Types of ADHD

[doghome]

It has been discussed here before that there is less information out there on the Inattentive ADHD, which is true I have learned. It seems there isnt even many people here that have this type, am I correct? It seems most posts here are of the hyperactive type. My spouse has the inattentive and Im looking to find more insight on what helps motivate you if this is you also. We struggle so much and I try to understand but I would love to hear others perspective to help me on this learning process.

[STEM_Dad]

I have the Predominantly Inattentive presentation of ADHD. I know that I've seen others with this presentation post here, too, so there's at least a few of us.(I do have very mild Hyperactive-Impulsive traits, but I have moderate severity Inattentive traits.)

Motivation is hard for me. I haven't figured that one out yet, and I'll be 50 soon, and I've been trying to figure this out since my teens.

Some of the things that seem to be able to motivate me are:

• Strong interest in something (either a particular area of interest, or an interesting problem to solve)

• Someone else needing my help

• Panic (e.g. "I'm late for work and I needed to be out the door 20 minutes ago!")

• Working alongside a great mentor or leader, or working alongside a team that I feel an affinity for

• A fight-or-flight situation (it just has to be an urgent situation that triggers my flight-or-flight response, which seems to help me to think sharper and faster, and helps me to be decisive)

~~~~~

So, how can I get things done normally?

• Habits and routines

• Practiced responses to known cues (i.e. If this, then that.)

~~~~~

appended 11/28

I forgot to mention that medication can help with motivation, but in my experience it only lowers the threshold for the other things that do help me to get motivated.

My first ADHD medication was Adderall XR, which I was on for about 6 months at different dosages from one month to the next. I do not recall what effect it had on my motivation. I only recall that it didn't treat my ADHD symptoms well enough, and that at too high of a dosage it gave me tachycardia as a side effect.

I was then on atomoxetine (generic Strattera) for three years. It treated my Inattentive ADHD symptoms very effectively, but did nothing to improve my motivation.

A few months ago, I convinced my doctor to change my medication again. I'm now on bupropion (generic Wellbutrin, an antidepressant), is about as effective at treating my ADHD symptoms as atomoxetine was, but also treats my chronic anxiety, and has one other key benefit:

• It makes it slightly easier for me to be motivated. It doesn't make me motivated, but rather it lowers the threshold for the aforementioned ways that I am able to be motivated. (It's only a slight difference, if I had to give it a number, I'd say it's only 2% better. But it makes the difference between extremely difficult, to just difficult.)

[Mamamichl in reply to STEM_Dad]

Stratera has been beneficial for my hyper thoughts and not to perseverate on the negatives. My motivation hasn’t been a problem, but making mistakes and my rsd scared me into not taking actions. With the stratera, I can choose which thoughts to spend time on and focus better, thus gaining motivation.

Stimulant meds help my partner with motivation. Without his meds, he sits around and forgets things he starts. He also takes hours just to get motivated. All meds work different for different people. That’s why we need to try several before we find “the sweet spot”.

[doghome in reply to STEM_Dad]

Thank you Stemdad, you sound very similar only he has the hardest time even making routines, he cant remember them from day to day. Its frustrating for both of us and Ive learned just to help him remember but he still hates that I need to do that. He is on the atomoxetine now for a couple years, he did stop it for a while last year to see if he noticed a difference and he did, he feels more focused with it and is afraid of the stimulant type so we stick with what he likes for now. The short term memory is his biggest issue for him right now and as he is in his 60's he worries that is not adhd related and it makes him panic at times. He feels he cant remember to BE motivated, but I dont think thats what it is, but I feel for him

[STEM_Dad in reply to doghome]

One way to establish new habits and to build routines is something known as "habit stacking". I believe it usually works well for people with ADHD, and has helped me to be better about establishing new habits.

Simply put, habit stacking is this:

• Use an existing habit as a cue to do the new habit.

A routine can be made by stacking multiple habits.

e.g. A few years before my ADHD diagnosis, I started taking vitamins with breakfast. I established breakfast as the cue, but I also had to put my vitamins where I would see them when eating breakfast...so I put them a little way to the right of my coffee pot (because I know that my eyes usually track left-to-right). - Then, when I got diagnosed with ADHD and started taking medication for it, I used my vitamin habit as a cue to take my medication.

So then I had this routine:

BREAKFAST > VITAMINS > ADHD MEDS

(Unfortunately, I somehow started forgetting to take vitamins along the way, probably when my morning routine got more rushed because my driving commute got longer, but my wake up routine did not get any earlier. I'm about to start the remote job, working from home, so I should work vitamins back into my routine after starting the new job.)

It takes time, patience & understanding with oneself, and persistent effort to establish a new habit or routine.

(Gentle encouragement can help, but it depends on the individual how they respond to reminders from others.)

~~~~~

People also establish certain routines which become rituals to them. Rituals have a personal importance to them, and become more firmly established than other routines.

[STEM_Dad in reply to doghome]

Short term memory issues are very common and lifelong struggles for people who have ADHD. If your husband has had issues with short term memory recall since his youth, then it's likely due to ADHD.

If he developed short term memory issues only in recent months or years, or since an injury or developing a persistent health condition, it might not be ADHD per se, but still might be enough like ADHD that many of the same accomodations and treatments might help.

If he is concerned that his memory is getting worse with age, he needs to work with his doctor to make sure that his concerns are addressed.

Anyone at any age can promote their own cognitive health with regular exercise, healthy diet, regular social engagement, working at something (irregardless of whether it's a hobby or a job), and continuous learning (self-directed learning such as reading or listening to informative podcasts count, it doesn't have to be formal education).

Doing charitable work/volunteering have been studied to provide great cognitive benefits far into old age (even for people diagnosed with Alzheimer's).

So, he need not worry. For most people, there's hope.

However, with ADHD, we might always need memory aids like notes and alarms to help us.

[doghome in reply to STEM_Dad]

Thanks, you are so helpful in this whole topic. Yes it is something that has been there all along but with the diagnosis of adhd I think he is just more aware of it. Ive seen it thru our whole marriage so to me, its not new, theres just an explanation. We discover now that his dad must of had it too, but back then it was not recognized as a health issue, had he known all along he sees alot of could of, should ofs.

I like your routine stacking idea, we do kind of do that (not knowing what it was called) but again, he forgets one step of it and like you said, its then not the normal routine and it messes him all up. I encourage practice, practice. I will say I wasnt as supportive until his diagnosis a couple years ago, I feel bad too, had I known, we could of approached this so differently and maybe be farther ahead of this instead of all the wasted arguments

[Spud-u-Like1982]

Like STEM_Dad, I too have the inattentive ADHD. Like him, my hyperactivity is more impulsiveness (comments to people, oversharing, spending) and it's more my brain that is hyperactive and jumps from subject to subject all the time. Pretty much everything he said is relevant to myself as well. Motivation is my biggest issue and at present I am trying to move out from living with my ex partner, but this has been going on for nearly 6 months and I am no further forward. I find if I don't have anything to look forward to and aim for, I can't motivate myself.

I also have OCD and potential Autistic quirks, which means my brain is like a constant battleground of sometimes obsessive thoughts and noticing things other people don't. I can't ever seem to silence my brain, which is very exhausting.

I also find with the inattentive ADHD that I feel mentally and physically drained after a short drive because I'm having to concentrate so much.

[doghome in reply to Spud-u-Like1982]

Thanks for your reply, and something clicked in my head in part of your comment so I think you gave me something to think about. Thats why I wanted to ask for input, anything like this can help me think in different ways too

[Mamamichl]

although my partner and I are both combined, my partner has more inattentiveness and needs stimulants. I have a lot of hyperactive thoughts and Esd, though physically I’m not hyperactive.

I would say people have more concerns when they are hyperactive type, especially with their kids, but there are definitely drawbacks with inattentiveness. Lots of nonjudgmental prompts are helpful. Maybe helping them set daily alarms could help. Watch the Channel adhd_love and read their books small talk and dirty laundry (the audio versions are read by them). Though some of it is for hyperactive, she has a lot of inattentive aspects. The holderness family does too. They have a book called adhd is awesome, also read by them. How to adhd is my other fav channel, she has a book with the same name. The first two also look at it both from the person afflicted with adhd and from the partner without. Hope they can give you some insight. Zen hugs 🫂

[doghome in reply to Mamamichl]

Thank you for the info and yes sometimes we are glad hes not the hyperactive but then we all know the inattentive is not much better at times. thanks for the suggestions, I will look into that