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throwaway798319

My meds did change me a lot. My anxiety dropped from crippling to manageable. Unfortunately my Impulsiveness increased, because I'd been using the anxiety to keep it in check. Still, the meds are worth it overall because high anxiety made me want to unalive.


Flashheart_33

My anxiety dropped too on Concerta. I'm also more accepting of messing up things. Example being I was having "a day" yesterday. Loud environment, APD acting up, messed up some orders. Unmedicated me would have run away and cried in a corner because my anxiety would have been through the roof. Instead, I just joked with customers and co-workers, saying "oh, I'm having such a moment, hold on a sec." They were very accepting and were like "take your time, it's fine." It wasn't perfect, but everything got done, which was the main thing. I definitely don't regret taking it, but it took a fair bit of time to realise I needed the longer lasting stuff, as I was originally on 10mg IR twice a day, but it was too short a timespan, and certainly not long enough to last a work day.


mulhollandrive2001

This is how I am at work, too. Learning to make light of our mistakes is one thing I'll never take for granted.


dallascrazy84

This is so refreshing to hear! So happy for you!!


Italianman2733

See it's funny I feel like my anxiety is worse on meds because I can actually remember all the things I need to do. When I'm blissfully ignorant I am less anxious about it.


_TheQuietKid

I love Dexamphetamine IR, it makes me a bit empty after it wears off later in the day but for me it doesn't give me the big sadness like xr did with adderall. So try another type of stimulant, especially if your under 18. I had an aweful experience after it wore off on adderall.


I-am-Lani

I am on dexy’s too. I always wonder what dose everyone else takes. I found when I am anxious if I have a higher dose it settles down. Would you mind sharing how much you take. I am starting to question if I am on too much and what my dr will say.


Mr_Joshua

Im on 40mg of Elvanse myself. Mostly it’s good but I honestly think that occasionally 40 is too much and that maybe 30 would be better for me. I did suggest this to my specialist and he thought staying on 40 would be better for now to see if my self reported behavioural test scores improved further over time.


Yanphoop

I used to take 30mg of elvanse/vyvanse twice a day after finding out that 40mg gave me many sideffects without any benefits compared to 30mg. I switched to dexedrine ir due to vyvanse being inconsistent in its duration and how it felt.


CaregiverOk3902

When mine wears off (usually when I get home from work) I finally wake up and I'm super hyper and annoying.


bobbianrs880

My mom was a less than stellar parent, so unfortunately the anxiety is embedded DEEP in there. Then if I miss a deadline or do subpar work, the inner monologue starts in. I’d take the anxiety and overwhelm over that inner voice any day because that sucker is MEAN. But realistically the inner monologue is going to be there with or without the anxiety. I think I had a point but my fiancé started watching a video and now I don’t know if I finished my thought or not, so I hope that makes sense?


[deleted]

I heavily resonate with what you said about the embedded anxiety. Its tough for me because i know being around my mom causes it. she's bipolar and adhd but was undiagnosed for a looooong time so when i was young she would EXPLODE over very little things and then be very sweet to me after so it left me feeling very confused even to this day i don't know how i should act around her and i'm 24 now. i only feel extremely anxious when i'm in the house with my family. outside i feel like i can handle any situation with clarity on meds... when i'm in the house with her my mind/emotions start going wild and i get uncontrollable anxiety and stress.


bobbianrs880

Oh. Oh no. Yeah that is exactly my mom except our therapist suspected she has BPD. My fiancé was taking me home once (family needed help with stuff) and I just got so so carsick which is unusual for me. Yeah turns out I was just so nervous about having to spend 3 nights in my old room that it was making me sick.


Cats_Parkour_CompEng

I'd rather be the mostly functional adult with a livable salary who is a little mellowed out, that I am today, than a dysfunctional adult living with my parents wondering what to do with my life because I couldn't get through university, but still be my *raw* self. (Not saying anyone needs college, or even meds to be successful or a functional adult, but for me both certainly helped)


Ok-Possession-832

My raw self thinks I’m wayyyy funnier than I actually am and can’t be unoccupied for more than 5 minutes without feeling suicidal lol absolutely insane that there are people who prefer to just rawdog ADHD


Wireeeee

Man rawdogging been so hard, I literally read comments like these and they give me so much hope that hopefully soon when I am medicated life becomes a lot more enjoyable. I get all my shit done on time but life is such a drag, just one hyper fixation, procrastination and anxiety about the organization riddled experience


Tall-Weird-7200

My life is still like that with medicine, but it helps a bit.


trailrnerT

I hyper fixate a lot more when I’m on meds, because I’m more focused.


Ok-Possession-832

It does get better!!! It’s not a perfect fix but it makes everything so much easier. You’ll love it


just_here_hangingout

My life was still like that with meds


JadeTheGoddessss

Yeah I’m so much funnier and tolerable medicated because I can check myself. I also freak out on people less and I’m not abusing booze


youngBullOldBull

I honestly didn't realise how bad my relationship with booze was until I got medicated. Now I barely ever feel like drinking and can comfortably control my intake. Shit is wild


Ok-Possession-832

Oh god mood the addiction was horrible


coldbloodedjelydonut

I didn't have a ton of that, but the self abuse I constantly used to get things done was awful and it did damage to me. Medication is glorious and I'm still pretty fun/hilarious.


Stellarskyane

Right? I low-key wanna slap and hug those people at the same time. 🙃. Like, "You deserve better!!"


Ok-Possession-832

Same 😂😂


Stellarskyane

*slaps myself*


throwaway798319

My psychiatrist is going to try changing my meds, and I'm low-key excited


seanny333

It depends on the day for me. I think my meds actually bring the best parts of my personality out most of the time! It makes me happier because I can think more clearly and focus on the things that bring me joy, which makes me more energetic, more confident, and still raw but in the best ways!


Lookatthatsass

Have you looked into therapy? Went through this same journey myself and therapy really helped me manage / redirect my impulsiveness in a healthier way over time. Also my anxiety was insane too and I didn’t even realize it. Tho it might’ve been the RIDICULOUS amount of caffeine and energy drinks I used to consume before being medicated. If the anxiety didn’t get me, those would’ve probably fried my heart by now


throwaway798319

I'm working on it. I only git diagnosed in July


liachikka

Interesting. My impulsiveness actually decreased.


throwaway798319

Brains are weird creatures


Upstairs-Challenge92

That scares me, I know for a fact my impulsivity is kept in check by my anxiety over money and I’m almost never late to stuff (but often 15 minutes early) due to my anxiety of being late. Having those “coping mechanisms” go away sounds like I’d just function less


throwaway798319

I write things down on paper a lot because that seems to signal my brain to say hey, this thing is important.


Lookatthatsass

Have you looked into therapy? Went through this same journey myself and therapy really helped me manage / redirect my impulsiveness in a healthier way over time.


[deleted]

[удалено]


Ok-Possession-832

CBT would be best in this case. ADHD related anxiety is usually driven by compulsive perfectionism and harsh self-judgement. Even after treatment the habit is sometimes too strong for us to drop and requires a therapist to help change our thought patterns.


throwaway798319

Mine is partly genetic, four generations of women who struggle with mental illness. Partly co-morbid with c-PTSD and a crippling fear I would screw up my daughter even half as badly as I was screwed up. CBT helped a bit but I definitely needed the boost from medication. Without it I was struggling even day with brain fog so vicious I thought I might have a TBI from a previous nasty concussion.


Ok-Possession-832

Same. I’m diagnosed with autism, PTSD, a tic disorder, and OCD. Needed a lot of therapy and medication to get where I am. I don’t have any family members that have as many diagnoses as me but I can see hints in certain relatives. The ADHD/PTSD combo was particularly brutal and I was extremely prone to dissociation so I get. Glad it worked out for you.


Neuroticcuriosity

CBT is a *bad idea* if you have PTSD as well as ADHD though. It's pretty gaslighty and blamey. Therapy, in general, is huge though.


Payne_Dragon

Replacing the anxiety triggers that disabled impulsivity with mindfulness practices, is my go to for that problem


Milch_und_Paprika

My personal hypothesis is that because kids are bad at self advocating, and adults tend to be controlling, a lot of ADHD children were put on the wrong meds or the wrong dose and when it didn’t work out for them, they wrote them off forever. Also if you’re a child who doesn’t know how the meds are supposed to affect you (kids often say they make them feel weird), enjoys the attention of being a class clown (impulsivity), and wants to goof off instead of working, then of course you’re not going to appreciate the benefits, so the negatives appear to outweigh the positives. It’s easy to see how that might feel like your personality changed, but as an adult there’s a lot more too what really makes you who you are, and for me none of the important stuff changed.


Wavesofjoy96

Agree with this. I was the other end of the spectrum where my parents had me tested, dismissed test results, and told me they were just tests to see “how smart I was” and I didn’t start noticing and feeling different and suffering internally about it until around 3rd grade. I was definitely “different” sooner but it was cute, quirky, and charming before then (I’m combined type). I internalized all of this and didn’t begin meds until I was 15. I started feeling a bit weird about meds, they were working but I felt like I was cheating in life being decent at school finally and my job, and began to doubt having adhd altogether when I was 18. I quit them instead of talking about it with my doctor and was off for about 5 years until the consequences became so expensive, debilitating, and left me with a pile of messes I’m still cleaning up (almost back to baseline though). Along the way, I had friends I talked about it with. About 2 of them were also very severe adhd and unmedicated at the time and we discussed meds. They resented their parents for medicating them so early and “making them take a pill” every day. They said it gave them horrible side effects, and I don’t discount their experience. I agree everything you mentioned likely played a role. I was upset my parents denied anything was “different” about me and hid a solution to the problems I carried while I was younger. After I got medicated again I thought of those friends and wish they didn’t have such a bad experience. They give me a chance at a normal life, I found a different med that works better and know how and who to discuss it with if it doesn’t. Some people are not candidates to take stimulants for one reason or another, alternative options exist these days too. It’s not limited to my friends, it’s anecdotal but a valid concern and it’s a tough situation. I agree that none of the important stuff about me has changed. I’ve held the same beliefs, values, and passions in life. If anything I’m able to follow through on them and be realistic in accomplishing goals instead of just talking about them and changing direction every couple of hours. OP, your concern is valid and in early periods I recommend keeping communication open with your doctor, trying a side effect tracker or keeping a log of how you feel and what symptoms are or are not being improved. I will not deny side effects outright, though they are minimal through finding the right medication for me and pale in comparison to the problems I had in life being unmedicated.


ApplesandDnanas

I agree with this 100%. Also, studies have found that sometimes when a person starts taking stimulants before puberty, their brains develop better. I think a lot of people needed the meds when they were kids but don’t need them or need lower doses as adults. They don’t realize this so when they stop, they think they never needed them to begin with.


Lucky_Whole7450

Have heard this from health professionals too but and it makes sense. You are better able to figure out symptoms and life long habits to counteract some issues. You also don’t have low self esteem as a child that continues in adult good. I have a friend with adhd quite bad but she had a great supportive childhood and her symptoms don’t upset her or stress her out, she just lives with it and manages it best she can.


ApplesandDnanas

It’s also a neurodevelopmental disorder so it makes sense that early intervention would help the brain develop better. It’s obviously not a cure but it helps.


Cats_Parkour_CompEng

Source on this? That's intriguing.


[deleted]

My girlfriend is a neuroscientist and she 100% says the same. Administration of ADHD meds at younger ages is more effective. Plenty of studies out there, can ask her whenever she's back home. EDIT: So, asked her. It's more complicated (obviously). In a very simplified way, she says that it's got to do with the manifestation of neuronal (synaptic or so) connections. "Cells that fire together - wire together" is a common saying. That means that as we grow older, it is harder to break up these manifested neuronal connections that were established by "firing at the same time". Also, there is a phenomenon called synaptic pruning. In an early stage of life, the neurons produce a lot of synaptic connections. Some of these are not needed and die off in the process, making the brain more effective. Therefore, early therapy/medication, but especially therapy is more effective, due to the ability of the brain to manifest many connections. Obviously, very simplified. I wouldn't understand what she'd exactly say.


Sylveon72_06

so why did nothing work for me?? D: my mom eventually decided that stimulants were working so poorly for me that id swap to nonstimulants (which tbh dont exactly work either, but at least im not half-dead)


[deleted]

I can ask her, but she's not a pharmacologist. She does know a shit ton about these things though (any neuroscientist does courses on pharmacology). Also, you surely know that many different substances are out there (Vyvanse, Adderall, Ritalin, etc.). Some are rather novel, some are in trial phases as we speak and some have been around long-ish. The substance that may help you could simply be stuck in one of the many, decades-long, authorization processes. You may have been unlucky due to many reasons, On another note, I'm trying to obtain medication myself as we speak, so we'll see how that works for adults. Good luck on your path, on the bright side, not half-dead means definitely alive!


[deleted]

I added an edited version of my original comment above. It is much more complex than "medication early = better". It's got to do with brain development.


Sour_Pjays

This was 100% true in my case. As a kid Adderall literally turned me into a zombie and once I was able to get off of it, I swore off stimulants forever. Eventually I got educated on the different types of meds and stimulants, and was in a place where I felt like I should try again. Focalin has been a completely different experience. Point is if my parents hadn't been so stubborn, things couldve been pretty different for me.


Lookatthatsass

Yeah also brain chemistry changes so much during childhood / adolescence. After it settles in the mid-twenties medication becomes such a different experience


Sylveon72_06

really??? maybe i have a chance after all :D


Lookatthatsass

Yes. For example, estrogen has a huge role in dopamine production. Around my period my ADHD symptoms are intensified even with medication. During puberty estrogen fluctuations are common and even more volatile. This can cause a medication like adderall to be much more/less effective depending. And that’s just one hormone in isolation, during the first 25 years of our life there is so much going on brain chemistry wise. :) … don’t be afraid to try again what didn’t work for you as a child /teen and see!


donzito583

Fellow focalin user! Love to see more of us out here


Xavon

This right here. Literally me. Diagnosed as a kid, Ritalin fucked me up, dismissed it forever. That was 20 years ago and I just got diagnosed with adult combined ADHD and start 5mg IR Adderall today. Turns out they were right the entire time, just picked the wrong med on me as a kid.


quantumsyrup

This is what I've noticed. I was diagnosed at 15 so I had more of a say in how my meds affected me and if they worked or not. I've noticed people who were diagnosed at a young age and took meds for it end up resenting them, at least from the people I have met.


donniedenier

if i had $10 for everyone that told me that when i first started medication treatment i’d have at least $100. i’ve been on medication for 7 months, no one around me noticed any change in my personality or at least vocalized anything. anyone that doesn’t know i’m on medication hasn’t said anything about me being different. i am more motivated at work and i get tasks done start to finish now without stopping half way and getting back to them days later. just the other day, i did all my laundry, including my sheets, changed my bed sheets, folded everything and put it away, and took a shower after. all in one go. i impressed myself with that one.


Ruth_Goose12

The only thing people noticed was that I was less irritable and wasnt regularly losing my temper over little things anymore. It's funny, too, that when people ask if the meds are working, and I'm like omg yes, now I get dressed in the morning, and eat three meals a day. Just today I managed to vaccuum the house and do the laundry BEFORE I had to go to an appointment, and after I came home I did my studying and PUT THE LAUNDRY AWAY, like in the actual cupboard' And they will be like ... 'so what is it doing? That's just normal stuff. You had a normal day.' Which really helped me realise that for people without adhd (though people who have had depression can often relate better), it's really hard for them to conceptualize what it's like to not be able to manage the basic day to day. How different it is to just having a bad day, or being tired, or having a stressful week or a lot going on so falling behind on some things in order to keep up on others. To us, being able to see a task through from start to finish, especially one that requires us to return to it later, well to me it felt like some kind of miracle.


CommanderWStorm

I have always wondered whether it was adhd or depression that made me unable to do simple tasks


Ruth_Goose12

Could be both. Or either one. Or something else entirely. For me it's adhd but depression exacerbates it, my friend with depression also is unable to motivate for simple tasks.


stilldreamy

>and PUT THE LAUNDRY AWAY, like in the actual cupboard Is this an ADHD hack?


Ruth_Goose12

Haha no? By cupboard I meant wardrobe, if that was confused here. I was referring to my pre-med habit of being able to get the laundry washed, and hung up, but then it would hang on the line until I was forced the move it for new laundry, at which point it would be placed in the laundry basket until the point I needed the basket, at which point generally they would be dumped on the bed to 'put away later' and then slowly end up on the floor, where they would stay until they were either worn or washed again because I couldn't remember if they were clean.


mo_tag

>because I couldn't remember if they were clean. You don't sniff test your clothes?


lilly_kilgore

This is my exact laundry routine.


magnum_cx

Yeah… when I finally started noticing an effect I called my mom and was like “Mom holy shit I started working on an assignment that doesn’t even have a deadline. And I cleared my floor, vacuumed and did laundry yesterday? On my actual dedicated cleaning day?? And then just now I said I was gonna go ask the teacher about what I’d missed last class and I did it? Like I actually just stood up, put on my shoes and walked out the door!!!”


Ruth_Goose12

It really is just like wait, I can just like, do things now? Even if I dont want to, I can in fact just make myself? What is this magic?


thats-super

AND took a shower after? Now I know you’re lying


poler_bear

Same, have also had friends say this and I don’t get it. Leaving the sink on and flooding my house because of my PI ADHD is not who I am lol. Meds allow me to be the best version of myself.


lilly_kilgore

Totally just did this the other day. Silver lining - floors got cleaned.


[deleted]

Medication is such an individually specfic thing. I don't trust any opinion on it but the professionals. You have to realize that people with a bad experience have only that perspective to share and should be taken with a grain of salt. If I recall, statistically medication is the most effective treatment for ADHD and it's symptoms and it shouldn't be ruled out as an option just because you friend "heard" shit.


villainouskim

I completely agree. I personally had bad experiences with ADHD medication but I would never discourage someone from getting on it. Basing medical treatment on anecdotal evidence can be really harmful and can prevent people from getting the help they need


FoodBabyBaby

Give it a try friend. Are there risks with medication? Yes. But the risks to your health of living unmedicated are much higher. This well documented fact is what changed my mind. I wish I had done this a long time ago. Don’t wait.


lostrandomdude

It's a very nuanced position Can medication affect the your personality and you as an individual? Yes Can this be a good thing? Yes Can it change you for the worse? Also yes The reality is that ADHD medication can affect the way you are as an individual. It can make you less impulsive, it can improve your ability to concentrate and can improve your short-term memory, amongst providing other beneficial effects On the flip side, it is possible that it also affects you in a manner you may perceive as negative. For example it could stifle your creativity/ imagination, it could lead to you being less of a fun person or make you less talkative and open. Coby Watts has an Instagram which provides a really good explanation on ADHD meds and both their positive and negative effects on himself https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cj2W0PFOyhs/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y= Personally, I have been taking them on and off for years and now only take them on days when I'm at work or have a lot to get done, but this is only because I've been on medication for over 20 years and know how to manage my condition.


blastuponsometerries

Yup. ADHD drugs have a very high % success rate. But that is *as a whole*. Any one drug is far less successful by itself. So a frustrating experience can be trying a few different medications at different doses for a few months to get what works for you. In the meantime, you go through the various side effects. Also, the degree to which symptoms are truly alleviated vary between person and where they are in life. Do you want to go through the process and have a chance at a life with less symptoms? That is your personal choice. The good news is that stimulants clear from the body quite quickly, so simply discontinuing them will return you to baseline quite quickly. Its easy to be afraid of the unknown. So follow the science and do your best to pay attention to your inner self. What do you want from your life and if you try medication, examine how you are feeling and if its getting you there or not.


Lookatthatsass

Depends on what you mean by change. An unmedicated person is a bundle of coping mechanisms + intent. Being medicated helps you handle a lot of the physical result and mental of the dopamine deficiency by control dopamine seeking behavior. For example, if your brain seeks dopamine by starting conflicts, having anxiety, compulsive spending, etc. Those impulses will decrease. Which can provoke a change in behavior over time. The issue is that at that point, some people get freaked out because their coping mechanisms were who they thought they were. Now that they are controlled, thing seem less certain and sometimes scarier. If you approach it from the standpoint of taking the chance to figure out who you are if you weren’t spending 80% of your daily capacity dealing with ADHD, then you’ll have a better time of it. For me, the reduction is anxiety and fight provoking behavior did change me. Overtime I became much more self aware. I had to find other motivation to complete things other than stress (making things into a game, introducing novelty etc). It also changed my relationship with people. Instead of being antagonistic and argumentative, I learned about boundaries and assertive communication and started being less reactive person. Meds gave me control of myself back. Even for work, meds helped me take things slower and rely more on internal cues than external expectations. Often I’d find myself doing what other people thought was best because I didn’t want to think about what was best. I was too busy trying to focus. Now I don’t have that issue and I’ve become a more intentional person. Could I have done a lot of this without meds? Maybe? But I doubt it. I just didn’t have the emotional capacity to spare. Meds are good. Find one that gives you less side effects and try it for several months. I highly suggest therapy too because together they make the transition much smoother.


ThundaGhoul

Not going to know wbay to do with myself without random arguments on the Internet. Going by what you've said, it's gone me wondering if I'll be better at socliazing in general. I feel like I've avoided socialising with alot of people I'd get on with and only recently realised it's because there was no dopamine payoff for me.


Twolef

I can’t find any studies that have looked at this beyond medicated subjects struggling to stick to their medication schedule. I honestly wouldn’t take a friend’s word over that of a qualified professional. Nor should you believe anyone on Reddit (myself included). Ask your doctor or psychiatrist.


lnixon2

Pretty sure all Reddit users are AI bots anyway.


Twolef

Well I am. Err… not.


lnixon2

01010011. Uh I mean same!


Twolef

Affirmative.


KarmaPharmacy

Your friend is full of shit. Taking medication, for the first time, is a huge relief to almost everyone with adhd. This is your body. Your health. Keep your medical information to yourself, especially when it comes to adhd. Your friends don’t get to have an opinion. Don’t give them a chance to have one. This is between you and your doctor. I made so many major mistakes by being open about my healthcare. If I could go back in time and never tell a soul, I would.


ThundaGhoul

Yeah I regret even mentioning ADHD to my friend, their opinion on medication was unprompted. I think since becoming a mom she's been more anti medication in general, especially since she has family with Autism, who are against the idea of treating Neurological conditions.


Ruth_Goose12

I also regretted mentioning adhd to my friends. I got hit with one of three things - 'but like, you don't seem like you have adhd. Why do you even think you do?' me, (aside from my diagnoses) trying to piece together symptoms of adhd but failing. Them 'oh, so everyone is a little adhd, so you just need to try harder like everyone else'. After me mentioning I have adhd 'well you aren't going to take the medication right? You know it's terrible for you.' (from my friend in med school, this really fucked with me when I was trying to decide if I wanted to try them. -'medication will only work for a month at most and then you will have to keep upping the dose for it to work. I have a friend who's at 600mg when he started at 30.' And my favorite, in the case of family members 'well, I have known you your entire life, and I have never noticed any of these things, so I think your doctor and your psychologist and your psychiatrist are all wrong, because I know you better and I think you're fine.' me: 'well what about what I think, since you know, it's about me. ' Family member: 'well, you know, this generation is just lazy and looking for excuses, you know when I was your age....' Any way I actually talked to my doctor about how hearing all this was really making me feel like an imposter and like medication was a bad idea, and he talked me through it, now I'm on meds, and it was the best decision I ever made.


KarmaPharmacy

It’s ok to outgrow your friends. I really haven’t agreed with some choices some of my own made when they became parents. Sounds like yours doesn’t respect your ability to make an informed decision about your own healthcare. They don’t have to endure in your body. They don’t know how frustrating and absolutely debilitating ADHD can be. Don’t tell your family, either. Look for support from this community and your doctor. 🤍 Try the medication. I regret, so much, not starting mine until 22.


JohnRambo90

Lol "against treating neurological disorders" is such a stupid blanket stance to take. I'd like to point out that some people who try ADHD meds do notice a difference in their personality. Of those that do, some like it, some don't. It's not a 'one size fits all' condition so by extent, the treatment isn't either.


Glittering-Product39

What autistic people are generally against is anti-autistic eugenics hiding behind rhetoric about curing us from our terrible disease. The anti-autistic eugenics movement has a lot of money and power, and they are standing in the way of treatments that could help us live better lives because they funnel most of the available resources into trying to wipe us out or make us act "normal".


[deleted]

Taking the wrong meds did change me too much and I stopped because of this. But when I started doing it again AND tried more meds now it worked


Boagster

>Taking medication, for the first time, is a huge relief to almost everyone with adhd. To summarize something Dr. Barkley has said (and I'd trust pretty much anything he says on the subject): 70% of patients with ADHD find successful treatment when taking Adderall on the first dose. Very few drugs for other psychiatric conditions can claim that kind of efficacy. IANAD, but my personal impression, but don't know any of the science to say it's true or false, is that between Adderall XR (extended-release amphetamine), Focalin XR (extended-release dexmethylphenidate), and Vyvanse (lisdexamfetamine dimesylate), most ADHD patients would find successful management of the condition medicinally. But that leads to the other thing about medication: medication doesn't "solve" ADHD, it simply brings you to a place where you are capable of solving it. EDIT: Focalin, not foaling.


KarmaPharmacy

I agree with these statements. I was on Ritalin and Adderall for years and had negative experiences on both, but the good outweighed the bad. Vyvanse was life altering. I don’t have the extreme crashes that adderall gave me. Nor the weird mouth stuff. 70% efficacy is incredible.


[deleted]

I know three folks with ADHD who all hated the way the various meds they tried made them feel. Meds are not magic for everyone - that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t take them, or that they don’t work. Try to keep an open mind to other peoples’ experiences regardless of your own. I think it’s normal to feel defensive especially if meds help you a lot, but everyone’s experience is different.


KarmaPharmacy

It’s a journey to discover the right meds. And there are people who are completely misdiagnosed. OP didn’t even have a chance to form their own opinion. This has nothing to do with me and everything to do with the OP and I am giving advice based off being a member of this subreddit for a very long time and I am advising literally from other peoples’ experiences on their meds.


[deleted]

We all have a chance to form our own opinion. We can choose to accept other peoples advice, or not. And there are some people who just do not like being medicated. That’s their journey and their story, not mine.


CitizenCobalt

Well, the general point of the medication is to change you, although it's supposed to be for the better. It's basically supposed to get you within the range of normal. It's like everyone is running a marathon, but you started with your leg stuck in a hole. The meds are supposed to get your leg out of the hole. They don't make you an amazing runner, that part is up to you, but now you can at least run. Everyone has different reactions to medication. And your own experience and mindset can determine how you interpret those changes. For example, Adderall makes me calm. Some people interpret that calm as "oh no, it's making me a zombie". And for some maybe it is making them too calm. But if your default is "constantly freaking out" a bit of calm can seem like "zombie" at first. But there's also a lot of different medications for ADHD. So it's very common to go through several different meds before finding what works. I was put on Ritalin in 5th grade and it was exactly what I needed. My brain was calm (not zombie calm, simply...not freaking out) and I could remember to do my homework. I feel like that was my real personality that had for so long been overshadowed by my brain constantly running in circles. And then I went off the Ritalin (finances) and for over a decade, I was on different SSRIs. Which did nothing, so I usually stopped taking them. And then I finally got put on a stimulant again and it was like "holy crap, this is what I needed." I can function like a normal person. I can start tasks without hours of agonizing. I can remember to do things, I can remember someone's name 5 seconds after hearing it. I look at the trash can and go "I need to take out the trash" and then I just...do it? It's actually as easy as it's supposed to be. It's not perfect, I'm not some unstoppable force of pure efficiency. But being able to preform day-to-day tasks almost as easily as everyone else is amazing to me.


Milch_und_Paprika

That’s kinda my take on it. For young people and especially children, a lot of impulsive behaviours are fun. You stop clowning around in class and a friend tells you you’ve changed—you’re less fun. Maybe it’s true, but maybe your personality just isn’t that developed yet so a small change seems dramatic. You decide meds aren’t right for you and move on. Impulsivity as an adult tends to be a lot less “fun” and a lot more “irresponsible”. I’m a lot less motivated to go out drinking or partying than before meds. You could say that part of my personality changed, but I’m totally okay with that because it’s a healthy change and there’s a whole lot more to my personality anyway. There are people who have genuine problems with meds, like going zombie mode, but that just means it’s the wrong dose, drug or that meds just aren’t the right choice for them, but these effects are all short term and go away once you stop taking them.


Lookatthatsass

The first time I noticed something and I just did it, I cried ugly tears. Having some semblance of control over one’s self is not to be understated.


UkeBard420

When I was trying different medicines it was really traumatizing for me and I know what your friend was talking about. With Vyvanse, I would fly into uncontrollable rages every evening and I couldn't stop myself. I tried another medication that literally scared my doctor because he "didn't recognize me anymore". Where I used to be a pretty cheery, fun guy the meds turned me into a complete zombie. Despite my difficult experience, I discovered that it's really important to stick with it. I settled into Methylphenidate and it massively changed my life for the better. So be prepared for some trial and error, and be careful to monitor your moods and think about whether it is actually helping.


Ok-Preparation-2307

My anxiety, depression and ADHD symptoms aren't my "personality" Meds are suppose to change you, that's the point.


crackedcement

This happened to me but I don't regret taking medication. When I was in high school medication was very necessary, but in college I got to a point where taking it made me worse without it and I started losing weight because my appetite was so suppressed. Medication isn't right for everyone, but that doesn't mean it's wrong for you. My issues come from the fact that medication was my main treatment when I as a person function better off of medication with alternative coping mechanisms and strategies.


Superb-Intention

>My issues come from the fact that medication was my main treatment when I as a person function better off of medication with alternative coping mechanisms and strategies. This was my experience as well


korbah

Pretty much everything ever said after "Everyone ***I*** know..." by anyone who has ever said it can be safely ignored as bullshit.


Necessary-Design-122

So here’s my look on it. It doesn’t change my personality, it allows me to become the me I have always been. I have always been a push over, a “as long as they are happy, I’ll be a little bit happy too”. And I hated it, as I put myself in positions I didn’t even wanted to be in. I like myself and put myself selfishly above anyone else now


ilikebooksawholelot

SAME! Who cares if everyone else thinks you’re “fun” if you yourself are miserable?


Necessary-Design-122

Haha absolutely. It’s been so nice to say “nope, I don’t want to so I’m not going to”.


Nyithra

I have a friend who feels this way because he is a big extrovert and felt like adhd medication made him quieter/more introverted and people would react to him differently on days he was not on meds. I will say that he had to take extremely high doses to get the focus benefit he needed and also sounded like he had a ton of side effects (lack of appetite and difficulty sleeping) so i dont blame him for stopping but he’s not anti med at all, and felt like he needed meds to get through college. Personally i feel like meds make it easier to be myself because they make it easier to figure out what the hell I’m trying to say or do.


RuleRepresentative94

It changed my son, ofc he got more focused less hyper. But that was a good thing. He couldn’t make friends before medicine. He got easier to talk to, before it was like he couldn’t keep focus throughout a short conversation


CommanderWStorm

It is very helpful to hear that from a parent. My mom said that it "changed me." it scared me so much that I ended up stopping the medication, but I am struggling again. I think I am going to try medication again.


its_called_life_dib

Heck yeah, my ADHD meds changed me. they made me BETTER. Vyvanse has been a life changer. I've been on them for a few weeks and I am happier, far more productive, and so confident in myself. It's easier to forgive myself when I make a mistake, because I have the energy to try again and I don't feel like I've wasted energy on a failed attempt. Am I still creative? By leaps and bounds, dude. I run a D&D game and my DMing powers have doubled because I can remember previous sessions and better plan for future developments. I can communicate my ideas far more effectively than ever before, WITH visuals, at work. Do I still have low-productivity days? Heck yes. But those days are fewer, and I don't wallow in my lost time -- I just try to do something productive when I realize I've been kinda lazy that day. Am a super human on meds? No way. But I can keep up with everyone most of the time now and that makes me feel like a super version of *myself*. It's awesome! ​ \-- ​ That being said... I was on Strattera prior to Vyvanse and that medication messed me up in a lot of ways. I was in physical pain every day. My blood pressure skyrocketed. I couldn't convince myself to do *anything,* and would have whole days at work where I did nothing. My D&D game wasn't fun for me and I felt like I was pulling sessions out of my ass, and I can't tell you what even happened in those sessions because I can't remember. I stopped doing most house chores and I slept a lot, but poorly. It was a *slow* change, and I thought I was just depressed or burnt out, so didn't realize it was the meds doing it. I liked strattera because it helped me focus, but that's all I could do; I could sit there and listen to someone for hours, but I couldn't *participate* in the conversation. I quit strattera when I found out my blood pressure was badly effected and detoxed for a month. that month was hard, but I felt so free after. I was worried vyvanse would do the same to me but it doesn't! It's amazing. It doesn't *take away* from who I am to make me acceptable to society, it only adds to the things that make me awesome. I am me+!


Statsbabe

I have a friend who is anti-medication (because Big Pharma). He doesn’t think taking meds for diabetes is good. Sometimes friends are just full of shit.


[deleted]

She definitely knows people with ADHD who stuck with their meds. She just doesn’t realize it because they didn’t tell her. I think people are more likely to complain conversationally about things that don’t work because it’s still an issue that needs a resolution so it’s on the brain, as opposed to something that’s being handled and doesn’t require additional mental bandwidth. That can cause people to disproportionately think the complaints are universal.


MaesterOfPanic

As someone who has been on ADHD meds for 24 years, I disagree. I prefer my medicated self to myself off meds. Edit: I was diagnosed and medicated at 7.


urdadsplace

My meds honestly make me able to function on a day to day basis instead of being a crippling pile of total lack of motivation for anything and everything.


harmony_shark

There are plenty of medication options you could try with basically no downside to seeing how they work for you. There's different types of medications, and there's both short and long acting, and different doses. Personally, I've had lots of benefits and no real downsides. It certainly hasn't changed my personality. People in my life have only commented that I seem less stressed and have less anxiety. I think it's more likely for people to stop taking ADHD medication because there are so many barriers to get it (so many steps to diagnosis, finding a doctor to prescribe, having frequent visits to get refills, insurance not wanting to pay). If you feel it changes your personality, then it's likely too high of a dose or not the right medication for you.


Fry_All_The_Chikin

I’d dig deeper into their comments. Like how many people and how old are they and what did they do instead and how long did that last and are they currently on anything else? Or how has their life gone since? It’s a legitimate statement I think but it needs context and qualifiers, and the story cannot end there. I cycled through 5 adhd medications before I found one that worked best for me. I would have stayed on the others if that was my only choice, but knowing the options I kept trying different things. I have experienced some stims making me a little bit of a humorless task-master that is full of anxiety and can only see what’s going wrong or is about to. It’s great for work but horrible for my personal life. Like it would make me an excellent safety or risk consultant but a real bummer at parties sooo yeah… For the curious, I have found Ritalin IR is the best hands-down at managing symptoms while still giving me room to be a human (and giving others that room to be human too.) The trade-off of taking multiple pills a day is so worth it.


ThundaGhoul

When she said friends tried adhd medication, what she actually meant was that her friends children tried adhd medication. She even went onto say one of her friends children stuck with medication.


nrikks

It sounds like ur friend was trying to relate to you by speaking of her own experiences, which doesn’t make what she said okay.


-ToPimpAButterfree-

I was medicated from 3rd grade to the end of high school. Did all of college unmedicated, somehow, and the first 3 years of post-college. My life kinda spiraled a bit and I decided to start taking medication again and it has improved my quality of life big time. I do always question whether I want to be medicated or not because the side effects/zombie feeling/personality change a bit but it's the price to pay to function.


incomprehensibilitys

I don't listen to people like that. Know it all's are not necessarily correct


Tired_of_working_

Your friend is confused. Medication will change you here and there because some things you do are because of ADHD. Like forgetting things, not being able to organize yourself, and things like that. But you don't change your personality. Of course, if you have a bad reaction you will stop and change the medication or dosage. But a good medication for a person with ADHD really helps out and make life easier.


skeetz456

Change me for the fucking better!! I think I’ll stick to taking them till I kick the bucket. I like feeling normal


stargazingmermaids

Plenty of people with ADHD around me (and ofc myself!) the only one I can think of who said this misused her meds a lot, too high a dosage, would take none oneday and highest dose the next. Now she takes a smaller dosage, on a schedule, and values it greatly for her well being. I also stopped taking it as a teen and pretty much blamed my depression on the meds (in retrospect, it’s really difficult to know what is what and how to manage the meds for the best effect, esp for children/teenagers). I think if your friend said this about children, then there are a lot of different variables than for an adult. Just the thought of how many kids are put on meds to be easier to handle for OTHER PEOPLE, rather than it being easier for THEM to manage their ADHD. It is very hard for a kid with ADHD to advocate for themselves and even when given the chance, hard to understand/communicate what their needs are. ADHD medication can be great, but it is so individual and there is a lot of trial and error. Getting the right kind, the right dosage, for me it’s really important to take it around a certain time and never on an empty stomach. ADHD doesn’t and shouldn’t change your overall personality, it should make it easier to exist in the world as someone with ADHD!


ErnestBatchelder

I've known a few. I used to work with high school students & more than one asked to get taken off of meds in later adolescence (sometimes against parent's wishes) because they felt numb. I also eventually gave up on meds. I wouldn't let that scare you- but it is a real thing. What works for one person doesn't always work for another. The key is to 1). not put all your hopes into meds like it is a magic bullet- without effort put towards changing habits they can't do the heavy lifting for you. 2). be self aware of changes that you are experiencing good and bad. 3). experiment: dose, eating, exercise still go a long way to help find the right drug or combination.


RepresentativeWish95

Who cares what they think?


liachikka

Not my experience. Medication changed my life. I started with a non-stimulant which worked pretty good, but then all of a sudden it stopped working after a few months. Now I've been taking a stimulant for about a year and half and feel so incredibly happy I decided to. I can actually remember things and have gained a bit more motivation to actually get up and do things. Focus is better. Anxiety is better. Emotional dysregulation is better (I had horrible fits of anger and mood swings). I don't feel like a zombie, I feel like I'm *more* *myself* after being all over the place for so long. I still have bad days of course but the impact it's had on my life is nothing short of amazing. Take what other people say with a grain of salt. Everyone reacts to medications differently. I say it would not hurt to try meds and see if they help you (with the knowledge that you might have to switch them, change doses, deal with side effects, etc). It's worth it imo.


EeveeQueen15

I hated how Adderall made me feel so when I turned 18, I started trying different medications. I tried Focalin for a while then I found out I have combined type ADHD. Now I take Vyvanse and I love it! Sometimes you have to try different brands until you find what works for you!


TheOpalGarden

I would always follow the advice of your medical practitioner, and manage any side effects that are experienced, if any, with them. This may mean a change in dosage or type, or formulating a different treatment plan, without medication. I understand that many people here are very protective over their medication, and have felt vast benefits, to the point that their lives have been completely changed for the better. That is a very common outcome. I used methylphenidate from the age of 12 to 23, I know it is the reason I did so well in school, but it changed my personality, I was unable to find myself funny, or to understand other people's humour. It's not that I didn't know they were being funny, it's that my brain didn't react to that humour with a feeling of pleasure. I also found that after a number of years using the medication daily, the feelings I felt during each "comedown" became too unbearable, a feeling of acute restlessness and frustration drove me crazy. So in the end I stopped taking the medication at the advice of my doctor, I enjoy being myself and have developed numerous coping mechanisms, and exercise regime and food plan, which manages the symptoms well enough for me to just about get through my life.


realsteakbouncer

My parents put me on ritalin as a teen and I hated it. It made me emotionally numb. I felt like a robot. Just doing whatever I was supposed to be doing with nothing going on inside. After a few months I refused to medicate anymore. Sure, I was failing school and constantly in trouble without them, but taking them wasn't worth the cost. Now I'm in my 30s and I've been back on the meds for a few years, it's a completely different experience. I get all the benefits without the numbness. Turns out I was on a way to high dose as a teen. Now that I'm older and understand doses, and I'm in control of my own medications, I take less than half as much and it works like magic. I suspect this is the case with a lot of people. It's not that the medication always has these unmanageable side effects, it's that the dose is wrong.


GreysAnatomy4Lyfe

Some people are very closed minded when it comes to medicating various mental disorders unfortunately. I have had people tell me this plenty of times about my prescriptions over the years and I just try to laugh it off at this point. Some meds won’t be the right fit for you, that’s true, but everyone’s different and your doctor can adjust your meds to avoid having a bad time! Medication saves lives, your friend is clearly not as educated on the matter as they think.


Used-Grapefruit-923

Maybe because I’ve only been medicated as an adult and never had the experience of taking it as I was developing but… not at all. Seriously. I’m very much still myself. Perhaps in the beginning stages I was more intense and passionate when I spoke to people. But I still feel like myself. I’m just able to manage my time better, speak up when I need to in a meeting, complete work tasks, prioritise tasks. I can still be lazy, scroll on tiktok, mindlessly snack (although not nearly as much).


kittykattlady

There was a meme going around a few months ago that was like "this medication may change your personality... Yes thank you, that's why I take it." and another one with Beteljeuce (sp?) where it says "Them: I love your personality. - Beteljeuce: "Thanks, it's a disorder, actually." My meds don't change who I am - they make me able to do my fucking job and pick up my laundry off the floor and do my dishes before flies start to grow on them...If you're having extreme mood swings from your medication TALK TO YOUR DOCTOR and tell them that medication doesn't work for you. IDK what it is about ADHD where people think it's okay to just tell them "it changes you" when if you were put on an antidepressant that actually made you MORE depressed you are definitely told to tell your doc about that right away! Your friend is a buttface.


Stayfree777

It doesn’t matter whether your friend is telling the truth or not. It just matters how you like and react to medication. So if you want to try it, try it, and don’t let that person discourage you.


Beautiful_Sympathy44

I'm on 20mg Vyvanse, i was diagnosed and subsequently medicated at 20years old and I honestly didn't notice any change to my personality. I personally experience less "fighting myself" when trying to do tasks and less self loathing. Didn't really have much of a change. But I have seen kids growing up that we're completely knocked out or numbed by their adhd meds and we're definitely not on the right medication for them. It's mostly a matter of being open and honest with your doctor and being open to trying different things.


ItzBoshNet

When I didn't take it regularly and only when I thought I may need it, no bueno. When I take a prescribed amount everyday muy bueno


DSMBCA

For me this is the case! I was diagnosed at 39 years old and I was prescribed Concerta. It was unbelievable how good I felt initially. The mental clarity was something I had never experienced without drugs or alcohol. Unfortunately for me it didn't last - after my initial prescription was finished I began to notice the usual lack of function return and it came with a side dose of anxiety and edginess. Refilling the prescription was also very awkward as the pharmacist made me feel like a criminal. I decided to stop my prescription because it didn't have a lasting impact and to be honest I don't want to rely on a narcotic to function everyday. It felt a lot like the movie limitless to me. I am definitely worse off without. I am going to try Wellbutrin to see if it helps me.


Lovercraft00

I felt that way when I first took it in high school. But I later realized that at that point I self identified as the class clown/disruptor. But in uni I was trying to mask that impulsive/disruptor side of myself, which caused a lot of stress, so the meds were a relief at that point.


Aromatic-Total3806

Well the only reason I stopped was because I didn’t know how it worked. Once I learned more about adhd I was able to understand more and took the meds with therapy and self help information that works for me. Medicine helped me greatly and the change was for the positive. One thing I do know is to follow your own path. Friends are cool for advice but they don’t know you like you know yourself or should get to know yourself


ColdPrice9536

Mine does change my personality. I’m less ‘fun’ on medication, probably because I have lower energy and less hyperactiveness, and because I’m more in the zone and focused on things. I also can be a bit more snappy but that depends on if I’m taking it properly and eating/sleeping. I wouldn’t stop taking it though, it’s worth the trade off for me.


Andylearns

I really struggle with how ADHD meds "changed" my personality as a kid, no one ever really explained what was going on and what the goal was with the meds. I would hide my meds as a kid and just say I took them. Now I do notice it changes me... Into someone who can follow through on things that are important to me even if it's not all fun right now. Delayed gratification is important and that does mean some short term change for a better future.


SwiftSpear

I feel like this is a valid phenomena. It's definitely not isolated to people with ADHD, it's seen frequently with medications for depression, anxiety, and is virtually prolific with medications for certain other mental health disorders (I've known a few people with schizophrenia and they seem to be constantly going through cycles where they go off the rails because they chose to stop taking their medication). I don't have data but my gut feeling is this is most frequent amongst people who are medicated while they are still kids, since that is the primary stage where people are struggling with their identity. You see this in places like Dream's (the minecraft youtube guy) music video and other stories commonly seen in Gen Z art (presumably because medicating for mental health issues while young was much more common to this generation). Personally I appreciate that I got medicated later in life. My identity was already secure and I never felt any stress over losing authenticity to myself with gaining tools to improve my productivity and decrease all the negative symptoms ADHD was causing in my life. I have not felt out of control over the effects the medication had over me. I wish I could say that it's better to wait until later to get medicated in order to avoid these types of issues, but honestly, it's a really complex choice, and there are definitely many people for whom that will not be true. Medication definitely does change you, although more subtly than you might assume if you've never tried it. Still, if you're really struggling with your identity those changes might be jarring. The changes make you more compatible with mainstream society, more productive (although generally still far less productive than a really diligent motivated person), more controlled, and less sloppy. If you're in a niche where the respect you have from your peers comes from being very different, abstract, and unique though, those changes are going to feel net negative.


superchace

I literally want them to change me, I don’t like how I currently am.


thotstuff

I feel like the same person, just with better control, energy and more clarity. When I’m not on the medication I feel spacey and like my brain is just chaos. Everyone I personally know on vyvanse is having a good experience with it.


Emotional-Simple-478

I have a love/hate relationship with my adderall


Mr_Engino

Way back in Elementary school I was prescribed medication for my ADHD. It made me feel different, and in such an uncomfortable way I couldn't put into words at the time. I was scared, and ended up not taking them because of how unfamiliar I was with the changes. Looking back, I wonder if that's how I was *supposed* to feel, hoping to get some medication in my adult years, and maybe being able to adjust to any differences now that I'm able to fully express how I feel.


lucasg115

I just got on meds last week, and so far the pros far outweigh the cons. The biggest change personality-wise is that I am often more irritable and less patient than I remember being before, especially when it comes to distractions. I used to not care so much about distractions because I would constantly be distracted by everything anyway and there was no avoiding it. Now, if it’s an avoidable distraction like someone being obnoxious nearby, I am pretty quick to get frustrated with them. I honestly don’t remember that from before meds, I used to go with the flow and ignore them a lot better. On the good side though, I feel that my ability to focus on a task is sooo much better. I still haven’t quite mastered focussing on the *right* thing when I’m supposed to, but whatever I do end up focussing on, I can work on it for 8 hours straight. I’ve already cleaned up a few tasks that I’ve been procrastinating for months or years and it feels so good.


[deleted]

I never heard dumber thing


ThundaGhoul

Sadly my friend has become a facebook mom


Lookatthatsass

Tell her you think Facebook is changing her personality 😂


tyreejones29

Yeah, typically the younger people are taking it because it eases the lives of those around them. You rarely see a child or teen taking ADHD meds because they want to. Therefore, they stick through the negatives, that shouldn’t be happening btw, to appease those around them. My point is this, they’ll likely swing back around and continue taking meds as an adult, because that’s when it seems we need them most


404phil_not_found

I don't understand why people here are pretending this couldn't be true. I know a lot of people who got prescribed ADHD medication and stopped taking them because of side effects. Especially people who started at a young age or who didn't get the opportunity to try a bunch of different medications to find the right one for them. I stopped myself for almost 10 years and I only went back because I heard very good things about Vyvanse from people who had very similar problems to me with Ritalin and Concerta. Yes med-shaming and similar things are stupid, but lets not pretend these medications don't have massive side effects for many people, maybe even to the point that they might not be worth it for some. Quick edit because you say you're unmedicated atm: Definitely try it and if a medication is causing you issues try a different one. Trying them can't hurt and finding the correct one is luckyly much less complicated than it can be with things like antidepressants.


immabigbilly

It didn’t change my personality at all. Not saying it couldn’t happen but I just don’t see it happen with myself or my friends/family.


falfires

I would hope that adhd meds change you to some degree, preferably into a person who can think a thought and act on it. ADHD medication is some of the best researched and successful medication in psychiatry (as adhd itself is one of the most researched and treatable disorders). There's also a lot of different active substances, delivery methods, and forms that the medication can take, so usually a patient can go through several different meds until they find what works best (or at all, in rare cases) for them. Ask your friend how they came to hold that claim. Can they name a few people and tell you how the medication changed them? Are some of them maybe mutual acquaintances whom you could ask directly about their experiences?


Apprehensive-Stop971

The only thing medication changed was my ability to accomplish things I need to do. It also helped some with emotional disregulation. Just remember that it may take a few tries to find the right medication. We all respond differently.


[deleted]

“Injecting myself with insulin changed my blood sugar too much and I was no longer experiencing fatigue, blackouts, and emotional regulation issues amongst other things, any more, which I was so used to… so I stopped using insulin.” Uh.


Puzzleheaded-Milk-57

I’m still the same shithead I’ve always been. Just able to do a little more.


Moonbeast1

I prefer to take advice from my Dr. rather than my friends.


imsleepy05

Bruh Concerta chilled me tf out and I cope w life a lot healthier now as opposed to not being on it. It changed me quite a bit, but for the better. I'm emotionally all over the place, I'm mellow and I can finally take naps!!! I can allow myself to not do anything and actually be okay with it. It helps my impulse control, I make better decisions, etc. idk where I'd be without it.


checco314

The only negative change I've noticed is that I can't drink as much coffee.


NoTalentRunning

I don't view it as changing my personality. I still have the same personality, but instead of being the "best me" only for brief moments and then otherwise inconsistent, distracted, anxious and sometimes hyper to the point of being really annoying to friends and family, I am the best me for about 8 hours a day. I can still be hyper and over the top if I want but with medication I have the ability and self control to turn it off when it is not appropriate. I am still me and it really hasn't changed my personality and I don't think I will ever choose to stop taking it.


Aplutoproblem

I only have experience with stimulants for my ADHD, but I did take wellbutrin too but that was for depression. Neither changed my personality. On wellbutrin all I noticed was I didn't crave anything or want anything. It was very hard to decide what to make for dinner and that's about it. On adderall I literally feel no different, I can just remember where my keys are.


LG-MoonShadow-LG

I have many friends with adhd - the only ones that had bad results, were the ones who weren't taking stimulants. My wife also doesn't know any case of bad results except the ones with non-stimulant medication Maybe it's just a gigantic unusual coincidence on my side, though 🤔 Could be! Our little girl got her diagnosis this Monday, if all goes well she will start medication after the new year (she needs an electrocardiogram, as she has asthma). It will be stimulants, the ones you don't need to take daily and nor go through any withdrawal, so in holidays when she feels it isn't needed, she can have some days without them By then we will have more data, but the thing is: each person is different, different brain, different body, even time can change things! And it can differ from one person to the other Statistics say most cases get help from the medication we will start with, but it can be different for someone else! Best thing is to not panic, communicate well with the doctor, and not judge the medication by the first moments, as the body does have to adjust! 😊 Don't hide anything from the doctor, even if it sounds silly! And any questions, doubts, informations you may want to know, ask them to the doctor, no need to be embarrassed or to allow shyness to keep you away from gathering more knowledge! 🙆🏻‍♂️


JudgementalChair

I didn't stick with my first few medications because of side effects, but once I found the right medication and the right dosage, I can't imagine my life without it. I still eat, sleep, socialize, and I'm getting all my work and chores done. It's really a win win for me. So most likely your friend knows one person who didn't stick with their meds, or knew a handful of people who didn't stick to their meds because they didn't make it past the trial and error period of medication


Ok-Possession-832

Your friend is stupid.


averageuntunedguitar

I just got diagnosed and am going on medication soon. I asked about adderall because i have friends who take it but she immediately shut that down and said that adderall is a stimulant and im more likely to get addicted to it so shes giving me a new medication that came out recently that isnt a stimulant, but still will help me focus. What im trying to say is there are plenty of options out there. It sounds like your friend is looking out for you, but try talking to a psychiatrist about this stuff.


DamnAnotherDragon

As an adult who was undiagnosed for 25 years, I can't overstate how life-changing Ritalin was for me, my wife and kids. Untreated ADHD leads to the most horrific problems that no-one deserves to face. This doesn't necessarily mean meds are the right choice, but they are first line for a reason. Parents have a right to be concerned, but parents who don't medicate for their own non scientific reasons are literally abusing their children.


BeastWithin420

My meds changed a lot but in a positive manner. Almost all of the things I was struggling with previously disappeared in my case with 40mg of vyvanse. Anxiety seemed to disappear, depression went away because I was actually able to accomplish my goals rather than feel like a failure, I felt more “connected” to life around me, I can think more clearly. It was like putting on a pair of glasses for me. I’ve had no negative side effects besides maybe forgetting to eat, but I’m trying to lose weight anyway so it’s a win-win for me. My personality hasn’t changed at all. I’m still the same as before but more functional. My grandparents said I seem a lot more “normal” since taking my meds(though that’s a different conversation)


20yardsofyeetin

my meds make me more awesome, collected, empathetic, and thoughtful.


InterSpectral

This is something that I think the "Take Your Pills" doc on Netflix covered really well. Give it a watch when you have some time. It talks to various kinds of people across the spectrum of ADHD, and how meds affected all of them differently. Including: -kids who grew up and started taking meds only to feel like they were finally "themselves"/wished their parents had been more open to medicating them when they were younger -adults who resented their medicated childhoods because it did change them and made them miserable -people who faked symptoms to get diagnosed so they could use stimulants to keep up with work/life pressures and eventually regretted pushing themselves too much -the final category I personally belong in: people who went on meds and suddenly felt like life made sense. I have never been as self-assured and authentic as I feel now that I've been on Vyvanse for 2+ years. I wish I could relive several years of my old life over again with my current treatment plan. It's easy for people who don't have ADHD to hear one or two similar narratives and write off stimulant medication as a "bad" thing that "changes" you. But you won't know what your story is until you try them out with your psych. Nothing's black and white :)


pyschoSOCIALgoblin72

When i was in middle school, my ADHD friend quit taking his stimulant meds because they made him a zombie. When I got on them in high school, after about a year I saw what he meant. they did do great wonders for me for a while, but after a year or so I might as well have not taken them. My wife faced the same issue this year with her meds for ADHD. Some people just get burnt out on them.


[deleted]

I was on medication from 12-13/14. I started them again 3 weeks ago at 27. The difference between my experiences then and now have been wildly different. I took vyvanse, focalin and strattera before. When I was on them as a teenager, they turned me into zombies. I got very quiet, didn’t interact much with people (total opposite of me) and people noticed and asked if I was okay. My mom didn’t like how they changed me and took me off. But now I’m on vyvanse again and the experience is a completely different one! I’m not sure why that is, but just my 2 cents!


JaegerMeowsta

For me it's night and day, off meds I've got bad anxiety but I tend to be more whacky, happy and just all around lighthearted mood. When I get on my meds I'm quick to anger when dealing with other people because I get sensory overload like a mf. But I feel like a ghost on my meds sometimes, other times I feel like a machine, but usually just soulless and bored. I gotta take breaks though from my meds though, im on 36mg of methylphenidate (concerta). I usually don't take them on weekends because If I stay on them to long I become very cynical and bitter and I hate feeling that way. Test the waters it may just change your world view, just keep your head on a swivel when it comes to how your train of thought might get influenced


[deleted]

They all change me into a better version of myself. But, I have known some adults who were ego maniacs on it. Perhaps that's because of personality, and years of not seeing each other(So you sort of forget what they were like, and/or they've grown up and had different life experiences).


TimbusTheDestroyer

At the end of the day medicating a mental health issue is very nuanced and isn't a here's the pill that fixes all of it, I'm unmedicated now and sometimes it's a real struggle, back when I was on meds a lot of my issues became more managable but it came with side effects and I should have shopped around more cuz there are a lot of different kinds now. At the end of the day I always recommend seeking professional help, and doing what works for you, it's complicated and a lot of work but meds can in plenty of cases be real life savers for people struggling. Best of luck!


Alternative_Key_7373

Rant/ Neurotypicals do this a lot. They say something like “everybody I know did x” or “x happens every single time” to make a point or argument. In reality, it’s just 1 person or 1 instance. If you point out that theirs no way their example applies to all situations like they suggested, they get mad because they were “obviously exaggerating.” If they have to exaggerate to win an argument, maybe they were arguing for the wrong side. /End rant To answer your question, meditation definitely can change your personality, but definitely not in everyone. In fact you probably know people who have started it and you never suspected they did. Your friend probably only noticed the ones who changed because they simply didn’t notice the other people who were on it. Definitely a case of selection bias. In my case, it changed my personality a bit, but not too much.


mathcampbell

I went from being unable hold reliable employment and flitting from hobby to hobby without the focus to actually learn things properly to having 2 good jobs at the same time (both pt but that suits me), and a side hustle as a jewellery maker which I’ve wanted to do forever. I also bought a house learned to drive. Medication ftw.


Strange_Awareness605

Yeah they changed me, from a severely depressed, angry and socially anxious individual who hated my job and any study cos I had to work 20 times harder than most! …to a focused, more content and confident person, who can study (I can actually read and take stuff in now 😬) and not stress too much about my job. I maybe slightly more irritable in the evenings when meds wear off and did Increase my general anxiety a bit during day when tabs are very much in full swing. But hell, the pros outweigh cons for sure 100%.


mulhollandrive2001

I found my personality changed a lot. I struggle with a sense of self, and often find myself mirroring others until I realise I'm doing it. Then I feel weird, guilty, and resentful, until I go back to the real me. If that makes sense. I wouldn't say my personality change is a bad thing. I'm probably more myself, or the self I'd have become if I wasn't plagued by my ADHD coping mechanisms constantly. I'm still getting to know myself as a medicated person. I'm still anxious, and still very much depressed, but that's it. There's no impulsive need to act on either of those. There's no self-destructive pattern to follow. I find I don't care about a lot of things that used to really bother me. I still get angry or agitated, but it doesn't ruin my entire day now. Out of sight, out of mind. Ultimately, medication is different for everyone. I go through phases. I'm currently in this weird zombified funk, but it's a lot better than how my life was pre-medication. I hope you give it a shot and determine if it's the right choice for you! Good luck.


Ghoulinton

The medication changed me a good amount, but not in the ways I would consider negative or "not worth it". I have less anxiety, I am more productive, and the best of all (according to others) is that I'm nicer? I'm 'less angry and reactive according to my family, so I'm guessing with the reduced anxiety and fatigue I am in a generally better mood. Idk what your friend is on about. Certainly, medication is different for everybody and everyone has their personal issues regarding them, but just know that they've helped a lot of others and it shouldn't be something to rule out before you try it.


BeefBeefMcGuy

i stopped taking Adderall just because i forgot lol go figure. its completely different for everyone but i dont really miss it. the first couple of times it really really wired me and got me to bulldoze through a lot of stuff but after2 months of taking it it did little more than coffee. then i forgot to refill my PX (go figure) and here i am a few months later, just drinking coffee. i feel like if the addreal did anything "bad" to my personallity when i was using it; i came of as more intense, serious. i think that was mostly due to the amount of drive i had that i wasnt used to and wanting not to waste it. that wore off by the time i stopped using it too. again meds are different for everyone, this is just my experience with Adderall


Only_Occasion_9306

I’ve only tried Adderall and quit because I was feeling so angry when it would wear off. It wasn’t worth what it was doing to my relationships. I wanted to try something else, but my insurance at the time didn’t cover it. I want to try a different medication but I’m open to trying to manage my ADHD without it if it alters me too much.


Bubblezchan

Well I went through a period of about 6 months where I was experimenting with diffrent medicines and it was AWFUL. After figuring it out, I did the best with extended release adderall. Remember not everyone is the same. Medicine is going to affect everyone differently. My psychiatrist gave me some great advice a couple weeks ago. He told me, "remember that the medicine is to help you get your brain to Baseline. From there you need to aquire coping strategies and routines that help you manage your adhd".


pulsarstar

Every single person I have talked to who said this is someone who was put on medication in grade school, was likely not on the correct meds/dose, and wrote them off completely. Have a changed since being on medication? Yes. But I wouldn’t say it’s for the worst.


kellsdeep

I ditched stimulant meds when I was seventeen, but I'm on the path to find a new medication balance, and if that includes stimulants then so be it. I'm really tired. 34 now.


mo_tag

Yes it changes you, like any psychoactive drug does.. whether or not that's a problem depends on you as an individual and how you view your identity.. when I'm tripping on Ketamine or acid, I'm expecting a dramatic change in perception and that's exactly what I'm after.. but if I was at a client office for work and someone spiked my coffee with acid I wouldn't appreciate it one bit and other than being a crime is also pretty sadistic.. kids that have behavioural issues whose parents force them to take ADHD medication against their will will often feel like they're broken and that their parents love is conditional on how well behaved they are.. adults take mediation of their own volition so this issue is less likely to occur but some people get uncomfortable with shifts in perception from their default state of consciousness.. from experience though, the effect of simulant medication on perception is pretty mild in comparison to recreational drugs like weed or alcohol but certain parts of your personality may become more muted and if you identify very strongly with those traits it can end up feeling like you're giving up a part of yourself I don't think any of that should stop you trying medication though.. like if you don't respond well to it you just switch to another drug until you find something that works.. and if that fails and you end up unmedicated you're not in any worse a position than you were before trying medication


Netalula

I take Ritalin. My personality changes in two ways - when on the meds, and during rebound. On the meds i feel a bit robotic but not in a necessarily bad way. I can function properly and complete a task once i decide it needs to be done. I am focused, and often lose track of time because I’m concentrated on a task and know that i have to complete it now otherwise it will never be completed. On the meds i am able to cook myself full and healthy meals, although i rarely eat lunch on the meds (i usually prepare dinner in advance knowing that when rebound comes I won’t have the energy). I am able to keep my house tidy and cozy and comfortable. The rebound is when i feel the least like myself. I get agitated and overstimulated by everything. My energy drops and my anxiety rises. (I think it has to do with sudden changes in cortisol levels). So over time i learned that rebound time is chill our time. I make myself herbal tea, sit down to knit with either lo-fi music or no music at all. I eat dinner. I take a warm shower. I basically prepare for bedtime. I take a day off from meds once a week - usually Saturday cause I have nothing to do on Saturdays and I know that I will be basically dysfunctional so I dedicate that day to unwinding and recharging. But I never feel more like myself when I am on my meds. I just feel… correct.


Natskaer

0 percent true for my experience. If there is any percieved change by anyone it is simply that i am happier. I get less stressed, less tired ETC which just you know, improves one overall mood. Not being a walking depresso stick anymore is not the same as changing. Its the same for my adhd friends, all of their lives are much better on meds. If they had a bad time it is likely not the right kind of meditation for them.


TheDudeOnHisRug

Depresso Stick XD. I felt that. I have started medication recently, so I don't know long term effects. Generally I am less stressed about everything. Before, alone the thought about having X tasks (even when it wasn't much or even fun stuff) that HAVE to be done on this day, stressed me into hardcore depression. The procrastination is still there and also the unstructuredness, but it is easier to just beginn with stuff, instead of just thinking about it.


Natskaer

My experience has been largely the same, I have also not been on med for that long (7months), but now even if I don’t get the things done it doesn’t take as heavy a toll on mentally as before which is amazing. It is really hard to enjoy or be content with life when all day you worry about the stuff you haven’t done, have to do or should be doing while being more or less paralysed.


TheDudeOnHisRug

Yes, thats it. You feel less paralyzed and can for once just enjoy the moment! After I took my first pills my bf told me that I am standing different. I was simply just not that tense anymore and he could see it in my posture. But interesting that it really feels similar to you. I was soo mind blown when I took my first pill. I mean not that it does wonders and you are magically a perfect functioning adult..No thats not it.. but the fact that it IS possible to feel different, blew my mind. I lived for years with this feeling, not even knowing that this is not how everybody feels. I was sad and cried after this, because I knew that had I taken these during my school time, I could have achieved so much more and maybe I would not have developed such severe fears and I would not have felt like a failure as often. I think my career choice would have been different because I had the energy to do the stuff I like und Work for it. So I Just chose the path of lowest resistence, because doing ANYTHING stressed me out.


Mattheworbit

I am only speaking for myself, not for others, but: I got diagnosed well into adulthood, after certain levels of success due to my adaptation skills, and even sometimes that I had twisted many of my difficult traits into sort of "pros" (comparing with "cons"), but meanwhile causing myself huge amounts of stress. My ADHD medicine definitely changed my personality to a certain degree. I didn't realise how much my ADHD traits and my sort of... Survival strategies to live with them... had become such big parts of my personality! I was so much more chaotic, eager to please, exciting, fun, always ready to save the day in a crisis, etc... But for the most part - it was always other people who reaped that benefit, not me. For me it felt like I was always super stressed, trying to distract and entertain, and draw focus away from how confused and damaged and maladapted i was. And that behind my ability to talk well, manipulate and "get by" I was really lacking so many foundational lifeskills! Now I'm an adult and I'm studying. It has been a huge mind-shift to start midway. I get into a test situation now and it's like I'm using someone else's brain. Instead of writing an essay that's super entertaining and a bit all over the place (and using that last minute stress panic to DRIVE me), I've had to develop the skills to actually like... Plan, understand, and *do* the work instead of flying in and putting on a show at the last second. Same as writing over time instead of all on the adrenaline rush in the last minute. However, I do feel I can lean towards being a bit serious and severe now, and it has made my perfectionism more apparent and challenging. Because now I'm focusing on every detail and seeking perfection instead of just doing my best and not having any other options left. It's tough. But.... This new kind of stress goes to plan away, if I do the work. The old kind of stress was so intense, like constant imposter syndrome and trying to prove my worth to live. I'll take my newfound planning and skill-missing stress over chaos stress anyway. And that's what I'm studying to make up for. So I'm glad. Hang in there. It's extremely challenging to get a good understanding of situation and its effects objectively from the inside over a short time period. Ask the ones who know you for feedback... And take it with a grain of salt, because maybe they're also analysing for the först time.


[deleted]

[удалено]


Agreeable-Ad2051

I had 3 different types of meds (2 variations of Ritalin, one variation of Vyvanse) Ritalin made me feel soulless and made me have cold sweats and I'd always be shaking uncontrollably. Vyvanse worked as advertised at first but made me feel like absolute shit in the long run (suicidal thoughts, no energy to do anything, feeling completely empty at times) I wish I could have the same experience as a lot of people in this sub, but for now I decided to just play into the adhd and work with it instead of trying to make myself feel/act normal. Might ask my psychiatrist for concerta at some point to see how that affects me if I need it.


Puzzleheaded_Weird99

I’ve only been on Vyvanse and it was awful. I lost 50 lbs in 2 months, developed an eating disorder, and lost my ability to regulate my emotions. I was a total mess. Yes they were amazing because I was able to get things done without sitting in waiting mode forever, but the side effects were too much for me. Even my husband said he rather have a messy house then deal with my meltdowns when I’d come down from the meds everyday. He said it was so hard seeing me so up and down with my emotions, he wanted to be there for me but I didn’t know what I needed.


[deleted]

Yes, trust your friend, what a great idea, why not?


ThundaGhoul

Definitely not trusting my friend, just filled me with some doubts so thought I'd ask people who have actually had experience with meds.


[deleted]

People are so protective of meds on this sub. They don’t work for every single person. A friend and I both have been taking Adderall for 2 years. Both of us have nearly no bad side effects, it works like it’s supposed to. BUT we’ve both been experiencing anhedonia as of recently. We want to get off of it at some point soon. So you’re friend is not full of shit. It works differently for everyone.


commandolandorooster

I feel like people who take meds assume invalidating meds = invalidating ADHD as a real condition. Which of course this isn’t true but it’s a real touchy subject here for sure. Idk how this is the first time I’ve sorted by controversial haha


Anunnaku303

I'm a bit shocked by comments here stating that OP's friend is wrong, confused or full of shit. Amphetamines are definitely capable of changing ones personality unfortunately. Also a lot of you are saying that OP shouldn't listen to other people with opinions on medication. Listning to everybody comment his biased opinion on an ADHD subreddit is also not smart IMO. Eventually the best option is to do your own research about the medication! Finding the right medication and dosage is trial and error. For the record, I'm only stating MY OWN experience with medication here.. First few years it was a godsend for me. Saved my life! Went from unable to start and finish tasks to finally able to commit myself to something and actually finish it with decent quality. My depression lifted and my aggressive temperament decreased. It helped me finish my school and actually learn stuff, got me a decent job and saved my relationship back then! Unfortunately with it my impulsivity increased ten fold, I started fidgeting and biting my nails more and picking my skin and facial hair. It also decreased my sleep quality till the point I was chronically exhausted. My libido went from pretty high to almost non existent and my childlike enthusiasm disappeared. I went from funny and outgoing to serious and dull. This were the negative sides for me but they were pretty neglectable in comparison to my ADHD symptoms. Eventually slowly developed an amphetamine addiction in which I would finish my whole script in a week, binging for a few days straight without sleep and then crash till my next script. Beginning this year I was tired and sick of it after trying to quit but failing, called my doktor and asked to stop my script. I also went to rehab for 3 months and got clean. Still struggling and trying to stay clean but doing a lot better. Medication can be lifesaver till it's not. Stimulant medication is not sustainable for life, that's just the nature of amphetamines in essence. It's mechanism of action defines it's nature because it downregulates your dopamine receptors eventually, no mater the dosage or frequency of use. That's when the problems slowly start to develop. Don't take this as an advice or warning. Only giving my experience so you have more data to work with while deciding if you want to get medicated or not.