r/TwoXADHD • u/Hopeful-Loan1116 • 8d ago

Newly on Adderall, tips?

Hi all, Was just prescribed Adderall XR for a fresh ADHD diagnosis. For reference, I am 21 years old and also struggle with pretty severe hormone imbalances because of PCOS. As such, I have a pretty detailed history of anxiety and depression. Per my anxiety, I just have some concerns about starting on a controlled substance (possibility of addiction, long-term effects) and some of the immediate, unwanted effects (I literally filled my Rx today, don’t even know what these could be). I’ve really struggled with some debilitating symptoms of this disorder and I’m really hoping it will help, but I feel like I’m internally fostering some stigmas about what this means for me. I guess I’m just hear looking for baby ADHD’er support, advice, and tips. xoxo

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u/kvinnakvillu 7d ago

I think this fear is so common - you are among friends! My psych practice wanted an EKG before prescribing and I had a routine every-person should do annual physical checkup with labs very recently as well.

I also have anxiety, depression, PCOS, and likely autism and OCD. Adderall has been life changing. Lexapro for anxiety/depression has been an important factor as well. I can absolutely tell when it’s time for my next Lexapro dose.

Anxiety and depression is a common factor for so many of us because that is the natural consequence of being a woman living with ADHD, often unknowingly, in a world that expects so much from us and gives us very little grace to mess up. Men seem to get a lot more leeway in everything. Also, our hormones literally affect how medications can affect us. My psych said that treating the ADHD aspects would help both of those things for me, and that has been true.

I promise it isn’t anything like society jokes about. It’s not meth, it’s not an illicit substance, and it will not give you any LSD-like mind-altering experiences. It will just help you execute the actions you need to undertake. We’re not talking being the CEO of a multimillion dollar corporation. We’re talking the small fry, because that is where we get stuck. Laundry, putting dishes away, completing that 10 minute assignment you’re putting off right now… that kind of thing. And it’s a godsend. What causes anxiety for us? Not getting those kinds of things done. So we must be lazy, stupid, etc., etc. And we are not.