HI ,diagnosed 2 months ago 41 year old male – struggling
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HI
I was diagnosed with ADD 2 months ago and have started ritalin since then – as well as clonazepam for anxiety and citelopram for mild depression. I was in a very bad place a few months ago and was recommended a new doctor who picked up on my add straight away – however i am finding it very hard for the past month still to focus and handle my emotions / anxiety etc as i guess i have 40 years of this learnt behaviour and muscle memory to contend with.
I an finding it very overwhelming to research ADD and strategies on the net- can any of you share what has worked for you when first diagnosed- i still feel like i am not able to function and fear i may have other underlying mental health issues.thank you
jamie
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2 months is not a long time. Hopefully, your doctor is monitoring your dosage and you two are experimenting to find the right dose (there is no way of determining this without trial and error).
Yes, you hear those stories of someone turning their symptoms around the first day on medication, but those are sensationalized and rare. The truth is, it could take years to find to right treatment (although probably much less). The key is to keep trying, and not dig your heels into something that isn’t really working (hyper-focus).
I’m 46, started meds 4 or 5 months ago, and am still trying to find the right dose. Also, I’m still working on the non-meds portion of treatment. I find reading articles on this site as well as a few books I’ve picked up give me hope — but I have yet to settle into what feels like an effective treatment plan.
I recommend books by Dr. Russell A. Barkley, as well as this site for learning about various treatment options and strategies.
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It sounds like your doctor is treating anxiety and depression but not the ADHD? Hopefully that will be added soon — it can help tremendously. CBT therapy can also help.
Here’s a great after-diagnosis guide:
Penny
ADDitude Community Moderator, Parenting ADHD Trainer & Author, Mom to teen w/ ADHD, LDs, and autism -
Jamie:
Hi there. I was diagnosed with adult ADD (primarily inattentive) over 10 years ago now. It took me quite a while to understand myself, what has happened, and yes, what meds to use. At first, it was Ritalin – the regular 4 hour version. I used that for a while, noticed some difference, then for reasons not totally clear I stopped. I think I simply got used to taking it and didn’t think it was providing a huge difference. Some time went by (years, actually) and I found myself at a technical job that was demanding. I went back to the doctor and they now recommend a slow release version of ritalin. Tried it, but did not feel it was helping. On an intuition one day I was struggling at work, I took an old 4 hour version of Ritalin. Boom. Half an hour later I realized I was doing well and recognized the brain fog had lifted. Now, I have the regular Ritalin with me and I take it as I feel I need it.
Daily things that help me: 1. I try to always put my car keys on the table by the door the minute I walk in. When this finally becomes a habit, my car keys don’t end up in the refrigerator as much. 2. I try to put every appointment, errand, shopping list, contact information, etc in my cell phone as soon as I get it. I also warn folk that unless they see me enter it in my cell phone, I am not guaranteeing to remember.
Point is that it took me a long while to learn about ADHD, how it effected me, how to recognize when I needed help, and when I didn’t. Give yourself time and try to be patient. Learn about the strengths of ADHD as well as the possible pitfalls. I read a quote from a fellow ADHD individual and I quote it:
“It (ADHD) is just like shooting with a gun at a fair. If you know the inaccuracy of your gun, it is possible to hit your targets.”
Sorry, I don’t know where I originally got it from.Liefe
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Also, deep breaths. I started using simple habit- 5 minute min fulness meditation sessions. Just focusing on my breathing helps deal with the stress and slow my thoughts.
If you’ve ever seen “what about bob,” just remember, it’s all about the baby steps. 🙂 don’t miss out on your little daily successes because it feels like there is SO much to tackle and change. Just focus on one habit per week, or even per month. Whatever you feel you need to work on the most. Small, manageable goals, like work out at least 10 minutes a day, or plan your time for 5 minutes per day. You can do it! Just take it slow, and find friends and family to cheer you on your journey. 🙂 Best of luck! -
Hi jwoolright, welcome to the tribe!
There are a lot of great books full of add info and help. I can’t sit still long enough to read them, but if you’re looking for research, I’d recommend audio books. I just finished this one last week by listening to it on my way to work. In 15 minute chunks, it wasn’t too much to focus on. Plus it made my drive less boring. Best of luck!
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Hi , diagnosed in October 2017 . I’m a 47 year old man from London. Now I learned about adhd I’m finding it hard to believe I’ve sort of “ slipped through the net “? Until the age of 46 !?
I’ve had a very hard time last few years and have come to the conclusion, I can talk to as many therapists , physiologists, doctors, family , friends as I like …if they haven’t got an adhd brain …they don’t get me !.? .
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