ADHD

It's possible that maybe Adderall just isn't for you. I was first tried on instant release methylphenidate (basically ritalin, but unbranded), and I think it improved my focus. However, it also gave me brain fog that negated any benefits.

They tried me on the extended release methylphenidate after that, which had similar effects. Then they tried me on dexamphetamine (basically Adderall, but slightly different), and it worked really well for me. So maybe you might need to try other medications (such as methylphenidate, or a time release version of Adderall, such as lisdexamphetamine (branded = Elvanse, I believe), or even one of the non-stimulant ADHD meds, like atomoxetine or guanfacine.

However, I would also note that whilst for me, getting onto medication that worked for my ADHD was like a miracle, it wasn't something that solved stuff on its own. I remember that when I was fairly newly on dexamphetamine, I spent an entire day organising my Spotify library. I suddenly had focus, but I needed to learn new skills and strategies to be able to manage that. I also find that I am still pretty scattered brained, and bouncing between topics at a mile a minute. However, I do find it easier to follow conversational or thought threads, to help keep me on track.

It's super interesting to me, because there have been times where I have been unable to access my medication where I was even less capable of functioning than before I had medication. I felt bad about this at first, but a friend explained that it's no wonder I was doing worse than before I had ever had medication for ADHD, because back then, I had loads of coping strategies to mitigate my unmedicated ADHD. They weren't bad strategies, but they were built for a particular context, and thus when I started on medication, I gradually learned new coping strategies that fit with the version of me that was medicated, discarding the old strategies.

In short, maybe Adderall isn't the ideal med for you if you feel like you're still scatterbrained, but faster. However equally, being medicated doesn't stop you from being ADHD — you'll probably always have a higher than average level of scatteryness and context switching. Also, it's likely you will need to build new coping strategies for the version of you that's medicated, and that will take time.

Edit: I wanted to give an example of one of my coping strategies. So I have found that even when I am decently focussed and medicated, I struggle to focus on one task for a long time (unless it's a task that I am enthusiastic enough about that I get pulled into ADHD hyperfocus, a fun but dangerous path that I have learned is healthy, in moderation). So rather than fighting my instinct to constantly be switching contexts, when I have lots of Tasks to do, I will let myself cycle between them — I half-jokingly call this "ADHD circuit training".

What this looks like in practice is that I might spend a chunk of time trying to write an essay for university. Then once I find myself encountering resistance to this task, rather than pushing onwards, I switch to a new task, such as tidying up my space. Then before I become fatigued with that task, I might spend a little bit of time doing some fun reading. Then maybe I might organise some of my files (a task that feels productive, but isn't particularly). Then I will go back onto my essay task.

I do still need to hold myself accountable to doing some of the more boring tasks (like, I don't just give up if I am not immediately making progress on the essay), and I find it works best if, at the beginning of the working day, I decide what tasks I will likely cycle between (so I don't get too off track from my goals). I also need to set myself some time boundaries — I tend to find that 90 minutes working on a task is enough time to build momentum without being too long. I might take small breaks within this 90 mins, but in general, it's a good guideline. It's mostly useful because it means I can set a timer, and it means I don't lose track of time too much.

For the tasks that I really enjoy (like the fun reading, or mundane organisation tasks that feel productive), the time boundary helps ensure I don't get drawn into spending too long on one task. I'm fairly adaptive with it though, but that's because I've gotten quite good at recognising when I should push myself and when I need to be kind.

However, I must emphasise that what works for me may not work for you. Someone else on this thread suggested you try various time management and planning strategies that you may have tried in the past but found unhelpful, and you should also not beat yourself up if some of those don't work for you either. You've got to find out what works for you, and develop your own understanding of what battles are worth fighting and when it's better to just lean into your natural way of working.