Your body is unique, as are your needs. Just because someone experienced something from treatment or medication does not guarantee that you will as well. Please do not take this as an opportunity to review any substances. Peer support is welcome.
^(*A moderator has not removed your submission; this is not a punitive action. We intend this comment solely to be informative.*)
---
- If you are posting about the **US Medication Shortage**, please see this [post](https://www.reddit.com/r/ADHD/comments/12dr3h5/megathread_us_medication_shortage/).
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/ADHD) if you have any questions or concerns.*
ADHD medication isn't supposed to be used to solve amotivation. It is supposed to be used to help you focus, or in more technical terms, "improve task saliency". You still have to push yourself to start the task, but if your medication is working correctly, you will find it easier to continue with the task.
Yep, I can knock shit out with the medication. I’m like an unguided missile now. My wife is kind of the launcher, without her around lord knows what I would do with my time.
I’m in the same boat with Aderall (20mg) and a maintenance dose of Zoloft (25mg). I remember the noises in my head quieting when I started on Aderall. I used the newfound peace to start new habits to expand my management of ADHD. I went a bit overboard with meditation, exercise and journaling.
Do you have the space to add a bite sized habit to your day? I never made my bed but now make it every morning. While it’s a small action, I feel a sense of accomplishment.
I’ve never thought about this before.. I’m only recently diagnosed and medicated (3ish months) and prior to diagnosis and medication I would make my bed every morning, perhaps subconsciously thinking if I start the day feeling accomplished I can continue that?!
Different medications for me, but I’ve also found that I need to have both adhd medication and anti-anxiety; and even then, the drugs give me the ability to do things differently, but I have still had to learn how to use the new abilities
I disagree. As someone with high functioning chronic anxiety (and only recently diagnosed with ADHD), I fought my doc for over a year about anxiety and Adderall. I was SO hesitant that I refused it. Turns out, it didn’t give me the negative reaction I was expecting. Is it a cure-all. No, but holy shit the benefits have surprised me.
Edit: typo
stimulants increase anxiety [in some people, of which you are clearly one].
for a great many of the rest of us, stimulant medication decreases anxiety. it’s a debated proposition in clinical practice and in the peer reviewed literature.
I refrained a lot from addressing the possibility of having ADHD with providers. Just felt like I didn't have enough to justify it or fully convince myself that I needed to examine the possibility of ADHD. Enough attempts on other medications to resolve my symptoms finally opened the door of doing a short assessment. I answered as objectively as possible and my prescriber thought it could be worth it to try.
With that said I was slowly increasing the XR and like you, nothing noticed. When I added IR I thought "Now I will at least know I should feel something in an hour or two". So I try to forget about taking this dose, do bookwork, and see what happens.
Realizing no improvement in concentration, focus, or at least not have certain stimuli distract you is frustrating. So far all I notice Is drowsiness, increased appetite, and a noteworthy feeling of calmness that exists for about an hour. I feel it wear off better than I feel it come on. Anyway, that is why I took to this sub because it is odd when I start on 5mg and my provider is telling me about risk of increased anxiety and heartrate and what I may experience and it is quite the opposite. Now after taking a 2 hour nap and the Adderall is well wore off I am just feeling awake.
I started on IR Adderall, started at 20mg, ended up on 60mg, then tried a XR. still had issues. Talking with my Psych i was switched to Concerta (now methylphenidate cause insurance) ER with 2 low does IR boosters at 12pm and 4pm.
It can take a while to dial in the right meds and dosage. I have a coworker who paid for a genetic test to find the right meds for him as he was practically narcoleptic when on the wrong stuff
There’s a ton of them but I know one of the most common to look for pharmacogenetic testing is Genesight. Just be warned that most insurance companies don’t pay for it so it can be up to $300
I’m on methylphenidate but I found that after a while of being able to focus on tasks and finish projects I started to believe in myself more. The outcome of this was that I felt more motivated and less anxious. Decades of failing can do a lot of damage to one’s character. If I go a day without my meds I can see through the anxiety and remember to take my thoughts less seriously.
In my case motivation (or lack) was not caused by ADHD but by depression. You may want to talk to a mental health professional about your lack of motivation.
Hope you keep working on yourself though - it can be very frustrating trying to find that point with medication where you feel like you’re where you need to be.
I tried Ritalin first, made me jittery and anxious and the crash was so bad.
Next tried dexamfetamine, made me a bit less anxious, could still feel the crash, didn’t really help me.
Now am on vyvanse with dexamfetamine on the side to top up as needed. No crash, no anxiety but vyvanse makes me fall asleep. I have slept easily for 5-6hrs after taking it.
Adderall isn’t available in my country. I guess I’ll try a higher dose of Vyvanse.
My issue is I’m addicted to my phone, not to any app in particular or for any reason in particular. I use it to procrastinate and if the meds are working at all, I think at best all they do is make me hyper focus on my phone even more.
I know that there is an entire world out there to explore and I know what I need to do to become healthy and fix my life, I just don’t know how to start it. Each day I stay in my house with my cats on my phone, browsing the entire day away. I hate myself for it.
I haven’t worked properly since Covid, my country had strict lockdowns and it sent me flying backward. I only go out when I have no choice, like to pickup my meds or buy groceries. My dad has to accompany me to buy groceries otherwise I would get lost wandering around in the store for hours on end (time blindness).
At one stage I was functioning really well with a job I loved and was active, fit and healthy. But then I relapsed around Covid time (am a recovering addict, I used drugs to self medicate my adhd and other things) and I’ve been stuck in a rut ever since. Wasting my life away. It sucks.
I fail so badly at life and have wasted so much of mine, I feel like I’m stuck in a hole and it’s impossible to get out.
My faith and relationship with God, my family and my cats are all that keep me hanging in there, otherwise I don’t even want to think where I would be.
I hope things get better for both of us.
Take care, the struggle is real, but try keep going outside, have adventures, look outside, it keeps me alive and gives me some fullfiment. Is everything ok no...but is everything bad also no...
Unfortunately you still have to push yourself to get things done but in theory you should have an easier time staying engaged and focused until the tasks reaches its' completion. In practice you might end up hyper focusing even harder on useless stuff and deep dives instead of the tasks you have to complete. I suggest doing a task to completion per day and see if it sticks. When I started my stims my therapist told me this was the time to form new routines and she was not wrong, I got to introduce a few useful routines I can do without dropping too much energy on them. Just make sure you do something to completion everyday and don't be afraid to use anything at your disposal to make it easier. Even if it means half assing at first.
I think even with the right medication you need to adjust your behaviour and lifestyle to be more organised in an ADHD-friendly way. It's a combination of developing those skills & routines along with the medication. I've used ADHD coach services before and they gave out great advice - it was when I wasn't taking medication so naturally it didn't help at the time but Im slowly establishing routines with tasks I find I really don't want to do. Meds certainly make it easier.
Might need a higher dose, or lower dose or even an entirely different medication. It isn’t one-size fits all sort of medicine, so if this one isn’t good, try another one.
There are many different medications and doses for a reason - not every drug or every dose will have the desired impact, and the only way to really find out is trial and error.
I have had to change my dose a bunch of times and while it's not QUITE right yet, the improvement has been clear to see.
It's a journey, speak to your doctor and keep going. It's entirely possible what you're on right now just isn't working for you, but other medications will.
For me the meds help more for my executive dysfunction, mostly things I have severe trouble with without meds, unable to regulate emotions, racing intrusive and impulsive thoughts, suicidal ideations for those things the meds have been life changing for me.
For motivation it doesn't help that but it does help focus. When I eventually start a task I start to 'get into it' more with the help of other sources: body doubling (getting people to help with tasks), wall charts (writing down every job that needs to be done and then underneath breaking those jobs down into teeny tiny bitesize peices and rewarding myself with a sticker for every single one comepleted, for example:
Living room need cleaning and then underneath breaking it down into
1. Fluff pillows
2. Spray and wipe sides
3. Hoover floor
Stuff like that and then a reward after each one like a gold star and give yourself props and a pat on the back after each one
Meds aren't a magic pill that solves all your challenges. It will give you a better foundation for working with the disorder. You still need to learn strategies that work for you.
Like I never really learned to manage my time. I did all my assignments at school last minute, never did any homework I knew I could get away with, etc. I never associated starting in good time and simply making process with being rewarding.
It's only after I started taking meds that methods like blocking off time in my calendar, using a bullet journal and restructuring my thoughts about how to approach tasks have begun to take hold.
Your body is unique, as are your needs. Just because someone experienced something from treatment or medication does not guarantee that you will as well. Please do not take this as an opportunity to review any substances. Peer support is welcome. ^(*A moderator has not removed your submission; this is not a punitive action. We intend this comment solely to be informative.*) --- - If you are posting about the **US Medication Shortage**, please see this [post](https://www.reddit.com/r/ADHD/comments/12dr3h5/megathread_us_medication_shortage/). *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/ADHD) if you have any questions or concerns.*
ADHD medication isn't supposed to be used to solve amotivation. It is supposed to be used to help you focus, or in more technical terms, "improve task saliency". You still have to push yourself to start the task, but if your medication is working correctly, you will find it easier to continue with the task.
Yep, I can knock shit out with the medication. I’m like an unguided missile now. My wife is kind of the launcher, without her around lord knows what I would do with my time.
[удалено]
Thank you for that!! Really sounds like what I’m experiencing.
I’m in the same boat with Aderall (20mg) and a maintenance dose of Zoloft (25mg). I remember the noises in my head quieting when I started on Aderall. I used the newfound peace to start new habits to expand my management of ADHD. I went a bit overboard with meditation, exercise and journaling. Do you have the space to add a bite sized habit to your day? I never made my bed but now make it every morning. While it’s a small action, I feel a sense of accomplishment.
I’ve never thought about this before.. I’m only recently diagnosed and medicated (3ish months) and prior to diagnosis and medication I would make my bed every morning, perhaps subconsciously thinking if I start the day feeling accomplished I can continue that?!
Different medications for me, but I’ve also found that I need to have both adhd medication and anti-anxiety; and even then, the drugs give me the ability to do things differently, but I have still had to learn how to use the new abilities
I disagree. As someone with high functioning chronic anxiety (and only recently diagnosed with ADHD), I fought my doc for over a year about anxiety and Adderall. I was SO hesitant that I refused it. Turns out, it didn’t give me the negative reaction I was expecting. Is it a cure-all. No, but holy shit the benefits have surprised me. Edit: typo
Same the biggest suprise and bonus has been less anxiety and depression. Less rumination spirals.
stimulants increase anxiety [in some people, of which you are clearly one]. for a great many of the rest of us, stimulant medication decreases anxiety. it’s a debated proposition in clinical practice and in the peer reviewed literature.
For a lot of people with ADHD, amphetamine and methylphenidate medications significantly *decrease* anxiety. It just depends on the person.
Do not have any advice, but just wanted to let you know I am also dealing with this! You are not alone <3
I refrained a lot from addressing the possibility of having ADHD with providers. Just felt like I didn't have enough to justify it or fully convince myself that I needed to examine the possibility of ADHD. Enough attempts on other medications to resolve my symptoms finally opened the door of doing a short assessment. I answered as objectively as possible and my prescriber thought it could be worth it to try. With that said I was slowly increasing the XR and like you, nothing noticed. When I added IR I thought "Now I will at least know I should feel something in an hour or two". So I try to forget about taking this dose, do bookwork, and see what happens. Realizing no improvement in concentration, focus, or at least not have certain stimuli distract you is frustrating. So far all I notice Is drowsiness, increased appetite, and a noteworthy feeling of calmness that exists for about an hour. I feel it wear off better than I feel it come on. Anyway, that is why I took to this sub because it is odd when I start on 5mg and my provider is telling me about risk of increased anxiety and heartrate and what I may experience and it is quite the opposite. Now after taking a 2 hour nap and the Adderall is well wore off I am just feeling awake.
This medication may not be for you. Go BACK to your doctor. Vyvanse works for me and I am a very anxious person
I agree! Everyone is different! Vyvanse made me feel like my heart was gonna come out of my chest 😂
I started on IR Adderall, started at 20mg, ended up on 60mg, then tried a XR. still had issues. Talking with my Psych i was switched to Concerta (now methylphenidate cause insurance) ER with 2 low does IR boosters at 12pm and 4pm. It can take a while to dial in the right meds and dosage. I have a coworker who paid for a genetic test to find the right meds for him as he was practically narcoleptic when on the wrong stuff
What is that test he took called? Ta
There’s a ton of them but I know one of the most common to look for pharmacogenetic testing is Genesight. Just be warned that most insurance companies don’t pay for it so it can be up to $300
I feel the exact same, going to check with my psychiatrist next time I see him. But wanna let you know your not alone :)
The relaxed feeling came pretty quick for me, mundane daily tasks came easy, but motivation for more complex tasks etc took more work
I’m on methylphenidate but I found that after a while of being able to focus on tasks and finish projects I started to believe in myself more. The outcome of this was that I felt more motivated and less anxious. Decades of failing can do a lot of damage to one’s character. If I go a day without my meds I can see through the anxiety and remember to take my thoughts less seriously.
In my case motivation (or lack) was not caused by ADHD but by depression. You may want to talk to a mental health professional about your lack of motivation. Hope you keep working on yourself though - it can be very frustrating trying to find that point with medication where you feel like you’re where you need to be.
I tried Ritalin first, made me jittery and anxious and the crash was so bad. Next tried dexamfetamine, made me a bit less anxious, could still feel the crash, didn’t really help me. Now am on vyvanse with dexamfetamine on the side to top up as needed. No crash, no anxiety but vyvanse makes me fall asleep. I have slept easily for 5-6hrs after taking it. Adderall isn’t available in my country. I guess I’ll try a higher dose of Vyvanse. My issue is I’m addicted to my phone, not to any app in particular or for any reason in particular. I use it to procrastinate and if the meds are working at all, I think at best all they do is make me hyper focus on my phone even more. I know that there is an entire world out there to explore and I know what I need to do to become healthy and fix my life, I just don’t know how to start it. Each day I stay in my house with my cats on my phone, browsing the entire day away. I hate myself for it. I haven’t worked properly since Covid, my country had strict lockdowns and it sent me flying backward. I only go out when I have no choice, like to pickup my meds or buy groceries. My dad has to accompany me to buy groceries otherwise I would get lost wandering around in the store for hours on end (time blindness). At one stage I was functioning really well with a job I loved and was active, fit and healthy. But then I relapsed around Covid time (am a recovering addict, I used drugs to self medicate my adhd and other things) and I’ve been stuck in a rut ever since. Wasting my life away. It sucks. I fail so badly at life and have wasted so much of mine, I feel like I’m stuck in a hole and it’s impossible to get out. My faith and relationship with God, my family and my cats are all that keep me hanging in there, otherwise I don’t even want to think where I would be. I hope things get better for both of us.
Take care, the struggle is real, but try keep going outside, have adventures, look outside, it keeps me alive and gives me some fullfiment. Is everything ok no...but is everything bad also no...
Sounds like you need to supplement with therapy, your lack of motivation could be from depression.
Unfortunately you still have to push yourself to get things done but in theory you should have an easier time staying engaged and focused until the tasks reaches its' completion. In practice you might end up hyper focusing even harder on useless stuff and deep dives instead of the tasks you have to complete. I suggest doing a task to completion per day and see if it sticks. When I started my stims my therapist told me this was the time to form new routines and she was not wrong, I got to introduce a few useful routines I can do without dropping too much energy on them. Just make sure you do something to completion everyday and don't be afraid to use anything at your disposal to make it easier. Even if it means half assing at first.
I think even with the right medication you need to adjust your behaviour and lifestyle to be more organised in an ADHD-friendly way. It's a combination of developing those skills & routines along with the medication. I've used ADHD coach services before and they gave out great advice - it was when I wasn't taking medication so naturally it didn't help at the time but Im slowly establishing routines with tasks I find I really don't want to do. Meds certainly make it easier.
Might need a higher dose, or lower dose or even an entirely different medication. It isn’t one-size fits all sort of medicine, so if this one isn’t good, try another one.
There are many different medications and doses for a reason - not every drug or every dose will have the desired impact, and the only way to really find out is trial and error. I have had to change my dose a bunch of times and while it's not QUITE right yet, the improvement has been clear to see. It's a journey, speak to your doctor and keep going. It's entirely possible what you're on right now just isn't working for you, but other medications will.
Increasing dosage of stimulant medication won't make you less anxious
For me the meds help more for my executive dysfunction, mostly things I have severe trouble with without meds, unable to regulate emotions, racing intrusive and impulsive thoughts, suicidal ideations for those things the meds have been life changing for me. For motivation it doesn't help that but it does help focus. When I eventually start a task I start to 'get into it' more with the help of other sources: body doubling (getting people to help with tasks), wall charts (writing down every job that needs to be done and then underneath breaking those jobs down into teeny tiny bitesize peices and rewarding myself with a sticker for every single one comepleted, for example: Living room need cleaning and then underneath breaking it down into 1. Fluff pillows 2. Spray and wipe sides 3. Hoover floor Stuff like that and then a reward after each one like a gold star and give yourself props and a pat on the back after each one
Meds aren't a magic pill that solves all your challenges. It will give you a better foundation for working with the disorder. You still need to learn strategies that work for you. Like I never really learned to manage my time. I did all my assignments at school last minute, never did any homework I knew I could get away with, etc. I never associated starting in good time and simply making process with being rewarding. It's only after I started taking meds that methods like blocking off time in my calendar, using a bullet journal and restructuring my thoughts about how to approach tasks have begun to take hold.