I think I may have adhd, I have really overwhelming thoughts and a lot of anxiety. What do I do?

Hello Bec,

It is very nice to meet you. Thank you taking the time to send in your question. You ask a very good question, this is also something that many people struggle with, so please know that you are not alone.

Think of it this way - thoughts control feelings, feelings control actions and behaviors. So, using your example about going for job interviews, it might look something like this. You get an interview, your first thoughts are "I am not going to do well in the interview, other applicants are better and more qualified than I am, etc" Your feelings will become nervousness, insecure, doubtful of yourself. Your actions that likely follow will be head down, quiet voice in interview, fidgeting in chair, avoiding eye contact, sitting awkwardly in the chair, etc. What you want to do is change the thoughts. So, when you do receive an interview, you tell yourself that you are qualified (you would not have been contacted for an interview if you did not have the proper qualifications to begin with). When you walk into an interview feeling confident, you will look self-assured and ready to work. That is what employers will be looking for. Confidence is a very attractive feature.

When you do find yourself overwhelmed, take a step back and look at the entire situation and scene around you. What is it that is causing the anxiety? If feeling overwhelmed in the situation, take a break, step away from what is causing the distress.

You also brought up ADHD. There could be many different reasons for the symptoms you are experiencing. I would encourage you to speak with a therapist to further explore the anxiety and develop strategies and a treatment plan to address this anxiety. You might also consider meeting with a psychiatrist for ADHD symptoms. A few things that are often helpful for ADHD symptoms include:

Breaking tasks into smaller/more manageable parts.

Take frequent breaks from assignments, projects, tasks, etc. 

Create and maintain a daily schedule.

I hope that you have found this information helpful and I wish you all the best moving forward on your journey.