Stimulants/ADD medication used for focus

[GYX_Kid]

Any opinions/experiences?

I find that taking a 10mg adderall IR generally increases focus and work mentality, and works quickly and for a good amount of time. It would be possible to obtain a prescription by being referred to a psychiatrist, but I would rather use it very rarely as a tool for the right job instead of regularly having it in my bloodstream (I don't have ADD).

They're also known to be possible stress inducers, but I don't see that as a problem necessarily, since I tend to be lazy when I'm really chill most of the time.
Maybe that has something to do with INTP's inferior Fe being responsible for making external decisions and acting, which gets activated under stress or when something external causes other feeling.

 

[TylerRDA]

I have ADD proper. I use vyvanse 30 mg. In my attempt to preserve my sense of dignity, I avoid taking it except when necessary. For you , i recommend using caffiene. It's legaler, cheaper, comes in many great flavors, and would make life easier for those of us who actually do need prescription stimulants.

 

[xbox]

Here's probably just another semi-rant post of mine.

Yeah so my parents wanted to send me to a shrink as a kid, and I refused to go because I thought they were the retards, not me.

It was in the pediatrics room, I was sitting there with my little arms crossed angrily, and my mother was explaining stuff to the doctor.

I hated them both.

Mom was asking the doctor to refer me to psychiatrist. Reasons: very quiet, unsocial, struggling in school, depressed, lazy, distracted by shiny things, hiding in bushes, wandering randomly outside.

I said "I'm not going anywhere even if you refer me to someone."

Doctor prescribed me ADHD medication instead. (Straterra). I researched it just so I knew it was definitely ADHD medication.. I didn't trust ANYONE.

I took it for a trial period. I found myself being excessively happy for the first 5-8 hours of taking it, then the rest of the time, I felt extremely depressed. Never really took ADHD medication again.

I'm afraid to take adderall.. but caffeine works fine for me now.

 

[Kuu]

Mind taking a look at this thread?

 

[Jordan~]

I take 54 mg Concerta daily. It does its job, I think - it's hard to say, as I've so little do to at the moment that it's not really been tested, but I do get a lot less easily bored, I'm never hyperactive now, and it does a good job at keeping my irritability under control (unless I've run out of cigarettes, but I don't think it fair to expect it to deal with nicotine withdrawals). The side effects, mood-wise, have been almost nonexistent - I might be a bit more stable. It has, however, destroyed my appetite. My mum's very worried that I'm getting to be underweight; I can go a day without food quite happily without being hungry. I've also had a little trouble sleeping - I accidentally double dosed the other day and couldn't sleep at all for a day; I was exhausted but my body refused to sleep. I'm taking it every day, though; if you were only taking it occasionally I doubt you'd have those problems.

I couldn't really say what it might do to you mood-wise, because the effects for someone without ADHD are different to those for someone with ADHD - it relaxes me, if anything, because it inhibits hyperactivity and when I'm hyperactive I'm almost manic (a psychiatrist confused it with hypomania, in fact, and prescribed a disastrous course of medication as a result). It doesn't cause me any stress, certainly. That, and you're taking amphetamines, while methylphenidate, while it's structurally similar to amphetamines, is pharmacologically more similar to cocaine.

 

[SpaceYeti]

I have ADD proper. I use vyvanse 30 mg. In my attempt to preserve my sense of dignity, I avoid taking it except when necessary. For you , i recommend using caffiene. It's legaler, cheaper, comes in many great flavors, and would make life easier for those of us who actually do need prescription stimulants.

Caffiene does not help people without ADD focus, excepting that it makes them less tired, a state in which it's difficult to focus. If you have ADHD, however, it calms you and helps focus separately from waking you.

 

[TylerRDA]

Caffiene does not help people without ADD focus, excepting that it makes them less tired, a state in which it's difficult to focus. If you have ADHD, however, it calms you and helps focus separately from waking you.

Semantics.

But perhaps it works for some and not for others. It's a fine line between AD(H)D and not AD(H)D.

 

[SkyWalker]

I take 54 mg Concerta daily. It does its job, I think - it's hard to say, as I've so little do to at the moment that it's not really been tested.

Then why take it? The body adjusts to you taking it every day, thus it becomes less sensitive to it (you experience less advantages of it after prolonged usage). Pumping that stuff through your blood every day just dulls you down and destroys your brain. Your brain will become insensitive to your beautiful internal pleasures (like intuitive or intellectual pursuit), and will only be able to chase super-stimulating superfiscialities. because you have desensitized your brain by a stimulant shouting WHOAWAWHOAW in your brain 24/7. And then you can only chase other WHOAWAWHOAW things in life. You will be desensitized to small beautiful things that you were supposed to do in life.

Concerta is a time-released version of ritalin. It's wiser to pop one or half a ritalin pill only when you really need it (for me: max once a week when I want to be a temporary superhero)
Ritalin is better because it clears the blood fast, if you want prolonged effect then just pop a few half-a-pills spread over the period you need it, but then also know that you actually shouldn't take it over prolonged period if you dont want to be dependant/addicted!

I dont like to take ritalin, but sometimes secretly take it if I'm dealing with a mighty opponent (in negotiations for example). With ritalin I am so awake that I can blow the socks out of anyone. I feel like the guy in the movie limitless if I'm on ritalin. Not only feel, i am truly like that when on ritalin. I think the movie is advertising for it.

 

[SkyWalker]

I think stimulants increase the strength of Te (even in Ti-doms, lacking Te normally).

 

[snafupants]

Then why take it? The body adjusts to you taking it every day, thus it becomes less sensitive to it (you experience less advantages of it after prolonged usage). Pumping that stuff through your blood every day just dulls you down and destroys your brain. Your brain will become insensitive to your beautiful internal pleasures (like intuitive or intellectual pursuit), and will only be able to chase super-stimulating superfiscialities. because you have desensitized your brain by a stimulant shouting WHOAWAWHOAW in your brain 24/7. And then you can only chase other WHOAWAWHOAW things in life. You will be desensitized to small beautiful things that you were supposed to do in life.

Concerta is a time-released version of ritalin. It's wiser to pop one or half a ritalin pill only when you really need it (for me: max once a week when I want to be a temporary superhero)
Ritalin is better because it clears the blood fast, if you want prolonged effect then just pop a few half-a-pills spread over the period you need it, but then also know that you actually shouldn't take it over prolonged period if you dont want to be dependant/addicted!

I dont like to take ritalin, but sometimes secretly take it if I'm dealing with a mighty opponent (in negotiations for example). With ritalin I am so awake that I can blow the socks out of anyone. I feel like the guy in the movie limitless if I'm on ritalin. Not only feel, i am truly like that when on ritalin. I think the movie is advertising for it.

Thanks for dropping that wisdom on us SkyWalker. Between your quaint neologisms and offhand braggadocio, it can be challenging to keep up with your vast wit.

 

[SkyWalker]

Thanks for dropping that wisdom on us SkyWalker. Between your quaint neologisms and offhand braggadocio, it can be challenging to keep up with your vast wit.

haha wow, am i such an ass here?


as about me saying that i blow the socks out of anyone on ritalin: i was just also expressing my optimism on how it feels and that i can relate to anyone feeling that too. i really feel like superman on ritalin. of course its fake, but this is the impression the drug gives, this is how it lures you in. thats why you have to stay out.

 

[Thales]

Very interesting are the two defintions for neologism, as applied to this case!

1
: a new word, usage, or expression
2
: a meaningless word coined by a psychotic

 

[Minuend]

Sometimes I wonder if I have ADD, dyslexia or something. Concentrating when reading has been very difficult for me. Coffee helps. I don't think I can read anything without it. At least, I absorb much more when (after) drinking coffee.

When I don't drink coffee, my mind get sluggish, which makes me passive and reluctant to do anything. I suppose it's kinda like if you eat all junk food and don't exercise. That kind of sluggishness. Just that I do exercise and eat healthy. I have to read sentences over and over again, but am still unable to grasp its meaning.

Also, white backgrounds are too bright, it can be a bit distracting, like the white is shining, kinda. Why don't people use light grey or something?

 

[SkyWalker]

too much coffee can also make me jittery and nervous, and this can be a distraction as well....

reading as in understanding/studying works best for me in the bed, relaxed... and if i fall asleep then i just fall asleep and continue when i wake up fresh... slumbering a bit like this. this allows for deep understanding/contemplation of the material

if i jam myself with stimulants (whether coffee or stronger) i dont think i can reach that level of understanding/contemplation. i could do "work i dont want to do" on it, but i cant reach higher understanding on it.

 

[latexsmile]

I take 54 mg Concerta daily. It does its job, I think - it's hard to say, as I've so little do to at the moment that it's not really been tested, but I do get a lot less easily bored, I'm never hyperactive now, and it does a good job at keeping my irritability under control (unless I've run out of cigarettes, but I don't think it fair to expect it to deal with nicotine withdrawals). The side effects, mood-wise, have been almost nonexistent - I might be a bit more stable. It has, however, destroyed my appetite. My mum's very worried that I'm getting to be underweight; I can go a day without food quite happily without being hungry. I've also had a little trouble sleeping - I accidentally double dosed the other day and couldn't sleep at all for a day; I was exhausted but my body refused to sleep. I'm taking it every day, though; if you were only taking it occasionally I doubt you'd have those problems.

I couldn't really say what it might do to you mood-wise, because the effects for someone without ADHD are different to those for someone with ADHD - it relaxes me, if anything, because it inhibits hyperactivity and when I'm hyperactive I'm almost manic (a psychiatrist confused it with hypomania, in fact, and prescribed a disastrous course of medication as a result). It doesn't cause me any stress, certainly. That, and you're taking amphetamines, while methylphenidate, while it's structurally similar to amphetamines, is pharmacologically more similar to cocaine.

I'm the same (54mg Concerta), only I can be very irritable on it all the time, and food is terrible. If I try to eat, I have to make myself keep it down, I get way too nauseous ><

I've noticed that sleep isn't much different. I've never been able to sleep while I was on it, and sleeping pills made things 10x worse.
Melatonin really helps with sleeping, fyi.


I tested positive for AD(H)D twice, 5th and 8th grade. My mom started suspecting it around kindergarten, but only allowed meds in 8th grade when it was a serious problem. I'm glad they weren't forced on me earlier.
The meds help with productivity and work ethic and my relationship with my parents, but it kinda sucked out the good parts of my personality and amplified the less desirable ones.
And holy shit, I got tics. A couple months after I started, the tics came..I've had probably 7 or 8 different tics. Anyone else have this issue?

 

[SkyWalker]

And holy shit, I got tics. A couple months after I started, the tics came..I've had probably 7 or 8 different tics. Anyone else have this issue?

I think you should stop taking it! its crap!

Just be your AD(H)D self??? So what???
Maybe your parents/teachers/society are just over-decisive superfiscial ExTJs or something and they hate you for not being their Te-dom type.

---

Stimulants dont give me tics, but it does make me more expressive and makes me say things i dont usually dare say.
Maybe it works similar on you, maybe you usually also have tendencies for tics, but they dont come out because you have the ability to supress them, but now with the stimulant it makes it more expressive and it comes out?

 

[Thales]

Concerta has helped, I just wish not to continue taking it for the short-term future.

 

[SkyWalker]

thales you say concerta has helped: can you sum up what benefits you have (or had). (and if you think those benefits are really objective? )

 

[systembust]

Yes

 

[Lot]

I have often considered taking an ADD drug for my lack of focus. Sometimes I think I'm schizophrenic and think that the meds for that would help with the focus and paranoid delusions, no hallucinations yet but they say between 16 to 30 they start so 7 more years and I'm in the clear lol. Caffeine helps sometimes with my lack of focus, but so does a good nights sleep or a motivating speech. It's funny that you mention tics, because I've had tics since I was 7. I have to do a breathing pattern with my nose and tap my fingers together and I blink like a mofo, click my teeth, pop my ears while blinking. It gets so bad sometimes I get head aches from the over use of muscles. Although it has nothing to do with meds, maybe I should take meds for it?

Back to the topic. I try to stay away from any medications because I'm very stubborn and think I can do stuff on my own. With out that ESTABLISHMENT crap. Who are they to tell me how I should act, or what I need to do to fix my issues. I am the all powerful INTP! I can reason my way through everything. LOL! So far my way only works around 40% of the time. But really 40% of the time it works all the time.

 

[Minuend]

So I've been experimenting with caffeine ever since last post. I think my intake is about 200-400 mg a day, depending on which coffee I drink. Right now (it occurs to me that this might not be interesting) I'm drinking "frappuccino" which I accidentally stumbled upon whilst grocery shopping. 100mg caffeine a bottle. It tasted very good and very not good at the same time. Fascinating. And I can drink a large cup (400g liquid) in addition. Which should be about 200-300mg coffeine, I suppose Or I can drink two or three large cups a day.

I haven't really been calculating this before, so now I'm a bit uncertain. It relaxes my muscles though, feels amazing.

Now this is why I never started using alcohol.

What "dosage" do you other fine people use?

 

[Jordan~]

Are you taking the piss or are you super teetotal? I've been drinking tea since I was a baby, coffee since I could walk. Alcohol since I could... I don't know, what can you do at 14?

 

[Minuend]

I niver drink alcohol. I would drink tee if it weren't for the fact that it's less effective than coffee. It's like buying one sheet of paper when you can have two for the same price.

 

[Jordan~]

It also tastes nice. You build up a resistance, anyway; I don't really notice an effect from caffeine.

 

[Zionoxis]

Caffeine does not help me focus, but I can memorize quite a bit more information. A Monster energy is always helpful on a night of that big test.

 

[mainiac]

Just my opiniuon here but. I thionk that many doctyors and shrinks have caused more damage to people than you would ever imagin. There are many side effects associated with phycotropic drugs. The ones that are perscribed for depression are in this group. So are Amphetimines. Now I feel that for the most part you should be able to self medicate. Lets see if I can explaine. There are so,me people who most definetly should not drink. There fore they crave this depresant for some reason. How about a dose of Adavan instead. The effects are very similar to alcohol. Taken in proper dosages almost for certian not as damaging as booze.

For those who naturaly just dont have any energy. What I mean by this is no knownm medical problems that would cause this. How about some kind of stimulant that works? But no! All of these things gets conyroled and dispensed by a group of people that supposedly no whats best for you. just ask them they will tell you all the school they went to so that they can assure you they know whats best for you.

There are also many plant extracts that have ben used for thouseands of years. Today the modern pill makers use many of the same plant and extract just one thing from them, thus all the negative side effects versus few or none when the same is taken from an unprosesed plant. As a matter of fact, most medicines are still made from plants, but synthesised and adultrated until it is mostly poison.

Just an opinion...one of many

 

[SkyWalker]

There are also many plant extracts that have ben used for thouseands of years. Today the modern pill makers use many of the same plant and extract just one thing from them, thus all the negative side effects versus few or none when the same is taken from an unprosesed plant. As a matter of fact, most medicines are still made from plants, but synthesised and adultrated until it is mostly poison.

What is the advantage of taking a less effective herb if you can take the real chemical????

Either you do it well or you dont.

You either chemically assist yourself, or choose not to, to train your own natural willpower to kick yourself into another mode without drugs.

Herbs is for those who cant decide??

 

[SpaceYeti]

Just my opiniuon here but. I thionk that many doctyors and shrinks have caused more damage to people than you would ever imagin. There are many side effects associated with phycotropic drugs. The ones that are perscribed for depression are in this group. So are Amphetimines. Now I feel that for the most part you should be able to self medicate. Lets see if I can explaine. There are so,me people who most definetly should not drink. There fore they crave this depresant for some reason. How about a dose of Adavan instead. The effects are very similar to alcohol. Taken in proper dosages almost for certian not as damaging as booze.

For those who naturaly just dont have any energy. What I mean by this is no knownm medical problems that would cause this. How about some kind of stimulant that works? But no! All of these things gets conyroled and dispensed by a group of people that supposedly no whats best for you. just ask them they will tell you all the school they went to so that they can assure you they know whats best for you.

There are also many plant extracts that have ben used for thouseands of years. Today the modern pill makers use many of the same plant and extract just one thing from them, thus all the negative side effects versus few or none when the same is taken from an unprosesed plant. As a matter of fact, most medicines are still made from plants, but synthesised and adultrated until it is mostly poison.

Just an opinion...one of many

So... Ahippy jerk, eh? Yeah, medical science is unpure. You know, taking the useful chemicals form plants and not the ones that don't actually do anything, why, that's less effective.

Seriously, guy, are you into homeopathy, or some shit? Tell you what, why don't we stop using medicine at all and just pop some cheap crystals on our chakras? Oh, even better; Let's just pray instead of doing shit that works! Brilliant!

 

[Jordan~]

You do know that those plants aren't actually trying to help us, right? It's not like they meet up to discuss how best to be medicinally useful to humans. You know who does meet up to discuss how best to make plants medicinally useful to humans? Doctors.

 

[SkyWalker]

plants actually make those poisons so we stop eating them. its their defense against us. plants dont help us, they defend against us.

unless its in their fruit, in which case they do make it for us, which we eat and disperse their seed from the fruit

 

[Awaken]

Just my opinion here but. I think that many doctors and shrinks have caused more damage to people than you would ever imagine. There are many side effects associated with psychotropic drugs. The ones that are prescribed for depression are in this group. So are Amphetamines. Now I feel that for the most part you should be able to self medicate. Lets see if I can explain. There are so many people who most definitely should not drink. Therefore they crave this depressant for some reason. How about a dose of Ativan instead. The effects are very similar to alcohol. Taken in proper dosages almost for certain not as damaging as booze.

For those who naturally just dont have any energy. What I mean by this is no known medical problems that would cause this. How about some kind of stimulant that works? But no! All of these things get controlled and dispensed by a group of people that supposedly know whats best for you. just ask them they will tell you all the school they went to so that they can assure you they know whats best for you.

There are also many plant extracts that have been used for thousands of years. Today the modern pill makers use many of the same plant and extract just one thing from them, thus all the negative side effects versus few or none when the same is taken from an unprocessed plant. As a matter of fact, most medicines are still made from plants, but synthesized and adulterated until it is mostly poison.

Just an opinion...one of many

Your post is so confusing to me. It seems as though you do not like the medical field because the drugs they use have side effects. However, people should be able to self medicate because drugs are good for you?

I am not trying to bash you or turn this into a "tinfoil hat vs the establishment" argument, but many of the things you said are just simply wrong and/or misguided.

If studies showed that a drug had a wide enough therapeutic index, then that drug can be given over the counter. If a drug has a narrow therapeutic index, then the dispensing of such drug is tightly controlled within the medical field. Do you think this is a bad thing? Surely you would not view this as bad if you or someone you knew had a heart arrhythmia, took adderall, then suddenly died at the age of 18 would you? Instead of demonizing the field as a whole, you should instead argue against how the field of medicine fits into our capitalistic society. Now, that is a fruitful argument.

 

[downsowf]

Then why take it? The body adjusts to you taking it every day, thus it becomes less sensitive to it (you experience less advantages of it after prolonged usage). Pumping that stuff through your blood every day just dulls you down and destroys your brain. Your brain will become insensitive to your beautiful internal pleasures (like intuitive or intellectual pursuit), and will only be able to chase super-stimulating superfiscialities. because you have desensitized your brain by a stimulant shouting WHOAWAWHOAW in your brain 24/7. And then you can only chase other WHOAWAWHOAW things in life. You will be desensitized to small beautiful things that you were supposed to do in life.

Concerta is a time-released version of ritalin. It's wiser to pop one or half a ritalin pill only when you really need it (for me: max once a week when I want to be a temporary superhero)
Ritalin is better because it clears the blood fast, if you want prolonged effect then just pop a few half-a-pills spread over the period you need it, but then also know that you actually shouldn't take it over prolonged period if you dont want to be dependant/addicted!

I dont like to take ritalin, but sometimes secretly take it if I'm dealing with a mighty opponent (in negotiations for example). With ritalin I am so awake that I can blow the socks out of anyone. I feel like the guy in the movie limitless if I'm on ritalin. Not only feel, i am truly like that when on ritalin. I think the movie is advertising for it.

What scientific evidence do you have of this? Are you a doctor? Have you done research on multiple subjects over long periods of time? People react differently to drugs- so what might be good for one person might not be good for another.

Also, on another point, people need to decide for themselves whether medication is or is not good for them given the fact that how one feels on a particular medication is a completely personal experience.

 

[JarNew]

Any opinions/experiences?

\ I would rather use it very rarely as a tool for the right job instead of regularly having it in my bloodstream (I don't have ADD).

I also don't have ADD and my psychiatrist prescribed adderall exactly for the reason you want it.

As a tool, for school, to be taken when I want to take it.

Cool psych eh?

 

[Jedi]

I started taking vyvanse a couple weeks ago, it helps calm the mind and increases focus. Doctors probably shouldn't give it to 8 year olds though.

Concerned mother: "Timmy can't concentrate in school, he says it's too boring"
Doctor: "Bored? In school? Strange... Well nothing a little meth-amphetamine can't fix"
Timmy: "Mommy, what's meth-amphetamine?"

 

[SkyWalker]

What scientific evidence do you have of this? Are you a doctor? Have you done research on multiple subjects over long periods of time? People react differently to drugs- so what might be good for one person might not be good for another.

Also, on another point, people need to decide for themselves whether medication is or is not good for them given the fact that how one feels on a particular medication is a completely personal experience.

i dont know which part you are skeptical about, you dont mention.

about the fact that prolonged use of a stimulant will cancel-out the effect in due time and just make you dependant > this is a well known fact about all stimulants (cocain, caffeine, nicotine , ephedrine, etc). it doesnt make sense to deny that fact. its an in-your-face obvious kind of thing