I aged out of the 26-30 card this year so decided to chance it with applying for the disabled card (this was before the recent change)

I actually got it by applying for a concessionary bus pass, if you can get that then you can use it as evidence to get the railcard

So now I have free bus and train travel in my local area AND 1/3 off train travel everywhere else 🕺🏻

Tldr. I am fed up with being ADHD in a world where we still don’t fully understand it, where I’ve been raised by mainly strangers to feel like I’m failing in every way. But unable to share that without feeling like a complete, spoiled global west brat. I’m burned out, broke and existential.

Spoiler alert: this post is a badly written essay. Props to anyone who bothers to read it. Thank you for taking the time out of your day.

I (23f) know many people have probably posted about this before, but I'm actually so tired of it, I need a little rant.

I try so hard to be careful about money, but the fact is, without my parents' current support, I'd be totally in the shit. I know I'm extremely blessed to have them. It just makes me think about all the folks with less struggling with the same stuff I am.

I am constantly losing everything. I think I need to attach my worldly possessions to my body and be done with it—extreme body mods like a skin pocket. Although I'd still lose stuff then, wouldn't I? Popped it on a table for two seconds and poof, it's gone.

When I'm not losing stuff, I'm breaking it. I try so hard to be careful, but it feels almost inevitable that anything I possess will disappear at some point. And it leaves me with the worst feeling of guilt and something else I can't quite put into words. That feeling, like when your stomach drops and your heart's in your mouth.

It wouldn't matter so much if I didn't end up feeling bloody awful every time! Why can't I get to grips with the fact that this is how I am, and oh well, it could be worse?

Except then I have to pay a fortune replacing everything, don't I? Cause I need earplugs; otherwise, noise hurts my ears. And I can't live without headphones because music is my life and a crutch for interacting with the outside world. Let alone a massive support with transitions. I honestly don't know what I would have done if I'd been born before music players with headphones had been created.

Oh, and that £50 shop I did at the start of the week to make sure I had enough food for dinners and lunch, etc., never mind that. The actual point was to make my fridge shelf full and pretty. Wasn't going to use any of it, was I? I mean duhhhhh!

Complete ducking waste, caused by the time I’ve got round to even addressing that, any of it's there, it's gone mouldy, hasn't it? So now, not only am I wasting money, but also perfectly good food. Food that a large portion of the world doesn’t have access to. People are starving, and I’m letting food mould in my fridge because I can’t get myself to cook a meal. I mean, f*uck me, I wouldn’t survive an apocalypse. Sorry, I can’t look for vital resources right now to sustain our lives cause I’m too busy dealing with executive dysfunction. Just leave me behind, folks, I’ll only slow you down.

But I’ve got to eat, haven’t I, so what are my options? Cook a healthy meal I’ve already paid for. Or order a takeaway I legitimately don’t have the money for! Yeah, that sounds about right. Good job, I’ve got that £50 overdraft. I mean, what would I do if I didn’t get paid weekly?

And then, to top it all off, my room looks like a rubbish tip 'cause I can’t help but collect stuff I needed that one time last year. Or resources for my numerous hobbies that I love but can never motivate myself to do. Or all those books I desperately want to read, but god forbid I sit and read one sentence without needing to move.

And that legit enormous pile of washing, because I can’t lie, washing is like my least favourite thing ever. Although what makes it even better is that I work at a school with very sensory kids, so let’s say my clothes are actually dirty. (I bloody love my work and don’t mind my clothes getting mucky, it just means I have to wash them, I can’t reuse them.) The washing machines sh*t, so nothing comes out clean. The weather's turning, so I can’t get anything dry. And then I have a legit, overflowing, ginormous bag of fabric with stains that could be considered a biohazard.

So my solution is a trip to the laundrette, another £30-£50 quid down the drain.
But to be honest, I don’t have much choice, because I can’t lie, it will just sit there. It won’t get done until one of my housemates walks into my room and marches me down to the washing machine.

Adult life is so hard. I feel like I’m failing on all fronts when it comes to looking after myself. I can’t even brush my teeth consistently. And then my partner (22m) is struggling, and I pour time and money into supporting him. (He’s a good guy and definitely does not just take but objectively is having a rougher time than I am.) And I have to act like I’ve got my shit together, that we’ll get through this, and that everything will be ok.
But I’m not ok. My OCD has ramped up to a million trying to stop me from doing the work I enjoy. I’ve had to pull out of my volunteering for a break because I’m so burned out, and the environment is getting a little too toxic for my RSD. I’m getting persistent migraines which have been occurring for over a year, and I didn’t even realise or try to treat them cause I told myself I was overreacting.

My depression ebbs and flows, but I’m always telling myself I don’t have anything to be depressed about, and I need to get a grip. I’d never say that shit to anyone else. But on my darkest days, I am a piece of sh*t that needs whipping into shape.

There is so much shame, guilt and grief around ADHD. I work with children who have ADHD, and they are fantastic. I’d never want them to feel the way I do about myself or speak to themselves the way I do. I know we all go through periods where we’re harsh on ourselves, but I feel with ADHD, the outside sigma makes it so challenging. When I’m not being harsh on myself, I get weird looks or comments from others. My Dad, who is so ADHD, is constantly saying ableist stuff even though he relies on my mum to support him with so much executive functioning, especially when he was working.

I am just so tired. I would love a day in someone else’s brain. Help me get some perspective because we all have our challenges. I would love a world where I didn’t grow up feeling inferior, useless or guilty. A world where children like the ones I work with could explore freely and be wholly themselves. A world that didn’t try to crush individualism. Where everyone had equity, and we accepted one another regardless of our differences. A world where love was the driving force and darkness a drop in the ocean.

Thank you for coming to my TED talk. I’m off to get on with things and keep moving forward because that’s all we can do.

Hey guys, can anyone give me any info about ferratin levels and adhd? I’ve heard low ferratin levels can have a massive impact on ADHD and am wanting to get blood tests to look into this but i’ve heard a lot about doctors basically saying your ferratin levels are fine when they aren’t because i think the “normal range” is a pretty big range you can fall into? I’ve also heard ferratin levels can impact the way stimulants work? anyway, any advice?

Due to my BMI I’ve been advised to get an ECG before meds can be recommended or discussed properly.

Has anybody experienced an ECG? Should I be worried? What does it entail? I think I have to go to the hospital as my GP is only small.

I’m feeling anxious about the situation and just wanted to hear the journey of others who may have been in a similar position once!

So, two years ago I came off adhd meds (dexamphetamine / amefxa) as I wanted to try and find non-medication coping strategies.

About a year later, finding myself unable to deal with adhd without meds, I decided to ask my GP to write to P-UK for a review. P-UK were supportive and agreed to let me trial Elvanse (as I hadn’t tried it before).

Unfortunately, Elvanse wasn’t nearly as helpful as Dexamphetamine was, and unfortunately, during my titration with Elvanse, I had some mood related issues arise (none Elvanse related) that meant going back onto Dexamphetamine was probably not a good idea at that time. During my end of titration review with the P-UK nurse, she noted a failed titration with Elvanse, we both agreed it would be better to get on top of my struggle with mood first, and then get my GP to refer me again to P-UK in future.

Some time has now passed, and I’ve now been able to get my mood to a relatively good place with Escitalopram. I also tried to access NHS talking therapies, and waited over a year for it to be begin, but unfortunately they were really unhelpful and discharged me stating I was too ‘Complex’ for their service due to AuDHD, which I completely disagree with (this is a different story and I’m currently in a complaint process with that).

Although I now feel ready to request a re-referral to P-UK via my GP, I’m somewhat concerned about what my options will be when I have my new initiation appointment with the P-UK professional. This is because on the discharge letter by the P-UK nurse, she stated that I previously wasn’t successful with either Elvanse or Dexamphetamine, and that she recommends the non-stimulant Atomoxetine in future. However, this isn’t accurate as I had previously had success with Dexamphetamine, but chose to stop to try and find new coping mechanisms. And my rationale for asking to try Elvanse during re-initiation was having to dose less often. But I found Elvanse affected me much differently to Dexamphetamine, and not nearly as beneficial.

My concern is that the P-UK professional I next speak with will see the nurses discharge letter, and not allow to me to go back on to Dexamphetamine due to the content of the letter, which is not accurate.

Does anyone have any advice on my options? I really don’t want to mix an SSRI with Atomoxetine which is an NRI.

So whenever I watch a TV show or movie I find myself marking mental lists. It can be trying to remember something interesting from the show or movie, like a song, book or food. Or it can be something to do.

I’ll then go on to half watch the movie and half repeat the list in my head. I’ll then often forget something on the mental list I’m trying to keep track off whilst watching - and get really frustrated over it e.g. that I’ve forgotten something important.

And I don’t relax or get as much enjoyment from watching the movie.

I don’t think I did this often in my younger years - so not sure if it is just me getting older and also living in an information overloaded environment.

Or is this likely an ADHD thing?

And if so, what can I do to better relax, switch off and not think about having to remember every little thing whilst trying to wind down watching a film?

Sigh.

Hi

I'm curious how those that used alcohol as their evening wind down have managed since starting Dexamphet

I'm only two months in and take 7.5 twice a day with a 5 top up.

I used to drink about 3/4 bottle of red a night, now I've taken it right down to just a couple of light beers

It's more the routine/habit of the alcohol associated with winding down and relaxing that I'm going to struggle with if I stop.

But I feel a bit gross and toxic, from meds and booze

And wonder if it's putting extra pressure on my liver and heart.

What have you guys done to replace alcohol

I'm thinking of taking L-Theanine after my last dose wears off?

And maybe a nice non alcoholic drink...but what?

Appreciate any thoughts on alcohol and meds x

Hi everyone,
I was diagnosed with ADHD around three years ago, although it’s always been an open secret that I have it!
I actually ended up getting diagnosed because my son was showing signs of ADHD, and I wanted to make sure I had my own diagnosis in place so I could better understand and support him.
I’ve always been in employment, but I’ve noticed a pattern throughout my working life. When I start a new job, I’m full of enthusiasm and excitement, but once that initial novelty wears off, I start making mistakes. Things like forgetting deadlines, missing details and struggling to stay on top of tasks.
I’ve recently spoken to my employer about my ADHD, and thankfully, they’ve been supportive. I have a meeting on Monday to discuss possible workplace adjustments.
I was wondering if anyone else has experienced something similar and, if so, what adjustments have helped you in your job?
I’d really appreciate hearing about your experiences, what’s worked for you and any advice you might have before my meeting.
Cheers!

Sharing this example in case it benefits anyone else!

I feel like I constantly pay and ADHD tax because I dont look into contract renewals and let things auto renew at a more expensive rate.

Picking up the phone to customer service teams to ask for a better deal can make me feel really anxious. Ive always much preferred using text chat to draft my responses and record what im agreeing to - but finding more companies are using an automated (and frankly useless) chat bot service, that just keeps sending a phone number to call and becomes highly frustrating!

Today I discovered Sky have an accessibility team that ive never considered using before. But also WHY should I pay more than the average customer because I have difficulties negotiating over the phone?

After registering my neurodiversity with the accessibility team, they very kindly have helped me find a better contract for my TV and Broadband for a fabulous £30 a month discount too 🥳. After putting this off for nearly a year, it was all sorted in 10 minutes 😂.

A small win today that offsets my other ADHD taxes 😆. Ill be looking to use support like this more in the future!

I’m 18 and I’m really struggling with my ADHD. I recently had my Right to Choose referral rejected by MM MINDs 2, with “drug misuse” given as the reason.

For context, I occasionally smoke cannabis at weekends, usually around half a joint after 9pm. I’m not trying to hide that, but I’m devastated that this might mean being left without treatment for even longer.

I’ve been waiting years for help, and I’m now at the point where I’m struggling to cope with everyday life. I can barely manage an eight-hour shift once a week (super embarrassing to write i just realised) , and I’m supposed to be starting a full-time job. I’ve even deferred university because I don’t feel capable of managing independent life without support.

I was told the alternative could mean waiting another six months, but I cant wait that long I'm in so much agony and despair with my ADHD.

Has anyone been in a similar situation and managed to get assessed or treated sooner?

• Can the rejection be appealed, reconsidered or challenged?
• Are there other Right to Choose providers that might assess me?
• Is there any legitimate way to get assessed and started on medication more quickly through the NHS or privately, without spending thousands?

I'm not looking to bypass safety checks or get medication irresponsibly. I just desperately need help and want to know what realistic options I have.

Any advice from people who have actually been through this would mean a lot. Thanks!

I really need help to be able to work faster. My meds are at their best now and I switched to a less demanding job. And yet, I’m not doing well. I work I a job writing assessment reports and although it’s not a lot of multi tasking I suppose there’s quite a bit of information to consider

not a problem.

*IF* I could even come close to meeting targets.

I gather I’m about 4 times slower than everyone else so not even close

I am generally fast at everything. I walk fast, do everything fast, watch videos at double the speed, type ahd write fast.
I’m not distracted. I’m setting alarms so I don’t hyperfocus. I’m trying to be efficient. I cannot think of anything else to offload working memory, at least not to make the significant difference needed.

Why can’t I go faster?

there is some vague hope of coaching etc, but theee is a wait and unless there is a hack for speed I’m worried it won’t make a difference

I have been struggling for as long as I can remember, and I feel like I can’t keep doing so as my self esteem is really taking a hit now.

can anyone else relate? I am so stressed being new in a role and immediately seeming incompetent rather than just struggling with the obvious ADHD things like concentration so here’s some adaptive software to help.

I’m not sure if anyone else gets this, but I get severe hyperfixated on things where my whole life revolves around whatever I’m interested in, when I’m not on meds, my whole life literally gets consumed by one thing, and I cannot do anything else on the side, I really struggle to work a normal job or any job because I get so numb with boredom and it genuinely pains me to the point I daydream of falling off high things to get a few days off work to the point it becomes death, but I’m not suicidal, and then after a hyperfixation, one day it’ll click and it’s gone, disappeared, 0 interest, when for the last 6 months I’ve been flat out training/learning for whatever my fixation was, for example I wanted to join the marines, everything changed in my life until I got “burnt out” and I never think of it again.

I don’t really know how to control it because I want the fixation but I don’t want the burnout, now I’m too scared to chase any hyperfixation because I’ll love it and then one day just hate it

Hello! I am on day three of titration on Xaggitin XL, 18mg every morning. I took my blood pressure an hour ago because I was struggling with counting BPM and feeling weird which did make me nervous. Saw it was 136/119. My BP has always been the standard so this freaked me ngl, specifically the diastolic. I did end up calling 111 about it (and also included a couple of other worries in case of relevance) and am getting a call back. Since then it's dropped to 112/84 though... I will see what happens when I get the call back.

I know that it can increase your BP but has anybody had it increase to that worrying level, what did you do about it? Is it normal for it to raise that high just to drop after? My limbs also sometimes feel heavier and stuff, has anybody had that happen to them while starting titration? I do have OCD including health anxiety and fears of side effects of medications and stuff (been on waiting list for therapy for this for a while), but my ADHD severely affects my life and titration comes with monitoring so I felt medication was very worth it and handled it well enough keeping calm the past two days. Maybe feeling more off and not having something to keep me proccupied today caused me to pay too much attention to things in my body and caused it to spike. Not looking for medical advice just similar situations.

I was referred to ADHD360 through rtc by my gp last December and I’m still waiting to be assessed. I’m really struggling at this point so I can’t decide if I should just go privately to get the help I need quickly or switch rtc provider?

I’ve realised there are several rtc providers with zero wait times according to the rtc website (except not all of them are recently updated…) but I’m still just concerned realistically how long the process to medication will be and the quality of service I’ll receive after reading other people’s experiences on here.

I’m also worried that by going privately my gp won’t accept prescriptions and it will get very expensive getting meds privately. (I’ve just emailed my gp to ask if shared care would be possible)

Questions:
From experience, which is the better path to take?

Which rtc provider do you recommend? (For speed, service)

If you have gone privately, who do you recommend? (For speed, service, and shared care)

25F, based in West Sussex.

My experience with ADHD360
I was referred in December last year. Back in July, ADHD360 sent me and my mum a questionnaire based on how I was as a child, except it seemed they sent my mum questions about herself and not based on me at all to which I was confused so I emailed to ask if this was normal. They responded saying “Yes that’s correct the form does sound like she should be talking about her own experiences but it should be in fact based on yourself.” And offered no concern or assistance so I left it there though it’s a bit odd. I also received a blood pressure monitor over the summer with no instructions. I’ve chased them up asking where I am on the waitlist and they said they can’t give me an exact timeline, but just that my position is based off when they received my referral in December. I just have to wait. In the same email I asked about the blood pressure monitor and they said i will be given instructions nearer the time of the assessment?! I’m not particularly happy with their service especially as the wait time was 6-8 months and it’s almost been a year.

My newborn is a week old and the medication (60mg elvanse).really helped during the days at first, but after day 4 it definitely made me feel like I was towards the end of a meth binge with my lack of sleep due to the stimulant during the day.

I took a couple of days off and felt so much better, being able to nap when needed.

What have others done that's worked for them? I don't wantbto come off and also don't wantbto have to titrate, but also a bit concerned about my health.

Advice very welcome!

Ta

ADHD UK NHS Access Watch: what’s actually changed this week? | October 2026

Quite a lot has happened with ADHD access over the last week, so I thought I’d pull the important bits together in one place.

I’m going to try and do these regularly because Right to Choose is getting harder to follow. A provider can say one thing, your local NHS can say another, your GP might have been told something completely different... and somewhere buried on an NHS website there’ll be a document explaining what is actually going on.

If you only read one bit: Right to Choose still exists, but where you live is becoming increasingly important. Some local NHS areas are limiting how many assessments they will fund, while others are changing how referrals are made.

For anyone new to this: ICB = Integrated Care Board, basically the local NHS organisation responsible for planning and paying for many services in your area.

The big national ADHD/autism review is finally out

The Government-commissioned Fonagy Review was published on 9 October.

One of its main ideas is fairly simple: people should be able to get help with the problems they are experiencing without having to wait years for an ADHD or autism diagnosis before anyone will support them.

That does not mean ADHD diagnosis is being abolished. Diagnosis still matters. The argument is that it should not be the only door into getting help.

The Government is also looking at regulation of ADHD and autism assessment providers, advertising by assessment services, possible implications for NICE guidance, and a new national NHS pricing system for ADHD/autism services from April 2027.

That last part could become quite important for Right to Choose, but nothing here means the basic RTC rules have suddenly changed this week.

Leicester, Leicestershire, Rutland and Northamptonshire

This one affects people now.

The NHS has confirmed that ADHD and autism providers in these areas are having to work within agreed funding and activity limits.

Basically, your local NHS agrees to fund a certain amount of work from a provider. If that allocation runs out, the provider may still be able to accept your referral, but they may not actually have funded capacity to assess you yet.

Clinical Partners has said it has already used its allocated activity for Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland for this financial year. It is still accepting referrals, but cannot currently tell new patients when their assessment will happen.

This is why the usual question of “which Right to Choose provider has the shortest waiting list?” is becoming harder to answer.

A provider might advertise a 10-week wait nationally. If your local NHS has restricted the number of assessments it will fund with that provider, your own wait could be very different.

So increasingly we need to look at provider + where you live, rather than the provider alone.

Sheffield has changed how adult ADHD referrals work

Since 1 October, new adult ADHD-only referrals in Sheffield have been going through the Primary Care Sheffield ADHD Interface Service first. Previously, someone might ask their GP for a Right to Choose referral and the GP could send it directly to their chosen provider. There is now a local service involved in that process.

Some Sheffield GP practices are already telling patients that they cannot send new adult ADHD-only referrals directly to an RTC provider.

Right to Choose has not simply disappeared in Sheffield. The question I’m interested in is what happens in practice: can people still choose the eligible provider they want, and does this extra stage add more waiting time?

If you’re in Sheffield and have tried to get an ADHD referral since 1 October, please tell us what actually happened.

Hampshire & Isle of Wight has a new referral hub

Something similar, although not identical, is happening in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.

A new Single Point of Access started handling adult ADHD referrals on 1 October, with more ADHD and autism referrals due to move into the system from November.

The ICB says Right to Choose still applies.

If you were already referred before the new hub started, you should stay with your existing provider. You should not need to start your referral again simply because the local system has changed.

Again, I’m particularly interested in what people are actually being told when they ask their GP for a specific RTC provider.

Herefordshire & Worcestershire children’s ADHD service has reopened

A slightlyyyy better update.

The children’s ADHD service had temporarily restricted activity for several weeks. The NHS says it returned to full operation on 12 October.Waiting times are still long, so this absolutely does not mean everything is fixed. But if I’m going to post when services are restricted, I think it’s only fair to also post when a restriction is lifted.

North East London is trying something different with ADHD prescribing

North East London is developing a system where some GP practices can take over the ongoing prescribing and monitoring of ADHD medication once someone has been diagnosed, completed titration and is stable.

Importantly, that can include some people who went through Right to Choose.

This does not mean every GP in North East London now accepts shared care.

But anyone who has been stuck in the familiar situation where the specialist says “your GP should prescribe this now” and the GP says “the specialist should prescribe this” will understand why I’m interested in it.

If it works properly, it could be a useful model.

So what is the common theme?

Right to Choose is a national right, but the experience of actually using it is becoming increasingly dependent on where you live. Different NHS areas are now using different combinations of funding limits, activity caps, prioritisation systems, referral hubs and local ADHD pathways.

So instead of only asking:

“Which ADHD provider has the shortest waiting list?”

we increasingly need to ask:

“What is the situation with that provider in my local NHS area?”

That is exactly why we’ve been building the England ADHD Right to Choose ICB Index.

You can find your local area here:

https://www.reddit.com/r/ADHDUK/comments/1wrl1lq/england_adhd_nhs_right_to_choose_icb_megathread/

Thisis also where you lot can genuinely help

.

If you have recently tried to get an ADHD assessment, RTC referral, medication or shared care sorted, add your experience to your local thread. You don’t need to write an essay or share anything identifying.

Even something like:

“Referred to X in August, GP told me yesterday that my ICB has stopped funding appointments.”

...is useful.

Quite a few of the things we investigate start with someone here saying “this is what my GP told me, is it actually true?” and then we go digging through the NHS documents to find out.

The aim is eventually quite simple: you find where you live and can actually understand what is happening there without needing a degree in NHS commissioning.

Hope this helps.

Hi all,

I have been overweight ever since I had a say in what I ate. I have tried multiple different diets, and have even tried different weight loss medications, but to no avail (I have PCOS so there are sadly other roadblocks to weight loss for me).

I’ve seen a lot of people say that taking ADHD medication made them lose a lot of weight very quickly, and as someone who weighs over 200lbs that sounds amazing.

Ive seen a pretty even split of those who have lost kilo after kilo, and those who say that their meds made them even more hungry. How has medication affected your weight?

So my brain is auDHD and I can’t possibly see how this scratch card is a winner, while my wife who does not knowingly have neuro challenges says it’s blindingly obvious.

My question is, am I just plain stupid or is it how my mind interprets it?

I won’t say if it’s a winner or loser yet…….

I’m interested to hear about your experience of Day 1 on Elvanse - or any stimulant for that matter.

I’m 2.5 hours into my first ever dose and so far I’ve cleaned the living room, kitchen and the bathroom. And I don’t even feel like I’m burnt out after doing so. Whereas normally I’d have cleaned the bathroom and then that would have been it.

Very much aware this is the ‘honeymoon phase’… but enlighten me, what are the crazy things you’ve done that you never thought were possible until you started your meds?