I have been diagnosed with ADHD for a while, but have never wanted to take medication for it, especially over long periods because I am concerned it would impact my decision making ability, which is pretty much all that matters for my type of work.
I've taken medications for short periods, and it was totally fine, just don't love the idea of taking them over longer periods.
For others with ADHD, did you experiment with various medications before finding something that worked well/not too many side effects or? If so, what are you on ATM?
I follow other best practices, like working out 6x a week, eating clean, avoiding sugar, etc...
Very interested in other treatments too not involving medication, would love to hear what has worked/not worked.
I don't think my ADHD is horribly bad, but it's definitely an issue.
Bump. I cancelled my appointment for prescription management to get ADHD medication for similar concerns / don’t want to bombard my dopamine receptors with amphetamines. Curious about others’ experiences.
I’ve been diagnosed since 1st grade and have taken everything under the sun for it as well as taking years / months off. Currently I’ve found that taking small dosages of Ritalin <15mg works best to help increase focus / minimize distractions and movement without the stronger side effects like lack of appetite, irritability, and difficulty sleeping. Gotta find which med works best for your body and then experiment with dosage to get the best balance of effects. Also recommend stopping entirely for a few months during slower periods of work so your body doesn’t get too used to having it thus weakening effects.
Exact same situation. Diagnosed in first grade and went through a host of medications over the years trying to find the right one. Ironically, I'm now back on the very first one I started taking: focalin.
OP, there is no answer you will find from us other than to talk to your psychiatrist and be open to trying things to find a solution. You likely won't get it right with the first one you try but you won't know that until you try. What you said about diet and exercise is also good to hear but I would add that you should definitely try to get a vitamin and omega-3/fish oil supplement. The latter is really important for brain function.
While I understand that worry about decision making on medications—studies have shown that they can blunt decision making and reaction times—it's largely only an issue for those who don't actually have ADHD. When I'm off my meds and trying to work it can be brutal even just having the mental energy to focus. Genuinely feels like I'm in a fog, but when I'm on it I can make decisions and don't feel exhausted having to engage for long periods of time. YMMV but definitely try medications if your psych recommends it.
Vivanse sounds really good. For people with an ADHD diagnosis.
I've dealt w/ ADHD since my early 20's, consider myself a veteran if you will. Can give a rundown of anecdotal experiences I've had - I am not a doctor, so please (everyone reading) do not take medicine or stop others because of me. It really does affect everyone differently, which is by far the most important thing about this whole issue. I'll keep my public comments as more of an overview - OP, feel free to PM me for elaboration if needed.
You mentioned non-medication, but I'll briefly talk about meds as it's relevant to me:
My first experiences with ADHD meds were... well, let's say not doctor-approved. If you've read some of my posts / comments in the past, you'll know I am not a stranger to addiction. What began by abusing a bit of Adderall in college led to me being heavily dependent on other substances, racking up thousands of dollars, permanent health issues, and the lowest mental point I've ever been at. While the ADHD meds were not the reason these things happened, they WERE the catalyst that started it all - which I've always recognized and taken full responsibility for.
I pulled myself out of my drug addiction through rehab and traditional therapy like the ones you mentioned above - exercise, hard nutrition standards, a mental 'fuck-you' attitude that served me well. When I was diagnosed with ADHD later, the thought process was terrifying - no way I'd allow myself to consume the same pills that started the whole thing for me, at this point seven years in the past. I told myself that it would only send me back into financial ruin and mental apathy, and tried to battle it in other ways for over a year.
However, I had grown by then. My primary care doctor at that point had encouraged me to try an extremely low dose of Ritalin, which I nervously did. My mental stamina had improved tenfold, and I did not feel a 'desire' to consume more. I was so afraid of falling back into a prior life that the newfound diligence that had pulled me out of said life dominated it in every aspect. Slowly I started to see benefits.
Ritalin wasn't the answer - nothing addiction-based, but my body didn't react to it the way it was supposed to, so I moved to Adderall around four years ago. I've been on it to this day, a solid 15 XR dose that I'll usually take M-F whenever I need a kickstart at the office. I don't take it on weekends, and I don't take it at all if I don't have to. It's doing what it was INTENDED to - only to HELP IF NEEDED, not RUINING ANYTHING IF I DIDN'T TAKE IT. It has done wonders for me in recent years - my enemy has now become my asset. I guess I just needed to learn a really hard and expensive lesson first.
Now, there's that - but I believe things you mentioned such as exercise, nutrition, and daily mental wellness are more valuable. I hold myself to a rigid schedule of sleep, information consumption, exercise, diet, and more. This COMBINED with my low-dose ADHD medicine has effectively solved my issue completely, and I think balancing the two is far more important than anything else. It may be something you want to consider, but hell - I can never blame you if you didn't want to touch them. God knows I didn't.
In the end, once again - every single person is different. This sequence has worked for me, but it may not for you. It seems like you're in a very good place mentally which is the best weapon you can have in this scenario and definitely the hardest part. I recommend you explore all options to deduce what you like - at the end of the day, the only right decision for this problem is the one that YOU come up with, not anybody else.
Again, feel free to PM - happy to help. Best of luck to you as you navigate this and Godspeed.
Thanks for sharing. Could you elaborate on the mental 'fuck-you' attitude please?
Sure - touched briefly upon it here in a half-baked AMA I did awhile back. Still gotta answer some of those questions LOL
Long time ADHD here. Strong green tea and lots of it. Also I eat just one meal a day at dinner which helps keep brain sharp.
If you've functioned well without it, why risk taking it now? I'd stay off the meds.
Similar to a lot of folks above, I was diagnosed at a young age. I tried everything under the sun starting from the time I was 7 or 8 till I was 15 or 16. I finally put my foot down and stopped taking my prescription on a regular basis half way through my sophomore year of high school because of the negative side effects I was experiencing, i.e., decreased appetite, headaches, anti-social, etc. Since then I've always been on the side of "why medicate if you can go without it". Best of luck in figuring out what works for you.
Well yeah, that is the gist of my post lol
Long time ADHD and here are my thoughts.
-lots of things can help (working out, meditation, etc) but ultimately it’s up to personal preference /severity of ADHD on if you need /want to try medication.
-I am on medication (adderall) AND workout /eat healthy etc but I may have it worse than you. I don’t have a very addictive personality and take less when I don’t need it or don’t take it on weekends if I don’t feel the need.
- I have tried no stimulant versions of medicine and wow. I felt like I was Sherlock Holmes on wellbutrin, noticing every little thing and hyperfixating on everything. Maybe even made me a little manic tbh.
ADHD, like most food allergies, tends to strike white upper-middle class folks.
Being a member of that high-risk group, I was also diagnosed. But I don't pretend for a second that a subjective diagnosis of a questionable disease is a valid reason to take stimulants.
Highly recommend checking out the link below or finding the app in the app store. I haven't tried it but it's an FDA approved video game treatment for dopamine-induced boredom (medically termed "ADHD") and certainly seems to be a much better risk/reward than taking meth (medically termed Adderall).
https://www.endeavorrx.com/
Also recommend the book Dopamine Nation for more insight on the causes.
Concerta has worked wonders for me. Something you should definitely look into.
Andrew Huberman has some good study tips on his podcast called, "ADHD, & How Anyone Can Improve Their Focus." He goes more into what actually happens when someone has ADHD, and then lists some scientifically backed ways to combat it. I would link below but I feel like no one else uses Soundcloud. For me black coffee helps focus.
I use SoundCloud and would appreciate the link!
Either of these will work.
https://soundcloud.com/rick-astley-official/never-gonna-give-you-up-4
https://soundcloud.com/sevensagesbass/huberman-labs-e37-adhd-how-anyone…
From my experience you should at least try taking ADHD medicine if you were diagnosed and feel like it is blocking you from a higher potential. I was diagnosed with ADHD over 10 years ago and have been using a high dose of Methylfenidate (Ritalin) since. It took me a while to get the dosis and timing right because everybody reacts very differently to the various medications available, so dont worry if you try the medicine and feel a bit awkward or a lacking increase in improvement in the beginning and switching brands is also recommended.
Medications also vary in terms of strength and duration. Because my medicine lasts only 4-5 hours I can use it when I expect to need it most and feel "normal" afterwards. For instance: on a friday I take it after breakfast and after lunch so im focused and performing in the office but still able to hangout with friends after work without having to worry about any adverse affects due to alcohol or the sometimes lackluster anti-social attitude that can result from a higher dose.
You seem very disciplined in terms of food and excercise, this is a big plus in terms of countering any side effects. I lost my appetite and had trouble sleeping for a few weeks after starting the medication but once you make the mental switch that your body needs nutrients to perform and make mental notes of when you take the medicine so its not too late in the evening, you should be able to avoid this.
For me it has been a game changer in terms of attitude, focus and performance during study / Work. My relationships became better too, because I am better able to handle stress / last minute changes and became less irritable or tired after a long day. Im also very vocal about it with friends and my team because hiding it in fear of prejudice can just make you paranoid (I know from experience). Its also seems to have become more acceptable over the last year with my bank even celebrating "neurodiversity".
Key here is figuring out what works for you, for the ADHD people I know its usually a combination of a healthy lifestyle, mental attitude and medicine. You can always give it up as it is generally not addictive, I never use it on the weekends or on holidays, and between internships I would go months without as well. Good luck with whatever you decide to do and you can always send a PM if you want to know more details
Laborum laudantium sunt nemo. Neque corporis voluptatem numquam. Rerum dolorem consequatur ipsa repellendus aspernatur repellendus et.
See All Comments - 100% Free
WSO depends on everyone being able to pitch in when they know something. Unlock with your email and get bonus: 6 financial modeling lessons free ($199 value)
or Unlock with your social account...