u/Vast_Objective_9057

I got caught cheating today in a class test and honestly it forced me to look at my whole life.

I’m at a top institute now but I constantly feel like I don’t belong there. I got in through reservation and because of that I always feel like everyone around me is smarter and more capable than me. I’ve had low grades almost my entire life, probably because of ADHD and being unable to focus consistently.

No matter how much I want to study, I end up distracted, procrastinating or avoiding work until panic hits. Then I make stupid decisions like cheating.

Socially things are not great either. I’ve never really been good at making friends. Most of school I was the kid people made fun of, and now even in college I feel like nobody would ever think “yeah this guy is my close friend.”

I’m not good at sports, academics or socializing and after years of failure it genuinely feels like there’s nothing I’m actually good at. I know this sounds self pitying but I’m being honest.

Has anyone else here felt completely behind everyone else in college and still managed to turn things around? Especially people with ADHD or imposter syndrome?

I recently met my college counselor because I’ve been struggling badly with focus and academics despite being at a very competitive college. I was diagnosed with ADHD earlier, and after hearing everything, he recommended atomoxetine. He also told me there’s a chance medication may not completely solve the issue and said he avoids prescribing methylphenidate because of addiction concerns.

Right now exams are close and I feel mentally stuck. I genuinely want to study, but I can’t stay focused for long and keep getting distracted no matter how stressed I am.

For people who’ve actually taken atomoxetine:

• Did it help you focus better consistently?
• Did your grades or exam performance improve?
• How long did it take to work?
• Did it help with the “I want to study but can’t start” feeling?

Would really appreciate honest experiences, especially from students in high-pressure colleges.

I’m studying at a reputed college, but my GPA is extremely low and there’s a real chance I could get kicked out academically.

Exams are in 10–15 days, but for the last 2–3 days I haven’t been able to focus at all. I sit to study and instantly get distracted or zone out. I was diagnosed with ADHD earlier, but I’m currently not on medication.

The scary part is that I want to study. I’m terrified of failing. But my brain just refuses to cooperate right now.

Has anyone here dealt with this kind of burnout/ADHD paralysis in a competitive college? How did you get through exams without completely collapsing academically?

I started struggling very early in life. I got compartment in English and Hindi in Class 1, then again in Class 2 and Class 3. Those years were miserable for me. My parents were strict and I was never really allowed to explore things I was interested in, like joining a sports academy or pursuing activities outside academics.

Later, in Class 6, I got supplementary again. Somewhere during those years, I was diagnosed with ADHD and dyslexia. At first it felt like a weakness, but eventually I understood that knowing about it was actually a gift because it finally explained why everything felt harder for me than it did for others.

Then lockdown happened, and academics became easier to manage. In Class 10, I failed almost every school exam, but because of my ADHD accommodations I got extra time in boards and ended up scoring 82%. Class 11 went relatively smoothly, and in Class 12 I scored 75%.

Despite everything, I managed to get into an IIM. But now I’m struggling again. I currently have one of the lowest GPAs in the batch, and I’m at the edge of resignation because of continuous low marks.

The hardest part is not even the grades themselves. It’s the feeling that no matter how hard I try, I keep ending up in the same battle again and again.