Irritability

[Cham845]

Is irritability especially in the morning a common symptom of ADHD?

Treated for depression in the past but SSRIs initially made me numb and then increased irritability (maybe dose was too low)

Stimulants seem to help irritability if the dose is right. I read that stimulants can cause a calming effect even in neurotypicals.

Psych added on bupropion to increase motivation but it caused the opposite effect in me and made me depressed (crying all the time, hopeless feelings) so I discontinued that

[Mumspoodle]

I believe it is a symptom, I am worse in the mornings and irritable 24/7. Psychiatrist diagnosed ADD in march this year and am 44yrs old. Been on all SSRIs from GP over the past 25 yrs for anxiety and depression which never helped and my psychiatrist is trying a concoction of non stimulant meds that do nothing to help, only giving me a lots of side effects. I don’t know what his issue is? I am 44 yrs old if I was ever going to be a meth head or Addict of some kind surely I would have done it by now!

[STEM_Dad]

I am not naturally irritable. Most of my life, I've been pretty congenial.

I have Inattentive ADHD, without any of the Hyperactive-Impulsive ADHD traits.

I do have a few social triggers which make me upset or irritable, such as witnessing someone being disrespected or mistreated.

*(As my older son's preschool teacher said of him a number of years ago, he has "a strong sense of justice". I have that, too. It seems to be a trait of most people in my family tree across 5 generations, from my grandparents, to my grandkids.) --- I've read a few places that many people with ADHD have such a strong leaning towards justice.

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Aside from that, I've noticed (or been told by others) thatI get irritable when I get tired, or if I don't get good enough sleep. I can also get irritable when I'm dealing with anxiety or am feeling overwhelmed.

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The first ADHD medication I was prescribed was Adderall, and I noticed that almost every day I could tell when it was wearing off because I was irritable. It was not the best medication for me. (I'm now on atomoxetine, aka Strattera, a non-stimulant ADHD medication. It works much better for me.)

[sharkticon]

Yeah it's definitely a thing. And the times and amount of irritability it causes for everyone seems to be different. It's a good thing to chat with your prescriber about. If it's bad enough you might want to try a different class of drug.

Or if you just started your medication it might just calm down as your body gets used to the new drug. Sometimes this could take days or weeks.

[ousr]

Yes. I didn't realize it until recently. (40's, now) I have ADHD - inattentive type, which I only figured out about a year ago. I actually consider myself a pleasant, amicable person, who is shy and very thoughtful of others. However, I frequently have stupid, ridiculous outbursts around my spouse and kids. Seconds later, I acknowledge how outlandish it was to respond in such a manner for something so simple or resonable, but I can't control my emotions in the seconds-to-minutes around whatever triggered my irritation.

Unfortunately, ADHD symptoms overlap with anxiety and depression, and they are very common co-existing issues of their own, as well. For me (and a lot of others), the symptoms are a byproduct of ADHD...predominantly.

This causes a lot of physicians to go down the SSRI path, but serotonin is not typically the best thing for ADD, directly. Norepinephrine and dopamine are typically your best friends. Especially dopamine.

I explain it to people like this: "If my brain didn't come up with it, or choose to do it on its own, organically, it fights me. every step of the way."

This produces a lot of irritability for me when:

--I'm asked to do something (anything, almost), even if I had planned on it or it's easy for me.

--Having to anything "required" of me that I didn't choose to do, even if I know I need to or should. (for adults, most of every day life and responsibilities: paying bills, getting up on time, tasks required for your job, everything with having kids as a parent, and the list goes on)

--Something is suggested to me I already knew or agree with, no matter how significant or mundane. Especially if it feels like they didn't think I knew or agreed.

--Being reminded of most anything (except maybe when I forgot...another problem for ADHD working memory)

--Being treated differently when I feel it's due to someone not understanding me, or assuming something about me that's wrong (in my eyes)

--Someone thinking I don't understand something when I do

--Being unable to articulate thoughts clearly, frustrates me. Especially if I think they draw that conclusion due to my words when the opposite is true. (Can experience RSD, Rejection Sensitivity Dysphoria, very quickly after this, to the point of tears within seconds to minutes for something very simple or unimportant, even)

--Obsessing about something things that bother me on a daily basis, even if only first bothered by it days, weeks, months, or even YEARS ago. (example: not liking the kitchen layout of my house I bought...knowing what I was buying at the time)

--Remembering something that bothered me in the past. I can still feel the emotion just as clearly in the present, and I can't control ruminating about it and get irritiable just from being in an annoyed state from a memory. Could be something little, big, or totally unimportant from my past. (I have a middle school memory that still bothers me to this day when I think about). Maybe not quite the "irritable" aspect, but kind of works in tandem.

I'm currently on Adderall which has actually helped me more than depression meds for my mood. Unfortunately, being in a good mood just gets my engine started, but I still don't control the steering wheel well. Still working on finding the best treatment. As some articles put it, stimulants can help you start focusing, but they always don't help you focus on the right things. (everyone reacts different). But when you compare that to initially not focusing on ANYTHING, it seems like it's working at first.

Back to your question; a resounding "yes". Irritability is a hallmark of ADHD. It's a byproduct of impulse control and cognitive dysfunction. ADHD is all about the cognitive function, of course, but for adults who have developed at least some level of maturity and control that comes with age, it comes with the learned 'life-skill' of suppressing what you want in favor of what is needed in the moment...which the ADHD brain does NOT like!

Basically, your brain picks a fight with you over anything and everything...a lot. And people don't always realize how much you suppress despite what does make it outward toward them. And that, itself, makes you annoyed because you're always making an effort to not be that way, but people still see you that way, and you're thinking, "But you don't even see half of what I suppress!"

Anyway, a long-winded way of saying yes....but we all understand, right? Hope this helps someone, if not yourself.

[ousr]

Addendum to my previous post:

Both Duloxitine and Venlaxifine (aka Cymbalta and Effexor), are the only depression/anxiety medication that have had a positive effect on me in relation to ADHD...in addition to Buproprion (Wellbutrin) for depression.

All SNRI's (as apposed to SSRI's like Prozac/Fluoxetine).

One of my best stents was with Cymbalta and Wellbutrin at the same time. I little on the uncommon side for simultaneous combinations, I think, but helped me for a time.

Had to quit Cymbalta although I really want to try and get back on it. Caused too much drowsiness for me beyond just waking up. Lasted most of the day, but my motivation and mood were much better when I wasn't sleeping.

Forget why I stopped Fluoxetine last year, but was on something else at the same time. I've had bladder irritation with certain combinations (ex: Buproprion and Fluoxtetine aka Wellbutrin/Prozac). Bladder irritation is a common side affect for depression meds.

Unfortunate you had negative side affects with Buproprion, but might be worth trying some other SNRI's. They're generally the only thing that has had any positive type effect for as far as mood or function.

Currently on Adderall and Buproprion simultaneously. I know for sure the Adderall helps my mood (more than the Buproprion or anything else I've used). I think the Buproprion has a more over-acrhing neutral, but stabilizing affect for me. (mood spikes less extreme and more neutral feeling overall...for some this may be the "zombie" affect)

However, without Adderall, the initial impression of doing "better" eventually wears off as motivation issues bubble back to the top, and starts the usual ADHD cycle of:

little-to-no motivation--> feel bad about not being productive --> become less productive --> --> feel even worse about it --> begin depression anxiety symptoms over lack of production --> kick-start ADHD defense responses / symptoms --> start avoiding needed tasks even more to avoid feeling worse --> feel even MORE worse, now --> embroiled in stew of depression/anxiety/ADHD

My primary physician also started me out with SSRI's in the de-facto medical tradition of "treat depression first", even if they do or don't suspect any other co-morbid conditions. I've read or seen, by some, that serotonin actually works against ADHD. (This may be case dependent, but seems to be a subjective rule-of-thumb opinion held by many).

Fortunately, my GP was both experienced, open-minded, flexible, and listened to me as an adult, and was actually the one who Rx'd me the Adderall. But this was after I was tested for ADHD, but not officially diagnosed, still, and problems persisted.

It's hard enough to function with ADHD, and many of are irritable on our best days whether other people know it or see it.

Did I just write another long response? SQUIRREL!!