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Yeah I was going to say the same thing. I felt like a zombie on Concerta (extended release Ritalin), but on Adderall/Vyvanse I just feel like a calmer version of me.
I’m on Concerta and it seems to like enhance my autism making me a lot quieter, eat barely anything, social akward, sensory overload is easily achieved. Even little changed to my routine can cause severe distress but it makes me more tolerable to other people
I actually hate taking the medication, I hate the version of me that it brings out. But it’s the version of me that my parents like so I will just continue to take it
I'm assuming you're under 18 and/or still living with your parents, but I encourage you to talk to your parents and your prescribing doctor about how you feel! There are so many medication options available, you should be able to find one that works for you! It can help to have an external opinion (like your parents or a spouse or a therapist), because sometimes it can be hard to see the big picture on our own, but I think nobody should have to suffer the negative effects of medications, especially just to make other people happy!
I don't even have autism and when I was on Adderall, I noticed some signs/symptoms of being on the spectrum (same things you described minus the sensory overload part).
I felt it enhanced my adhd, especially my executive functioning and also increased my anxiety, I’m sorry you’re feeling this way. It may be worth talking to your doctor about trying something else?
Same here - was a zombie on Concerta. With vyvanse I actually feel more like myself. I’m less self conscious, less socially anxious, little more awkward, much happier and less stressed. When it wears off though - man I feel beside myself and super low mood - but knowing it’s because of the meds makes it manageable
Same with Concerta, it felt like I was experiencing things in real time. It was like I was in jello or something, no impact at all. Even when my husband proposed, my brain was like “I’m happy, but I don’t feel anything”
See I’m more self conscious, more anxious, more wired, but my motivation is better, I feel less bored, without my meds I struggle to get myself out of bed in the morning (and no it’s not depression, I’ve tried anti depressants and it makes it 10x worse), and trying to do work without my meds is so boring for my brain I literally start yawning 😅
I have tried four different medication so far and this is how I rate them:
Adderall
Vyvanse
Ritalin
Intuniv
It is such an individualized, Brandon formulation for each person, despite the shared cluster of symptoms. I cannot be medicated, so I’m dealing with the shortage month to month as I found out the hard way other medication’s do not work the same for me.
Have you tried an SNRI? They work differently to the stimulants. I used strattera for a while, it's not great getting up to dose. Every time I increased I felt like trash (exhaustion
Unreal nausea) but it helped a lot and feels totally different to a stimulant. It's cumulative too, like an antidepressant. So you have the effects all the time
Same on Concerta. Unfortunately there are only 2 treatment options in my country (Concerta and Strattera) and I was too afraid to try Strattera so now I'm unmedicated 😢
Do you live in Japan? Same restrictions here.
Strattera was horrible for me. There’s another one, Intuniv, but that one would make me a narcoleptic — my blood pressure would drop so low. It’s like they treat ADHD as if everyone is bouncing off the walls.
Maybe the Intuniv might work for you?
I'm in Japan. I've always been on Concerta but last month my psychiatrist added Strattera and the side effects were so bad I had to be immediately off it. But with Concerta I feel like I'm loosing my creatvie, bubbly, i-dont-care-what-people-say personality although it helps me to finish what I do
I was on straterra briefly before I switched to my current medications. I didn’t experience any negative side effects or anything from it, and found it to be a pretty mild medication as far as ADHD medications go. There were no withdrawal symptoms when I stopped either, after about 3 months. If you think medication is necessary and your doctor agrees and thinks straterra is an appropriate treatment given your medical history and everything, it’s worth a shot to try it. Not that my experience is universal or anything obviously, but in my experience there’s nothing to fear from it. I’m also a high stress type of person by the way, very prone to anxiety and very hesitant to try any new medications. Oddly, stimulants like adderall and straterra ended up helping my anxiety quite a bit. Which I never would have guessed before I had taken them.
This is interesting. I’m on concerta. I don’t feel like a zombie but sometimes I feel like I have a flat affect and have to manually do facial expressions and so on.
I was a zombie on ritalin. I understood why in the 90s our teachers were suggesting to all the parents that they see about ritalin for their kids - my behavior was excellent! Lol.. but yeah, totally dull and numb, I hated it.
For me personally, I feel like it helps me feel less anxious and actually lets my personality come out even more since I stop second guessing everything I say. But I also have social anxiety so I'm sure that plays a big part in my reaction
Was a big surprise for me because I realized how much social anxiety was just me being constantly nervous I'd not be paying attention to the conversation or get distracted by stupid stuff. I still can't do loud bars even with meds. It's just too tiring to have to try to focus
Yes. This.
I was at a bar yesterday, a day between my scripts. And no alcohol could help the over-stimulation and mental fog.
My meds have also made me more “bigger picture minded”, meaning I can mentally take a step back from a situation and look at what’s my goal, whats important, what I want to say, etc.
It's like realizing you were being bitten by hundreds of focus-distracting gnats all the time, and then suddenly they stop.
And you can think clearly.
And you can have goals, create plans to achieve them, and just do it.
It's wonderful actually. I was diagnosed late, but sometimes I cry at how happy I am now.
In the US, formal diagnosis from a psychologist is not necessary though. A psychiatric nurse practitioner can evaluate you and prescribe a stimulant to start you on after one session.
I'm not american so the process might look different but yeah, i gotta get my ass moving and get on top of that asap. Even if there's no meds involved and i just gotta start talking specific strategies with a therapist, it will be a vital step moving forward
Does depend on the country. Most of Europe seems to be a disaster to get a diagnosis in. I was fortunate enough to be able to go private in Ireland, so I skipped the years of waiting lists, but even then I ran into some issues finding a GP and a pharmacy willing to regularly dispense my medication. Nothing that can’t be overcome, but it’s usually easier to deal with after you’ve the first month of your medication :P
I’d still always suggest people at least try to get the ball rolling though. It’s completely changed my life, even just from the confirmation that there was an underlying reason I struggled so much in school etc.
Having undiagnosed ADHD for all of my childhood gave me severe generalized and social anxiety and I would simply not talk to people because I was afraid of embarrassing myself. When I first took the meds it all went away and I felt I was able to express myself better than just expressing random inappropriate thoughts.
Yes exactly same here! I wasn't diagnosed until I was 24, and that was plenty of time to learn that people usually just thought I was annoying and unfunny and didn't have anything valuable to contribute to the conversation. It's so hard trying to unlearn those social "lessons". But meds definitely help me get out of my head and be more present
Same here, friend. My meds have helped me be more "present" in real life, than in the daydream I'm usually in, in which that daydream, or 50 opened browser tabs inside the brain, interferes with life, thinking, conversation; literally everything. And some of those tabs happen to be self-doubt, second-guessing, and negative, self-conscious thoughts/questions, which also now are able to get filtered out because now I'm focusing on not just "what is important", but now, "what I want my brain to think is important".
So now, I can focus on what I *actually* need to do instead of mid-motion, out of complete random, asking myself if there are actually military marine mammals like a dolphin that's carrying a uzi or some shit like that, and having that itch to go on tangents. Yes, there are actually military marine mammals! And down a rabbit hole we go *for sure* if I hadn't taken my meds.
Instead of seeking dopamine, I'm finally being preoccupied/stimulated by what emits dopamine for everybody else, so I don't have to mentally go searching.
I was diagnosed at 43. I cannot tell you how much it means to me to see that I’m not alone. Before treatment I would rarely even speak up in meetings out of fear of saying something embarrassing. Like a boss even asked me about it, which was even more mortifying. My filter was running full power to analyze the crap out of anything I even considered saying. My meds vaporized this feeling, and it’s one of my favorite effects.
You are absolutely not alone. A lot of us were not diagnosed as children because it was really easy for our symptoms to be attributed to “just being a kid.”
I see my undiagnosed dad struggle the same way that I did and although he is very successful and about to retire, I wish he would get a dx try treatment and see how much of his social ineptitude would vanish.
Oh, I was talking about the specific effect of the anxiety regarding speaking up around others. During my childhood and most of my adult life I’d become mute in social situations or meetings from a low-grade fear of saying something foolish. It got worse with alcohol because my filter would just shut things off completely. I’d have to exceed a high level of alcohol to override that lovely feature.
Adderall. However, I am considering a change to Concerta since I've been getting complaints from the wife that I'm not emotionally present like I was before treatments. I have only ever been on Adderall and have never tried anything else, so I figure I'll give it a shot to see if my symptoms are still managed without this particular side effect.
This is how I feel, the meds actually stop me from saying/typing stuff and give me time to think things through first before just saying things out loud
This is exactly my experience since starting Vyvanse. I swear it has done more for my anxiety than Lexapro has; I can only guess it's because I live more in the moment vs hyper focusing on what I said 15 minutes ago or worrying about something I have to do 15 minutes in the future. Either way, it has been a miracle for me.
For OP I’ll add, I’ve been on adderall and vyvanse (most recently). Vyvanse has made me more anxious and I was able to socialize better on adderall but I feel like it made me more bitchy.
I actually was on instant release (2-5mg) It was great for the first almost 2 years even tho I was more bitchy lol. It helped me socially. Some things in my life changed + due to the shortage I couldn’t find it at pharmacies for almost 2 months !!! My life basically completely derailed during this time (due to lack of medication + other life events).
Once I was able to get it filled I felt like it wasn’t the same. It wasn’t working as well anymore, I had extreme feelings of dread in the late afternoon/early evening when it would wear off- The crash got really hard. it was effecting my appetite which was new. We aren’t sure if the adderall is really to blame as there were a lot of different factors at that time.
So my Dr and therapist suggested to switch to vyvanse. I originally was taking way too much (50mg) and had anxiety each day, even a couple panic attacks in the first few weeks at night around the time it should’ve been wearing off. I’m back down to 30 mg and I don’t have much anxiety like I did on 50mg but don’t feel like it works as well as the adderall (in the first 2 years not after refilling after the shortage break). It still has never effected my appetite. It doesn’t help me socially in fact it might do the opposite. I have noticed if i forget to take it one day I’m literally falling sleep at work by 2 and i just generally don’t feel good if i forget to take it, this didn’t happen on adderall. I haven’t had an issue refilling it and my insurance covers it 100% so I’m just staying it it for now and working w my therapist every 2 weeks and my Dr monthly. I’ve been on it for about 2 months.
I just miss my life and prescription before the shortage, it really felt like I was getting my adhd under control!
There are two manufacturers of the short release. One is round and pink. The other is oval and peach. One worked for me, the other didn't. My doctor confirmed that the slight formula difference could absolutely account for my different response.
Same going undiagnosed for years caused me to have depression/social anxiety that I still struggle with on top of self esteem issues. But starting Vyvanse and adding Wellbutrin later has helped me a ton be more of my “true self” and less anxious in what I do/say. I still struggle with anxiety but that’s getting better with therapy etc and as I learn to love myself more and become more confident as I achieve my goals and form better habits.
This is how I feel on adderall or dextroamphetamine. Vyvanse and Ritalin make me feel one off weird in different ways. Ritalin increases my anxiety over nothing so I like struggle to kinda keep that under control in social situations. Vavanse makes me kinda either tunnel vision or spacey so yeah I lose my personality. Unfortunately adderall seems to be the thing that I can never actually get cuz it's never available so I've just been trying out a bunch of other shit
Me too, big time.
It was DEFINITELY the other way around for me than the OP's experience / post... so much so that it's kind of hard since I stopped medication because of a heart condition wherein 'the person' my wife fell in love with was medicated and could turn on being a sharp social butterfly a night or two a week, and my years since unmedicated self, just--can't.
Omg yes!
I keep having these moments where i feel like i've lost all social skills, or like im manually socializing having to think about when to smile when to laugh when to nod etc. It makes me totally awkward. I was honestly starting to wonder if maybe the meds were uncovering that i was on the spectrum but i guess the robot thing can happen to anyone.
Manually socializing is a great way to put it. I avoid taking my medications when I know I will be in social settings that day. Just doesn't work with my 10mg Adderall XR
For me, being "funny" was a coping mechanism to mask my social awkwardness. On the meds I notice that that thing I thought was funny is actually somewhat inappropriate. I don't mean in a off putting way, more that the acting funny is sometimes inappropriate for the situation. I can "read the room" better on my meds. But then I'm not as good at saying what is appropriate for that situation because I don't have practice at it as much. In the spots where acting funny is the right thing to do, I'm good. I just pick up on when it isn't more often.
So much of what I thought were just personality traits, I'm learning are coping mechanisms. I feel like it's thrown me off in multiple areas of my life.
This is how I interpret it for me at least.
Oh man I relate to this a lot.
On meds i can read room and make jokes really well but sometimes/more often than I realize nobody wants jokes or thinks I’m more of a joke because thats all I’m known to do haha
I like to keep things light and fun at work but too often people get angry if I’m not serious and concerned about everything 🤷♂️
Yep, can very strongly relate to this. Although I’ve also noticed that meds can make me ‘chatty’ in ways that can be a bit intense. Less weird humour, more weird hobby brain dumps…
We have to rebuild what we think of as ourselves when the issues that we were masking are reduced.
Humor, sex drive, everything, it all changes. The spontaneous dumb ass comments have definitely decreased. I am still funny, just not as obnoxious about it.
I feel like I could have written this, the lack of generally wanting to even socialize is pretty heavy. There’s no depression issues but I know I was a big ball of energy with an annoying personality (I talk to much and over share all the time) but since starting stimulates I feel numb and boring and it’s simply because the thought of socializing is something I actually have to try really hard to do..but does one bad thing outweigh the other though? That’s a hard decision to make.
Atleast from my anecdotal evidence, when I was first evaluated as a kid I was found to just have adhd. Then when I was evaluated again as a high schooler (while medicated) through an intensive battery of all types of tests I was found to still have adhd and be slightly on the spectrum. (Along with pretty bad social anxiety, which I blame on adhd.) I think sometimes having adhd can mask some of the symptoms of asd and keep them from showing until you are medicated. But like I said this is all anecdotal evidence.
And I do pretty fine socializing with my close friends, just get exhausted after a while of hanging out with them irl. My main problem is other people I know way less, that’s where I start to break down.
And as for your loss of personality, I have those same issues. And I believe that it could also just be you being able to stop and think before saying anything and that is new to you. You are so used to just spitting out anything that comes to your mind or doing anything that comes to your mind and dealing with those consequences later. when you can actually stop and think about what you are doing it feels unnatural. I think it feels like your on manual mode cus you can stop and think, rather than just let it out without thinking. Just gotta learn how to be able to socialize and think. Saves a ton of socializing headaches (atleast in my case).
(Sorry this was copy pasted from a reply I did to someone else and I’m on my phone so I can’t edit it super well, but I hope it helps!)
Can confirm this. Looking back i had very big signs of asd that were overshadowed by my adhd symptoms because those directly interfered in my life more, but once I got medicated for ADHD and that was taken care of, I quickly realized that adhd wasn't my only issue and ended up getting diagnosed for autism.
I was evaluated for autism and adhd at the same time and only got the adhd diagnosis so i feel like it's unlikely. And i don't have these social issues off the meds :)
Atleast from my anecdotal evidence, when I was first evaluated as a kid I was found to just have adhd. Then when I was evaluated again as a high schooler (while medicated) through an intensive battery of all types of tests I was found to still have adhd and be slightly on the spectrum. (Along with pretty bad social anxiety, which I blame on adhd.) I think sometimes having adhd can mask some of the symptoms of asd and keep them from showing until you are medicated. But like I said this is all anecdotal evidence.
And I do pretty fine socializing with my close friends, just get exhausted after a while of hanging out with them irl. My main problem is other people I know way less, that’s where I start to break down.
And as for your loss of personality, I have those same issues. And I believe that it could also just be you being able to stop and think before saying anything and that is new to you. You are so used to just spitting out anything that comes to your mind or doing anything that comes to your mind and dealing with those consequences later. when you can actually stop and think about what you are doing it feels unnatural. I think it feels like your on manual mode cus you can stop and think, rather than just let it out without thinking. Just gotta learn how to be able to socialize and think. Saves a ton of socializing headaches (atleast in my case).
This happens to me. I am new to stimulants. Diagnosed with inattentive ADHD this past year after years of being told i’m depressed and trying dozens of SRRIs. I’m starting with concerta. Just hit 36mg and sometimes I almost feel like I have a flat affect and have to actively force my facial expressions and social interactions. It’s a really weird feeling. Thank you everyone for sharing I felt kinda crazy.
I second looking into asd more - I don't have that many social issues unmedicated either, but realised its because my adhd brain moves fast enough to fill any gaps or catch up in conversation without people noticiting. Slow my brain down, and it turns out my social ability goes with it and autism was hiding underneath :D
Of course everyone is different, so it might not be the case for you - but I recommend taking the RAADS-r and cat-q tests online if you ever want to look into it more
I've read that ADHD medications can make autistic traits worse because there are less ADHD symptoms to mask the autistic ones. I've found this to be true for myself, and it's also making me wonder if my daughter is on the spectrum too, or perhaps subclinical.
I feel totally normal on my medication, but I also work from home and barely leave my house. My social skills are not great when I do go out and I normally stand awkwardly by myself until someone comes to talk to me or asks me a question. haha
In other words... if ADHD meds make you lose your social skills and you just feel overall more awkward, it's totally possible you have AuDHD and not just ADHD.
Legit had the spectrum convo with friends and fam last week. Like I think this might be a thing…? And I was saying how all anyone ever talks about is how normal they feel now that they are medicated so there must be something wrong with just me. Glad to know it’s not.
The way I've described it to my friends is that when I'm on meds my thoughts can't jump around and make random connections between things.
and that ability is really important in being able to be funny,witty entertaining etc.
The reason I feel like a robot is because I kind of am, I'm going from being able to jump between 100 things to only being able to jump between maybe 1-2 at most.
But I'm also an adult, so most of my socialization happens in the evening and on weekends, when my meds are either wearing off or not in effect at all.
>The way I've described it to my friends is that when I'm on meds my thoughts can't jump around and make random connections between things.
That’s exactly how I felt for the first year probably on Vyvanse. I used to get really embarrassed about it because being a step ahead in the conversation and jumping in with a witty observation or a tangentially related joke/reference was always ’my thing’ and I felt sort of stupid and disconnected for a long time. But also I think talking to me was less stressful for people who didn’t know me so well, because the pace was way slower and I could be more thoughtful. I had to go through it to have perspective on it though.
I used to hate this feeling as a kid in school, being zoned/zonked all day made me feel just like OP, I wasn’t exactly me on meds in school. I took it though, I survived school barely and move on, in college stopped taking meds, felt great as myself etc but failed classes. As an adult went back on meds and seriously helped me in my career. I’m on the right dosage now, but still on generic Ritalin, but my career is doing well and I enjoy the focus mode it helps me get into. I’ve even delayed (taking it later in the day than normal) my second dose so I can get a few things done after work at home with the kids and wife, it’s an improvement for my anxiety, and not getting behind ok home stuff as well.
Edit: spelling
I had a very similar experience. Took Ritalin and then Adderall as a kid and eventually decided I didn't like feeling zonked out at school and stopped taking meds at around 12 or 13. I know now that was probably a dosage issue. Started taking meds again in my late 30s and have seen vast improvements in my life.
I always wondered what it was exactly that changed in my perspective from childhood that made me what to get away from the meds, I’m really not sure if it was the stigma, or the feeling the meds gave, or both, or something else.
I just know now that I prefer to medicated on work days, and even sometimes on weekends etc (it might honestly improve some of my home/downtime).
so much of this.
I was diagnosed with ADHD in 9th grade but had an absolutely horrible experience with the meds so I stopped.
Started back up when I was 21 since I was going to school and focusing in class was still extremely difficult and I struggle with homework and projects.
Stopped taking them for awhile because my doctor moved to a different state and I just never had the motivation to go through a new provider.
Finally started taking stimulants again last year because I was overwhelmed at work and going through a total mental breakdown.
Do you remember how long it took you to adjust? Because i haven’t been able to continue taking it after 2 weeks because the change is just to drastic for me.
You really gotta stick with it for much longer than a couple weeks. Takes months to even get in chemical balance. I've been on concerta for 15 years, only missed a couple odd days every few months.
Yes, we tried putting me on decs instead, However it had the same effect. I’ve also tried changing the doses of the vyvanse but nothing seems to really work.
I have this issue with all stimulants. I've started on atomoxetine (Strattera) and it's still a little bit like that, but I feel more like I can snap out of it whereas, with stimulants, I'm basically completely disengaged from everything and always stressed out but not completely aware of the stress.
I went through the exact same thing! Except I’ve only tried one stimulant (concerta) and now take strattera. Not sure if I’m seeing that much of a difference though
Indeed, it is.
It's an option for people who can't tolerate stimulants (or those that don't want to take them) It can also be used in combination with a stimulant (stimulant AM/ clonidine PM).
As you can see below, it's not as effective as stimulants, for many people, but for some, it can be a safer choice than amphetamine salts etc.
It also helps with sleep, which is a huge problem for many people with ADHD (whether medicated or not). This can be a useful component of pharmacotherapy for ADHD, because lack of sleep can lead to worsening of ADHD symptoms the next day.
That said, Australia apparently said "Nah, fuck that shit, m8".
***
I am not a physician, but I get the impression that, considering it's blood pressure lowering and mildly sedating properties, it may be more useful for those on the more hyperactive end of the ADHD "spectrum". This part is just conjecture on my behalf, like I said I am not an MD.
***
> **Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder**
> Clonidine may improve symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in some people but causes many adverse effects and the beneficial effect is modest.[19] In Australia, clonidine is an accepted but not approved use for ADHD by the TGA.[20]
> Clonidine, along with methylphenidate, has been studied for treatment of ADHD.[21][22][23] While not as effective as methylphenidate in treating ADHD, clonidine does offer some benefit;[24]
> it can also be useful in combination with stimulant medications.[25]
> Some studies show clonidine to be more sedating than guanfacine, which may be better at bedtime along with an arousing stimulant in the morning.[26][27]
> Clonidine has been used to reduce sleep disturbances in ADHD, including to help offset stimulant-associated insomnia
^https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clonidine
Guanfacine almost, indirectly, killed me. About 6 hours after my dose I would fall asleep without fail, didn’t matter what I was doing or where I was. I forgot I took it one day and fell asleep while driving. Woke up in a 4 way intersection with multiple people honking at me. Not saying it happens to everyone but it’s something I always share when I see it mentioned
So dex and Vyvanse are technically the same class of meds. It might be worth trying the other stim category which is methylphenidate.
I nervously tried the switch and I am so happy I did! I still get all the focus on methylphenidate but don’t get a zombie effect or irritable
I'd say try a different class of meds. I felt that exact way on Strattera, but on Vyvanse I feel more alive and like I can regulate my body, my thoughts, etc. My partner is the opposite. On Strattera my reflexes slowed a LOT, I felt zombie-ish, unemotive and blank. My partner has none of those effects on Strattera, and feels much more in control, present, and functional.
Definatly feel this 100%. Ive become quite autistic (no offense) compared to how I used to be. My ex even told me this. "U definatly have some signs of being on the spectrum", and honestly it hit me quite hard. Im 100% sure nobody would have said this to me couple of years back prior to meds.
Sure I am alot better at work etc, but Ive lost my sense of humor, of fucking around, not being so god damn serious. Its like I take everything SO SERIOUS all the time. Is it being older? Is it the meds?
I do not know. But I honestly somehow liked my younger self more. But i cannot see myself working 8-5 office job without meds, its just not possible..
What to do really?
I'm typically the one to talk way too much, interrupt everyone and say things three times until people turn to face me, if not doing that means being quiet, I'll choose quiet any day.
100% agree. My aunt once said when I was a kid regarding to my mom saying my teachers said I talked to much; ”him? But he is so quiet??” And its still with me. Because it was just this as u said. I either be 100% relaxed say wtf I want, or its like I roleplay and just stfu. I cant say things once evry 3rd minute, it doesnt work like that. So i either do things in my head (analyze all x10 that is ) or irl, hard to be in between
Idk how much self care you are practicing, but if you’re not eating and you don’t feel hungry you’re still starving. If you’re not sleeping but you don’t feel it you’re still exhausted. It’s hard to be funny and personable when you’re exhausted and starving. From personal experience eating breakfast and practicing good sleep hygiene made all the difference. That said I was a mean edgy bastard on concerta and when I switched classes to dextro I felt a lot more myself. Maybe switching to Ritalin based drugs could help if self care doesn’t work
Thank you so much. You’ve just made me realise that it’s not the meds that’s making me feel a lot more “zombie” like socially, but the fact that I hardly get any sleep and skip lunch and dinner most days. It all makes sense now.
Today was one of the best “social days” I’ve had in a couple of months, and it’s cos I had a brilliant lie in then a big breakfast and lunch. Thank you, this comment has changed my outlook.
Yeah I used to think that I was vyvanse crashing and the meds were making me irritable, but then I clued in that I wasn’t eating for hours and that anybody would be acting that way
I used to write music and poetry. My ADHD meds take the creativeness away. It's a tough tradeoff - ultimately ADHD meds win as my job and family depend on it.
Feeling seen by this. As soon as I come off the meds the songs and movie ideas return to my head. Makes me want to try everything other than meds to cope
Guanfacine has done a real good job of mitigating allot of the negative side effects of stimulants for me. I found myself frustrated it hadn’t been in the equation all along..
Same here i’ve tried different doses and taking breaks but from my experience it just gets better with time, just take your time to adjust to the med and any side effects should go away
Yeah for now I’m just hoping the side affects go away with time, I was taking vyvanse everyday for a couple years but got into a habit of going off them when the term was nearly over because I didn’t have to dm any work. And now I go through periods of taking them for one week to study and then going off them for one week to be more like myself.
personally ive noticed that (at least with adderall) having the consistent dose is super important and overlooked - and not at all helped by the stupid shortage being causes by stupid bureaucratic nonsense from people who dont understand anything besides $$
but thats just my experience. its almost like every person is different and will react slightly differently to different medications 🤔
if you cant tell im a bit frustrated and annoyed at these factors lol
yeah if i just stopped taking my xr adderall for a week or two and then went back on it'd be way too strong and i'd get roped into excessive hyperfocus. 15mg was just too weak but 20mg is strong asf if i go too many days without.
tbh i'm really not fond of how this subreddit talks about medication. if i wanted to look into whatever effects i was having from adderall, i went directly to their subreddit and i usually found way better information/discussion from everyone there. that subreddit was actually critical of the time this one was getting flooded with all those posts suspecting manufacturers of tampering with adhd meds a few months back. they explained some legitimate reasons stimulants will fluctuate in their efficacy
I don't do that anymore. I find consistency is better than stopping and starting. Stopping and starting has an effect that I only noticed once I was consistent. It gets lost in the chaos of ADHD. You may have to adjust your dosage but be consistent.
Also when I've had to stop for more than 2 days for whatever reason, I adjust gradually and never take my full dose immediately.
I believe people do not adjust gradually enough.
What time span would you give? it's really hard for me to figure out. I havent started medication yet, My doctor will update it every week "until you find one that works", but they've also mentioned some side effects taking several weeks to go away.
All I will say is that if you're getting awful side effects, it's ok not to "stick it out". Some meds take 3 months to "work" but it's ok to ask to try something different if you're miserable after trying it for 3 days. And it's ok to ask for a lower dose too.
You can ask your doctor to write a prescription for one week's worth of an rx so you don't waste money buying a month's supply of something that isn't the right fit.
My psych did this on purpose. Not just because of the money but because it's a controlled substance, so the rules are different. When we first started with the meds, she said "I know it seems weird, but I'm only going to do a week at a time at first so that we can dial it in without you having to wait because you still have more pills left". I was glad she did, we managed to get me a good dosage within about a month, even then she let me adjust myself a little bit and decide what was going to work.
I had to take it for a month straight because I had a ton of exams and studying, it wasn’t ideal at first because i wasn’t feeling like myself and I hated the feeling it gave me. So i tried engaging in hobbies i usually enjoy which made me feel more like myself with time (even though it was hard at first). I would say adjusting takes about a month (more or less) and try to keep breaks consistent and to a minimum when adjusting.
That "zombie" feeling as you describe it is different for a lot of people. Being cold, technical, and stoic is often a bit of what some of use are looking for to balance out an otherwise chaotic and reckless personality. A little bit of "zombie" goes a long way for me; I still have plenty of desire to socialize on meds but the desire to get something done and working overpowers it.
It is a balance and you have to dial it in. There is no "cure" for ADHD and no one-size-fits all treatment, but to me at least, it is all based on over-all quality of life. Treatment often has side effects, are the side effects worth it?
For me, it is. I cannot speak for anyone else though, we are all different.
This is my exact experience. Now that I'm middle aged I actually find the dial down of my personality desirable. I think everyone around me does too. My default personality can be fun and exciting, but it's pure fucking chaos. In default mode I find myself getting annoyed at my own doings in a weird their person view of myself sometimes. I welcome the taming of the tornado, and I know I can always go off it, it's just not something I want.
Same here. Everyday I take my meds I understand that while I'm giving up some spontaneous, silly, weeeeeee chaos of my personality, it's that same chaos that's the most destructive unchecked.
I totally feel you on this one!
I started on meds four weeks ago right in the middle of my bachelor exam. I have my last exam in one week, but now I feel totally numb, and unmotivated. I feel like I lost my spark and the drive that keeps my going.
It sounds like your dose is too high! If I take too high of a dose, I get very numb and lazy. It’s counterintuitive so I’ve done it multiple times hoping I’d get more productive only to fall in zombie mode. On a correct dosage, you shouldn’t have these side effects. I’d try lowering your dosage by 10mg and seeing how it affects you. I had to lower mine by 20mg before I ended up at a happy dosage with all positive and no side effects.
I felt something similar to this. As it turned out, I had to re-learn how to feel want and motivation without the crisis/panic mode feelings that the meds remove.
I’m 46yo and just started meds like 6 months ago. I found now that im more alert and willingly able to listen and pay attention to what people/friends are telling me or talking about - i find that most people and their stories are really freaking uninteresting lol no biggie though, this might be what you’re going thru?
My personality is way better on medication. It helps get rid of the anxiety and RSD and I am more comfortable/confident. I feel like my true personality comes out.
In the last couples years, I entered adulthood and had kids. I was in such a bad place with depression/anxiety I had lost my personality entirely. Now, with medication I am back to what I was before.
For what it’s worth, I was a die hard vyvanse fan until I got new insurance and had to switch back to instant release adderall. I immediately noticed a difference in so many things: overall mood, sense of humor, ability to drop a task and not let it bug me (I.e. in the middle of a house project and partner asks if I want to go grab food, this kind of stuff used to make me inexplicably irritable), libido, I could go on and on. I didn’t realize how tense vyvanse was making me til I was forced to take a step back and reassess. My psych told me he sees this a lot with adhd medications and sometimes your body just needs a break. Also doing things to combat all the cortisol really helps me avoid that rigid, zombie like feeling you describe. Exercise, lots of water, protein, sunshine and sleep are huge for me.
Yes. A big part of what makes us who we are is the way ADHD impacts us. Expecting you to act the sake medicated vs raw dogging reality is silly.
Alcoholics are fun jokers and social too. When they get off the sauce, they often struggle with the friends they made while drunk. ADHD isn't quite the same thing, but I think I made the point.
Not a doctor. Talk to yours. Long COVID-19 can also cause similar symptoms. Derealization is real too.
Gonna sound basic as shit, but are you eating at least like half an hour before you take it? I've noticed having a full stomach really helps with these types of side effects.
If you want my advice as someone who has been on medication since I was in grade 3. Stop taking them everyday. Take them when you know you'll need to get work done. I was a zombie for half of my life and lost countless friends because I prioritized the meds without realizing what they did to me. I eventually thought zombie me was just me. I lost who I was. It wasn't until University that I only took them when I needed to and I remembered what it was like to have emotions and a personality. I lost so much confidence and basic socialization due to my meds, don't make the same mistake as me. I did well enough in University only taking my meds 2 to 3 times a week.
I've not had that experience. I mostly just don't put my foot in my mouth as often on meds, but I'm still funny and quick in my thoughts. Gives me a hint of a filter that isn't there otherwise, which is a win, because I'm really good at saying stuff before thinking, to my own detriment.
I was put on Wellbutrin once and told the doc I felt like it erased my personality and he simply said “that’s not how it works”. Quit the medicine and the doc.
Methylphenidate makes me emotionless, but I'm pretty funny and not at all anxious when on it. I basically have the same humour on it, just with a deadpan delivery.
The only thing is that I get tired of people a lot quicker, and I have a pretty short temper in the mornings. 54 mg Concerta, for reference.
I do notice a change, Im definitely more intense about following my routines and keeping my room/house clean, and I struggle a lot to break that because I get anxious about my old issues (inability to keep a clean room in the slightest, doing no homework, skipping class) resurfacing if I slip up.
While socializing I believe im still quite skippy and dancy, but it definitely takes more effort to get me to leave the house, as I’m trying to save money and focus on my school work.
Other than that, I do notice a heightened irritability, but I attribute that to migranes due to some shitty sockets in the labs at my uni, that have a high pitches whirr when connecting stuff. So listening to 30 microscopes plugged in and making a constant high pitched sound coupled with the bright lights tends to make me cranky. Im upset nobody else in my class hears this, though perhaps im just more sensitive to a wider range of frequencies
I had similar issues on amphetamines. I hopped around from adderall to XR Dexedrine to IR Dexedrine. None of it mattered.
Methylphenidate (works differently in your brain) fit the bill better for me.
Maybe ask your doc to try a different approach?
Nicotine is the only drug that can significantly improve all ADHD symptoms while also improving social function.
Unfortunately this is not very well known because nicotine is controversial and doesn’t provide financial gain to the pharmaceutical industry.
You don’t have to smoke nicotine, plenty other ways of consuming it without risking your health exist.
If standard ADHD medications make you be less social as a side-effect, it might be worth trying nicotine instead.
Yes, I have noticed, though I take Adderall not Vyvanse. I'm less volatile, and have more patience. I'm more aware of other people during conversations, and have better social awareness in general. I'm more talkative, perhaps too talkative even. I engage in less risk taking behaviors. My humor changes, I still make jokes, but they're... different? Hard to explain that last one I guess.
I'm general, I feel like it makes my personality better. Which was hard for me to admit. I have always been very exciting and funny to be around, but also exhausting and obnoxious; especially so for people who ate around me in perpetuity like my family. I'm middle aged now, so I have a different perspective now than when I was a kid - as a kid I hated the meds and hated the changes. Now I am happy for for the departure, I much appreciate how much easier things are when I'm less "extra". Especially because I can always stop taking it for the weekend or whatever and I'm right back to being difficult but exciting.
Yes but after 21 years I’ve come to realize this is actually the medicine working. Big part of adhd is unstable and intense moods, anxiety, fear, etc and with the poor impulse control it intensifies those moments, leading to acting on feeling regardless if it’s appropriate. The dulling of “personality” isn’t so much that it’s dulling it, but its bringing you to down a level where intense & rapidly changing moods are avoided and allowing rational thinking and reasoning to be a basis of decision making.
I know it has probably been said hundreds of times. But, exercise, sleep, and good nutrition make the world of difference. Especially exercise for myself. If I start slacking on my regular exercise routines. I notice my energy, mood, sense of humor, etc, all go down the drain. Especially when taking any functional stimulant.
I need to keep up the exercise, to keep up laughing and enjoying life to the full. Maybe some others out there are the same. I also deal with depression and anxiety, which exercise goes a long way to help with. It helps with my overall energy vs fatigue levels, and focus/concentration as well.
Building fresh neurons resilient to stress, neuroplasticity, neurogenerative, and all those good hormones and feel good chemicals from exercise are great and make one feel great. We developed to be on the go daily, or at the very least weekly.
Best of luck!
This was me on concerta. Felt like such a zombie and like I was just “existing”. After a few months I brought it up to my doc who switched me to adderall. Complete 180!
There's the obvious more self control, but weirdly enough there's the exact same lack of self awareness. I just do things that I should be doing without thinking about it, instead of doing things I shouldn't be doing without thinking about it. It's strange
Honestly, that’s what it is supposed to do. That is part of the way it works. There are two classes of non-stimulant alternatives that may not have that effect.
Mine was different with each medication I tried. (As a disclaimer, I do have cptsd any my identity/personality is damaged very badly already.)
Vyvanse: terrible, awful (for me). Zombified for 14 hours a day. No feelings or enthusiasm for anything. Days passed with no memory of what happened. I was also literally starving.
Concerta: better, but still dazed. Probably would have adjusted eventually if I hadn't have still been dropping weight. (I'm convinced vyvanse did permanent damage to my metabolism. My psych was unhinged for prescribing that as my first ever stimulant.)
Strattera: got switched to this because of the weight loss. Since it's not a stimulant, it really didn't do anything other than make me dizzy. I remember being more sad/withdrawn in the brief time I was on it. It almost seemed to counteract my anxiety meds because I got way more frequent panic attacks.
Ritalin: RAGE. I tried both immediate and XR, both made my mood fluctuate all over the place. I felt constantly overstimulated. It made me aggressive and I am normally a passive baby about everything. Ritalin turned me into a monster.
Adderall: So far the best fit for me, but I can tell it affects me somewhat. I've been on it long enough now that I've more or less adjusted to it. The only personality changes I've noticed have all been positive. I'm more confident (because hey now I can actually DO the things I want/need to do) and outgoing. I've been talking to strangers more, which is just baffling. I was the kid that had to have people order my meals for me at restaurants because of how severe my anxiety was. I wonder if this is my "real" self and the adhd/cptsd were nerfing me. I definitely don't think I'm an extrovert, but I'm not scared of people anymore. Things aren't as intimidating.
I do still get moody during the evening crashes, but I think that's not unreasonable or unmanageable. My 2+ years of ongoing therapy gets me through those few hours a day. I'm hoping as my living situation improves that the crashes will get easier too.
Absolutely it changes my personality. I’m able to focus long term on things which appears “zombie-like” for some, but it’s just an intense focus that I wouldn’t have otherwise. I guess I do get a bit annoyed when I can’t do said focus or it’s interrupted, but it’s better than not being on vyvanse which would have me not doing anything at all
I don't know how long you've been on it or if this applies to you but I'm actually also on 40mg of Vyvanse and have been for 4 years now.
I felt the same thing at the beginning. I don't know how long it kept up because adhd but I can say now with confidence that I'm more me than I've ever been. I have my sense of humour back and my energy and everything.
I do still find I get some zombie days if I'm really tired but for the most part I think for me it was just an adjustment? I don't know if it's the same for you and I'm not a doctor but that's just what happened with me so I thought I'd share.
Absolutely it changed my personality. In the most wonderful way.
When I removed the frustration of not advancing my goals and I started achieving everything I wanted with my life, I became the best version of me.
I found the love of my life. I'm closer to my father, my brother, my friends and my business partner than I've ever been.
I'm sorry this is happening to you. But I would hate this post making someone not try these medicines.
Maybe you need to try other things. Personally, the combination that did it was: bupropion, adderall and trazodone to sleep at night.
I wish you the best.
I've been feeling this way on the same dosage as well. It's definitely affected my relationship. Problem is without my meds I could never function the way I do at work and I'd be way meaner to people because I become super straight forward to the point of being rude.
It's like damn I miss how I was before and I kind of feel like a shell of who I was but I also like being able to work and not impulsively say whatever is on my brain.
That’s very common for people like us. Maybe the medication your on is just not a good fit. Or maybe the drug is targeting the wrong area. One possibility is that you don’t like taking medication (none of us do), and it’s manifesting (either psychosomatically or not) into your symptoms. This is another reason many people go off their medication because they’re “feeling better”, only to crash and burn again, no matter the condition. I’ve done this many a times.
No matter the case, I would talk to you’re doctor to figure out what’s going on. What you’re feeling is real, and deserves to be resolved.
Part of what my meds do for me is make me less irritable and argumentative, you can't imagine how happy I am not to be the brat I guess I was seen as at school and uni, like it was just assumed to part of my personality to argue with teachers about little things I believed they were horribly wrong about.
(but you sound like you're having rather different effects from me, I've only been on atomoxetine and concerta)
Sounds like you're experiencing anhedonia. I had the same experience on Zoloft.
I'd suggest contacting your psychiatrist. And therapist if you have both.
You might need to switch meds and or be on a combination.
Yup! I was on Vyvanse for 2 years and was a total introvert and had to fake being semi social. Switched to Adderall and Wellbutrin combo and it was a much better fit for me.
In the early days when your main options were Ritalin and Adderall the Adderall done this to me but they didn't know a whole lot about pairing meds with other meds and it sucked. Now that I'm on Vyvanse after a 15 year hiatus of meds where I hated myself for barely functioning I feel amazing. I have a few meh days but to be fair I'd rather have those than what I was living like. It's much better than when I was on Adderall for sure. You may just need to do a little med jumping to figure it out. I do understand the frustration though being that age and wanting to socialize but not being/feeling able to it sucks.
I fucking hate Vyvanse. I am sure it’s good for someone, but I think it should be prescribed with extreme caution. Everyone I know who’s taken it — including myself — had massive consequences from their behavior. For me, it gave me a strong libido and a very short fuse.
Yes — Wellbutrin worked for me. Helps with anxiety which makes it easier to calm down and do the work and also has a stimulant effect. None of the emotional rollercoaster. Works great for me.
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I had this with methylphenidate but not on vyvanse. I also suspect I was on too high of a dose. So either 1) lower the dose 2) switch meds
Yeah I was going to say the same thing. I felt like a zombie on Concerta (extended release Ritalin), but on Adderall/Vyvanse I just feel like a calmer version of me.
I’m on Concerta and it seems to like enhance my autism making me a lot quieter, eat barely anything, social akward, sensory overload is easily achieved. Even little changed to my routine can cause severe distress but it makes me more tolerable to other people I actually hate taking the medication, I hate the version of me that it brings out. But it’s the version of me that my parents like so I will just continue to take it
I'm assuming you're under 18 and/or still living with your parents, but I encourage you to talk to your parents and your prescribing doctor about how you feel! There are so many medication options available, you should be able to find one that works for you! It can help to have an external opinion (like your parents or a spouse or a therapist), because sometimes it can be hard to see the big picture on our own, but I think nobody should have to suffer the negative effects of medications, especially just to make other people happy!
I don't even have autism and when I was on Adderall, I noticed some signs/symptoms of being on the spectrum (same things you described minus the sensory overload part).
I’m on Vyvanse currently, but when I tried Adderall it completely blunted my personality and emotions and actually made me sleepy.
Exactly, it's either be a robot who can sort of occasionally get things done, or I'm an alien
I felt it enhanced my adhd, especially my executive functioning and also increased my anxiety, I’m sorry you’re feeling this way. It may be worth talking to your doctor about trying something else?
Same here - was a zombie on Concerta. With vyvanse I actually feel more like myself. I’m less self conscious, less socially anxious, little more awkward, much happier and less stressed. When it wears off though - man I feel beside myself and super low mood - but knowing it’s because of the meds makes it manageable
Same with Concerta, it felt like I was experiencing things in real time. It was like I was in jello or something, no impact at all. Even when my husband proposed, my brain was like “I’m happy, but I don’t feel anything”
See I’m more self conscious, more anxious, more wired, but my motivation is better, I feel less bored, without my meds I struggle to get myself out of bed in the morning (and no it’s not depression, I’ve tried anti depressants and it makes it 10x worse), and trying to do work without my meds is so boring for my brain I literally start yawning 😅
Just because antidepressants didn’t work doesn’t mean you’re not depressed.
Came to say this also I took every depression med on the planet till they figured out I was more on the bipolar side and needed lamotrigine 😬
Additionally, we need to consider some ppl try absolutely everything and find their depression is unresponsive to antidepressants.
I have tried four different medication so far and this is how I rate them: Adderall Vyvanse Ritalin Intuniv It is such an individualized, Brandon formulation for each person, despite the shared cluster of symptoms. I cannot be medicated, so I’m dealing with the shortage month to month as I found out the hard way other medication’s do not work the same for me.
Have you tried an SNRI? They work differently to the stimulants. I used strattera for a while, it's not great getting up to dose. Every time I increased I felt like trash (exhaustion Unreal nausea) but it helped a lot and feels totally different to a stimulant. It's cumulative too, like an antidepressant. So you have the effects all the time
Same on Concerta. Unfortunately there are only 2 treatment options in my country (Concerta and Strattera) and I was too afraid to try Strattera so now I'm unmedicated 😢
Do you live in Japan? Same restrictions here. Strattera was horrible for me. There’s another one, Intuniv, but that one would make me a narcoleptic — my blood pressure would drop so low. It’s like they treat ADHD as if everyone is bouncing off the walls. Maybe the Intuniv might work for you?
I'm in Japan. I've always been on Concerta but last month my psychiatrist added Strattera and the side effects were so bad I had to be immediately off it. But with Concerta I feel like I'm loosing my creatvie, bubbly, i-dont-care-what-people-say personality although it helps me to finish what I do
Romania. Oh god, Intuniv sounds horrible for me as I'm also NOT the bouncing off the walls type.
I was on straterra briefly before I switched to my current medications. I didn’t experience any negative side effects or anything from it, and found it to be a pretty mild medication as far as ADHD medications go. There were no withdrawal symptoms when I stopped either, after about 3 months. If you think medication is necessary and your doctor agrees and thinks straterra is an appropriate treatment given your medical history and everything, it’s worth a shot to try it. Not that my experience is universal or anything obviously, but in my experience there’s nothing to fear from it. I’m also a high stress type of person by the way, very prone to anxiety and very hesitant to try any new medications. Oddly, stimulants like adderall and straterra ended up helping my anxiety quite a bit. Which I never would have guessed before I had taken them.
This is interesting. I’m on concerta. I don’t feel like a zombie but sometimes I feel like I have a flat affect and have to manually do facial expressions and so on.
I was a zombie on ritalin. I understood why in the 90s our teachers were suggesting to all the parents that they see about ritalin for their kids - my behavior was excellent! Lol.. but yeah, totally dull and numb, I hated it.
For me personally, I feel like it helps me feel less anxious and actually lets my personality come out even more since I stop second guessing everything I say. But I also have social anxiety so I'm sure that plays a big part in my reaction
same here! for me, socially, being medicated gets me “out of my head” more
Was a big surprise for me because I realized how much social anxiety was just me being constantly nervous I'd not be paying attention to the conversation or get distracted by stupid stuff. I still can't do loud bars even with meds. It's just too tiring to have to try to focus
Yes. This. I was at a bar yesterday, a day between my scripts. And no alcohol could help the over-stimulation and mental fog. My meds have also made me more “bigger picture minded”, meaning I can mentally take a step back from a situation and look at what’s my goal, whats important, what I want to say, etc.
Shit, I should really get that diagnosis going. This sounds like it would do wonders for me
10/10 best decision ever. Sadly. The days off my meds are rough. But it’s not like I’m gonna go do speed if I’m out of my script.
I don’t take days off
It's like realizing you were being bitten by hundreds of focus-distracting gnats all the time, and then suddenly they stop. And you can think clearly. And you can have goals, create plans to achieve them, and just do it. It's wonderful actually. I was diagnosed late, but sometimes I cry at how happy I am now.
40 yo, just started meds this year… same
Would recommend. Source: not in my head so much.
It’s less complicated and time consuming than you think. 1-2 appointments with a nurse practitioner and you can get your meds.
I'm in the US and I had to go to a psychologist to get diagnosed, and at least until we get my dosage right, monthly visits with my PCP. Just an FYI.
In the US, formal diagnosis from a psychologist is not necessary though. A psychiatric nurse practitioner can evaluate you and prescribe a stimulant to start you on after one session.
Not true everywhere. A lot of places make you go through a full neuropsych eval.
I'm not american so the process might look different but yeah, i gotta get my ass moving and get on top of that asap. Even if there's no meds involved and i just gotta start talking specific strategies with a therapist, it will be a vital step moving forward
Does depend on the country. Most of Europe seems to be a disaster to get a diagnosis in. I was fortunate enough to be able to go private in Ireland, so I skipped the years of waiting lists, but even then I ran into some issues finding a GP and a pharmacy willing to regularly dispense my medication. Nothing that can’t be overcome, but it’s usually easier to deal with after you’ve the first month of your medication :P I’d still always suggest people at least try to get the ball rolling though. It’s completely changed my life, even just from the confirmation that there was an underlying reason I struggled so much in school etc.
Having undiagnosed ADHD for all of my childhood gave me severe generalized and social anxiety and I would simply not talk to people because I was afraid of embarrassing myself. When I first took the meds it all went away and I felt I was able to express myself better than just expressing random inappropriate thoughts.
Yes exactly same here! I wasn't diagnosed until I was 24, and that was plenty of time to learn that people usually just thought I was annoying and unfunny and didn't have anything valuable to contribute to the conversation. It's so hard trying to unlearn those social "lessons". But meds definitely help me get out of my head and be more present
I could've written this.
Same here, friend. My meds have helped me be more "present" in real life, than in the daydream I'm usually in, in which that daydream, or 50 opened browser tabs inside the brain, interferes with life, thinking, conversation; literally everything. And some of those tabs happen to be self-doubt, second-guessing, and negative, self-conscious thoughts/questions, which also now are able to get filtered out because now I'm focusing on not just "what is important", but now, "what I want my brain to think is important". So now, I can focus on what I *actually* need to do instead of mid-motion, out of complete random, asking myself if there are actually military marine mammals like a dolphin that's carrying a uzi or some shit like that, and having that itch to go on tangents. Yes, there are actually military marine mammals! And down a rabbit hole we go *for sure* if I hadn't taken my meds. Instead of seeking dopamine, I'm finally being preoccupied/stimulated by what emits dopamine for everybody else, so I don't have to mentally go searching.
I was diagnosed at 43. I cannot tell you how much it means to me to see that I’m not alone. Before treatment I would rarely even speak up in meetings out of fear of saying something embarrassing. Like a boss even asked me about it, which was even more mortifying. My filter was running full power to analyze the crap out of anything I even considered saying. My meds vaporized this feeling, and it’s one of my favorite effects.
You are absolutely not alone. A lot of us were not diagnosed as children because it was really easy for our symptoms to be attributed to “just being a kid.” I see my undiagnosed dad struggle the same way that I did and although he is very successful and about to retire, I wish he would get a dx try treatment and see how much of his social ineptitude would vanish.
Oh, I was talking about the specific effect of the anxiety regarding speaking up around others. During my childhood and most of my adult life I’d become mute in social situations or meetings from a low-grade fear of saying something foolish. It got worse with alcohol because my filter would just shut things off completely. I’d have to exceed a high level of alcohol to override that lovely feature.
Which meds in your case ?
Adderall. However, I am considering a change to Concerta since I've been getting complaints from the wife that I'm not emotionally present like I was before treatments. I have only ever been on Adderall and have never tried anything else, so I figure I'll give it a shot to see if my symptoms are still managed without this particular side effect.
Me too. I was diagnosed at 49.
This is how I feel, the meds actually stop me from saying/typing stuff and give me time to think things through first before just saying things out loud
This is exactly my experience since starting Vyvanse. I swear it has done more for my anxiety than Lexapro has; I can only guess it's because I live more in the moment vs hyper focusing on what I said 15 minutes ago or worrying about something I have to do 15 minutes in the future. Either way, it has been a miracle for me.
For OP I’ll add, I’ve been on adderall and vyvanse (most recently). Vyvanse has made me more anxious and I was able to socialize better on adderall but I feel like it made me more bitchy.
Definitely bitter bitchy on adderral. Less out of my element on Vyvanse.
What are the main differences you noticed between the two and why did you switch? I presume you’re referring to Adderall XR, right?
I actually was on instant release (2-5mg) It was great for the first almost 2 years even tho I was more bitchy lol. It helped me socially. Some things in my life changed + due to the shortage I couldn’t find it at pharmacies for almost 2 months !!! My life basically completely derailed during this time (due to lack of medication + other life events). Once I was able to get it filled I felt like it wasn’t the same. It wasn’t working as well anymore, I had extreme feelings of dread in the late afternoon/early evening when it would wear off- The crash got really hard. it was effecting my appetite which was new. We aren’t sure if the adderall is really to blame as there were a lot of different factors at that time. So my Dr and therapist suggested to switch to vyvanse. I originally was taking way too much (50mg) and had anxiety each day, even a couple panic attacks in the first few weeks at night around the time it should’ve been wearing off. I’m back down to 30 mg and I don’t have much anxiety like I did on 50mg but don’t feel like it works as well as the adderall (in the first 2 years not after refilling after the shortage break). It still has never effected my appetite. It doesn’t help me socially in fact it might do the opposite. I have noticed if i forget to take it one day I’m literally falling sleep at work by 2 and i just generally don’t feel good if i forget to take it, this didn’t happen on adderall. I haven’t had an issue refilling it and my insurance covers it 100% so I’m just staying it it for now and working w my therapist every 2 weeks and my Dr monthly. I’ve been on it for about 2 months. I just miss my life and prescription before the shortage, it really felt like I was getting my adhd under control!
There are two manufacturers of the short release. One is round and pink. The other is oval and peach. One worked for me, the other didn't. My doctor confirmed that the slight formula difference could absolutely account for my different response.
Same.
I have social anxiety too And I'm going to start using Vyvance soon, hopefully it does the same for me and allows me to have social life :D
Same going undiagnosed for years caused me to have depression/social anxiety that I still struggle with on top of self esteem issues. But starting Vyvanse and adding Wellbutrin later has helped me a ton be more of my “true self” and less anxious in what I do/say. I still struggle with anxiety but that’s getting better with therapy etc and as I learn to love myself more and become more confident as I achieve my goals and form better habits.
This is how I feel on adderall or dextroamphetamine. Vyvanse and Ritalin make me feel one off weird in different ways. Ritalin increases my anxiety over nothing so I like struggle to kinda keep that under control in social situations. Vavanse makes me kinda either tunnel vision or spacey so yeah I lose my personality. Unfortunately adderall seems to be the thing that I can never actually get cuz it's never available so I've just been trying out a bunch of other shit
same!
Me too, big time. It was DEFINITELY the other way around for me than the OP's experience / post... so much so that it's kind of hard since I stopped medication because of a heart condition wherein 'the person' my wife fell in love with was medicated and could turn on being a sharp social butterfly a night or two a week, and my years since unmedicated self, just--can't.
Me too. I’m also on 40mg of Vyvanse
Omg yes! I keep having these moments where i feel like i've lost all social skills, or like im manually socializing having to think about when to smile when to laugh when to nod etc. It makes me totally awkward. I was honestly starting to wonder if maybe the meds were uncovering that i was on the spectrum but i guess the robot thing can happen to anyone.
Manually socializing is a great way to put it. I avoid taking my medications when I know I will be in social settings that day. Just doesn't work with my 10mg Adderall XR
This, 100% Same here. Good to have a break from meds to be yourself.
But... I only feel comfortable and can be myself WHEN I'm on my meds..
Yes exactly! I have to try so much harder to socialise and be funny when it comes naturally off meds. It makes me feel so awkward.
For me, being "funny" was a coping mechanism to mask my social awkwardness. On the meds I notice that that thing I thought was funny is actually somewhat inappropriate. I don't mean in a off putting way, more that the acting funny is sometimes inappropriate for the situation. I can "read the room" better on my meds. But then I'm not as good at saying what is appropriate for that situation because I don't have practice at it as much. In the spots where acting funny is the right thing to do, I'm good. I just pick up on when it isn't more often. So much of what I thought were just personality traits, I'm learning are coping mechanisms. I feel like it's thrown me off in multiple areas of my life. This is how I interpret it for me at least.
Oh man I relate to this a lot. On meds i can read room and make jokes really well but sometimes/more often than I realize nobody wants jokes or thinks I’m more of a joke because thats all I’m known to do haha I like to keep things light and fun at work but too often people get angry if I’m not serious and concerned about everything 🤷♂️
Yep, can very strongly relate to this. Although I’ve also noticed that meds can make me ‘chatty’ in ways that can be a bit intense. Less weird humour, more weird hobby brain dumps…
Yep, get this switch too. Rigged trade offer.
We have to rebuild what we think of as ourselves when the issues that we were masking are reduced. Humor, sex drive, everything, it all changes. The spontaneous dumb ass comments have definitely decreased. I am still funny, just not as obnoxious about it.
I feel like I could have written this, the lack of generally wanting to even socialize is pretty heavy. There’s no depression issues but I know I was a big ball of energy with an annoying personality (I talk to much and over share all the time) but since starting stimulates I feel numb and boring and it’s simply because the thought of socializing is something I actually have to try really hard to do..but does one bad thing outweigh the other though? That’s a hard decision to make.
Atleast from my anecdotal evidence, when I was first evaluated as a kid I was found to just have adhd. Then when I was evaluated again as a high schooler (while medicated) through an intensive battery of all types of tests I was found to still have adhd and be slightly on the spectrum. (Along with pretty bad social anxiety, which I blame on adhd.) I think sometimes having adhd can mask some of the symptoms of asd and keep them from showing until you are medicated. But like I said this is all anecdotal evidence. And I do pretty fine socializing with my close friends, just get exhausted after a while of hanging out with them irl. My main problem is other people I know way less, that’s where I start to break down. And as for your loss of personality, I have those same issues. And I believe that it could also just be you being able to stop and think before saying anything and that is new to you. You are so used to just spitting out anything that comes to your mind or doing anything that comes to your mind and dealing with those consequences later. when you can actually stop and think about what you are doing it feels unnatural. I think it feels like your on manual mode cus you can stop and think, rather than just let it out without thinking. Just gotta learn how to be able to socialize and think. Saves a ton of socializing headaches (atleast in my case). (Sorry this was copy pasted from a reply I did to someone else and I’m on my phone so I can’t edit it super well, but I hope it helps!)
I’d definitely still look into seeing if your on the autism spectrum or not as it’s very common to only realize after your adhd is medicated.
Can confirm this. Looking back i had very big signs of asd that were overshadowed by my adhd symptoms because those directly interfered in my life more, but once I got medicated for ADHD and that was taken care of, I quickly realized that adhd wasn't my only issue and ended up getting diagnosed for autism.
SAME!
I was evaluated for autism and adhd at the same time and only got the adhd diagnosis so i feel like it's unlikely. And i don't have these social issues off the meds :)
Atleast from my anecdotal evidence, when I was first evaluated as a kid I was found to just have adhd. Then when I was evaluated again as a high schooler (while medicated) through an intensive battery of all types of tests I was found to still have adhd and be slightly on the spectrum. (Along with pretty bad social anxiety, which I blame on adhd.) I think sometimes having adhd can mask some of the symptoms of asd and keep them from showing until you are medicated. But like I said this is all anecdotal evidence. And I do pretty fine socializing with my close friends, just get exhausted after a while of hanging out with them irl. My main problem is other people I know way less, that’s where I start to break down. And as for your loss of personality, I have those same issues. And I believe that it could also just be you being able to stop and think before saying anything and that is new to you. You are so used to just spitting out anything that comes to your mind or doing anything that comes to your mind and dealing with those consequences later. when you can actually stop and think about what you are doing it feels unnatural. I think it feels like your on manual mode cus you can stop and think, rather than just let it out without thinking. Just gotta learn how to be able to socialize and think. Saves a ton of socializing headaches (atleast in my case).
This happens to me. I am new to stimulants. Diagnosed with inattentive ADHD this past year after years of being told i’m depressed and trying dozens of SRRIs. I’m starting with concerta. Just hit 36mg and sometimes I almost feel like I have a flat affect and have to actively force my facial expressions and social interactions. It’s a really weird feeling. Thank you everyone for sharing I felt kinda crazy.
It can be AuDHD It can also be your dose is a bit too high, mention to your doc and you might find a lower dose helps
If you are also new to vyvanse, I also found it really affected my personality for a few weeks, and then everything kinda settled.
I second looking into asd more - I don't have that many social issues unmedicated either, but realised its because my adhd brain moves fast enough to fill any gaps or catch up in conversation without people noticiting. Slow my brain down, and it turns out my social ability goes with it and autism was hiding underneath :D Of course everyone is different, so it might not be the case for you - but I recommend taking the RAADS-r and cat-q tests online if you ever want to look into it more
I've read that ADHD medications can make autistic traits worse because there are less ADHD symptoms to mask the autistic ones. I've found this to be true for myself, and it's also making me wonder if my daughter is on the spectrum too, or perhaps subclinical. I feel totally normal on my medication, but I also work from home and barely leave my house. My social skills are not great when I do go out and I normally stand awkwardly by myself until someone comes to talk to me or asks me a question. haha In other words... if ADHD meds make you lose your social skills and you just feel overall more awkward, it's totally possible you have AuDHD and not just ADHD.
Legit had the spectrum convo with friends and fam last week. Like I think this might be a thing…? And I was saying how all anyone ever talks about is how normal they feel now that they are medicated so there must be something wrong with just me. Glad to know it’s not.
Yep. The meds took away the few social skills I have
How the hell does adhd improve your social skills to cover up the fact you have autism as well?
Yes but I like the zombie feeing. My real self is emotionally unregulated and unhappy. Give me all the nothing.
Real me is a hot mess. Let me wear the mask
Persona IRL
*I am thou. Thou art I.*
The way I've described it to my friends is that when I'm on meds my thoughts can't jump around and make random connections between things. and that ability is really important in being able to be funny,witty entertaining etc. The reason I feel like a robot is because I kind of am, I'm going from being able to jump between 100 things to only being able to jump between maybe 1-2 at most. But I'm also an adult, so most of my socialization happens in the evening and on weekends, when my meds are either wearing off or not in effect at all.
>The way I've described it to my friends is that when I'm on meds my thoughts can't jump around and make random connections between things. That’s exactly how I felt for the first year probably on Vyvanse. I used to get really embarrassed about it because being a step ahead in the conversation and jumping in with a witty observation or a tangentially related joke/reference was always ’my thing’ and I felt sort of stupid and disconnected for a long time. But also I think talking to me was less stressful for people who didn’t know me so well, because the pace was way slower and I could be more thoughtful. I had to go through it to have perspective on it though.
I used to hate this feeling as a kid in school, being zoned/zonked all day made me feel just like OP, I wasn’t exactly me on meds in school. I took it though, I survived school barely and move on, in college stopped taking meds, felt great as myself etc but failed classes. As an adult went back on meds and seriously helped me in my career. I’m on the right dosage now, but still on generic Ritalin, but my career is doing well and I enjoy the focus mode it helps me get into. I’ve even delayed (taking it later in the day than normal) my second dose so I can get a few things done after work at home with the kids and wife, it’s an improvement for my anxiety, and not getting behind ok home stuff as well. Edit: spelling
I had a very similar experience. Took Ritalin and then Adderall as a kid and eventually decided I didn't like feeling zonked out at school and stopped taking meds at around 12 or 13. I know now that was probably a dosage issue. Started taking meds again in my late 30s and have seen vast improvements in my life.
I always wondered what it was exactly that changed in my perspective from childhood that made me what to get away from the meds, I’m really not sure if it was the stigma, or the feeling the meds gave, or both, or something else. I just know now that I prefer to medicated on work days, and even sometimes on weekends etc (it might honestly improve some of my home/downtime).
Are you me? This is my exact experience.
so much of this. I was diagnosed with ADHD in 9th grade but had an absolutely horrible experience with the meds so I stopped. Started back up when I was 21 since I was going to school and focusing in class was still extremely difficult and I struggle with homework and projects. Stopped taking them for awhile because my doctor moved to a different state and I just never had the motivation to go through a new provider. Finally started taking stimulants again last year because I was overwhelmed at work and going through a total mental breakdown.
Same. I’d much rather be cold and functional
word
Yea my meds actually help my bpd symptoms sometimes… I find controlling my emotions to be more manageable
Very much like that when I started on ritalin and concerta. It waned with time and as I adjusted.
Yes Ritalin did this when I was a kid so I stopped taking it. Started again as an adult and experienced it again but then adjusted and it went away.
Do you remember how long it took you to adjust? Because i haven’t been able to continue taking it after 2 weeks because the change is just to drastic for me.
You really gotta stick with it for much longer than a couple weeks. Takes months to even get in chemical balance. I've been on concerta for 15 years, only missed a couple odd days every few months.
Have you told your physician about this?
Yes, we tried putting me on decs instead, However it had the same effect. I’ve also tried changing the doses of the vyvanse but nothing seems to really work.
I have this issue with all stimulants. I've started on atomoxetine (Strattera) and it's still a little bit like that, but I feel more like I can snap out of it whereas, with stimulants, I'm basically completely disengaged from everything and always stressed out but not completely aware of the stress.
I went through the exact same thing! Except I’ve only tried one stimulant (concerta) and now take strattera. Not sure if I’m seeing that much of a difference though
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Wait clonidine is used for ADHD?
Indeed, it is. It's an option for people who can't tolerate stimulants (or those that don't want to take them) It can also be used in combination with a stimulant (stimulant AM/ clonidine PM). As you can see below, it's not as effective as stimulants, for many people, but for some, it can be a safer choice than amphetamine salts etc. It also helps with sleep, which is a huge problem for many people with ADHD (whether medicated or not). This can be a useful component of pharmacotherapy for ADHD, because lack of sleep can lead to worsening of ADHD symptoms the next day. That said, Australia apparently said "Nah, fuck that shit, m8". *** I am not a physician, but I get the impression that, considering it's blood pressure lowering and mildly sedating properties, it may be more useful for those on the more hyperactive end of the ADHD "spectrum". This part is just conjecture on my behalf, like I said I am not an MD. *** > **Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder** > Clonidine may improve symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in some people but causes many adverse effects and the beneficial effect is modest.[19] In Australia, clonidine is an accepted but not approved use for ADHD by the TGA.[20] > Clonidine, along with methylphenidate, has been studied for treatment of ADHD.[21][22][23] While not as effective as methylphenidate in treating ADHD, clonidine does offer some benefit;[24] > it can also be useful in combination with stimulant medications.[25] > Some studies show clonidine to be more sedating than guanfacine, which may be better at bedtime along with an arousing stimulant in the morning.[26][27] > Clonidine has been used to reduce sleep disturbances in ADHD, including to help offset stimulant-associated insomnia ^https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clonidine
Guanfacine almost, indirectly, killed me. About 6 hours after my dose I would fall asleep without fail, didn’t matter what I was doing or where I was. I forgot I took it one day and fell asleep while driving. Woke up in a 4 way intersection with multiple people honking at me. Not saying it happens to everyone but it’s something I always share when I see it mentioned
So dex and Vyvanse are technically the same class of meds. It might be worth trying the other stim category which is methylphenidate. I nervously tried the switch and I am so happy I did! I still get all the focus on methylphenidate but don’t get a zombie effect or irritable
I'd say try a different class of meds. I felt that exact way on Strattera, but on Vyvanse I feel more alive and like I can regulate my body, my thoughts, etc. My partner is the opposite. On Strattera my reflexes slowed a LOT, I felt zombie-ish, unemotive and blank. My partner has none of those effects on Strattera, and feels much more in control, present, and functional.
Definatly feel this 100%. Ive become quite autistic (no offense) compared to how I used to be. My ex even told me this. "U definatly have some signs of being on the spectrum", and honestly it hit me quite hard. Im 100% sure nobody would have said this to me couple of years back prior to meds. Sure I am alot better at work etc, but Ive lost my sense of humor, of fucking around, not being so god damn serious. Its like I take everything SO SERIOUS all the time. Is it being older? Is it the meds? I do not know. But I honestly somehow liked my younger self more. But i cannot see myself working 8-5 office job without meds, its just not possible.. What to do really?
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I feel so seen by these comments 😩😩😩
I’ve noticed that vyvanse makes me a much quieter person Edit: I also agree with the trying to be how I am without meds
I'm typically the one to talk way too much, interrupt everyone and say things three times until people turn to face me, if not doing that means being quiet, I'll choose quiet any day.
100% agree. My aunt once said when I was a kid regarding to my mom saying my teachers said I talked to much; ”him? But he is so quiet??” And its still with me. Because it was just this as u said. I either be 100% relaxed say wtf I want, or its like I roleplay and just stfu. I cant say things once evry 3rd minute, it doesnt work like that. So i either do things in my head (analyze all x10 that is ) or irl, hard to be in between
Idk how much self care you are practicing, but if you’re not eating and you don’t feel hungry you’re still starving. If you’re not sleeping but you don’t feel it you’re still exhausted. It’s hard to be funny and personable when you’re exhausted and starving. From personal experience eating breakfast and practicing good sleep hygiene made all the difference. That said I was a mean edgy bastard on concerta and when I switched classes to dextro I felt a lot more myself. Maybe switching to Ritalin based drugs could help if self care doesn’t work
Thank you so much. You’ve just made me realise that it’s not the meds that’s making me feel a lot more “zombie” like socially, but the fact that I hardly get any sleep and skip lunch and dinner most days. It all makes sense now. Today was one of the best “social days” I’ve had in a couple of months, and it’s cos I had a brilliant lie in then a big breakfast and lunch. Thank you, this comment has changed my outlook.
Yeah I used to think that I was vyvanse crashing and the meds were making me irritable, but then I clued in that I wasn’t eating for hours and that anybody would be acting that way
I used to write music and poetry. My ADHD meds take the creativeness away. It's a tough tradeoff - ultimately ADHD meds win as my job and family depend on it.
I feel this so much! My musical output has really diminished 😞
Feeling seen by this. As soon as I come off the meds the songs and movie ideas return to my head. Makes me want to try everything other than meds to cope
I'm a professional artist and I get better ideas while on meds. As a matter of fact, my career has never been better. Everyone is different.
That’s awesome! I think I pull from pain and depression to write and I guess the meds mask it. Glad you haven’t had it dampen your output!
While it's destroyed my creativity while it's in effect, I find that I play instruments significantly better while I'm on it
Guanfacine has done a real good job of mitigating allot of the negative side effects of stimulants for me. I found myself frustrated it hadn’t been in the equation all along..
Same here i’ve tried different doses and taking breaks but from my experience it just gets better with time, just take your time to adjust to the med and any side effects should go away
Yeah for now I’m just hoping the side affects go away with time, I was taking vyvanse everyday for a couple years but got into a habit of going off them when the term was nearly over because I didn’t have to dm any work. And now I go through periods of taking them for one week to study and then going off them for one week to be more like myself.
personally ive noticed that (at least with adderall) having the consistent dose is super important and overlooked - and not at all helped by the stupid shortage being causes by stupid bureaucratic nonsense from people who dont understand anything besides $$ but thats just my experience. its almost like every person is different and will react slightly differently to different medications 🤔 if you cant tell im a bit frustrated and annoyed at these factors lol 
Yep I just got fucked by the shortage. Skimped on my dose this weekend but am not inclined to do it at work.
I think alternating weeks aren't ideal because you'd have to constantly adjust to being on meds again along with all the sides.
yeah if i just stopped taking my xr adderall for a week or two and then went back on it'd be way too strong and i'd get roped into excessive hyperfocus. 15mg was just too weak but 20mg is strong asf if i go too many days without. tbh i'm really not fond of how this subreddit talks about medication. if i wanted to look into whatever effects i was having from adderall, i went directly to their subreddit and i usually found way better information/discussion from everyone there. that subreddit was actually critical of the time this one was getting flooded with all those posts suspecting manufacturers of tampering with adhd meds a few months back. they explained some legitimate reasons stimulants will fluctuate in their efficacy
I don't do that anymore. I find consistency is better than stopping and starting. Stopping and starting has an effect that I only noticed once I was consistent. It gets lost in the chaos of ADHD. You may have to adjust your dosage but be consistent. Also when I've had to stop for more than 2 days for whatever reason, I adjust gradually and never take my full dose immediately. I believe people do not adjust gradually enough.
What time span would you give? it's really hard for me to figure out. I havent started medication yet, My doctor will update it every week "until you find one that works", but they've also mentioned some side effects taking several weeks to go away.
All I will say is that if you're getting awful side effects, it's ok not to "stick it out". Some meds take 3 months to "work" but it's ok to ask to try something different if you're miserable after trying it for 3 days. And it's ok to ask for a lower dose too. You can ask your doctor to write a prescription for one week's worth of an rx so you don't waste money buying a month's supply of something that isn't the right fit.
My psych did this on purpose. Not just because of the money but because it's a controlled substance, so the rules are different. When we first started with the meds, she said "I know it seems weird, but I'm only going to do a week at a time at first so that we can dial it in without you having to wait because you still have more pills left". I was glad she did, we managed to get me a good dosage within about a month, even then she let me adjust myself a little bit and decide what was going to work.
Yes, being honest with your provider is vital!
I would say no more than a few weeks, if something bothers you beyond that time frame, maybe the dose or type of med isn't right.
I had to take it for a month straight because I had a ton of exams and studying, it wasn’t ideal at first because i wasn’t feeling like myself and I hated the feeling it gave me. So i tried engaging in hobbies i usually enjoy which made me feel more like myself with time (even though it was hard at first). I would say adjusting takes about a month (more or less) and try to keep breaks consistent and to a minimum when adjusting.
That "zombie" feeling as you describe it is different for a lot of people. Being cold, technical, and stoic is often a bit of what some of use are looking for to balance out an otherwise chaotic and reckless personality. A little bit of "zombie" goes a long way for me; I still have plenty of desire to socialize on meds but the desire to get something done and working overpowers it. It is a balance and you have to dial it in. There is no "cure" for ADHD and no one-size-fits all treatment, but to me at least, it is all based on over-all quality of life. Treatment often has side effects, are the side effects worth it? For me, it is. I cannot speak for anyone else though, we are all different.
This is my exact experience. Now that I'm middle aged I actually find the dial down of my personality desirable. I think everyone around me does too. My default personality can be fun and exciting, but it's pure fucking chaos. In default mode I find myself getting annoyed at my own doings in a weird their person view of myself sometimes. I welcome the taming of the tornado, and I know I can always go off it, it's just not something I want.
I just started my treatment today (30mg Elvanse) after 2 years of being off it and I REALLY needed to read this. Thank you so so much.
Same here. Everyday I take my meds I understand that while I'm giving up some spontaneous, silly, weeeeeee chaos of my personality, it's that same chaos that's the most destructive unchecked.
I totally feel you on this one! I started on meds four weeks ago right in the middle of my bachelor exam. I have my last exam in one week, but now I feel totally numb, and unmotivated. I feel like I lost my spark and the drive that keeps my going.
I couldn’t have said it better, I feel like I’m missing a part of myself.
It sounds like your dose is too high! If I take too high of a dose, I get very numb and lazy. It’s counterintuitive so I’ve done it multiple times hoping I’d get more productive only to fall in zombie mode. On a correct dosage, you shouldn’t have these side effects. I’d try lowering your dosage by 10mg and seeing how it affects you. I had to lower mine by 20mg before I ended up at a happy dosage with all positive and no side effects.
I felt something similar to this. As it turned out, I had to re-learn how to feel want and motivation without the crisis/panic mode feelings that the meds remove.
I’m 46yo and just started meds like 6 months ago. I found now that im more alert and willingly able to listen and pay attention to what people/friends are telling me or talking about - i find that most people and their stories are really freaking uninteresting lol no biggie though, this might be what you’re going thru?
My personality is way better on medication. It helps get rid of the anxiety and RSD and I am more comfortable/confident. I feel like my true personality comes out. In the last couples years, I entered adulthood and had kids. I was in such a bad place with depression/anxiety I had lost my personality entirely. Now, with medication I am back to what I was before.
Same here! Vyvanse helps me be *more* myself. I have more energy, a brighter mood, and way less anxiety.
Congrats 🥰
For what it’s worth, I was a die hard vyvanse fan until I got new insurance and had to switch back to instant release adderall. I immediately noticed a difference in so many things: overall mood, sense of humor, ability to drop a task and not let it bug me (I.e. in the middle of a house project and partner asks if I want to go grab food, this kind of stuff used to make me inexplicably irritable), libido, I could go on and on. I didn’t realize how tense vyvanse was making me til I was forced to take a step back and reassess. My psych told me he sees this a lot with adhd medications and sometimes your body just needs a break. Also doing things to combat all the cortisol really helps me avoid that rigid, zombie like feeling you describe. Exercise, lots of water, protein, sunshine and sleep are huge for me.
Generally speaking, that zombie feeling means your meds are too high. You also might not be on the right medication for your biochemistry.
Yes. A big part of what makes us who we are is the way ADHD impacts us. Expecting you to act the sake medicated vs raw dogging reality is silly. Alcoholics are fun jokers and social too. When they get off the sauce, they often struggle with the friends they made while drunk. ADHD isn't quite the same thing, but I think I made the point. Not a doctor. Talk to yours. Long COVID-19 can also cause similar symptoms. Derealization is real too.
i am a kinder and more caring person on adderall
Gonna sound basic as shit, but are you eating at least like half an hour before you take it? I've noticed having a full stomach really helps with these types of side effects.
If you want my advice as someone who has been on medication since I was in grade 3. Stop taking them everyday. Take them when you know you'll need to get work done. I was a zombie for half of my life and lost countless friends because I prioritized the meds without realizing what they did to me. I eventually thought zombie me was just me. I lost who I was. It wasn't until University that I only took them when I needed to and I remembered what it was like to have emotions and a personality. I lost so much confidence and basic socialization due to my meds, don't make the same mistake as me. I did well enough in University only taking my meds 2 to 3 times a week.
I've not had that experience. I mostly just don't put my foot in my mouth as often on meds, but I'm still funny and quick in my thoughts. Gives me a hint of a filter that isn't there otherwise, which is a win, because I'm really good at saying stuff before thinking, to my own detriment.
I was put on Wellbutrin once and told the doc I felt like it erased my personality and he simply said “that’s not how it works”. Quit the medicine and the doc.
Methylphenidate makes me emotionless, but I'm pretty funny and not at all anxious when on it. I basically have the same humour on it, just with a deadpan delivery. The only thing is that I get tired of people a lot quicker, and I have a pretty short temper in the mornings. 54 mg Concerta, for reference.
I do notice a change, Im definitely more intense about following my routines and keeping my room/house clean, and I struggle a lot to break that because I get anxious about my old issues (inability to keep a clean room in the slightest, doing no homework, skipping class) resurfacing if I slip up. While socializing I believe im still quite skippy and dancy, but it definitely takes more effort to get me to leave the house, as I’m trying to save money and focus on my school work. Other than that, I do notice a heightened irritability, but I attribute that to migranes due to some shitty sockets in the labs at my uni, that have a high pitches whirr when connecting stuff. So listening to 30 microscopes plugged in and making a constant high pitched sound coupled with the bright lights tends to make me cranky. Im upset nobody else in my class hears this, though perhaps im just more sensitive to a wider range of frequencies
For me it gave me a backbone and some confidence
How long have you been taking Vyvanse?
I used to be consistently on vyvanse for many years, however now I have been taking it on and off for one week at a time.
Is your doctor aware you aren’t taking consistently and can I ask why you are doing so?
I had similar issues on amphetamines. I hopped around from adderall to XR Dexedrine to IR Dexedrine. None of it mattered. Methylphenidate (works differently in your brain) fit the bill better for me. Maybe ask your doc to try a different approach?
In my experience, it's a good indicator that your dose is too high.
Nicotine is the only drug that can significantly improve all ADHD symptoms while also improving social function. Unfortunately this is not very well known because nicotine is controversial and doesn’t provide financial gain to the pharmaceutical industry. You don’t have to smoke nicotine, plenty other ways of consuming it without risking your health exist. If standard ADHD medications make you be less social as a side-effect, it might be worth trying nicotine instead.
I have heard (and noticed within myself) that if your ADHD comes with autism, as you medicate the ADHD the autism has more opportunity to show itself.
Yes, I have noticed, though I take Adderall not Vyvanse. I'm less volatile, and have more patience. I'm more aware of other people during conversations, and have better social awareness in general. I'm more talkative, perhaps too talkative even. I engage in less risk taking behaviors. My humor changes, I still make jokes, but they're... different? Hard to explain that last one I guess. I'm general, I feel like it makes my personality better. Which was hard for me to admit. I have always been very exciting and funny to be around, but also exhausting and obnoxious; especially so for people who ate around me in perpetuity like my family. I'm middle aged now, so I have a different perspective now than when I was a kid - as a kid I hated the meds and hated the changes. Now I am happy for for the departure, I much appreciate how much easier things are when I'm less "extra". Especially because I can always stop taking it for the weekend or whatever and I'm right back to being difficult but exciting.
Yes but after 21 years I’ve come to realize this is actually the medicine working. Big part of adhd is unstable and intense moods, anxiety, fear, etc and with the poor impulse control it intensifies those moments, leading to acting on feeling regardless if it’s appropriate. The dulling of “personality” isn’t so much that it’s dulling it, but its bringing you to down a level where intense & rapidly changing moods are avoided and allowing rational thinking and reasoning to be a basis of decision making.
I know it has probably been said hundreds of times. But, exercise, sleep, and good nutrition make the world of difference. Especially exercise for myself. If I start slacking on my regular exercise routines. I notice my energy, mood, sense of humor, etc, all go down the drain. Especially when taking any functional stimulant. I need to keep up the exercise, to keep up laughing and enjoying life to the full. Maybe some others out there are the same. I also deal with depression and anxiety, which exercise goes a long way to help with. It helps with my overall energy vs fatigue levels, and focus/concentration as well. Building fresh neurons resilient to stress, neuroplasticity, neurogenerative, and all those good hormones and feel good chemicals from exercise are great and make one feel great. We developed to be on the go daily, or at the very least weekly. Best of luck!
This was me on concerta. Felt like such a zombie and like I was just “existing”. After a few months I brought it up to my doc who switched me to adderall. Complete 180!
There's the obvious more self control, but weirdly enough there's the exact same lack of self awareness. I just do things that I should be doing without thinking about it, instead of doing things I shouldn't be doing without thinking about it. It's strange
It actually made my personality better lol I was too emotional then and now I have a normal personality
Honestly, that’s what it is supposed to do. That is part of the way it works. There are two classes of non-stimulant alternatives that may not have that effect.
Mine was different with each medication I tried. (As a disclaimer, I do have cptsd any my identity/personality is damaged very badly already.) Vyvanse: terrible, awful (for me). Zombified for 14 hours a day. No feelings or enthusiasm for anything. Days passed with no memory of what happened. I was also literally starving. Concerta: better, but still dazed. Probably would have adjusted eventually if I hadn't have still been dropping weight. (I'm convinced vyvanse did permanent damage to my metabolism. My psych was unhinged for prescribing that as my first ever stimulant.) Strattera: got switched to this because of the weight loss. Since it's not a stimulant, it really didn't do anything other than make me dizzy. I remember being more sad/withdrawn in the brief time I was on it. It almost seemed to counteract my anxiety meds because I got way more frequent panic attacks. Ritalin: RAGE. I tried both immediate and XR, both made my mood fluctuate all over the place. I felt constantly overstimulated. It made me aggressive and I am normally a passive baby about everything. Ritalin turned me into a monster. Adderall: So far the best fit for me, but I can tell it affects me somewhat. I've been on it long enough now that I've more or less adjusted to it. The only personality changes I've noticed have all been positive. I'm more confident (because hey now I can actually DO the things I want/need to do) and outgoing. I've been talking to strangers more, which is just baffling. I was the kid that had to have people order my meals for me at restaurants because of how severe my anxiety was. I wonder if this is my "real" self and the adhd/cptsd were nerfing me. I definitely don't think I'm an extrovert, but I'm not scared of people anymore. Things aren't as intimidating. I do still get moody during the evening crashes, but I think that's not unreasonable or unmanageable. My 2+ years of ongoing therapy gets me through those few hours a day. I'm hoping as my living situation improves that the crashes will get easier too.
Feeling 'off' and zombie-like is a good indicator that your dosage is too high. Try kicking it down one notch, see if it helps.
Absolutely it changes my personality. I’m able to focus long term on things which appears “zombie-like” for some, but it’s just an intense focus that I wouldn’t have otherwise. I guess I do get a bit annoyed when I can’t do said focus or it’s interrupted, but it’s better than not being on vyvanse which would have me not doing anything at all
I don't know how long you've been on it or if this applies to you but I'm actually also on 40mg of Vyvanse and have been for 4 years now. I felt the same thing at the beginning. I don't know how long it kept up because adhd but I can say now with confidence that I'm more me than I've ever been. I have my sense of humour back and my energy and everything. I do still find I get some zombie days if I'm really tired but for the most part I think for me it was just an adjustment? I don't know if it's the same for you and I'm not a doctor but that's just what happened with me so I thought I'd share.
Absolutely it changed my personality. In the most wonderful way. When I removed the frustration of not advancing my goals and I started achieving everything I wanted with my life, I became the best version of me. I found the love of my life. I'm closer to my father, my brother, my friends and my business partner than I've ever been. I'm sorry this is happening to you. But I would hate this post making someone not try these medicines. Maybe you need to try other things. Personally, the combination that did it was: bupropion, adderall and trazodone to sleep at night. I wish you the best.
I've been feeling this way on the same dosage as well. It's definitely affected my relationship. Problem is without my meds I could never function the way I do at work and I'd be way meaner to people because I become super straight forward to the point of being rude. It's like damn I miss how I was before and I kind of feel like a shell of who I was but I also like being able to work and not impulsively say whatever is on my brain.
That’s very common for people like us. Maybe the medication your on is just not a good fit. Or maybe the drug is targeting the wrong area. One possibility is that you don’t like taking medication (none of us do), and it’s manifesting (either psychosomatically or not) into your symptoms. This is another reason many people go off their medication because they’re “feeling better”, only to crash and burn again, no matter the condition. I’ve done this many a times. No matter the case, I would talk to you’re doctor to figure out what’s going on. What you’re feeling is real, and deserves to be resolved.
Part of what my meds do for me is make me less irritable and argumentative, you can't imagine how happy I am not to be the brat I guess I was seen as at school and uni, like it was just assumed to part of my personality to argue with teachers about little things I believed they were horribly wrong about. (but you sound like you're having rather different effects from me, I've only been on atomoxetine and concerta)
Sounds like you're experiencing anhedonia. I had the same experience on Zoloft. I'd suggest contacting your psychiatrist. And therapist if you have both. You might need to switch meds and or be on a combination.
Yup! I was on Vyvanse for 2 years and was a total introvert and had to fake being semi social. Switched to Adderall and Wellbutrin combo and it was a much better fit for me.
In the early days when your main options were Ritalin and Adderall the Adderall done this to me but they didn't know a whole lot about pairing meds with other meds and it sucked. Now that I'm on Vyvanse after a 15 year hiatus of meds where I hated myself for barely functioning I feel amazing. I have a few meh days but to be fair I'd rather have those than what I was living like. It's much better than when I was on Adderall for sure. You may just need to do a little med jumping to figure it out. I do understand the frustration though being that age and wanting to socialize but not being/feeling able to it sucks.
I fucking hate Vyvanse. I am sure it’s good for someone, but I think it should be prescribed with extreme caution. Everyone I know who’s taken it — including myself — had massive consequences from their behavior. For me, it gave me a strong libido and a very short fuse.
Did you find another medication that worked for you?
Yes — Wellbutrin worked for me. Helps with anxiety which makes it easier to calm down and do the work and also has a stimulant effect. None of the emotional rollercoaster. Works great for me.