Struggling to Find ADHD Treatment Options Without Stimulants

Practice, mindfulness, meditation

I meditate. I also use the app calm. And I also use a technique called grounding what that is is I take a look around pick five colors and focus on what's in that room I'm in and find the color it tricks your brain to pick out what you find calming. I also drink energy drink call bang. Very healthy for an energy drink.

I have something perfect for you. I can explain the science behind it and why it works if you want. But long story short, there is this audio technology called hemi-sync which is short for hemispheric synchronization. It was made by a guy called Robert Monroe with the CIA. You can find a Spotify account called Hemi-Sync which has a lot of beautiful songs artists added the hemi-sync technology to. Or if you look up on YouTube I made a playlist for one of my Instructors "HemiSync for Miss Sutton wanderer" should take you right to it. Just get a pair of stereo headphones and play any of the songs in the playlist(I recommend indigo for quantum focus) and watch as you're able to focus without distractions Do note, there is a bit of a weird feeling as your brain gets used to hemi-sync and it will snap out of it. With repeated use it gets more comfortable. I use it to focus and read, study, do work, whatever. Hope this helps!

I found out within the last couple of years that I also have ADHD(& undoubtedly ASD, as well, but not officially diagnosed), & I’d only been medicated with methylphenidate briefly, before the shortage got even worse, essentially eliminating my chance for any prescription options, due to my allergies. Since then, I’ve continued to self-medicate with caffeine(coffee causes gastrointestinal issues, so I continuously am sipping on my organic energy juices*when I’m awake), as I was already doing prior to diagnosis, since I have other health issues that cause constant exhaustion(& pain). I am sorry to hear about your predicament & understand how hard it can be to deal with unmedicated ADHD and other difficulties. However, I’m curious as to why your psychiatrist said stimulants cannot be used to treat your ADHD because of your ASD??? From everything I’ve read, about the 2 neurodivergent conditions, there is not any reason why ASD should preclude you from receiving medication treatment for ADHD…? There is some risk of irritability in children who are ASD & on medication for ADHD, but I have read nothing that says you can’t try stimulants at all, &, from my personal experience, I’d say that treating my ADHD actually improved, not exacerbated, my ASD symptoms. Also, regarding antidepressants’ off-label use 4 ASD: “The rationale for using antidepressants to treat ASD is based on the fact that abnormal levels of serotonin have been found in certain brain regions — particularly the frontal cortex — in patients with ASD”, so it does not seem it is actually necessary to have an official diagnosis of depression to treat ASD with antidepressant medications, & SSRIs are most commonly prescribed for autistic individuals to treat anxiety, mood issues, & irritability. You may want to seek out a second opinion, as it does not appear that your doctor is either fully aware of the appropriate treatment options available, or, perhaps, they are just choosing to not properly inform you of your options. Either way, I’d say that U definitely deserve to receive better care from someone who is knowledgeable & well informed about how to treat the 2 diagnoses together. Just telling you that you can’t & have no options is honestly unacceptable & irresponsible. Psychiatrists get paid a lot to know how to help their patients, so you do not need to be paying someone just to be left confused, ill-informed, & seeking out answers on a health app, you know?? :-/ I would highly suggest that U find someone who specializes in dealing with both ASD & ADHD, & their potential treatment options. I’m sure you can find a doctor who knows more & is willing to help you find the relief you so deserve. And, while nothing acts a “magic pill” to “fix” all of our problems, as our brains are simply wired differently and always will be, there are a variety of meds that are used to treat the more distressing symptoms of our conditions. &, what works for one person may or may not work for someone else, so it will likely require a process of trial & error to find the right medication or combination of meds, but we deserve to feel & function better/our best, so it’s well worth it to try. I hope you find a doc who can better help you find the answers & assistance that you so need & deserve! :-) Good luck to you!! :) (*Organic energy juice can brands I like: Guayaki, Yachak, Steaz, & Sambazon) :-)