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Share your story with us
by aCalmOasis
Last post
 4 hours ago
...See more Does anyone feel comfortable sharing their story of getting an ADHD diagnosis? We can learn so much from each other and our experiences. I think it would be helpful for those of us on the fence about getting a diagnosis to hear from someone who has gone through the process. I have read that it can be a costly and lengthy process, what was your experience? How did getting your diagnosis impact your life? What were some of your positive and negative takeaways?
ADHD Automated Taglist!
by tommy
Last post
 October 16th
...See more Welcome to the ADHD Taglist This thread is an auto-updating list. The list is regularly updated by forum leaders and can be found below. Having issues? Reply below and someone will help you! Why should I join the taglist? ✔ Never miss out on sub-community check-ins, discussions or events ✔ Get tagged and notified by community leaders whenever a new relevant thread has been posted ✔ Become a more active member of the community. What do I need to do? ✅ To add yourself to this taglist, press the Post to Thread button below and write the exact words Please add me. ❌ To remove yourself from this taglist, press the Post to Thread button below and write the exact words Please remove me. ------------------------- Current taglist as of 6 April 2024 (updated by @tommy) @Ahmedaraf @AloneGhost @azuladragon34 @blxepxndx @Bndonovan02 @BodaciousTurtle27 @Cullitrel @Dawnie0203 @empathicPresence9091 @galfromaway @GwydionRowan @hitman1789 @iinfinity5299 @Jem7Cups @jetm0t0 @Kittibear @Leahm9703 @Lillypad176 @MangusFruit9796 @MarwaneB @Pickles1989 @redNest4346 @shyCherry6521 @siddharthh @SunShineAlwaysGrateful @SupportiveMitch @ThatChristLover @The1NOnlyVenus @theboymoana @tommy @unassumingPeach6421 @UnconventionalToasterOven
Speaking Impulsively
by cafedaydreams
Last post
 November 6th
...See more Hi ADHDers~ So I've been noticing more just how often I talk without thinking. I know it's most likely due to my adhd processing and acting before thinking, and I feel like I have no control over it, which sucks big time. I recently had a rather embarrassing experience during a conversation with my boyfriend where I blurted out wrong information and he got very confused. He is aware of my adhd and didn't seem bothered by my sheer audacity, but still it made me incredibly upset afterwards because I absolutely HATE the fact that I cannot seem to think things through properly without speaking. I mean this is the type of stuff that could potentially get me fired from work if it was under a different context. So, how does an adhd-er deal? I mean it's not like I can just stop talking altogether. Is there an actual way to slow down our fast brains just a little? Anyone have any tips?  Writing things down before hand you want to say won't work if it's during a spontaneous conversation.  Spry of unrelated but I'm also done with this whole "showing myself self compassion" business during these blunders. What's the point of it if it's just going to continue happening to me again?  Anyway I was just wanting to k ow others experience with this impulsive speaking, and if they've been able to handle it in a way that's constructive and doesn't make them feel like they should just...not talk much at all?
Struggling with ADHD - challenges adapting to new job, meds not helping
by galfromaway
Last post
 October 27th
...See more I was diagnosed a year ago with combined ADHD - I'm now 53. The last year and a half has been challenging, with trying to find meds that work for me (on my 5th try now), dealing with a toxic work environment, then having my role eliminated (along with 7 others the same day) in February of this year  (and husband being laid off a week later), and now trying to adapt to a role I've only been in for four months. I'm really struggling to figure out processes and ways to keep myself organized, and am really feeling like I'm letting people down. My boss knows the ADHD thing - I mentioned the side effects from the meds. Add to that husband's aunt passing away, a good friend facing a cancer diagnosis, and there's really a lot happening. I think I'm starting to reach ADHD burnout - I'm letting tasks at work, at home and in volunteer roles slip, I'm not doing the quality work that I normally do, and my anxiety attacks are getting very serious. Everything is simply overwhelming, and I can't tell if I'm projecting onto my boss and colleagues that they're fed up with me and I'm >< this close to being fired, or what. How do you deal with overwhelm at this level? How do you communicate burnout to volunteer colleagues and work colleagues in a way that it doesn't sound like I'm making excuses? And do I disclose the cause of it all? My boss knows the ADHD thing - I mentioned the side effects from the meds. I'm really struggling and don't know how to handle things right now. I am starting counseling again, but wanted to see if any other adult diagnosed ADHD folks had suggestions.
Spiralling down with ADHD emotional processing
by EowynQ
Last post
 October 2nd
...See more Hi there, Not sure what I'm expecting, support and advice is welcome but I at least need to get this off of my chest so I figured here was as good a place as any. Yesterday I had my biggest autistic/ADHD meltdown in a while and it's been putting me under quite a bit of stress. For context, next year I will be going to a friend's wedding, which will be the first wedding I go to as an adult. Yesterday night I was discussing it with my girlfriend (she'll be coming too) and she mentioned that there was probably going to be a dresscode. I asked my friend and he said that yes, there was going to be a dresscode, the standard “suits for men, dresses for women” (and whichever of the two enbies prefer). Thinking about a dresscode triggered me for several reasons. One, traditions make no sense to me. Two, having me buy clothes for one day in my life feels dumb. Three, you're not getting me to wear something I don't like, if you want to have me then you'll have me as myself, in the clothes that I want. And four, if you're forcing me then you're just not respecting me. Those were my initial thoughts anyway. They're things I never really had to work through (my family doesn't care for traditions and dressing up, and I was rarely forced to wear something I didn't like), and the combo of the different triggers caught me by surprise with how deep they were. I reacted really violently in anger and frustration and I threw all of those feelings at my girlfriend (we're mostly long-distance so it was in *** DMs), essentially saying “yeah *** that, I'm not doing it”. It was too much for her to handle, for one, but dressing up also happens to be important to her and she was looking forward to doing it with me, not only at my friend's wedding but on other occasions too. Seeing me reject the possibility so abruptly was really hurtful to her. Once the feelings calmed down enough, I felt very guilty and I knew I had reacted selfishly and on impulse. I apologised to her profusely, but at that point we were both caught in our own emotional loops (she has ADHD too). We had planned on gaming together last night, but I had nearly no executive function left from working through the intense feelings. I needed reassurance that “it was okay” but I knew she was in no mental place to provide that anyway, especially since I was the one who hurt her in the first place. I didn't feel like I deserved that anyway. I became mostly paralysed and nonverbal and stuck in self-loathing and guilt. As for her, she was angry with what had happened, and she couldn't find a way to talk to me without being angry at me, which she felt would have been unfair and mean. So she ended up being nonverbal too and we just sat at our desks being quiet. What made it worse is that we don't have an easy time finding time together and we were both looking forward to the gaming night. That was ruined by then, which contributed to the sadness even more. Eventually we played a game together for 15 minutes. Felt horrible, we stopped. Then we finally managed to talk it out properly, and for the next few hours we discussed our feelings in-depth. We processed some of our feelings, so eventually I started seeing the interest in dressing up (it's fun, it's a nice thing to do on special occasions for people you care for, it's quite romantic to figure it out with your partner, and there are options to make outfits reusable for other occasions). We started looking into suits for me to wear, and I opened up to the possibility of dressing up with her on occasions. We postponed the gaming night to today. We're fine and I know *** times are part of any relationship. However I feel like neurotypicals would have a much easier time snapping out of emotional spirals like these. I should have taken some time to explore my feelings, and then I could have told her “hmm, I'm not a fan of dressing up, I've never done it but it's an interesting thing to consider”, and from there we could have had a conversation about it. But I was not able to do that because the triggers were sudden, intense, and mostly things I'd never gotten around to confront and explore as an adult before. My brain didn't give me any time to take a step back and be reasonable about it. And the thing is, that doesn't feel right of me to say because it sounds like an excuse (it is one, right?). It does not justify that I threw my feelings at my partner in such a way, I do feel horrible about it and I kept apologising for it. In other words, I was caught between two extremes. * “My brain didn't leave me a choice or time to take a step back, I deserve understanding for that” * “I'm so sorry, I acted so selfishly, I don't deserve any of your understanding, I'll just disappear so you don't have to deal with me for tonight anymore” And I guess my question is, how do you guys deal with that kind of emotional processing where you end up caught in a loop between two extremes? That's evidently not a constructive way to process emotional issues, it's happened to me before and I don't want it to happen again. This is mostly a one-off due to rare, old, and unprocessed triggers I have, it doesn't happen to me often at all anymore and it most likely will remain a rare occurrence. However it's almost the kind of thought process you get from BPD and it's very tricky and exhausting to work out. I could probably use therapy for that, but I was wondering if there were tips and tricks you could tell me about, or stories I could relate to that would help me for next time. And for those of you who like ironic endings, one more word. I ended up figuring out this morning that my friend and I had had a misunderstanding; the wedding ceremony and lunch are restricted to 80 people and all the invitations have already gone out to the families, so there's no room for my partner and I there. We will be welcome at the afterparty though. Which doesn't require dressing up. Thank you for reading me thus far, and long live the neurospices.
Not sure how to go about getting tested
by charlie1510
Last post
 September 25th
...See more Hey I’m Charlie and I’m a teen, relatively new here so not yet sure how this all works. That being said I’ve been struggling for a while now, multiple people including teachers have mentioned that they think I may have adhd but my parents are having none of it. Nobody else in my family has adhd so maybe they’re just don’t know how to deal with it? I’m not sure, but it’s really affecting me and my education. I know that as a minor I probably can’t get myself tested without their consent but I just don’t know how to cope with it. I feel like there’s something wrong with me and cant help but think that maybe if I got tested I would at least know if it’s a medical thing or not, ie if it’s out of my control or if there’s something I can do to fix it. any help would be appreciated xx
ADHD and/or Neurodiverse chat
by IndigoWhisper
Last post
 September 16th
...See more Why do we not have a chat room- seriously.  We need a place to discuss topics and receive the kind of real time support relevant to us.  I know ADHD and schedules are awful but if we have a room - or multiple rooms we can put up topics and otherwise have discussions and support. Ideally - there would be three rooms for lengthy discussion/focus groups.  One for sharing and quick support and one for cheering each other up and being social.  But we could also have one room that rotates. I am willing to be among those who try to focus for discussion and open to ADHD friendly training. Topic List Sample Discussions Cleaning and Organizing with ADHD ADHD and and Employment ADHD and Relationships Women with ADHD Adults with ADHD Parenting a child with ADHD When the parent has ADHD AUADHD- when you have both ADHD and Autism Time Blindness ADHD and Trauma ADHD and emotions Newly Diagnosed ADHD in School Coping Advocacy Motivation Procrastination Chasing Dopamine - Safely Hyperfocus Impulsively Theory  Laughing at ourselves ADHD and Anxiety ADHD and Depression ADHD and imposter syndrome ADHD and Dyspraxia/Developmental Coordination Disorder. Epic level screw ups and moving past them. ADHD and Friendships Mourning the Life you could have had if you'd known sooner ADHD and creativity ADHD, Resiliant, and Determined Neurodiversity in general Older with ADHD This is just a sample list off the top of my head- if we have a room and can pick topics for the day or the week or the hour...
I think I have ADHD, But the Psychiatrists in my country thinks ADHD is only for Children.
by cristina869
Last post
 September 4th
...See more I show most of the symptoms of ADHD. 1. Forget things like keys, wallets, etc 2.Very fidgety when no one's around. 3.I am preparing for the GRE but I can barely focus and hence got a 302 the first time. 4. Felling very sad
ADHD and ADD
by JessHobson
Last post
 June 23rd
...See more Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a condition that affects people's behaviour, and can make it difficult for a person to concentrate. Most people that have ADHD will have symptoms that fall into 2 categories: inattentiveness and hyperactivity; and impulsiveness. However, someone with ADD is likely to only have symtoms that fall into inattentiveness, but not hyperactivity or impulsiveness. ADD is a form of ADHD. Some examples of symptoms relating to inattentiveness: having a short attention span and being easily distracted; making careless mistakes – for example, in schoolwork; appearing forgetful or losing things. Some examples of symptoms relating to hyperactivity and impulsiveness: being unable to sit still, especially in calm or quiet surroundings; constantly fidgeting; being unable to concentrate on tasks. The causes of ADHD and ADD are still relatively unknown, but the condition has been linked to: - Being born prematurely (before the 37th week of pregnancy). - Having a low birthweight. - Smoking or alcohol or drug abuse during pregnancy. Although there's no cure for these conditions, please do be assured that they can be managed with appropriate advice and support for parents and affected children, alongside medicine, if necessary. We're inviting members of our community to share their stories [https://www.7cups.com/forum/SupportPlus_205/AttentionDeficitHyperactivityDisorderSupport_664/ADHDandADDShareYourStory_242788/] as well as ways to cope [https://www.7cups.com/forum/SupportPlus_205/AttentionDeficitHyperactivityDisorderSupport_664/ADHDandADDWaystoCope_242787/].
Overcompensating for having ADHD + setting boundaries at work?
by Lonelyfox2017
Last post
 June 19th
...See more Hi everyone,  I am new in this community. I am in college and doing a placement right now. Everything is going well objectively, but I feel like I'm burning out already after less than a month because I'm not taking enough breaks and when I do take breaks, I feel super guilty and ashamed for needing them because of my ADHD. My supervisor says that I'm doing great and actually need to relax more and pace myself to avoid burnout, but I can't...I feel like I have to work super hard to prove that I am not lazy....especially after being told that i'm lazy my whole life by family and teachers. I am experiencing a lot of stress and doing well at the expense of my physical and mental health....and chugging energy drinks and coffee on top of being on stimulants so that I can maintain focus and do my research and see clients. Everyone things that I'm doing great and that I know what I'm doing, but I feel like I am a childish mess and should not be trusted with so much autonomy and responsibility... Any other ADHD over-achievers here? I already almost messed up a previous placement in my main program (doing post grad now), because I struggled with admitting that I needed help and guidance with some things, and I don't want that to happen again! Any advice on how to set boundaries and ask for help so I don't feel overwhelmed? I feel like I need to prove to them that i'm capable and hard-working, because my ADHD resulted in me quitting jobs in the past and doing poorly. I do better now because what I'm doing is more creative and requires thinking, but inside I'm still struggling with t he usual ADHD stuff: trouble shifting my focus, time blindness, impulsivity, procrastination, distraction, emotional regulation, etc...but I don't want to admit to my supervisor that I'm struggling....
Productivity Advice and ADHD
by Lonelyfox2017
Last post
 June 12th
...See more After a lifetime of struggling with my ADHD, I ended up figuring out that a lot of productivity advice for neurotypical people doesn't apply to those of us with ADHD and I was wondering if anyone has anything that has worked for them or what hasn't really worked... For me, that whole "swallow the frog first thing in the morning", where you try to do the hardest task first just doesn't work....because my dopamine is low and being I usually struggle with sleep the night before so I'm not well rested. What works for me is having a checklist and checking off a few simple tasks before I start working on anything major. At work, it might look like checking e-mails and replying to a few first thing in the morning, writing down what has to be done during the day, and any tiny tasks that will set me up for success for the rest of the day. When writing an essay, it helps me to do mind-maps and write whatever I already know about the topic or any questions I have, which gives me a framework for how to approach researching the topic...and when I sit down to write, I create a title page and an outline first, and then it's almost like filling in the blanks....so I'm never starring at a white page and feeling overwhelmed. I also find it useful to highlight key terms and ideas, or cut and paste into a separate document if it's possible.....also creating cue cards for studying helps so much because it turns it into a trivia game...and you can even reward yourself with aa snack once you get a certain number right. In general, turning studying and work into a game can be very helpful. Some ADHD advice that I haven't found useful but other people might find useful: 1. Using fidgets while listening to lectures 2. Body doubling: working alongside someone else who's also quietly working on their project I hope these ideas help someone with work or school....and I might  have more if people want to hear them! What has helped you with productivity and what hasn't?
don't have anybody else to talk about my recent diagnosis
by forcefulTortoise3799
Last post
 June 7th
...See more I just recently got diagnosed with ADHD. It makes a lot of sense and I'm not sure how I've never realized it before. I struggle a lot with focusing on things, it's very discouraging because I know I'm not academically dumb. My grades in school have never looked this bad, it's not like I'm dumb, it's just so hard to focus on a lesson and finish it the day it's due. I'm using this as an outlet because my friends wouldn't relate to my struggles and I feel as if I'm really annoying to them already.  I've also gotten prescribed to an enhanced cognition medication, I think it's helping but I really don't like the side effects. I skipped taking them today because yesterday while I was driving my body just felt so awful and it was hard to breathe, so I'm gonna see how my body reacts today without the meds. 
Recommendations?
by sympatheticMango3848
Last post
 May 30th
...See more Anyone have recommendations for apps or anything that help with ADHD? Particularly body doubling 
Friends?
by Pansexua1
Last post
 May 9th
...See more I feel like alot of people dont understand what adhd is, I need a friend who can relate to this so we can support eachother, Do you feel the same? People who dont have adhd saying "Just focus" or "this is an easy task" to even saying "you speak too fast" or "You always talk alot" even having parents say "Adhd is nothing, Your baby sister has autism, now that is a real thing" that hurt alot... I need someone to validate me, like how i validate others. 

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