r/adhd_anxiety

I’ve been wrestling with something and wanted to hear from other Christians.

I have pretty bad ADHD. It affects my focus, motivation, impulse control, and honestly just basic daily life sometimes. So medication is something I’ve thought about, but I feel conflicted.

Part of me wonders if taking ADHD meds is just using medicine responsibly. But another part of me worries about the spiritual side of it. The Bible talks about sorcery, and I’ve heard people connect that word to “pharmakia.” I know that doesn’t automatically mean every medication is evil, but it still makes me think.

We live in a world where so much is built around dopamine, distraction, media, pills, quick fixes, and escaping discomfort. I don’t want to just numb myself or depend on something instead of depending on God.

Verses that come to mind are:

“Everything is permissible for me, but I will not be mastered by anything.” 1 Corinthians 6:12

“Be sober-minded; be watchful.” 1 Peter 5:8

“Test everything; hold fast what is good.” 1 Thessalonians 5:21

At the same time, I know the Bible doesn’t seem to condemn all medicine. Paul told Timothy to take a little wine for his stomach, and Jesus said the sick need a physician. So I’m not trying to say all medication is bad.

I guess my question is: where is the line?

If ADHD meds help someone function, focus, work, and control impulses, is that just being responsible with the body and mind God gave them? Or can it become a spiritual problem if it turns into dependence, avoidance, or replacing God with a pill?

I’m not trying to judge anyone who takes medication. I’m genuinely trying to figure this out and think about it biblically. I want to be sober-minded, disciplined, and close to God, but I also don’t want to ignore a real problem if help exists.

Would appreciate thoughts, especially from Christians who have dealt with ADHD or meds themselves.

I dont know if this an anxious thing or ADHD thing or other thing but oh my goddd it's so hard to talk to people while unmedicated.

A conversation is SO difficult to get through. I'll be talking to the person, or they're talking, and I'm listening, trying to listen, and I start thinking about SO much during the moment, some related to the conversation, some not, and I dont know why.

I think an inner dialogue like.. "am I making enough eye contact? Are they making eye contact? what does that say about me or them based on how much eye contact we're having? am I looking at the right spot, which eye am I supposed to watch?? Are they taking me seriously when I look at them in the eyes? Wow they have cool eye color I wish I had that color mine are so boring.. oh they said something that reminds me of something else I need to remember to tell them that thing in a moment since I shouldn't interrupt that's rude, people dont like it when they cut you off so I'll cross my fingers subtly so I can remember that I did that to remind myself of the thing I want to tell them that relates to this story, just so I dont cut them off...

i remember my parent snapping at me a few months ago telling me I always cut people off when I was just trying to finish their sentence because they seemed to struggle to find the word-do people think that's rude all the time? am I always rude like that? oh shit wait i need to listen to this person oh fuck what did they say just now I think I missed it should I ask them to repeat it or should I just nod right now and smile? is that the right emotional response? crap they're going to notice I wasn't listening, should I ask them to repeat it? they will think I wasnt listening and might get annoyed, but if I give the wrong response to the moment they'll get annoyed anyway, I need to assess how serious the conversation is because I dont need to give the wrong type of gesture if it's a certain kind of conversation.. is my body language okay as far as gestures go, too?

shit don't cross your arms that comes off as being closed off and uncomfortable just like my boss from years ago told me, is my body moving enough or too much is my leg bouncing again do they feel it, is it bothering this person? damnit I forgot what they said again-pay attention-oh my fingers are crossed why was I doing that again? oh they mentioned a new thing HEY i can relate to that thing I want to tell them something so bad but I shouldnt, people get mad when you do that, they think you're taking the spotlight and making it about yourself, but I just really want to relate to them right now!! But I shouldnt, thats not the right time to do that, but when is? Fuck fuck this conversation is lasting forever is it over yet? how am I doing in this so far? Do they think Im listening and relating and making good conversation in return? What if i have something stuck between my teeth, I should stop smiling as much just in case until I can check that in a mirror, also wow they have nice earrings I like this I should compliment them on that or something when I get a chance, is this over yet---"

So that goes on and on and on in my head and it is SO hard to remember what people say when all of that noise is happening inside my head and it's just really difficult. I dont like that struggle at all and I feel like it hinders my short term memory so that I forget parts of conversations or never sunk in the information to begin with, and I feel terrible when I have to ask for repeated information or ask something a second time and especially in work scenarios I feel like my superiors will think I was just not listening at all when that's not actually true.

I feel a bit like this pattern is a cross of anxiety with ADHD. It's part of why social situations are so hard for me and takes up so much of my energy. I'm thinking like this all of the time and trying to remember so many things like what topics to talk about, or to avoid, and how my words will come across or affect someone and it's just really tiresome.

I find living alone to be the most wonderful thing because I can finally stop putting so much effort into socializing. I can just exist in my comfortable alone space. I value my alone time highly and I really need it to recharge because socializing is so exhausting. Even if it's people I enjoy being around. Sometimes it's more difficult with people I enjoy being around, because I deeply care about how I come across and fret a ton about saying something that might hurt them, as I dont want to hurt anyone.

I often hear ADHD people never be quiet and love talking. I dont think I experience that. It takes so much mental effort to talk to people that I can't love it. It's work. Constant work. Sometimes I seem to set people off or embarrass myself in ways I never realized until it was too late. And then I stress over it to an unhealthy level.

I never really want to date anyone because I dread the idea of living with another person. I would really benefit from a roommate situation so I can save money since Im not able to now because every paycheck goes to the bills but I absolutely despise the idea of having to co-exist with someone in my space. It's just too much work. I want quiet and peaceful time alone, which I would never get when living with someone else. It's just too stressful to be social all the time.

I guess Im writing this to get it out of my head and to view my thoughts outside my mind, and as a reach out to the ADHD/anxiety sufferers out there to see if anyone experiences similar, since it seems a lot of times like I am the only one who lives with this struggle to the point of not wanting to date, not wanting to roommate, feeling so drained after every social activity ever. I know I'm an introvert but I think this goes way beyond introversion.

TLDR: Just thinking out loud. And wondering if anyone else feel like socializing is always draining even when it's people you like due to how hard it is to hold a conversation? Is it so hard for you that you loathe the idea of living with another person or having to be around a partner constantly? Does being alone give you peace that being

My partner (25M) broke up with me because he believes he'll never be a good husband or father due to ADHD and mental health. I need hope.

My partner (25M) and I (24F) were together for almost five years.

From the beginning, our relationship felt special. We shared the same values and dreams about marriage, children, and building a stable family together.

He has ADHD and is an incredibly creative person. He loves slam poetry, DJing, hosting events, writing, voice acting and many other creative projects. I have always supported him, but he often takes on far more than he can handle and becomes overwhelmed.

I'm much calmer and naturally prefer structure and stability.

Because of his ADHD, I gradually became more of a caretaker than a partner. I organized many things, reminded him about responsibilities and unintentionally took on a "mother" role. Looking back, I think this hurt our romantic dynamic and also didn't give him enough room to become more independent.

Despite that, we became very good at communicating. We rarely argued unless he became extremely overwhelmed. Even then, he always apologized afterwards and hated that he had hurt me.

About nine months ago, his father was diagnosed with cancer. My boyfriend fell into a deep depression. After his father passed away, his mental health became much worse.

About a month later, he broke up with me.

He told me he still loves me, but believes he'll never become the husband or father I deserve. He said the relationship is too overwhelming because of his mental health, that he keeps hurting me, and that I deserve someone more stable.

Besides ADHD, he struggles with depression, anxiety, panic attacks, and we both suspect he also has Relationship OCD (ROCD).

He has never received a proper ADHD assessment or comprehensive psychiatric evaluation. He briefly tried Ritalin and Concerta, but both caused severe anxiety, so he stopped taking them.

I truly believe that proper diagnosis, therapy, and finding the right treatment could change his life. He believes it's already too late and that he should simply accept he'll never have a family.

I'm looking for real success stories.

Are there people here with ADHD who built happy marriages and families? Or partners of people with ADHD whose relationships improved after diagnosis and treatment?

I don't want false hope, but I would really appreciate hearing positive experiences. I love him deeply, and I still hope that if he gets the help he needs, we might eventually find our way back to each other.

I'm going into college as a freshman in the fall and I applied for housing accommodations (also academic accommodations) in the form of a single dorm a couple of days ago. I'm honestly worried that, A. I won't get the accommodations I'm asking for, and B. I'm not even valid in asking for these accommodations at all. I've submitted all the correct forms and stuff, I guess I just kind of want an outside opinion as someone who has never really had to think about this stuff before.

I was recently diagnosed with chronic migraines, as well as insomnia. I have been diagnosed with severe anxiety and ADHD formally for about a year, but I have dealt with it my whole life.. The main reason I asked for a single is because of my anxiety when it comes to sleep. I wake up at like 2-3 A.M. pretty much every day, with my heart pounding out of my chest in panic. I need to be able to turn on the lights to help myself calm down and remind myself that I'm safe, and I know that I wouldn't be able to that with a roommate. most of the time i end up staying awake until about 5-6 A.M. because I just end up frazzled and anxious. I also just cant really fall asleep around people in general. If there is someone in my space, it makes me feel like I have to keep my guard up, and it makes the idea of sleep feel impossible because I don't feel like i'm safe. I'm very easily woken up by sound or light, with that "heart pounding" kind of panic every time it happens. I talked to my doctor about this, and I was prescribed prazosin to lower my heart rate while I sleep, to hopefully keep me from waking up so roughly every night. I havent started the meds yet because I havent gotten them from the pharmacy. That and the frequent migraines, probably 2-3 times a week, are my main issues.

Helped by AI because I can’t properly write in this state.

What the actual f*** is this?!
After 10 painful years of my entourage mistreating me for undiagnosed ADD, I finally try to have hope, effort, and focus — and it gets crushed by people who clearly don’t listen when I talk and don’t give a f***.
They still act like I’m just faking task management difficulties and executive dysfunction, which only reinforces the self-hate I already struggle with because of impulsive behaviors.

What can I do to make my brain stop replaying this moment and help me refocus on the important tasks I still have to do? I don’t have the luxury to waste time being stuck like this.

I’m anxious as f***, unproductive, and I still have the whole day ahead with priorities.

Hey y’all,

Finding out I had ADHD was supposed to be the start of getting help, but instead it turned into a long cycle of medications that never really worked for me. Doctors and psychiatrists kept switching prescriptions, yet the real problem wasn’t just the meds, it was the system around them. I’d forget doses, struggle to even get myself to pick up the prescription, or get stuck because I needed another form signed. Every step felt like a barrier, and it always seemed like I was set up to fail.

About five years ago, I started smoking weed just to relax. I wasn’t expecting anything major, but slowly I noticed something different happening. My mind felt clearer. I could actually focus on what I needed to do. If I was running late, my whole day didn’t collapse. I could accept small mistakes the way other people do. I could follow up on messages instead of freezing. It didn’t cure ADHD, but it changed how I functioned in a way nothing else had.

Eventually, I got a medical card and began using it daily. Since then, my life has shifted in ways I didn’t think were possible. I have a stable job. A loving partner. Healthy habits. And maybe the biggest change, I don’t forget to eat or starve myself because I’m overwhelmed. I feel like I finally get to live my life instead of constantly fighting it.

Everyone finds their own way eventually. This just happens to be mine, and I wanted to share it.

I was just recently diagnosed with ADHD and they have me going on medication I'm a little bit nervous about taking it as I've had problems with medication in pass like antidepressants and anti anxiety Meds. I have been told by my friend that's on medication it's nothing like them and it won't affect me the same way. I do have very bad anxiety and im scared it will make it worse .

One year ago, I started seeing a therapist because I was incredibly stressed about my job. I was fresh out of college and in a state of total paralysis because I genuinely didn't know what to do. I had so many ideas, multiple interests, and enough talent to pursue them, but somehow not enough drive or focus to finish anything. I was everywhere and nowhere at the same time. I knew a little bit of everything and could learn anything related to my field, but when it came to writing a resume, it felt like I had nothing to show for it. The stress got so bad that I started having panic attacks in the middle of the night.

With my very first salary, I started therapy. At first, we worked on my self-esteem and stress management. After a few months, things got better, but other factors began to surface. For example, I became acutely aware of how stressful social interactions always were for me to the point that I hated going anywhere new. I rarely left my house. Eventually, after running some tests, my therapist diagnosed me with ADHD.

I was shocked. I always believed people with ADHD just had trouble focusing, especially when studying. But during high school and college, I was always among the top students, and people constantly complimented me on being a quick learner. My therapist explained that because I’m a quick learner, I could easily coast through the basics in college. However, when it came to doing a deep dive into subjects, I couldn't focus for long. She also explained that my social anxiety actually stems from ADHD, driven by a combination of a lack of interest in casual socializing and intense perfectionism.

She decided not to refer me to a psychiatrist right away because she thinks my symptoms can be managed without medication. She did mention that I could pay a visit to a psychiatrist if I want to and get a prescription, but in her opinion, I'm managing fine.

But here are my questions for the community:

Wouldn't taking ADHD medication still increase the quality of my life? My therapist says I am managing, but honestly, I don't feel like I'm managing well at all. I don't want to doubt her expertise, but if medication could make my daily life genuinely easier, why shouldn't I see a psychiatrist to try it?

Does ADHD really affect your social life this much and make it so stressful?

My brain feels tired and overwhelmed even on days when I don't do anything, and it's hard to stay motivated or focused. This kind of tiredness is starting to make me feel bad and hurt my mental health.

What really helped you to deal with this if you've been through it? Seeking helpful suggestions from people who have experienced mental and emotional tiredness due to ADHD and discovered better ways to deal with it.

So I work at a restaurant and I'm being accused lately of being on something because I move a hundred miles a minute. I mean it's a restaurant and it's fast paced. I move with a purpose and with intent. I'm sorry I'm fast, I'm sorry my ADD makes me crazy. But when I've been on something, nothing is said, but when I'm not which is 89 percent of time, other than weed and 7oh.

I lost insurance so I lost meds, I'm ready to just tell them to fuck off and quit, it's not worth the energy, plus they never say anything to me, always to someone else after I leave smh, I have 2 speeds stop and go, if I'm not focused and try to be slow, I promise I will be worse, I will be talking and fucking off because I'm going to be to afraid to move fast.

Smh idk what to do, I go back tomorrow and last time I was supposed to work was Sunday and I called out after my boy said he got pulled into office about me last night and they think I'm on drugs lol he the dishwasher and my best friend, he got me the job and all but come to me if you got a problem, last time they said something I said I smoke weed and that's it, I was told weed don't make you move fast. I said you don't know me I move with a purpose and can't help it that I move fast. Stop using my add against me, stress makes it worse, and now it makes me not want to go back to work because I'm tired of being accused all the time.

I think I'm good then get told so and so said this and that you must be on drugs types of bs, if I was on drugs I would tell you what it was how much i did and how good it is, I'm not shy, hate being told I'm lying when I'm not.

Sorry frustrated and need a friend that understands and that friend doesn't exist.

Our 15 yo has ALWAYS been anxious. When he was a baby, he wouldn’t fall asleep easily. He was always up. He can never relax! He was always thinking. As a teen now, nothing has changed, except now he developed ocd in the last few months.

We have appointments for neurology & a psychiatrist, and we are waiting results for a neuropsyche test. He has already been diagnosed w anxiety, ocd and adhd. He is on Zoloft for ocd, but his anxiety is SO high.

Just curious if this is how your teen is or how you were as a teen.

He is always in panic mode if that makes sense.

He is a great kid and doesn’t misbehave. Very bright as well.

I hope this isn't too long. I'm dividing the text into many paragraphs so it's not too clustered I guess. Thank you in advance for reading this if you have the time.

I am a 20 year old male American and I was diagnosed with ADHD at age 5. I have always had issues coping with my emotions and gotten in altercations at school by throwing objects in classrooms when mad.

I have always been a good student in terms of work ethic and general friendliness gaining popularity among teachers even since Elementary school despite my issues and even returned general education after spending a half of 2nd grade in partial SPED and a half of 3rd grade in full SPED.

In my later years (18 to 20), graduating high school, working jobs, and going to tech school really amplified my stress and consequently my anger so I occasionally or even frequently yell at my family when I feel misunderstood or unheard regarding my intense insecurities and envy of others' successes in school and jobs of my age.

I am so tired of being angry and envious of others my age. I finally bought a car earlier this year and have my license, but I still feel bad. I do really well sometimes at various work places since my first job at a movie theater to now working at FedEx.

My parents still tell me that I'm great with my amazing dad telling me I'm a "really hard worker" and even my mom telling me I'm "amazing". My car is an old V6 Mustang with an automatic, but I'm still glad to own it. I like working at FedEx 5 days a week working in the early morning so I have the rest of the day off and relax while still making decent money.

However, I still don't feel satisfied at all when I think about my future and others' lives. I am 20 years old with only a TCC for PC Repair And Network Technician from technical college with no confidence in the field after sucking at class.

I had to rely on the internet and Al because I was always impatient in studying and I still struggled with the material because of my intense anxiety and ADHD which drove me to even more anger outbursts due to my incompetence. Seeing my classmates aiming for diplomas got me so angry. There's too many choices out there for me to dedicate to a single career especially cyber security that overlapped with my program because it's so hard for me.

It doesn't help when mother fuckers online have made generalized comments making fun of Americans and calling us lazy and our country a hell hole. I know there're comments but I take things very personally and even shake and curse sometimes when thinking about it like I'm at fault for being born here despite working my ass off at times!

I am 20 years old and aging fast and I don't have much time. I want to go to avionics class to go back to Gulfstream but It will be difficult to work and go to school full time and I don't know what to do.

I am sick of lectures and advice from others including my parents because I am still feeling suicidal and intense anxiety despite all I have been given. I have an amazing family and group of friends but I am not fucking good enough for them.

on break for the summer and absolutely terrified about going back to uni (if i even pass the year). sem 2 i was barely able to get out of bed, do assignments, or study for exams. literally could not get myself to do anything, and now even on break i have no desire to do anything i used to enjoy - even hobbies feel like chores now. im on strattera (60mg) and it’s not really doing anything, ive already tried vyvanse and ritalin and felt zero improvement in symptoms. also on venlafaxine but yet to see any difference in depression/anxiety. i feel so lost and helpless right now because im not going to be able to complete my degree if this keeps up. where do i go from here?

Hey everyone. I take Methlyphenidate 18mg and Sertraline 25mg. When I take my SSRI by itself, it works well and I don't have any anxiety or issues at all. But when I take my stimulant with it, it seems like no matter what, even if I do everything such as drinking water, eating properly, getting enough sleep the night before, i always get some of the bad side effects. Not intense of course, but just enough to notice.

Is this just a common side effect and interaction between stimulants and SSRIs?

Inattentive ADHD, currently on Guanfacine. Can't say it's made a lot of difference.

I wake up feeling extremely depressed. Can't move and feel paralyzed to do anything at all. The only reason I'm surviving is because I currently work from home. I get things ready for my husband 730-8, and then sit in my bed sluggishly moving through the day. I probably get my bearings around 12, and then start to feel like a human around 3-4 pm. By 6 or so I actually feel alert and positive.

Can anyone relate to this ? I was never a morning person, but the extent to which I feel depressed in the day has worsened with age. I'm now 35. I shudder to think of how worse it can get.

Something happened this morning that freaked me out quite a bit. So I’m a young guy with AuDHD. Almost every morning I have the same exact breakfast of oats and cereals. I bring it to my desk and eat it there while working, watching something, etc. Almost like a reflex now.

This morning I did the same, brought it to my desk, then left to another room and played a game on my phone and texted for a while.

*Then I went straight back to the kitchen and poured myself another bowl.*

I come back to my desk and see the bowl I’d set and go “ohhhh fuck”. I had COMPLETELY forgotten it and just gone back on autopilot “pour myself a bowl of cereal” mode.

This has me terrified 😭 is this a normal experience for unmedicated ADHD? It feels like a dementia experience and I am terrified of that… I still feel sharp and articulate fwiw but this was so out of the ordinary.

I know people say it’s like taking diabetes meds or something. Maybe ive just been conditioned by my family to demonize medicine, especially for mental health/psychiatry.

Baptist bible loving grandma doesnt believe adhd is real, my dad mocks my mom’s mental health (depression).

I did try the supplement route but it just wasnt strong enough.

Im in my early 20s. Where did i go wrong? Did I doomscroll too much? Did i watch too much TV as a kid?

I really want to know if anyone has been in a similar position and how they got out of it. I'm a second semester nursing student in an ABSN program. For some context, I got pushed back a semester because I had to be hospitalized for two weeks after a spontaneous pneumothorax. I came back with a fire and determination to succeed, even though it wasn't necessarily the most healthy or consistent motivation. I passed 6 classes first semester with all As and Bs.

Now, it's second semester and I'm not sure what happened but my mental health has gone in the gutter. Nothing in particular has happened, I just feel... Tired constantly, embarrassed to exist and having the urge to isolate constantly. It's not exclusive to nursing school either, I just feel like I wasn't made to survive in this world. Even family and close friends, I avoid because I feel so much shame. For what? Maybe because I'm extremely behind in life and a socially anxious loner with no life.. Or maybe not I'm really not sure, because nothing has really changed from last semester. I manage to get myself up to go to class everyday, but I find myself distracted, and when I get home I do nothing.. Maybe the bare minimum studying if that, and my assignments I do extremely last minute. I've been getting low 70s on exams so far, which is a massive fall compared to how I was performing last semester (and is considered failing for my program. 80 percent minimum to pass). It doesn't help that there have been multiple administrative changes at my school so everything is so disorganized.

I have struggled with ADHD and severe anxiety my whole life, and for nearly a decade now I've had depression. I want this so so badly, for the first time in my life I know exactly what I want. I even started taking medication despite how averse I am to psych meds and it hasn't been helping at all. I got pushed back a semester already due to reasons completely out of my control, I just don't want to be set back again. I do not know what to do, or where to turn. I feel paralyzed in my own mind and like my future is slipping away from me. Please, is there anyone who has gone through something similar? If so, how did you get out of it?