5 ms·

That's interesting to hear about ADHD causing mood swings/anger/irritability and the stimulants doing away with them. Is that a common trait of the illness? I o

That's interesting to hear about ADHD causing mood swings/anger/irritability and the stimulants doing away with them. Is that a common trait of the illness? I only noticed that after I started taking stimulants my temper became a lot more short. It's to the point that I have to be really cognizant of it lest I inadvertently snap at someone due to some biological response (really not good as a leader in an organization).

Gene_Parmesan 7y ago
So I'm not a researcher, just a sufferer, but my understanding is that yes, emotional regulation issues are common with ADHD. Attention-deficit is kind of a misnomer; a lot of doctors now think "executive functioning disorder" would be a better name. Executive functioning is sort of the layer that sits on top of our underlying systems - whether they be behavioral or emotional - and allows us some level of conscious agency over that stuff. Poor executive functioning is why I could never make myself start writing a paper prior to the day or two before it was due, despite the rising sense of panic I would get for weeks. (This is key -- it's not laziness, because good lord did I wish I were able to do the work. To me, lazy ~= apathy, and what I felt was just about the polar opposite of apathy.) Poor executive functioning is also why, unmedicated, it was sometimes difficult to not let my initial emotional reactions just come flying out. It was like there was an express lane between my limbic system and my action system, totally bypassing my ability to control it. I would find myself snapping out something and as it was coming out of my mouth, I would be kicking myself and thinking "Why in god's name am I saying this right now?" Medication has helped with all of the above and more. What I will say is that stimulants also can have a tendency to put some people on edge and increase sympathetic nervous system activity, so shorter temper could be a side effect for sure. If it's affecting you that strongly, maybe speak with your doctor about a slightly lower dose? Or is there a possibility that you only became aware of your tendency to have a short temper once you became medicated? An interesting chicken/egg question; I'm just asking rhetorically, mind, because I have a lot of similar questions.
- vonseel 7y ago
  Poor executive functioning is why I could never make myself start writing a paper prior to the day or two before it was due, despite the rising sense of panic I would get for weeks. (This is key -- it's not laziness, because good lord did I wish I were able to do the work. To me, lazy ~= apathy, and what I felt was just about the polar opposite of apathy.) That sounds like a good explanation for why I've been avoiding studying for something for weeks but feeling guilty, even sick, the whole time about it. I don't know though. It's hard for me to not call that lazy, and I don't think lazy denotes apathy. Isn't it possible to be lazy and still care about a thing? Poor executive functioning is also why, unmedicated, it was sometimes difficult to not let my initial emotional reactions just come flying out. It was like there was an express lane between my limbic system and my action system, totally bypassing my ability to control it. I would find myself snapping out something and as it was coming out of my mouth, I would be kicking myself and thinking "Why in god's name am I saying this right now?" I still struggle with emotional impulsivity anytime I take a few days off meds. Drug holidays can be surreal. Or sometimes they might not be special at all. But I've taken time off before and noticed everything - birds, wind in the air, music on the radio, and it felt so surreal that I broke down crying. Why in god's name am I saying this right now...
  - aidenn0 7y ago
    Stress is dopagenic. You have learned through trial and error that procrastination will help you get enough dopamine to focus. Those habits don't go away even after you find proper medication
- hinkley 7y ago
  Since we're comparing notes, do you find yourself hearing sounds that nobody else hears? Executive function may be involved, but the inability to filter sensory information is a pretty big part of things for many people. When I'm two rooms away shouting "What is the dog eating?" to two people who are sitting in the same room as the dog, that's not about executive function.
  - monadgonad 7y ago
wahern 7y ago
Is that while the medication is at its peak, or more toward the tail end of the cycle? The extended amphetamine release Vyvanse, for example, can leave you feeling tired after it wears off. Especially on "vacations", like weekends or other extended periods, until you readjust. Such exhaustion would likely shorten anyone's temper, but especially someone with ADHD.
- filoleg 7y ago
  All I gotta say, a good specialist will definitely attempt to go through different medications with you, as what works great for some people might have side effects for others. And there are new ADHD medications being released too, some of which end up working fabulously for people who previously couldn't find one that works for them without any impairing side effects.
- khalilravanna 7y ago
  For me it's while it's at its peak. I personally use IR as opposed to XR. This was because I personally have a high propensity for insomnia (to the point that if I have coffee after like 2 or 3 PM I risk not sleeping). So I essentially am prescribed to take it twice a day but rarely go for the second dose. If I do take the second dose I have an insanely productive day but often get no sleep. Back to the topic of the irritability/temper, yeah it's basically when it's active. Afterwards I'm a bit tired but otherwise totally kosher. For context, I am also on a very low dose of 5 mg. 10mg starts putting me on "talk really fast, move really fast" sort of stimulant buzz. 20mg was utterly uncomfortable. IIRC the higher doses exacerbated the positives and negatives: even better focus, even less patience, even shorter temper.
vonseel 7y ago
So, the mood swing thing was something I didn't identify with ADHD until I saw it mentioned in a book called "Driven to Distraction". I can't remember the exact details, but I think in the first few pages the author talks about a patient who was often getting in arguments with his boss or spouse and losing his temper in frustration, and I guess what I took from it was that a lot of his emotional instability was either a symptom of ADHD or stemming from his inability to focus. In regards to your comment about shortened temper on stimulants, I think this is very normal and expected, and I have experienced the same at times. I don't know how to explain it, but I think overall I'm more agreeable than I was before I was medicated. This might be an age thing; I honestly don't know. Maybe I just grew out of it (I was the kid who threw tantrums lol).
- adamsea 7y ago
  I'm reading "Driven to Distraction" now, and it's excellent and very close to home for me.
mcphage 7y ago
> I only noticed that after I started taking stimulants my temper became a lot more short. It's to the point that I have to be really cognizant of it That scans closer to my experience. I’ve been on Adderal for years, and when I started it I learned that I have the potential to get angry much quicker.
nuclear_eclipse 7y ago
It can manifest differently in anyone. My father, my sister, and myself were all diagnosed with ADHD around the same time. My father has taken medication regularly for years without issue, and my sister used it "tactically" for the purposes of doing schoolwork and testing, and would be focused but really drowsy. I, on the opposite end of the spectrum, would get strong symptoms of depression, and a constant feeling of nausea and lack of appetite to the point of being suspected of anorexia/bulimia by my physician. I tried a wide variety of medications throughout grade school and high school, and eventually gave up because they all gave me negative side effects of some kind.
JohnBooty 7y ago
That's interesting to hear about ADHD causing mood swings/anger/irritability and the stimulants doing away with them. Is that a common trait of the illness For me, absolutely not. The stimulants made me crankier and more high-strung. However, sometimes it was a net improvement in my mood because I was getting my stuff done and therefore my stress level was lowered. I use modafinil now which is less effective for the ADHD but also makes me less cranky.
aidenn0 7y ago
I know many people who were more angry with stimulants, especially Vyvanse (According to my wife, I definitely had that side-effect). However, one symptom of ADHD is something my therapist refers to as "explosiveness" which is a very sudden change from not angry to extremely angry and then often right back to not angry. Note that this can also be a symptom of bipolar, and misdiagnosis between the two is why they tend to screen for bipolar before prescribing ADHD meds. This is not what I experienced on Vyvanse; rather my baseline level of "being annoyed at things" was much higher, so it was easier to make me angry.
Nuzzerino 7y ago
The types of medications prescribed for ADHD tend to make one overconfident. They may stop certain variants of mood swings but do they really make you a more pleasant person to be around? My experience and observations tell me that's unlikely to be the case.
- munk-a 7y ago
  ADHD is related to some dopamine dysfunctions which a decent proportion of people correct for with aggression[1] - I think predominantly men do this - since conflict will supply the reward response our brains should have given out for success. So a lot of confrontational people that have un-diagnosed ADHD will actually level out with medication. 1. Sort of a vast simplification, but basically hulking out and raging - maybe physically, maybe passive aggressively, maybe verbally - the form it takes varies wildly.
  - Nuzzerino 7y ago
    Yes, this is pretty spot on. In my specific case, most of the aggression gets channeled toward my work and makes me good at what I do. The stimulants (pushed on me by multiple doctors) almost ruined my career, and my life, in more ways than one! Took years away from me. Any other aggression that happens to be there is just a part of who I am, and taking that away is a bug, not a feature. The side effects and danger that comes with any of those drugs is not worth it in many cases.
afarrell 7y ago
There are subtypes of ADHD. This is not really a trait of the Inattentive-subtype. However, a person grows up: - Being frequently told that they are a disappointment. - Would have succeeded (at something they really cared about) if they'd actually cared. - Being tuned out because they're talking in a way that seems scattered or boring to the listener. Can develop an unhealthy relationship with anger.

Gene_Parmesan 7y ago

So I'm not a researcher, just a sufferer, but my understanding is that yes, emotional regulation issues are common with ADHD. Attention-deficit is kind of a misnomer; a lot of doctors now think "executive functioning disorder" would be a better name. Executive functioning is sort of the layer that sits on top of our underlying systems - whether they be behavioral or emotional - and allows us some level of conscious agency over that stuff. Poor executive functioning is why I could never make myself start writing a paper prior to the day or two before it was due, despite the rising sense of panic I would get for weeks. (This is key -- it's not laziness, because good lord did I wish I were able to do the work. To me, lazy ~= apathy, and what I felt was just about the polar opposite of apathy.) Poor executive functioning is also why, unmedicated, it was sometimes difficult to not let my initial emotional reactions just come flying out. It was like there was an express lane between my limbic system and my action system, totally bypassing my ability to control it. I would find myself snapping out something and as it was coming out of my mouth, I would be kicking myself and thinking "Why in god's name am I saying this right now?" Medication has helped with all of the above and more. What I will say is that stimulants also can have a tendency to put some people on edge and increase sympathetic nervous system activity, so shorter temper could be a side effect for sure. If it's affecting you that strongly, maybe speak with your doctor about a slightly lower dose? Or is there a possibility that you only became aware of your tendency to have a short temper once you became medicated? An interesting chicken/egg question; I'm just asking rhetorically, mind, because I have a lot of similar questions.

vonseel 7y ago
Poor executive functioning is why I could never make myself start writing a paper prior to the day or two before it was due, despite the rising sense of panic I would get for weeks. (This is key -- it's not laziness, because good lord did I wish I were able to do the work. To me, lazy ~= apathy, and what I felt was just about the polar opposite of apathy.) That sounds like a good explanation for why I've been avoiding studying for something for weeks but feeling guilty, even sick, the whole time about it. I don't know though. It's hard for me to not call that lazy, and I don't think lazy denotes apathy. Isn't it possible to be lazy and still care about a thing? Poor executive functioning is also why, unmedicated, it was sometimes difficult to not let my initial emotional reactions just come flying out. It was like there was an express lane between my limbic system and my action system, totally bypassing my ability to control it. I would find myself snapping out something and as it was coming out of my mouth, I would be kicking myself and thinking "Why in god's name am I saying this right now?" I still struggle with emotional impulsivity anytime I take a few days off meds. Drug holidays can be surreal. Or sometimes they might not be special at all. But I've taken time off before and noticed everything - birds, wind in the air, music on the radio, and it felt so surreal that I broke down crying. Why in god's name am I saying this right now...
- aidenn0 7y ago
  Stress is dopagenic. You have learned through trial and error that procrastination will help you get enough dopamine to focus. Those habits don't go away even after you find proper medication
hinkley 7y ago
Since we're comparing notes, do you find yourself hearing sounds that nobody else hears? Executive function may be involved, but the inability to filter sensory information is a pretty big part of things for many people. When I'm two rooms away shouting "What is the dog eating?" to two people who are sitting in the same room as the dog, that's not about executive function.
- monadgonad 7y ago

wahern 7y ago

Is that while the medication is at its peak, or more toward the tail end of the cycle? The extended amphetamine release Vyvanse, for example, can leave you feeling tired after it wears off. Especially on "vacations", like weekends or other extended periods, until you readjust. Such exhaustion would likely shorten anyone's temper, but especially someone with ADHD.

filoleg 7y ago
All I gotta say, a good specialist will definitely attempt to go through different medications with you, as what works great for some people might have side effects for others. And there are new ADHD medications being released too, some of which end up working fabulously for people who previously couldn't find one that works for them without any impairing side effects.
khalilravanna 7y ago
For me it's while it's at its peak. I personally use IR as opposed to XR. This was because I personally have a high propensity for insomnia (to the point that if I have coffee after like 2 or 3 PM I risk not sleeping). So I essentially am prescribed to take it twice a day but rarely go for the second dose. If I do take the second dose I have an insanely productive day but often get no sleep. Back to the topic of the irritability/temper, yeah it's basically when it's active. Afterwards I'm a bit tired but otherwise totally kosher. For context, I am also on a very low dose of 5 mg. 10mg starts putting me on "talk really fast, move really fast" sort of stimulant buzz. 20mg was utterly uncomfortable. IIRC the higher doses exacerbated the positives and negatives: even better focus, even less patience, even shorter temper.

vonseel 7y ago

So, the mood swing thing was something I didn't identify with ADHD until I saw it mentioned in a book called "Driven to Distraction". I can't remember the exact details, but I think in the first few pages the author talks about a patient who was often getting in arguments with his boss or spouse and losing his temper in frustration, and I guess what I took from it was that a lot of his emotional instability was either a symptom of ADHD or stemming from his inability to focus. In regards to your comment about shortened temper on stimulants, I think this is very normal and expected, and I have experienced the same at times. I don't know how to explain it, but I think overall I'm more agreeable than I was before I was medicated. This might be an age thing; I honestly don't know. Maybe I just grew out of it (I was the kid who threw tantrums lol).

adamsea 7y ago
I'm reading "Driven to Distraction" now, and it's excellent and very close to home for me.

mcphage 7y ago

> I only noticed that after I started taking stimulants my temper became a lot more short. It's to the point that I have to be really cognizant of it That scans closer to my experience. I’ve been on Adderal for years, and when I started it I learned that I have the potential to get angry much quicker.

nuclear_eclipse 7y ago

It can manifest differently in anyone. My father, my sister, and myself were all diagnosed with ADHD around the same time. My father has taken medication regularly for years without issue, and my sister used it "tactically" for the purposes of doing schoolwork and testing, and would be focused but really drowsy. I, on the opposite end of the spectrum, would get strong symptoms of depression, and a constant feeling of nausea and lack of appetite to the point of being suspected of anorexia/bulimia by my physician. I tried a wide variety of medications throughout grade school and high school, and eventually gave up because they all gave me negative side effects of some kind.

JohnBooty 7y ago

That's interesting to hear about ADHD causing mood swings/anger/irritability and the stimulants doing away with them. Is that a common trait of the illness For me, absolutely not. The stimulants made me crankier and more high-strung. However, sometimes it was a net improvement in my mood because I was getting my stuff done and therefore my stress level was lowered. I use modafinil now which is less effective for the ADHD but also makes me less cranky.

aidenn0 7y ago

I know many people who were more angry with stimulants, especially Vyvanse (According to my wife, I definitely had that side-effect). However, one symptom of ADHD is something my therapist refers to as "explosiveness" which is a very sudden change from not angry to extremely angry and then often right back to not angry. Note that this can also be a symptom of bipolar, and misdiagnosis between the two is why they tend to screen for bipolar before prescribing ADHD meds. This is not what I experienced on Vyvanse; rather my baseline level of "being annoyed at things" was much higher, so it was easier to make me angry.

Nuzzerino 7y ago

The types of medications prescribed for ADHD tend to make one overconfident. They may stop certain variants of mood swings but do they really make you a more pleasant person to be around? My experience and observations tell me that's unlikely to be the case.

munk-a 7y ago
ADHD is related to some dopamine dysfunctions which a decent proportion of people correct for with aggression[1] - I think predominantly men do this - since conflict will supply the reward response our brains should have given out for success. So a lot of confrontational people that have un-diagnosed ADHD will actually level out with medication. 1. Sort of a vast simplification, but basically hulking out and raging - maybe physically, maybe passive aggressively, maybe verbally - the form it takes varies wildly.
- Nuzzerino 7y ago
  Yes, this is pretty spot on. In my specific case, most of the aggression gets channeled toward my work and makes me good at what I do. The stimulants (pushed on me by multiple doctors) almost ruined my career, and my life, in more ways than one! Took years away from me. Any other aggression that happens to be there is just a part of who I am, and taking that away is a bug, not a feature. The side effects and danger that comes with any of those drugs is not worth it in many cases.

afarrell 7y ago

There are subtypes of ADHD. This is not really a trait of the Inattentive-subtype. However, a person grows up: - Being frequently told that they are a disappointment. - Would have succeeded (at something they really cared about) if they'd actually cared. - Being tuned out because they're talking in a way that seems scattered or boring to the listener. Can develop an unhealthy relationship with anger.