4 ms·

As some with ADHD as well, the medication has helped me concentrate, but doesn't do enough for my executive dysfunction on a larger scale -- I still have a lot

As some with ADHD as well, the medication has helped me concentrate, but doesn't do enough for my executive dysfunction on a larger scale -- I still have a lot difficult focusing, inertia required to start a task, planning, organizing, following through with things, etc.. The medication does wonders for my physical symptoms of hyperactivity, which is justification enough to take them in my opinion. However, something I have started to learn about stimulant medications are what I consider its true dangers. It's not necessarily dangerous for one's health, at least at therapeutic dosages, but rather it's extremely easy to become overly reliant on these medications, and if/when you stop taking them, lose access to them, etc. then life tends to sucker punch you back into reality -- a life where you can no longer maintain everything you were able to do, but yet the expectations are still as if you are firing on all cylinders. I feel like I am living out the plot of Flowers for Algernon, and honestly, it's somewhat bothersome to me.

whalesalad 4y ago
I resonate with this a LOT. Been on and off stimulants over the last decade. Just recently gave up 30mg daily XR cold turkey after dealing with too many yo-yo accessibility issues and hating the way my life was being essentially dictated by my access to medication. It's been 2 months now and I am finally starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel, but a substantial amount of my cognitive energy every day is dedicated to just managing my attention and the work that I am doing. It sucks.
- hirvi74 4y ago
  > too many yo-yo accessibility issues Are you talking about issues accessing medication? If so, I completely agree. The system is rather difficult and unforgiving to navigate -- that alone makes deters many from even attempting to get treatment, and I do not blame them one bit. I take IR instead of XR, and I am about to be in a similar boat as you. How bad is the process of going cold-turkey? How long does the Hell that I am in for last? I have serious concerns for keeping my current job without access to medication, but part of me wants to know if I am just being overly anxious and hyperbolic, or if I am actually am screwed.
  - jnovek 4y ago
    "How bad is the process of going cold-turkey?" I think it varies wildly from person to person. When I've quit stimulants in the past it was really just a week or two before I was close to what felt like my baseline. The hardest part for me was the daytime sleepiness.
  - ParetoOptimal 4y ago
    The shortage put me without it 3 weeks. The first few days I had the headaches and heady feeling. Then slight depression at confronting how much harder things were to do a few more days. Back to normal in 7-10 days.
ParetoOptimal 4y ago
> and if/when you stop taking them, lose access to them, etc. then life tends to sucker punch you back into reality Like when there are shortages? lol I agree, but it can help to make sure you focus on establishing habits while medicated. I found that I can retain at least some of the habits after being off medication, though there is extra difficulty.

whalesalad 4y ago

I resonate with this a LOT. Been on and off stimulants over the last decade. Just recently gave up 30mg daily XR cold turkey after dealing with too many yo-yo accessibility issues and hating the way my life was being essentially dictated by my access to medication. It's been 2 months now and I am finally starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel, but a substantial amount of my cognitive energy every day is dedicated to just managing my attention and the work that I am doing. It sucks.

hirvi74 4y ago
> too many yo-yo accessibility issues Are you talking about issues accessing medication? If so, I completely agree. The system is rather difficult and unforgiving to navigate -- that alone makes deters many from even attempting to get treatment, and I do not blame them one bit. I take IR instead of XR, and I am about to be in a similar boat as you. How bad is the process of going cold-turkey? How long does the Hell that I am in for last? I have serious concerns for keeping my current job without access to medication, but part of me wants to know if I am just being overly anxious and hyperbolic, or if I am actually am screwed.
- jnovek 4y ago
  "How bad is the process of going cold-turkey?" I think it varies wildly from person to person. When I've quit stimulants in the past it was really just a week or two before I was close to what felt like my baseline. The hardest part for me was the daytime sleepiness.
- ParetoOptimal 4y ago
  The shortage put me without it 3 weeks. The first few days I had the headaches and heady feeling. Then slight depression at confronting how much harder things were to do a few more days. Back to normal in 7-10 days.

ParetoOptimal 4y ago

> and if/when you stop taking them, lose access to them, etc. then life tends to sucker punch you back into reality Like when there are shortages? lol I agree, but it can help to make sure you focus on establishing habits while medicated. I found that I can retain at least some of the habits after being off medication, though there is extra difficulty.