Looking for insight into a consistent medication response pattern

I’m a 21M diagnosed with inattentive ADHD, anxiety/OCD traits, GAD/social anxiety. I’ve had a pattern of becoming activated, emotionally dysregulated, or sleep-disrupted on multiple meds, and I’m trying to understand what pattern this suggests.

Stimulants / ADHD meds:

-Atomoxetine 18 mg: increased HR up to ~130, fuzzy head, constipation, dry mouth, sexual side effects, insomnia/fragmented sleep, worsened mood/anger.

-Bupropion 75mg→150mg: initial insomnia, night sweats, fragmented sleep persisted at 3 weeks, less "dreary" than atomoxetine but no real gains.

-Vyvanse 10mg/20mg: minimal subjective benefit at either dose; no clearer concentration than plain coffee; sleep worsened at 20mg; possible increased irritability.

-Adderall 20 mg: fuzzy head, tired/sleepy at first, then felt more stimulated late at night; worsened sleep.

-Guanfacine 2-3mg: mildest response of the group; less impulsive, no adverse sleep/mood effects.

SSRIs / antidepressants:

-Lexapro 10–20 mg: somewhat stable, but not enough improvement in energy/focus/mood.

-Auvelity: increased energy AND increased anxiety, dissociative "observer mode," night sweats, hives (likely allergic), intense crying spells by day 4-5 on two separate attempts. Discontinued.

-Prozac 5–10 mg: activating, insomnia, palpitations, emotional sensitivity/crying, fuzzy head, appetite reduction.

-Zoloft 25–50 mg: more tolerable than Prozac, calmer/clearer at first, but still fragmented sleep, and occasional nighttime hyper/social energy.

Other:

-Propranolol 10–20 mg helps physical anxiety somewhat.

-Ativan 0.5 mg only mildly helpful.

-Caffeine/Dunkin latte sometimes seems to trigger crying or emotional sensitivity a few hours later.

My main symptoms are rumination, reassurance-seeking, intolerance of uncertainty, anxiety sensitivity, inattentive ADHD symptoms, and sadness related to family trauma. I don’t feel “depressed depressed” most of the time, but I do become emotionally overwhelmed and tend to ruminate.

Across multiple medication classes, I seem to develop the same cluster of activation, fragmented sleep, emotional intensity, and a “fuzzy” feeling, while medications that reduce anxiety (especially guanfacine and, early on, Zoloft) have generally been more tolerable and seem to improve my ability to stay present.

I’m interested in whether this overall pattern stands out to people who’ve treated or experienced similar cases. Have you seen similar cases where the underlying issue turned out to be something different than initially expected, or where a particular evaluation or treatment approach helped clarify what was going on?

Thank you!

Posted Jul 4, 2026, 6:28 PM UTC

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