[andoando]

In my experience, no. You just get used to it and it does fuck all. Maybe worse even. Adderall seems to take my creativity away entirely and I just feel like a zombie.

Theres a host of physical symptoms that come with it to that are not fun to manage: decreased appetite, dehydration, headaches, sleep loss, heart palpatstions.

I would say its far better to take it on a needed basis once in a while

[dns_snek]

Have you tried any other medication? Concerta/Ritalin, Strattera/atomoxetine, or any other non-stimulant medications?

[andoando]

No I havent, maybe its worth trying. Adderall worked so well for me initially I didnt want to experiment but yeah over time the negatives have outweighed the positives. I mean seriously first day 5mg worked better than 20mg a month or two later

I imagine the tolerance thing holds with all drugs so Im surprised people say it works for them long term (maybe placebo, or they're comparing it to withdrawal "Ive been on adderall for 10 years, if I go a day without it I feel like shit and cant function, so it works!" but maybe...

[dns_snek]

I think I know what you mean but the theory, as far as I understand it, is that those initial feelings of stimulant medications aren't meant to last, and a lot of it is technically a side effect

For the first few days we can experience significantly increased energy and some euphoria, along with the therapeutic effects. That's a really novel experience at first (which in itself helps ADHD brains focus) so it often works extremely well for a short while.

People get in trouble if they try to chase that initial feeling (high), mistaking it for the therapeutic value that the medication is supposed to provide. Eventually we're not supposed to feel it at all, and if it's the right medication for us at the right dosage, it should just quietly provide therapeutic value in the background, improving our executive functioning challenges, emotional regulation, etc.

As I understand it, the data on tolerance with stimulant medication is a bit mixed[1], some people develop tolerance but many people don't.

In your situation I'd definitely give different medications a try, it shouldn't make you feel like a zombie. It's pretty common for people to respond poorly one class of medications and respond well to another class. If Concerta (methylphenidate) didn't work for me I would personally consider Elvanse (lisdexamfetamine), then atomoxetine (an SNRI). There are also some other non-stimulant options like guanfacine and a few antidepressants that have been found to work well for ADHD but I don't know much about those.

[1] https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9332474

[andoando]

I definitely got europhic feelings first time around, but slightly down the line, more energy, calm, focus. My euruka moment was just doing the dishes and actually somewhat enjoying it. Normally I DREAD simple tasks like that. I was just thinking is this what people normally feel?? I wish I was like that all the time.

After a while though Im not quite certain what the residual effects were. Maybe slightly more focus, but I still couldn't focus on my work, side projects, hobbies and any increased focus there was went to video games and bad habits.

Perhaps issue is Im beyond bored of my job that nothing can save it and need to make an active effort to be disciplined

[anton-c]

In my experience the nonstimulant ones do jack. I feel it was a response to all the fear of putting kids on a mind altering medication. In my personal case it prevented getting good medicine for over a decade. Other kids on Strattera my age reported similar lack of success and bad side effects.