People on ADHD meds feel that the the initial rush of a dopaminergic medication means that it is working. That initial rush will fade over weeks, causing people to feel that the medication is “not working.”

@sketchyemailer101

5 ай бұрын

Yeah this is my experience. When I first started taking medication, I thought that euphoric rush was the desired effect. It seemed like the thing that was pushing me to get things done, and it did a bit. But more subtle aspect of executive control are the real thing that medication is good for, and I haven't seen tolerance for that effect. I think it's more complex than tolerance vs. no volerance, it's tolerance to what. I have tolerance for the euphoria, and tolerance for the feeling that I have so much energy in your body that I can just keep physically exerting myself beyond what is normal. It would be nice to have that euphoria and energy sometimes, but if it were like that everything day that would be crazy. It's good to have balance and an ability to relax too.

@goSuOtarU

5 ай бұрын

This is what happened to me

@Alex-js5lg

5 ай бұрын

That's not necessarily true with all stimulants. Some don't have a perceptible onset in everyone. Vyvanse and Concerta come to mind.

@ravendahl5864

5 ай бұрын

I can feel my Vyvance hit once I take it. That is just me. Also I have been not taking my stims on my off days because of the med shortages. I feel like I need to make sure that I am on at work (I am a nurse) because I don't want to make an error that could harm someone due to an ADHD oppsie. @@Alex-js5lg

@jurinato

4 ай бұрын

​@@Alex-js5lgYour statement isn't conclusive fact; it is anecdotal. People absolutely can and do experience physiological onset of these medications activating in their systems.

Hi Doc, I wondered if my meds (Methylphenidate) were not as effective, and my conclusion, after just a couple of days off them, was that we forget how difficult things were pre-medication. I think it's human nature to push ourselves, so if meds help us achieve some things, we aim for more, then when we struggle we think the meds aren't working, not realising how high above our original base line we are - we're just raising our own expectations as our baseline ability increases... I'll stick with my meds thanks! Does that makes sense?!

@lagomorphia9

5 ай бұрын

You explained this so well! I have to remember that even pre meds, my ADHD was all over the place with some days much worse than others, so had to find peace that there will be fluctuations even with meds.

@insidiatori9148

5 ай бұрын

Jup, I started suspecting my meds were getting less effective at some point too but than I played a game and realized: Oh yeah that's true, before meds i could not even follow through these objectives, I'm okay! So funny haha.

@sarahs7669

5 ай бұрын

Ditto. I couldn’t afford to pick up my meds for a couple days after I ran out and I was like… shit I really do need it. Because you start thinking it’s YOU that’s managing yourself.

I've experienced social tolerance. It wasn't that I felt personally that it wasn't doing all the things, I love the medication. It's that the improvement altered everyone's expectations of me, including myself, so the dramatic effect of the meds lost a bit of its obvious shine. I have to stop and remember I'm doing probably 10x more in a given day and am probably 100x more successful in completing objectives. It happens with such regularity that I don't even notice all the things I've grown accustomed to doing well. I have to remind myself that of course life's going to always feel hard and challenge my EF, because I still have ADHD, and the baseline expectations have shot up to somewhere just south of neurotypical.

@lagomorphia9

5 ай бұрын

and just south of neurotypical can be depressing for people who have spent a lifetime wishing to be neurotypical with all the capablilty it brings. Makes it harder to see the massive improvements the meds actually give, for sure. You are so right, we still have ADHD and need to remember that.

@crazystemlady

5 ай бұрын

thanks for this.. i take care of my family, younger siblings, play, create, i love to make arts crafts, write, etc.. while also pursuing biochem and work. i beat my self up for not getting out of bed and i probably forget that laying down for a day is ok

My psychiatrist had told me when I started that the effect we want from Vyvanse is subtle, and the initial euphoria is not the treatment we are looking for. He had said that I would notice this euphoria any time I am off the meds for a bit and start back up or go up in dose. I’m glad he did, because I didn’t associate the ‘energizing stage’ of the medication as anything more than a side effect.

@lagomorphia9

5 ай бұрын

That is a good psychiatrist to take the time to explain this!

@ravendahl5864

5 ай бұрын

Thanks for saying this. I am a Grad PMHNP student and this will help me find a way to explain the meds in human vs medical.

It's important to remember that medication doesn't automatically provide life skills. If you've never managed a schedule or established a daily routine, medication won't always teach you how to do that.

I think what happens is when you start stimulant medication, low dopamine was your normal and increased dopamine becomes a special good state. Over time, increased dopamine becomes your new normal, and functioning with out it becomes harder. People think they are getting tolerant to it. But one is just getting accustomed to a new normal. Its a bit like spectacles. The first time you put them on, you're impressed with how more beautiful the world looks. Over time, it becomes your new normal and it doesn't keep surprising you. You get surprised when you don't put them on and struggle to see properly. That's why one must not rely on how one's feeling to monitor benefit of medication. You need clear targets to be set at the outset. For instance, relying on less external sources to regulate emotions, such as food or cigarettes etc, or the ability to quickly reframe negative thoughts and get on with what you're doing. Thanks. Great video as ususl.

I think a short drug holiday is an educational opportunity to see the benefits; during a few days of withdrawal, I suffered a prolonged version of the worst aspect of my pre-treated ADHD. It was a reminder of symptoms I no longer get since being on the ADHD medication, mental exhaustion like sluggish cognitive tempo (SCT), now called cognitive disengagement syndrome (CDS). It helped me to see the benefits of the medication.

I’ve been on stimulant meds for going on 20 years (I’m 55); the effectiveness has been linked more closely with my hormones and not time. It still works well for me. 👍🏼

@mikaelbran7174

4 ай бұрын

Which stimulant if i may ask... Have a good one

@recynd77

4 ай бұрын

@@mikaelbran7174 Early on, I took long-acting Ritalin (Concerta). Then a new psychiatrist switched me to long acting Adderall (Adderall XR) for a reason known only to himself. Both worked fine for me.

Thank you, thank you, thank you for this channel!! You are giving researched backed (as opposed to opinions) knowledge to us ADHD folks in a way we can understand and use. I was diagnosed with ADHD in 1982 and have struggled with it my entire life. Now, as an adult, I am watching my children (who are now teenagers) struggle with it.

Thank you for this information! Initially I loved the meds because, if I set an alarm and took them early, it could cut through the hours of morning grogginess that I always experience. I felt I had discovered the secret to what normal functioning would be like, but it wore off. I did as you said, tried a few days off and boy was I hit upside the head with the demon ADHD, so concluded that the meds are working just fine and the morning benefit was simply my body not being used to it. I now sleep through the meds so my lifelong dream of being an early riser is not to be but I still am a thousand times more competent with the meds in the long term. Glad to know this is just social tolerance, I think you called it. Happy New Year to you and all.

@PeanutsDadForever

5 ай бұрын

All ADHD people have a delayed sleep onset. If you’re waking groggy or fatigued it could be part of the problem. From the moment you look asleep it takes you a further 90 minutes to get into your restorative sleep. ADHD people generally take melatonin to advance the onset of their deep sleep, not put them to sleep the earlier you take melatonin, the better. Try it

Thank you, I wondered about this as well. For me, the effects seem to be pretty inconsistent. Sometimes the medication massively boosts my mood, sometimes I can focus like never before, sometimes it doesn´t seem to do anything at all... It´s really weird. I´m still not sure if its actually like that or if my brain is playing games on me, you know like having the feeling it works on good days and it doesn´t on bad days, something like that. It´s not like I have an easy objective way to assess how good it´s working and in what context. However I do keep taking them cause the one thing they do for me is fixing my memory issues. I turned from barely being able to remember what I ate yesterday to actually remembering entire phone calls and names! Yeah, I can finally remember people´s names. Big W.

@Call-me-Al

5 ай бұрын

Some people find consuming vitamin c with or near ADHD meds make ADHD meds less efficient. For me it's more of if i seem to have gut issues at the time.

@LordMentor

5 ай бұрын

@@Call-me-Al what would vit C do with ADHD meds?

@eric-seastrand

5 ай бұрын

Anything acidic breaks down the medication before it has a chance to be absorbed by the body. Mostly only an issue with instant release - less so with Vyvanse.

I've been on stimulants for almost 3 years now and I still get the same benefit I did when I began taking them. I did notice that I'm often able to take my medication in the morning as it's an XR and can you usually go back to sleep for an hour or so until it fully kicks in before I get up. And I'm finding myself getting a little more tired throughout the day even though I'm taking the same amount of medication I always have. So I definitely think you're on to something with it being mainly energetic feeling, I still have great success controlling my symptoms with medication and I was recently prescribed clonidine to help with sleep and with ADHD symptoms and I feel 10 times better than I did taking stimulant medication alone. It the first two weeks I've felt really really good I'm not as anxious and I am not as quick to get upset or let my emotions take the best of me

I have never felt a ‘rush’ when I take my stimulant medications. I just feel more capably present and calm. The only rush I get is when I play music dance or jog or make lit art.

@Songbird277

5 ай бұрын

I’ve also never felt it was becoming less effective

Dear Dr. Russell Barkley, my name is Jeroen, I am a Dutch actor and have ADHD. I am very happy that I came across your channel. I've been pushing myself to watch all your videos. And I do that with great pleasure. I now understand myself much better and have also started using medication, with success. Now there is actually one more question and concern in my mind that I would like to share with you. In addition to all the benefits I experience from medication, I also notice that my identity sometimes becomes cloudy. The question "who am I really?" haunts my thoughts regularly. Are the challenges I experience perhaps partly shaped by the demands of our modern, stimulus-rich society? And if so, what lessons can we learn from lifestyles that are closer to nature? Someone recently shared with me the idea that ADHD is only considered a condition if you experience it as a problem yourself. This got me thinking, and I started to wonder: would farmers who live in the middle of nature, surrounded by few stimuli, actually suffer from their ADHD complaints? I'm very curious about your view on this. Regards, Jeroen

@noamay

5 ай бұрын

The last point I also think about a lot, for example when I am in Spain and I feel no such thing as pressure, just enjoying life, I don't feel I have a 'condition'. It's more the society where I feel it's a problem with all the distractions and 'to do's'. One of my dreams is I want to buy a piece of land in Spain in the future with tiny houses and create a community of digital nomads, working together in the sun and doing fun activities together and inspire each other. I don't feel I have any issues with adhd if I work on this dream. 🙂 So sometimes it feels so weird watching these kind of videos makes me feel something is really wrong with me, but is it, or only in the ratrace circumstance I'm living in right now

@N-R.D

5 ай бұрын

@@noamay, you put that beautifully. that's the same dream I have too... I'm so curious if scientific studies have been done on this!

@kendalldelamont2840

4 ай бұрын

Hey Jeroen! A number of people, myself included, experienced a process of “unmasking” once we received our diagnosis. We spent so much of our lives trying to make our brain do the neurotypical thing, that we have masked our true selves. As we get to the place of understanding our brain, how it works, and how we have been trying to compensate, we discover that we don’t actually know our true selves. We’ve spent so much time trying to cover our ADHD traits that we don’t know our true identify. Perhaps this is what you are experiencing.

From my personal experience I definitely agree with the conclusions. As for the tolerances developed within days of starting the meds, I've had that with some meds and I feel like the problem could've been that it didn't work to begin with. It's just the novelty of just any kind of change and excitement of wanting to see how easy previously hard tasks have become. Running out of meds when needing them the most while thinking the meds didn't even work has been a very sobering experience on just how much the meds really do even if I had started to believe they don't do anything 😅 Getting diagnosed and medicated as an adult is a weird experience, because the meds are both an unbelievable magical miracle cure for almost everything and a huge dissapointment at the same time. I don't know how to explain it any better or if it can be even truly understood without having personally experienced it 😅

i got diagnosed 3 days ago and this is my 3rd day on concerta(18mg), on first day, i felt the calmness and silentness in my head and i was actually feeling the control and direct my focus for whatever i needed or wanted to focus, also the hyperactivity impulses were reduced , almost gone i can say. That day, realizing all that was what people were experincing and what it was supposed to feel like made me cry for hours. I felt more mature and stabil. For the first time, i believed im loveable and i have a great potential. Later at night about after 10 hours i took my medication, the very first thing i could feel was the hyperactivity coming back very fast and i was feeling it even more, or so i thought. Yesterday, after taking the medicine, i was also feeling the calming and focusing effects in a good level, although it did not feel like how it was yesterday but later that day, when the med starting to wear off, the adhd effects came back much softer. And today, i took my meds in the morning and for some time, it gave me the effects but after 5 hours or so, i felt the hyperactivity and impulsivity coming back again and the blurriness and being unable to focus were also there, but it was supposed to last minimum 8 hours, so im confused if it is working or if im taking the wrong dose guys. If anyone experienced what i experience, help me on comments pwease

@Nat-ster

2 ай бұрын

You're most likely experiencing a chemical reaction and should consult with your doctor.

Could you maybe make a video about people that can only take methylfenidate and accepting their severe side effects or even stopping? This is the case in countries outside the US. Has to do with ensurances, patenties, prices etc.

I've been taking 30mg dextroamphetamine continuously for like 7 years with barely any drop in effectiveness. It's definitely more energizing for a few days if I take a short break (usually cause of the shortage).

@andrewfisher96

5 ай бұрын

I’ve been taking none or half doses for years thinking it would slow down my tolerance build up. I’m so relieved. I can take it on my days off.

When I was first diagnosed and started psychiatric medication, the professionals I saw suggested breaks from stimulant medication to avoid "developing a tolerance". On the weekends, during holidays, breaks as long as a week. I tried - and perhaps it was helpful in understanding the medication and my symptoms more. But these breaks were doing more harm than good: My body needs the medication to regulate itself - not just emotionally, or cognitively, but physically, too (i.e., motor control - digestion, sleep regulation, and so forth). I feared if I wouldn't take these breaks that I would lose the effectiveness of the medication. Years later, I'm working with an actual psychiatrist who supports my decision to not take frequent breaks from the medication. Looking back at the prior advice, I can't help but wonder - if it were any other condition, and any other treatment, would they have wanted me to take "breaks"? There's a persistent stigma and fear regarding stimulant prescriptions amongst healthcare professionals that decreases the quality of care for those with ADHD. It's clearly born out of ignorance. That's why I can't thank you enough for the work you do, and continuing to publish discussions on these topics well into your retirement!

@Nat-ster

2 ай бұрын

Where is the doctor even located at? sorry your comment has me intrigued like i'm interested right now.

@kukoistava.

2 ай бұрын

@@Nat-ster This was when I lived in Boston.

I was JUST searching your channel for this exact question last week! Thank you for sharing!

Thank you for this video! I was wondering if you could address whether or not having "rest days" from stimulant medication is actually effective? I have had several doctors tell me this; however, in my own experience, rest days seem to result in backsliding of my symptom management and when I return to the stimulant, I often then feel feel overstimmed for a day or two and can't work. Relatedly, when I take a break from the medication, I feel like my symptoms are worse than my baseline. Is it possible their are withdrawal effects or is this some kind of cognitive bias?

Is the degree of tolerance significantly different between amphetamines and methylphenidate? I would think if there’s any tolerance it’s prob more to Adderall bc of how it functions. The other thing is.. even if there is tolerance, as long as it isn’t ridiculous, the benefits outweigh the risks. Like, I develop tolerance to my eyeglass prescription and that increases as I age, but I don’t say F it to wearing glasses

Thank you for this great lecture. You made some really amazing points going over this article.

The problem with all these medications is 'what goes up, must come down'. I gain rapid tolerance to adderall and ritalin. And have horrible comedowns. Modafinil/Adrafanil have worked for me pretty well ( inattentive type ) because i barely notice the crash and can reset my tolerance by taking none over the weekend pretty easily. There does seem to be rebound depression, but taking Rhodiola Rosea reverses it.

Could you do a video sometime on the effects of "medication vacations" Like for me on my off days at work I don't take my stims but my symptoms on those days are there and if I need to get something done I will take my dose. I was wondering what the long term effects of doing this is?

Just wanted to write that I appreciate your contribution on educating us about this disorder

Thanks, Dr. Barkley!! Your work has been awesome!!

Thank you Doctor Barkley.

I find that even the 'focus' benefits go away too. Sure, the motivation effects going is a bummer, but I find that feeling of focus gets lost too, and I end up with just having a 'meh', feeling. Like I've reached baseline, almost like I had a good nights sleep and I'm just, fine. Which in itself, isn't.

I try to have stimulant free gaps. Also sometimes if I dont sleep well I feel like the med wears out a lot faster than normal giving the feeing of tolerance

Excellent video and explanation is as the usual with such an excellent channel 👏🏿 I was wondering what the research and literature has to say about different medication dosing schedules for adults with ADHD? The analogy you've used of medications being akin to glasses makes sense in the context of this question such that it might just be about individual and subjective preference; but I was also curious as to the literature status. Thanks again for a true wealth of incredible content! 🙏🏿❤

@russellbarkleyphd2023

5 ай бұрын

The research shows that there is huge variability in responding to stimulants such that clinicians must play around with the dosing with each case to find their sweetspot and not assume that doses that worked well for others will do the same for the next client. So, yes, it’s a very individually tailored process that requires flexibility and even higher than recommended doses in some cases to get it right, according to my psychiatric colleagues. Be well.

Great analysis!

It seems crazy to me to draw in conclusion about anything based on discontinuing medication for a few days, during those days your symptoms are going to be WORSE then they were before if you have a physiological tolerance. You need to have a substantial wash out period to return to baseline if there has been tolerance. So very possibly you're attributing withdrawal effects to how the person is naturally. It's like telling someone to stop their antidepressant immediately and using their bad response as justification that they actually need the medication, it just doesn't follow.

@Alex-js5lg

5 ай бұрын

I interpreted it like this: If you aren't sure whether a specific symptom that you're struggling with is an indication that your dose is too low, stopping your medication should exacerbate some/all of your symptoms. If you find that the ones which had been under control come back but the one in question stays about the same, the medication likely isn't what's driving/modulating that specific symptom.

@charlies8282

5 ай бұрын

Correct. How you feel in the withdrawal state is not indicative of a need for the drug.

@bruhg9621

4 ай бұрын

exactly. stopped my stimulant medication around the time you wrote your comment and am just now returning to baseline and not under.

I’ve found that for me personally, skipping my medicine for 1 day every 2-3 months is enough to restore my perception of the “energizing effect.” For me at least, that perception of it “coming on” is very sensitive to any break in use. I’ve been-baring issues with the supply “shortage”-on a consistent dose for years, and I’ve been clinically diagnosed for 20 years. So, if, like me, you have been on these medicines for a long time before it became more standard to be warned about losing the turning on effect, and it bothers you, maybe try a day off every now and then. Just don’t drive that day!

I wish that I wasn’t living in a home with black mold, because that made my meds efficacy worse. Not to mention when i’m menstruating it really doesn’t work. My doc said that estrogen levels during menstruation is what causes it. I feel like that’s not spoken about much.

Thanks Dr. Barkley. I've definitely experienced what you described as "social tolerance" where I have basically become used to the more effective version of myself that my medication has enabled me to be. I absolutely do notice a huge difference if I take a day or two off so I definitely don't have am actual physiological/neurochemical tolerance to it. Question, regarding what you mentioned about weight gain and reducing effectiveness of medication, does that only apply to really drastic increases in weight say, like 40 pounds or more increase? I've been actually been able to be relatively consistent in the gym recently (largely thanks to medication) and have put on about 15 pounds of mostly muscle and am working towards more. Started about 155 pounds as a 5'10" adult male, now up to about ~172, probably going to shoot for 180 at least.

I think outside things can make you think effectiveness is wearing off. For women, the drop in estrogen commonly reduces effectiveness. If you change you eating habits - the times you eat, what you eat, how much you eat, how close to the time you take the med that you eat - it makes a difference. If the pharmacy changes your generic brand, the new one may work better or worse than the prior one. (Last ... I must bad mouth Vyvanse. By the time it kicks in its too late and it doesn't work well at that point either.)

THANK YOU

This was a wonderful, informative video. Thank you Dr. Barkley. I have one query about your comments on stopping medication for a few days to find out if the patient has developed tolerance. (From 2:22 - 2:45 in the video). My Question: Is it really safe to assume that the return of ADHD symptoms on cessation of medication indicates that there is no real tolerance? Isn"t it also possible that the patient does have a tolerance to the drug, but experiences withdrawal symptoms when they stop taking it?

Do you have thoughts on pharmacogenetic testing for medications and suitability to individual genetic responses to medication metabolisation and effective absorption and therapeutic benefit?

What do you recommend to people who can’t take stimulants or didn’t see much difference when taking them?

is there difference between methyl and amph ?

Just started the medication 10mg Add XR and it’s been a week since I’ve also been prescribed a 5mg ADD IR for the afternoon drop of energy. I have noticed it doesn’t give me that initial rush and I find myself drinking espresso shots to achieve that feeling. Is this bad? Before ADHD diagnosis I routinely drink 6 shots of espresso in the morning and 4 shots in the late afternoon. I DMA in classical guitar performance and struggling to find motivation to apply to jobs and sit behind the computer. I just want to practice all day and then I have no energy to do anything else. I recently forgot it put up my disabled placard and got a $300 ticket.. I’m hoping they will accept my excuse. I wish I knew I had ADHD and I might have been in a financially more stable environment. However at that time I had no control over my emotions and couldn’t change my career choice.. and I’m hoping the aDhd meds and therapy will move me along my career path. I have no money, savings, retirement, no girlfriend or family.. some might thing I have nothing. But I’m Fit and optimistic and have been doing what I love playing music and getting a Doctoral degree. However, I want to see if those normal life activities will ever appeal to me. Ok now I’m rambling..

@i_accept_all_cookies

5 ай бұрын

It took me six months to reach my optimal dose, and by the time I did, I lost interest in caffeine and alcohol. When I started taking meds, I went through a "life audit" phase, identifying all the train wrecks and lost opportunities. I was resentful for awhile, but eventually I put it behind me.

If you stop for a few days you get rebound, the worst adhd symptoms ever, but if you stop for a few weeks, as many were forced to with shortages, it settles, sometimes to where it was anyway after long term meds

I now trying different mess. What I found so weird is that methylfenidate has a much different outcome for me, I'm a bit sad about it, dex was much more anxiety reducing and energy uplifting, only so much negative effects as well, but I hoped for the same results with the long form methyl. Maybe I just have a too low dose? I hope I can find the right one.. Otherwise I just cope without, since the negative effects are very real as well. I'm not sure it's really helping me at this point.

I’ve been on Vyvanse 50mg for ten years and haven’t missed a day until recently due to the drug shortage. Luckily I only had to miss a couple days, but those days were rough.

Hi! Any info about stimulants not working adequately, even at max dose, during perimenopause and beyond. My experience and other anecdotal only evidence say ‘yes. I’ve been taking stimulant Rx for over 15 years. Would be happy to answer questions should anyone be interested in that kind of “study.” Also, withdrawal. It happens when I stop and is awful. Not to be confused with pre-Rx state. I may have asked this menopause before, but of course, I can’t keep track or remember. Would love to hear more about environment engineering in media. Love your work! Thank you!

@kendalldelamont2840

2 ай бұрын

Yes! Dopamine levels drop during menopause. Check out Dr. Barkley’s video on women’s hormones and adhd symptoms.

Sometimes I forget I'm wearing glasses until I take them off, but even prescription eyewear needs adjustment over time. Medications may need incremental increases, particularly if the dose initially settled on was less than ideal.

Is it possible that the people experiencing tolerance within weeks or months (and therefore only really getting the side effects and not benefits) don't continue medication long-term?

I was told to try and take one or two days off a week in order to not build up any tolerance

Many of you say that it's normal for the euphoric effect to fade and for the medication to work more in the background while the positive effects still remain, like being able to concentrate. However, for me and many others, we just don't feel those positive effects anymore. For instance, I still can't concentrate better in school, despite taking the medication every day. It also doesn't make any sense to me that you can't build tolerance to it. It's an amphetamine, or at least it has strong similarities. In my country, it's practically considered a drug and is tightly regulated. And with any drug, tolerance builds up. Otherwise, you wouldn't always have to increase the dose of street drugs like amphetamine or cocaine to achieve the same effect. I wish I could take my medication every day like you without the effects fading. I take Concerta, 54 mg every day except on weekends.

@ownageparty

11 күн бұрын

Stimulants like amphetamines are not supposed to increase your motivation or force you into being focused. ADHD drugs won't help with laziness. They're designed for individuals who can never complete a task or get excessively distracted like you're texting your friend about something very important, but you suddenly remember that you had to call your girlfriend 2 hours ago . So you give your girlfriend a call, you hang up the phone a few mins later, forgetting to finish texting your friend about the very important thing

Happy holidays

Has anyone else never “felt” medication? I was prescribed Vyvanse and never felt any effect on mood or energy. Slight improvement in patience and less mindless snacking, but really mild impact overall. No “side effects” like jitters or feeling hyper, just really minimal benefit. Does this point to misdiagnosis? I don’t take any medication at present because it just doesn’t seem to make much difference. My mom and my kids all have ADHD and have had varying success with medication, but they have all had at least some improvement.

@Alex-js5lg

5 ай бұрын

I think Vyvanse is specifically known for having a smooth onset. I've tried a few different ones and only really felt Adderall. If you've got a prescription that you're seeing some benefit from but not what you expected/wanted, it would be worth having a conversation with your doctor about it. It could be dosage, diagnosis, comorbidity, or something else.

@RoSa-kr8hy

5 ай бұрын

@@Alex-js5lg Thanks for that insight. I need to work on following through with the process of sorting this out. I had heard so many people say that starting medication was instantly life changing and like putting on glasses. It has been helpful for my kids and my mom, but certainly not the extreme turnaround so many speak of. I think it’s also important to remember that medication is like braces, it can help a person direct themselves more precisely, but if you don’t have the skills needed for navigating life medication won’t teach them to you.

@user-hc2cz6uu3x

5 ай бұрын

​@@RoSa-kr8hy This was me on lower dosages of Elvanse/Vyvanse. Some benefit, made some things much better but hardly touched others, not life-transforming, no epiphanies, and it felt like a bit of order had been laid on top of the chaos. I knew I was getting near the right dose when suddenly a few days in to 40mg my brain went quiet for the first time in my life, and there were noticeable improvements in all the aspects, and the order felt natural rather than imposed. And so I saw what I was aiming for. 50mg was better but not consistent and was easily impacted by low sleep/dehydration/not eating enough protein. 60mg was the sweet spot for me - things just *worked*.

@user-hc2cz6uu3x

5 ай бұрын

​@@RoSa-kr8hyAlso, depends on the meds. Concerta was totally wrong for me. And die to current shortages was switched to Dexamfetamine, which works but just isn't as effective. So persevere.

@s.m.4948

5 ай бұрын

A small percentage of us simply don't feel any benefit from ADHD meds. I spoke to a psychiatrist about this and she said that every year she meets two or clients who she definitely believes have ADHD who just don't find ANY medication that makes a significant difference for them. However, most ADHD will find significant improvement with some medication and there are many different kinds, doses to try. I would speak to your doctor about trying a different medication.

I tired taking 10mg of Adderall for two week, it was wonderful, and then it stopped working. I now it's tolerance because when I tried to take 20mg, the good effect came again, but not for long, it also fade away, i don't know if I should go on with this medicine, the tolerance is so quick...

@ownageparty

11 күн бұрын

Tolerance will keep increasing if you constantly up the dosage. The 'wonderful' feeling you get is the "high", that's what leads to addiction. If you don't get any therapeutic benefits while remaining at the same dose, then that means you don't actually need Adderall

@s0me0nelse

11 күн бұрын

@@ownageparty I talked with my doctor today and she said something very different. She said the increased motivation and energy is something that known to be temporary due to body adjusting to the drug, while the focus benefits are consistent, there is no tolerance to this drug, it's not addictive, and a man who his weight is above 70 kg need to take 30 mg Adderall or 50-60 mg Adderall XR, so lesser than that will stop working very shortly after the starting the treatment

I just can't be convinced to take ADHD medicne, I just can't see how the benefits outweigh the risks.

How do you know the couple days off aren't just stimulant withdrawal because one didn't taper the meds slowly?

@russellbarkleyphd2023

4 ай бұрын

Because the stimulants are largely metabolized from the body within 24 hours and one’s does not have to taper them down over time as one would do with an antidepressant. But there could be some withdrawal side effects the day one discontinues. and people differ but on average it would not be a problem. Be well.

Anyone with ADHD will recognize how useless we are at night when the meds wear off…

I have a newfound sex drive on my adhd meds, and i want to know wjrthwr this will go away? Can anyone help? I believe i jad a low sex drive before, so im hoping it lasts

@1206dream

2 ай бұрын

when did you start taking your meds and how many years have you lived without them?

@Goblin_Girl

2 ай бұрын

@@1206dream I've been borrowing meds from a family member as I still need an ECG before I can start my prescription. I'm 22 and I've been taking them for a few weeks 👍

Haha, "January has little other purpose ...."

ADHD is as much behavioral as it is genetic. Those who have it can develop bad habits when undiagnosed and unmedicated. Behavioral coaching and altering poor focus habits partnered with medication can help with ADHD symptoms

I think the issie here isn't so much whether or not a tolerance can happe. It's rather the issue that at diagnosis and during titration they peol are not given the full information that they need. So they don't know what to potentially expert a d why.

Ok...I'm 55...Dx at 50. I absolutely cannot take Adderall. I've tried it twice. This last time was over last mnth n half. Here's what it did: Adderall XR 15mg with 5 mg IR for after XR: anorexic, bad mood, anger, very bad crash, brain fog, couldn't think straight, kinda depressed an anxiety was way worse. dehydrated(my fault). Not many pluses. I stopped 4 days ago. Feel better. Not raging. Eating again. Thinking clear. Soooo...waiting couple mnths and see how Concerta is as far as supply. I've taken that before. Did better on it. But, I'm not gonna pay 300$ for a mnth. I had been off fr 2021 till now. I called Psychiatrist because again...yelling, mood, can't get stuff done, forgetting, disorganized, so I wanted to try again. But, it's been h*ll. I don't understand the reaction to Adderall. It's quite depressing. Is there a med for a 55 yr old? How old does ADHD pts take meds? Heart, b/p? A video on over 50 would be great.

@FridaDread

4 ай бұрын

Strattera

Do the randomized controlled trial in another country if it is so expensive.

@Mightydoggo

5 ай бұрын

I´m not sure if that would make it much cheaper.

Isn't there withdrawal symptoms of stopping Conterta? I felt irritation and etc, when not taking the meths for 24 hours. Not sure it is my ADHD or withdrawal from medication. I am not on it for long, only less than 3 months. I am trying to take only when I need it. This scared me a bit. How do we deal with withdrawal symptoms?

@Sapiditious

2 ай бұрын

Honestly, withdrawal periods seem primarily composed of rebound sleep and binge eating.

Was waiting for the dad joke?

Thank you for this video! @russellbarkleyphd2023 Please keep an eye out for certain videos of yours not showing up in our history and your playlists! Finding your channel has been so helpful for ADHD information and it's bizarre that you're not getting the views needed for the studies you've done for the ADHD community. I hope more people find your channel regardless the attempts to hide your videos! Thank you for your efforts and work with teaching and finding answers about ADHD! We greatly appreciate your genuine concern and methods. Take care and have a blessed year 🙏✨

@russellbarkleyphd2023

5 ай бұрын

Thank you for your kind note and for alerting me to this problem. Be well.

@sugarapplepie

5 ай бұрын

​@@russellbarkleyphd2023Thank you for your kind reply! Your 'Time Blindness' video was immensely helpful and accurate information about ADHD. I was fortunate to find your video of it but it doesn't appear on my history and seemed to be deliberately hidden. Thank you for your continuous updates and work you do. May you continue to be well and have good health! Happy New Year! 🎉