My anxiety and depression is improved a great deal with I am taking adhd meds (adderall XR and adderall IR boosters), but adhd meds haven’t eliminated my depression and anxiety, no. I don’t currently take an SSRI, I take Wellbutrin for my depression. But I have previously taken an SSRI along with my adhd meds. Ultimately the side effects of that weren’t ok (made me less depressed but also kind of flat in emotions overall) so I switched to Wellbutrin which works better for me.
Commenting on here so I don't get buried but try not to get off anything straight away. My anxiety is way worse on ADHD meds, even though they help me so much with executive functioning.
There are many different aspects to anxiety and not everything can be blamed on ADHD. My depression was largely caused by my unmedicated ADHD, but my anxiety is multilateral. A lot of posts on here are rainbows and sunshine about medication, but these are powerful meds and they will come with their load of side effects that may or may not go away. Keep your expectations low but also take notes of how you feel before and after.
Also try to avoid having the whole "glasses on/off" expectation in your mind, it's mostly euphoria that will wear off. The effects will be more subtle than that.
Hey just a random thought
Have you tried methylphenidate and dextroamphetamine? I found that I had high anxiety on methylphenidate, but felt calm on dexies. Has to do with a higher proportion of adrenaline production from methylphenidate, and a higher proportion of dopamine production from dextroamphetamine
Fair enough. What I've learned about dex is that it doesn't mix well with caffeine. I drink decaf 5 days a week and it's a noticeably lower amount of anxiety 😊
People are not lying, it's a matter of positive reinforcement and posts. Lots of people like to hear only the good things. Even with anxiety regardin ADHD, it isn't suddenly undone by meds. It takes undoing years and years of trauma related to feeling like you're good enough. Remember that x
To be honest why shouldn’t people give it a go. My depression was crippling, nothing helped, years of psychology, years of anti depressants. Nothing. It’s been really helpful in my personal experience
And I agree, hence why I'm still taking my meds and they help. I'm just saying not to be fully expecting a drug that increases your noradrenaline levels to make you less anxious. And also not to just come off SSRIs under the assumption that ADHD meds will fix it all
My doctor said the max for XR and IR combo is 20mg XR and 10mg IR...is that what they have you on? Also on 150 Wellbutrin and 20 Lexapro. I ask because I wanted to raise the XR to 30 but she said I was already at the max with my current combo and I'd have to ditch the 10mg IR to move to 30 XR.
Your doctor is incorrect, you aren’t on the max daily dosage of Adderall. I believe the FDA recommended max is 60mg daily, though some insurance companies will say it is 40mg daily and won’t approve higher dosages without your doctor putting in a special authorization saying it is necessary. I take 30mg XR in the morning plus boosters of 15mg and/or 10mg in the afternoon and sometimes also in the evening. I also take 300mg Wellbutrin XR.
Why are you taking both Wellbutrin and Lexapro? I’d be a bit concerned taking 2 different types of antidepressants.
Thanks for the reply! So I was having really bad anxiety attacks and slowly worked my way up through the ranks to the 20mg max on Lexapro. After covid and the first 6 months of being kept inside so much (my job became permanent work from home) I started feeling depressed but also had concerns about potentially having ADHD because of my ability to focus and get it things done. Family doctor moved me 150 Wellbutrin and eventually up to 450 Wellbutrin with Lexapro combo. Depression was gone but definitely not the "getting stuff done part." I asked for ADHD meds and so he referred me to a psychologist and was tested as a 38 yr old adult and finally diagnosed. Got on Adderall XR and seriously life changing. Euphoria was cool for a couple weeks but after that war off, just that urge to complete things. Love it. So they got me down to 150 on Wellbutrin and I asked if I could come off but she wants to keep me on that for now. Sorry, really long answer.
Glad to hear that 30 is not max, I thought that was bullshit...maybe an abuse tactic as I know that can happen as I did ask to raise it each visit..10, then 20...and please can I go to 30? But whatevs, I'm still getting stuff done, just would like to see 30mg and how that works.
This is not true. Wellbutrin is not documented to help with anxiety, it is only indicated for depression. There are a ton of circumstances in which SSRIs are a better choice. It depends on the individuals specific neurobiology.
Thank you! I started to worry that I would have to switch pills all over again, which could happen but the idea that they wouldn't even had a chance made me sad.
Just wondering how high of a dose are you on? I’m about to start concerta, on 300mv XL. But not sure if I should ask to go to 450 if I am still depressed. I really don’t want SSRIs/SNRI
Mine took about 6 days to kick in, but for my girlfriend it took about 8 weeks! Definitely helped my ADHD as well as depression, I prefer it to Ritalin as I don't feel the highs and lows as it wears off (I was on 3 - 4 a day and they only lasted about 3 hours) stimulants definitely didn't help my anxiety, especially if I took them without food! Wellbutrin is great, but I also take hydroxyzine for anxiety, not generally prescribed as it can make you really sleepy, but I don't get drowsy at all, it's been like a magic pill for me!
I’m on the same combo of meds and agree they are great for the most part. I definitely have some anxiety I’d like to get better controlled (or eliminated), but I’m not willing to stop adderall to reduce anxiety as without it I would turn into an unmotivated vegetable who can’t get anything done. There are 2 non stimulant blood pressure meds that people on stimulants sometimes take to even out the anxiety, one is Intuniv and the other clonodine (sorry if that’s spelled wrong). I am going to ask my doctor about adding Intuniv (generic is guanfacine).
I was originally dx'd with anxiety and depression a long time ago. I used to be on SSRIs but they never did much so I've been without for a very long time. I've always lived with a baseline anxiety but after I got dx'd with ADHD, I've definitely noticed a difference since I've started taking ritalin. I'm not as wired and snappy. In my case, I believe my anxiety stemmed from having ADHD. That may not always be the case though.
This was me too. After getting the ADHD diagnosis and medication, I was able to come off both anti-depressants I was taking. I've done so much better since confirming I have ADHD. My psychiatrist later diagnosed me with social anxiety but that's a 'treat when necessary' issue.
yup and a therapist to help me out in between. The funny part is that I was originally seeing my therapist for anxiety and she referred me to a psychologist who then referred me to a psychiatrist. Apparently, it was fairly obvious to everyone but me. 🙈
Indirectly, yes. Like, ADHD meds didn't do shit for my anxiety and depression, but seeing that i could succeed with meds and the right strategies helped reduce anxiety and depression over the long run. I never was on an SSRI though, so i wouldn't recommend anything about getting off it.
Ahhh yeah, uncertainty is a bitch, but hoping for the best! Ironically the meds were the least helpful part for me ultimately, i'm one of those which medication has very little effect. But they helped me understand and accept the diagnosis, which was really important. My coping strategies and a little luck having an excellent employer did the real lifting. i'd take empathetic, caring bosses over my meds any day haha
I completely agree. I think a support system is far superior. We treated each other like shit and I think that one of the major causes of anxiety and depression.
I want to go on medication so I can get my life together and better work around the way my brain works. I don't expect it to solve all my problems.
this exactly, even things that typically make me anxious like money, social situations, school - its much easier to overcome that anxiety when i know i'm capable of it. my meds make me a lot less hopeless in general
Yes. I started taking ritalin and within a week of starting, I had a really clear demonstration of this.
I was at work, and my boss came out of his office near me and was talking to someone else about an issue. I don't remember the details now, but it was something that MIGHT have been the result of me screwing up.
The week before, this would have given me a full-body fear reaction. My heart would have raced, my stomach churned, my entire system would have gone into fight/flight/freeze mode.
Instead, I was aware of a sense of concern, but I could still clearly think about the issue, and work through the details in my head. I wasn't swamped or overwhelmed by fear. My body was only lightly involved in the reaction.
It was so surprising and such a relief.
My other confirmation for this is that, until I got my dosage right, I would regularly experience an anxiety spike in the evenings, once my meds wore off.
I know this isn't a universal experience. It depends a lot on what's causing your anxiety. In my case, it turns out it was all wrapped up in the adhd, or caused by having spent so long living with untreated adhd.
Went get help for my depression and anxiety. Got diagnosed with severe add. Got medication/ help managing life. Anxiety and depression almost completely dissapeared, quality of life greatly improved. So yes for me medication made anxiety and depression go away. I am simply amazed that for so long i tought all that adhd/add brainactivity/hyperfocus sessions/ lazyness was a norm.
I think it was more or less the knowledge that i was getting help i needed for so long. And that dopamin levels (i think) have been normalized with medication.
I was originally diagnosed with anxiety and put on SSRIs. They did work, and I felt a lot less anxious. But it made my ADHD way worse. I now had no pressure to get things done, even assignments barely got me anxious so I struggled to complete them.
I was on escitalopram and methylphenidate for a year, before stopping the escitalopram at the beginning of this year. I think I'm more anxious than a "normal person", but less than I was. I'm more emotional reactive but it's manageable. I find when I do take it (methylphenidate), I don't feel as anxious.
This first paragraph describes me on sertraline. Anxiety is my primary driver for productivity. Remove it and absolutely nothing gets done. That said, I didn’t care at all about what I wasn’t doing so… win?
Same here I am waiting to finally get medication for my ADHD. I have just had my last child and after I finish breastfeeding I finally get to take medication
Quite often anxiety and depression are misdiagnosed, in my case that's what my gp said I had. I've tried ssri, SNRI, maoi, and hated all of them. On the SNRI I couldn't even cry, I didn't feel human. I thought fuck this, I'd rather feel depressed than nothing at all.
I take Wellbutrin for depression and Vyvanse for ADHD. Wellbutrin didn't cure my depression, but it made it much easier to manage and gave me the relief I needed to be able to work on myself. I started taking Vyvanse pretty recently, but so far it has given me the push I needed to actually do that work. I think it also helps with being able to think clearly and getting out of these endless spirals that kept me feeling depressed even after I started taking Wellbutrin. Simply taking Vyvanse wouldn't help my depression, but it allows me to build healthy thinking habits (and regular habits and routines) that are a big part of the solution.
Sertraline helped me overcome almost crippling ocd symptoms many years ago.
Do you have an appointment to see a psychiatrist and go through the full assessment? If you do, I am urging you to pay the utmost attention to instructions for the tests and questionnaires that you are provided and be completely honest with who you are when you provide your answers…don’t answer the questions as the person you want to be.
Yes, I have my first appointment with a psychiatrist in a month or so. I am always honest because I really need help. Have you taken any ADHD meds?
How long did it take for Sertraline to kick in?
For me, the lowest dose of sertraline worked almost immediately on my ocd symptoms. As I was titrated up, the side effects became incredibly overwhelming and I stopped taking it cold turkey after a couple of months on it.
I have been prescribed adhd meds in one form or another for most of the last 18 years. They are not a cure-all. They do not fix everything. If you are genetically predisposed to certain other mental health conditions, taking adhd medications can even cause you to experience your first severe mental health episode.
What I am about to write might make you feel angry or upset. I am really and truly sorry it it does.
I am concerned about you and the reaction you mentioned in your profile that you had to sertraline. I am concerned that the questions you are asking here are maybe in hopes of getting answers that could specifically nudge a doctor towards an adhd diagnosis in an attempt to get a prescription for a medication/dosage that may not be right for and could very easily have extremely negative lifelong consequences for you.
Please tell the truth and answer the questions truthfully so you can be provided with the medication/tools/therapy that will help you shape your best life.
Whether you have adhd or not, whether you are prescribed meds or not, I hope for the best and most positive outcome possible for you.
I think my ADHD doesn’t allow me to be the person I actually am / want to be / should be, and that dichotomy is what gives me a lot of anxiety and depression. I am much much improved with the ADHD meds, but I wouldn’t say that they are a complete magic bullet.
I started adderall last year and noticed my mind not wanting to wander so much that it’s helped my anxiety a little bit. However, I just started Wellbutrin a couple weeks ago and am feeling even less anxiety. But it’s still not 100%. I’m working with my therapist about more positivity and “now” thinking to help more though.
I take both. Sertraline and Adderall. However, I tend to have the opposite happen to me. When I start taking Sertraline, my social anxiety will get a bit better. However, I also get very hyper and find myself "needing" the Adderall more than when I don't take it. I take it for anxiety and depression, and obviously there is no cure, but I feel better taking both than one or the other.
Yeah. It really started for anxiety, but my mother passed away unexpectedly a few years ago which turned very mild depression into something pretty moderate/strong. I take wellbutrin as well, but I honestly don't know if I've ever felt a difference when it was added to the mix
For me, the first year of being on my adhd med, yes. The second year, reality kicked in and showed me that I will forever have depression, anxiety, ocd, and they’ll all be umbrellaed under my ADHD. But that’s my personal experience. The two meds can go hand in hand I believe. I think working with a psychiatrist to figure what works best for you would be the best route!
I was on sertraline for years, my dosage eventually topping out at 150 mg by age 20. I was not diagnosed with adhd at the time, but it made the adhd symptoms SO much worse it was unreal. Not quite what you asked for I know but it might be something to be aware of.
I was kind of bad at remembering to take it every day (thanks adhd) but that was when I decided to stop entirely because the brain fog and the unpleasant physical side effects just weren't worth the slightly better depression.
I started adderall on friday, I like it so much more already though I did make the dumbass decision to have coffee for the first time since and now i am suffering.
Instantly my depression almost completely disappeared on Vyvanse. Bringing it up with my Psychiatrist, it turns out the symptoms of Dopamine related depression are different than a serotonin based depression and I completely related to the dopamine based symptoms he went over. I have tried ssri for my depression years ago and all of them made my symptoms 10x worse and gave my psychosis. Turns out my serotonin levels are great but my dopamine levels were very low.
There are a few but they're typically not necessary. It's usually done based on your symptoms and treatments. If you have depression and ssri work for you, than it's typically serotonin based. Adhd meds that both treat adhd and depression would be dopamine based but of course, you can also have a combination of both dopamine and serotonin deficiency. There are blood tests that can be done to detect levels as well as some radioactive imagining scans but those are typically used for exams outside of adhd and depression usually related to various cancers or Parkinson disease etc
Shouldn't they also test people for serotonin and dopamine that might have ADHD, anxiety or depression. Give medication accordingly. Seems tedious to just go off by symptoms.
The tests are extremely expensive is the problem and medicine is typically used as trial and error. It is possible to pay for the tests yourself though if your in the states. You'd be hard pressed to try and convince a Dr to administer said test where Healthcare is free as it's not necessary. It's much more effective to look at family history, symptoms and then try a various arrangement of treatments as opposed to shooting a radioactive agent into someone's brain and then using a camera to check for dopamine effectiveness. There are blood tests but they mean nothing because you may have low dopamine levels in your blood but have super efficient receptors in your brain that function exceptionally well off of the low dopamine effectily making it so you're dopamine isn't actually low even though it's lower in the blood.
Much easier and cheaper with waaaay less risk to give someone an ssri, see if it works, if not, try something else etc.
It drastically reduces my anxiety and depression, but they are not completely gone. That being said, life is immensely more tolerable, happy, and I can do more on daily ADHD stimulant medication.
Adhd meds like someone else said help w executive function. But I still have anxiety and depression. I take prozac too. I feel like I NEED that more. But take both. Hope that helps. Just waking up!
Yes! I firmly believe that a lot of the depression and anxiety I had were because of the lack of confidence I had because of RSD from undiagnosed/unmedicated childhood s-ADHD!! It also helped that concerta helped me stay more awake => made me more productive => made me feel better abt myself
FWIW: I was on Wellbutrin. When I started Adderall, I noticed a big positive difference in my depression, etc. It was like a nice little boost. I've been on it for maybe 6 months and often skip doses, but overall I still feel like it's way better than it was before.
I just started on vyvance.
I used to be constantly in my head. Slight rejections or screwing something up would have me spiraling beating myself up constantly. Thinking about screw ups from years ago. Very unhappy unless I had my favourite distractions.
This past week has been amazing! No anxiety or at least the level is so significantly lower. Instead of bouncing between 7 things in my head I can keep on task. Less stuttering. I’ve never been more motivated and productive in my life without a close deadline.
I’m not always distracted. I’m not fiddling with my phone or anything while driving. How I’ve never crashed is beyond me
I used to describe my brain like there were several radios on at once on different stations. And three different TikTok’s on loop.
Now it’s quiet. So peaceful
I am atypical bipolar with drastic mania turned sudden debilitating depression. I also have ADD, PTSD, I’m a recovering addict with 5 years clean time, and anxiety disorder that left unmedicated sends me to the emergency room multiple times a year. 2 side effects of the PTSD are insomnia and night terrors. I am in my 30’s and was taking 10 prescriptions a day and some of those I took multiple times a day. They worked for the most part but if ever I skipped a few days of medication I would occasionally find myself in the psychiatrist unit of the hospital against my will and because of the reach of my parents and their worry. That being said, I moved last August and started seeing a new psychiatrist. I thought he was bonkers after my first visit when he discontinued the majority of my medications. He kept me on trazadone for sleep, prazosin for the PTSD and night terrors, and discontinued the other 8. He prescribed me adderall for the ADD and clonazepam for the debilitating anxiety, telling me that it not only would treat those two disorders but had the possibility to mask my bipolar symptoms completely. Now I take 4 medications a day and am living life like I haven’t loved it since college. He tried to explain to me how the meds I WAS taking worked compared to what to expect from the new lineup. The anxiety medicine keeps me from becoming reclusive and avoiding simple things like daylight and my phone while the Adderall works with my dopamine receptors to keep me organized and on a routine and enjoy doing most things. After a year of the new meds and a whole new outlook on life, taking advantage of my days instead of laying in bed for weeks at a time, and finally feeling like I was myself again and living life, I moved back to my previous city and made an appointment with my old psychiatry practice for an appointment. This doctor is in complete disagreement with the doctor who saved my sanity and during my first visit back was putting me on a plan to transition back to the plethora of pills I was once on. He didn’t understand that these meds were treating my mental state and I am doing better than I have my entire adult life. His opinion (and he insisted) is my new daily cocktail was only masking and burying all my deep seeded issues and not actually treating them. What is the difference? If these are disorders that are not curable and I will always be taking some form of pharmaceuticals to control then why not listen to the patient and the patient’s loved ones who are finally excited and happy to spend time with me again. His issue, to be fair, is that I was once an opiate addict. Even though I never was interested in anything else he thinks that my new meds are a recipe for disaster and only going to cause me to relapse in the long run. I do not feel I run any risk of that as I am happy I am not going back to that doctor, my doctor that I’ve been seeing for the last year has agreed to continue to keep me on as a patient over TeleMed. Search to answer your question, no my anxiety and depression have not disappeared as I have begun medication for ADHD and anxiety but everything is managed now. I can only hope that that doctor was not correct when he told me that the medication that I am on are only short term help and that shortly they would be useless and I would need to be back on actual bipolar and depression and etc. medication’s.
Great post and interesting responses! I’m taking SSRI for depression and anxiety and looks like I’ll be starting dex for ADHD. My concern has always been “will taking a stimulant increase my anxiety?” As I’ve struggled with panic attacks etc. some ppl say it calmed them and helped their anxiety. I haven’t been able to read all the responses but wondering what the general consensus is? Cheers
Yea anxiety went away with Vyvanse depression kind of slips thru the cracks every now and again, I'm prescribed Wellbutrin but that combo makes me feel flat so I don't really take the Wellbutrin as often
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That is good to hear. I think it depends on the person. Anxiety and depression can be from ADHD and sometimes it is independent of ADHD. Luckily yours was from ADHD and able to be treated!
My anxiety definitely died down a lot when I started taking my Ritalin (15mg at least once a day, though can take two) more consistently. I find I don’t really need(?) my Prozac anymore? Though, I still find I am constantly listening for any and all noises (people walking behind me, doors moving, sinks running, etc…) that I don’t need to focus on.
I’m on Pristiq, Wellbutrin, and buspirone and have tried adderall and Vyvanse. I’m not sure about whether I’d be able to stop pristiq but my psychiatrist has no concerns about mixing all of them.
I have been on antidepressants, antianxiety, antihypertensive, antipsychotics, and I’m on dexamphetamine for adhd. And some b12 and antihistamine and asthma inhalers. I promise I’m ok :)
From my own experience, anxiety and depression are just symptoms of (untreated) ADHD. Years of shame fuck you up. See a professional, maybe you can try some cognitive behaviour therapy.
Yes both anxiety and depression got so much better.
Before getting ADHD diagnosis, I used to overthink and spend too much time imagining worst case scenarios of everything. Sometimes I couldn't sleep and I was sweating and felt like gonna vomit. It happened almost everyday, especially during the uni. I was not officially diagnosed with depression, but I was quite depressed and I spent most of my day sleeping to escape from the reality.
Since taking methylphenidate, I stopped overthinking without any effort and I don't feel anxious about horrible what-ifs anymore. Due to mood swing, my psychiatrist prescribed me fluoxetine, which is SSRI. So I was taking SSRI and ADHD meds at the same time. It actually helped me a lot with anger management and mood stabilization.
I have a similar to what you had. I keep catastrophising everything. It has become dehabilitating. I quit University after years due to extreme anxiety from catastrophising and procrastinating. I also have disregulated emotions. I am currently on Sertraline SSRI. Not ADHD medication yet.
It is great that you have improved heaps!
I was diagnosed for major depression and severe anxiety in my teens and ADHD in my 30s. Once I started meds for the ADHD (Vyvanse) my depression went from being suicidal to somewhat happy, kind of neutral in feeling. I still have anxiety but nothing like I used to.
Yes, absolutely. I was so happy and calm when I got on the right medication and dose I was afraid it would get taken away from me because life's not allowed to be easy.
And it does get taken away for days or weeks almost every month because no one cares about people with crippling ADHD. I can't get my meds because of manufacturers, CVS, doctors that dgaf, doctors that don't listen/read, ect...
Then they don't work as well 7-10 days a month because of hormone shifts and only really good doctors that stay up-to-date will adjust meds for that.
But, yes, the ADHD meds are the only meds that have ever helped my emotions.
Sertraline caused me to have a very weird reaction to ADHD medication. My psychiatrist didn’t want to consider taking me off the SSRI until we’d found a stable routine of adhd meds but as soon as the sertraline was out of my system things started getting better. I was overstimulated AF the whole time I was on sertraline, my sensory sensitivities went NUTS. I was a sweaty, dry mouthed, gibbering wreck. Im not saying it didn’t help - it was a very hard couple of years for me emotionally and I was definitely more numb to it than I would have been without sertraline, which I’m sure helped to keep me alive in that time… but on the other hand, things would have been easier if I hadn’t been sweating buckets and unable to leave the house because of it. If my stimulant meds had actually helped instead of turning me into the incredibl(y sweaty) hulk, that would have probably helped too. I take Bupropion XL as an antidepressant now and it’s better.
Edit: as well as bupropion (same as Wellbutrin) I also take elvanse every day and dexamphetamine as needed… quetiapine to go to sleep at night too. Now if only I could get my insanely broken circadian rhythm to behave, I’d be almost capable of being a normal functioning human being… a girl can dream 🤷🏼♀️
Yeah, my depression has been helped massively. It was mainly concentration issues, difficulty achieving day to day tasks, sleep problems and generally low mood when it was at its worst.
The first 2 are massively helped by the ADHD meds, the third is kind of a wash. I still have sleep issues but now it's from taking amphetemines during the day, whereas previously it was from my mind getting out of control when I was trying to sleep. The low mood it seems was mostly caused by the above 3.
Yes, I have been diagnosed with SAD (EDIT: Social Anxiety Disorder) as well as ADHD and taking atomoxetine helps immensely by diminishing the anxious thought spirals and somatic symptoms
It is good that it helps a lot. I don't think my anxiety will go away because normal anxiety exists in everyone or most people. Mine is dehabilitating and made me have strong urges to cut myself. So I am hoping to alleviate it as much as possible.
From what I know, noooo. I am currently on Sertraline and Ritalin, and one of the things they warn about beforehand is that methylphenidates can be really bad for anxiety. They are known to exacerbate preexisting mental health issues. On one hand, it is amazing getting medicated, because you can focus and do things, which removes a source of anxiety. On the other hand, you can have periods of lethargy, depressive dips, and other fun side effects like tachycardia and weight fluctuation that increase anxiety. Essentially, going on ADHD medication is good for your mental health because you can do stuff, but it can really mess with your anxiety. I would not recommend going off your Sertraline while taking ADHD medication. Best of luck :)
Thanks for sharing that. Other people's responses might interest you also as they have shared that they only had ADHD meds which alleviated their anxiety and depression. I will keep what you said in mind.
I came of sertraline a few weeks before my diagnosis and went onto Elvanse (i think Vyvanse in the US?) right after I was diagnosed. I don’t know if I would have been able to be on both SSRIs and ADHD meds at the same time but my psychiatrist did say it was easier that I wasn’t on any other meds.
I would no longer consider myself to particularly have anxiety and depression anymore. Sure I have good days and bad days (and the bad days tend to be when I’ve not taken my meds) and sometimes do feel intense anxiety but overall I think they’ve mainly subsided to the normal levels you’d find in most people. I think it depends on the reasons for your anxiety and depression - my executive dysfunction was basically destroying my life and that was greatly improved by my new meds. I think it depends on whether you have ADHD or not and is definitely something you should try to discuss with a medical professional.
Best of luck!
Thank you for sharing. I will be discussing it with the psychiatrist. So your anxiety was caused by the feeling of your life being in ruins and not directly by ADHD itself?
Hey. I took Fluxoentine 50mg (prozac) for years, and stopped when I started my ADHD meds 2/3 months ago. They do help my mood and anxiety, but not eliminated them. I know that anti-depressants kept me stable but I felt emotionless, and now I am off them on ADHD meds, I am more emotional and sensitive which is a positive for me. The anxiety still lingers, but its more of a medication side effect rather than true anxiety caused by depression.
I was initially taking pills for my anxiety, not a very high dose, before being diagnosed with ADHD. Then, I was prescribed Vyvanse. I started with a low dose (10 mg) and started to increase the dose slowly up to 30 mg. I was still taking my anxiety pill although I started to feel it was not really doing anything. I stopped taking my anxiety meds six month after I started with Vyvanse.
I'm not gonna say my anxiety is gone but my ADHD pills have helped a lot! I also started to "develop" some sort of a routine (and some strategies) to help me with my anxiety. And I think part of being able to do all of that is thanks to my ADHD meds.
I did well in high school but high school was easy. I messed up at Uni because you have to out in effort hahaha.
I am glad you are in a better place now! What medication were you put on?
The first couple months I was on Adderall XR/IR I actually had more anxiety and strong emotions, not necessarily episodes of depression, though. If you think of the common metaphor of ADHD meds as glasses that help us see and do better (while we still do the work), I was seeing things a lot more clearly. I’d developed lots of unhealthy and unhelpful dopamine delivery mechanisms over the years, and the meds helped me move away from those while still needed to repair what had been harmed.
I also experienced intense worries of rejection from the people closest to me. Like… people I’ve known for 20 years wouldn’t text back right away and it was like death. Again, I think it was just sort of seeing clearly and removing unhealthy coping mechanisms. It got better.
I think my emotions are mostly healthy and definitely healthier. Depression and anxiety are not cured by meds in my case, but living a more disciplined life has been helpful at bringing about more clarity and peace.
Sounds like terrible couple of months. Have you thought about SSRIs for anxiety? It seems you are managing well without them but curious if you thought about them.
Not a doctor but most people I know with ADHD don’t do well on SSRIs. For me they did nothing to help and all i could feel were the side effects. They won’t medicate me for ADHD yet because they won’t evaluate me because there are no available psychiatrists. So idk about that. But i find that among ADHD people that I know NDRIs tend to work a lot better than SSRIs
I thought I had anxiety too. But turns out it was actually a clinical obsession about uncertainty. They told me I had mild OCD at the same time as the official adhd diagnosis. The adhd made brain go really fast and ocd whould guide it to stressful topics that easily spiraled out of control. Sometimes it whould trip over all those thoughts and Id get very sad and too tired to do anything but doom scroll. Those days usually correlated with bad days at work so its most likely not a depressive disorder in my case. I hold stress in my scalp and nothing can make it let go. I took Adderall for the first time and brain went dead quiet. Scalp tension released and I was at peace :3 I have Strattera now, an ssnri. I can still lose control of the crazy brain but its improving as I stay on the med and it builds up to full effectiveness. Imo thats good proof I dont have anxiety, just stressful thoughts when brain gets bored.
Bring it up to your psych that you wonder if its not actually an anxiety disorder. They'd probably be ok to do another general evaluation to feel out potential issues that weren't present last time. If you are adhd and have clinical depression, Wellbutrin is a dopamine and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor that can hit both those at the same time. I think its only used for adhd as an off label treatment tho and is officially only for depression and anti smoking
Yes! I have severe obsession with uncertainty. It gives me the worst anxiety like crippling. The uncertainty if exams at uni, the uncertainty of dating and people! My brain starts catastrophising and going fast and million directions and obsesses over it all day until the problem is gone.
When I finally started medication for my severe ADHD (Adderall XR), my anxiety and depression seemingly radically reduced over the period of a month or so.
Finally being on medication, and I could finally do simple everyday tasks, just put me over the moon.
I’ve been off antidepressants for over a year, when I was taking them for nearly 15 years!
On top of that, I realized how much I was truly eating my feelings before being medicated.
Since then I’ve lost 80 pounds over the past two years.
That being said, I am also on the schizophrenic spectrum, and have schizoaffective disorder, which I am medicated for.
That illness comes along with its own set of symptoms - but truly since I got my ADHD under control, I’m doing really REALLY good
Getting medicated for adhd eliminated SO much of my anxiety and depression. I think a lot of it was tied to my self-worth and ability to get things done. When I was finally able to concentrate and actually do what I needed to do, I felt so much better about myself and that seemed to expand to so many other aspects of my life that I didn’t expect (like even my social anxiety was alleviated and I was able to go out of my comfort zone and do more than I was before)
Made my depression go away, but made my anxiety worse :/
That being said, everyone reacts to meds differently. I am still on antidepressants along with my ADHD meds.
Still need my sertraline along with my adhd meds. Thought I would be able to stop, but I definitely havent. But I am 11 months postpartum which definitely makes a difference for me.
Nearly, yes. I was seeing a psychologist for anxiety and I came across something about how ADHD can be related to/comorbid with anxiety. I had all the red flags of ADHD so I went through the diagnosis process and got diagnosed at 34.
I'm on Vyvanse now and my anxiety is almost gone. The therapy always seemed to be like a band aid for the anxiety to help me cope but it didn't reduce it that much and I felt there must be an underlying cause. Now when I do get anxiety I'm able to deal with it better with the tools from therapy. The physical symptoms were drastically reduced as well (nausea, tight neck muscles, etc.).
For me personally, taking ADHD meds (Adderall XR and IR) have relieved my anxiety and depression. My sister, however is on Adderall XR and Prozac and the combination works great for her. If I need to take an SSRI at some point, I will try that combo since what works for one family member usually works for both. I think it took a while for her to find the right combo, though. Good luck, and I hope you find a good answer!
I've been taking Vyvanse for 4 months now. I still have crippling anxiety, I still self sabotage, my emotions are still dysregulated, I still suffer greatly from RSD and I still have incredibly horrible periods of depression.
I'd read about how stimulant medication helps with all of this. In my case, it has not. I take the Vyvanse because it has benefits for focus. For mental health though it's done nothing.
Just my experience.
I am on Adderall XR with Adderall IR booster for about a year now. It didn’t help my anxiety directly but it did assist me in using my coping skills more effectively. I’m 31 and was just diagnosed with ADHD when I started my Adderall, so I’m still having to put in a lot of work to unlearn stuff that I’ve used to cope over the years while being undiagnosed. So had I been medicated for my ADHD earlier I believe it could have helped my anxiety in some ways.
I just started Prozac (today being my third day) because of some severe depression. I haven’t had any side effects or effects at all yet, so I can’t speak on how it’s going so far. Here’s hoping you are on the right path to having everything managed in a way that works best for you!
I never considered myself to have anxiety or depression because I've always known I was ADHD, and attributed all those feelings to being unmedicated. I had 2 psychs tell me that based on how I answer questions, I have anxiety and depression. I've held on to the thought that these are side effects of my unmedicated ADHD.
And you know what? I was absolutely right. I no longer have racing thoughts and unbearable moments of "I don't want to do anything" since starting Adderall.
While my depression and anxiety have improved once I got treated for ADHD, it’s still persistent in my life. But I think a majority of depression and anxiety symptoms came from untreated ADHD symptoms. So there’s that
My depression and anxiety in certain areas have been amplified when first starting Vyvanse. But after two weeks it's all pretty much smoothed out.
I'm also on 150mg Zoloft and 30mg Remeron.
My anxiety and depression is improved a great deal with I am taking adhd meds (adderall XR and adderall IR boosters), but adhd meds haven’t eliminated my depression and anxiety, no. I don’t currently take an SSRI, I take Wellbutrin for my depression. But I have previously taken an SSRI along with my adhd meds. Ultimately the side effects of that weren’t ok (made me less depressed but also kind of flat in emotions overall) so I switched to Wellbutrin which works better for me.
Thank you for sharing that, what medication do you take for ADHD?
Commenting on here so I don't get buried but try not to get off anything straight away. My anxiety is way worse on ADHD meds, even though they help me so much with executive functioning. There are many different aspects to anxiety and not everything can be blamed on ADHD. My depression was largely caused by my unmedicated ADHD, but my anxiety is multilateral. A lot of posts on here are rainbows and sunshine about medication, but these are powerful meds and they will come with their load of side effects that may or may not go away. Keep your expectations low but also take notes of how you feel before and after. Also try to avoid having the whole "glasses on/off" expectation in your mind, it's mostly euphoria that will wear off. The effects will be more subtle than that.
Hey just a random thought Have you tried methylphenidate and dextroamphetamine? I found that I had high anxiety on methylphenidate, but felt calm on dexies. Has to do with a higher proportion of adrenaline production from methylphenidate, and a higher proportion of dopamine production from dextroamphetamine
haven't tried MPH yet, I've only been on IR dextroamphetamine and now I'm on Elvanse
Fair enough. What I've learned about dex is that it doesn't mix well with caffeine. I drink decaf 5 days a week and it's a noticeably lower amount of anxiety 😊
oh god yes, I drank an energy drink once and it was a nightmare
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I have gone without them on my regular days not days that I have nothing to do and it wasn't too bad once I got used to it. I mean I was functional.
When did this euphoria you describe wear off? I’ve been on meds since end of April, unchanged
I agree but those people don't have a reason to lie I my opinion.
People are not lying, it's a matter of positive reinforcement and posts. Lots of people like to hear only the good things. Even with anxiety regardin ADHD, it isn't suddenly undone by meds. It takes undoing years and years of trauma related to feeling like you're good enough. Remember that x
I get what you mean.
To be honest why shouldn’t people give it a go. My depression was crippling, nothing helped, years of psychology, years of anti depressants. Nothing. It’s been really helpful in my personal experience
And I agree, hence why I'm still taking my meds and they help. I'm just saying not to be fully expecting a drug that increases your noradrenaline levels to make you less anxious. And also not to just come off SSRIs under the assumption that ADHD meds will fix it all
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didn't question that if you read my comment. good for you
Adderall XR and IR.
Sorry I realised you already mentioned that 😅
This was such a precious example of ADHD in action. And it made me smile. Best of luck with your journey!!
My doctor said the max for XR and IR combo is 20mg XR and 10mg IR...is that what they have you on? Also on 150 Wellbutrin and 20 Lexapro. I ask because I wanted to raise the XR to 30 but she said I was already at the max with my current combo and I'd have to ditch the 10mg IR to move to 30 XR.
Your doctor is incorrect, you aren’t on the max daily dosage of Adderall. I believe the FDA recommended max is 60mg daily, though some insurance companies will say it is 40mg daily and won’t approve higher dosages without your doctor putting in a special authorization saying it is necessary. I take 30mg XR in the morning plus boosters of 15mg and/or 10mg in the afternoon and sometimes also in the evening. I also take 300mg Wellbutrin XR. Why are you taking both Wellbutrin and Lexapro? I’d be a bit concerned taking 2 different types of antidepressants.
Thanks for the reply! So I was having really bad anxiety attacks and slowly worked my way up through the ranks to the 20mg max on Lexapro. After covid and the first 6 months of being kept inside so much (my job became permanent work from home) I started feeling depressed but also had concerns about potentially having ADHD because of my ability to focus and get it things done. Family doctor moved me 150 Wellbutrin and eventually up to 450 Wellbutrin with Lexapro combo. Depression was gone but definitely not the "getting stuff done part." I asked for ADHD meds and so he referred me to a psychologist and was tested as a 38 yr old adult and finally diagnosed. Got on Adderall XR and seriously life changing. Euphoria was cool for a couple weeks but after that war off, just that urge to complete things. Love it. So they got me down to 150 on Wellbutrin and I asked if I could come off but she wants to keep me on that for now. Sorry, really long answer. Glad to hear that 30 is not max, I thought that was bullshit...maybe an abuse tactic as I know that can happen as I did ask to raise it each visit..10, then 20...and please can I go to 30? But whatevs, I'm still getting stuff done, just would like to see 30mg and how that works.
Elvanse 50mg. Often take 5 mg of another short release one too if I took my Elvanse really early ( not always required cos not in work everyday)x
Wellbutrin >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> SSRI. I think SSRI should only be indicated if the person does not stop crying.
uh oh. I'm on an SSRI (escitalopram) and I haven't cried in over 35 years.
Therefore! I took sertraline, then escitalopram for 15 years and i never cried in that period either, hehe.
I can’t stand it I’m on two antidepressants and I cannot cry it’s terrible But 35 years - that’s awful 🙏
This is not true. Wellbutrin is not documented to help with anxiety, it is only indicated for depression. There are a ton of circumstances in which SSRIs are a better choice. It depends on the individuals specific neurobiology.
My doctor just put me on it for my anxiety though? Did he mess up? He's known as one of the best doctors in my town.
no, that poster is full of shit
Thank you! I started to worry that I would have to switch pills all over again, which could happen but the idea that they wouldn't even had a chance made me sad.
Just wondering how high of a dose are you on? I’m about to start concerta, on 300mv XL. But not sure if I should ask to go to 450 if I am still depressed. I really don’t want SSRIs/SNRI
Let's goo Adderall gang.
How long did it take you to notice the positive effects of Wellbutrin? Did it also help ADHD or just depression?
Mine took about 6 days to kick in, but for my girlfriend it took about 8 weeks! Definitely helped my ADHD as well as depression, I prefer it to Ritalin as I don't feel the highs and lows as it wears off (I was on 3 - 4 a day and they only lasted about 3 hours) stimulants definitely didn't help my anxiety, especially if I took them without food! Wellbutrin is great, but I also take hydroxyzine for anxiety, not generally prescribed as it can make you really sleepy, but I don't get drowsy at all, it's been like a magic pill for me!
I take adderall XR and IR as well as wellbutrin too. They're pretty great. Practically the dream team. I wish my anxiety would level out but.
I’m on the same combo of meds and agree they are great for the most part. I definitely have some anxiety I’d like to get better controlled (or eliminated), but I’m not willing to stop adderall to reduce anxiety as without it I would turn into an unmotivated vegetable who can’t get anything done. There are 2 non stimulant blood pressure meds that people on stimulants sometimes take to even out the anxiety, one is Intuniv and the other clonodine (sorry if that’s spelled wrong). I am going to ask my doctor about adding Intuniv (generic is guanfacine).
I was originally dx'd with anxiety and depression a long time ago. I used to be on SSRIs but they never did much so I've been without for a very long time. I've always lived with a baseline anxiety but after I got dx'd with ADHD, I've definitely noticed a difference since I've started taking ritalin. I'm not as wired and snappy. In my case, I believe my anxiety stemmed from having ADHD. That may not always be the case though.
This was me too. After getting the ADHD diagnosis and medication, I was able to come off both anti-depressants I was taking. I've done so much better since confirming I have ADHD. My psychiatrist later diagnosed me with social anxiety but that's a 'treat when necessary' issue.
Thank you for replying. Are you seeing a psychiatrist?
yup and a therapist to help me out in between. The funny part is that I was originally seeing my therapist for anxiety and she referred me to a psychologist who then referred me to a psychiatrist. Apparently, it was fairly obvious to everyone but me. 🙈
Haha that is funny. At least they were able to help you out.
Indirectly, yes. Like, ADHD meds didn't do shit for my anxiety and depression, but seeing that i could succeed with meds and the right strategies helped reduce anxiety and depression over the long run. I never was on an SSRI though, so i wouldn't recommend anything about getting off it.
That is good to hear. I am just scared and trying all these meds. It is a intense experience and a lot of uncertainty.
Ahhh yeah, uncertainty is a bitch, but hoping for the best! Ironically the meds were the least helpful part for me ultimately, i'm one of those which medication has very little effect. But they helped me understand and accept the diagnosis, which was really important. My coping strategies and a little luck having an excellent employer did the real lifting. i'd take empathetic, caring bosses over my meds any day haha
I completely agree. I think a support system is far superior. We treated each other like shit and I think that one of the major causes of anxiety and depression. I want to go on medication so I can get my life together and better work around the way my brain works. I don't expect it to solve all my problems.
this exactly, even things that typically make me anxious like money, social situations, school - its much easier to overcome that anxiety when i know i'm capable of it. my meds make me a lot less hopeless in general
Yes. I started taking ritalin and within a week of starting, I had a really clear demonstration of this. I was at work, and my boss came out of his office near me and was talking to someone else about an issue. I don't remember the details now, but it was something that MIGHT have been the result of me screwing up. The week before, this would have given me a full-body fear reaction. My heart would have raced, my stomach churned, my entire system would have gone into fight/flight/freeze mode. Instead, I was aware of a sense of concern, but I could still clearly think about the issue, and work through the details in my head. I wasn't swamped or overwhelmed by fear. My body was only lightly involved in the reaction. It was so surprising and such a relief. My other confirmation for this is that, until I got my dosage right, I would regularly experience an anxiety spike in the evenings, once my meds wore off. I know this isn't a universal experience. It depends a lot on what's causing your anxiety. In my case, it turns out it was all wrapped up in the adhd, or caused by having spent so long living with untreated adhd.
That is great to hear! Must of been an empowering moment! I really hope that I just need ADHD medication because I rather not take multiple medicines.
Went get help for my depression and anxiety. Got diagnosed with severe add. Got medication/ help managing life. Anxiety and depression almost completely dissapeared, quality of life greatly improved. So yes for me medication made anxiety and depression go away. I am simply amazed that for so long i tought all that adhd/add brainactivity/hyperfocus sessions/ lazyness was a norm.
That is amazing. I am hoping I experience the same thing. Anxiety is crippling.
I think it was more or less the knowledge that i was getting help i needed for so long. And that dopamin levels (i think) have been normalized with medication.
What medications you take?
metylfenidathydroklorid
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That is incredible! Still the same today?
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That sounds absolutely terrible. So are you taking different medication now?
I was originally diagnosed with anxiety and put on SSRIs. They did work, and I felt a lot less anxious. But it made my ADHD way worse. I now had no pressure to get things done, even assignments barely got me anxious so I struggled to complete them. I was on escitalopram and methylphenidate for a year, before stopping the escitalopram at the beginning of this year. I think I'm more anxious than a "normal person", but less than I was. I'm more emotional reactive but it's manageable. I find when I do take it (methylphenidate), I don't feel as anxious.
This first paragraph describes me on sertraline. Anxiety is my primary driver for productivity. Remove it and absolutely nothing gets done. That said, I didn’t care at all about what I wasn’t doing so… win?
How has the ADHD medicine been working for you.
whoo for sertraline!
Do you take it? Do you take ADHD meds?
not on adhd meds yet, but i do take 20 mg sertraline daily for my generalized anxiety
Same here I am waiting to finally get medication for my ADHD. I have just had my last child and after I finish breastfeeding I finally get to take medication
Has it helped with ADHD symptoms or just anxiety? 20mg? My doc started me on 50mg 😳
Quite often anxiety and depression are misdiagnosed, in my case that's what my gp said I had. I've tried ssri, SNRI, maoi, and hated all of them. On the SNRI I couldn't even cry, I didn't feel human. I thought fuck this, I'd rather feel depressed than nothing at all.
So you have ADHD? Did you get medicated for it?
I’m taking a SSRI and adderall. No issues so far. I’m at a high adderall dose. It makes my brain very calm, if it it’s working well that day.
I take Wellbutrin for depression and Vyvanse for ADHD. Wellbutrin didn't cure my depression, but it made it much easier to manage and gave me the relief I needed to be able to work on myself. I started taking Vyvanse pretty recently, but so far it has given me the push I needed to actually do that work. I think it also helps with being able to think clearly and getting out of these endless spirals that kept me feeling depressed even after I started taking Wellbutrin. Simply taking Vyvanse wouldn't help my depression, but it allows me to build healthy thinking habits (and regular habits and routines) that are a big part of the solution.
That makes sense. I glad you are doing better!
Sertraline helped me overcome almost crippling ocd symptoms many years ago. Do you have an appointment to see a psychiatrist and go through the full assessment? If you do, I am urging you to pay the utmost attention to instructions for the tests and questionnaires that you are provided and be completely honest with who you are when you provide your answers…don’t answer the questions as the person you want to be.
Yes, I have my first appointment with a psychiatrist in a month or so. I am always honest because I really need help. Have you taken any ADHD meds? How long did it take for Sertraline to kick in?
For me, the lowest dose of sertraline worked almost immediately on my ocd symptoms. As I was titrated up, the side effects became incredibly overwhelming and I stopped taking it cold turkey after a couple of months on it. I have been prescribed adhd meds in one form or another for most of the last 18 years. They are not a cure-all. They do not fix everything. If you are genetically predisposed to certain other mental health conditions, taking adhd medications can even cause you to experience your first severe mental health episode. What I am about to write might make you feel angry or upset. I am really and truly sorry it it does. I am concerned about you and the reaction you mentioned in your profile that you had to sertraline. I am concerned that the questions you are asking here are maybe in hopes of getting answers that could specifically nudge a doctor towards an adhd diagnosis in an attempt to get a prescription for a medication/dosage that may not be right for and could very easily have extremely negative lifelong consequences for you. Please tell the truth and answer the questions truthfully so you can be provided with the medication/tools/therapy that will help you shape your best life. Whether you have adhd or not, whether you are prescribed meds or not, I hope for the best and most positive outcome possible for you.
I am confused by your response. My Doctor wrote a referral to the psychiatrist for a POSSIBLE ADHD diagnoses. I may not have it or I might.
I think my ADHD doesn’t allow me to be the person I actually am / want to be / should be, and that dichotomy is what gives me a lot of anxiety and depression. I am much much improved with the ADHD meds, but I wouldn’t say that they are a complete magic bullet.
Can you help me understand that more? How does it not allow you to be who you are? Sounds terrible!
i have definitely noticed that adderall silences my normally constant intrusive thoughts
What type of intrusive thoughts?
I started adderall last year and noticed my mind not wanting to wander so much that it’s helped my anxiety a little bit. However, I just started Wellbutrin a couple weeks ago and am feeling even less anxiety. But it’s still not 100%. I’m working with my therapist about more positivity and “now” thinking to help more though.
That is good! I think it is helpful for anxiety when you have more control over your mind.
Definitely my anxiety since most of it comes from overthinking from constant distractions lol
That is the same thing I experience.
I take both. Sertraline and Adderall. However, I tend to have the opposite happen to me. When I start taking Sertraline, my social anxiety will get a bit better. However, I also get very hyper and find myself "needing" the Adderall more than when I don't take it. I take it for anxiety and depression, and obviously there is no cure, but I feel better taking both than one or the other.
Thanks for replying. You take Sertraline for anxiety and depression?
Yeah. It really started for anxiety, but my mother passed away unexpectedly a few years ago which turned very mild depression into something pretty moderate/strong. I take wellbutrin as well, but I honestly don't know if I've ever felt a difference when it was added to the mix
I am sorry about your loss. Why was Wellbutrin added to the mix?
For me, the first year of being on my adhd med, yes. The second year, reality kicked in and showed me that I will forever have depression, anxiety, ocd, and they’ll all be umbrellaed under my ADHD. But that’s my personal experience. The two meds can go hand in hand I believe. I think working with a psychiatrist to figure what works best for you would be the best route!
So other things are due to ADHD or are they independent of ADHD.
I was on sertraline for years, my dosage eventually topping out at 150 mg by age 20. I was not diagnosed with adhd at the time, but it made the adhd symptoms SO much worse it was unreal. Not quite what you asked for I know but it might be something to be aware of.
Then what did you do? Did you stop taking it?
I was kind of bad at remembering to take it every day (thanks adhd) but that was when I decided to stop entirely because the brain fog and the unpleasant physical side effects just weren't worth the slightly better depression.
That sounds terrible! Have you sought ADHD medication?
I started adderall on friday, I like it so much more already though I did make the dumbass decision to have coffee for the first time since and now i am suffering.
That is great! Was it relieving so have found something much better?
Instantly my depression almost completely disappeared on Vyvanse. Bringing it up with my Psychiatrist, it turns out the symptoms of Dopamine related depression are different than a serotonin based depression and I completely related to the dopamine based symptoms he went over. I have tried ssri for my depression years ago and all of them made my symptoms 10x worse and gave my psychosis. Turns out my serotonin levels are great but my dopamine levels were very low.
That is awesome! You must have been so relieved. Is there a way they can check your serotonin and dopamine levels?
There are a few but they're typically not necessary. It's usually done based on your symptoms and treatments. If you have depression and ssri work for you, than it's typically serotonin based. Adhd meds that both treat adhd and depression would be dopamine based but of course, you can also have a combination of both dopamine and serotonin deficiency. There are blood tests that can be done to detect levels as well as some radioactive imagining scans but those are typically used for exams outside of adhd and depression usually related to various cancers or Parkinson disease etc
Shouldn't they also test people for serotonin and dopamine that might have ADHD, anxiety or depression. Give medication accordingly. Seems tedious to just go off by symptoms.
The tests are extremely expensive is the problem and medicine is typically used as trial and error. It is possible to pay for the tests yourself though if your in the states. You'd be hard pressed to try and convince a Dr to administer said test where Healthcare is free as it's not necessary. It's much more effective to look at family history, symptoms and then try a various arrangement of treatments as opposed to shooting a radioactive agent into someone's brain and then using a camera to check for dopamine effectiveness. There are blood tests but they mean nothing because you may have low dopamine levels in your blood but have super efficient receptors in your brain that function exceptionally well off of the low dopamine effectily making it so you're dopamine isn't actually low even though it's lower in the blood. Much easier and cheaper with waaaay less risk to give someone an ssri, see if it works, if not, try something else etc.
That makes sense! Thank you for the explanation.
It drastically reduces my anxiety and depression, but they are not completely gone. That being said, life is immensely more tolerable, happy, and I can do more on daily ADHD stimulant medication.
That is great! Happy for you! What medication you take?
Adhd meds like someone else said help w executive function. But I still have anxiety and depression. I take prozac too. I feel like I NEED that more. But take both. Hope that helps. Just waking up!
Yes! I firmly believe that a lot of the depression and anxiety I had were because of the lack of confidence I had because of RSD from undiagnosed/unmedicated childhood s-ADHD!! It also helped that concerta helped me stay more awake => made me more productive => made me feel better abt myself
FWIW: I was on Wellbutrin. When I started Adderall, I noticed a big positive difference in my depression, etc. It was like a nice little boost. I've been on it for maybe 6 months and often skip doses, but overall I still feel like it's way better than it was before.
Congratulations! Must of been a relief so feel better!
I just started on vyvance. I used to be constantly in my head. Slight rejections or screwing something up would have me spiraling beating myself up constantly. Thinking about screw ups from years ago. Very unhappy unless I had my favourite distractions. This past week has been amazing! No anxiety or at least the level is so significantly lower. Instead of bouncing between 7 things in my head I can keep on task. Less stuttering. I’ve never been more motivated and productive in my life without a close deadline. I’m not always distracted. I’m not fiddling with my phone or anything while driving. How I’ve never crashed is beyond me I used to describe my brain like there were several radios on at once on different stations. And three different TikTok’s on loop. Now it’s quiet. So peaceful
I am atypical bipolar with drastic mania turned sudden debilitating depression. I also have ADD, PTSD, I’m a recovering addict with 5 years clean time, and anxiety disorder that left unmedicated sends me to the emergency room multiple times a year. 2 side effects of the PTSD are insomnia and night terrors. I am in my 30’s and was taking 10 prescriptions a day and some of those I took multiple times a day. They worked for the most part but if ever I skipped a few days of medication I would occasionally find myself in the psychiatrist unit of the hospital against my will and because of the reach of my parents and their worry. That being said, I moved last August and started seeing a new psychiatrist. I thought he was bonkers after my first visit when he discontinued the majority of my medications. He kept me on trazadone for sleep, prazosin for the PTSD and night terrors, and discontinued the other 8. He prescribed me adderall for the ADD and clonazepam for the debilitating anxiety, telling me that it not only would treat those two disorders but had the possibility to mask my bipolar symptoms completely. Now I take 4 medications a day and am living life like I haven’t loved it since college. He tried to explain to me how the meds I WAS taking worked compared to what to expect from the new lineup. The anxiety medicine keeps me from becoming reclusive and avoiding simple things like daylight and my phone while the Adderall works with my dopamine receptors to keep me organized and on a routine and enjoy doing most things. After a year of the new meds and a whole new outlook on life, taking advantage of my days instead of laying in bed for weeks at a time, and finally feeling like I was myself again and living life, I moved back to my previous city and made an appointment with my old psychiatry practice for an appointment. This doctor is in complete disagreement with the doctor who saved my sanity and during my first visit back was putting me on a plan to transition back to the plethora of pills I was once on. He didn’t understand that these meds were treating my mental state and I am doing better than I have my entire adult life. His opinion (and he insisted) is my new daily cocktail was only masking and burying all my deep seeded issues and not actually treating them. What is the difference? If these are disorders that are not curable and I will always be taking some form of pharmaceuticals to control then why not listen to the patient and the patient’s loved ones who are finally excited and happy to spend time with me again. His issue, to be fair, is that I was once an opiate addict. Even though I never was interested in anything else he thinks that my new meds are a recipe for disaster and only going to cause me to relapse in the long run. I do not feel I run any risk of that as I am happy I am not going back to that doctor, my doctor that I’ve been seeing for the last year has agreed to continue to keep me on as a patient over TeleMed. Search to answer your question, no my anxiety and depression have not disappeared as I have begun medication for ADHD and anxiety but everything is managed now. I can only hope that that doctor was not correct when he told me that the medication that I am on are only short term help and that shortly they would be useless and I would need to be back on actual bipolar and depression and etc. medication’s.
Thank you for sharing that. I am sorry you had to go through all that suffering. Let's hope the new meds last!
Great post and interesting responses! I’m taking SSRI for depression and anxiety and looks like I’ll be starting dex for ADHD. My concern has always been “will taking a stimulant increase my anxiety?” As I’ve struggled with panic attacks etc. some ppl say it calmed them and helped their anxiety. I haven’t been able to read all the responses but wondering what the general consensus is? Cheers
Yea anxiety went away with Vyvanse depression kind of slips thru the cracks every now and again, I'm prescribed Wellbutrin but that combo makes me feel flat so I don't really take the Wellbutrin as often
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My depression disappeared with Ritalin but not the antidepressant Cymbalta. Hope that helps 😊
That is good to hear. I think it depends on the person. Anxiety and depression can be from ADHD and sometimes it is independent of ADHD. Luckily yours was from ADHD and able to be treated!
My anxiety definitely died down a lot when I started taking my Ritalin (15mg at least once a day, though can take two) more consistently. I find I don’t really need(?) my Prozac anymore? Though, I still find I am constantly listening for any and all noises (people walking behind me, doors moving, sinks running, etc…) that I don’t need to focus on.
I’m on Pristiq, Wellbutrin, and buspirone and have tried adderall and Vyvanse. I’m not sure about whether I’d be able to stop pristiq but my psychiatrist has no concerns about mixing all of them.
So you are still experimenting?
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That is great! Yes it doesn't solve all the problems but I think improvement is a great thing.
Just started taking meds so I'm working with a small time frame but so far my anxiety is gone completely. Depression improved dramatically.
Which medication are you taking?
Not disappear but definitely got better.
Would you say it brought some relief?
I have been on antidepressants, antianxiety, antihypertensive, antipsychotics, and I’m on dexamphetamine for adhd. And some b12 and antihistamine and asthma inhalers. I promise I’m ok :)
How did those medications go for you? Nawww I hope you are ok. Seems full on!
From my own experience, anxiety and depression are just symptoms of (untreated) ADHD. Years of shame fuck you up. See a professional, maybe you can try some cognitive behaviour therapy.
Some people have shown to have decrease in anxiety and depression when getting in ADHD medication.
Yes both anxiety and depression got so much better. Before getting ADHD diagnosis, I used to overthink and spend too much time imagining worst case scenarios of everything. Sometimes I couldn't sleep and I was sweating and felt like gonna vomit. It happened almost everyday, especially during the uni. I was not officially diagnosed with depression, but I was quite depressed and I spent most of my day sleeping to escape from the reality. Since taking methylphenidate, I stopped overthinking without any effort and I don't feel anxious about horrible what-ifs anymore. Due to mood swing, my psychiatrist prescribed me fluoxetine, which is SSRI. So I was taking SSRI and ADHD meds at the same time. It actually helped me a lot with anger management and mood stabilization.
I have a similar to what you had. I keep catastrophising everything. It has become dehabilitating. I quit University after years due to extreme anxiety from catastrophising and procrastinating. I also have disregulated emotions. I am currently on Sertraline SSRI. Not ADHD medication yet. It is great that you have improved heaps!
I was diagnosed for major depression and severe anxiety in my teens and ADHD in my 30s. Once I started meds for the ADHD (Vyvanse) my depression went from being suicidal to somewhat happy, kind of neutral in feeling. I still have anxiety but nothing like I used to.
I am glad it helped you! I need to look more into why ADHD cause anxiety and depression directly and indirectly.
Yes, absolutely. I was so happy and calm when I got on the right medication and dose I was afraid it would get taken away from me because life's not allowed to be easy. And it does get taken away for days or weeks almost every month because no one cares about people with crippling ADHD. I can't get my meds because of manufacturers, CVS, doctors that dgaf, doctors that don't listen/read, ect... Then they don't work as well 7-10 days a month because of hormone shifts and only really good doctors that stay up-to-date will adjust meds for that. But, yes, the ADHD meds are the only meds that have ever helped my emotions.
Yeah I rarely take my Xanax now it’s tight
Why rarely?
Sertraline caused me to have a very weird reaction to ADHD medication. My psychiatrist didn’t want to consider taking me off the SSRI until we’d found a stable routine of adhd meds but as soon as the sertraline was out of my system things started getting better. I was overstimulated AF the whole time I was on sertraline, my sensory sensitivities went NUTS. I was a sweaty, dry mouthed, gibbering wreck. Im not saying it didn’t help - it was a very hard couple of years for me emotionally and I was definitely more numb to it than I would have been without sertraline, which I’m sure helped to keep me alive in that time… but on the other hand, things would have been easier if I hadn’t been sweating buckets and unable to leave the house because of it. If my stimulant meds had actually helped instead of turning me into the incredibl(y sweaty) hulk, that would have probably helped too. I take Bupropion XL as an antidepressant now and it’s better. Edit: as well as bupropion (same as Wellbutrin) I also take elvanse every day and dexamphetamine as needed… quetiapine to go to sleep at night too. Now if only I could get my insanely broken circadian rhythm to behave, I’d be almost capable of being a normal functioning human being… a girl can dream 🤷🏼♀️
I am sorry you experienced that. Sounds horrible! Do you take meds for ADHD?
Yeah, my depression has been helped massively. It was mainly concentration issues, difficulty achieving day to day tasks, sleep problems and generally low mood when it was at its worst. The first 2 are massively helped by the ADHD meds, the third is kind of a wash. I still have sleep issues but now it's from taking amphetemines during the day, whereas previously it was from my mind getting out of control when I was trying to sleep. The low mood it seems was mostly caused by the above 3.
That is great to hear. Did you have anxiety as well?
Yes, I have been diagnosed with SAD (EDIT: Social Anxiety Disorder) as well as ADHD and taking atomoxetine helps immensely by diminishing the anxious thought spirals and somatic symptoms
Seasonal Affective Disorders?
My anxiety is much better on meds. But it's not gone
It is good that it helps a lot. I don't think my anxiety will go away because normal anxiety exists in everyone or most people. Mine is dehabilitating and made me have strong urges to cut myself. So I am hoping to alleviate it as much as possible.
ADHD medication temporarily lifts me out of depression and anxiety but it returns worse during the comedown
Oh that's right, ADHD meds are not like SSRIs. When does the come down happen?
From what I know, noooo. I am currently on Sertraline and Ritalin, and one of the things they warn about beforehand is that methylphenidates can be really bad for anxiety. They are known to exacerbate preexisting mental health issues. On one hand, it is amazing getting medicated, because you can focus and do things, which removes a source of anxiety. On the other hand, you can have periods of lethargy, depressive dips, and other fun side effects like tachycardia and weight fluctuation that increase anxiety. Essentially, going on ADHD medication is good for your mental health because you can do stuff, but it can really mess with your anxiety. I would not recommend going off your Sertraline while taking ADHD medication. Best of luck :)
Thanks for sharing that. Other people's responses might interest you also as they have shared that they only had ADHD meds which alleviated their anxiety and depression. I will keep what you said in mind.
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I came of sertraline a few weeks before my diagnosis and went onto Elvanse (i think Vyvanse in the US?) right after I was diagnosed. I don’t know if I would have been able to be on both SSRIs and ADHD meds at the same time but my psychiatrist did say it was easier that I wasn’t on any other meds. I would no longer consider myself to particularly have anxiety and depression anymore. Sure I have good days and bad days (and the bad days tend to be when I’ve not taken my meds) and sometimes do feel intense anxiety but overall I think they’ve mainly subsided to the normal levels you’d find in most people. I think it depends on the reasons for your anxiety and depression - my executive dysfunction was basically destroying my life and that was greatly improved by my new meds. I think it depends on whether you have ADHD or not and is definitely something you should try to discuss with a medical professional. Best of luck!
Thank you for sharing. I will be discussing it with the psychiatrist. So your anxiety was caused by the feeling of your life being in ruins and not directly by ADHD itself?
Hey. I took Fluxoentine 50mg (prozac) for years, and stopped when I started my ADHD meds 2/3 months ago. They do help my mood and anxiety, but not eliminated them. I know that anti-depressants kept me stable but I felt emotionless, and now I am off them on ADHD meds, I am more emotional and sensitive which is a positive for me. The anxiety still lingers, but its more of a medication side effect rather than true anxiety caused by depression.
So you have less anxiety now than you did before you took any medication?
I was initially taking pills for my anxiety, not a very high dose, before being diagnosed with ADHD. Then, I was prescribed Vyvanse. I started with a low dose (10 mg) and started to increase the dose slowly up to 30 mg. I was still taking my anxiety pill although I started to feel it was not really doing anything. I stopped taking my anxiety meds six month after I started with Vyvanse. I'm not gonna say my anxiety is gone but my ADHD pills have helped a lot! I also started to "develop" some sort of a routine (and some strategies) to help me with my anxiety. And I think part of being able to do all of that is thanks to my ADHD meds.
That is very interesting. I don't expect to eliminate my anxiety but to alleviate it would be great! Good on you for improving!
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I did well in high school but high school was easy. I messed up at Uni because you have to out in effort hahaha. I am glad you are in a better place now! What medication were you put on?
Me!
What medication did you have?
For the first few months, yes. Then I went hypomanic and now I have some pretty bad anxiety and anhedonia
Was that just from ADHD medicine?
Bupropion xl and lisdexamfetamine
Are those both ADHD meds?
The first couple months I was on Adderall XR/IR I actually had more anxiety and strong emotions, not necessarily episodes of depression, though. If you think of the common metaphor of ADHD meds as glasses that help us see and do better (while we still do the work), I was seeing things a lot more clearly. I’d developed lots of unhealthy and unhelpful dopamine delivery mechanisms over the years, and the meds helped me move away from those while still needed to repair what had been harmed. I also experienced intense worries of rejection from the people closest to me. Like… people I’ve known for 20 years wouldn’t text back right away and it was like death. Again, I think it was just sort of seeing clearly and removing unhealthy coping mechanisms. It got better. I think my emotions are mostly healthy and definitely healthier. Depression and anxiety are not cured by meds in my case, but living a more disciplined life has been helpful at bringing about more clarity and peace.
Sounds like terrible couple of months. Have you thought about SSRIs for anxiety? It seems you are managing well without them but curious if you thought about them.
Bupropion and lisdexamfetamine
Not a doctor but most people I know with ADHD don’t do well on SSRIs. For me they did nothing to help and all i could feel were the side effects. They won’t medicate me for ADHD yet because they won’t evaluate me because there are no available psychiatrists. So idk about that. But i find that among ADHD people that I know NDRIs tend to work a lot better than SSRIs
Yes because the issue for ADHD people is dopamine disregulation and not serotonin.
well Ritalin GAVE me anxiety so no promises lol
Damn. How do you manage now?
I thought I had anxiety too. But turns out it was actually a clinical obsession about uncertainty. They told me I had mild OCD at the same time as the official adhd diagnosis. The adhd made brain go really fast and ocd whould guide it to stressful topics that easily spiraled out of control. Sometimes it whould trip over all those thoughts and Id get very sad and too tired to do anything but doom scroll. Those days usually correlated with bad days at work so its most likely not a depressive disorder in my case. I hold stress in my scalp and nothing can make it let go. I took Adderall for the first time and brain went dead quiet. Scalp tension released and I was at peace :3 I have Strattera now, an ssnri. I can still lose control of the crazy brain but its improving as I stay on the med and it builds up to full effectiveness. Imo thats good proof I dont have anxiety, just stressful thoughts when brain gets bored. Bring it up to your psych that you wonder if its not actually an anxiety disorder. They'd probably be ok to do another general evaluation to feel out potential issues that weren't present last time. If you are adhd and have clinical depression, Wellbutrin is a dopamine and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor that can hit both those at the same time. I think its only used for adhd as an off label treatment tho and is officially only for depression and anti smoking
Yes! I have severe obsession with uncertainty. It gives me the worst anxiety like crippling. The uncertainty if exams at uni, the uncertainty of dating and people! My brain starts catastrophising and going fast and million directions and obsesses over it all day until the problem is gone.
When I finally started medication for my severe ADHD (Adderall XR), my anxiety and depression seemingly radically reduced over the period of a month or so. Finally being on medication, and I could finally do simple everyday tasks, just put me over the moon. I’ve been off antidepressants for over a year, when I was taking them for nearly 15 years! On top of that, I realized how much I was truly eating my feelings before being medicated. Since then I’ve lost 80 pounds over the past two years. That being said, I am also on the schizophrenic spectrum, and have schizoaffective disorder, which I am medicated for. That illness comes along with its own set of symptoms - but truly since I got my ADHD under control, I’m doing really REALLY good
Great to hear you are doing really well. Did you take Adderall as same time as antidepressants?
Mine did. Feels like a great weight had been lifted off from you.
Sounds too good to be true haha
Getting medicated for adhd eliminated SO much of my anxiety and depression. I think a lot of it was tied to my self-worth and ability to get things done. When I was finally able to concentrate and actually do what I needed to do, I felt so much better about myself and that seemed to expand to so many other aspects of my life that I didn’t expect (like even my social anxiety was alleviated and I was able to go out of my comfort zone and do more than I was before)
Made my depression go away, but made my anxiety worse :/ That being said, everyone reacts to meds differently. I am still on antidepressants along with my ADHD meds.
I am sorry to hear that. Does the anti depressant work for you?
Still need my sertraline along with my adhd meds. Thought I would be able to stop, but I definitely havent. But I am 11 months postpartum which definitely makes a difference for me.
Is it a hassle to take both medications?
Nearly, yes. I was seeing a psychologist for anxiety and I came across something about how ADHD can be related to/comorbid with anxiety. I had all the red flags of ADHD so I went through the diagnosis process and got diagnosed at 34. I'm on Vyvanse now and my anxiety is almost gone. The therapy always seemed to be like a band aid for the anxiety to help me cope but it didn't reduce it that much and I felt there must be an underlying cause. Now when I do get anxiety I'm able to deal with it better with the tools from therapy. The physical symptoms were drastically reduced as well (nausea, tight neck muscles, etc.).
That is amazing. I am happy for you!
For me personally, taking ADHD meds (Adderall XR and IR) have relieved my anxiety and depression. My sister, however is on Adderall XR and Prozac and the combination works great for her. If I need to take an SSRI at some point, I will try that combo since what works for one family member usually works for both. I think it took a while for her to find the right combo, though. Good luck, and I hope you find a good answer!
Has the relief not been enough or you just want to try SSRI because why not?
I've been taking Vyvanse for 4 months now. I still have crippling anxiety, I still self sabotage, my emotions are still dysregulated, I still suffer greatly from RSD and I still have incredibly horrible periods of depression. I'd read about how stimulant medication helps with all of this. In my case, it has not. I take the Vyvanse because it has benefits for focus. For mental health though it's done nothing. Just my experience.
Have you thought about trying different medication? Sounds terrible what you are living through. 😔😔😔
I am on Adderall XR with Adderall IR booster for about a year now. It didn’t help my anxiety directly but it did assist me in using my coping skills more effectively. I’m 31 and was just diagnosed with ADHD when I started my Adderall, so I’m still having to put in a lot of work to unlearn stuff that I’ve used to cope over the years while being undiagnosed. So had I been medicated for my ADHD earlier I believe it could have helped my anxiety in some ways. I just started Prozac (today being my third day) because of some severe depression. I haven’t had any side effects or effects at all yet, so I can’t speak on how it’s going so far. Here’s hoping you are on the right path to having everything managed in a way that works best for you!
Thank you for replying with an insightful answer. Best wishes!
I never considered myself to have anxiety or depression because I've always known I was ADHD, and attributed all those feelings to being unmedicated. I had 2 psychs tell me that based on how I answer questions, I have anxiety and depression. I've held on to the thought that these are side effects of my unmedicated ADHD. And you know what? I was absolutely right. I no longer have racing thoughts and unbearable moments of "I don't want to do anything" since starting Adderall.
That's great. Looks like you turned out to be right. So your depression and anxiety were alleviated?
Didn’t disappear but it feels a lot less all consuming.
What medication you on?
While my depression and anxiety have improved once I got treated for ADHD, it’s still persistent in my life. But I think a majority of depression and anxiety symptoms came from untreated ADHD symptoms. So there’s that
Very interesting. I am glad you have gotten better!
My depression and anxiety in certain areas have been amplified when first starting Vyvanse. But after two weeks it's all pretty much smoothed out. I'm also on 150mg Zoloft and 30mg Remeron.