This comic is cute, but I don’t want people to set the wrong expectations for adhd medication. For everyone across the board, it doesn’t work like a stimulant, as in make you faster, but quiets you down and allows you to focus. But you may still be tired or depressed. In short, it’s not a magic pill and you should reflect on the affect it has on you. Some people can take their meds and go to sleep, that’s one way to tell how it affects you.

[–] rhombus 18 points 1 month ago (2 children)

That’s not necessarily true. Myself, and several other people I know, have definitely experienced a boost from stimulants, just not in the same wired way neurotypical people get. Sometimes it feels like a weight off your shoulders that in a way almost feels stimulating. At the very least more talkative.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 1 month ago

Yeah that’s why I didn’t generalize my comment to all people

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

I think the problem is that people are talking about two different types of "stimulation" here.

I think when you say that it feels "stimulating," it's more of a side effect of being able to think clearly and behave like a normal person. As in, the symptoms of your ADHD are inherently related to your anxiety and stress levels (in that it is often the direct cause) and getting rid the ADHD symptoms removes that anxiety.

And as anyone who has ever had intense anxiety can tell you, it can literally feel like a weight lifted off of your shoulders.

Whereas, others are referring to it being "stimulating," in a different sense. As in the medication, directly, gives them more energy or euphoria (which is why there is a potential for abuse for neuro-typical people). For them, the "lift" and euphoria are directly related to the actions of the chemical, not a side effect of actually addressing a root issue of the anxiety.

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