It would be great to hear peoples lived experience of ADHD whether formally diagnosed or not. What is it like for you?
What are peoples experiences and general thoughts around ADHD medication? I'm hoping to open up a place of discussion but more importantly learning and understanding.
Top comments (5)
Hiya Jayne, I was diagnosed at 19 after university staff in my small department noticed me struggling. I went through the student support department and everyone was kind and empathic through the entire process.
At the time, options for medication were limited and not considered to be suitable, so I got a support worker and we muddled through.
I eventually found enough ways to cope that I've never explored medication, even as new options entered the market.
I have an anti-capitalist critique of the idea that I could be somehow "more" than I am, if only I wasn't neurodivergent. (I guess not having the options for medication put me in a position where I needed to look at my situation differently. Letting go of expectations to achieve or acquire certain things really helped with finding balance. It's not easy, and I go through periods that are really tough, but I don't expect that having a different brain would change the world we live in anyway.)
I enjoy my life and I value the priorities I've chosen to build it around. I'm content with being imperfect and I'm grateful every day to have people who love me in spite of my constant chaos and shortcomings. I'm sure I'd make some exciting discoveries, as with all new experiences, but I honestly don't really care if I could suddenly become a superhero on Vyvanse.
Hope this helps! Happy to discuss this further if you want to.
It's lovely to read your story Ella, I found the bit about you letting go of expectations really powerful and also being content with who you are now. :-)
Being neurotypical - I learn from people with ADHD who get to a place of contentment after so much struggle trying to meet the external 'conditionals' you mentioned, the external and internal judgement around 'shoulds' - like the inner contentment can only come after the turbulence and struggle. Square peg in a round hole comes to mind - I join them in feeling frustrated and angry about the rigid neurotypical systems in our world.
Your story is inspirational to read - thank you.
I love this Ella 🌞
Thanks Lee. I've calmed down a lot since moving in with Mr Zen about 6 years ago (and not just because he clears up my trail of destruction), but I used to be so chaotic that my former roommate nicknamed me Wildfire 😅
What absolutely crushes my self-confidence and motivation most days is what I call "all the conditionals". You know, the "in order to do Z I need to do Y, but in order to do Y I need to do X, but in order to do X I need to do W..." etc? I usually react to it in one of 2 ways: either start a whole bunch of things and hope blindly that they'll connect up with each other somewhere, or start nothing at all and spend my entire day just tab-hopping between the various web apps I have open in my browser, unable to figure out where to start. Suffice to say, I have more success with the first strategy, if only because you miss 100% of the shots you don't take.
I didn’t realise binge eating disorder was so closely related to ADHD
Lisdexamfetamine, sold under the brand name Vyvanse among others, is a stimulant medication that is mainly used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in people over the age of five as well as moderate-to-severe binge eating disorder in adults. Lisdexamfetamine is taken by mouth. Its effects generally begin within 2 hours and last for up to 14 hours. In the United Kingdom, it is usually less preferred than methylphenidate for the treatment of children.