Just Human ADHD

Just Human ADHD

I talk about ADHD like it actually shows up in real life, though my personal experiences.

  1. 24 ago

    Can’t Take ADHD Stimulants Watch This

    What if ADHD stimulants like Adderall or Vyvanse aren’t an option for you? Maybe stimulants cause side effects you can’t tolerate. Maybe there are concerns about misuse or addiction. Or maybe you have cardiovascular risks and your medical provider has recommended avoiding stimulant ADHD medication. The good news is that stimulants aren’t the only evidence-based treatment options for ADHD. In this video, I look at **5 non-stimulant ADHD medications** and rank them based primarily on the strength of the available clinical evidence in adults: • **Atomoxetine (Strattera)** • **Guanfacine ER (Intuniv)** • **Viloxazine ER (Qelbree)** • **Clonidine ER** • **Bupropion (Wellbutrin)**, which is prescribed off-label for ADHD We’ll look at how each medication works in the brain, what peer-reviewed studies tell us about effectiveness, known side effects, cardiovascular considerations, and what people taking these medications describe experiencing in the real world. And one medication genuinely surprised me. Its effect size in an adult meta-analysis was actually numerically larger than Strattera’s, but there’s an important reason I still didn’t rank it #1. ### In this video: ✅ Best-supported non-stimulant ADHD medications ✅ Strattera vs. guanfacine vs. Qelbree ✅ How non-stimulant ADHD medications work ✅ ADHD medication without stimulants ✅ Blood pressure and heart-rate considerations ✅ Common side effects ✅ What the clinical trials actually show ✅ Patient experiences and Reddit discussions ✅ Why “non-stimulant” does NOT automatically mean cardiovascular-safe **If you’ve taken one of these medications, I’d really like to hear your experience.** Rather than just telling me whether it was “good” or “bad,” tell me what actually changed: Did it improve focus? Task initiation? Motivation? Emotional regulation? Mental noise? Impulsivity? Your experience may help someone else better understand the questions they want to ask their own provider. This video is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. ADHD medication decisions should be individualized with a qualified medical professional who understands your medical history, other medications, cardiovascular risks, and treatment goals. You’re not broken. You’re not alone. You’re just human. #ADHD #ADHDMedication #AdultADHD RESEARCH: CARDIAC EFFECTS Farhat LC, et al. Lancet Psychiatry. 2025;12(5):355-365. DOI: 10.1016/S2215-0366(25)00062-8 PMID: 40203844 ADULT NON-STIMULANT META-ANALYSIS Radonjic NV, et al. CNS Drugs. 2023;37:381-397. DOI: 10.1007/s40263-023-01005-8 PMID: 37166701 COMPARATIVE ADHD MEDICATION META-ANALYSIS Cortese S, et al. Lancet Psychiatry. 2018;5:727-738. DOI: 10.1016/S2215-0366(18)30269-4 PMID: 30097390 BUPROPION Verbeeck W, et al. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2017. PMID: 28965364 CLONIDINE ER Jain R, et al. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2011;50:171-179. DOI: 10.1016/j.jaac.2010.11.005 PMID: 21241954 VILOXAZINE ADULT PHASE III Nasser A, et al. CNS Drugs. 2022;36:897-915. DOI: 10.1007/s40263-022-00938-w PMID: 35896943 VILOXAZINE MECHANISM Yu C, et al. J Exp Pharmacol. 2020. PMID: 32943948 GUANFACINE ADULT RCT Iwanami A, et al. J Clin Psychiatry. 2020;81(3):19m12979. DOI: 10.4088/JCP.19m12979 PMID: 32297719 GUANFACINE MECHANISM Arnsten AFT. Neurobiol Learn Mem. 2020;176:107327. DOI: 10.1016/j.nlm.2020.107327 PMID: 33075480 ATOMOXETINE MECHANISM Bymaster FP, et al. Neuropsychopharmacology. 2002;27:699-711. DOI: 10.1016/S0893-133X(02)00346-9 PMID: 12431845

  2. 11 ago

    That ADHD Rejection Sensitivity? It Has a Name | Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria

    "Hey, can we talk later?" If you have ADHD, you know exactly how fast six ordinary words can build an entire catastrophe in your head. That sudden danger signal, the tightening chest, the story your brain writes to explain why you feel attacked — and then hours later, you discover none of it was true. So why did it feel so real? In this video, I share what happened when my wife said eight simple words and my brain wrote a horror movie around them. The words she actually said versus the words my brain supplied: weak, coward, not masculine enough. None of those came from her. They all came from me. That experience has a name many of us in the ADHD community recognize: Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria, or RSD. It's that hyper sensitive emotional smoke detector that treats a candle like a house fire. The alarm is real. The interpretation of what caused it? Not always accurate. I walk through the RSD cycle so many of us with ADHD know: trigger → emotional spike → misinterpretation → reaction → guilt → shame → avoidance. Then I share the three realizations that genuinely helped me break out of it — starting with this one: your first interpretation isn't always trustworthy. The feeling is real, but the story explaining the feeling might not be. ⏱️ TIMESTAMPS 0:00 — "Can we talk later?" — the spiral begins 0:23 — The eight words my wife actually said 0:50 — Separating the emotional alarm from the story 1:07 — What is Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria (RSD)? 1:30 — The emotional smoke detector metaphor 2:18 — "The feeling becomes the evidence for the story" 3:10 — The RSD cycle: trigger to avoidance 3:25 — Three realizations that changed everything 4:50 — You're not broken 💬 Tell me in the comments: What was the last story your brain wrote for you that turned out not to be true? ⚠️ I'm not a doctor. This is not medical advice. If this is your first time here, welcome. This is a community built around support, inclusion, and understanding — because ADHD isn't a flaw. It's part of being human.

  3. 2 ago

    ADHD Restlessness: Why You Can’t Stop (Even When Everything Is Done)

    ADHD restlessness is one of the most misunderstood symptoms, and if you've ever been told to "just relax" or "calm down," you know exactly how frustrating that is. In this video, I break down what ADHD restlessness actually is, why your brain won't stop even when everything is done, and how adult ADHD turns childhood hyperactivity into something internal.For years, I thought this constant restlessness was just my personality. I honestly believed everyone felt this way until my late ADHD diagnosis. It's not about being busy. It's about a brain that never feels finished — and there's science behind why.Here's what I cover: • How adult ADHD restlessness works — and why it's not laziness • What happens in the ADHD brain when stimulation drops • Why trying to relax can make the internal noise louder • How the nervous system creates that "buzzing" sensation • Why stimulant medication can actually quiet the noise • What understanding your ADHD restlessness changes about how you treat yourself 📌 Timestamps: 0:00 — Intro: The "Can't Stop" Feeling 0:16 — My Story: What ADHD Restlessness Looked Like Before Diagnosis 0:51 — Never Feeling Permission to Stop (Even on Vacation) 1:35 — The Science: Why Your Brain Can't Shift Into Park 2:18 — The Stimulant Paradox: Why Medication Brings Calm 3:21 — Wanting to Relax vs. Being Able to Relax 4:02 — How Understanding Your Brain Changes Everything 4:46 — Your Turn: Let Me Know in the Comments ADHD restlessness isn't a character flaw. It's a neurological reality — and once you understand it, you can start working with your brain instead of fighting it. I'm not a doctor. This is not medical advice. Does this sound like your experience? Let me know in the comments: I read every one.Subscribe if this helped. You're not broken. You're not alone. You're just human. Thanks for watching.

  4. 24 jul

    Is Your ADHD Real? The Diagnosis Problem

    There are no official adult ADHD diagnosis standards? Learn why adult ADHD assessment remains inconsistent and what that means for your care. ADHD diagnosis shouldn't be a lottery, but the research shows it often is. 📌 TIMESTAMPS 0:00 — No Clinical Guidelines for Adult ADHD 0:49 — Three People, Three Completely Different Diagnoses 1:54 — What the Research Actually Says 3:14 — Are Computerized Tests Reliable? 4:47 — The Stimulant Prescription Problem 5:56 — What a Proper Diagnosis Should Include 7:52 — Why This Matters for You 📚 SOURCES & RESEARCH CITED • US Department of Health and Human Services — Barriers to Adult ADHD Diagnosis (January 2025) • Marshall et al. (2021) — Clinical Interview Sensitivity & Specificity Review (144+ citations) • Kzangski & Shrot (2025) — Narrative Review: Traditional and Digital ADHD Diagnostic Tools (Frontiers in Psychology) • Journal of Prescribing Practice (October 2024) — "How Accurate is QB Test for Measuring Symptoms of ADHD in Children and Adults" • Longridge et al. — UK CAMHS Research vs Clinical Diagnosis Discrepancy Study • 2018–2023 Stimulant Prescription Data: 86.4% → 57% with documented ADHD diagnosis • American Journal of Managed Care (March 2025) — Stimulant Shortage & Adult ADHD Overdiagnosis Analysis • Ato et al. (2024) — Adult ADHD Assessment Quality Assurance Standards ⚠️ DISCLAIMER I'm not a doctor. This is not medical advice. I was diagnosed with ADHD as an adult through a rigorous multi-session evaluation process. This video is based on my personal experience backed by published research. 💬 What did your ADHD diagnosis process look like? One appointment? Multiple sessions? Computerized testing? Share your story in the comments — the more stories we share, the more light we shine on this process. 🔔 Subscribe for ADHD research, personal stories, and tools that help you understand your brain — not fight it. #ADHD #AdultADHD #ADHDdiagnosis #ADHDawareness #MentalHealth

  5. 16 jul

    ADHD + Permanent Daylight Savings Time | The Science No One Is Talking About

    Most people are arguing about daylight savings like it's just an inconvenience. But if you have ADHD, permanent DST isn't just annoying, it's biologically incompatible with how your brain regulates dopamine and sleep.This video connects four things nobody in the public conversation is linking together: why ADHD brains are already circadian-delayed, how dopamine and your internal clock are one system, why morning bright light is a clinically validated ADHD treatment, and how permanent daylight savings time does the exact opposite of what ADHD brains need. Timeline: 0:00 The House Already Voted 0:28 Nobody Is Connecting the Dots to ADHD 1:22 ADHD Brains Are Already Waking Up in the Wrong Time Zone 2:25 Dopamine and Your Circadian Clock Are the Same System 3:05 Morning Light Is Clinically Validated ADHD Treatment 3:55 Why Permanent DST Does the Exact Opposite 4:35 The Stanford Model Confirms the Mechanism 5:55 What This Actually Means for You 6:58 You're Not Broken. You're Just Human. Plus: the Stanford sleep model that confirms permanent standard time is the healthier choice. 📄 Sources and citations for this video: • Luu & Fabiano (2025) — DLMO shifted 1.5 hours late in 73-78% of adults with ADHD • Fargason et al. (2017) — Morning bright light advances DLMO by ~31 minutes, improves ADHD symptoms • Faltraco (2021) & Zhang (2025) — Dopamine and circadian genes (Per2, Per3, Bmal1) form a bidirectional loop • Weed & Zeitzer (2025) — Stanford model confirms permanent DST is worse for circadian health than permanent standard time What's your experience with time changes? Does spring-forward wreck your week? This is not medical advice.What's your experience with time changes? Let me know in the comments, do you feel the spring-forward hit harder than most people seem to?

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I talk about ADHD like it actually shows up in real life, though my personal experiences.