I'm over 40 years old and was diagnosed with ADHD as an adult.

I've spent many years trying to achieve job stability, but I've been fired from multiple jobs. These experiences have taken a serious toll on my mental health, confidence, and self-esteem.

It's not because of a lack of effort or willingness to work. I genuinely want to work, contribute, and do my job well. I always try my hardest, but I struggle with attention, working memory, impulsivity, and handling pressure.

One of my biggest difficulties is how I react when something goes wrong. When I make a mistake, I become extremely anxious and feel an overwhelming urge to fix it immediately. Instead of slowing down and thinking clearly, I sometimes become overwhelmed, freeze up, or make even more mistakes.

Over time, this has created a vicious cycle. Every time I start a new job, I'm afraid of making mistakes, disappointing others, and eventually losing my job again. That fear makes me even more anxious, which affects my performance.

I'm receiving professional treatment and actively working on improving my coping strategies, but I'm mentally and emotionally exhausted.

The hardest part is that I genuinely want a stable working life. I want to feel capable, independent, and useful. But after so many unsuccessful attempts, I'm starting to question whether I'll ever be able to maintain long-term employment.

I'm particularly interested in hearing from adults who were diagnosed later in life and have experienced similar employment difficulties.

For those of you who have struggled with repeated job losses due to ADHD, what has helped you find and maintain stable employment?

Have certain types of jobs, workplace accommodations, treatments, or coping strategies made a meaningful difference?

I'd really appreciate hearing about your experiences, especially from people over 40 who have managed to find some stability.

Thank you for taking the time to read this.

I’ve been on adderall for about 7 years now. I work an Office/corporate desk job. I noticed that my medicine makes me insanely productive during work. I’ll push to get as much done as possible, and I’ll be very efficient, productive and good with time management. Weird thing to complain about right? However, I noticed recently that I might be a little…too focused? To the point where I am taking very few breaks during the day. I get so locked in that I forget to drink water. I am sitting for most of the day and rarely stand up to stretch. Now I’m having body aches and pains from the prolonged sitting. I get so locked in and focused that I neglect my own wellbeing. I was wondering if anyone has any tips or tricks for this. How do I “snap out of it” once my medication kicks in and I enter the zone? How do I make sure I can be focused and productive at work while also making sure I’m taking lots of breaks, eating, etc. I recently started a lower dose but am wondering if I should go even lower? If you can relate to this- Please let me know what works for you!

I love showering. It’s like self care for me and one of the best moments of my day. The feeling of warm water, quite hot actually, makes something special to my nervous system that calms me down.
So I look forward to take a shower everyday.

But I see many people struggling to even take one.

Is it just me? Maybe I don’t have ADHD?

I’m self diagnosed ADHD and autistic (AuDHD), according to a few self tests with clear scores. But I might just fool myself? Or it’s the autistic side that takes other for the showers?
I’m confused 😅

I’ve had severe depression three times in 6 years after realising I cannot find a job that I can do and that sustains me.

I was a teacher before I burnt out - my serious executive dysfunction meant I could never keep up with the admin, marking, paperwork…

Again I am here feeling like I’m gonna lose my home

My mind is so scattered, adhd means most jobs are beyond me. People think I’m overreacting but it’s the Truth. I’ve lived it.

When I was younger I failed in every single job I had. I make mistakes constantly, cannot read or follow instructions and even simple photocopying I mess up every single time. My mind flits and flits.

The depression is so deep. I don’t know a way out.

.

i rarely see people talk about the guilt you experience just existing with this disorder. it's so debilitating, I cannot accomplish anything. im 18 and my mother who has always provided for me and given her all is suffering because im struggling to do basic tasks, forgetting short-term important details, and cannot get off my phone. i sit here, having not showered yesterday, took 5 hours to enter the shower while sitting on the toilet, I haven't eaten, I can't arrange my bed, I can't clean my room, I can't do anything. and when I finally end up forcing myself out of this state, it feels so forced, so robotic and unnatural. im so disheartened by the state in which my life is in.

Hi all my lovely ADHDers,

I came across a few opinions online, saying that ADHD is just a medical excuse for laziness or low agency. Having stimulants could even be worse, because these are all drugs. I have also seen some words labelling people with ADHD taking stimulants as "druggies".

I am currently taking Vyvanse and it transforms my life. But sometimes I do feel guilty or uncomfortable, thinking that I cannot even think or act properly without meds, unlike other normal people.

What do you think?

I’m 33 and recently just got diagnosed properly with having ADHD and not bipolar. Let me tell you the giant sigh of relief I’ve had since. Who knew your head could be so quiet.

Trying to figure the rest of my life out since last year, and was thinking this morning “should I be taking 54 mg of Ritalin and drinking 300mg of caffeine at 4 am?”

Long story short, I’m curious if it’s dangerous to be consuming 200-300 mg of caffeine with my 54mg of Ritalin in the mornings. I get up at 4, eat a small breakfast, and go to work right after I take it.

Edit; it’s conceeta ER

Not looking for medical advice, just asking this out of curiosity.

I'm a late bloomer, got diagnosed at 36, Primarily Inattentive, and properly medicated since a year back. Currently at 54mg Concerta.

I read a lot of threads both here and elsewhere about how people experience a energy boost after taking their meds. How all of a sudden you went from having a very brainfoggy day to cleaning the entire house, paying all your bills, meal prepping for two weeks, watering your plants and calculating next years holiday budget just because you remembered to take your medication.

I find this very interesting, as I cant relate to this energy surge. I take my meds every morning and feel basically the same as I always do. I forget things, I don't achieve all the chores on the to-do list and I still feel overwhelmed from time to time. I'm currently at the point where the only difference I notice from not taking my meds is that I might lock in a bit easier with meds, hopefully at the right task, my temperament is a bit calmer, and without the meds I usually get the classic brain fog and task paralysis.

Can't remember getting this sensation of energy even when I started my medication investigation.

So basically, am I a edge case from not feeling energised from methylphenidates, or is there other people like me who takes their meds and just feel normal afterwards?

Does anyone have any advice on getting through engineering with ADHD without meds? In fact, has anyone ever done this before and would like to share their tips or stories?

Basically I’m not formally diagnosed because my parents don’t believe in stuff like this, and I’m on their insurance (also it’s embarrassing to ask them about it). But teachers throughout my life have been recommending me to get checked. Im also the typical “gifted kid” like probably a lot of people on this sub but that has allowed me to get through high school with a high gpa because I’m great at cramming of course.

Even if I were to get diagnosed and probably wouldn’t want to get on stimulants because a family history of heart issues. But genuinely…HOW DO I SURVIVE…😭 College classes are really nothing like high school and procrastinating has a huge negative effect compared to a minuscule one before😭. I’ve tried all the stupid hacks to stop, I’ve tried mindfulness, lists, pomodoro but nothing works. Heck I can’t even pay attention in class at all😔

26F- Has anyone developed heart palpitations and shortness of breath after years of taking stimulants without issues?

My symptoms seem to worsen with stimulants but still occur on medication-free days. I’m currently undergoing cardiac testing and wondering whether stimulants could be contributing.

I’m curious whether adding another medication, like guanfacine, could help. Has anyone used it as an adjunct to stimulants and noticed an improvement in palpitations or other cardiovascular side effects?

Have any other medications helped counteract the cardiovascular effects of stimulants? Or has switching to a non-stimulant ADHD medication worked better for you?

I’d especially appreciate hearing from anyone who developed these symptoms after years of stimulant use and found a medication approach that worked for them.

Looking for science-backed, practical self-improvement books that offer actionable advice on sleep, health, motivation, discipline, neuroplasticity, stress management, focus, memory, longevity, and overall well-being. I want to understand what to do, how to do it, and why it works, with an emphasis on reliable scientific evidence, realistic claims, and advice that genuinely motivates me to take action. Open to books covering either multiple topics or individual areas.

This is a "new" issue due to retirement and lack of context and structure to my communication moments with acquaintances and small groups. All the blank stares and constant asks for repeats are making me panic. I have been as ADHD as they come all my life, but since I structured my life a certain way, none of these complications have been a major problem until NOW. It is taking forever to find a speech therapist as many of you know. I also have been wearing hearing aids for 20 years. That is surely impacting as well. Best wishes to all.

Hi everyone, I’ve been on adderall XR for about 2 years now, my dosage has fluctuated until we finally found a comfortable 2 15mgXR daily routine that works for me. Over this time I’ve had plenty of different colors/ looks to my pills, I’ve been a silent member of these adhd forms since I got diagnosed, and one thing I’ve read about is how different manufacturers sometimes feel like placebo/ have different side effects for people. While I have had plenty of batches I felt were less effective, I have never experienced what I have been with my most recent which is horrific insomnia. For the first 2 weeks I was taking this new script I couldn’t figure out what was going on with my sleep, I thought it was stress or hormone related until I realized it all started when I refilled my script and I DID notice the pills are a different color. I’ve never considered NOT taking my meds in the 2 year I’ve been on them because i feel like I really need them and they really help me but this not being able to sleep without basically drugging myself with sleep meds is just awful. I messaged my provider to ask if she could request the previous manufacturer from the pharmacy because at this point I’m at a loss. Has anyone else had any similar experiences? Thanks

The manufacturer is MALLINICK-SPECGX

Anyone else have absolutely zero patience for video game dialogue that comes one line at a time?

It drives me insane. Unless the story is genuinely compelling or my choices actually affect what happens, I just can’t sit through it.

A lot of mobile games are especially bad about this. They’ll have pages and pages of dialogue, but instead of letting me read it all at once, I have to keep tapping through each individual line. For example, games like genshin impact, where winds meet, etc, and their style of games are just so annoying to read through. Even the “choices” they offer just lead to the same outcome.

At that point, I’d rather they just put the whole conversation on the screen like a book so I can read it at my own pace instead of constantly waiting and clicking.

Games I can absolutely sit through are like Baldur’s gate 3 and the mass effect and Dragon Age series. Games where the choices are real.

Curious if anyone has had the experience of having amphetamines (any formulation, doesn't matter) fail to relieve ADHD symptoms but had something else (e.g., methylphenidate, wellbutrin, strattera, whatever) actually help?

And just to be clear I'm not talking about when the amphetamine adjustment/honeymoon phase passes and you no longer feel that initial subjective boost/mild euphoria. I'm talking they literally do not help your cognitive symptoms at all, or you just feel worse on them than on other meds. Figure this doesn't happen too often but curious to hear if anyone has had that experience.

Edit: I'm aware that different people react differently to different meds, finding the right med requires trial and error, etc. No need to reply if that's all you're going to say.

20F, i got prescribed inspiral 5mg and am supposed to start the dosage day after tomorrow. (3 weeks 5mg 5 days a week, then revisit)

but i’m scared because this is my first time getting on adhd meds and i m having all kinds of thoughts like

- imposter syndrome because i am not hyperactive which is very big in adhd but i’m fairly okay on that one, i dont struggle w anxiety , instead i never get anxious, scared or even have 0 eustress which causes me to not /e scared of reckless behavior or not even study/ work even out of worry or anxiety. instead i hyperfocus, get distracted easily, procrastinate, and have impulsive behaviours (not with intent of sh) so i m constantly feeling like do i really need it bad enough?

- i m worried about dependency on the med and i really don’t wanna be addicted to another thing 🙏🙏🙏

- how does it react when u drink alcohol or smoke during its course?

ik i may sound stupid but i m vv new to this adhd meds thing and itll be great if someone could answer my questions. i never went to get diagnosed with intention on getting on meds but it just happened and i decided to finally do it because i have my exams since mid nov and i want to see the difference from when i normally have exam szn approaching and going on normally as compared to on meds.

I'm not diagnosed as of yet but it is in the process so I'm unsure if this question belongs here.

Does anyone else really struggle with things "becoming part of the furniture"? Like something was placed somewhere then it wasnt noticed for a long while? Does anyone get it with digital things like messages and notifications aswell?

I've been trying to build a morning habit for years. I forget or don't notice really basic stuff and no matter what I do I cannot build a routine that sticks. I started using a tracking app that helps to keep things in mind and can notify you. I used it for 2 weeks then I forgot I had it for another 6. Been getting the notifications every day but I've just not registered them and keep clearing them. It's not like I get a lot of notifications either. I've turned off all but text, email, calender and that one.

The weirdest one is that I vaped for about 8 months, going through about 2 disposables a week then one week I forgot to buy another one and I didn't even register it for like 3 months which at that time I didn't want another. They were 20% ones aswell. It makes no sense to me.

There's more I've not mentioned here that happens. I'm just wondering what other people's experiences are with something like this and what else it extends to.

I need help my girlfriend has severe adhd the doctors she was seen have said she has one of the worst cases of adhd they’ve seen. We are both in college and I want to be able to help her with classes staying on top of school work and making sure she goes to classes. Some weeks it’s real easy for her to and other is not same with the school work. I want to be able to help I just not sure how. My second ask for advice is sometime she lashes out when she gets stressed. She always apologizes the second have she snaps at me an I know it’s how her brain is wired but some days it hurts a lot getting yelled at. I need help trying to fully understand what it like to live with adhd because I know I never will be able to and any tips people would have to help

Hi all :)

Hope this post reads clearly as I sometimes have trouble articulating my thoughts.

I'm 21f with generalised anxiety and recently diagnosed with adhd. I experience anxiety and overwhelm throughout my day, usually located in my chest. It feels like my heart is beating quite rapidly, but my HR is typically around 55bpm resting and can go up to 68bpm. I can definitely feel the difference and I've developed mechanisms to cope. It's not always easy to pinpoint why I'm anxious, but typically I'll there's an element of understimulation or overstimulation. I feel like I need to escape my body and get some air. If I have my headphones on, I have to take them off and stop what I'm doing.

Today while on the train I felt anxious again, so I really thought about what I was doing and realised I kept jumping tasks without completing anything. From my phone texting someone, to trying to do a wordle, to looking something up that I just thought of, to deciding if I wanted to read. I couldn't settle on a task and I think the task switching was overwhelming me? I realised this is something that often happens and I have to focus my brain or step away and let it relax, which usually involves just letting my thoughts run with little stimulation.

I'm also recently medicated, two weeks on Vyvanse 30mg. I find that I'm calmer during the peak of the medication, a lot more focused and less anxious. I'm wondering if it's because I'm not overloading my brain with input.

Does anyone else experience this? If so, how do you cope?

I'm also hoping someone more knowledgeable might be able to articulate this a lot better and clearer than I can. Thanks everyone!! :)

Second year of university. Most classes I'm in are retakes of the first years classes because I was mentally fucked for the whole first year.

Already failed one course.

I have support, I have people who are helping me, I'm on papers I am technically on fucking sick leave. Yet still I'm just a stupid idiot and can't get anything done.

I just loathe myself. I loathe my existence. It feels that my existence is just to be a nuisance to those around me.

I have no plans. I have no deams. I often fall asleep wishing for the sweet release of death, so that this conscious torment may finally come to an end.

I used to feel shame. But nowadays when I'm faced with failure I feel nothing. Inside my head I want to kick and screams. But to the outside world I just seem mildly infuriated.

I'm so lost. Fuck

Hey all!

So I've been struggling with this for the past few months. I feel like I see a lot of discussion around pretty much every other aspect of living with ADHD, but I feel like I don't see a lot of people talking about the feelings I've been going through.

I am 31 now, diagnosed 5 or so years ago. At first, I took the non medication steps - meditation, etc. but eventually went with stimulants, which has been one of the greatest decisions of my life.

However. medication and lifestyle changes can't change brain chemistry. While I've learned coping mechanisms and systems to fortify a healthy, productive lifestyle, that little black hole is always still there, fighting against every effort I make to pursue a normal, functional life.

No matter what I do, how much effort I put in, it always feels like the ADHD is winning. It takes so much effort to feel like I can function on the same level as anyone else. Regular social interactions feel exhausting. My peers work 9-5 jobs without complaints, meanwhile I feel exhausted after working for 2 hours.

I feel that I am doing all that I can to compensate for all of this, through medication and meditation, but the weight of everything recently feels crushing.

I've found myself in a near constant state of anger and irritability. I'm so frustrated about everything my life has become. I'm so frustrated that I describe my problems to my friends, only to be met with "Oh yeah, we all feel that way sometimes".

How do you guys deal with the anger/frustration of living this way without anybody to talk to? I have never been a generally angry person, but I feel so trapped inside of myself that there are a lot of negative emotions bubbling up and affecting the people in my life.

Hello! Recently diagnosed (25M), started on Dexamphetamine 5mg morning + 5mg lunch. Been taking them for 1 week. Things are going great so far but I’m finding that in the afternoon my jaw gets a bit tight and I start clenching my teeth together. (It starts roughly 2 hrs after the lunch dose)

I have a GP appointment in a week and psychiatrist in 3 weeks but in the mean time I was wondering if anyone had the same experience and any advice? Is it the type of medication? Dose related? Will it pass as my body adjusts?

Thanks!!

I tried Vyvanse for 2 days and couldn’t bear it! (Is that how you spell “bear” as in bear it? I just don’t get that one. Ya, I think I have Autism too and don’t understand how that word/phrase, “I can’t bear it” uses the word for that animal) anywayyys, LOL, I couldn’t handle the almost immediate crash from 30mg of Vyvanse and got switched to 10mg of Adderall XR.

I am very hopeful that there is no crash instantly like the other one, and I have at least a few hours of some type of ease of my ADHD symptoms. I have been a complete mess where I go to work and instantly am just highly fatigued, drained, my eyes are drooping, I can’t even make eye contact with people, with obviously still having all my ADHD symptoms present.

But it’s been an hour and 53 minutes since I took it, and I also had a great breakfast right before. I don’t really feel anything at all, yet as far as feeling like I can tackle things, and my concentration. Omg my husband just randomly told me to think about copper head road. Are you kidding me? LOOOOL now I’m gonna have that playing in my freaking head all day and maybe even all night to fight. Man, that reminds me of last night, I could not get that song out of my head which wow I can’t even think of the lyrics now thank flipping heavens, I did not sleep until 3 because it wouldn’t go away. Sorry I can’t offer you the lyrics but maybe later I was remember it and get it in your guys’s head. But I found out last night that it’s called something worm. See, ADHD still here because I can’t even think of a word. Anyways…I will update on what I feel on 10mg of Adderall and has anyone else had a similar experience with Vyvanse, and a good experience with Adderall?