Can job loss and financial stress cause ADHD to worsen despite medication?

Hi Jr, Thank you for your time in asking this important question on the "Ask a Licensed Therapist" forum. I also want to thank you for being an essential health care worker. I know that you mentioned in your question that you worked tirelessly through out the pandemic. Your qualities of hard work, determination and dedication must certainly be one of your many strengths. In addition, your altruism is incredibly inspiring. I hope that you are doing what you can to take care of yourself, despite your selfless career and very busy work schedule.

Based on your question, I can tell that you are going through a very difficult situation and that you are currently experiencing intense financial stress due to recent job loss. What are some of the ways in which you can manage the financial stress that you have been facing? Would you be willing to make a step by step action plan as you prepare to apply for and start a new job?

I want to encourage you to take a step back and contemplate how your career goals may have changed and what you need to do to attain your employment objectives. It is true that stress of any kind, including financial stress, can exacerbate a multitude of mental health symptoms. I hope that you are doing what you can to practice self care skills. I will forward you this link which outlines a list of coping skills that you can try.

It sounds like you lost your coach, your mental health provider as well as your primary care provider all at one time. How are you managing things in your life now that this has happened? Having this occur all at one time would be over whelming for any one. I hope that you can make a plan to figure out what the next steps will be for you to begin the process of connecting with some new providers and rebuild your support system.

It seems like you are open to finding another job opportunity in the near future. I sincerely wish you all the best in applying for a new job as an RN. I recommend seeking new employment opportunities on Indeed or LinkedIn if you have not done so already. In the meantime, you can focus on preparing yourself for your interview and begin the process of submitting applications by editing your cover letter and your resume. Also, there are some virtual and in person job fair opportunities on the Massachusetts state website. Here is the link to this resource:

https://www.mass.gov/massachusetts-virtual-job-fair

In addition, to the job opportunities listed on the states' department of labor and workforce web site, there are other free resources, such as resume writing classes and other career services through Mass Hire. For more information, check out this webpage:

https://www.mass.gov/orgs/masshire-department-of-career-services

I am so sorry to hear that you were assaulted last year. It sounds like this incident happened while you were at work. Would you be willing to process your experiences and make sense of what happened during individual counseling sessions?

At this time, I recommend that you attend weekly counseling sessions and meet with a trained therapist who can help you to navigate your thoughts and feelings about this incident. Going to a support group for survivors of assault may also be a great idea to contemplate taking part in. In the meantime, I can share with you two EMDR resourcing techniques that may be beneficial for you to reconnect to your self and find some semblance of healing. I highly recommend trying out this inner peaceful place guided visualization activity as well as the butterfly hug technique.

I realize that what you have been going through has been an enormous challenge and that this experience is not ideal for you to endure. I would like to encourage you to practice some mindfulness exercises, as well as the coping skills and EMDR resourcing strategies. Mindfulness techniques help individuals be more connected in the present moment and live more fully in the here and now. I want to share with you some free mindfulness audio clips in case you would like to practice some mindfulness exercises: 

https://wellness.mcmaster.ca/your-health/mindfulness-and-relaxation/

Lastly, I want to address your concerns about ADHD. What have your symptoms of ADHD been like in the past? How can you tell if these symptoms are getting worse? I know that you mentioned that you are taking a stimulant medication to manage your ADHD. Would you be willing to meet with your prescriber for a follow up appointment? In the meantime, I would like to share with you an art therapy directive that you can try out in order to manage your symptoms of ADHD. Using art materials of your choice, create a drawing or painting that is an expression of how you are feeling. Take minute to title your art work and then use scissors, or just your hands, to rip and cut the paper into smaller pieces. After you have done that, use tape or glue to create a secondary image of something that brings you peace of mind, happiness and joy. Title your final product. This collage activity may be worth a try in order to assist you in managing your feelings.

Thank you again, Jr, for taking your time to share your experience on the BetterHelp platform! I hope that my response as well as some of the resources that I have shared with you will be helpful for you in some way. I wish you all the best in your therapeutic journey. Take good care and have a nice day!