From Surviving to Thriving (Hopefully)

The journey of starting ADHD meds is a process, so thanks in advance for hanging in there while I give them a chance to work. I wanted to share a peek at my baseline so we can tell whether the meds are helping, making things worse, or just… doing absolutely nothing.

Here’s what a typical day looks like for me right now:

I wake up, and bam—immediately hit with everything that needs doing. Not just cleaning the house (although that’s on the list somewhere). I’m talking homeschooling, driving the twins to and from college (because apparently homeschooling isn’t enough when your kids are secretly Einstein-level smart), scheduling doctors’ appointments, making sure my husband eats before he hits a food low and turns into a hangry zombie, feeding the dogs, making sure they go potty multiple times a day, planning dinner, questioning if I’ve showered yet, checking that the kids took their meds, wait did I take my meds?, making sure the kids ate breakfast and lunch, and—oh yeah—asking myself, “Did I eat?” or “When was the last time I used the bathroom?” The struggle is real.

On paper, I’m doing all the “normal” daily stuff—and yes, not perfectly, but it gets done. Laundry happens sometimes on schedule. But here’s the kicker: I’m running all this on a baseline of anxiety. Let’s call it a 3 or 4 out of 10. That’s my “normal.” And honestly, this level of effort is basically my zero. Functioning at a 3 or 4 takes a ton of mental energy, pl

anning, and brain power. By noon, I’m already mentally wiped out. I’ve burned an entire day’s worth of energy just managing the household, leaving almost nothing for the things I’d actually enjoy—things that should feel fun and easy, like going out with friends, seeing a movie, or, I don’t know, staying awake past 8 pm.

Starting these meds is about figuring out if I can reclaim some of that energy and mental space—so I can do more than just survive the day. Maybe even thrive a little. Or at least make it to dessert without collapsing.