this post was submitted on 04 Jul 2023
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I’d think of it a bit like this. Doing all your taxes and small print forms is definitely possible without glasses, but it’s blurry, headache-y, and takes a long time. For me medication has been a bit like putting glasses on. Yeah doing taxes still sucks but it’s a bit of a relief from extra ADHD challenges.
As an Adult, theres a lot of tasks that it helps with. It certainly won’t match your fantasy but it definitely is a game changer.
Do you find that being medicated comes with its own challenges, or has your experience been entirely positive?
I’m not who you replied to but I was on Ritalin from 5-13 or so, then off all meds until about 34.
I sought it out because things were becoming more of a struggle than they used to be (for context, I graduated hs, served in the military, and graduated cum laude with a BS all unmedicated). I just couldn’t get the same motivation from my prior strategies.
I am on basically the same drug now (methylphenidate), but a lower dose than when I was a kid (the extreme high dose is why I stopped taking it-so many side effects). At this point I really only take it when I want to be productive, mostly because I cannot remember to take it daily to save my life.
It does have its own set of challenges, like there are still side effects, and remembering to even take it early enough is a pain (if you delay, your sleep is likely to be impacted), and a lot of doctors don’t want you testing positive for thc, even if you use the drugs on different days, which reduces your options for overcoming the stimulant effect at night.
But it does help me get going when I take it, and imho it is worth it if it works for you too. You might need to try a few different meds to find the right one for your adult chemistry, but if Ritalin was effective for you back when, methylphenidate might be an option now.
And if you decide the meds aren’t worth it, they don’t give you the effect you were looking for or the side effects are too much, you don’t have to keep taking them. The joy of being an adult is nobody forcing it on you.
Thanks so much for sharing your experience! I’ve been putting off making an appointment to work on getting a prescription, this thread has given me the kick I needed to finally make the call.
That’s great! And I hope you follow through on the process, whatever that might be, even if it gets tiring - idk if you still have your childhood records; I didn’t and had to be re-screened. At least long enough to give one of them a try and see if it’s worth it for your adult self. The difference when you notice it is… eye opening if the meds are right for you. Imho a much better experience than being made to take them as a kid, since you have the capacity to reflect on it, and the autonomy to try different doses and uses to find what’s right for you.
For me at least, I don’t really feel different, physically or mentally, but just sort of function differently. Things are a bit easier to start and follow through. Knowing I can take a pill and actually get through whatever project or task needs to be done is awesome and empowering. I hope you have a similar experience!
It’s own challenges for sure. Certainly until you find the right dose.
I can get overstimulated easier and pressured situations that I used to thrive in can become overstimulating instead now. But there may be some crossover with a family history of ASD. Difficult to know what’s medication and what’s medication + me, ya know.