Struggling 18 year old

[BBfam]

Hello I am new to this site. I am really struggling with my 18 year old son. I have known since he young that he probably has ADHD. My husband was against any meds so we tried to deal with his behavior the usual ways. Needless to say it wasn’t very effective. His teen years have been so difficult. He struggles with school attendance and homework. He then gets very down on himself and irritable. He is on celexa for mood. He also has anger issues. He just started on methylphenidate a month ago. It has helped with his focus. I think the hardest thing for me is to watch him struggle so much with relationships.I am wondering if this is ever going to get any better for him. It’s so hard to watch him struggle. I cry inside every day for him We have tried counseling but they just say he is a normal teenager. I would like to get him an ADHD coach but we live in a rural area and don’t have any available. Does anyone have any advice?

[anirush]

Be careful with Anti-depressants and ADHD they can cause anger to get worse. The advice is usually to get a mood stabilizer 1st . My 15 year old grandson is on wellbutrin because it is supposed to be one anti-depressant that helps with ADHD , depression and anxiety. He is also on Intuniv and Seroquel.

Boys don't really mature until they are in their twenties. The fact that he is 18 and still in school is like positive. Does he have at least one friend that he can talk to? Your son sounds a lot like my grandson. Keep being supportive. It's a hard journey but things do get better as thing mature.

[Cjkchamp]

My son is only 7 and these short years have brought much pain, sorrow, and frustration. I have a friend who has a teenage son, 19, and she and I often talk about the struggles. When my son had a good response to broad spectrum micronutrients, she also started her son on them. She said he is doing really well and is now holding down a job and things at home are much improved. I highly recommend looking into them. There are two companies , Hardy Nutritionals and True Hope. As your son is on medications they need to be taken under the supervision of your prescribing physician for the medication. This is because if they are effective for your child, it could decrease the dosage of prescribed medications or eliminate the need for them.

[Rachel_Lisa]

Most ADHD coaches will work with your child over the phone or video. I do not have any coaches to recommend but maybe the CHADD website has a find a coach section.