The lighter side of ADHD
Yeah, a NT might get something “extra” out of some ADHD meds. But effective meds just help ADHD people calmer (for lack of a better word), and able to focus. Pretty much exactly the opposite of what one would think “meth” would do to a person. Taking a med holiday, a day or weekend where you skip meds, is pretty easy for a lot of people, too. There’s no addiction driving the taking of the medication, and as the meme suggests, it’s pretty easy to forget to take it at all.
I've heard that for non-ADHDers, it actually does hit them like Meth, which I find a little bewildering. The biggest, most noticable difference for me is that Adderall just turns off my elevator music.
"Dad, you better quit taking those blood pressure meds. You might become dependent on them."
I've been trying to ween myself off of water recently. I'm down to just 2 cups a day. By next week I should be clean and I will finally be able to live my life free from such a horrible addiction.
Will I die or go into withdrawal without my glasses? Of course not.
But do my glasses make my life a hell of a lot easier? Absolutely.
Well tbf meds might make you go into withdrawal, so it's like telling someone to stop taking their blood pressure, diabetes or anticonception meds. Which you also wouldn't do.
Well, I can only speak anecdotally on my own experience, but I've never experienced withdrawal on an ADHD medication. (BUT people are different and there's also tons of different types of ADHD medication, so fair point!)
Adderall makes me feel kinda tired actually so I rarely take it. Only for tasks that I feel are important. I likely have undiagnosed narcolepsy, which is treated with higher doses of stimulants, so that might be why. It's probably treating both, so I CAN focus, but it also makes me able to sleep when I otherwise couldn't, so it's a double edged sword where I get shit done but kinda just feeling drained.
ADHD isn't enough, we also get a disproportionately high amount of sleep disorders to pair with it!
I used to find that. It turned out I was just chronically tired. I couldn't sleep properly until I was exhausted. Once I was medicated, it hit me. It took a while to relearn sleeping. It might just be that you need more sleep than you think.
I have more symptoms than just difficulty falling asleep. Cataplexy during strong emotions is consistent, as well as night sweats, and some other things.
It was actually my PCP that suggested it. I was like nahhh that's impossible, then I learned it's not like it is in the movies. But then I lost my insurance so I haven't really had the opportunity to investigate it properly.
I'm pretty sure I either have narcolepsy or delayed sleep phase syndrome, but narcolepsy fits more symptoms.
Me: "Wow, I see how someone could get addicted to seeing objects as distinct and not conceptual piles"
For real though, I was terrified that ADHD meds would make me feel good, and I'd have to fight that urge/dependency for the rest of my life, and instead they just... give me relief from my symptoms. Insane how brain chemistry works. One brain's neuro-candy is another brain's prescription glasses.
I've accidentally taken a double dose of my stimulants a few times and holy shit, I will never do that again on purpose. I felt an unpleasant manic energy and generally jittery. There's absolutely zero chance of me abusing or ODing on this drug.
I personally find my ADHD meds exhausting. Like, yes I need them. But when the week is up I feel a little exhausted with everything I've had to keep up with. I don't see them as fun, but I know other people do. They just make me function and I really try to take as little as I can get away with and still be a functional person.
The exhausting part is one of the benefits to me. I slept like shit for... My life... Until I was diagnosed at 30. No more uncomfortably restless legs, no more doing mental gymnastics trying to figure out a good way to fall asleep.
It's not that they are fun, it's that I can't have real fun without them. Best I can do is find a way to be comfortably distracted from the feeling of not accomplishing anything that I know won't be satisfied by accomplishing things.
Without the pills dopamine becomes the estranged aunt the family doesn't talk about but is severely missed.
My wonderful state requires me to pee into a cup because Adderall = Meth to them.
Funny, i just finished up vacuuming for the first time in mentally checks out
Straight up, the first month of taking my med I vacuumed more than I had in the previous 4 years.
Sounds insane at first but let me clarify. It's because I vacuumed 5 times. Once for each Saturday that month.
That first trip around my apartment with the vacuum sucked a lot.
My partner and I got diagnosed. Once I got my meds I was actually able to clean the house. It feels amazing to keep up with chores and not live in filth. It always felt like I had to force myself to continue but I'm actually having fun and feeling proud of myself when I complete tasks.
I have long hair, its VERY noticeable when I vacuum. I own a seam ripper just to cut the hair out of the spinny brush thing i dont know or remember the name of.
If I can shill for a second, we’ve got a Kenmore with a blade that automatically cuts tangled up hair while the vacuum is running and it’s fucking incredible. No straining the motor, no hot dusty hair stank, no wrestling with the vacuum on the floor. It’s intended for houses with pets, but it works on human hair just as well.
Holy shit, why have I not thought of using a thread ripper before, that's genius!
I've just been using a plain old pair of scissors
Yeah, that or a pair of wire snips are my go to, but it's such a PITA
Razor blade works as well.
In a pinch, sure. I've also tried with the exacto knife with better luck, but both end up leaving cut marks all over the roller which isn't ideal.
Man, I go barefoot inside and the second I feel some dirt or sand or something on the floor I break out the vacuum. I can't imagine going a whole week.
You're shooting up insulin pretty often. We're worried you might be addicted.
What kind of vacuuming are we talking about exactly?