1. ADHD medication isn’t a magic cure that makes all of your ADHD symptoms vanish, it just makes it easier to deal with them.

2. Stimulant meds will vary in effect depending on the person. Dr Russell Barkeley, a recognised global expert in ADHD, puts the efficacy of stimulant meds at about 40% for the amphetamine-based meds and about 40% for methylphenidate, so about 80% of ADHDers respond well to stimulant meds. For me, I barely respond to methylphenidate. For others methylphenidate is a game changer. Go into it open-minded but without any particular expectations.

3. It’s a good idea to go easy on caffeine, especially in the early days of stimulant medication.

4. Generally ADHDers find that stimulants reduce their anxiety levels.

5. Starting on stimulant meds usually comes with mild euphoria. Enjoy it while it lasts, don’t go chasing the euphoria though.

6. If you have a history of significant trauma then often stimulant meds give your brain enough breathing room to start processing that old trauma, like it or not. This can get a bit hectic for people who have a lot of unresolved trauma so if that’s you then make sure that you have the right supports in place.

7. Stimulant meds will change how you manage things and how aware you are of stuff in general. This is almost certainly going to change your close relationships, sometimes for the better and sometimes for the worse. At its best you’re going to be a better friend and partner because you’ll be able to attend to other people’s needs and be more consistent with coming through for them. At its “worst”, you might come to the realisation that you are being taken advantage of or you are being abused. Just be aware of this.

8. If you are also autistic, auDHDers find that their autistic traits become much more apparent and that they find it more difficult to mask when taking stimulant meds.

9. You will have a lifetime of unhelpful habits and beliefs that you have accumulated over your life up until this point which are unsuitable or downright counterproductive for an ADHDer. Meds make the doing side of things easier but the habits and beliefs will have a much longer lag time and you’ll have to work on those, ideally with someone who understands ADHD well.

10. ADHD meds will give you the ability to focus and sustain that focus, which is wonderful. They don’t instantly provide you with the self-discipline to focus on the most urgent priorities though so you might find yourself furiously researching some historical event or reorganising your kitchen when you really need to be packing your bags for your flight.

11. Often ADHD symptoms and an individual’s psychological response to them can mimic depression and treatment-resistant depression. You might find that if you’re prone to depression that some of this is alleviated by the meds.

12. Overall it’s better to stay consistent with taking ADHD meds even on off-days or weekends because it will make it much easier to establish different habits and a new attitude towards things, however it’s also okay to take medication vacations particularly in the early days as you’re adjusting. My general advice would be to avoid taking medication vacations more than once a fortnight, except where there’s good reason (e.g. you’re sick, you’re having difficulty with side effects, you need to sleep in).

13. You will be able to push through without food, breaks, or sleep. Don’t do that. Schedule in breaks, make sure that you are eating well and getting enough sleep or you will crash and burn.

14. You may find that you have a significantly reduced appetite. Try to have a good, high-protein breakfast in the morning to carry you through. Protein shakes and smoothies are ideal.

15. Depending on what you get prescribed, you might benefit from a prescription that is somewhat higher than your baseline level of need - stress, lack of sleep, poor eating, unusually high demands, lack of physical exercise, and similar things can all make the meds feel less effective or ineffective so having some wiggle room to adjust upwards on the meds based on your needs is Ideal.

16. If you menstruate then you go through a hormonal cycle where you will naturally have less dopamine in your nervous system. ADHDers who menstruate very often suffer from PMDD. ADHD meds can often help relieve symptoms of PMDD however the meds often feel less effective or ineffective so it’s ideal if you are able to increase your medication dosage around your period.

I can talk more about managing insomnia and increased anxiety on ADHD meds as well as second-line ADHD meds if you need the info but that’s likely something for down the track, if you encounter these things.

Edit to mention that I’m also pretty knowledgeable about the less commonly prescribed ADHD meds and all of that stuff as well so if you have any questions about ADHD (not to mention autism, mental health, and medications more generally) then let me know.

i feel like adhd meds are the closest thing to the drug from the movie limitless in real life but i still lose my keys all the god damned time so they’re not magic like the drug in limitless but they actually did cure my alcoholism, do incredible things for my social skills, and helped me move from dysfunctional to semi-functional. it’s a huge improvement for me.

If trying to keep a train of thought while having ADHD is like trying to have a conversation with the person seated next to you while a festival parade passes around you both, medication moves me to a nearby porch or balcony instead. All of the noise and madness is still there, it’s just a little more quiet and feels less oppressively overwhelming, so it’s easier to tune out and stay on track.

i’d love to write you a real detailed and meaningful response as I’m 33 and had the same thing, but I’m in the middle of my work day and have two things to do that are literally due this afternoon by legislation, so i’ll maybe get back to you

I don’t have 1:1 experience, but I think I have an apt metaphor for processing trauma and having clear focus. It’s like if your everyday life were like a musical album, you’d be better able to sit and listen to the lyrics and chord progression from start to finish and recognizing themes from song to song. With horrible executive dysfunction and left to your own devices to cope, it’s like skipping around the song and looking for moments in the song and then listening to the album out of order, sometimes skipping songs entirely. Instead of waiting for the song to pick up, you skip to the energetic part with caffeine and then that has its drawbacks. You’d miss major themes and through lines that life is trying to show you because you’re too unfocused to see the bigger picture.

In that sense, the song that’s playing doesn’t change. In the presence of professional help and meaningful desire to see improvement, I wouldn’t expect you to change dramatically unless you mean to (e.g. I don’t like having to be loud to be funny and now I feel free to use my indoor voice). Your medication endeavors to help you have a better time enjoying the music of your everyday life.

Medication changed my life for the better. It gives me the ability to stay on top of my responsibilities.

It also changes my demeanor. I personally prefer not to take it on my days off work, so that I can let it all hang out and relax fully. I like to be more “myself” on my days off. Some other people (like my partner) prefer to take medication every day.

Prescription-dosage amphetamines are so much nicer than caffeine, there’s no comparison for me. Adderall fixed my sleep schedule. Caffeine makes me anxious and jittery; ADHD medication has none of those side effects for me.

I only notice being off my medication, and Im much more erratic when running chores and more easily stressed out since I feel like I have to keep track of a gorillion things.

Also its basically impossible for me to listen to a lecture I just copy the blackboard and read it later, and if I do read it I find it impossible to motivate myself to start or to keep going.

Ritalin has been a game changer for me. Its still not easy, I cant keep pace with my wife in terms of running chores but I dont take three times as long anymore, unless Im very tired or stressed out but without medication I wouldn’t be able to do anything at all so it’s still an improvement.

My partner got diagnosed as an adult, and she’s exactly the same person on meds than off, only without the executive dysfunction

Like you have been living nearly blind and just put on glasses. Unfortunately it doesn’t feel like that forever but oh man the contrast is insane at first

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I have a friend with ADHD who was diagnosed and started using prescription stuff later in life, predictably I think he’s a lot more evened out. When he was unable to get his prescription filled at one point, he made a joke about putting somebody through a window. They had a pretty good working relationship but it wasn’t a good thing.

I’m suspect I’m undiagnosed, but luckily some weed I’ll never be in short supply of works for whatever is going on with me. When I get a bit stoned I can focus on things things and work on them rather than think about all of them and do nothing.

You’ll be you but like, better. Even when I was on amphetamines or now when I’m self-medicating with caffeine or phenylpiracetam, I still have my symptoms and the quirks of personality that are associated with ADHD, they’re just more manageable and less annoying.

I tried Ritalin for a few months, but I didn’t notice anything besides more anxiety and a sense of dread.

Man I need to look into getting meds. I already see a psychiatrist for the depression but I’ve only come to realize the ADHD recently when my partner started pointing out some of the the things I do. It does sound nice to be able to remember to do things.

Something I didn’t see in any of the other comments here: irritability. Had no idea it was an ADHD thing before I got meds and it’s crazy how much less little things get to me. Or things that would sometimes piss me off but make no sense.

Like oh the sound of your voice is actually just annoying today for no reason and I’m struggling to even listen cause I just want you to shut up. It just doesn’t happen on meds and it’s really nice.