What To Do

I don’t know what to do; I feel like no matter how hard I try I just can’t focus for even 2 minutes and I’m always moving around and having so much energy. I’ve tried being off adhd medicine for 10 years but it’s so much work to try and focus and stay calm instead of being on the medicine. I was on adderall for one semester during my freshman year and lost my appetite and then I was on vyvanse for 3 years and I lost weight and became depressed. Then on Friday my counselor told me if she had a scale for ADHD and r rates it from 0 to 100, she would rate me a 100 because of how little I can sit still with all my energy and how little I can focus. Are thee any medicines that wouldn’t give me those side effects that are non-stimulants?

[quietlylost]

There are definitely non-stimulant medications that are effective for ADHD. And, lots of other interventions and options too.

For the 10 years without medication, did you find any tools or strategies that helped you cope? Were there times that your symptoms were less intense? ADHD symptoms can fluctuate in severity over time and can be worsened by things like not enough sleep, stress, depression, new challenges, transitions, etc.

If you've got lots of energy, sometimes burning that energy off through exercise, cleaning, or even something silly like dancing can be a good thing to do before trying to start a task that takes focus.

If you have trouble focusing, sometimes exercise can help with that too. Otherwise, getting enough sleep, listening to music, blocking out distractions, changing the setting where you're working, or even doing small bits at a time.

Focus is hard. You can't will it to happen. But, you can make the conditions right for focus once you figure out what works for you. What works for you one day, though, might not work another. What works for you one hour might not work the next.

I'm guessing you've been successful in the past in similar times. If now is the time to add medication back into the equation definitely talk to a doctor more about it. There are a lot of medication options, and even stimulant medications can be managed to minimize side effects. Medication is not effective for everyone; somewhere between 10%-20% of people will not find benefit from medication. So, if you're in that group, coaching, therapy, or other behavioral strategies may be your best best. Good luck!

[Hidden in reply to quietlylost]

Well, the symptoms of my adhd have been to pretty severe since I went off the medication. In high school when I was off it I had so much energy that I would rock back and forth in the chairs at my desk and sometimes I would rock back and forth so much that I fell out of the chair. And I’ve tried exercising but it gets so boring for me and I can’t focus that long that I can’t really exercise. But when I was on the medication even though I did have side effects I felt I was more focused and had an easier time working on homework and reading my textbooks; even if it wasn’t super long it was a little longer time than I had done before. But now I can’t sit still for a minute or two and can barely drive 10 minutes without loosing focus and am literally shaking my legs all the time. I feel like with my focus being so bad I’m never going to be able to work or get a job. So I’m going to talk to my counselor about it today.

[quietlylost in reply to Hidden]

Good luck! I hope it goes well!

[Tortico]

If you haven't been on meds for ten years, maybe try again? Try a lower dose. I was on Concerta ER 36 mg for years and then got off it because I felt a little edgy on it. I should have tried a lower dose. I went over ten years without being on meds and that was a mistake, for me. Now I'm on 18 mg of Concerta ER. It helps. I still have to get enough sleep and exercise and minimize distractions. Keep seeing your counselor, we need the objectively of others.

[Hidden in reply to Tortico]

She said i can only choose which way. Either working on my adhd with medication or without medicine

[Tortico in reply to Hidden]

I'm not sure I understand. You can choose to get back on medication but if the benefits of being on the meds don't outweigh the side effects, you can stop the meds. You can try different medications and different doses to find what works best for you. Even on meds, we still need to work on our ADHD. Pills and skills. Oh, maybe she meant she can't tell you whether to go on meds or not. That is a choice you have to make. My point is it is not a permanent decision.

[Hidden in reply to Tortico]

What I mean is my counselor said she can help me to retrain my brain to learn how to focus and if I want to take medication for a while I’m learning how to do that I can. But by retraining myself to learn how to focus I won’t have to be on medicine forever

[Tortico in reply to Hidden]

That all sounds good. So the question is can you handle your life well enough while retraining your brain, which will take time. Or get some immediate relief with meds while retraining your brain. If you go the meds route, perhaps talk to a psychiatrist who knows about all the medication choices.

[Hidden in reply to Tortico]

Yeah I’m also wondering if I went back on the meds would my ocd symptoms go down or increase

[Tortico in reply to Hidden]

Another good reason to consult a psychiatrist.

[Hidden in reply to Tortico]

Yeah I just need to know how I can get an appointment with a psychiatrist.

[Tortico in reply to Hidden]

Can your counselor or MD recommend someone?

[Hidden in reply to Tortico]

Maybe but I don’t have an appointment with my doctor until March. And I know my moms worried about me taking too much medicine so I’m worried about talking to my doctor about it or asking for an appointment for it.

[rtistics in reply to Hidden]

That there might be an issue. I see my therapist once a week and I take medication. I take methylphenidate and it does ramp up my OCD a little but not much more than without. Therapy has been just as important as meds for me. I don't have weekly issues by any means and a lot of the time it is mostly shooting the breeze. However, when I am in need that appointment is there and all the time between issues has help really build a rapport with my therapist.

[Hidden in reply to rtistics]

I do go to counseling every Friday. I’m just having a hard time deciding what’s best for me. Because one of the biggest ocd issues I have is putting on too much deodorant over and over again because I’m a visual person, so if I don’t see a good amount of deodorant shown I think that I didn’t put enough on and it won’t work and I’ll start sweating. Because I get hot easily I think and am afraid I’ll sweat so I’ll only wear shorts and tank tops to bed at night without a comforter or sheets. But I don’t know if that’s just been my anxiety making me think that and I’m wondering if my anxiety is so overpowering that it’s making my brain think that and it does happen because of my anxiety.

[rtistics in reply to Hidden]

Oh sorry, I misread your last reply. I could have sworn you said you do not see your counselor until March. I have always had issues with sweating but I will admit my OCD issues manifest in less invasive ways. I do not repeat things as much as I hold off from important things like eating if I cannot do it in the way my brain needs me to. Example: I work from home and if I am stuck in a meeting or have a deadline, I will not eat lunch while I work or while I am on a conference call because I have to always eat my lunch (and every meal) a certain way. I have to watch a tv show and be distracted. Seems ridiculous even as I typed it out but it is real.

[Hidden in reply to rtistics]

what I was trying to say is that I don’t see my regular doctor until March. And I believe that maybe it’s more the thought of sweating that gives me the anxiety and that’s why I wear cool pajamas in the winter. But, maybe if I could live with the anxiety I could be okay because I’ve been laying on the couch with a blanket over my jeans, tank top, and sweater and my back on the couch and I haven’t sweated. I think why it’s hard for me to not give into the deodorant is because I’m a visual person so I don’t know how to be okay if the deodorant is invisible and isn’t showing. Hopefully I can learn how to be okay with it not being visible and how to have things be okay that aren’t seen since I have to see everything to believe that it will work.

[Hidden in reply to rtistics]

But I did only put on deodorant on once today. Even though I put it on in the middle, up, down and side to side; at least I put it on only once instead of 3 to 4 times: I’ll take it as a win. And I only checked my underarms 2 to 3 times; again another win. And I wonder if me having to have the deodorant so visible because I’m a visual person has to do with my adhd

[Hidden]

This is not necessarily a medication? But I run half marathons and I have found that running long distances before I work has helped a lot in harnessing some of my excess energy so that when I need to sit down and do some work, I have a better time focusing. Hope this is helpful and that you are able to find what works best for you!

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

It’s just hard because I have a hard time doing things for a long time and end up getting bored because of my adhd

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Running with a friend helps! It turns long distance running from something that could be boring into more of a social activity.

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

I guess I just have a hard time with any exercise.

[ScanMyBrain]

My adhd , autism, fragile X, who knows

I have same focus problem, but have no problem with eating. Blood work says malnutrition, due to poor choices in food.

Take 60 mg. Dextroamphetamine in the morning which helps a lot, but don’t consider my brain, normal , compared to piers. Took around 7yrs medicated, to be able to hear words in music. Never able to comprehend liricks to song.

I started taking ADHD medicine when I was 38. Will never be able to catch up lost info from grade school threw college. Had a lot of help threw college and did a lot of cheating to make it through.

Never made a lot of money, ditch digging jobs.

Live with pain daily with no help thanks to opioid crises.

[Lovinit]

I’m sure there are other medications you and your doctor should discuss. Since you are aware of the difficulties you have why not try finding other ways on your own that you can do to help yourself. For instance I feel more calm and focused when I have a good workout. When I was in shape and not on medication I ran a mile every morning and evening, I also went trail running in the canyon by my house and I rode my horse for an hour 6 days a week. I’m not I shape anymore and it sucks. I’m changing that now. I also like going on a 40min walk outside where I can look at the trees and houses in my neighborhood. I love gardening and landscaping. Another thing I started doing recently is sitting for 2-5 minutes doing nothing but focusing on my breath. It’s very relaxing. I think you said you can’t sit still in class. When I’m sitting in a classroom setting and I’m supposed to be listening I usually doodle on paper. I think if you feel restless sitting in class I would try and get out some of that energy from sweating, maybe you can play racket ball or volleyball cycling. Does any of that interest you?