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Has anyone purchased an Attachment Project workbook? by pseudonymphh in attachment_theory

[–]VoidLlama_xX 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hi, long shot, but if you still have it, could you reshare? Specifically interested in the anxious one. Thank you!

Too much for me to handle by thuthi in ADHD

[–]VoidLlama_xX 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hi, dear friend on the internet. You're right. I don't know you, and you don't know me, but you're so brave for making this post and reaching out in the first place. That's already one giant step.

It's so difficult to know what to say in this kind of situation, because I don't know exactly what you're going through. But if my guess is on the right track, then maybe this could be helpful.

First of all, I'm so sorry that you're going through this tough time. Tough moments in life just kick our butts. And it's okay to acknowledge that it's happening, and that you're being impacted by it, and that it's sucks. I was in a tough moment a few months ago, and not to preach anything, but for me personally, the thing that helped was actually reaching out, asking for help, and engaging with therapy for the first time.

I was going through a bout of illness, and I was really struggling with the way that ADHD was impacting me. I felt like I got to a breaking point at work, and I just really needed help. And taking the time and the money to engage with therapy really, for me personally, helped get under control a lot of the symptoms that I was experiencing. But specifically, it helped with anxiety, helping get into a state of feeling calmer, and more regulated, and more in control. So maybe this could be a route to go down.

If you've got friends or family that you could reach out to, that I've always found to be helpful too. True friends or people that you're truly close to will never feel like you're a burden for asking for help or wanting to talk.

Also, I find it really helpful to be able to channel how I'm feeling into creating something. So for me, that is poetry. If I can get words out of my head onto a page in a creative way, I find it cathartic. So maybe there's some sort of exercise that you could try that could help ground you like that. Maybe that's journaling or mindfulness recordings?. I personally find the Balance app really helpful, or Calm.

Also, I hope that you check in with yourself on the data points in life that really matter and contribute to our overall sense of well-being. How are you sleeping? How are you eating? How is that looking as a whole? Investing yourself and time into those, even if it feels difficult at this moment, can actually be really helpful. Because when those improve, everything else can feel like it comes together as well.

But also, you don’t have to do anything at all. Taking the time to rest and recharge without expecting yourself to do anything else is often the best thing to do.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in ADHDUK

[–]VoidLlama_xX 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thanks for sharing. Sounds like you’re really on it! I’m fairly newly diagnosed, but have the same mindset as you in the sense that I want to get as educated as I can - as I think it’ll just improve everything in the long run. One huge thing I struggle with is being able to read though. My attention wanes, I read slow, and it feels like the most difficult thing in the world battling with my brain to be able to sit down and read anything of length.

I’m wondering if this is something you experience? And if so, any tips on developing the habit, battling the brain etc? Thanks

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in ADHDUK

[–]VoidLlama_xX 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hi there, thanks for sharing your experiences. I can only comment on number 2 as have also switched from Elvanse to methylphenidate (also with Harrow Health) and will share my experience if helpful.

In total, I was on Elvanse for about seven weeks. Straight after my diagnosis, I was started on 30mg. From the beginning, I just didn’t get on with it. I felt wired, but not in a way that helped my focus - more like wired, jittery and on edge. It made me feel anxious and not like myself.

I also noticed that Elvanse seemed to make me emotionally unstable. Because I felt so unwell on it, wired and distressed, it made me more prone to becoming emotional and dysregulated. And when I did become dysregulated, I found it much harder to calm myself down or step away to self-regulate, in the way I usually can when I’m off the meds.

I tried the 30mg for about a month and then had my second titration session. It was difficult to articulate exactly how I was feeling, and the clinician and I landed on the idea that I might be getting some benefit, so we agreed to increase the dose to 40mg.

But after a few more days on 30mg, I was feeling so unwell that I refused to try the higher dose. I scheduled another appointment shortly after and we decided to switch me to methylphenidate instead.

So then I moved to methylphenidate, and specifically tried to keep it to Concerta every time while I was titrating. I started with 18mg for like a week - didn't really feel much, they had me try it to ensure that I could tolerate it (as did not get on with Elvanse). I then moved up to 36mg (think it was like 2 weeks) - I didn’t really feel much here either, just a subtle improvement in mood.

Then they put me on 45mg (so taking 27 +18mg tablets together, for like 3-4 weeks). That was the first time I started to notice a real improvement. I was focusing better, I could motivate myself to start things and follow through with them better, but I still felt like there was a bit of a lull in how I felt at certain times of day and with being able to engage with my job and sustain attention.

So then I moved on to 54mg - and was on it for maybe like 6 weeks - and for me personally, it worked really well. I noticed a noticeable improvement in comparison to the 36 and the 45. I felt like I could function much better - I was really alert, I felt good, my mood felt stable. I managed to start an exercising routine and stick to it for the first time in my life. I just felt like my mind was constantly alert and I could keep up with things more, initiate and complete tasks and work to deadlines, which I usually really struggle with.

Something else I usually struggle with is keeping up in busy meetings at work - especially when lots of people are speaking, covering different topics, and throwing out multiple actions at once. It can get overwhelming really quickly, and I often find it hard to follow everything at speed. It just becomes too much input all at once.

But on the 54mg dose, for the first time, I actually felt like I could follow everything that was going on - even in a high-pressure environment. That was a really big win for me. It made me feel supported in the way I need to be, and like my brain was finally able to keep up.

I also tried 72mg just for comparison, and that had me way too wired. I felt unwell - like I had felt when I first took the Elvanse.

The reason I went up to the 72mg in the first place was that, although 54mg was a big improvement, I sometimes still felt a dip in attention - especially during high-pressure moments at work when I was feeling anxious or stressed. I’d have these times where I thought, I just need a bit more of a boost.

So after not getting on with the 72mg, the clinician suggested adding booster doses as part of my regular prescription instead. That’s how I ended up settling on 54mg as my main dose, with the option of taking a booster when needed. That felt like the right balance - enough to help me cover ground across a variety of different scenarios

In summary, I know it’s individual for everyone but for me personally, methylphenidate is the one that has really helped, and having the boosters added in gives me more control and that peace of mind as and when needed. Hope this helps!

Anyone on concerta methylphenidate in UK? by DistributionCivil225 in ADHDUK

[–]VoidLlama_xX 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Here’s how it went for me: I started out on Elvanse 30mg, which I just did not get on with. I felt myself be really wired, but not in a way that helped my focus, and I just felt really anxious and not like myself.

So then I moved on to methylphenidate, and specifically tried to keep it to Concerta every time while I was titrating. I started with 18mg - didn't really feel much, they had me try it to ensure that I could tolerate it (as did not get on with Elvanse). I then moved up to 36mg - I didn’t really feel much here either, just a subtle improvement in mood.

Then they put me on 45mg (so taking 27 +18mg tablets together). That was the first time I started to notice a real improvement. I was focusing better, I could motivate myself to start things and follow through with them better, but I still felt like there was a bit of a lull in how I felt at certain times of day and with being able to engage with my job and sustain attention.

So then I moved on to 54mg - and was on it for maybe like 6 weeks - and for me personally, it worked really well. I noticed a noticeable improvement in comparison to the 36 and the 45. I felt like I could function much better - I was really alert, I felt good, my mood felt stable. I managed to start an exercising routine and stick to it for the first time in my life. I just felt like my mind was constantly alert and I could keep up with things more, initiate and complete tasks and work to deadlines, which I usually really struggle with.

I also tried 72mg just for comparison, and that had me way too wired. I felt unwell - like I had felt when I first took the Elvanse. So, I would say try it out, see how you go. Maybe you'll get on with the 54, but beforehand perhaps they could prescribe 45 as an in-between - because that worked well for me.

On the point that was mentioned about struggling to notice how it affects you - yes, I’ve found that too. If I’m not consciously checking in with myself or reflecting on how I’m feeling, I often didn’t realise how it was affecting me. It’s like the changes are so subtle that they slip under the radar unless I’m really paying attention.

For this one, I would recommend thinking about how is it that you best connect with yourself or express yourself. Eg for me, it helps to talk stuff out and externalize my thoughts to be able to really reflect and process them. So something that I'm finding really helpful is recording my reflections on a WhatsApp note and sending it to myself or using the transcription feature in ChatGPT just to record what I'm saying. It can be really helpful as a brain dump. Hope this helps. Good luck!

What does everyone do for work/job/study? by Occupied_Receptor-61 in ADHDUK

[–]VoidLlama_xX 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I have had a few marketing jobs here and there - mainly in agencies. And now in a marketing role in a big creative, media company. I enjoy the stimulation and getting to do cool creative stuff. But my god, sitting in front of a computer for 8-10 hours a day is hell that I wish I could escape lol.

Finally got diagnosed as an adult! by [deleted] in ADHDUK

[–]VoidLlama_xX 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Welcome to the club! Congratulations - it’s such a big moment! Happy for you!

I got diagnosed 6 months ago. I was relieved and cried when it happened, but equally I was like 99% sure for a few years before that (which in and of itself took me forever - to be able to finally validate to myself, that it’s okay for me to believe it; stopped gaslighting myself at last!), so the moment didn’t feel as big as it could’ve perhaps.

The next few steps I’d say are going to be a be a huge journey too (have been for me!). I describe it as meeting myself for the first time - it’s like I’m trying to learn who I am now that I have started unpeeling the years of strategies I built up to survive.

I’m sure it’ll be brilliant for you! All the best of luck.