I was diagnosed with ADHD three years ago, and it seems to be getting worse as I age. I experimented with medication when I was diagnosed, but I found it to have made things worse. Since I got off the meds, my thought process has not been as constructive as it used to be. So I'm curious: How does one cope with tasks requiring attention to detail without meds? I also need help not interrupting people while they speak in meetings and presenting - any tips would be much appreciated!
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I hear where you are, and I know how hard it is. For me, TO DO lists help -- and I absolutely could not survive without Google Calendar. Big projects are really hard for me, and my best strategy to date has been setting aside an hour or two to dig in and then stop that project when I start to drift. I'll take a break and then dig into a different project. Along the way, I take screen shots of online research and make notes in a dedicated Word file (for that project). The screenshots and super-editable notes in my Dropbox allow me to stop research without losing progress and to preserve my ideas and research along the way. So long as I get started early enough, this works for me. In other words, I try to take advantage of my natural skills: (1) picking a topic and diving in -- and down multiple rabbit holes -- and (2) need to jump from project to project. Again, this is the best solution I have found so far. Actually, regarding medicine: I know that it is what helps keep me in the game. Years ago, I tried switching medicine (from Ritalin to Adderall), and the results were disastrous. A good friend of mine went through the same thing in reverse -- Adderall worked well for her while Ritalin was awful. All this is to say: there might be medicine that would be great for you. If I had tried Adderall first, I doubt I would have been willing to try another need -- but it is possible that someone would work for you. Take care, and please know that you're not alone. ADD/ADHD makes us unique. It can be a curse and a gift at the same time.
Listening to classical music with ear buds helps me block out the world when I need to focus.
Treating ADHD is a recipe, and it will be uniquely you. I have an anxiety rider, and I have a high stress job. So, mine will be treated way different than yours will be. My grandchildren are being treated completely different. You will have to be frank will the doctor and yourself. I am having to relearn to “I can’t do that” and “I am not going to do” because I will go down rabbit holes if I get into this project or process.
I play Tim Janis on YouTube all day in my office. It helps all of us to focus. I'm a title reading teacher, and the students usually feel calmer, too. I also leave the fluorescent lights off in favor of alternative lighting. But quiet ambient music in the background is really helpful. Good luck 🍀
I do what I call splitting focus. I work from home so there is no one to help me stay focused. I have found that having some kind of spoken word (not music but podcasts or TV shows ) in an ear bud on one year and a pad to doodle on next to my computer or a fidget of some kind and using it when I start to feel my mind wonder keeps me focused. I listen to the spoken word all day so it tricks my brain into thinking there is someone there and works like body doubling. And then the mind break to doodle for 2 to 5 min when I'm slipping helps me re focus.
I was diagnosed at 52 in 2022. I started seeing a therapist in April 2022 and continuing the therapy. It took a couple tries with meds. The one we found that’s great for me is Vyvanse. It has leveled me. Now i also found consuming a lot of sugar, and caffiene is a no no for me. This is where making it worse comes to play. I also realized I needed to eat when I take my meds. I do a lot of research and looked for suppliments to help with sleep.
1) sticking to a keto consistent meal plan 2) routine 3) writing to do lists daily 4) Rhodiola These little things make it or break it for me.
I find the 1st the hardest!
if you can I attend cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and so far it has been very helpful in that it rips apart areas I struggle with and breaks them down so I can work through things I struggle with!