I have been in a huge funk lately and can’t do what I rly need to do. Am I depressed or just burnt out? Antidepressants or change ADHD meds?

[2000sunflowers]

Lately my college classes have drained all my energy, and I feel so burnt out. I keep pushing everything off until I have no choice, and the only choice left is to push myself really hard to get my assignments or studying done in time. I am below the passing grade in one class, and my exam is on Tuesday. Yet, I can’t get myself to study, and haven’t learned any new material in weeks... I feel exhausted and stretched way too thin, and every time I mess up I get extremely depressed and feel like I am worthless, and there is no more hope for me. I cry every day, I barely eat anything, I haven’t seen my friends in over a month.

I have absolutely zero control of my ADHD symptoms and continue to self-sabotage despite the fact that I know fully well that it will make me feel miserable. Sometimes I’ll get myself motivated and ready to have a good day, and then it all falls apart before I know it. Today, for example, I have been at the library since 2:30pm, did mindfulness exercises and felt ready to get focused and make good decisions... Now it’s after 8pm and I have barely done anything. I am probably just going to fail the class at this point.

I was thinking about starting on antidepressants, but I am unsure if I really need them. What if I am not actually depressed, and I am just burnt out? Should I still start taking them? What if I just need a change in my ADHD meds? I am currently on 60mg Adderall XR, and even with that large of a dose (plus 2 cups of coffee) I still feel like my ADHD symptoms are unmanageable.

I still have a lot of moments where I feel great, but most of the time I feel as if I am carrying the weight of the world on my shoulders and it’s dragging me down. It feels hopeless to even try because I am basically already on the sinking ship. As soon as things start going downhill, the whole day is completely derailed for me.

I’m so tired of feeling disappointed in myself, and like I have no control of my actions anymore. My outlook that everything is hopeless and there is no point in trying probably chooses my fate right from the start, but in my mind, that outlook is the only logical thing that makes sense to me. Really need advice on how to get over this, it’s derailing everything I once thought I knew about myself and who I am. If I can’t place any trust in myself then seriously, what is the point in trying?

[Shnookie]

Hi I’m Shnookie. I’m 62 and have been diagnosed as bipolar/ADHD since

1998. However, I have had mental health issues since I’ve been a little girl. I think it might be advisable to meet with your

therapist and he or she can diagnose if U

have depression/anxiety issues as well.

Going thru COVID has been draining 4

many of us. It would be good if U can do deep breathing exercises, listen to

calm music that relaxes U , for instance I choose Andrea Bocelli singing

Besame Mucho Live and learn cognitive

behavior. I know the feeling of procrastination which really sucks. U need to protect your health. Can U take a semester off to heal and get your mind set

In the right place. I’m in your corner

Hugs 🤗 Shnookie

[IgnoranceWasNotBliss]

I’m still super new at this so I’m certainly not an expert. But I could throw out a few ideas to consider!

1. Have you ever been tested for that Adderall metabolizing issue? Something to do with Cytochrome P450 2D6, an enzyme encoded by the CYP2D6 gene. It can prevent stimulants from being effective for you. Something to look into.

2. Maybe Adderall isn’t the right medication for you or you’ve developed a tolerance. Perhaps it’s time to switch it up??

3. As I’ve been titrating my medication I’ve realized coffee does NOT help me anymore. The reverse, it makes things worse. It added nervousness, jitteriness and made me need to be “on the go”, without adding any focus or concentration. In fact less because I felt the need to move more.

4. What you described is total something someone without adhd could say about school. Everyone has ups and downs but it’s still possible this is normal. Perhaps trying to think of it as a regular person problem would help you. Are you sleeping? If not absolutely try this **nature’s vitality CALM the calmful sleep formulation**. Life saving! Are you stressed? Try Yogi Kava Stress relief tea. I know. Tea? Seriously? But legit! This stuff takes the edge off and it doesn’t make you tired. It makes you feel like you had a glass of wine. When I found out I had adhd I paced my house for 22 hours a day, slept 2 hours a night, until I completely finished hyperfocusing my entire life (it looked legit manic), this tea actually took some of the edge off. If it can take me down a little from that..... it can do it for anyone. Hahaha.

5. Have you ever taken L-tyrosine? I take it at night to try and replenish my dopamine BUT one day I tried it with my medication and it definitely boosted the effects! You could try 500mg in the morning, afternoon and evening. I take a lot of supplements now but I also noticed a big difference when I started my B-complex. It gave the meds a small boost as well.

6. At the end of the day, we’re not all Superman. Perhaps you just genuinely have too much going on right now. As your non adhd friends about their work load and life demands. Are you doing more than everyone?

Just something to think about.

7. Maybe a library isn’t the best atmosphere for studying for you. Library’s are quiet’ish’ but they’re definitely not a calm relaxing place to study. They’re busy! People moving, whispering, up and down, walking around.... I have never successfully studied in a library. I’d have more fun looking at other people and other things. And watch the clock tick. Perhaps a small change in how you’re doing things?

I hope there was something useful here.

Good luck

[Mark_in_Wales_CVA]

Hi,

does your college know you have ADHD or if they do, that at the moment it seems to be getting a bit too much? At the end of the day the college staff are all there championing for you to get your qualifications and when you are struggling - they will want to help. They want the straight-A's and the Joe Average to get the best from their education. Is there a support teacher in the College that you can speak to, or if not a teacher that you feel can understand? It's thirty years since I've been in education (as a pupil) and the knowledge and awareness for ADHD today has come on massively - my 11 year old daughter most likely has something similar and her school were right there when we wanted to have a conversation about it.

On the practical side of things, getting out of the house/library for fresh air is always a good thing - the stimulation of being outdoors, particularly in the park/countryside with trees/plants is a natural anti-depressant - the Japanese call it Shinrin Yoku/Forest Bathing, and it's been scientifically proven to work:

Plants/trees with fractal patterns calm the mind - firing the same parts of the brain as classical music

Plants emit phytoncides - that lower blood-pressure, heart-rate and cortisol the stress hormone, water, streams, ponds, lakes does this too

Seeing animals/birds - if you spot something that you don't see often, or see something awesome, then your dopamine gets a kick

Finally my favourite fact - soil breaking down releases mycobacterium-vaccae which when we inhale it on our walk, a group of neutrons in our brain react to this and release serotonin - our natural antidepressant

Anti-depressant meds (particularly the SSRI's which are todays go-to med) take time to work, can take weeks/moths to build up in the system, can often have side-effects, for me they were a negative effect and if you need to stop taking them it can take months to wean off, without causing a rebound to any depression/anxiety.

I do wish you all the best, talk to your college, wrap up and take a good walk.

Regards,

Mark

[IgnoranceWasNotBliss]

Hi!!

I already responded to you but OMG something happened and I need to share in case it’s happening to someone else. My medication is still being titrated and it’s been a struggle because my dr only likes to increase every month.

I just got a new prescription the other day. It’s the same dose I was taking the past week except the medication was different. I told the pharmacy these pills were different and he said it’s the right dose just a different manufacturer.

HOLLY S**T!!!

This medication is COMPLETELY DIFFERENT!! I feel absolutely, completely different on it. I feel into the internet for an explanation which had a little bit of insight, but no where near expressed how different this is.

I wonder if your not medication has been changed to a different generic. You can’t always tell. Sometimes they’ll look the same but still be different.

Something to think about.

Or try the brand name of whatever you’re taking for a month and see if it helps. If it does help, you may need a different generic.