Our Live Couples' Seminar starts on Jan 22, 2025! Register HERE!
Looking for a little more support? Join one of our Non-ADHD Partner Support Groups. First support group starts on Jan 13, 2025. Find all our support group options HERE.
Turn your knowledge into actionable steps to improve your relationship. Join us on Jan 14, 2025 to learn about our new program, Intent 2 Action. Sign up NOW.
The ADHD Effect on Marriage was listed in Huff Post as a top book that therapists suggest all couples should read.
Hi Sunny Thanks for sharing
Submitted by tiddle taddle (not verified) on
Thanks For Commenting...
Submitted by SunnyNights0909 on
Welcome, SunnyNights
Submitted by MelissaOrlov on
I've noticed that you are fairly new on the site...welcome, and we all hope we can help you get through this very tough time.
First, a request - can you put paragraph breaks into your posts? They're pretty hard to get through in one big lump, and you'll get more responses if you break them up a bit!
Okay, some thoughts:
I suspect that you are not the only one who is exhausted from what is going on in your household. Deep down your partner probably does want to learn how to control himself better, but it is SO MUCH WORK to do so...That's not an excuse for him, but it may help you have a bit more patience with him.
His response to the upped doses of Adderall seems very promising. Some of his issues with addiction may well have to do with bad impulse control that comes with ADHD. If the meds help him control his impulses to interupt you in conversation, they may also help him curb some of his addictive tendencies, as well. Also, your comment about going on a date and having fun is promising, as well. Keep that up! Build as many fun experiences as you can, now that his meds seem to be working well. At the same time, talk with him (or see if his doc will talk with him) about the fact that the best treatment includes not only meds, but also creating some new behaviors.
For the two of you, it sounds as if new behaviors around communication would be effective for you as a couple. So perhaps before you get into another arguement, it would help to say something like "now that your medication really seems to be helping your impulse control, I would love to be able to have the two of us take advantage of that positive change and see if we can create some new, and more constructive, ways of talking with each other, particularly when we disagree. Can we talk about some ideas while we are happy and smiling so that when we get into an argument we can stop it before it escalates?"
Some common approaches to improving communication patterns include:
It will be very hard for him to break down the emotional barriers he needs to break down to come to terms with his past, and a good therapist might really be able to help him do so. See if he would be willing to talk regularly with someone who is very familiar with ADHD...This will relieve you of the burden of trying to figure out how much of this responsibility should be your own.
Melissa Orlov
Hi Melissa! Thank you for
Submitted by SunnyNights0909 on