At 29, I finally found someone who listened to me about my concerns thinking I have ADHD. I’ve thought it for years and years, but all the mental health professionals I’ve talked to have either ignored it or said my symptoms were caused by my other diagnoses.

I’ve had two sessions with a new psychiatrist, and she believes that I do in fact have ADHD, which is such a relief! So now with a diagnosis in hand, I’ve been prescribed a low dose of adderall to try for the next month. (5mg first thing in the morning, with another 5mg between noon and 1pm if I feel like I need it).

I’ve always been a go-go-go person, always disorganized and messy, and always feeling like my brain has the inability to shut up and be quiet. I’m hoping to find calm within my brain so I can actually focus and do things. One of the reasons I like my job is that I’m never doing the same thing for very long (I’m a preschool teacher), but by the same token, when we’re outside on the playground, for example, I sometimes zone out and miss things I shouldn’t. I’m also the person who procrastinates on laundry, then when I finally get around to doing it, forget that I put it in the wash and won’t change it over to the dryer for hours after it’s done.

What’s adderall like for you guys? I’ve never been on a stimulant before. I’m excited about it helping, but nervous, because new meds always make me nervous.