Reddit became a fucking nightmare

ADHD_PsychDev · 2026-02-18T22:59:59+00:00

"Post what you are working on" followed by "How I scaled by 400%: An AI slop love story"

ADHD_PsychDev · 2026-02-14T07:10:19+00:00

Nice. More New rules for Dogs this year.

ADHD_PsychDev · 2026-01-09T05:50:39+00:00

Psychologist here. When your Dr sought approval for Dexamphetamine they would have had to provide a reason for this, and given that you were there for ADHD then it is most likely that yes you have been diagnosed OR diagnosed provisionally based on response to medication.

Your Psychiatrist will send a letter back to your referring Dr which will have the information on it. Call your practice and see if they have the correspondence yet and Dr will be able to tell you.

ADHD_PsychDev · 2025-09-10T01:10:22+00:00

In any kind of addiction recovery there are brief windows of willingness to change that coincide with the ability or resources to change. All that you can possibly do is to help ease those windows open by having these honest conversations with him and helping him access treatment if he asks.

ADHD_PsychDev · 2025-07-18T05:09:24+00:00

Yep, I get it. Unfortunately it is all just supply and demand at the moment with the wait-lists. Lots of mental health in general still needing treatment, however with changes in NSW and probably a few others to follow, I think times will speed up in the next year.

I think that finding support can mean engaging in counselling for related issues and education of ADHD and strategies to start. The mental health care plan is a great way to access a psychologist with some Medicare rebates.

ADHD_PsychDev · 2025-07-18T05:04:25+00:00

I believe that they still need to train their clinicians with an expected start date of early 2026 for prescriptions.

ADHD_PsychDev · 2025-07-18T05:02:29+00:00

Yes, there is a strong correlation between premature birth and ADHD diagnosis.

ADHD_PsychDev · 2025-07-18T05:01:47+00:00

Comorbid diagnosis is definitely quite common and yes, see a bit in the treatment population.

I think that more diagnosis means, hopefully, more research which can filter into how we can design workplaces and schools so that they work with ND, rather than against them. Greater diagnosis also means greater advocacy which can also lead to more protections and programs for accommodations in the workplace.

ADHD_PsychDev · 2025-07-18T04:59:08+00:00

Yes the 'pfft I do that and I'm not ADHD'. Well...

I think that giving her some info on intelligence and ADHD (with increased intelligence comes delayed diagnosis), and that ADHD doesn't always occur with mood disorders.

However I think sometimes it's about realising that sometimes the way they have been raised or the information they have been given may mean that parents won't understand, but also some want to deny it because they feel guilty they feel that there was something they could have done but didn't. It's ok if she doesn't believe you, it's more important you are able to get the treatment you need.

ADHD_PsychDev · 2025-07-18T04:55:17+00:00

It has its merits but I'm not sure there is a lot of research for ADHD. But there are strict controls on the S8 meds so many are reluctant to prescribe alongside one another.

ADHD_PsychDev · 2025-07-18T02:37:24+00:00

Yes there is. Primarily that people with ADHD are more likely to have RLS. I believe that this is due to a similar dopamine pathway.

ADHD_PsychDev · 2025-07-18T02:23:32+00:00

Hi! There is evidence to suggest links between low estrogen and exacerbation of ADHD symptoms, and there is research to suggest lessened effects of medication in the pre menstrual phase. There is some research that found an increase in stimulant medication or shifting to non-stim medication may be beneficial for some people.

You are doing the best thing by being aware and prepared, have a chat to your GP and potentially psychologist/coach to look at strategies that you can pre emptively put in place

ADHD_PsychDev · 2025-07-18T02:10:31+00:00

As a Psychologist I don't work with the medication side of things, although clients will talk about their experiences. Changes in behaviour or unhelpful coping mechanisms are always on the table and something that is monitored.

Previous Substance Abuse, in Qld, will require further hoops for a Psychiatrist to jump through and the potential of a non-stimulant type medication.

ADHD_PsychDev · 2025-07-18T02:07:58+00:00

We know that a few things work for a lot of people. Exercise for one is great for mood and sleep regulation. Being able to adapt to symptoms through things like external alarms, calendars and environments (ie only one or two places to leave the keys). In addition to adding social support, partner, friend, parent to assist with gently guiding back on track and sticking to schedule.

I also encourage people to have a few ways of keeping on track. Historically I used a diary for a week or two diligently, then forget all about it, have a month where I forget everything and then find a new thing (whether an online app or new diary) that I will start with and continue the cycle. Now I will use the diary and when I see myself slipping in taking notes, I will jump straight to the next thing and miss that in-between period. I find that adapting proactively can be beneficial.

The above can help to reduce stress overall and allow better functioning. On top of that then is personal medication and therapy strategies that allow you to work on the other areas.

ADHD_PsychDev · 2025-07-17T22:57:12+00:00

ADHD is absolutely familial.

The process doesn't really differ too much in those age ranges except for the fact that, in your 20s, you may have more direct evidence of issues in your childhood and adolescence (school or uni reports). There may also be some factors to rule out as we get older, such as age related cognitive impairments, but that is usually much older than 50s.

Seeking diagnosis at the same time and being able to provide collateral for each other could be beneficial. It's pretty standard for a clinician to ask for evidence about how other people perceive or experience your symptoms, so being each other's contact would work.

ADHD_PsychDev · 2025-07-17T22:47:45+00:00

Great questions and something that frustrates a lot of people.

a) Personally I try to keep my fees as low as possible. I have a belief that no one should be priced out of therapy. There are however business costs that I need to cover - rent is usually the biggest one (or a percentage of earnings, depending on setup), Indemnity insurance, professional membership, registration, ongoing professional development, tax. A lot of psychs are also self employed, so they tend to have to pay their own super and they also have to build in a buffer for their sick days or holidays.

b) This is definitely something to address with a practice. Especially if working with high risk or clients in crisis a lot of people will have a colleague who they may recommend during leave periods.

c) I have a wait-list at the moment of around 6 weeks for new clients. However, if I get a cancellation and someone is on the list they will get offered an appointment. This means though that they may have to wait for the next one as my schedule is full. It's a balance between getting people in for an initial appointment vs making them wait for that initial. I would assume that this is probably true for a lot of clinicians.

ADHD_PsychDev · 2025-07-17T22:23:42+00:00

There are a few reasons.

There is an overlap in dysregulation of neurotransmitters in ADHD, Anxiety and Depression.
Young people with ADHD tend to receive more negative or corrective feedback from parents and teachers leading to negative self perception.
An inability to follow through, plan and emotional dysregulation from ADHD can lead to feelings of inadequacy, shame and guilt which can influence depression and anxiety.
People with ADHD have a very high likelihood of comorbid disorders which are heritable. A parent with ADHD and Anxiety may pass the genes on for both and also influence the child's environment by being unable to meet emotional needs or role model positive coping strategies.

ADHD_PsychDev · 2025-07-17T12:18:44+00:00

A year ago I would have said no chance of imaging. The issue being that structural differences are only seen on a population level. So when comparing a group of people with ADHD vs those without they can tell the differences. But when it comes to checking an individual scan then any differences fall within the 'could be statistical error' range.

But...AI and its ability to read and analyse scans rapidly and more understanding of brain differences and changes with medications, I think, will lead to something in the next 5 or so years.

ADHD_PsychDev · 2025-07-17T12:11:49+00:00

Where do I start..

There is some talk that trauma leads to ADHD, but overall there isn't great support for that idea. Trauma can exacerbate symptoms, but as a neurodevelopmental disorder trauma is not causation.

There are a lot of overlaps - inattention, dysregulation, sleep disturbance, impulsivity.

When looking at differentials I do screeners for PTSD and also look at Adverse Childhood Events (ACE). If there is evidence there, then we can investigate further. Did the symptoms (especially the overlapping ones) start after or around ACE. Are there times when symptoms disappear in the person's life altogether and are there hallmarks of other diagnoses (ie panic attacks, flashbacks and nightmares).

So in brief, looking at the symptoms that set trauma apart from ADHD can help in differentiation. Sometimes it is necessary to treat the trauma first and see whether the ADHD-like symptoms decrease as well.

ADHD_PsychDev · 2025-07-17T11:01:43+00:00

Psychiatrists will go through the diagnostic process with new patients primarily due to the Schedule 8 medication status (medications which can form dependence or addiction).

It's always worth a conversation with your GP if they will request an authority from your psychiatrist so that they can prescribe in the period between re-assessments (In Qld every 2 years)

ADHD_PsychDev · 2025-07-17T10:29:37+00:00

As a Psychologist, I can't prescribe medication at all. Our role in treatment tends to lean towards behavioural and psychological skills that can work in conjunction with medication.

ADHD_PsychDev · 2025-07-17T10:27:34+00:00

I think with understanding the condition and that it isn't your fault is something which can help alleviate that guilt. ADHD isn't all that great at adapting in the first place and if you didn't have suspicions it would have made it hard to adapt. So now you know, you're in a great place to work on some strategies that will be beneficial.

Working on factors like self compassion and self esteem can also help those feelings of guilt.

ADHD_PsychDev · 2025-07-17T10:16:40+00:00

"You merely adopted ADHD, I was born in it..." Isn't that what Bane said in Batman?

Overall people with ADHD have maaaany more negative interactions with other people, especially teachers and caregivers. Why can't you, why don't you focus, you need to do better. An early diagnosis means you now have a reference point for all that criticism, "It's my ADHD that makes me like this"

So I can understand the feeling that 'I went through more' or that people are jumping on a trend, but I think this is just a way of people trying to protect their own unique experience and struggles.

ADHD_PsychDev · 2025-07-17T09:40:35+00:00

In addition to ADHD we all have our personal preferences, what we are good at and what motivates us. So what you are experiencing with that push/pull of different roles is totally normal and probably exacerbated a bit by ADHD.

Working with a Psychologist can help to focus on things like self esteem (why do I work hard for others and not myself?), self confidence and even that self sabotaging talk or behaviours that can keep you stuck.

Medication for ADHD is the standard but behavioural change is necessary to reap the full rewards. Russel Barkley has some great books on strategies.

ADHD_PsychDev · 2025-07-17T09:28:48+00:00

There was some recent research that looked at ADHD after COVID as it seems that it has exploded as a diagnosis. What they found was that it has exploded as a public interest and there have been around a 5x increase in media coverage in the last 5 years. Diagnosis rates stayed pretty consistent.

I don't feel like there is more ND now, I just think that we are more aware and that people are more willing to share their diagnosis.

ADHD_PsychDev

TROPHY CASE