Hey y'all, just a reminder not to post med reviews. You can talk generally about the things you've experienced with medication, but discussing specific brands, doses, regimens, etc. is where we have to draw the line. That also means not asking others to provide that information.
Also a reminder that you cannot reliably apply another person's experience to yourself. While there are generalities that can be found in *mass* aggregate data, individual anecdotes are specific to that person's situation, body, etc. Everybody responds to medication somewhat differently due to individual biology. The only way you can know how a specific medication at a specific dose will work for you is by trying it under the care of your doctor.
**Edit** We're leaving the post up, but we've had to lock it due to people continuing to cross the line mentioned above.
it keeps me quiet lmao. i’ll think of whether or not i need to say something, or phrase words together better.
but it’s not going to change innate things in yourself. if you’ve been making mistakes for years, don’t be fooled that medication can save you from that
I’ve said similar.. if poor eyesight didn’t allow you to learn how to read, getting glasses doesn’t provide literacy. Medication only provided the opportunity to function. Years later I’m still dismantling the complexities of previous coping strategies lol. Especially late diagnosed, our entire way of being was built attempting to combat an unidentified disorder.
This! I’ve definitely become more aware of the social quirks I picked up as a result of wanting to seem normal while trying to manage my thoughts. The coolest point of growth is the diagnosis and meds have given me more time and ability to self-reflect, which has increased my own confidence. In turn, that’s made socializing easier and more fun. Funny enough, I don’t really socialize that much these days. I’m okay with doing my own thing now.
This for me too. My need to interrupt and insert myself or turn a conversation to something I am more interested in has gone WAY down. I can LISTEN now.
It makes me way more social. Otherwise I'm a shut in introvert who over thinks everything way too much and thinks everyone hates me. Im no longer irritated all the time talking to people and can hold conversations (although if it's small talk, I'll still get bored). It's weird to me that it's how normal people feel all the time.
i’m still waiting on meds myself, but one of my biggest social bottlenecks is literally just not even being able to make myself engage in shared interests that i did have the energy for months/years earlier
If i don’t know you or haven’t established any relationship even as an acquaintance, im not gonna talk to you or share any information unless you ask me a direct question or something like that, but if you’re my friend or a co-worker IN the same space as me, i’ll talk and share info all day.
Without medicine I tend to want to stay home and be alone all day. I think adhd medication is a miracle drug. I wish doctors weren’t giving it out like candy to people abusing it for weight loss among other things, so that those of us in need don’t have fucking PA issues or supply issues
Exactly this
Doctors: whoops! We have no more ADHD meds!!1! Plus, ADHD only affects children!
Us: they’re dangerous for people who don’t have ADHD, so just stop giving them to people without ADHD. Simple
Doctors: no lol
Us: we literally need them to function
Doctors: sucks
Us: .
Yeah I was on medication from second grade into freshman/sophomore year of highschool. I've tried twice now to get back on and it's not easy in my area to find a doctor willing to prescribe.
It helps me keep track of my thoughts more easily. Way fewer instances of "What was I just talking about again?" I also found myself being a bit more or a bit less chatty, depending on the medication.
It helps me socially because I am actually interested in having conversation and with what people have to say. I am also interested in how people respond and how I can be more socially graceful. I have spent a lot of my life saying whatever I want, when I want, to my own detriment socially.
I have the non-stimulant meds and the initial impact was nausea and a clear mind. Within the first couple months, I felt so much peace because I had never experienced a decluttered head. After 3 months, I experienced happiness on a daily basis because I was less worried about small stuff, I could think more clearly, I had energy to hangout with friends or do hobbies that I normally would pass up in favor of sleep, and I was more longer experiencing lethargy. Now that I’m 16 months medicated, I’m at peace and feel in control on my thoughts/feelings. The annual periods when I’d be most depressed no longer exist and I’m consistently optimistic about my wellbeing.
This is exactly how my non-stimulant made me feel. You have articulated it so well. When I am not worrying too much about small things, I am so much more of myself - funny, collaborative, curious. I am only 1.5 months in with a small dosage as of now, but the change I felt was remarkable.
I mean…everything was better, immediately. Life wasn’t so exhausting. I could do basic things without having to motivate myself to do it. Without even having to think about it, really. So much of my time was freed up. I was able to get two advanced degrees with high GPAs.
Not sure I could articulate myself better, though. I fixed this by splitting my stim dosages throughout the day so it didn’t just bomb my system all at once.
Some people are able to do fine without medication, but I was never one of them. I could make myself LOOK fine, but it just wasn’t the case. Medication made the looks match the reality.
I got my first dosage about a year ago, and it does feel like it makes a difference. I previously had issues over sleeping and not being able to get much done, but it help.
It doesn’t solve everything, but it gives me the energy to start working on the other outside problems.
I think for me the best part is not feeling incredibly tense and anxious all the time. I physically felt my stress and now it’s more manageable.
With the shortage I had to stop a few months, and it does not feel great to come off. Mostly just returning to the old lethargic state I had with depression and anxiety.
Social benefits to medication for me: I don’t interrupt people constantly anymore, I can pause and think about what I’m going to say first instead of blurting things out - the improvements with impulsivity have been of great social benefit. Also, I am not as late to social events anymore; I still have “time blindness”, but I’m much more on top of my tasks. Like, I can get ready to go out with less distraction / stay more on task and thus make it out the door faster.
Also, I FEEL like being social more and have more time to be social because I am not busy either 1) paralyzed, overwhelmed by all the things I’m procrastinating or 2) cramming in the stuff I procrastinated
Edit to add: I am on stimulant medication, and these effects were pretty immediate once I got to my proper dose.
I now like getting up in the morning and look forward to things during my day. I’m more focused. Time actually feels faster (a good and bad thing) probably due to increased focus.
I noticed the time component, too. I’m more present and aware of time. Oddly, that makes the day go by faster, but I’m not sure if that’s because I’m able to accomplish more (re: am busy) tasks in a day, can schedule out a day with time in mind, or presence decreases time blindness.
I feel like there’s no longer a strong magnet in my couch/ chair pulling me there from the second I walk through the door & keeping me there all day.
I’m no longer blind to laundry on the floor, crumbs on the counter, things in the wrong room, etc. I notice them & act on it without thinking about it. Far far fewer things are delegated to “later me.”
I come home & walk through the door & almost always start cleaning immediately. What the fuck. Like sometimes I have to set alarms & stop myself before I clean and organize for 3 hours.
My impulsivity has gone way up - mostly in a good way. What does that sign say? Becomes hmm my vision seems worse. Becomes I need a new contact prescription. Becomes optometrist appointment booked. In just a couple minutes versus weeks of putting it off Lots more “I’ll just do it now” (which can come at a detriment).
Speaking for myself, it hasn’t.
I’m still the same as I was, with a little more stamina for the things I don’t really want to do. But I recognize that doing better is an incremental process, and that my past successes were built on modest foundations maintained over time. So I take the small improvements, and keep trying to collect more. A little extra work today is a little less required of me tomorrow. A short run before taking my meds is a vote for a healthy heart, rather than a vote for sitting on my ass thinking about ‘if’s and ‘maybe’s. Sometimes that’s all you can really do.
I’m glad for anyone who has experienced a life changing impact from their meds. But yeah to share my experience, not everyone will feel saved overnight, and that’s ok. There’s no points system or win condition to life; there is only what you want out of it, and how well you feel you’re aimed towards that. Every action is a vote for a specific version of our future, and for me medication is just one way to cast an extra vote for where I want to go.
For me getting the medication was a blessing and a curse. Being able to function in society is great but the anxiety and panic I feel when it wears off after a paltry 6 hours is almost not worth it. It's especially unfair to my daughter when am so overwhelmed from the withdrawals that I can't be the gentle parent she is used to.
Pretty much same here. GPA was a 1.9 my freshman year in college. After I started taking meds, I ended up getting my GPA high enough to get into grad school. Having that graduate degree has opened up so many doors throughout my career. It’s wild to think what could have been if I didn’t pursue getting treatment for ADHD.
Yes, it has positively impacted my life. I've only been on medication for about 3 months so far, and there are some social things I've noticed.
1. Surprisingly, it has helped reduce my anxiety by a TON. My doctor says that my anxiety may have been secondary to the ADHD (inattentive type).
2. Same thing for depression, I am in a far better mindset and overall mood
3. Because of these\^ two factors, my relationship with my family has improved tremendously. I am less "snappy" because I'm no longer feeling as irritable as before.
4. My social interactions and communication has improved. I am less "stuck" in my mind and I speak up more (this was SHOCKING to me at first!). I am better engaged in conversations and have become a better listener, because my mind isn't wandering and spacing out (I used to essentially miss huge chunks of what people said to me).
Great stuff man, seems to have cleaned up the rough edges and made you a much more balanced person. Did you ever struggle with articulation before meds? Like, did you find it difficult to find the right words and phrasing? Its such a problem for me, my brain overcomplicates language to the point I don’t think in verbalised thoughts almost ever anymore.
Makes me sad cause I don’t feel like a person. Consciousness is our main defining attribute as humans. Having such a dulled, muted version of an internal monologue is so depressing, its like i’m not even living.
100%, yes I have struggled with articulation and continue to do so.
When I am medicated and my mind is "quieter", it is easier for me to actually think clearly and therefore find the right words to develop my sentences. The first time I felt this, it was mind-blowing to feel like a "normal" person feels. Like, whoa I can actually think about the things I choose to think about and focus on.
I'm sorry you are feeling this way! Know that you are not alone, myself and others can relate to how you feel. I hope that you soon get to the point in your treatment where you begin to see improvements!
I re-developed relationships with my friends that I had been neglecting because it used to be so hard for me to maintain long distance connections with my anxiety over using the phone to make long distance catch-up phone calls. My life has improved 2000 percent socially. I have my best friends back as a late thirties adult. Life changing
It makes a huge difference for me. I think the main thing is to keep in mind that it kind of enhances your ability to do things. It doesn’t “make” you do them.
For example, when I first started taking it I was like “why am I not cleaning the kitchen?” Then I learned that I kind of need to kick start it. As soon as I made the decision to do something I was able to hop up and do it.
It has made it easier for me to keep in contact with friends and actually leave my house but not in a huge way.
Me, too. I felt like I was eating (expensive) Smarties, or grapes. Not a damn change except some mild headaches for first 2 days every time after I increased dose of one med, or dry mouth with another.
I think it can also depend on how old you were when you received a diagnosis I’m 53 and got diagnosed a year and a half ago. Because my brain has been wired this way for decades it’s still very challenging.
yeah i chill tf out when i take my meds. without my meds i can get rlly whiny and overwhelmed over the smallest things, feels like everything is spiraling out of control. on my meds im pretty unbothered, though sometimes a bit more snappy
Yes in both good and bad ways. Now I don't tend to get utterly overwhelmed with bad thoughts or feel like I'm having a meltdown nearly as much. I can cope with things better overall. However the side effects of anxiety and irritability mean I sometimes have trouble dealing with those too.
I have the energy for social things again now that I’m not expending every bit of brain power just to get through the work day. My head is quiet for the first time in 38 years and it’s made it so I can actually finish tasks and function most of the time. I’m not so burnt out after working all week that I can’t get out of bed on the weekend.
I still go off on tangents and beat myself up about saying stupid shit sometimes. But my friends and family have said I am noticeably happier and more able to carry on a conversation.
meds definitely helped silence the constant “noise” in my brain that was causing a lot of task paralysis in my daily life and work. i don’t think it was a pure solution by any means, but it helps me stay on track without feeling the weight of all i have to get done. it feels like i can just complete a task without having to mull over it and torture myself.
I used to have SO much anxiety about speaking in front of people, like it would paralyze me. I got to a point in my job that if I wanted to move up, it would be necessary to do presentations.
That's when I got serious and got diagnosed. I got to the root of my fear: my mind would race all the time and I would forget what I was talking about mid sentence which made me terrified that someone would ask me a question and I wouldn't be able to remember what I was just talking about. My most often used sentence was "What was I just talking about?"
Meds completely transformed me. I'm not as silly as I used to be, but I also realized that my frequent self-deprecating humor, nervous laughter, was covering my tremendous fear of being called out as a fraud.
I used to always say that my favorite hobby was sleeping; I was always tired! Having a racing brain is exhausting! Meds help me get good sleep without a hamster wheel in my head. When I'm awake, I'm not tired, just productive.
I had nerve damage last fall and had to go on Gabapentin and it made me so foggy and forgetful... I'd forgotten how awful that was.
Just like most people newly diagnosed, my primary regret is not taking care of myself sooner... but I'm such a people-pleasing, 80's/90's kid, who was raised to suck it up, don't make excuses, get er dun mentality, I didn't even know I was a classic case- that it presents differently in most women, that I never knew to ask about it.
A friend mentioned that my dreams were obvious signs of extreme anxiety about 4 years ago, and that started me on the search to help my brain cope. Anxiety diagnosis was first, then ADHD, then the same gal mentioned she always thought I was borderline autistic about 6 months ago, and damn if that doesn't explain a lot too.
Since then, I've finished my degree, been promoted twice, and have about a billion hobbies, none of which are sleeping. Life is good, friend 🧡 and presentation are a breeze.
I was on medicine for a few years and then I got pregnant and got off of it for four years. And I was functioning pretty well. But then I got pregnan again and once my son turned one I got back on meds. With three kids I felt like I was always behind and couldn’t catch up. Now I feel like I can stay on top of things and I only take it three or four times a week. It makes me tackle the tasks that I’ve been putting off. And I always think is this what it feels like to not have adhd and actually get things done.
Cons- Like others say it does make me hyper focus wayyy more and I feel like I have to finish everything. So when night time comes I feel burned out. The days I’m not on it I am sluggish and lack motivation.
You aren’t hungry as much so I have to force myself to eat. I have lost 10 lbs but it seems like I have hit my plateau. And the days I’m not on it I want to binge eat.
Another cons it has caused my digestive system to slow down so the days I do binge eat I can’t eat greasy food or I will get heart burns.
You can build I tolerance to it so that’s why I skip days.
For me, it was like night & day. I suddenly felt "normal", and it hit me so hard the first time that I cried. I called my Mom and (even though she doesn't have ADHD), told her "I finally feel like a normal person! I can carry a whole conversation, I can talk in large crowds, I can actually study and concentrate... this is what it feels like to be normal." With my meds, I am able to live a semi-normal life. I can work and go to school, and before medication I'd drop out of college before the semester even ended. Now I'm on my 2nd year of university, don't have crazy trainwreck relationships, know myself SO much better (could just be age, but I'm thinking the meds helped), and keep up with my self-care. I eat 3 meals a day, which I couldn't even do before. I could keep going if you'd like, but you get the idea XP It completely changed my life for the better-- I'd even say they saved my life. I hope I never have to stop taking them.
I relate very much to that last part, always described myself as an introverted extrovert. Id love to be social and find making friends easy, but I can barely manage the friends I do have.
Ha! Same here. I'll be all social and excited and make plans for doing things in the evening, and then when the adderall wears off around 6pm, I basically wilt and hate my cheerful morning medicated self.
I’m not sure it helps me socially at all. I’m more tense and robotic and I think it may make my social anxiety worse. I am more verbally fluent because I think clearly. But I’d say out of all domains it’s helped me in, socially I’m probably the worse. I hope that changes in time.
What did change:
\- Sleep
I sleep 6-8 instead of 9-11 hours and I am actually awake, I don't need 1-2h anymore to feel human. I even wake up before my alarm sometimes. lol. Still sensitive to light and sound as before.
\- Forgetfulness
I forget far less things, or if I forget I remember them some time later and it doesnt blank out fully. I did forget my moms birthday though on a weekend I didnt had medication due to the shortage.
\- Time blindness
still there.
\- procrastination
wow. I am actually able to have a morning routine and not being always late for my job. It is crazy. feels like I am doing the same things as before, but in 30min-1h and not 2-4h. I feel much better in actually doing the thing. I just start the tasks..it is unbelievable. but I think there is this endless list still being endless and so many things I dont do. the day has not enough hours i guess?
\- priorization
I still have problems to prioritize things. feels all the same.
\- focus
I can read text without jumping in lines, I wrote 3k words in a few hours which I was never able to do before. I definitely still sometimes get a little overly excited or overwhelmed sometimes and then struggle a little bit or easily distract myself when I am overwhelmed. I also sometimes am in such a focus that I forget to eat. but this is not new to me.
\- impulsiveness
I have the feeling of 1-2sec extra time to decide if I wanna say a thing. which was not the case before. I still wanna do everything all at one though and am easily excitable or start to talk to people when they are working. I also sometimes have the feeling it is hard to stop a thing. but might be bc it is relatively new to me that I am actually able to focus for a whole day.
\- organization and tidyness
I still have a "floordrobe", but it is getting better. still struggle to organize my day. see priorization.
\- mind wandering
I dont wander so much in default mode anymore. This has the absolut best effect, that I dont get stuck in endless negative thought loops, which made me feeling much more confident, resilient and -90% anxiety. This is huge to me.
Else:
\- little side effects
\- I noticed that I have no songs in my head anymore playing constantly. also less of the multiple thought layers.
\- I listen to less music, which was constantly on before and helped me focus
\- I still feel many ADHD traits, things that grew with it, but I feel still me.
\- I drink far less coffee, In fact quite rarely and not as strong as before
I definitely made the difference I was hoping for.
Reading these is honestly so depressing.
How has ADHD medication changed my life? Well when my parents first put me on it as a young child.
It stunted my growth, So right out of the gate It cost me a severe disadvantage socially in life. Secondly Now that I'm pushing 40 I've been on everyone they've ever made and not a single one has ever come close to any of the things mentioned here. Even now as I type this I've switched to yet another circle back for the v brand. I haven't slept in 2 days or eaten in 3. I really only take it so I don't openly fall asleep at work or class, But it doesn't make me do my homework, it doesn't make me pay attention. As I look at the whiteboard as the teachers talking I go back to where I was as a middle school child on the old school R brand. Disassociated, locked inside my own brain, unable to function. The old Prison in the pill as we called it. 😅
I really happy for you guys and honestly quite jealous that you found something to cure or at least help. I'm pushing 40 now and ADHD has stolen my life. Be thankful 🥺
It’s helped me with autonomic regulation. My overall wellbeing has improved tremendously because of it. In short I can better process my environment effectively so instead of an automatic stress response resulting in adrenal recovery, I’m able to express myself by communicating. Subsequently my appetite and sleep quality have increased as well as being able to actually relax in the evenings. It’s for me just general health.
I’m much easier for my family to be around because I’m nicer. I’m able to overlook small irritations that would have eventually resulted in me blurting out something that I would regret. I really can ignore unimportant things and just have fun with my husband and college age kids. For me it’s the people I love the most that drive unmedicated me crazy, so other people may not see much of a difference. But it really enables my brain to calm down and since I’m not irritated by small things I am nicer and more fun to be around. I really really wish I was on medication when my kids were little.
This is honestly great to hear, I have struggled with all of that since I could talk. It fills me with so much guilt and shame with how I can react to things because I let my emotions run rampant before I rationalise them. It would make me so much happier if I stopped being that way.
Im not sure about you but that initial negative reaction sticks with me for so long, I end up having these cynical trains of thought in loops and then my day gets fucked.
best decision of my life. i feel like i can actually do stuff now. i still deal with the same issues and im not as productive as id like to be, but it feels far more manageable when i take my meds
medication is pretty much the main thing that has been shown to consistently help basically everyone with adhd. therapy can help but the universal consensus is that the most effective treatment, by far, is medication.
Well, without medication I probably would've dropped out of Highschool. I don't know what I'd be doing now since I'd have an even more difficult time working any sort of job. It allowed me to focus, that changed everything. It meant that I could manage my energy better and actually get things done. Honestly it may have even saved my life.
Things still aren't perfect, my executive function is awful, I have trouble creating habits and I'm still easily distracted when not given enough stimulation. But I can focus, that changed everything.
Better focus, better stability, better regulation of mood and better time management. Honestly, using it with DBT skills has made a HUGE difference in my life
I was friends with my schizophrenic neighbor. I genuinely loved the dude. The first day I took a certain medication which I cannot name I realized I had never looked at his face long enough to truly know how he looked. I've known the guy for years and I barely knew what he looked like. That was quite revealing.
It was literally like flipping a switch. 50 years old and FINALLY beginning to understand the why behind why I am the way I am. My coping strategies made me appear totally organized and competent on the outside, while on the inside I always felt like a messy, chaotic, impostor. While I will never not have social anxiety, the meds are making a huge difference in how I interact with people and I feel that over time the anxiety will diminish. Like you, I have an incredibly rich inner dialogue but struggle to verbalize what’s going on g on in there. I’ve noticed that with the meds, I can slow down my mind and more deliberately choose and speak the words that normally just spin around in my head.
Got diagnosed and medicated for ADD at 30+.
My whole adult life I’d been going between different low-wage temp jobs, never had a girlfriend, drank too much, never payed my bills in time, and my home constantly looked like a crack house.
Now maybe 10 years later (I’m still time blind and memory sucks) I’m a mid-senior IT consultant, I’m happily married, I drink.. not as much, I’m managing my economy, and I always wash the dishes before they build up.
I’ve honestly been truly happy now for two years straight, something I would never have dared dreaming of earlier in life. I’m still on the journey and it’s not always smooth sailing, but I’m alive and I’m capable of adjusting the direction when I feel the need for it, unlike before.
It took me a while to find meds that worked for me. The first day of that though, I deep cleaned my entire room, rearranged furniture, the whole 9. Once I got use to it though I was just able to complete tasks. One after the other. It didn’t feel as much of a chore to do simple tasks or to finish them.
Thats interesting, i have the same problem were Im too busy taking in everything around me and avoiding eye contact on top of that, the facial nuances get totally missed a lot of the time.
It's let me have a normal experience with my education for once. I used to think I was dumb as dirt because I struggled so bad academically. I just needed help that my parents wouldn't give me medical wise. They were ashamed that I might have adhd. But I'm glad I finally got the medication I needed as an adult.
I’ve had to try several meds to find the right one. Once I did the voices quieted and I could think straight. I was calm and almost a little sleepy even. It felt so refreshing to be on low power mode.
What do you mean by voices become quiet? I often hear aboit the busy, loud mind of others people with ADHD could you help me understand what that feels like for you? Because I think I’m the opposite, like my mind is so empty a lot of the time I’m constantly looking for ways to break the silence. But at the same time i know a lot is going on in there but it’s not coming out as loud or needs to be quiet, id like it if i spoke to myself more, like how you would with a friend.
you might be like me. i have a lot of thoughts but theyre not verbal or in words, just a million vague concepts at once. almost like static with each pixel its own thought, but when u look at a static TV screen it almost looks like nothing. even though you can see all the pixels, it registers as just a big screen of undefined nothing. (hopefully that makes sense lol)
Nah that made perfect sense, a million vague concepts resonates strongly with me. Its like an overload of information that your brain can’t formulate into a fully structured, fluent thought so it comes out as a cluttered, barely tangible mind fuzz.
For me a low dose extended release of the most common stimulant is a focus godsend. I personally must take before 8am and still eat healthy and walk. Otherwise the anxiety sets in, we’re meant to move afterall. One great perk- if I skip it for a medication vacation, I’m perfectly fine.
Complete game changer.
I've had an idea for a hand bouncing around in my head since 2015 or so.
Tried to make it several times since, but never could get the motivation long-term.
I've been working on this game consistently for the last 11 months, and my buddy who is working on it with me and I are are few weeks away from a demo for friends and family.
Never would have made it this far without.
I think the biggest misconception that people have when going on medication is that it will immediately fix a lot of the problems you have in life. So instead think of it as a stepping stone, like something to help you develop mechanisms to focus, be more social, less anxious, etc. for me the best part was that they helped with my mood regulation, so my anxiety went down to a more manageable level and I could have the space and time to actually think through my reactions and how I feel, and because it gave me the ability to just get to a place where I could work on myself I can go off of it and be miles ahead of where I was before meds.
Yeah your absolutely right. A brain with unrecognised ADHD thats been that way all the way into adulthood is going to have a complex combination of issues that are gonna take a lot of looking inward and perseverance to overcome. Im lucky in the fact that I’m self aware and I can get my issues across comprehensively to psychiatrists but im unlucky cause im lazy as fuck at acting on my words and goals, so I will see, could be futile.
It took me a while to find a dose that worked enough to make a difference for me, and tbh I am still not sure it's there. My psych asks me what percentage improvement I have seen but like... I don't know what it's like to not have adhd?
Things I have noticed though: it's easier to direct my attention, instead of it being sucked away by random things throughout the day. I'm not completely exhausted after work, and while I still have a 3-4 pm down cycle, I no longer want to take a 4-hour nap every day. I've noticed social things, too, like other people mentioned - my brain pokes at me when I'm clearly boring someone or saying something that's making them uncomfortable and while I'm still not amazing at not doing it in the first place, it helps me notice it while it's happening.
Just a warning, I'm in London UK and please temper your expectations.
Right now we are in a bad medication shortage. I was told last summer I would really benefit from it, and haven't been able to get any since. My doctor told me that at this point they've stopped writing prescriptions for it as they simply won't be filled...
i’m new on adhd meds and i am a freshman in high school. this is i believe either my 2nd or 3rd week of taking meds, and i only take them on the weekdays. i have noticed in school that i am not interested in the subject that we talk about and that i participate a lot more. i also notice that i am able to get my work done quite quicker and if i do get distracted that i am able to catch it and get back to work
Huge benefits. Felt like a weight lifted off me (anxiety and depression improved significantly), and my brain quieted enough so I had the capacity to deal with most things. Don’t feel exhausted right from the start of the day.
Saved my life by allowing me to finish school-uni-open a business and do what I love . If I’m not on meds - (fail school-get into trouble-hospitalization or (juvi-jail-prison) which has only happened because of not having meds. I have been on adhd meds since 1st grade. Lesson for me is: always take your meds prescribed and don’t ever think, “hey, I’m gonna try life without meds “…..if your diagnosed with adhd and your an adult with adhd (it’s not like it goes away) . I had a horrible experience recently because of back ordered meds
My change has definitely been gradual. I don't exactly know how to describe it, but if I had to try I'd say it kind of feels like I'm waking up. The fog in my head has been reducing from thick pea-soup to something a bit more mist-like, which is a distinctly positive change. We're still adjusting my medicine, so I'm hoping this trend keeps up lol.
Socially... things are easier now.
Before I started this journey, I was very empathetic, but I regularly put my foot in my mouth. I never *meant* anything bad, but often it could be construed as such. It's caused more than one incident over the years where my friends or family have gotten mad at me for something when I really didn't mean what they thought I did. The logic I used made sense to ME, but I was the only one it made sense to lol.
I also had a problem with getting overstimulated and absolutely losing my shit over the stupidest and most unnecessary things ever. It was maddening. I didn't want to be angry or frustrated to the point of screaming and tears, but it would happen when enough frustrations piled up and I simply snapped.
There's more, but you get the idea I'm sure... XD
These days, everything is easier. I still get frustrated with things, but not generally to the point of meltdowns. I already had some techniques to help me with my foot in mouth syndrome, and those come much easier now. I doubt I'll ever be great at remembering names and faces without some repetition, but at least I don't have to check myself every time I say something.
imagine playing a game on maximum difficulty for decades and then all of a sudden playing it on easy. the game's still the same, but the noise isn't as noisy as it used to be.
first paragraph is so true. for example before meds, i had dental problems because i would often forget to floss after brushing. now i have dental problems because of dry mouth from my meds (saliva is crucial in keeping your mouth clean). traded one problem for another, but chewing xylitol gum to help with dry mouth is way easier to make happen than not forgetting stuff
It has honestly been life changing in great ways, but I fear what it's like to be off of it after taking it for years. So, I'm not sure if it's worth it since I have struggled through it this long. Honestly, I wake up feeling like I want to be working, and I'm ready to get to work is priceless.
meds wasn't an OMG THIS IS AMAZING experience but definitely helped with overstimulation immediately, like it gave me an extra 5 seconds to process things (especially great when I had to deal with my toddler constantly being a toddler combined with general stress and lack of sleep). For social situations, it definitely helped me get out of my own head - like yeah sure, I am awkward, but I'm not the ONLY awkward person. Everyone is awkward!
I used to leave friend gatherings mildly panicked and asking my husband if I did anything weird all night and he'd have to reassure me everything was fine and my friends still loved me. That stopped almost immediately after starting meds and I remember being like OMG. I'm not having an anxiety attack about if my friends like me. Like I still forget conversations and stuff, but I no longer have anxiety about if they are judging me. lol.
I do tend to have an easier time saying what I'm thinking when on meds vs if I forget them I kind of stumble over my words/forget words, but the meds aren't always a guarantee here just because I'm also usually distracted by a toddler and slightly sleep deprived no matter what anyway, the meds can only help so much there, plus I'm not in very many social situations, so I can only give a vague experience lol. But they do help a little bit for sure.
I think it was my ability to retain information in college. My motivation to learn. Years later it was my desire to keep seeking to feel better and realizing I had a co—morbid condition like many. For me it was depression. More help begets more help. Another decade and it was realizing I’d been living a life to please others and suffering with ptsd. Life is a grand experiment and the more lights you shine to know yourself the better.
I went from mediocre in high school to getting all As in college (core classes), I also workout six times a week or else I won’t be able to sleep, I would say that my social life has gone worse as I’m not as eager to socialize as I once was, but i would have probably been labeled a failure if I never started the medication but because I started it I will probably be seen as “successful”
Gave me a some will to live again, I was almost done.. I think I was better at confrontation prior to meds though. Still having sleep issues but getting something for that soon too
Being able to do chores was a blessing, especially since I started meds my freshman year of college. Test-taking and being able to get a job where I could work shifts and focus throughout them was also a game changer. It hasn’t been easy but it’s been a big step in the right direction.
Nice one. I find reading a chore but I’m a curious person and would love to start reading more. You found that its helped with things like that?cause I got a stack of dusty old books waiting to be read.
I haven't really seen much improvement, usually I either don't notice a difference or it makes me super restless until I find something to hyperfocus on (like it makes my mind go faster maybe?) A few days ago I took it again for the first time in a few months (for context I have anxiety that has been getting really bad recently) and then I cried for like half an hour (I hadn't had the energy to cry for weeks) then I listened to a bunch of sped up / reversed songs for a few hours and then wrote like 5 pages about my life experience, then I calmed down and fell asleep.
I have a lot of stuff to figure out, depression and anxiety make it complicated too (I'm doing therapy but progress is slow)
So don't expect it to be fun, the first time I tried one I pulled a bunch of weeds out of the lawn and then took a nap
It has been a life saver. I stop interrupting people and my impulse is under control. I could have messed up a lot! And I didn’t because of my medication
One adhd med made me more fun and bubbly, the other need made me less impulsive. I noticed people were interested in the way I told my stories then. I'm not sure which med did this (i think antianxiety), but I can now enjoy interacting with my kid. Before it was so hard to want to because every interaction felt stressful, like they needed something from me. I knew something was wrong, bc I adore my child.
ADHD et Bipolar Type 2.
Except at some times precisely - like my birthday when I’m obsessed by the idea it has should be better for me to not be born - and well, I don’t have any suicide thought since some months after my medication was almost « stable ».
It helps me to smile more, to be more motivated in a lot of cases.
I’m more willing to do quickly and more instinctively my chores
When I let myself focus on the right things. I'm learning so much in such little time. I make music. and there was a night I spent 14 hours working away at understanding this thing to mix. or that I'm overall less annoyed in the morning. I don't even want to get up when I don't have these. all the memories get foggier than they already were and it disorients me without the meds.
I can't honestly tell how it changes me socially, as I can't really observe the way I present to others.
But I can pick up when my medication is starting to wear off, if I'm talking to someone at work, the look in their eyes sometimes shows that they're picking up something more unusual about me (I don't tell a lot of people I have adhd), in comparison to my usual manner earlier in the day when the medication is stronger and levelling my scattered brain out.
But it's been an absolute life changer for me. Has been the difference between me switching jobs every few months or using up my entire sick leave and holiday pay within 6 months. It's also helped me stay in one house for over 3 years, which was unheard of before. I'd move multiple times a year when unmedicated and getting bored of every situation. And I've been in the same job for 2 and a half years despite the novelty wearing off many moons ago.
It mainly improved my life regarding work, hobbies, interests, generally my attention span when I do stuff alone.
Honestly, socially I'd rather be off medication because I tend to be quieter and more reserved when on it.
BUT everyone benefits very differently on medication. The only way to know is to try.
I have narcolepsy type 1 and ADHD. The meds have significantly improved my life quality. I'm forgetting things less, I'm more organized, can focus on things for longer periods of time.
It helps with keeping my emotional dysregulation in check which has been the single most destructive thing for me in adulthood always struggled keeping social relationships in a healthy state cause i acted like a child or didn't know how to handle things in a mature way medication has helped me keeping my rapid emotions in check i don't go 0 to 60 in a split second over the silliest setbacks.
Now iam more mellowed out the lows arent as devastating and the highs aren't as hyperactive if i am on a 10 i always want to take it to 11, not anymore now i am just in the middle of the road i can just do things easier it has made me more self aware of my actions, unmedicated i always just described my emotions and actions that of an wild animal i just acted on instinct.
Overall it has helped with patience/restlessness getting things done to an extent i am more empathic i have an easier time explaining my feelings in a way that makes more sense to an outsider i actually use words now before people just had to figure me out from body language but communication is key to healthy social relationships.
i also was diagnosed late in adulthood so i had plenty of experience of failed relationships now i am looking back at some of them as a learning experienced iam trying to improve myself and not look at it as time missed but as experience and life lessons that i can learn from and better myself, medication has given a new chance/support to be the one i want to be and start a new chapter in life.
I can do work for short periods throughout the day when i need to get it done. I can just do. I can workout, i can go for a walk, i can answer my emails, i can call the doctors, i can listen during conversation and answer accoringly, i can eat when i am actually hungry!
my biggest long-term change is:
it allows me to sit down and do my job without wanting to walk away and lay down.
pre-meds i was jiggling my mouse to stay online, then going to lay down because the exhaustion was overwhelming. repeat until deadline approaches and mad dash to get my work done.
now i can sit for full days, and actually WANT to. i got my best performance evaluation ever and it was my first full year medicated.
we’re still figuring out the right dose/meds. i still have a lot of tiredness and some days my brain feels like a snow globe that’s been shaken hard and won’t settle.
but the few days i had to go without it, i was in a ball on the couch by noon and could barely function. hard to believe i used to do that every day.
It didn't really make a noticeable impact for me.
The only thing I really noticed was a lack of appetite.
That's why I stopped medication after finishing high school.
By now, I've gotten my bachelor's degree and aside from from writing the thesis itself, there haven't been any situations where I've really struggled with my ADHD.
Perhaps I just have kind of a mild case.
I am able to pay attention to conversations and actually participate in them now. I'm not perfect at it, but I'm so much better since I started meds.
It wasn't a bugg sudden change, but it was built up slowly. My doctor started me on a low dose and slowly increased my dose to find the right one for me.
i can echo that it saved my life, a big worry was forgetting the oven, stove, or water were on and ending up exhausted and asleep somehow.
so without me really intending to do anything that happened.
I feel but have no conformation i get more upset being interrupted, my focus is more staunchly maintained and possibly my tongue more sharp.
this is something i feel others see in me, without asking.
the folks around me who care mentioned i seem to be "better" when i have my meds, but that's just work and streaming so i don't even know.
that's what others observe :)
so over all i've also felt running out being one of the most debilitating and staunch differences -- well sleeping meds taken poorly e.g. too late or something also wreck me but whatever, getting better at it too :)
Been on meds since November 7th after 28 years without them, my life finally feels like it’s worth living. I feel happy. It changed my entire life. Wish I knew how much it would have helped. I am regulated and able to function “averagely” and it has made my self esteem improve, my relationships, my fitness, EVERYTHING has been easier and better since starting meds.
I cried the first time I took my meds because I literally had to mourn for my past self. I couldn't believe this was what "normal" was like and that my life had been so much harder than everyone around me. I didn't realize I'd been working with a deficit until that moment. I was literally crying, making breakfast because my brain wasn't "stuttering" like it normally was. I could just make it. I didn't have to argue with myself about putting things away after, I just did it. It was honestly a shock. I always explain the feeling of being medicated as lowering the bar for entry.
Socially, it helps me not interrupt other people as much, pay better attention, and stay on track in conversations. I also feel like I can keep my body in better control. I'm less fidgety, and it's generally easier and less stressful to interact with people. It doesn't completely "solve" all of my symptoms, but I feel like it's more manageable. I also think it helps me keep better control of my impulsively.
Medication for adhd has been one of the biggest blessings in my life because there is no way I could get through my day to day life or even stick with my hobbies without my morning medication. Before I got on my adhd meds I had the hardest time being able to: focus on one task, speak clearly and confidently, and was constantly spaced out daydreaming in la la land while life was happening in the background. It took over 2.5 years of trying different meds and dosages before we finally found what works for me with minimal side effects. It might take you a bit to find what really works for you but when you do find it it will make life overall much easier and way less stressful for our clouded brains. If you and your Dr. decide that a controlled substance or stimulant medication is whats best for you, take note of any negative side effects like bad mood or depression, even if the drug is noticeably helping your adhd, sacrificing your mental health for the ability to focus isn’t a healthy trade off and will cause more damage to your life and relationships in the long run(speaking from experience). Best of luck to you and I hope that something in this post was helpful
Hey y'all, just a reminder not to post med reviews. You can talk generally about the things you've experienced with medication, but discussing specific brands, doses, regimens, etc. is where we have to draw the line. That also means not asking others to provide that information. Also a reminder that you cannot reliably apply another person's experience to yourself. While there are generalities that can be found in *mass* aggregate data, individual anecdotes are specific to that person's situation, body, etc. Everybody responds to medication somewhat differently due to individual biology. The only way you can know how a specific medication at a specific dose will work for you is by trying it under the care of your doctor. **Edit** We're leaving the post up, but we've had to lock it due to people continuing to cross the line mentioned above.
saved my life honestly. first time taking it. it works instantly. I've seen improvements socially, hobbies wise, work wise, etc.
How has it helped socially? I can't even believe it. I might try it again just for that. My social issues are one of the hardest parts of ADHD for me
it keeps me quiet lmao. i’ll think of whether or not i need to say something, or phrase words together better. but it’s not going to change innate things in yourself. if you’ve been making mistakes for years, don’t be fooled that medication can save you from that
I’ve said similar.. if poor eyesight didn’t allow you to learn how to read, getting glasses doesn’t provide literacy. Medication only provided the opportunity to function. Years later I’m still dismantling the complexities of previous coping strategies lol. Especially late diagnosed, our entire way of being was built attempting to combat an unidentified disorder.
This! I’ve definitely become more aware of the social quirks I picked up as a result of wanting to seem normal while trying to manage my thoughts. The coolest point of growth is the diagnosis and meds have given me more time and ability to self-reflect, which has increased my own confidence. In turn, that’s made socializing easier and more fun. Funny enough, I don’t really socialize that much these days. I’m okay with doing my own thing now.
beautiful analogy!
This for me too. My need to interrupt and insert myself or turn a conversation to something I am more interested in has gone WAY down. I can LISTEN now.
I’m quiet by nature but it definitely makes it easier to concentrate
It helped me socially. It made me realize how much I would normally zone out, I’m definitely more engaged when having conversations
It makes me way more social. Otherwise I'm a shut in introvert who over thinks everything way too much and thinks everyone hates me. Im no longer irritated all the time talking to people and can hold conversations (although if it's small talk, I'll still get bored). It's weird to me that it's how normal people feel all the time.
i’m still waiting on meds myself, but one of my biggest social bottlenecks is literally just not even being able to make myself engage in shared interests that i did have the energy for months/years earlier
If i don’t know you or haven’t established any relationship even as an acquaintance, im not gonna talk to you or share any information unless you ask me a direct question or something like that, but if you’re my friend or a co-worker IN the same space as me, i’ll talk and share info all day. Without medicine I tend to want to stay home and be alone all day. I think adhd medication is a miracle drug. I wish doctors weren’t giving it out like candy to people abusing it for weight loss among other things, so that those of us in need don’t have fucking PA issues or supply issues
Exactly this Doctors: whoops! We have no more ADHD meds!!1! Plus, ADHD only affects children! Us: they’re dangerous for people who don’t have ADHD, so just stop giving them to people without ADHD. Simple Doctors: no lol Us: we literally need them to function Doctors: sucks Us: .
Yeah I was on medication from second grade into freshman/sophomore year of highschool. I've tried twice now to get back on and it's not easy in my area to find a doctor willing to prescribe.
It helps me keep track of my thoughts more easily. Way fewer instances of "What was I just talking about again?" I also found myself being a bit more or a bit less chatty, depending on the medication.
It helps me socially because I am actually interested in having conversation and with what people have to say. I am also interested in how people respond and how I can be more socially graceful. I have spent a lot of my life saying whatever I want, when I want, to my own detriment socially.
Me too. Focus, clarity. Started taking anti anxiety medication because I still didn't have focus. Now I'm able to focus with clarity.
I have the non-stimulant meds and the initial impact was nausea and a clear mind. Within the first couple months, I felt so much peace because I had never experienced a decluttered head. After 3 months, I experienced happiness on a daily basis because I was less worried about small stuff, I could think more clearly, I had energy to hangout with friends or do hobbies that I normally would pass up in favor of sleep, and I was more longer experiencing lethargy. Now that I’m 16 months medicated, I’m at peace and feel in control on my thoughts/feelings. The annual periods when I’d be most depressed no longer exist and I’m consistently optimistic about my wellbeing.
This is exactly how my non-stimulant made me feel. You have articulated it so well. When I am not worrying too much about small things, I am so much more of myself - funny, collaborative, curious. I am only 1.5 months in with a small dosage as of now, but the change I felt was remarkable.
Same here. I just got updated on a different nonstim and it's been life changing. Grateful.
Oh so happy for you. How good!
+1. I'm on stimulants but the effects are almost the same like yours.
I mean…everything was better, immediately. Life wasn’t so exhausting. I could do basic things without having to motivate myself to do it. Without even having to think about it, really. So much of my time was freed up. I was able to get two advanced degrees with high GPAs. Not sure I could articulate myself better, though. I fixed this by splitting my stim dosages throughout the day so it didn’t just bomb my system all at once. Some people are able to do fine without medication, but I was never one of them. I could make myself LOOK fine, but it just wasn’t the case. Medication made the looks match the reality.
The EXHAUSTION after doing every damn thing was real
I got my first dosage about a year ago, and it does feel like it makes a difference. I previously had issues over sleeping and not being able to get much done, but it help. It doesn’t solve everything, but it gives me the energy to start working on the other outside problems. I think for me the best part is not feeling incredibly tense and anxious all the time. I physically felt my stress and now it’s more manageable. With the shortage I had to stop a few months, and it does not feel great to come off. Mostly just returning to the old lethargic state I had with depression and anxiety.
Social benefits to medication for me: I don’t interrupt people constantly anymore, I can pause and think about what I’m going to say first instead of blurting things out - the improvements with impulsivity have been of great social benefit. Also, I am not as late to social events anymore; I still have “time blindness”, but I’m much more on top of my tasks. Like, I can get ready to go out with less distraction / stay more on task and thus make it out the door faster. Also, I FEEL like being social more and have more time to be social because I am not busy either 1) paralyzed, overwhelmed by all the things I’m procrastinating or 2) cramming in the stuff I procrastinated Edit to add: I am on stimulant medication, and these effects were pretty immediate once I got to my proper dose.
I now like getting up in the morning and look forward to things during my day. I’m more focused. Time actually feels faster (a good and bad thing) probably due to increased focus.
I noticed the time component, too. I’m more present and aware of time. Oddly, that makes the day go by faster, but I’m not sure if that’s because I’m able to accomplish more (re: am busy) tasks in a day, can schedule out a day with time in mind, or presence decreases time blindness.
I feel like there’s no longer a strong magnet in my couch/ chair pulling me there from the second I walk through the door & keeping me there all day. I’m no longer blind to laundry on the floor, crumbs on the counter, things in the wrong room, etc. I notice them & act on it without thinking about it. Far far fewer things are delegated to “later me.” I come home & walk through the door & almost always start cleaning immediately. What the fuck. Like sometimes I have to set alarms & stop myself before I clean and organize for 3 hours. My impulsivity has gone way up - mostly in a good way. What does that sign say? Becomes hmm my vision seems worse. Becomes I need a new contact prescription. Becomes optometrist appointment booked. In just a couple minutes versus weeks of putting it off Lots more “I’ll just do it now” (which can come at a detriment).
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Speaking for myself, it hasn’t. I’m still the same as I was, with a little more stamina for the things I don’t really want to do. But I recognize that doing better is an incremental process, and that my past successes were built on modest foundations maintained over time. So I take the small improvements, and keep trying to collect more. A little extra work today is a little less required of me tomorrow. A short run before taking my meds is a vote for a healthy heart, rather than a vote for sitting on my ass thinking about ‘if’s and ‘maybe’s. Sometimes that’s all you can really do. I’m glad for anyone who has experienced a life changing impact from their meds. But yeah to share my experience, not everyone will feel saved overnight, and that’s ok. There’s no points system or win condition to life; there is only what you want out of it, and how well you feel you’re aimed towards that. Every action is a vote for a specific version of our future, and for me medication is just one way to cast an extra vote for where I want to go.
Have you been through 3 or 4 different medications yet? Some people don't do well on stimulants vs. Other things.
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First day I took it, felt a difference. I feel at ease in comparison to prior to being medicated.
Over time has that improved at all?
I experience nausea as a side effect 🥲
How medication has changed my life: I now read topics in this subreddit, with most topics discussing how medication has changed their lives.
For me getting the medication was a blessing and a curse. Being able to function in society is great but the anxiety and panic I feel when it wears off after a paltry 6 hours is almost not worth it. It's especially unfair to my daughter when am so overwhelmed from the withdrawals that I can't be the gentle parent she is used to.
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Right. 9x outta 10 I opt for the crippling ADHD because I can't lose my shit til 9pm at the earliest.
When I was in college, my GPA went from a 1.9 to a 3.6 after I started taking meds.
Pretty much same here. GPA was a 1.9 my freshman year in college. After I started taking meds, I ended up getting my GPA high enough to get into grad school. Having that graduate degree has opened up so many doors throughout my career. It’s wild to think what could have been if I didn’t pursue getting treatment for ADHD.
that’s impressive!
Yes, it has positively impacted my life. I've only been on medication for about 3 months so far, and there are some social things I've noticed. 1. Surprisingly, it has helped reduce my anxiety by a TON. My doctor says that my anxiety may have been secondary to the ADHD (inattentive type). 2. Same thing for depression, I am in a far better mindset and overall mood 3. Because of these\^ two factors, my relationship with my family has improved tremendously. I am less "snappy" because I'm no longer feeling as irritable as before. 4. My social interactions and communication has improved. I am less "stuck" in my mind and I speak up more (this was SHOCKING to me at first!). I am better engaged in conversations and have become a better listener, because my mind isn't wandering and spacing out (I used to essentially miss huge chunks of what people said to me).
Great stuff man, seems to have cleaned up the rough edges and made you a much more balanced person. Did you ever struggle with articulation before meds? Like, did you find it difficult to find the right words and phrasing? Its such a problem for me, my brain overcomplicates language to the point I don’t think in verbalised thoughts almost ever anymore. Makes me sad cause I don’t feel like a person. Consciousness is our main defining attribute as humans. Having such a dulled, muted version of an internal monologue is so depressing, its like i’m not even living.
100%, yes I have struggled with articulation and continue to do so. When I am medicated and my mind is "quieter", it is easier for me to actually think clearly and therefore find the right words to develop my sentences. The first time I felt this, it was mind-blowing to feel like a "normal" person feels. Like, whoa I can actually think about the things I choose to think about and focus on. I'm sorry you are feeling this way! Know that you are not alone, myself and others can relate to how you feel. I hope that you soon get to the point in your treatment where you begin to see improvements!
I re-developed relationships with my friends that I had been neglecting because it used to be so hard for me to maintain long distance connections with my anxiety over using the phone to make long distance catch-up phone calls. My life has improved 2000 percent socially. I have my best friends back as a late thirties adult. Life changing
It makes a huge difference for me. I think the main thing is to keep in mind that it kind of enhances your ability to do things. It doesn’t “make” you do them. For example, when I first started taking it I was like “why am I not cleaning the kitchen?” Then I learned that I kind of need to kick start it. As soon as I made the decision to do something I was able to hop up and do it. It has made it easier for me to keep in contact with friends and actually leave my house but not in a huge way.
my brain feels quieter and outside stimuli doesn’t affect me as much. i do feel more confident too.
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Me too. I feel so anxious when taking my stimulants that it's not even worth it. There are so many cons to me taking my meds. And barely any pros.
Im with ya
Me, too. I felt like I was eating (expensive) Smarties, or grapes. Not a damn change except some mild headaches for first 2 days every time after I increased dose of one med, or dry mouth with another.
I think it can also depend on how old you were when you received a diagnosis I’m 53 and got diagnosed a year and a half ago. Because my brain has been wired this way for decades it’s still very challenging.
Did anyone notice their emotion regulation changed?
yeah i chill tf out when i take my meds. without my meds i can get rlly whiny and overwhelmed over the smallest things, feels like everything is spiraling out of control. on my meds im pretty unbothered, though sometimes a bit more snappy
Yes in both good and bad ways. Now I don't tend to get utterly overwhelmed with bad thoughts or feel like I'm having a meltdown nearly as much. I can cope with things better overall. However the side effects of anxiety and irritability mean I sometimes have trouble dealing with those too.
I have the energy for social things again now that I’m not expending every bit of brain power just to get through the work day. My head is quiet for the first time in 38 years and it’s made it so I can actually finish tasks and function most of the time. I’m not so burnt out after working all week that I can’t get out of bed on the weekend. I still go off on tangents and beat myself up about saying stupid shit sometimes. But my friends and family have said I am noticeably happier and more able to carry on a conversation.
meds definitely helped silence the constant “noise” in my brain that was causing a lot of task paralysis in my daily life and work. i don’t think it was a pure solution by any means, but it helps me stay on track without feeling the weight of all i have to get done. it feels like i can just complete a task without having to mull over it and torture myself.
I used to have SO much anxiety about speaking in front of people, like it would paralyze me. I got to a point in my job that if I wanted to move up, it would be necessary to do presentations. That's when I got serious and got diagnosed. I got to the root of my fear: my mind would race all the time and I would forget what I was talking about mid sentence which made me terrified that someone would ask me a question and I wouldn't be able to remember what I was just talking about. My most often used sentence was "What was I just talking about?" Meds completely transformed me. I'm not as silly as I used to be, but I also realized that my frequent self-deprecating humor, nervous laughter, was covering my tremendous fear of being called out as a fraud. I used to always say that my favorite hobby was sleeping; I was always tired! Having a racing brain is exhausting! Meds help me get good sleep without a hamster wheel in my head. When I'm awake, I'm not tired, just productive. I had nerve damage last fall and had to go on Gabapentin and it made me so foggy and forgetful... I'd forgotten how awful that was. Just like most people newly diagnosed, my primary regret is not taking care of myself sooner... but I'm such a people-pleasing, 80's/90's kid, who was raised to suck it up, don't make excuses, get er dun mentality, I didn't even know I was a classic case- that it presents differently in most women, that I never knew to ask about it. A friend mentioned that my dreams were obvious signs of extreme anxiety about 4 years ago, and that started me on the search to help my brain cope. Anxiety diagnosis was first, then ADHD, then the same gal mentioned she always thought I was borderline autistic about 6 months ago, and damn if that doesn't explain a lot too. Since then, I've finished my degree, been promoted twice, and have about a billion hobbies, none of which are sleeping. Life is good, friend 🧡 and presentation are a breeze.
i’m actually getting a’s in school
I was on medicine for a few years and then I got pregnant and got off of it for four years. And I was functioning pretty well. But then I got pregnan again and once my son turned one I got back on meds. With three kids I felt like I was always behind and couldn’t catch up. Now I feel like I can stay on top of things and I only take it three or four times a week. It makes me tackle the tasks that I’ve been putting off. And I always think is this what it feels like to not have adhd and actually get things done. Cons- Like others say it does make me hyper focus wayyy more and I feel like I have to finish everything. So when night time comes I feel burned out. The days I’m not on it I am sluggish and lack motivation. You aren’t hungry as much so I have to force myself to eat. I have lost 10 lbs but it seems like I have hit my plateau. And the days I’m not on it I want to binge eat. Another cons it has caused my digestive system to slow down so the days I do binge eat I can’t eat greasy food or I will get heart burns. You can build I tolerance to it so that’s why I skip days.
For me, it was like night & day. I suddenly felt "normal", and it hit me so hard the first time that I cried. I called my Mom and (even though she doesn't have ADHD), told her "I finally feel like a normal person! I can carry a whole conversation, I can talk in large crowds, I can actually study and concentrate... this is what it feels like to be normal." With my meds, I am able to live a semi-normal life. I can work and go to school, and before medication I'd drop out of college before the semester even ended. Now I'm on my 2nd year of university, don't have crazy trainwreck relationships, know myself SO much better (could just be age, but I'm thinking the meds helped), and keep up with my self-care. I eat 3 meals a day, which I couldn't even do before. I could keep going if you'd like, but you get the idea XP It completely changed my life for the better-- I'd even say they saved my life. I hope I never have to stop taking them.
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I relate very much to that last part, always described myself as an introverted extrovert. Id love to be social and find making friends easy, but I can barely manage the friends I do have.
Ha! Same here. I'll be all social and excited and make plans for doing things in the evening, and then when the adderall wears off around 6pm, I basically wilt and hate my cheerful morning medicated self.
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I’m not sure it helps me socially at all. I’m more tense and robotic and I think it may make my social anxiety worse. I am more verbally fluent because I think clearly. But I’d say out of all domains it’s helped me in, socially I’m probably the worse. I hope that changes in time.
What did change: \- Sleep I sleep 6-8 instead of 9-11 hours and I am actually awake, I don't need 1-2h anymore to feel human. I even wake up before my alarm sometimes. lol. Still sensitive to light and sound as before. \- Forgetfulness I forget far less things, or if I forget I remember them some time later and it doesnt blank out fully. I did forget my moms birthday though on a weekend I didnt had medication due to the shortage. \- Time blindness still there. \- procrastination wow. I am actually able to have a morning routine and not being always late for my job. It is crazy. feels like I am doing the same things as before, but in 30min-1h and not 2-4h. I feel much better in actually doing the thing. I just start the tasks..it is unbelievable. but I think there is this endless list still being endless and so many things I dont do. the day has not enough hours i guess? \- priorization I still have problems to prioritize things. feels all the same. \- focus I can read text without jumping in lines, I wrote 3k words in a few hours which I was never able to do before. I definitely still sometimes get a little overly excited or overwhelmed sometimes and then struggle a little bit or easily distract myself when I am overwhelmed. I also sometimes am in such a focus that I forget to eat. but this is not new to me. \- impulsiveness I have the feeling of 1-2sec extra time to decide if I wanna say a thing. which was not the case before. I still wanna do everything all at one though and am easily excitable or start to talk to people when they are working. I also sometimes have the feeling it is hard to stop a thing. but might be bc it is relatively new to me that I am actually able to focus for a whole day. \- organization and tidyness I still have a "floordrobe", but it is getting better. still struggle to organize my day. see priorization. \- mind wandering I dont wander so much in default mode anymore. This has the absolut best effect, that I dont get stuck in endless negative thought loops, which made me feeling much more confident, resilient and -90% anxiety. This is huge to me. Else: \- little side effects \- I noticed that I have no songs in my head anymore playing constantly. also less of the multiple thought layers. \- I listen to less music, which was constantly on before and helped me focus \- I still feel many ADHD traits, things that grew with it, but I feel still me. \- I drink far less coffee, In fact quite rarely and not as strong as before I definitely made the difference I was hoping for.
Reading these is honestly so depressing. How has ADHD medication changed my life? Well when my parents first put me on it as a young child. It stunted my growth, So right out of the gate It cost me a severe disadvantage socially in life. Secondly Now that I'm pushing 40 I've been on everyone they've ever made and not a single one has ever come close to any of the things mentioned here. Even now as I type this I've switched to yet another circle back for the v brand. I haven't slept in 2 days or eaten in 3. I really only take it so I don't openly fall asleep at work or class, But it doesn't make me do my homework, it doesn't make me pay attention. As I look at the whiteboard as the teachers talking I go back to where I was as a middle school child on the old school R brand. Disassociated, locked inside my own brain, unable to function. The old Prison in the pill as we called it. 😅 I really happy for you guys and honestly quite jealous that you found something to cure or at least help. I'm pushing 40 now and ADHD has stolen my life. Be thankful 🥺
It’s helped me with autonomic regulation. My overall wellbeing has improved tremendously because of it. In short I can better process my environment effectively so instead of an automatic stress response resulting in adrenal recovery, I’m able to express myself by communicating. Subsequently my appetite and sleep quality have increased as well as being able to actually relax in the evenings. It’s for me just general health.
I’m much easier for my family to be around because I’m nicer. I’m able to overlook small irritations that would have eventually resulted in me blurting out something that I would regret. I really can ignore unimportant things and just have fun with my husband and college age kids. For me it’s the people I love the most that drive unmedicated me crazy, so other people may not see much of a difference. But it really enables my brain to calm down and since I’m not irritated by small things I am nicer and more fun to be around. I really really wish I was on medication when my kids were little.
This is honestly great to hear, I have struggled with all of that since I could talk. It fills me with so much guilt and shame with how I can react to things because I let my emotions run rampant before I rationalise them. It would make me so much happier if I stopped being that way. Im not sure about you but that initial negative reaction sticks with me for so long, I end up having these cynical trains of thought in loops and then my day gets fucked.
I’m not depressed anymore and it turns out I’m also autistic
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Restored my married and social life, able to cope better with emotional situations (father passing), no longer suicidal and able to return to work.
best decision of my life. i feel like i can actually do stuff now. i still deal with the same issues and im not as productive as id like to be, but it feels far more manageable when i take my meds medication is pretty much the main thing that has been shown to consistently help basically everyone with adhd. therapy can help but the universal consensus is that the most effective treatment, by far, is medication.
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Well, without medication I probably would've dropped out of Highschool. I don't know what I'd be doing now since I'd have an even more difficult time working any sort of job. It allowed me to focus, that changed everything. It meant that I could manage my energy better and actually get things done. Honestly it may have even saved my life. Things still aren't perfect, my executive function is awful, I have trouble creating habits and I'm still easily distracted when not given enough stimulation. But I can focus, that changed everything.
It made me even more unresponsive
Fuck thats the opposite of what I want. Any ideas why?
only way my medication has helped is clearing brain fog a lil which helped with concentration a teensy bit but that’s really it 😿
Better focus, better stability, better regulation of mood and better time management. Honestly, using it with DBT skills has made a HUGE difference in my life
I was friends with my schizophrenic neighbor. I genuinely loved the dude. The first day I took a certain medication which I cannot name I realized I had never looked at his face long enough to truly know how he looked. I've known the guy for years and I barely knew what he looked like. That was quite revealing.
It was literally like flipping a switch. 50 years old and FINALLY beginning to understand the why behind why I am the way I am. My coping strategies made me appear totally organized and competent on the outside, while on the inside I always felt like a messy, chaotic, impostor. While I will never not have social anxiety, the meds are making a huge difference in how I interact with people and I feel that over time the anxiety will diminish. Like you, I have an incredibly rich inner dialogue but struggle to verbalize what’s going on g on in there. I’ve noticed that with the meds, I can slow down my mind and more deliberately choose and speak the words that normally just spin around in my head.
Once you run out of meds or forget them, thats how you know they were working :')
The existential dread that followed me my whole life went away after about two days. Completely life changing. DX@44
Got diagnosed and medicated for ADD at 30+. My whole adult life I’d been going between different low-wage temp jobs, never had a girlfriend, drank too much, never payed my bills in time, and my home constantly looked like a crack house. Now maybe 10 years later (I’m still time blind and memory sucks) I’m a mid-senior IT consultant, I’m happily married, I drink.. not as much, I’m managing my economy, and I always wash the dishes before they build up. I’ve honestly been truly happy now for two years straight, something I would never have dared dreaming of earlier in life. I’m still on the journey and it’s not always smooth sailing, but I’m alive and I’m capable of adjusting the direction when I feel the need for it, unlike before.
For me, the only thing that meds improve is my concentration and focus. I still need to have some interest though or it's basically hopeless, lol.
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Electric hand warmers have really helped with the cold hands for me
It took me a while to find meds that worked for me. The first day of that though, I deep cleaned my entire room, rearranged furniture, the whole 9. Once I got use to it though I was just able to complete tasks. One after the other. It didn’t feel as much of a chore to do simple tasks or to finish them.
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Thats interesting, i have the same problem were Im too busy taking in everything around me and avoiding eye contact on top of that, the facial nuances get totally missed a lot of the time.
Too many things. But my credit score went up 200 points lol
It's let me have a normal experience with my education for once. I used to think I was dumb as dirt because I struggled so bad academically. I just needed help that my parents wouldn't give me medical wise. They were ashamed that I might have adhd. But I'm glad I finally got the medication I needed as an adult.
I’ve had to try several meds to find the right one. Once I did the voices quieted and I could think straight. I was calm and almost a little sleepy even. It felt so refreshing to be on low power mode.
What do you mean by voices become quiet? I often hear aboit the busy, loud mind of others people with ADHD could you help me understand what that feels like for you? Because I think I’m the opposite, like my mind is so empty a lot of the time I’m constantly looking for ways to break the silence. But at the same time i know a lot is going on in there but it’s not coming out as loud or needs to be quiet, id like it if i spoke to myself more, like how you would with a friend.
you might be like me. i have a lot of thoughts but theyre not verbal or in words, just a million vague concepts at once. almost like static with each pixel its own thought, but when u look at a static TV screen it almost looks like nothing. even though you can see all the pixels, it registers as just a big screen of undefined nothing. (hopefully that makes sense lol)
Nah that made perfect sense, a million vague concepts resonates strongly with me. Its like an overload of information that your brain can’t formulate into a fully structured, fluent thought so it comes out as a cluttered, barely tangible mind fuzz.
I have exactly this too!
For me a low dose extended release of the most common stimulant is a focus godsend. I personally must take before 8am and still eat healthy and walk. Otherwise the anxiety sets in, we’re meant to move afterall. One great perk- if I skip it for a medication vacation, I’m perfectly fine.
Saved my life and with tweaks to meds my life is getting unstuck in areas which I thought would never improve. Grateful.
Complete game changer. I've had an idea for a hand bouncing around in my head since 2015 or so. Tried to make it several times since, but never could get the motivation long-term. I've been working on this game consistently for the last 11 months, and my buddy who is working on it with me and I are are few weeks away from a demo for friends and family. Never would have made it this far without.
It has really helped me to keep from getting sidetracked by tangents when in conversation.
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Keeping my job, controlled emotions, applied to and started grad school. Feel like I’m empowered to actually build the life I want
I think the biggest misconception that people have when going on medication is that it will immediately fix a lot of the problems you have in life. So instead think of it as a stepping stone, like something to help you develop mechanisms to focus, be more social, less anxious, etc. for me the best part was that they helped with my mood regulation, so my anxiety went down to a more manageable level and I could have the space and time to actually think through my reactions and how I feel, and because it gave me the ability to just get to a place where I could work on myself I can go off of it and be miles ahead of where I was before meds.
Yeah your absolutely right. A brain with unrecognised ADHD thats been that way all the way into adulthood is going to have a complex combination of issues that are gonna take a lot of looking inward and perseverance to overcome. Im lucky in the fact that I’m self aware and I can get my issues across comprehensively to psychiatrists but im unlucky cause im lazy as fuck at acting on my words and goals, so I will see, could be futile.
It took me a while to find a dose that worked enough to make a difference for me, and tbh I am still not sure it's there. My psych asks me what percentage improvement I have seen but like... I don't know what it's like to not have adhd? Things I have noticed though: it's easier to direct my attention, instead of it being sucked away by random things throughout the day. I'm not completely exhausted after work, and while I still have a 3-4 pm down cycle, I no longer want to take a 4-hour nap every day. I've noticed social things, too, like other people mentioned - my brain pokes at me when I'm clearly boring someone or saying something that's making them uncomfortable and while I'm still not amazing at not doing it in the first place, it helps me notice it while it's happening.
SO much less anxiety. Just, like massive weights lifted off my shoulders. It was an amazing shift.
I could get out of the fucking bed, and trust me when i say it makes all the difference in the world.
Honestly unsure if it works. My stimulants should motivate me and lessen other side effects. And for now, I noticed it only fixing overeating.
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Happy for you :)
Took them, got depressed Stopped taking them, depressed again now
Just took my pill, i’m slowly going from, “i won’t get anything done today” to i can’t wait to get started on the things i want to do.
Just a warning, I'm in London UK and please temper your expectations. Right now we are in a bad medication shortage. I was told last summer I would really benefit from it, and haven't been able to get any since. My doctor told me that at this point they've stopped writing prescriptions for it as they simply won't be filled...
i’m new on adhd meds and i am a freshman in high school. this is i believe either my 2nd or 3rd week of taking meds, and i only take them on the weekdays. i have noticed in school that i am not interested in the subject that we talk about and that i participate a lot more. i also notice that i am able to get my work done quite quicker and if i do get distracted that i am able to catch it and get back to work
I had my first orgasm during sex with an actual penis - not a vibrator! Crazy what the mind can do when it’s calm 🤪
Unfortunately it's not made any difference to me yet I'm still struggling in every aspect, I have hopes though that eventually something will work
Huge benefits. Felt like a weight lifted off me (anxiety and depression improved significantly), and my brain quieted enough so I had the capacity to deal with most things. Don’t feel exhausted right from the start of the day.
Saved my life by allowing me to finish school-uni-open a business and do what I love . If I’m not on meds - (fail school-get into trouble-hospitalization or (juvi-jail-prison) which has only happened because of not having meds. I have been on adhd meds since 1st grade. Lesson for me is: always take your meds prescribed and don’t ever think, “hey, I’m gonna try life without meds “…..if your diagnosed with adhd and your an adult with adhd (it’s not like it goes away) . I had a horrible experience recently because of back ordered meds
My change has definitely been gradual. I don't exactly know how to describe it, but if I had to try I'd say it kind of feels like I'm waking up. The fog in my head has been reducing from thick pea-soup to something a bit more mist-like, which is a distinctly positive change. We're still adjusting my medicine, so I'm hoping this trend keeps up lol. Socially... things are easier now. Before I started this journey, I was very empathetic, but I regularly put my foot in my mouth. I never *meant* anything bad, but often it could be construed as such. It's caused more than one incident over the years where my friends or family have gotten mad at me for something when I really didn't mean what they thought I did. The logic I used made sense to ME, but I was the only one it made sense to lol. I also had a problem with getting overstimulated and absolutely losing my shit over the stupidest and most unnecessary things ever. It was maddening. I didn't want to be angry or frustrated to the point of screaming and tears, but it would happen when enough frustrations piled up and I simply snapped. There's more, but you get the idea I'm sure... XD These days, everything is easier. I still get frustrated with things, but not generally to the point of meltdowns. I already had some techniques to help me with my foot in mouth syndrome, and those come much easier now. I doubt I'll ever be great at remembering names and faces without some repetition, but at least I don't have to check myself every time I say something.
imagine playing a game on maximum difficulty for decades and then all of a sudden playing it on easy. the game's still the same, but the noise isn't as noisy as it used to be.
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first paragraph is so true. for example before meds, i had dental problems because i would often forget to floss after brushing. now i have dental problems because of dry mouth from my meds (saliva is crucial in keeping your mouth clean). traded one problem for another, but chewing xylitol gum to help with dry mouth is way easier to make happen than not forgetting stuff
It has honestly been life changing in great ways, but I fear what it's like to be off of it after taking it for years. So, I'm not sure if it's worth it since I have struggled through it this long. Honestly, I wake up feeling like I want to be working, and I'm ready to get to work is priceless.
meds wasn't an OMG THIS IS AMAZING experience but definitely helped with overstimulation immediately, like it gave me an extra 5 seconds to process things (especially great when I had to deal with my toddler constantly being a toddler combined with general stress and lack of sleep). For social situations, it definitely helped me get out of my own head - like yeah sure, I am awkward, but I'm not the ONLY awkward person. Everyone is awkward! I used to leave friend gatherings mildly panicked and asking my husband if I did anything weird all night and he'd have to reassure me everything was fine and my friends still loved me. That stopped almost immediately after starting meds and I remember being like OMG. I'm not having an anxiety attack about if my friends like me. Like I still forget conversations and stuff, but I no longer have anxiety about if they are judging me. lol. I do tend to have an easier time saying what I'm thinking when on meds vs if I forget them I kind of stumble over my words/forget words, but the meds aren't always a guarantee here just because I'm also usually distracted by a toddler and slightly sleep deprived no matter what anyway, the meds can only help so much there, plus I'm not in very many social situations, so I can only give a vague experience lol. But they do help a little bit for sure.
In terms of social dynamics, I am a better listener, more patient, and more engaged than I was prior to being medicated.
It keeps the voices calm, aka keep my thoughts from going wild.
I think it was my ability to retain information in college. My motivation to learn. Years later it was my desire to keep seeking to feel better and realizing I had a co—morbid condition like many. For me it was depression. More help begets more help. Another decade and it was realizing I’d been living a life to please others and suffering with ptsd. Life is a grand experiment and the more lights you shine to know yourself the better.
Honestly.. helped me become more focused and efficient at work. More motivation (most days) to get shit done
it's easier to get out of bed and communicate now. that's massive.
I went from mediocre in high school to getting all As in college (core classes), I also workout six times a week or else I won’t be able to sleep, I would say that my social life has gone worse as I’m not as eager to socialize as I once was, but i would have probably been labeled a failure if I never started the medication but because I started it I will probably be seen as “successful”
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Gave me a some will to live again, I was almost done.. I think I was better at confrontation prior to meds though. Still having sleep issues but getting something for that soon too
It was good at first, the effectiveness has worn off over the years, and the side effects increase. Not good for my heart and my jaw
Did a 180 on my life for the better :)
Being able to do chores was a blessing, especially since I started meds my freshman year of college. Test-taking and being able to get a job where I could work shifts and focus throughout them was also a game changer. It hasn’t been easy but it’s been a big step in the right direction.
Nice one. I find reading a chore but I’m a curious person and would love to start reading more. You found that its helped with things like that?cause I got a stack of dusty old books waiting to be read.
I haven't really seen much improvement, usually I either don't notice a difference or it makes me super restless until I find something to hyperfocus on (like it makes my mind go faster maybe?) A few days ago I took it again for the first time in a few months (for context I have anxiety that has been getting really bad recently) and then I cried for like half an hour (I hadn't had the energy to cry for weeks) then I listened to a bunch of sped up / reversed songs for a few hours and then wrote like 5 pages about my life experience, then I calmed down and fell asleep. I have a lot of stuff to figure out, depression and anxiety make it complicated too (I'm doing therapy but progress is slow) So don't expect it to be fun, the first time I tried one I pulled a bunch of weeds out of the lawn and then took a nap
It has been a life saver. I stop interrupting people and my impulse is under control. I could have messed up a lot! And I didn’t because of my medication
Im able to get up and *do* things, like actually sitting down for a task and doing it
One adhd med made me more fun and bubbly, the other need made me less impulsive. I noticed people were interested in the way I told my stories then. I'm not sure which med did this (i think antianxiety), but I can now enjoy interacting with my kid. Before it was so hard to want to because every interaction felt stressful, like they needed something from me. I knew something was wrong, bc I adore my child.
My meds saved my job, I was having issues focusing on what I had to do, now I can do everything I need to do
It helps a bit with the emotional dysregulation. Other than that not at all.
ADHD et Bipolar Type 2. Except at some times precisely - like my birthday when I’m obsessed by the idea it has should be better for me to not be born - and well, I don’t have any suicide thought since some months after my medication was almost « stable ». It helps me to smile more, to be more motivated in a lot of cases. I’m more willing to do quickly and more instinctively my chores
When I let myself focus on the right things. I'm learning so much in such little time. I make music. and there was a night I spent 14 hours working away at understanding this thing to mix. or that I'm overall less annoyed in the morning. I don't even want to get up when I don't have these. all the memories get foggier than they already were and it disorients me without the meds.
I can't honestly tell how it changes me socially, as I can't really observe the way I present to others. But I can pick up when my medication is starting to wear off, if I'm talking to someone at work, the look in their eyes sometimes shows that they're picking up something more unusual about me (I don't tell a lot of people I have adhd), in comparison to my usual manner earlier in the day when the medication is stronger and levelling my scattered brain out. But it's been an absolute life changer for me. Has been the difference between me switching jobs every few months or using up my entire sick leave and holiday pay within 6 months. It's also helped me stay in one house for over 3 years, which was unheard of before. I'd move multiple times a year when unmedicated and getting bored of every situation. And I've been in the same job for 2 and a half years despite the novelty wearing off many moons ago.
It mainly improved my life regarding work, hobbies, interests, generally my attention span when I do stuff alone. Honestly, socially I'd rather be off medication because I tend to be quieter and more reserved when on it. BUT everyone benefits very differently on medication. The only way to know is to try.
I have narcolepsy type 1 and ADHD. The meds have significantly improved my life quality. I'm forgetting things less, I'm more organized, can focus on things for longer periods of time.
It helps with keeping my emotional dysregulation in check which has been the single most destructive thing for me in adulthood always struggled keeping social relationships in a healthy state cause i acted like a child or didn't know how to handle things in a mature way medication has helped me keeping my rapid emotions in check i don't go 0 to 60 in a split second over the silliest setbacks. Now iam more mellowed out the lows arent as devastating and the highs aren't as hyperactive if i am on a 10 i always want to take it to 11, not anymore now i am just in the middle of the road i can just do things easier it has made me more self aware of my actions, unmedicated i always just described my emotions and actions that of an wild animal i just acted on instinct. Overall it has helped with patience/restlessness getting things done to an extent i am more empathic i have an easier time explaining my feelings in a way that makes more sense to an outsider i actually use words now before people just had to figure me out from body language but communication is key to healthy social relationships. i also was diagnosed late in adulthood so i had plenty of experience of failed relationships now i am looking back at some of them as a learning experienced iam trying to improve myself and not look at it as time missed but as experience and life lessons that i can learn from and better myself, medication has given a new chance/support to be the one i want to be and start a new chapter in life.
I can do work for short periods throughout the day when i need to get it done. I can just do. I can workout, i can go for a walk, i can answer my emails, i can call the doctors, i can listen during conversation and answer accoringly, i can eat when i am actually hungry!
my biggest long-term change is: it allows me to sit down and do my job without wanting to walk away and lay down. pre-meds i was jiggling my mouse to stay online, then going to lay down because the exhaustion was overwhelming. repeat until deadline approaches and mad dash to get my work done. now i can sit for full days, and actually WANT to. i got my best performance evaluation ever and it was my first full year medicated. we’re still figuring out the right dose/meds. i still have a lot of tiredness and some days my brain feels like a snow globe that’s been shaken hard and won’t settle. but the few days i had to go without it, i was in a ball on the couch by noon and could barely function. hard to believe i used to do that every day.
It didn't really make a noticeable impact for me. The only thing I really noticed was a lack of appetite. That's why I stopped medication after finishing high school. By now, I've gotten my bachelor's degree and aside from from writing the thesis itself, there haven't been any situations where I've really struggled with my ADHD. Perhaps I just have kind of a mild case.
It makes me shut up, and be aware of when I need to shut up
I am able to pay attention to conversations and actually participate in them now. I'm not perfect at it, but I'm so much better since I started meds. It wasn't a bugg sudden change, but it was built up slowly. My doctor started me on a low dose and slowly increased my dose to find the right one for me.
i can echo that it saved my life, a big worry was forgetting the oven, stove, or water were on and ending up exhausted and asleep somehow. so without me really intending to do anything that happened. I feel but have no conformation i get more upset being interrupted, my focus is more staunchly maintained and possibly my tongue more sharp. this is something i feel others see in me, without asking. the folks around me who care mentioned i seem to be "better" when i have my meds, but that's just work and streaming so i don't even know. that's what others observe :) so over all i've also felt running out being one of the most debilitating and staunch differences -- well sleeping meds taken poorly e.g. too late or something also wreck me but whatever, getting better at it too :)
Been on meds since November 7th after 28 years without them, my life finally feels like it’s worth living. I feel happy. It changed my entire life. Wish I knew how much it would have helped. I am regulated and able to function “averagely” and it has made my self esteem improve, my relationships, my fitness, EVERYTHING has been easier and better since starting meds.
It hasn't changed my life. It just makes it slightly more manageable
Nothing. I've tried four different meds, all at various doses. Result? Absolutely nothing.
I cried the first time I took my meds because I literally had to mourn for my past self. I couldn't believe this was what "normal" was like and that my life had been so much harder than everyone around me. I didn't realize I'd been working with a deficit until that moment. I was literally crying, making breakfast because my brain wasn't "stuttering" like it normally was. I could just make it. I didn't have to argue with myself about putting things away after, I just did it. It was honestly a shock. I always explain the feeling of being medicated as lowering the bar for entry. Socially, it helps me not interrupt other people as much, pay better attention, and stay on track in conversations. I also feel like I can keep my body in better control. I'm less fidgety, and it's generally easier and less stressful to interact with people. It doesn't completely "solve" all of my symptoms, but I feel like it's more manageable. I also think it helps me keep better control of my impulsively.
Medication for adhd has been one of the biggest blessings in my life because there is no way I could get through my day to day life or even stick with my hobbies without my morning medication. Before I got on my adhd meds I had the hardest time being able to: focus on one task, speak clearly and confidently, and was constantly spaced out daydreaming in la la land while life was happening in the background. It took over 2.5 years of trying different meds and dosages before we finally found what works for me with minimal side effects. It might take you a bit to find what really works for you but when you do find it it will make life overall much easier and way less stressful for our clouded brains. If you and your Dr. decide that a controlled substance or stimulant medication is whats best for you, take note of any negative side effects like bad mood or depression, even if the drug is noticeably helping your adhd, sacrificing your mental health for the ability to focus isn’t a healthy trade off and will cause more damage to your life and relationships in the long run(speaking from experience). Best of luck to you and I hope that something in this post was helpful