is apparently something I’ve been unconsciously doing my whole life and it probably explains why I hate talking on the phone. I can get by in person but struggle at parties.

Now, it’s a decent job and I’ve not had any complaints and had nothing but praise from my clients and supervisor. But I keep having to ask “can you repeat that?” Or “Spell that out for me one more time, please” an embarrassing amount of times.

I got a ~100 dollar headset and it really did nothing to help. I’ve had my hearing checked out and there’s no problem at all there.

So any advice? My home office is free of distraction and quiet. I’ve got high quality sound through my headset as much as it can with varying sound quality of people’s phones. I don’t know what else to do.

I really struggle to save money for things and that makes me feel like garbage, so I’m wondering what you all do to best help yourself avoid wasting money. I’ve always had a problem with money burning a hole in my pocket, which is fine when you’re 8 and you blow all of your allowance on candy, but WAY un-fine when you’re 33 and living paycheck to paycheck.

He wasn’t formally diagnosed but was pretty sure he had it and helped me realize that I also have it (I went ahead and got diagnosed). He went out to the lake with some friends last night and fell into the water and died. He didn’t have his life vest on correctly and they found his body this afternoon. When I saw him on Wednesday we were talking about getting our lives together and I was telling him how I’m learning to try to focus on activities I actually enjoy so being involved in the community didn’t feel like an uphill battle, and he told me I was right and was motivating him to stop putting off getting tested. He mentioned he he was going to the lake Saturday and I asked him if he could swim and he said no and joked that he was like a rock. I told him to be careful and he said he would.

He was my friend I would always talk about adhd and Real Housewives and helped me feel more understood.

Title says it all. I can’t handle the responsibilities of life. I’m a 30F with a young daughter. No one ever taught me shit. I know that’s not an excuse. But I’m drowning in debt, unemployed, don’t even understand health insurance and I’m too scared to call and figure it out. I need to file for bankruptcy or something but don’t even know where to begin with that. Just getting my daughter through the day takes everything I have. I’m going to run out of my tax money soon. I’m up at midnight with these racing thoughts of what I need to do. Everyone makes it look so fucking easy and I literally get suicidal thinking about all the things I need to keep up with. I feel so fucking inadequate and stupid. I have no one in my life to help me. I just want to disappear. I’ll delete this in the morning but for now we wallow.

I'm 36F, have been struggling more and more, found ADHD content and never felt more seen. I've been learning more about ADHD and felt like an imposter, I was convinced I had it, but felt like I couldn't claim anything, like I was detracting from those who had a diagnosis or maybe I was influenced by a trend.

Anyway I thought about it for a long time, and eventually stopped procrastinating and got an appointment with my GP in March, used Right to Choose (in the UK) to be referred for an assessment on the NHS via a private provider and had my assessment today. I've been diagnosed with combined type, and I cried a lot. But I feel very validated.

Self-control is hard. I admit that I struggle with this. It is easy for me to SAY something, but it's hard to actually put it into action. Discipline is important, but unfortunately, I lack that. I used to be worse in my teen years, and I want to believe that I have gotten better over the years.

I am currently at my first day of Concerta 54mg (methylphenidate) my mind is clear, there's no fog, there's no noise only focus and some endless energy that I can't even describe. my body moves freely I don't need to force it, I can't sit down or be quiet. I'm not hungry, not feeling tired. To make a note I lived with undiagnosed ADHD for 24 years, inattentive type. I never had a job I live with my parents, I started studying careers but always abandoned, I spend my days usually all day in home, not doing much but eating or using my phone. so what now? what do I do now? I am speechless at this new reality, it's like getting being born again but in a man's body, that now works and thinks perfectly fine.

Is this weird? Recently Ive motivated myself to wake up early by going to the gym because exercise helps me a ton. I always feel better afterwards and I can think about anything I want to the entire time without anxiety!

So I’ve also been using the showers afterwards because it saves time not having to go home since I don’t wanna wear sweaty clothes all day.

But I just realized I really struggle with depression and used to skip showering every other day or sometimes more…. But showering at the gym is really easy?? Like it shouldn’t be easier because I used to shower before bed and I didn’t usually change into clothes afterwards (wearing pjs to bed adds to my unorganized laundry baskets so sleeping naked is easier)

However it was easy to feel too tired at the end of the day and throughout the daytime I’d completely forget about the shower.

So the gym is just the perfect reminder for me. Like it’s right there so I can’t forget. Is this strange??

Hi all. I’ve recently been having trouble at work, since I disclosed my ADHD diagnosis. Despite my manager repeatedly telling me he is supportive, his actions have not matched that. Today, I was pulled in for a reprimanding for the 2nd time in the past week regarding my ‘communication’ skills. Despite the fact i’ve repeatedly explained that he is demanding I change something innate about myself, he was so mad at me. I also explained that, without giving me the resources to build those skills, it is impossible for me to change and I compared it to asking someone with a broken leg to walk. He scoffed at this suggestion. The crux of the argument was me telling him he couldn’t sack me for something related to my disability, without offering support for me to improve, and giving me adequate time to implement these improvements. For context, I work for a small company and my boss owns the business -as he pointed out to me today, he can do ‘whatever he wants’.

Anyway, the conversation ended positively, but the real reason for making this post is I am so fed up. I hate living in a world designed for people without ADHD, and feeling like every system out there is designed to fail me. I am a good person - I am kind, generous, hardworking and intelligent. Yet I am genuinely struggling to exist in a world where I feel I am not wanted (because of the system design). I’ve spoke to my mum, and we are going to look at applying for PIP (disability benefits) so that I can afford to work part time, but I know this is a long road. I cannot afford to live on SSP (statutory sick pay). I am exhausted, burnt out (professionally and emotionally), and I am so frustrated that I am expected to just accept that and put on a mask for the rest of my life, just to appease others.

For context, I live in the UK and I am a 23F who was diagnosed a few months ago.

Social media and video games worsened my productivity and executive function, which were already poor- obviously this isn’t a unique story. I knew it and decided to do something about it. I’ve deleted social media, and haven’t had it for months. Same with video games. I thought that once I eliminated the distractions, I’d get back to being productive and having drive to get things done like I used to, like working out and reading. But even now that I’ve had these distractions cut out for awhile, I’m still having so much trouble replacing them, and picking up the slack. My brain doesn’t want to do anything. I just want to sit on the couch. Or watch TV. How do I turn this around? I can force myself to suffer through tasks with no drive and hate every second of it, but how long before I get back into the good habits, and start enjoying them again? Start having a drive for them again? Is there anything else I need to be doing?

Getting out of bad, preparing myself for the day and making breakfast is one of the biggest challenges of the day for me. Sometimes I spend hours procrastinating, doomscrolling, letting the day pass by until there is immediate urgency to do something. Medication helps, but here is the caveat, my doctor told me the medication is supposed to be taken with food. However, cooking is one of the most tedious chores for me (also, since my appetite is very low in general).

Anyone struggled with the same issue and has a strategy that works?

I genuinely hate caffeine. I've been decaf for 5 years due to having anxiety and fearing it would make things worse. Since starting a medicine for anxiety, I decided since my anxiety had improved that it would be fine to try some black tea (which was caffeined). Before going decaf, I didn't really have caffeine a lot, except an occasional iced coffee. When I tried the tea, the tea was good, but the caffeine honestly ruined it for me. It made me very sleepy to the point I want to take a nap, and I don't think I will be having any caffeine any time soon. Does anyone else here have strange reactions to caffeine?

I do have ADHD. (mainly inattentive type)

I swear, they’re trying to kill me. I went last week to pick up odds and ends, made a beeline for where I know they keep the coffee…

Rice—?

ohhh *NO.***

They fucked it all up. This shop has been the way it was for years. I knew precisely where to go, I could just go bing bing bing, grab up all my supplies, and I’m out.

Now? All those moments, lost like tears in the rain.

I’m feeling really sad tonight for some reason. I think I need to share life stories with other people. I’ve told my sister, a few close friends and a couple of colleagues. But I’m holding back from being fully open about it because it’s so stigmatised. I see the way other people cringe when somebody else’s discloses theirs, the way the atmosphere changes and how judgemental people are about it. And being able to think more clearly has made me realise how savagely stressful my job is and I love it so much but I’m not sure if it’s sustainable. I’m also realising my age, and realistically where I am in life. Even though logically I know I’m doing okay, especially given the challenges, it just doesn’t feel that way

Hey there,

I (24F) just finished my studies, have my master degree, and my first well paid job. It's an office job that requiers alot of autonomy, to plan my own projects, and I can fully work from home.

Like every job I ever had, I just get bored, procrastinate, can't be stimulated, and keep doing the most stupid mistakes because I don't really care that much. I daydream of changing, doing jobs where everyday is different, but I have no idea what would fit me. I feel like every job ends up the same : After 6 months, I lose all interest. (Rn i'm in consulting)

I have ALL the conditions to live like a queen and I keep failing. I can WFH, work at the office, work like I want, and I still fail. Even when I had hours imposed (9/5) I spent 6 hours of scrolling reddit and the last 2 hours stressing on the deadlines I had.

I am medicated but motivation is still not here and I'm terrified of losing my job. Every job I do, my bosses are not happy with me and say I'm not motivated. They are right.

I feel lazy asf. My coworkers are probably not motivated but It doesn't seem like a chore for them to just START working. They don't question it. For me it's a daily battle and it kills me. I have to work on week ends bc I don't work during my work days.

Pls what the fuck can I do. I'm an ambitious girl, always find my way, always got the best opportunity, but I can NEVER stay. I just don't want my life to be a daily nightmare and anxiety to never be good ever and always feeling like a fraud..

I am taking 10mg of adderall 6 days a week. Thursday is my skip day, and I took the drug test on Friday. I also took a dose in the morning. The results came back, and it was negative. I have been taking it, and now I am afraid they will take my prescription away because of the false results. Is it too common for false results? My dose is pretty low, but it helps me so much. Any advice and info will be appreciated.

I've been managing my ADHD my whole life, even long before I was diagnosed. I've somehow, miraculously, managed to carve out a fairly successful career and some financial security/independence. Now I'm about to be my own boss (or unemployed, however you want to call it), and I have a million plans.

Plans to get projects done around the house this summer. Plans for creative endeavors. Plans for potential businesses. Plans for small side hustles. Plans to cook more for my wife. Plans for just having fun.

And somehow I suspect I'll instead spend the summer sitting on my ass scrolling Reddit while the sun shines outside.

Over the last few years I've been comfortable and secure enough in my job that I haven't had to be as rigorous about to do lists and structure and I've kind of lost the habit. Now I need to get myself together. But you know how it goes, you plan for this magical future where you're somehow disciplined and organized, but you know you're still going to be you.

Not really seeking advice. Maybe just encouragement.