I Took ADHD Medication For The First Time | My ADHD medication before and after experience
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- Опубликовано: 28 апр 2024
- In this video, I share my ADHD medication experience and what it felt like taking ADHD medication for the first time, together with the day-to-day effects and how it relieved my ADHD symptoms.
I want to give everyone another real-world view on taking ADHD medication if you're still considering it. I hope this video helps you make a better decision about ADHD medication.
These are just my experiences and of course, everyone will have differences, but from discussions with lots of adult ADHDers, these are fairly common impressions.
A growing resource for ADHD and neurodiversity can be found here: www.welcometothewormhole.com
#adhd #welcometothewormhole #adhdmedication #adhdsymptoms
ADHDers! If you've got a topic that you'd like to see covered, leave a comment below. I'm currently working on several interviews and videos surrounding women and girls with diagnosed and undiagnosed ADHD, and a soon-to-be-released irreverent podcast talking to ADHDers and neurodivergents. If you'd like to share your story, drop me an e-mail (e-mail address in the about page, or via the website www.welcometothewormhole.com)
I can share mine if you’re i interested I’m a woman 52 - pretty bad adhd - just diagnosed
for how many years will the medication work for?
The link between adhd and addiction is intresting as example for intresting adhd topics .👊✌️
Are you able to use a short acting medicine for when you have to get a lot done ? And the slower time released one when you don't have a lot of work to do that day ?
Really enjoying this video. How did you get diagnosed? Was it through the NHS and how long did it take?
I was diagnosed with ADHD 4 years ago. I went to the doctor because I was having extreme anxiety all the time. My life was as if I was in a crises all the time, everyday, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. After being tested they diagnosed me with ADHD and said that was probably the cause for my anxiety. The first time I took adderall it brought me to tears. It was like time stood still and for the first time I could hear a thought clearly. I could sit in a chair and be present in the moment without fidgeting around, or tapping my fingers, or shaking my leg, or talking to myself about everything I needed to do. I could read a book and digest the words. I could sit at my desk at work and actually work without finding every reason to avoid work. Everyone I knew saw the difference and they couldn’t believe they were seeing the same person. My whole life everyone called me crazy, lazy, mentally ill, and even my parents thought I was just a troubled kid who didn’t care about my future and that wasn’t even remotely close to the truth. I had to work 10X harder than everyone else to do what came natural to everyone else.
The meds are still working after 4 years ?
I think I might be suffering from same thing but these moronic Nigerian psychiatrist can't get anything right. Having said that, our diet might also be causing some of these mental problems. I was recently diagnosed with malnutrition and I was placed on some multivitamins that helped calm my mental state. I experienced less anxiety, I coped better with stressful situations, I was more focused. But I can't take it for too long because it contains fat soluble vitamins as well, which could accumulate in the body and cause hypervitaminosis. Plus, Scientist need to study testosterone more in males, it seemed to 'heal' me in my mid 20s but I don't know how it all came back some few months later.
Thanks for opening up. I hope you are in a better place
Your description of your life pre meds is exactly how I would describe myself. Feeling like I'm living in a crisis everyday all day. The anxiety is crippling. It's a sick heavy ball in my stomach and a terrible dread. I get overwhelmed because I want to do so many things all at once. I have been diagnosed with anxiety and depression since my early 20s and take Celexa for it. I was diagnosed with ADHD about 5 years ago and have been on several medications for it. I'm currently on Adderall. But it doesn't stop the panic and overwhelming frustration in my head. I wish so much that I could find a medication that would do for me what it has done for you and for this gentleman. All it seems to do is motivate me to be active it doesn't clear my mind. I'm glad you found relief and I'm sorry you were misunderstood and mislabeled all your life.
@@willaphillips5771 you might have other underlining issues besides ADHD. My anxiety was directly correlated with the non stop worrying about everything I thought I needed to do at once. I also had developed a mild form of OCD. Not in the since of cleaning but in the sense of doing things repeatedly as a comfort for the anxiety and as a way to stimulate my brain. I would always stand and rock back and forth, bend my fingers and move them quickly, and pace constantly. I really hope you find something that works for you cause I know what you’re going through and it’s exhausting and miserable. It’s like waking up sick everyday and not having a cure!
This man got a choice between square and round glasses and chose both
It’s called a squircle glasses
Yes I had to rewind because I was focused on his glasses and not on his voice. 😂
@@tbird3091 a squircle is a combination of a square and a circle making a rounded square. He chose a rounded square and a circle side by side. You could see it as a combination, but each of the shapes aren’t a squircle
Lol
Those glasses are ADHD… actually
Hi there, who else is reading the comments instead of actually listening the video?
Came to the comments AFTER watching the video. I definitely recommend watching the video.
me, trying to do both
I managed to complete the video, but typing this while staring at random thumbnails of other unrelated videos on the side of the screen.
There. I completed my reply 💪😊
Both and
hahahaha is this a sign ???
You made me weep. I started my ADHD medication today and it was also revealing. I thought the exact same thing as you did “omg… this is how normal people think”. It was amazing. So peaceful.
What a great positive experience and start! It's going to be a crazy ride as everything begins to click in and out of place. It's been 16 months for me and I only now feel like I'm settling into this new perspective now I know I have ADHD. Big love to you ❤️
Wow being on amphetamines feels good who would have thought. Talk to me in a few years
you are normal, we're just quirky folk with ADHD. Hope you're doing well. Glad you found some peace
Your high stop making excuses
@@Ghost_broseveryones different Adderall and it's cousins is usually the worst n shouldn't be first line I take focalin after failing Adderall ngl its probably making affecting my personality but adhd also does but i feel calmer n tired after taking focalin and the medicine wont work ok if i sit around do nothing
I can barely imagine what life would've been like if I was diagnosed earlier.
I received my diagnosis last year, at 37. It took a while to get me medicated as I have a few underlying health issues that needed to be checked out first, but I had a similar experience with my first dose.
I cancelled all chores, I chose to have a nothing day. I dropped the kids off at school and just existed at home.
Within an hour, I realised how quiet everything was. No running thoughts, no stress about all the things I probably should do even though I have chosen not to. It was quiet. I was calm. And then I just cried for about 15 minutes.
Then i noticed, I was able to have conversations. Conversations about big, important things without becoming overly emotional. The anxiety of taking my car in for the MOT, of the bus home, or having to phone the opticians is... It's just gone.
But then, there's the grief. The grief of how much life I've missed. Questioning how much I could've achieved if somebody had listened to me just five years earlier. Ten years earlier, or in my childhood.
I don't think that grief, for me, will ever truly go away. But I feel, for the first time I also feel like I can look forward properly. Hell, I might even be able to do something with one of my random, unrelated qualifications and actually have a career... 💚
Wow, thanks for sharing Benjamin - there is this wonderful common denominating (not a word) thread that seems to be appearing through everyone’s experiences. Reflecting, without all the happy happy positivity skewed opinions, maybe the unique thing we have over simply being NT or diagnosed early is a more juxtaposed perspective which offers more breadth/depth of understanding 🤔🤔🤔 *It’s 4am and my I’m worm-holing*
I just got diagnosed at 20. I started taking meds this past week and I totally relate! I was walking out to get the mail, and I just stopped for a sec. Everything was so beautiful and calm. My mind was so quiet, and I could actually experience that moment without all the noise in the background. It was beautiful and so weird. Also talking to people is crazy!! Like I can fully understand what people are saying without putting all my energy into it. And my homework is a breeze now. I keep noticing all these little things and it makes me so emotional every time. I wish I could have had this sooner, but I’m so excited for all these new abilities lol
I got officially diagnosed when I was 11, but the doctors told my parents that it wasn't bad enough to medicate... the therapy helped a ton though... I wish my parent's and the doctors had been more adequately suited with the modern research we have today on the matter... my life has been in shambles up until this point because the under diagnosis... my whole life I would get so passionate and then so bored and it started tearing my life apart every day for years... but having done research and learning that IQ and also having Autism had a huge impact on my diagnosis from my limited knowledge therapist and parents... and I was just a kid... but at 29 I am diagnosed, treated, and have a firm knowledge of myself and my brain... and self-monitoring was a huge part of that. But that feeling of wanting to go back in time and change it all killed me for so long and it led me to be super depressed... but now I just love myself for who I am... I have been alone in my suffering, but I didn't have to suffer... because I was already enough... I already loved myself, but the world told me that I should hate myself...
So just love who you are and what you have now... you were born enough... the old narrative was that you had to prove your worth... but you never had to and not to anyone... not even to yourself... you are part of this beautiful symphony of sound in this tiny, but vast universe. You are forced as a hunter brained person to live in a complex society, with traumas misunderstandings... but you are here now and you are enough, it is about forward thinking with loving yourself every step of the way. I hope that makes sense... it's the one thing that helped me to not give up ever again... and that was to truly love myself and cherish every second I have as this type of human, with this type of brain.
I was nodding and smiling the whole way through reading that, thanks dude!
I'm 43 and have my first diagnosis appointment on Friday. I am hoping so so much for the diagnosis and medication. My life is in shambles and has been since the beginning. Always had anxiety and depression throughout my life but also very very clear trauma and PTSD from growing up in a threatening abusive family environment. Only last year I learned more about executive function, social anxiety and depression being comorbidities with ADHD and it just clicked. I spent years with productivity porn, how to change habits, be more focused, organized, setting goals that can be accomplished, and nothing ever stuck. If the next 43 years play out like the last it's a total waste of a life. I weep even watching this and reading other's similar experiences upon being properly diagnosed and medicated. I think and really hope I'm done with regrets. I just want to lead a life, look positively into the future. Trauma therapy is of course still needed and I found a therapist I finally trust and can work with. I just hope ADHD meds let me actually start DOING life and facilitate so much of the needed change. Good luck everyone coming through here on a similar journey. Know I'm weeping with you full of hope.
I “diagnosed” five years ago at 61. I knew I had ADHD, in 1974, when I read an article on Scientific American about it being add to the diagnostic manual. And in the late seventies when they first started using stimulants like Aderal for treatment, I tried hard to get meds. But, I was living in Vegas, and all I got was a note in my records that I was drug seeker, and antidepressants….
Five years ago I was once again having trouble at work, and saw a psychologist, who diagnosed ADHD, and recommended I see a physician about a prescription.. Saw my GP, who had raised two ADHD sons, after about thirty seconds she was ready to give me a scrip. We tried a couple of different meds before landing on Stratera.
If I could have had this in my teens, I would have gotten a PhD.
Oh but this has just made me burst into floods of tears. I too have never reached anywhere near my true potential and have felt that my intelligence and talents have been trapped inside my head all these years. It’s heartbreaking how many of us older neurodiverse population have lost so much of our lives. But I’m optimistic that the tide is now turning.
Just waiting for my blood pressure to come down and a heart scan to confirm I’m ok to take the meds. 🤞🤞
Thank you for sharing your experience ❤
I am a 50 yr old male and I think I may have ADHD. After watching a few videos, I am learning I have the symptoms. I am afraid to go to a doctor. I am afraid to admit that I real do have it. I cried after reading these post. I just want to be normal like everyone else. Thank you for being open in the public. You kind of gave me the courage to make an appointment. Thank you.
@@DamonDudley Look for a doctor, probably a psychiatrist, that specializes in ADHD and make the call. As described in the video, you will know after the first pill whether you have ADHD or not. Even if you don't find medication to be useful as a long term tool, experiencing a more or less properly functioning brain will be revelatory.
@@annabelcleare138 As a late in life diagnosee, I have a formula I use: Actual Potential = Measured Potential - ADHD. Standardized tests are probably our worst enemy. We often perform very well because of the novelty and tight focus of the testing event. We can't live up to this level in day to day reality.
The biggest problem I have with all of this is how ready people have been to see the consequences of my struggles and declare character flaw. How quickly they told me I wasn't living up to my potential without providing any tips on how to do that. It was a revelation that people assumed I was CHOOSING not to understand simple concepts because I could understand complex concepts.
Two things I think are very important. First, we have to define what achieving our potential means to us. Second, we have to forgive ourselves. This isn't our fault. To be completely ADHD about this, I'll add a third point to my two things :) Our ADHD lives have led us not to trust our own judgement. This isn't wrong but it does leave us particularly vulnerable to gas lighting.
@@DonSambrook That point about being more susceptible to gaslighting really hits home because of course that's true.
All my life I've wondered what's wrong with me? Why is it so easy for everyone else to go about their daily lives so effortlessly? I can really relate to everything you described as well as reading others experiences. It's time to get diagnosed. My denial of having a "disability" led me to be scared because deep down I knew somethings not right . I didn't want to be treated differently than everyone else but have come to realize over the years that that's the divide I have been dealt...I need quiet in my mind to lead me to a manageable life full of striving for success that I know I can be capable of in all facets. Thank you so much for this.
And it works both ways - society expects us to ‘function’ within its constructs, so concessions have to be made by it.
After losing my dad some years ago i suffered severe depression. Got diagnosed with ADHD, spent my whole life fighting ADHD. Also suffered mental disorder. Not until my wife recommended me to psilocybin mushrooms treatment. Psilocybin treatment saved my life honestly. 6 years totally clean. Never thought I would be saying this about mushrooms.
Congrats on your recovery. Most persons never realizes psilocybin can be used as a miracle medication to save lives. Years back i wrote an entire essay about psychedelics. they saved you from death bud, lets be honest here.
Can you help me with the reliable source 🙏. I'm 56 and have suffered for years with addiction, anxiety and severe ptsd, I got my panic attacks under control myself years ago and they have come back with a vengeance, I'm constantly trying to take full breaths but can't get the full satisfying breath out, it's absolutely crippling me, i live in Australia. I don't know much about these mushrooms. Really need a reliable source!! Can't wait to get them.
YES very sure of Dr.benfungi. I have the
same experience with anxiety, depression, PTSD and addiction and Mushrooms definitely made a huge huge difference to why am clean today.
Ive done shrooms last month in my house. It taught me how severely traumatized I was from alcohol. I healed from many mental traumas from my past and was able to forgive, let go. Shrooms to me is a remedy not a vice. I even felt more refreshed the
morning after. So no hangovers. No
depression mood for days. No anxiety.I now
have a more calm mind
How do I reach out to him? Is he on Instagram
I watched this because my son has ADHD and I want to understand him better. He did not do well on the short acting Adderall. He would get so angry and irritable when coming down off of it. He did the same for the extended release also but not as bad. Now he's on Vyvance(i think elvance in Europe) and its has made a world of difference. he started taking meds at 8 and now at 14 he is excelling so much. Our pediatric psychiatrist at the time was like "if you had diabetes you wouldn't hesitate to take medication. It is the same for mental health disorders." Mental health medicine get such a bad wrap but they really shouldn't .
Well done mum!!!
Vyvanse and Adderall are basically the same (though slightly different)
If the time ever comes where he needs to change meds and those become an option again just know that
A) hunger
B) exhaustion
C) rapid/significant dopamine drop
D) headaches/nausea
Could be what's causing the mood swings
Obviously food/nap helps with A&B and sometimes C&D but with C specifically a low dose given around the peak-mid drop of his last full dose can curve that (though this can have undesirable impacts on sleep)
It's also important to remember that the typical circadian rhythm of ADHDers is to fall asleep around 1AM and then wake late morning-early afternoon (with comorbid autism this can be slightly or even dramatically different and potentially unique to the individual) so it's possible that he's literally taking it too early thus causing that biological mechanism to start working before its optimal time (not much that can be done for that in this society without pushing for change and taking children/teen sleep and mental heath more seriously as a society by doing what's best for them)
All that being said good on you for seeking out better understanding and make sure (especially in his later teens that if he stays on the meds he gets the chance to use them for things he wants to do like hobbies and play not only for school and work [that could potentially help with the come down mood swings too but it's more unlikely])
To be fair, ADHD isn’t a mental health condition. It’s neurological.
I just want to say that it's so cool you're doing this research to help understand your son better. I was diagnosed as an adult and it's nonetheless really hard to explain to my parents (or anyone else) what having ADHD "feels like." The research and reflection you're doing now is going to make SUCH a big difference in how he grows up, his confidence, his understanding of himself. Kids with ADHD can internalize so many negative messages from society about what they're "not good at" but I like to imagine that your kid will suffer fewer of the effects of that because of having someone supportive of him in his corner from early on.
@@juneau8457 when we first started this journey that is exactly how he felt. He felt very defeated. Now he's at grade level or above and getting mostly A's. I can't take all the credit. The school that he goes to has been amazing in their support for him. It does show how a supportive team can make a world of difference.
I’ve been taking these meds for over 20yrs. If I “feel” anything physical I know I’ve taken too much. Also, it is vitally important to understand that “pills aren’t skills” and you still have to do the work to get organized with processes that help you stay consistent as possible.
Wow! First time I see someone taking them for so long! Does you body created any kind of resistence against the medication? Have you increased the dose over the years to follow up the body needs?
@@iuripires7285 I could probably write about this particular topic for days but I’ll make it short - yes, my tolerance has ebbed and flowed over the two decades of taking these types of meds. I think it has helped immensely that the moment I “feel” any of these medications I cut the dose back until I don’t. I couldn’t take them for financial reasons very early on, and because of that I made up my mind that I would take as little as possible and put as many processes in place to help me live effectively without them, if that were to ever happen again. Right now, I have 30 mg generic Adderall IR tablets which I break into quarters and take as needed throughout the day. Sometimes I take a whole 30, sometimes I just take 1/4 in the morning just depends on the type of work I’m doing that day, sometimes I take none. I always take at least one day of the weekend off, but, I like to take the whole weekend off as much as possible.
so pills just help you to focus, while you need to work on yourself?? right??
@@saralia2825 Pretty much, yes. The pills/meds help reduce/narrow the scope/footprint of my focus. That provides me the ability to, say, spend the time it takes to create a meaningful schedule for the next day or week. I do WAY better with my time scheduled as strictly as possible…which I fail to stick to more than not! Lol. But, even sticking to half of it is better than not ever having created it in the first place. The schedule part is working on myself, as you put it, the meds help me to do that. Hope I answered you question without rambling too much.
There are some that can notice the effect on people using this drug. It's termed "Speed smile".
I resonate so much with the "mourning" you described. I was first diagnosed in my early 40s (I'm 55 now), and after settling into my meds, had numerous emotional gut-punch moments of "What could my life have been like?"
This is EXACTLY how I feel. I was diagnosed at 31 and I wonder how different my life would have been, even as a teenager thinking that everyone felt and thought as much as I did. It's insane to look back with the 'what ifs'
I was told for years that I have PTSD from military service operations in Afghanistan. Turns out I have ADHD. The first time I ever took meds (Concerta XL - 12 hour gradual release) I was overcome with emotion. I cried with happiness. That's was the day I realised, it was infact ADHD.
My life has massively improved since diagnosis and medication. To anyone that believes they have ADHD, push for an assessment and don't take no for an answer. Good luck everyone ✌️
There's some really interesting studies into military people with adhd - they're fewer than normal because they are less likely to take orders/be consistently organised, but in the heat of high stress situations they excel...because that's how our brains are wired. How was it for you?
Thanks for sharing Mr!
Interestingly, I was always pursuing ADHD dx but that went nowhere for me. In the end addressing trauma is what is helping the most, as I had 9/10 ACE score. May I ask if you had ADHD symptoms prior to service in Afghanistan? Did that experience exacerbate it?
@@welcometothewormholeafter my diagnosis 20 years ago while visiting the Australian war memorial. they had a big display on Victoria cross winners describing their actions and bravery in battle.I came to realise that the description sounded like ADHD attributes for example running into a foxhole with no fear for his own safety and disposing 6 enemy combatant .
My youngest son who has ADHD told me at age 5 he didn’t need to look both ways when crossing the road because he could run faster than the cars.
Did the incidence of ADHD decline after ww1 as the young men with it had all been killed in action .
@@welcometothewormhole
Dr William Dodson once said to me that if were having a rare life threatening health attack of some kinds he would hope every ER doctor and nurse were adhd because it would greatly improve the odds of his survival.
Hyperfocus has been spoken of for decades but there has been ZERO research into what it is. When an ADHDers is in a Hyperfocus state, once triggered instantaneously they are oblivious to what happened just before, they are oblivious to consequence with respect to things outside of the objective, there is no negative self talk, and everything slows down.
I am not being hyperbolic, that an ADHD soccer goalkeeper could watch their dog hit by a car and die. They could be insanely unconsolable. But if they make it to the game and Hyperfocus is triggered they will play as if they never had a dog. Once the game is over they will return to being the wet sack we all are.
When an RSD person is having an rsd anxiety attack, traditional intervention methods do not work at all. What does work is introduce a personal meaningful novelty which will trigger Hyperfocus and with tens of seconds they suddenly act as if they did not have an episode.
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That being said those 20000 additional negative comments and correction can take their toll on an ADHD brain with poorer motor development. There are studies that have shown that ADHD kids who have experienced a significant traumatic event, have an enormous spike in white matter density and connectivity in a specific region under the prefrontal cortex. Neurotypical kids who have experienced an equivalent traumatic event have subtle minor changes that are barely measurable. Is it tied to a broken an ADHDer’s Cortical striata’s amygdala circuit… ie emotional dysregulation? Very likely, however we simply lack the scanning technology to get deep into the weeds on this one.
How wonderful ❤
Love this video, I’m almost 60 and about to be formally diagnosed and I could weep for my lost life, the life I should of had, it’s very sad for all sufferers but especially for the older generation who screwed their lives up and maybe the lives of the people around them too, and all we ever wanted was to be normal and have a regular happy life. Without the drama and the chaos it could of all be so different. Good luck everyone who is struggling
This is me too, I’m 55 and on the waiting list for an ADD diagnosis. I have a genius IQ yet don’t even have a degree or a career to write home about. I could cry for what could have been…
Me too at 76, how my life could of been different. But now I know, I’m trying to move a head and make up for lost time. It’s a shock, and a relief to know.
Yes. I’m 52 and recently diagnosed. I get emotional thinking of what could have been.
There are so many of us. I could never fully settle in school, no matter if the subject interested me. It's difficult to come to terms with living so long being undiagnosed. We have to look forward, and be present. Godspeed everyone.
@ilove catsnteanbooks so tragic to hear 😢 good luck for your future, I hope you find peace
Psilocybin saved my life. I was addicted to heroin for 15 years and after Psilocybin treatment I will be 3 years clean in September. I have zero cravings. This is something that truly needs to be more broadly used in addiction treatment.
Psychedelics definitely have potential to deal with mental health issues such as anxiety and depression, I would like to give them a try but haven't found any legit grower to get it.
@@APOLLINAIREBARTHOLOMIEUI got mine from dr.sporesss
@@eddiejohn8506Is he on instagram?
The Trips I've been having have really helped me a lot,I finally feel in control of my emotions and my future and things that used to be mundane to me now seem incredible and full of nuance on top of that I'm way less driven by my ego and I have alot more empathy as well
@@eddiejohn8506Does dr.sporesss ship?
This is actually the best description I've heard. It echos my experience exactly. Thank you.
Just watching this is making me emotional, it was only at 25 that I found out that people could have quiet in their minds. I've never really felt present, but I never really struggled at school because it all just kind of made sense and I never needed to revise. I never considered I might have attention issues because I didn't have the struggles at school that would've highlighted that. Got to uni and it all fell apart, once things required that extra mental effort, concentration, self discipline etc. Lectures were hell, deadlines constantly crept up on me, and the inconsistent timetable got the better of me. I'm now on the waiting list for an assessment. I'm not certain it's adhd, but I'm hoping that it will at least put me on the right path to finding the answers and solutions I'm looking for. Im so happy for you that you've found yours
After a year at uni, I just slipped to the wayside and left. The demands exceeded my capacities, but I didn't know it at the time and just thought I was a dropout and a failure. What a crazy life it's been!
I relate except for me it all started falling apart at 6th grade, the sudden change was to much for me to handle for some reason (in america 6th grade is from elementary to middle school idk how it is elsewhere). I am a sophomore in highschool now, undiagnosed, but i am determined to seek professional help asap. I need to live my life to the fullest, without a fogged mind, and i am not going to let my mind get in the way of me being successful in life. Whether I have adhd or something else.
Totally agree with this. I feel that one thing that isn't discussed enough, is that there is often a "honeymoon" period with stimulant medication, particularly when you've never tried it before. I was utterly flabbergasted the first time I tried adderall, but within a few weeks, this gave way to cycles of hyper focus, loss of sleep, and sickness. It took me a loooooong time of trialling and experimentation with a good prescriber before finding a med that worked for me in the longer term (Dexedrine is a godsend). Good luck to everyone who is still trying to find what works best for them!
Yes! That's why titration is so so important, and not to knee jerk react when starting things like this. Well said!
Hi Robert, I am going through a similar process. Adderral (generic) started off great, but noticed it was causing insomnia. This is unacceptable to me, because sleep is so important! I am thinking to just give up on meds. Would you mind sharing what you ended up taking that works for you? 8:24
@@ericajacknin4828 Absolutely, Erica. I worked with my psychiatrist to trial just about everything (Ritalin, Concerta, Strattera), and we landed on Dexedrine (probably because Vyvanse is not in formulary for my insurance). Vyvanse is the pro-drug of Vyvanse, meaning that it breaks down into Dexedrine after ingestion. Currently, I'm on the Dexedrine Sustained Release, usually 15mg-20mg for most days (probably 5 days per week). I''ve never had an issue with insomnia, but very much did with some of the others, particularly Concerta. I sleep 7.5-9 hours per night on average, medicated or unmedicated. Some prescribers are a bit ware to prescribe Dexedrine, as it has a reputation as being more habit forming. It's all R-isomer of amphetamine salts, while adderall is about 80% R with 20%L (left handed isomer) mixed in. My understanding is that the L was only added to make it less habit forming, not because it works better. If I remember my pharmacology correctly, the R isomer (Dexedrine) is more centrally acting (brain), while the L isomer is more peripherally acting (rest of the body). For me, Dexedrine is everything I'd want in a stimulant (better executive function, time awareness, attention regulation) with none of the things I don't want (irritability, insomnia, racing heart).
@@ericajacknin4828after 8 months did you try it (Dexedrine) did work for you?
So happy for you that you found this calm. It is so nice to complete tasks calmly and not have racing thoughts interfering. Best of luck with your calm journey.
Thank you for putting my experience, including the grief of what could've been if only it had been discovered, into words.
I’m about 3 weeks into taking Vyvanse after getting my diagnosis (at age 37) - and a lot of what you just said is exactly how I feel when taking the meds. The “decluttering” of my brain, the calmness, the dulling of my anxiety, and the ability to zone in and get things done has been honestly amazing.
I started mine a couple weeks ago and the benefits are already going away. what dose are you taking?
Is there any side effects??
@@nhr27 I was instructed to try 1 x 30mg capsule a day for two weeks (on work days) and then 2 x 30mg a day for the following two weeks. I’m almost at the end of that second two week period. Definitely noticed a difference between 1 and 2 tablets - I feel like this past week and a bit I’ve been the most productive at work I’ve ever been.
@@refayethossain9331 I honestly haven’t noticed any ongoing side effects. On day 1, I’ll spare the gory details but I did have a toilet-related side effect, but it didn’t occur again after that first day. On my first day of having 2 tablets, I did notice a tingling sensation in my fingers when they kicked in, but again, that has not happened again since.
@@refayethossain9331 I used to take Vyvanse, but stopped due to the side effects. Most ADHD medications work by limiting the reuptake of certain neurotransmitters, and once the medication starts to wear off, all of that floods the brain.
I would get such bad headaches that I was is effectively useless until I took another dose the next day. Another side effect is noticed is that my emotions were suppressed and I still haven't recovered fully, even though I stopped taking Vyvanse 10 years ago.
When you see people say that "ADHD meds are legal cocaine" this is absolutely true. The chemical composition is extremely similar.
I’ve on ADHD medication for 2 years now and, although it has made it easier for me to organise my thoughts, sadly I never got to experience the ‘Silent brain’ it gives to so many of us. What it has done for me, however, is to give me a giant boost in my exec function, in particular to start and sustain effort in tasks that are boring to me. It has taken a lot of the ‘dread’ away.
I'm only 2 days into my meds, but this is my exact experience so far
This is my experience as well. I wish it quieted my mind
I agree with much of this, i can function, focus, avoid mistakes, less forgetful, and wake up early to long days excited about making the most of them, and for the first time ever have hobbies (rather than keep the room dark and sleep the day away, shameful and anxious because I was avoiding being productive - paralysis.) I have a lot less voices, but they are still there, and over thinking and stress /anxiety always trying to do more (at work). I know I do this to myself, it's the hardest thing to stop doing "too much" for too many extra hours at work. Nobody expects it but me and i continue to drain myself unnecessarily. I feel like I'm always trying to outrun the dragon. So it keeps me anxious. I think if i can stop that my anxiety will lessen as it did when i first got on adderall. It was a miracle and for the most part changed my whole life for the better. I think I'm subconsciously trying to prove myself TO myself after 56 years of failure and shame, despite so much grinding just to get through the days...
@@lisamh9037I totally understand. Am in my room too most of the time.😢
Have you tried meditation? That’s the only way I’ve ever been able to achieve quiet mind, and the more it’s practiced, the more it lingers.
I’m awaiting the final part of my ADHD assessment. Discovering this at 49yrs old was horrifying but the biggest relief all at the same time. I cried the whole way through this video from the moment you said it was life changing. I’m so close to feeling something close to normal. Thank you for sharing this and making me feel there is hope for the future. I wish you a life time of happiness and medication.
Psychedelics are just an exceptional mental health breakthrough. It's quite fascinating how effective they are against depression and anxiety. Saved my life.
Does anyone know any good source to get them? I put so much on my plate and it definitely affects my stress and anxiety levels, would love to give shrooms a try.
Yes, dr.sporesss
Dr.sporesss is the best, he's been my go to for anything psychedelics.
Is he on instagram?
Yes he is. dr.sporesss
As someone who is 56 and just diagnosed with ADHD I really enjoyed this. The only medication I be tried is the Vyvanse. I allowed myself an hour to think of what could have been then moved on. Now I only think of the things that are possible now.
We only have today. The past has gone the future has not yet happened. I wish you all the good stuff. X
56 as well, and 8 months later I still haven't told any family or close friends. Part of me thinks they wont understand and the other part is I don't care. I know it is helping, I'm happier, much calmer, not as intense, don't interrupt conversations and I think people enjoy being around me more than before. I think I'll ask if I can try Vyvanse and see if there's any difference to Adderall XR
I'm 56 too. Struggling because of shortage and can't get itfor 3 weeks.
It has affected my work, impatient and easily frustrated. 🙏 all
@@jonburtness9313 Just a reminder, it's more than likely to run in your family.
@@jonburtness9313 do try that. They are very different. I have had lots of Adderall ER in the past. But I far prefer Vyvance now that I’ve taken it. It doesn’t even feel like a stimulant to me, since I associate that word with an adderall type nervousness. But Vyvance stimulates creativity and productivity, and being in the moment, wasting no energy physiologically, it seems to me.
It really is life changing.
I think the important thing that getting these medications as an adult is much like he said.
Perspective. They don’t solve ADHD. But they show you how other people might be experiencing the world, and give you a few brief hours where certain tasks seem manageable for the first time.
It is tear worthy.
I'm getting teary reading the comments. What a waste of my whole life. Which would be fine and easy to forget if the residual effects of guilt, shame, humiliation didn't cause the anxiety and depression. But that's better too, just gonna take time and effort on my part to forgive myself and my goofy brain, I guess. But the diagnosis explained it all, and for that I am grateful, even if it came at age 57. It was a cloud lifted and so much relief
You could just meditate instead
@@lisamh9037you’re probably just high on amphetamine
@@MeatCatCheesyBlastersounds like someone who doesn’t have ADHD.
I tried meditation numerous times. It helps no doubt, but is in no way comparable to medication. The effects aren’t really comparable.
Meditation is another tool in the toolbox. One I’m happy to have, but I wouldn’t give up my medication and expect meditation to be as effective as it.
@@MeatCatCheesyBlaster which is much harder than you think when you have ADHD.
As you mentioned, I can only imagine what my life would have been like if I was diagnosed when I was younger. I wasn't diagnosed until I was around 39yrs. I also remember when I first was prescribed meds and I had a very similar experience to yours. I'd never felt so much peace and focus ever before in my life. Part of me felt this wonderful peace and control and for a brief moment I felt a bit of sadness and anger that I was just now discovering what life could have been like... Thanks for sharing your story!
I remember the first time taking the long term pill. Can't say enough just how much relieve it has brought to my ADHD life.
I’ve just recently been diagnosed at age 43 and I get the strong emotions. It was crazy to realize just how much harder things were for me than a neurotypical person until they weren’t as hard.
"I'm better to deal with the world". I feel that! You described my experience with the meds very good.
Thanks @simso - I may be being a little self ableistic here - as I'm fully aware my best head space is when I don't feel the need to “fit” with the rest of the world, but for now, I'm working with what Ive got. Wouldn't it be amazing of we could just “be” and not feel the relentless need to self flagelate just because we act and think differently, and all the guilt that goes with that❤️
@@welcometothewormhole I actually prefer myself with meds. Besides having a clear head and the ability to thing straight, I am physically much more safer as for example I do look before crossing s street and not just walk into the traffic and notice what I did only when cars have to break abruptly.
And I have more examples like that, once I almost lost an eye...
Oh, and I'm also way better with money now. :-)
hehehehe - my wife is the same with physical safety - the amount of near misses I've witnessed is staggering....and then there's the unusual amount of bumps, scratches, falling off wing mirrors and red lights she accumulates with cars. How did you almost become a pirate?!? Money is a terrible issue for me...well, it was when I had any - it's so sad looking back at the impulsive damaging events...if I'd had diagnosis, meds and more understanding I know these would have been often better avoided.
@@welcometothewormhole I needed to get a plastic container from a high cupboard. I couldn't reach it. I grabbed the next thing I could find, a knife, hold it with the tips of my fingers as I tried to pull the container with it. Of course the knife fell from my fingers, as I was barely holding it, rotated 180°, with the tip in the direction of my face. It missed me by a few centimeters. Only at that point I realized what I was doing and how dangerous and stupid that was.
What your wife is experiencing sounds very familiar. I'm also always covered in bumps and bruises 😅 but the very dangerous things are better with meds.
Hope she is safe! ❤️
@@simsoThe2nd same, i definitely prefer myself on meds because it's like i'm back to my old self before my mental health totally spiraled. my old buddy even said i seem like myself again.
Thank you so much for this video. I am someone who struggled all my life and resisted telling people about what living with ADHD was like. I was also acheptical about medication but was strongly encouraged to try. Your description of the benefits (and negatives) of medication is so accurate and consistent with my experience. Thank you.
Hey there! Just embarked on my ADHD diagnosis journey, and your videos are an absolute game-changer. The emotions hit hard, especially during your talk on the impact of meds. About to hit the big 5-0 and finally exploring ADHD diagnosis. It's got me thinking how different life could've been if I knew about this earlier. Always assumed meds were off the table after 18, but realizing there's hope post-18 is a game-changer. Your videos are injecting hope for a more focused and fulfilling future. Thanks for sharing your insights! Can't wait to binge-watch more of your channel. Keep up the fantastic work, and those glasses are a vibe! 🙌
Wow. As an undiagnosed 41 year old this is eye opening. I've always felt "I don't need drugs I just need to work harder" But then I get overwhelmed at a small task I haven't completed in weeks or even months and fill with frustration and anxiety, get overwhelmed and just stuck in this state where I can't do anything. Maybe it's time.
I'm writing a video as I type (distracted by comments hehehe) on exactly this! There's some really eye opening science behind it. Once I understood why I just can't do these seemingly easy small tasks, from a neurodevelopmental level, I began adopting a different approach. Did you know that our already fairly inactive pre-frontal cortex (the thing responsible for focus and attention and all the life stuff) literally become even more inactive when we 'try harder'. Sigh! And we wonder why we're always feeling that we're catching up, two steps behind and increasingly demoralised, depressed and anxious when trying harder doesn't work. Thanks Jason for the comment - these are the thing that is feed my brain the dopamine it needs to keep going :-)❤️
Do it! I'm 48, and I feel like I just started a new life. Aside from the immediate improvement of symptoms, the most profound effect is that I stopped telling myself exactly these messages. Decades of shame and self-recrimination made obsolete by the overwhelming evidence that this was never about me not working hard enough. On the contrary, I was working harder to achieve the same.
Bro, I took medication for the first time at 36. It's been life changing. I wish I had known way earlier in life. Don't punish yourself, try the medication.
Do it now or you’ll be 60 like me waiting for an official diagnosis, yore still young and maybe treatment will change your life. You might get the happy ever after too 😊
You are a perfect candidate for these type of drugs. Your perspective on working harder is right on. What this does is allows you to work harder on one thing at a time. People that think these pills are going to do the work for them are the ones that get into tolerance issues, etc.
The first time I ever touched them, my friends were doing it recreationally and I decided to give it a try. They were acting crazy afterwards but I was feeling and thinking clearer than I've ever felt!
I got my diagnosis last month at 47. Your video was comforting and encouraging. Bless you 🙏❤️
I can see how calm and relaxed you are . Lucky you😊
The grief you describe from your first dose was also a real thing for me. I'm about 10 years older than you, and what has helped me is the knowledge that when we were kids, the meds were not as good and the effects were more severe and the meds less well tailored (the zombie effect you describe later). So hopefully this knowledge helps you with the grief. It did for me. And having been on meds for a year now, the ease, for lack of a better word, with which I can do tasks and focus on them is truly remarkable. I never want to be without the meds.
Thanks Davis. I Think that the grief and those feelings of what could've been will always be there, especially when I ruminate, but it is getting a lot better. I'm not trying to put a positive spin on things, just trying to see it how it is - that actually, I now have a much broader view because I can recall the times before and after diagnosis❤️
This does help. I ignored a psych referral in 1997 for ADHD assessment (a rare thing back then for them to look for it in a girl) and went overseas instead. I'm glad I chased dopamine hits for so many years but there was still this feeling of grief he described in the video when U realised what my life could have been like . I did used to buy ritalin from friends to get essays done but maybe I would have missed my 20s and 30s as a zombie so maybe late diagnosis is ok when I think the meds are much better.
Very similar to my experience. I haven't received a formal diagnosis yet, but my doctor and I thought we'd try vyvanse because it's crosslisted for depression. "It might take a couple of weeks to see the effects." More like a couple of hours. I'm 48, so I also share the sense of grief for what the last 40 years could have been. Unlike SSRIs and many other drugs used for mental health symptoms, stimulants don't really have a trade-off where you take the good with the bad: I get to keep the ADHD superpowers but the problematic parts are suppressed. It's a very simple, safe, and well understood drug, in use for almost a century, with some clever design upgrades to achieve the slow release, steady dose.
Spot on!
Thank you for that. seems worth trying.
Thank you for sharing. Everyone in my immediate family has ADHD and one has autism. I am the only neurotypical (as far as I can tell). Your description has helped me understand. My husband's diagnosis at around 40 has been life changing. He went from constant nearly paralyzing anxiety to appropriate situational anxiety. It has made all the difference in our marriage as well.
all of my family members (on both sides) have one or the other...or both, except my sister
This clip was amazing! My experience was very much the same first time I took my meds, unfortunately things weren’t going so well when I started them, but that was my reason for seeking help in the first place.
Thanks for this mate, you summed a lot up in ways I couldn’t put into words!
I’m convinced I have ADHD. I relate to everything you’ve said here and I can almost imagine that euphoric feeling of the mind racing, poor concentration and over thinking disappearing! It really affects so many parts of your life.
...and that only scratches the surface....there's so many deeper internal longer term impacts...it's like putting on glasses for the first time. Without anything to compare you just walk around slightly blind and never realise this isn't right.
Unfortunately I had a very negative experience. How I ended up a fentanyl addict because that's the only thing that gave me focus and energy without the suicidal thoughts and an immense feeling of doom.
I've started recently, and it's good to go in with an open mind and be honest with yourself, you don't want to set your expectations to far in either direction before taking it. I'm finding I still have a long way to go in terms of my habits and thoughts, after being undiagnosed for so long you develop coping mechanisms that are still going to happen on meds becuase it's just how you have always done things. My first day on them though I felt like I just glided into work with a smile, unlike my normal mad dash and panic that's been a daily routine for me. I was extatic, it was euphoric and I had ehat felt like what was the most successful productive day of my career.... and then by lunch it hit the fan and I was having a regular bad day and was frustrated and confused... like what happened? What went wrong? Then of course I realised, it wears of, duh! And I would of been in the come down. It's not magical, and its still tough dealing with ADHD or the side effects of medication, but nothing else I have ever done has made a difference, beside taking mediation.
I have a feeling that Autism Spectrum should include ADHD if it doesn't already.
@@nettlescats3796it does
I was diagnosed at age 51. It was peri menopause that made it impossible for me to cope and I honestly thought I had early onset Alzheimer’s.
The diagnosis was such a relief. I’m not on ADHD medication but am taking fairly strong HRT.
As a young woman I started hormonal birth control at age 15, and was suddenly able to complete my school work, but was quite behind by then.
My life has definitely been an adventure! Although it would have been nice to get a diagnosis sooner, I’m not wondering “what could have been.”
I’m so glad that younger people are catching it early and succeeding in their lives. I’m not even sure that the experts ever thought that girls could get ADHD back when I was a child, so no point in ruminating about it now.
I was just diagnosed at 57 and had the same experience. I had struggles all my life but managed to hold things semi-together (meaning: under-achieving compared to my education, IQ, hopes and dreams, but mostly avoiding spectacular failures) until I hit perimenopause. Then the wheels really fell off, especially with regard to the executive functions needed at work. I haven't yet found the right/best medication for me, but I just started that process last month so I'm still hopeful. Best of luck to you!
I was diagnosed last year at 58 and am currently trying Vyvanse out. (It seems promising so far, even at the low-ish starting dose I'm currently on.) I never even considered ADHD as a possibility until I read an article (long after perimenopause) about women being diagnosed later in life. It was definitely something that was always presented as a "boy thing" and not something girls could have. I can't really envision what my life would have been like with early treatment, I just know there are people I would never have met whose presence in my life I would miss....so I don't mourn that missed opportunity. But enough is enough -- I'd like to maybe spend this segmentt of my life doing something more. ;-)
I'm sorry there are so many of us in this boat, but it's nice to have the company.
I too am having trouble in perimenopause and I'm certain I have ADHD but was never diagnosed. My son has ADHD and he probably got it from me.
I went through the same thing recently at age 59. My comedown occurs about 4 to 5 hours after taking my dose. Not on extended release. The extended release was making me not able to sleep enough at night. All the feelings you go through after you've been diagnosed as an adult and you look back and realize what could have been...it's good to have a counselor. I was diagnosed at the urging of my daughter, who was diagnosed before me. I used to joke that I had ADHD but I thought, "Well, I can read and zone in on some things," which made me unsure.
I just wanna say thank you for this video. My first time experience in taking adhd medication was similar. I remeber feeling the peace in my head and crying tears of joy for what is and grief for what could have been. Perfectly described. ❤
I had the same reaction on my slow release meds when I first took mine 8 months ago. “Is this what my mind is supposed to feel like” had a real sense of joy and equally sadness of what life could have been like. But I love it.
The mourning is a point that hit home, I got diagnosed a year ago, the first couple months I was just excited of having finally the right therapy and the relief after over ten years of struggling with what was basically constant burn out from unmanaged ADHD. And then the realisation set in how much I missed in live, how many things I never learned that would have been so useful
Thank you for this. I’m 44 and recently diagnosed. I also feel that mourning for what could have been. It explains so much in my and life and why “normal” things are always so difficult. Seeing a Dr this week to start medication and see if it helps.
Thank you for sharing your experience. Taking Elvanse I can completely empathize with the sudden calmness you describe. Also, the realization: "Oh, this is how other people feel." And most of all, thanks for pointing out that you suddenly notice other things. I thought I was hallucinating that I suddenly smell things again.
I also cried when I took my adhd medicine because all that stress I had felt my whole life was gone and I could think clear and breath for the first time completly relaxed.
Does it still work well for you? no side effects or wear off? Are you still on it?
@@ahmedmohmed4346 yes it works fine!
I got diagnosed at 37 last year in August. Took about a month to get the right dosage but it's been amazing.
My brain will still go to the "million miles a second" speed if I get excited or anxious over something, but it gives me the ability to reassess and actually control the response somewhat.
My brain never gets that quiet, but definitely better than without the med. Then again, I'm also ASD with hyperlexia type 3 and had a really bad traumatic brain injury at 15. While I've been able to work hard to recover from it, I still deal with anomic aphasia.
Glad the meds have helped us both. Thank you for sharing!
Especially in the US (where I'm from) the access to medicine can be difficult at times. This was compounded by my parents stubborn refusal that ADHD and ASD were real (unless the ASD resulted with an inability to communicate).
Here's to hoping for an increase in access to medicine for those who need it and a greater acceptance from society for neurodivergent people. Our lives are hard enough as it is without those issues making it worse.
Thank you too, Helena! Whilst the health care system is abysmal in the US, the mental health service is shocking too here in the UK. There's a 4 year waiting list in our county for even an initial assessment! Sadly, by the time adults realise what it is and the help they need, they're already at their wits end... and being told to wait four years is just cruel. What a horrid system we live with in the world. And yes, having to deal with an ingrained societal sense of shame, guilt and doubt from people who have no right to their misinformed and damaging opinions doubles the burden. Thank you for sharing - the more we talk and open up, the easier it will get for others (that's my hope anyway). xxx
Helena, I'm so sorry your parents refused to get help for you.
Since i've been on the ADHD journey pre and post diagnosis I can't say I've related to anyone talk about ADHD more than you. Thank you!
This is EXACTLY how i feel, thank you for this.
I've never tried any ADHD meds, but how you describe the effects is the exact same effect as MDMA.
I feel like me, I feel as though I have choices and I am able to articulate much quicker and never stuck for words.
I'm wanting to do an article on this - it isn't talked about enough - it was one of the discussions my clinician brought up as there is some very compelling data around MDMA and ADHD. I could never understand why NTs were bouncing around and becoming 'something else', but I just felt peace. There are some major similarities, but also some big differences...primarily after a few days or at the end of a weekend party 😂
I've never encountered such an insightful explanation of the come down before. The way it affects you emotionally is truly remarkable. It sounds like you've found the right dosage for yourself. My advice would be to avoid increasing your dosage unless it's absolutely necessary. Every increase in dosage will only result in the same feeling as the previous lower dose. Humans have the ability to adapt, and you'll only find the stark difference and side effect worse. Best of luck, so happy to hear its working out so well!
In the past I was always very critical to taking medication but then, there I was, 39 years old and received my ADHD diagnosis following my daughter's one year or so ahead of me. I really struggled with the Awareness that came with my ADHD, which felt like being punched in the face. Despite my doubts on wanting to take meds, I did want to at least give it a shot and initially it turned out to be disaster with major side effects i.e. terrible headaches and just feeling awful, but I gave it another shot with Elvanse and the results where incredible. I would not be able to cope at work without it. Actually there has been 2 occasions where I forgot to take them and I really struggled, really wanting to crawl out of my skin... Thank you for sharing your experience with your medication.
Really appreciated this video. I am 49 and have been diagnosed with adhd about 12 years ago. At the time i have tried ritalin for one year that has really helped. At the time i was told one is only supposed to take it one year and thought process, etc would adjust and no medication would be needed afterwards. I struggled for ten years without therapy or meds and went back last october and am so happy i did. The meds make a huuuuuge difference. I also am more sensitive to things, particularly smells, but am so happy. Daily life is so much easier, i get things done. In addition to medication i see an osteopath and go to see a psychologist about every 3 weeks. Online videol ike yours on the topic teach me how to deal with tasks, issues, etc. so really appreciate our sharing. Thank you.
When I was younger, my ADHD felt like audio and visual trainwrecks every moment of the day and because I couldn't quiet my brain down (ever) and insomnia was always frequent. It took quite some time to get used to the medications because my brain existed in hyper mode/thinking, and now was experiencing quieter, slower thinking/hearing; ie. perceptions, environmental cognitive UNDERSTANDING.
I could then appreciate the momentum of creating daily tasks, and start-to-finish them in a process where I didn't feel, think, behave like I was out-of-control. After awhile, I started sticking to a consistent bedtime and found actual sleep!
I used to wonder if I was the only person I knew of that experienced ADHD because I DID have friends when I was a kid, however, I was often teased as being a weirdo because I didn't respond with thinking that made sense to others around me. Family even gave me a T-shirt that said, "No one understands my ADHD... Oh LOOK, a chicken!" The difference between the two perceptions of reality is night and day. For me, it has helped.
I absolutely have seen the flip side of people taking insane doses illegally, and/or abusing the prescriptions. Like any other medication not prescribed for your body and that med not being under constant observation by a professional Dr., it's very dangerous. That being said, I did try many different ways to get a handle on the ADHD, and honestly, getting to the correct dosage took a few years to get right. Some of the prescriptions made me tweet out, shake, up my blood pressure, lose sleep and did everything BUT HELP.
I was lucky to find care provider that was willing to work with me for as long as it takes. I also had a TON of healthy/honest feedback and love from friends and family. 🙂
I was diagnosed 10 years ago (aged 43), and finally started a med that worked for me a few weeks ago. Working used to be so difficult, but now my workday just flies by. At the end of my day, as I’m filling in my timesheets, I don’t have any trouble filling in my time - I’m not just sitting there wondering what I could possibly have done all day. I’ve felt the same thing you did: I am painfully aware of how different my life could have been if I’d been on the meds since I was a kid. Life could have been much easier.
My partner’s just been diagnosed with ADHD. He felt so much relief about it. I found your video by accident today and I sent it to him as I thought it might help. We’re currently waiting for his medication to arrive and he’s quite impatient to get started.
I’m hoping he’ll have a similar experience to you, fingers crossed
Thank you brother! I can 1000% relate! What you say is EXACTLY how I experience it. I was diagnosed 5 months ago after my marraige broke apart. It has been a life changing thing!
Thank you for sharing your experience. I am newly diagnosed at 63 years old. I'm looking forward to getting medication and to see how the other side lives. It makes me sad to know how much time has been wasted, but hopeful about the future
I think the mourning is a natural part of it...now...i don't think I would have it differently. The experience and comparisons it's given me are truly invaluable...theres added insight which others just don't have x
I was just diagnosed and experienced Adderall for the first time earlier this week and like so many people here, tears. I loved being able to think so clearly, or solidly pay attention to my husband as he spoke with ease. Now I can actually sit down and do what I desire to do without feeling the impulse to get up, check on my husband, the dog or something else. It is such a relief.
Thank you so much for sharing your experience ❤ Also, your glasses are very trippy!
best description ive heard and helped me better understand my own experience. thank you
Thanks Nick!
Wow what an amazing post.
Having been recently self diagnosed at 62 was interesting to listen to what you had to say. Having to adjust to what I've always known all my life, but never knew if that makes sense!
Learning to adapt or understand some of the things I do doesn't necessarily make them go away but bring to my attention. Such as over speaking too much, forgetting appointments, replying to msgs etc. The usual suspects of traits as I call them.
Am going through the process of getting diagnosed, not so much as I can put a label on myself or a pigeon hole. Maybe so that I can confirm something which I've been all my life. As you went through the elation & sadness , I have reflected on certain moments in my life where I know it was due to adhd( mainly relationship wise) family & personal.
The other stuff such as name calling & finger pointing ...
To experience what it must be like to shut my brain off & be able to do things without all the procrastination & excuses I constantly go through. Being able to finish a project for once would be nice & a sense of normalcy. Not having anxiety would be lovely, as thats become like a shadow self of me & the older Ive got the worse it is.
I'm not an advocate for taking meds personally as I prefer the natural approach to healing. However I have tk balance things out , good v bad, like you & others have mentioned the side effects & being sensitive to pretty much everything, I'm wary of that part, of chemicals in my body & the dependency of taking thrm long term & it's effects on the body! So does the good outweigh the bad ? What's it like coming down off the meds in the evening or does it leave you wired & then unable to unwind & then not sleep. That's the bane of my life !! That 3.30am ding in my brain that says wakey wakey it's time to get up & do stuff! Then come 8am it shuts down & my brain zones out & freezes. The constant dialogue you explained in a voice bite was mine to a tee & something I thought everyone had! So for you to describe that silence must if been a revelation. Emotional as well I bet.
You came across very calm & level minded & an easy voice to listen to. Thankyou for that as it kept me focused all the way through to the end as I normally fast fwd through some I watch.
I'm based in the UK & have heard its quite a long journey to get the proper diagnosis. How was that for you I wonder ?
Anyways thanks for the enlightening video an actual pleasure to watch & I felt all of your emotions too. 🫂
Thank you so much for the comment. I believe we have to tread and constantly assess the middle ground when it comes to medical interventions and medication. We can easily go to either extreme. For me, a good far outweighs, the bad. I'm not saying it's some great panacea that makes life wonderful, in fact, now that I can remain on one thought and see things with the clarity I never had before, it's led to some pretty seismic shifts in my lifethat short-term aren't great to experience, but long-term, it's benefiting me. Like having the strength to let go of friendships and family that I've come to realise were incredibly one-sided in the give and take department. As long as I take the medication at about 7 am the gentle come down, is at about five or 6 pm. And it simply leaves me back where I started that morning. It doesn't stop unfortunately my brain having that lightbulb turn on just as I'm trying to get to sleep. That's a real bugger still! But then I come to realise that the mornings, even when I'd had an alright amount of sleep, those feelings of being knackered and groggy, and feeling like I'm hung over, or just not normal. I could never understand how friends with children were able to cope or why everyone around me were able to function okay - whilst I was always feeling terrible until about midday. The meds really help there too.
Thanks for sharing mate, I'm going through adult assessment now but it's a long long process in Australia due to the lack of psychologists and literally 6 months between appointments.
I'm hoping I can get the same results you shared and can understand the comparison of "the quiet" vs my normal "noise" in the brain.
Cheers
This brought me to tears. So moving
Such an articulate description. I don't have adhd but you have given me a valuable insight. Thank you.
Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment - that means alot!
This video has really helped thank you, I’ve noticed elvanse to be a lot better in terms of the short acting stimulant, the worst affect I’d say is the decrease need for sleep and lack of appetite, but yes when it wears off you make up for it. So insightful thank you!
Elvanse ? Is it another name for Vyvanse
It would be super cool to have a library of these for different medications, so you could get a really good idea of the subtle experience differences between the different meds from a 1m explanation of what people are feeling
This is actually very comforting, I've been debating trying medication for quite awhile, but I think part of me was stuck in the fear of everyone around me
Well, time for me to get a diagnosis. This video has kickstarted a 3h long deep dive into ADHD and I am now almost certain I have it. This video was very inspirational to me and has convinced me that getting medicated is the right path even though I have previously been EXTREMELY apprehensive about medicating. Thank you for sharing your experience kind sir.
Thank you Jamie ❤ Going to have a video up next week hopefully with all the peer-reviewed research I've gathered into the positives and negatives of medication - it's a slog to trawl through all of it, and all the crap :-) I'm so pleased this has helped you x
@@welcometothewormhole Just got my diagnosis today, guess my hunch was right. A very very special thank you to you sir, as I'm almost certain I would not be on this path if not for you (at least not this soon anyway)
I've been on Elvanse for a couple of years now and being on the meds so long made me forget alot of my coping skills I had before medication.
This has made it almost impossible to be off meds, so please remember to take regular breaks from the meds so you dont end up in the same boat as me.
Bless you all 🙏
Your adorable.
Just watched this again! And I sent it to my other ADHD mate who literally watched it at the same time as me. Which is amazing.
Going to make my mum watch it now!
The most consise explanation ive seen. Thank you.
I’m at the beginning of my ADHD journey post diagnosis. I’m 47 and figured it out 2 years ago. I haven’t explored meds yet because I was focusing on getting my daughter help. Thank you for the information. I took Wellbutrin a 10 years ago for depression and the calm level feeling it brought was incredible but I didn’t want to be on it forever. I think I want to look into it now.
Thank you for this! I've been looking into ADHD meds over the last few days, and this is exactly the kind of experience I'm hoping to have. I'm also finding that it's not an uncommon account, so I'm hopeful it won't be any different for me. I often feel like I've tried everything except medication, so here's hoping it works. Cheers, and have a great day!
Just remember, there's so many types and brands so if it doesn't work well the first go round, theres lots of options. Its a really useful tool once the balance is right :-) Good luck xxx
Such a chill wholesome video I could cry
Well said. You described succinctly, what many cannot say in so articulated a fashion. Thank you
Enjoy it why it lasts. I took adderall XL for around 6 years. First two years it was extremely effective then it started loosing effectiveness, so they tried uping the dose helped for a few months but then back to the same problem. I stayed on it for so long because i felt like without it i could get nothing done. It all comes down to learning how to motivate yourself and get organized. Unfortunately i have stalled and am over whelmed and i recognize what i need to do which is just pick something and get started but i just procrastinate and another day goes by. Exercise helps the most and changing diets to low carb, eliminating the sugar, starch, grain and high glycemic fruit. Sugar in its many forms is the person with ADHDs worst enemy.
I really understand that part about the anxiety almost completely disappearing while on the medication, that was one of the best feelings for me to finally feel like I could control my thoughts and emotions with ease. I was only diagnosed and prescribed medication a couple weeks ago at the age of 22, but the effects are so substantial and instant that it's hard not to think where I could be if I was properly diagnosed as a child when the symptoms first appeared. To be fair, it has only been a couple weeks and I like to tell myself that the side effects are getting better but only more time can tell, my appetite is the one thing I have to constantly keep in check considering I didn't eat much before the meds and I genuinely can't afford much more weight loss. However, I personally think the positives greatly outweigh the negatives. For example, like you mentioned, the juxtaposition of being medicated compared to the mornings and the comedowns are still quite rough but it really gave me a clear image of who I was vs who I am becoming and I'd take the new guy over the old one any day of the week.
I think the hardest part for me was kicking the old habits I used to use to calm my symptoms such as THC and CBD, because while those things did help a lot of my symptoms pre-diagnosis, they are very bland and uneffective considering I'm now using something much more powerful and the interactions I've had with combining the two have only been negative. I also am working on finding a therapist/counselor that can help talk me through some of these issues, and I would suggest that anyone who is getting this diagnosis later in their life should do the same considering this sudden change in perspective and demeanor can be harmful if not handled correctly, and I just want to make sure I handle all of these changes in a healthily manner. Thank you for being open with this video, I know this is something plenty of people have to deal with but hearing your perspective was inspiring and it makes me happy to see people who have found effective ways to handle ADHD using only the medication because it gives me hope that these side effects will subside eventually if given the proper care and management.
Anxiety was always crippling for me. I stil use cannabis but more leisure wise now and also in evenings as I tend to not eat enough otherwise ( side effect of my adhd meds ) so cannabis munchies actually do benefit me. But before I used to smoke weed endlessly in free time because it was a calming habit., now I don't need to. Adhd meds are the best things ever.. im finally able to process things properly.
@MrDmadness that's exactly how I feel and I hope to get back into it. But I was smoking anytime my anxiety would spike which helped back then. I just think for myself a tolerance break was much needed as I get used to the meds and I hope when I do come back to it I can enjoy it again, especially like you said during the evenings when I used to snack the most, I'd love to eat more lmao
Hey, this was 6 months ago, how are you getting on now? I'm about to start meds at the same age as you.
Thank you for this. I have been prescribed meds today for the first time. Was super helpful and reassuring to listen to your experience. Thank you so much
Thanks for this synchronicity. I was thinking about this a few weeks ago, on what adhd meds feel like. Very useful, sir. 👏 Thanks again for sharing
This is what dexedrine felt like for me for the first time. I was diagnosed nearly 3 weeks ago at the age of 28. I'm an early career psychologist whose now had his interest in neurodevelopmental disorders reinvigorated. I typically focus on trauma and general mental health issues, but I'm so determined to help others with ADHD in my position now.
I'm currently training for a DCPsych and finding it so damn tough to juggle with work. I've realised in the past few months through intensive self analysis that I am AuDHD. So much of my life now makes sense as I view it through the neurodivergent lens. So now I'm putting my studies on hold until I can at least verify my suspicions. I don't want to keep playing life on legendary difficulty if I don't have to.
@laiky4373 Yeah, get that assessment done, life doesn't need to be made harder for no reason. Glad you're pursuing this.
Appreciate you 💖 just felt inspired by your comment for relatability purposes. Well done for getting through your studies undiagnosed
@@laiky4373 or it's just that you're doing a hard job, lol
We need neurodivergent therapist badly!!
I can relate to the scenarios of the brain before and after. One scenario is a bunch of people in a room talking. This for me results in decision fatigue. The other is the voice “hello, hello, hello.” Finally you can listen to that ONE voice who has your best interests at heart. The single pointed mind.
Informative and educational. Thank you for sharing your experiences!
Thank you so much for sharing - this was really useful. I am in the process of exploring some neurodiversity issues, including ADHD, and am considering getting a formal diagnosis with a view to getting medication to help with focus and motivation, so it was really useful being able to see the ways in which it has impacted your life.
I tried adhd medication following this channel inspiring me to do so. I have managed to 4x my income and gain a lot of confidence in 6 months on Concerta. I have now hit a brick wall worth the drugs and found that the crash isn’t worth the uplift anymore and there is a clear shelf life for me. The real thing that helps me the most is intense exercise and good diet.. eating breakfast high in protein after doing intense exercise for an hour does as much if not more than the drugs. I would still recommend anyone try the drugs in an effort to improve their life but to also pay attention to how they are effecting them and their moods.
So you are not anymore on drugs? just intense exercise?
My son had his diagnosis last week at the age of 8. His iq is also high (99 percentile visual/spatial, over 90 percentile overall.) Now when I look back I recognise he was trying to explain me what he was experiencing, telling me “mom, inside my head is very crowded”. It literally gave me chills when you described your mind without medication in the beginning of the video. It’s so difficult to fully comprehend how it is for a person without ADHD, and now as a mother I try my best to understand my son and how he navigate through life with ADHD and how I can help him, ease his challenges and support him to be his best through the way to his adult life.
❤️ You wonderful mum!
There's a wonderful video from Jessica over at How To Adhd called, I think, "What I want to say to my mom, who drugged me". She put it so beautifully. Even though her mum couldn't understand or experience her ADHD, her mum supported and held her way of being and seeing the world as equal. And now as an adult, she deeply cherishes that.
We of course will never know what NT brains a really like, but going from a thousand ideas, thoughts and connections a minute to being able to add that filter to be a little more picky with what we want to hold our attention can't too far off, right?😂 Thanks for sharing Hande x
I took two IQ tests, one during the pandemic which said 130 and one during highschool or right after, can't remember now, that said 135..... but living with ADHD I feel like it is 70.
I relate so much with your experience. Especially first experience, how calm it was, how it made me mad and sad about what I could’ve become if I was diagnosed in earlier age. Now, I am very grateful where I am and medication definitely helped me finding out more about myself and who I want to be. One day, I would love to share my experience as well. Thank you for sharing your story and I appreciate it 💕
Well said, my friend!
I have an 8 year old who was diagnosed 6 months ago. He cannot articulate how he's feeling on or off his meds (Ritalin) so whist your meds are different, I find videos like this really helpful as I feel it helps me approximate what my son is going through. Thanks for the video 😊👍
Thanks, Scott. Hopefully there's been a change in his behaviours and moods, and that he is more content.x
I just posted this on someone else's comment but I'm so happy to see multiple parents on here that I'm going to share the same message with you! :
I think it's so cool you're doing this research to help understand your son better. I was diagnosed as an adult and it's nonetheless really hard to explain to my parents (or anyone else) what having ADHD [on or off meds] "feels like." The research and reflection you're doing now is going to make SUCH a big difference in how he grows up, his confidence, his understanding of himself. Kids with ADHD can internalize so many negative messages from society about what they're "not good at" but I like to imagine that your kid will suffer fewer of the effects of that because of having someone supportive of him in his corner from early on.
Scot, please consider a change in meds with your kid, either type and/or dosage. Your kiddo should be able to articulate the difference - something that our physician insisted on when working thru the titration phase of the medication protocol.
++ You *_MUST ABSOLUTLY_* work with a physician (IMHO: preferably a psychologist) that *_specifically works with ADHD_* - most (NOT ALL) generals do not have the training to deal with the early phases of ADHD treatment. Took a lot of tries with my kiddos to get the correct medication and dosages.
I'm 54 and I was diagnosed last june. I try not to think about how different my life would have had I been diagnosed and treated when I was young. That causes a downward spiral. Me on meds is so amazing I can actually do things now.
May i ask what you take? I just getting started. Actually waiting on my insurance to authorize Focalin 10 mg. So i havent even started it yet.
Super informative. Thank you. I'm waiting for an appointment for an assessment. Whether I end up on meds or not I hope I can find a way forward and some clarity like you describe here!
Thank you very much for this. Our granddaughter has adhd, your video helped us understand what she experiences more than anything else. She’s only 8 so she can’t yet articulate her feelings the way you did. Thanks again, be well.
I was diagnosed with ADHD 3 weeks ago. I have a lot of fear surrounding these medications, and this helped.
Start „microdosing“ getting the bodysurf to it and observe reactions first
OH MY WORD YES. Its like i normally have 40 different trains of thought all fighting each other and with my meds its down to like a solid, manageable six. They are more tangible, I can decide what im thinking, and I can follow them back to remember what I was doing, instead of just losing them into the void!
Yeah it’s like constant open tabs… lookin’ to get meds soon to see what’s it’s like
So helpful - thank you so much. Diagnosed in my 60s. Waited a year and hoping to start meds in December. So, looking forward to the peace you describe.
My heart is flooding for you
I love you man ❤❤