Anonymous
Post 05/27/2025 15:56     Subject: What did you do if irritability was your main issue?

Anxiety meds because irritability was a sign of anxiety in our son. When he wasnt so anxious about everything going just right he was less irritable.
Anonymous
Post 05/27/2025 15:30     Subject: What did you do if irritability was your main issue?

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Feed him better.


Oh good lord


Certain chemicals and artificial sweeteners and dyes can absolutely affect irritability. Also certain food allergies can have this affect as well.


Anonymous
Post 05/27/2025 15:00     Subject: What did you do if irritability was your main issue?

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Op - just cranky and annoyed and irritated by so many things all day. Not aggressive.


You need to stop allowing this. ADHD is not an excuse for acting bratty.


Who said anything about ADHD?

OP, how do you know it isn't a symptom of anxiety? Anxiety can be an all-the-time, baseline state -- it doesn't mean worrying about something in particular.


As the title describes irritability is the main issue for my audhd 11 yo.


That doesn't mean he doesn't have anxiety. The irritability -- which is really a desire for control/things to be exactly as expected -- is much more likely to be caused by autism/anxiety than ADHD.

+1 NP here. For our teen, ADHD lack of impulse control leads to rude or inappropriate comments. But it's ASD anxiety (related to the desire for control/things to be exactly as expected - and many even with very high functioning ASD experience the world as confusing and unexpected) that causes the irritability it stems from.


Op - it’s such a puzzle. I also think he doesn’t really recognize his own feelings. He is still obsessed with competition and winning and fairness too so seems aggrieved often. But conversely is also obsessed with being ‘cool’ and never doing or saying anything embarrassing/ has a real sense of what would land or not land with various parties so because he presents in a complex way it’s hard for us and the therapist to parse out asd from anxiety from depression from puberty etc
Anonymous
Post 05/27/2025 14:57     Subject: What did you do if irritability was your main issue?

Anonymous wrote:Feed him better.


Oh good lord
Anonymous
Post 05/27/2025 14:24     Subject: What did you do if irritability was your main issue?

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Op - just cranky and annoyed and irritated by so many things all day. Not aggressive.


You need to stop allowing this. ADHD is not an excuse for acting bratty.


Who said anything about ADHD?

OP, how do you know it isn't a symptom of anxiety? Anxiety can be an all-the-time, baseline state -- it doesn't mean worrying about something in particular.


As the title describes irritability is the main issue for my audhd 11 yo.


That doesn't mean he doesn't have anxiety. The irritability -- which is really a desire for control/things to be exactly as expected -- is much more likely to be caused by autism/anxiety than ADHD.

+1 NP here. For our teen, ADHD lack of impulse control leads to rude or inappropriate comments. But it's ASD anxiety (related to the desire for control/things to be exactly as expected - and many even with very high functioning ASD experience the world as confusing and unexpected) that causes the irritability it stems from.
Anonymous
Post 05/27/2025 14:20     Subject: What did you do if irritability was your main issue?

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Anxiety medication was what helped us.


Which one and what has been the impact?


Zoloft first. It worked well, but stopped working after 6-8 months. We then switched him to Cymbalta which has worked well for the past 6 years!
Anonymous
Post 05/27/2025 14:17     Subject: What did you do if irritability was your main issue?

Anonymous
Post 05/27/2025 14:15     Subject: Re:What did you do if irritability was your main issue?

Anonymous wrote:Prozac and clonidine. My kid is too young for things like DBT or CBT though and we will try those. We did other age appropriate therapies for emotional regulation (which would have been useless without medication). Unfortunately my kid needs meds and fortunately they make a big difference.


FYI they have dbt programs and many therapists will integrate CBT for kids as young as 7.
Anonymous
Post 05/27/2025 12:52     Subject: Re:What did you do if irritability was your main issue?

Risperdone
Anonymous
Post 05/27/2025 12:51     Subject: What did you do if irritability was your main issue?

Feed him better.
Anonymous
Post 05/27/2025 12:21     Subject: What did you do if irritability was your main issue?

Anonymous wrote:Anxiety medication was what helped us.


Which one and what has been the impact?
Anonymous
Post 05/27/2025 07:25     Subject: Re:What did you do if irritability was your main issue?

Could there be any low level pain or allergies/sensitivities? A constantly upset stomach grinds on patience any complaints of achiness?
Anonymous
Post 05/27/2025 07:21     Subject: What did you do if irritability was your main issue?

Anxiety medication was what helped us.
Anonymous
Post 05/27/2025 07:16     Subject: What did you do if irritability was your main issue?

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Op - just cranky and annoyed and irritated by so many things all day. Not aggressive.


You need to stop allowing this. ADHD is not an excuse for acting bratty.


Who said anything about ADHD?

OP, how do you know it isn't a symptom of anxiety? Anxiety can be an all-the-time, baseline state -- it doesn't mean worrying about something in particular.


As the title describes irritability is the main issue for my audhd 11 yo.


That doesn't mean he doesn't have anxiety. The irritability -- which is really a desire for control/things to be exactly as expected -- is much more likely to be caused by autism/anxiety than ADHD.
Anonymous
Post 05/27/2025 06:54     Subject: Re:What did you do if irritability was your main issue?

Prozac and clonidine. My kid is too young for things like DBT or CBT though and we will try those. We did other age appropriate therapies for emotional regulation (which would have been useless without medication). Unfortunately my kid needs meds and fortunately they make a big difference.