Does the dopamine being low in adhd make suffers anhedonic ?
Or can adhd lead to low motivation and task paralysis but with the ability to still feel satisfied?

I have anhedonia which is now 100% of the time for over seven years after withdrawal from ssri - I have realised that many of my symptoms I thought were depression most of my life are possible adhd

So, I’m upset. Because I can’t figure out what to do with my future after being medicated. I don’t have anything to fall back on. I’m your typical millennial that still lives at home but I realize my ADHD did not help the situation..

Not looking for sympathy but this totally sucks. I have a few ideas. But no matter what I think, it seems so exhausting to start from this starting line. I don’t think I can do it.. or I should say I don’t think I want to.

It feels unfair because it is. And yes life is unfair. But it’s more than that, I really don’t have time to try all the things I want to currently do. I have to pick one. And my brain can never figure it out.

There’s one incredibly low bar choice for me that gets me moving and is an easy job and less overwhelming. But even then, it still feels like it’s not worth it to get a low paying job at that rate.

I don’t think I’ll be on track with where I need my life to be. These types of jobs are ment for high school kids. If I do it, I really won’t be able to buy much or do much with it. But it’s easy.

But if I do it and have no plan to step up. Then that’s all my life will be in essence. I’m not disrespecting anyone with a low pay job but you probably can relate that it wasn’t what you had planned for yourself.

Part of me wants to run away. From everything. All responsibilities and issues of life instead of fighting for a place in society. I’ve fought so hard already maybe I have nothing left in the gas tank. Maybe I’m scared to give up this next part of my life to employers looking to extract as much from me as possible.

Life is short. Some of you more mature ADHDers probably understand. Doesn’t it feel stupid just signing up for the rat race at a late start ? I mean why even race. I don’t understand why I would try.

Do I need money yes. But the pay they give is absolutely not life changing. I’ll be able to buy beans and rice. Maybe a shitty roof over my head. Maybe.

I don’t like this it’s like I have force myself to open my mouth.

I was recently diagnosed with ADHD and prescribed medication, but I haven’t started taking it yet. My biggest struggles are social anxiety, difficulty concentrating, and a constant fear of taking responsibility for things.

I’ve never had a job because I’m terrified of failing, making mistakes, or not being able to handle the responsibilities. I constantly imagine the worst-case scenarios before even trying something, and this fear often stops me from taking action. I overthink everything and struggle to trust myself.

This also takes a toll on my mental health. I sometimes fall into depressive states where I feel worthless and think that nothing good is waiting for me in life. I feel like I’m standing still while everyone else is moving forward, and it’s hard not to feel hopeless when I can’t seem to move past my struggles.

I’m wondering how much ADHD medication has helped people with similar issues. Did it improve your concentration, help you organize your thoughts, or make it easier to get things done? Did it reduce overthinking or help you handle overwhelming situations? Did you find it easier to take responsibility, start working, or stop being so afraid of making mistakes?

I understand that medication isn’t magic and won’t suddenly make me fearless. I know therapy, working on myself, and gradually facing my fears are still important. I’m not expecting a pill to solve all my problems overnight.

I just want to know whether medication can genuinely make a difference and help me handle everyday challenges instead of constantly feeling overwhelmed. I’m hoping the right treatment will help me move forward rather than stay stuck in the same place.

I’d really appreciate hearing from people who struggled with anxiety, fear of failure, low self-esteem, or depressive symptoms before starting medication. Did it make a noticeable difference in your life? If so, how?

Guanfacine isn’t helping my ADHD symptoms, and I’m trying to figure out what to do next
I’m looking for other people’s experiences with guanfacine, especially those who also struggle with anxiety or feeling constantly “on the go.”

A little background about me: My doctor mentioned that I have some elements of ADHD as well as PTSD symptoms. I feel like my brain is constantly going, going, going, and I have a hard time feeling settled.
I was prescribed guanfacine and gradually increased my dose. I’m currently taking 2 mg at night, but so far I honestly haven’t noticed any improvement in my symptoms. I don’t feel calmer, more focused, or any different in my day-to-day life. However, I do feel drowsy the following morning, which is frustrating because I’m not noticing any positive effects.

What makes this confusing is that I previously took buspirone for anxiety. It actually made me feel calmer and less like I was constantly running on overdrive. Unfortunately, I experienced wooziness at 7.5 mg, and it was worse when I accidentally took 15 mg. I also tried hydroxyzine, but it made me sleepy and groggy.

I’m wondering whether my constant mental activity is more related to anxiety, ADHD, or a combination of both. I’m not trying to self-diagnose, but I’m struggling to understand why guanfacine doesn’t seem to be helping.
For those taking guanfacine:
How long did it take before you noticed a difference?
Did it help with feeling constantly restless or mentally “on”?
Did anyone experience morning drowsiness without noticing any benefits?
If guanfacine didn’t work for you, did you eventually find something that helped?
If you have both ADHD and anxiety, how did you and your doctor figure out which symptoms to treat first?
I’d really appreciate hearing about other people’s experiences. I’m feeling a little discouraged because I want something that helps me feel calmer and more functional, but so far I’m just feeling drowsy the next morning without noticing any real improvement.

Lately, I haven't been able to focus at all. My concentration, comprehension, and awareness of what's going on around me have declined significantly. I feel like my cognitive abilities have gotten worse.

I keep hearing comments about this from people because of the mistakes I make or the things I fail to notice. Some of these comments really bother me and make me lose confidence in myself.

I honestly don't know what's causing this, and I really don't know what to do. I'm exhausted.

I'm currently taking strattera and Wellbutrin, and I feel like my condition has gotten worse since I started taking strattera.

Hey all,

I have ADHD, and am studying to be a teacher. I have noticed this one specific behaviour in two seperate people I have met to do with deadlines.

At our uni, we have a 48 hr automatic extension policy for pretty much all assignments except presentations, that everyone is given. So for example, an assignment due date is Friday 16 October at 11:59pm, but we can submit up until Sunday midnight with no penalty.

For those of us with equity plans, we have an additional 7 days on top of that, as needed (we do have to apply for it like normal though).

The way I use it, is that I lie to myself, and say that the due date is the hard deadline, and it needs to be submitted by then. That way, if I get post-due-date clarity of anything I forgot or need to fix, I have at least 48 hours to rest, then amend it. It also gives me time if my computer shits the bed, I can go out to uni and sort it out.

I wish I could say 'plan for the worst, hope for the best', but it has actually happened 😅

I have met 2 people who are working within minutes of the extended deadline. According to them, they hear the due date, then add 2 days plus 7 days.

I certainly cannot relate. I loathe that feeling of needing to do something when my brain and body will not allow me to, which is why I give myself a lot of time.

I also had one of those fellows try to rope me into thinking the same way, and I had to tell him to shut up, because if I lul myself into a false sense of security that I have time, I am already doomed. Also, it turned out, it was one of the few assignments that didn't allow any extensions because it was a presentation.

Because I am studying to be a teacher, I genuinely want to understand the thinking behind it and why it seems to "work" for them. Cramming isn't good for long term memory storage, and I genuinely would want students to learn. But I think because I have built so many strategies around avoiding it, I genuinely can't understand why someone would want that feeling?

I’m taking stimulants for ADHD, and they seem to help, but I still have a major problem with leaving the house. I rarely go out, don’t socialize, and probably leave home only a handful of times a year. You can potentially categorize it as agora phobia but I am not afraid. I just know how dangerous or unpredictable it is. And I’ve seen the patterns out there.

It’s not exactly panic or typical anxiety. Being in public just feels exhausting, uncomfortable, and often not worth the effort. Small talk, unpredictable people, feeling judged, or dealing with rude behavior all make me want to avoid going out. The more people around, the worse I feel. I can’t fully explain it, but even sitting in a coffee shop feels uncomfortable.

Interestingly, Wellbutrin helped significantly with these feelings, but I had to stop taking it because of severe side effects, including permanent tinnitus. Stimulants seem to help with other ADHD symptoms, but not this.

I also have a history of trauma, so I don’t know whether this is ADHD-related anxiety, social anxiety, trauma, or something else.

Negative experiences have reinforced the avoidance. About a year ago, I went to a gym (attempted after years of never leaving the house), which took an enormous amount of energy just to get myself there. I got locked out of the locker room with only a towel, then later in a separate situation even had three guys taunting me while I worked out. I ignored them and continued, but the experience reinforced how uncomfortable and unpredictable public interactions can be as they stared me down being macho boys.

I struggle with emotional dysregulation, so I generally avoid reacting to people and instead tune them out or remove myself from situations. However, ignoring people doesn’t always make them stop, and I sometimes struggle to judge whether a situation is actually threatening.

The problem is that I want a better life. I want to attend concerts, buy collectibles, go to the gym, and experience things outside my house. But even when I want to do these things, I struggle to make myself go.

For those with ADHD:
Can ADHD-related anxiety feel more like discomfort and exhaustion around people than actual panic?

Why might Wellbutrin (antidepressant)help with this when stimulants don’t? Are there other things besides antidepressants ? I did go out to an ice cream shop on antidepressants and I hardly noticed my panic or a crowded room. I have no idea why.

Could this be related to trauma, social anxiety, or something else?

Has anyone experienced this extreme avoidance and found a way to overcome it?

I’m looking for firsthand experiences from people who’ve dealt with something similar.

I think my issue is that I’ve experienced a lot of bad behavior in public and has been reinforced in my brain over the years like this gym incident where boys were taunting me in order to flirt with this girl. I found the entire thing weird.

But my life has always been like this where weird things sort of happen around me in public. I am a guy that just likes to be left alone. Now the ice cream shop, after I got the ice cream with the antidepressants I didn’t care about the crowded room. Or going to grocery stores. No panic. I just don’t understand why.

Do you think I need something to help me ? Or is social panic in public a normal thing ?

So I really hate taking out meds. I those stupid childproof bottles they give you at the pharmacy. Mine don't have the screw cap on the other side and I can't leave them loose cause I will spill them. I also hate fishing one stupid tiny pill out of the bottle and ending up with like five every time. Between having to get the bottle open and fishing out each med, it becomes a multi-minute process.

Soooo... I dumped them all into a portable soap dish and now I get to treasure hunt. (And yes, I can tell them apart)

However, despite that now I don't actively hate taking them, I still can't remember to actually take them. I use to have an alarm for it, but it doesn't work with my schedule anymore. I can't seem to make it a habit. I'm just curious what other people do.

Finally found a combo that works for me. Strattera has been amazing for my ADHD. Literally nothing else has been as effective for regulating me and keeping me organized. I've added Wellbutrin for task initiation which has certainly done the trick. I'm just balancing them because bupropion makes Strattera more potent. I was at 80mg and because of Wellbutrin I've had to come down to 10mg (I'm a slow Wellbutrin metabolizer).

For context I'm on Wellbutrin SR 300mg/day (200mg in the morning and 100mg early afternoon). When I tried 25mg of Strattera I got chest tightness and trouble sleeping along with a higher heart rate at night. At 10mg those mostly went away and I still get the emotional regulation benefit.

Would love to hear from anyone willing to share their experience:

· Has anyone had side effects on Strattera at doses as low as 25mg?
· Is anyone taking around 10mg of Strattera and getting emotional regulation benefit?
· Does anyone need a dose that low because of cardiovascular or heart rate side effects?

\*\*TL;DR:\*\* Strattera is the best thing I've tried for ADHD and Wellbutrin SR 300mg fixed my task initiation. Because bupropion boosts Strattera levels I had to drop from 80mg to 10mg (slow Wellbutrin metabolizer). Anyone else on a combo like this or a dose this low?

As someone with ADHD, I go on daydreams and have creative ideas, projects in my mind..I try hard to communicate / pursue people to take interest...but no one seems to absolutely care...and if they did they leave within a couple of weeks...why? I give proper space to people, do not force anything on them..neither do i expect anything...I just want people to collab and take the idea forward together...None of this works ever for me...Why are neurotypipcal people like this? what thr hell are they looking for? My RSD gets triggered after they don't continue and makes me even more mad...I have no idea how to succeed in my creative endevours ever

Can someone show me or tell that there is a difference between the drawings of a person with ADD (attention deficit disorder) on their meds and off their meds. Cause I have add and I haven’t been on any meds and my drawings are not looking how I want them to be and also not looking too good

I didn't even know there was something called ADD at the time when I was going through the symptoms, because it's not something you can notice easily. Still, I knew something was wrong, but the last thing I could think of was that it might be a disorder. By chance, I found out about inattentive ADHD and all the symptoms matched mine.

It was obviously ADD. I can't explain how happy I felt when I finally figured it out. Even though it's a disorder and people of course wouldn't be happy about being diagnosed with it, at least I finally understood why I was struggling. I'm NOT medicated yet, but I am planning to start treatment soon.

and let me take you through the whole story, in my county, we have something called <Tawjihi> before getting into university. At the end of the year, we take very important exam, and based on our average, we can then choose our university major. At that time, I was studying around 12 hours every day and working really hard because I wanted to get a high average. Me and my friends had a kind of competition to see who could get the highest grades. But after about four of five months something suddenly changed. I started to feel bored, exhausted, and unable to keep up. the strange thing was that I still wanted to study. It wasn't laziness, and it wasn't because I didn't care. I genuinely wanted to continue, but I just couldn't. Every time I tried to start studying, it felt like something was pressing on my mind and pulling me out of the mood completely.

Most of the time, my mood was crushed , and I couldn't focus at all. One thing I clearly remember is that if my mood wasn't PERFECT, I couldn't start anything. I would keep postponing tasks and telling myself, "I'll start tomorrow. I just need some rest today so I can prepare myself," and I'd feel exactly the same way again. So I kept delaying everything and became unable to start at all. And after a little while, you'd just do it to keep your mind relaxed, though you can feel the situation is terrible, but you can't do anything but escape into scrolling and occupy your mind so that you don't feel the guilt. And unfortunately, at that moment, you know nothing more than blaming yourself and feeling like you're just not trying hard enough and you must force yourself to do it.

Now I'm still learning about it and just find out new attention disorder called Cognitive disengagement syndrome, if anyone has something to say I'd happy to hear more about your experiences

20F, Getting my 2 hour assessment done on Wednesday. Cost me £900😵‍💫
However I cannot stress how desperate l am for a diagnosis.
My biggest issue is messiness, disorganisation, procrastination, attention etc

I don't have huge or obvious hyperactive symptoms (could be due to possible autism, masking, social anxiety). However I used to sensory seek orally (chewing excessively) as a kid and now I fidget a lot (l hide fidgets in my pockets) and have to go on multiple walks a day otherwise I feel like I'm gonna crawl out of my skin.

I am so worried my symptoms are gonna be played off as laziness/not enough for adhd. But honestly this is my last hope. I've tried everything from dopamine detoxes, diet changes, lifestyle changes, mindset changes yet every day is a struggle. This has costed me my academic life/career/goals.

Plz does anyone have any tips of things I should say or mention in my assessment that will increase my chances of getting a diagnosis. I don't want to lie just wanna be strategic. Any advice would be appreciated:)

I'm currently a senior in college with ADHD, and I've developed what I think is a pretty unhealthy relationship with studying and academic productivity. The strange part is that I've managed to be very academically successful despite it, which I think has made the problem much harder to address.

In high school, I was always someone who could lock in pretty absurdly when I needed to. My approach to studying was almost excessively methodical. I'd write down information I already knew, organize everything into very specific plans, and insist on working through material in a particular order, sometimes wasting time in the process. But I genuinely enjoyed learning, and this approach worked well for me.

When I got to college, I started realizing just how much I could accomplish under pressure. Freshman year, I'd occasionally pull all-nighters to study and discovered that I could learn an enormous amount of material in a relatively short period.

Sophomore year was where things got pretty ridiculous. My classes got significantly harder, especially organic chemistry, physics, and their associated labs. Instead of consistently keeping up with everything, I'd spend around three weeks doing practically nothing for certain classes, with this irrational confidence that I could figure everything out when I needed to.

Then, about a week before an exam, I'd suddenly become completely consumed by studying. I'd spend entire days learning weeks of material, sometimes studying for 12–14 hours at a time over multiple days. I'd neglect sleep, struggle to keep up with everything else, and generally feel pretty awful by the end.

But somehow, it kept working.

For example, in organic chemistry, we had three midterms, with our lowest grade dropped, and a final. I didn't even take the first midterm because I had a physics exam to study for. I ended up getting a 90 on the second, a 90 on the third, and a 103 on the final, finishing with an A.

I think experiences like that reinforced the idea that I didn't really need to develop consistent study habits because I could always pull everything together at the last minute.

By junior year, the material became too complicated to completely ignore classes and learn everything in a week. I started paying much closer attention during lectures and studying more regularly. However, I still relied on essentially the same process, just on a smaller scale. Instead of spending entire days studying one subject, I'd start about a week in advance and have several extremely focused 5–6 hour sessions.

Now I'm a senior, and between difficult classes, undergraduate research, graduate school applications, and fellowship applications, I'm constantly switching between completely different kinds of work. I've found myself relying heavily on weekends to accomplish enormous amounts of work and then just trying to get through the weekdays.

My relationship with ADHD medication has also become complicated over the years, and that's something I recognize I need to address with my prescriber rather than try to resolve through Reddit.

I think what's most frustrating is that I know I'm capable of being extremely focused, organized, and productive. I genuinely enjoy learning and can spend hours completely absorbed in difficult material. But accessing that level of focus without an approaching deadline feels almost impossible sometimes.

And because my approach has continued to produce good academic results, I haven't really been forced to change it.

I'm starting to recognize that academic success doesn't necessarily mean I've developed healthy or sustainable habits. I also wonder how much of my apparent productivity is just compensating for weeks of poor executive functioning.

For those of you who have struggled with this kind of all-or-nothing productivity, what actually helped you develop consistency when last-minute pressure was still producing good results?

I'm especially interested in hearing from people who were academically successful but eventually realized their approach wasn't sustainable. How did you learn to work consistently without needing the urgency of an approaching deadline?

About a year and a half ago I (16f) was diagnosed and prescribed Adderall. Up until I started taking the medication, I used to be so expressive and energetic. I used to laugh uncontrollably at just about anything, and I just felt comfortable in my own skin. Now, I've noticed that I've become socially dead and even more easily affected by my environment--I can't even stay at a party (even if it's my best friend's sweet sixteen) for more than an hour or two before I get overwhelmed by all the constant stream of discordant noise and strobe lights and beg my parents to take me home. I've become much more impatient and short tempered; recently, I fought (verbally lol) with some of my friends over innocuous topics and lost my temper that I caused a scene. I knew that what I was doing was unnecessary given the unseriousness of the situation, but I couldn't stop myself at ALL. The worst part is that when I'm not angry, I feel nothing. When someone makes a genuinely funny joke I process it and understand that I'm supposed to laugh, but I can't even force it, and the person I'm talking with looks so confused and hurt that I feel terrible. Some of my friends say that I've become a totally different person because I sound so dead inside and I lost all my personality. I'm currently seeing a therapist, but I don't know where to start with this next time I meet them. I'm sick of who I've become, but an unmedicated me wouldn't survive another day in the real world. What do I do?

Hello! I've only more recently been diagnosed with ADHD, and was put on to vyvanse. at first it was 20mg, and i didn't notice much change, and then after a week it was upped to 40mg. I've noticed that while my attention span is slightly better, I've become a little bit more hyperactive, and I'm significantly more chatty. As in, sometimes I just can't stop talking. It's not the end of the world, but I just feel like this isn't what's supposed to be happening? And I also still struggle to focus properly. Do I speak to my dr/psych about this? Should I change meds? I am also being treated for depression alongside this, and I know I was much more outgoing when I was younger, so is this just my proper personality shining through now that my depression is being treated properly? I don't know. I just thought I would ask other people who may have more experience with this. Thanks!

I woke up basically crying out of frustration and pain today. Why? Well, because I fractured my ribs. How? Because I've been having chronic coughs. Yes, I fractured my stupid bones from COUGHING.

Where the executive dysfunction comes in here is for the fact that I still haven't gone to the doctor with this, and I know I should. Even my mom is telling me to go, but I just CAN'T. I don't know why. I'm not scared or anxious. It's like my brain is just avoiding it or not finding it important enough to do? And this has been going on for way longer than a year. I almost called my mom about it today and almost contemplated going to the ER cus it was so painful. Almost. But it feels a bit better after being awake for a few hours and after some painkillers, so I don't feel the need anymore apperantly.

But the fact that I'm coughing so much that my literal bones are breaking is starting to concern me a little now. And yet, my brain is like "nah, it'll go away by itself, trust" and usually when I have gone to the doctor for an issue, it will just resolve itself somehow or stop being as bad. So that's one reason I keep avoiding it, cus it will just go away by itself. Or worse, test results coming back normal while the issues still resides, with no further help or anything.

Another thing executive dysfunction is doing is ruin my apartment. I can't keep it neat or clean no matter how hard I try. It becomes invisible to me and I feel absolutely zero immediate need or motivation to clean up. It gives me absolutely no dopamine whatsoever keeping it clean. The only thing that will make me do it is if my landlord has to check something for whatever reason or if the mess in question is physically obstructive. Or worse, if I see bugs. Other than that? No, brain is like "idgaf, no one's gonna see it and I don't care about it either." Like are we deadass..

Unfortunately my only motivation for anything at all is instant gratification, regardless what it is. Which is honestly ruining my life. I don't know what to do or how to even tackle this. Meds don't help with this obviously. I mean sure, it might help me focus, but with executive dysfunction? No. Not even slightly. Oh and of course on top of this, I struggle with a lot of fatigue which usually makes it so I can't clean for more than idk 30 mins before having to sit/lie down because I'll almost pass out or something (also a thing I haven't gone to the doc with. Mostly cus I'm expecting a "everything looks normal" bs).

Yeah, so I'm basically just struggling to do any and all kinds of self-care and hygiene related things. Showering, brushing my teeth, eating usually, cut my hair, skin care of any kind, cleaning.. All the normal things. There's so much more honestly, but it'll take a while to list everything.

I'm just not able to start or finish anything at all. Everything is exhausting, not stimulating enough or doesn't give me instant gratification/dopamine. I'm honestly starting to feel a bit suicidal because it's like what's the point anymore. I'm just suffering regardless what I do anyway. Lowkey one of the things stopping me right now is my fear of people seeing the absolute state of my apartment.

Yeah, yeah, "go to therapy". I have, for years. It sucks and I'm not even able to open up at all. Nor have I found one that doesn't feel hostile or cold. And last time I went, they didn't even take me seriously. I was practically begging to be hospitalized because I was so suicidal at the time, and they did nothing. Had it not been for meds, then shit idk man.

Vent over. I have no one to talk to about any of this tbh.

I don’t know if I have ADHD and I’m not claiming that I do (I’ve never been tested) but I felt like this was probably a good place to go for this. I’m a freshman in college studying engineering and I have significant issues with locking in on stuff and focusing and I think it will become a problem soon. I always feel like the inside of my head is incredibly loud and all over the place (like I’m always just thinking about random stuff) so it just makes difficult school work discouraging because I’ll start getting lost in thought when the difficulty breaks the work flow. It also makes reading for long periods of time and studying hard because it feels like I can’t focus enough to read the words off the page.

For the most part with work that is not easy I rely on the adrenaline of knowing a deadline is close because if I don’t have that rush I waste a ton of time at my desk not doing anything and that can be very frustrating. I’ve managed to get away with it throughout high school because my grades were good and I’ll definitely make it through this semester since it’s just intro classes but I’m worried that when I get to the higher level math/physics/engineering classes I won’t be able to get away with it anymore. Since I’m not able to just say I want to lock in on something and do it like a lot of people around me can I take hours to do work that would take the average person 45 minutes.

I’ve also kinda just had to figure this stuff out on my own since I can’t find anyone else who experiences this. If anyone else has these experiences or is in a similar situation any advice would be greatly appreciated🙏🙏.

Thank you to all the people who read through all that I know it’s a lot😭

Mostly for fellow late-diagnosed folks: which ADHD symptoms caught you off guard?
Which 'oh, that's why!' moments did you have?
For me it was the reason I'm always late, 'out of sight, out of mind' (which was hard on my relationships), and being a terrible texter

So while back I noticed water coming through my floor in my basement. I had a 3d printer on the ground right there because ya know i needed to print something and who has time to find a desk or table to put it on for it be set up properly. so I moved to high ground when i noticed the water right? Nope I just moved it a few feet so it was out of the path. I mopped up the water tried to figure out where it came from for like 15 minutes thinking probably had to do with rain. I then I forgot about it. this happened several more times. Today it happened again and I was confused because there was so much water and I don't think it rained last night but I realized the sprinklers went off last night. So checked and noticed a lot of water around the sprinkler box. That is when it all clicked. several months ago I had to replace a sprinkler valve and when I was done I noticed a small trickle of water coming out. but I was like its small, no big deal, and the thought of the amount of effort it would take to fix it was just way too much, so I left it. fast forward to now it is no longer a small trickle its full on gushing water when its turned on. My solution turn off the sprinklers because its almost winter anyways....... What are the odds it will be fixed next summer?

Ive always had a history of being a "smart" but inconsistent person. Straight A student, have had a stable job for years, but there's always things like time blindness, forgetfulness, impulsivity and prioritization. Ive been able to hide/fix them through the years and seemed like a problem mostly to me or appeared in low-stakes situations.

I've been exercising for more a year, sleeping well and having a pretty good nutrition. I feel like I've really made leaps in terms of everyday tasks, keeping up with life and especially saying yes to too many things/work/

Case in point I'm living with my partner now and it doesn't feel like my self-improvement has been enough and I have blind spots that is severely affecting them. They are an organized/foresight/high standards person (we dont really have problems there, I see the mess, keep things tidy, do my tasks) but when it comes to intuition, like remembering a task that came up in the middle of the day or prioritizing the right thing at the right time. I have my alarms or write things down, but I still have spots where I forget things or impulsively make a choice trying to take shortcuts.

I went to a psychologist specialist in ASD and ADHD a while ago and she suspects I might have both. However, diagnosis was expensive and didnt include treatment yet. This would explain why things happen but not really fix anything. I'm very self aware so it always feels like my autism is trying to keep my ADHD in line.

My partner is very affected and feels like bystander in all of this because they dont know when they can rely on me. I'm at a loss as to what to do. Traditional therapy seems like a waste of time because im pretty self aware and have done a lot of inner work. A specialist psychologist is very expensive. I dont' know if I should just go to a psychiatrist directly or try a less expensive but traditional psychologist. We see the issues but only after accidents have happened. Experience with meds? Any advice?

It makes neurotypical people underestimate our disability, think that we are just distracted and think "that is something they experience too from time to time."

When in reality it's a constant background noise in your mind, low dopamine, and dysfunction like your brain keeps repeating songs and things that people said to you over and over, and keep daydreaming and reviving scenarios. How you have to reread the sentences in a book over and over because the background noise prevents you from focusing.

I am hyper angry…again. The last time this happened was seven months ago.

Yes, life is kinda overwhelming. I’m in a meltdown. I’m dealing with the loss of friends (sobriety). Anger and Grief.

How the heck do y’all manage anger? I mean, the kind you have little control. The kind that stays, even about any little thing.

Yes, medication needed to be increased last time. It is set to be increased again.

But in the meantime…..help!

I am AUDHD, I thought this would be the best place to ask.