My depression

[Purple234]

My depression and ADD bother me every day. I struggle to keep friends. Where do I go for help with my ADD?

[rach1402]

Disclaimer: I am not a medical professional, this is just a response to a post asking for advice, not a professional opinion.

Sorry about that, a lot of people get confused about the reason someone asks for advice on here and the intentions of people who reply.

ADHD is difficult to live with, especially if it's not managed effectively. Do you take any medication for your ADHD? I was initially prescribed methylphenidate hydrochloride, which did help with my ADHD symptoms but the side effects I had with it were worse than the ADHD symptoms for me. The worst side effect I suffered from was a deep and crippling depression. I was suicidal and now take Sertraline for anxiety and depression. I had to take months off work because I basically had a breakdown and couldn't cope with life.

My psychiatrist has finally let me try a different medication and although I only started taking it 2 weeks ago I can already tell it's completely different and it's the right one for me. It's Elvanse, the European version of Vyvanse and I've already moved up to a high dose because I'm tolerating it so well and feel so much better in myself. I'm still quite inattentive so I might have to take a higher dose yet but it suits me so much better than the Concerta XL. I felt like I was a stranger living out someone else's life if that makes sense, it's a strange feeling and difficult to explain. I became socially withdrawn and hypervigilant, with a feeling of impending doom like I was always waiting for something terrible to happen. I was trapped in a no win situation cos it helped me focus on the task at hand so I felt I was forced to take it to drive safely and work efficiently but it made me hyperfocus on one thing whether I wanted to or not. With Elvanse I can juggle more tasks, prioritise and self monitor, basically my executive brain functions are much improved and everything is easier. It made me realise how disabled I actually am without it. I'm already feeling so much less anxious and depressed, I'm thinking about talking to my doctor about reducing my sertraline. I've always been anxious, probably mostly caused by ADHD but I've never been so deeply depressed before and I hope I never will again.

That's been my experience and I'm not saying it's the same for everyone but my point is that it makes such a massive difference to your life when your ADHD is properly managed. Some people find therapy helps and that's great if it relieves some of the problems their ADHD causes but the stimulant medications tackle the root cause of ADHD, which is a deficiency in the amount of neurotransmitters available to the brain.

I hope that helps, I didn't have much information to go on from your short post but I'm happy to chat more if you would like to reply here or via private messaging. You might also want to check out another group on Health Unlocked called Adult ADHD Support, it's a smaller group than this but might be more relevant, especially if your depression is caused by your ADHD or made worse by it.

I hope you feel better soon x

[Purple234 in reply to rach1402]

Thanks for the advice. No I am not taking meds for my ADHD. I will ask my doctor about Elvanse.

[rach1402 in reply to Purple234]

Glad to be of help 😊 Elvanse (Vyvanse if you're in the States) helps me but it's worth talking to your doctor about a range of different options and trying a few approaches til you find the best fit for you. Good luck x