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Adderall Risks: Much More Than You Wanted to Know

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Re: Adderall Risks: Much More Than You Wanted to Know

#11

Post by reitanqild »

pfisch wrote: post #10
fny wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't take adderall, but I'm not too convinced by the concerns listed here. The drug seems far less risky than alcohol on all counts, and I'm pretty sure all amphetamine users are aware that their playing with some sort of fire. I think the compelling question is why people feel so compelled to take a pill to sell their souls to a rat race? Seems like an almost Huxleyan Prisoner's Dilemma to me.

>I think the compelling question is why people feel so compelled to take a pill to sell their souls to a rat race? Seems like an almost Huxleyan Prisoner's Dilemma to me. I think people just want to be their best selves. They want to accomplish their goals and they use tools to accomplish those goals. I mean everyone carries a cell phone and I feel like those modify your life and thinking patterns a lot more than tak…

Both stimulants and cell phones can be extremely useful for ADHD users.

Cell phones: Possibility to carry a calendar - with alarm.

Stimulants: Lowers the threshold for "interesting" so you don't fall asleep/have to do "something"/etc. (Yep, multiple alternatives exist here.)

Re: Adderall Risks: Much More Than You Wanted to Know

#12

Post by Klathmon »

astrange wrote: post #9
fny wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't take adderall, but I'm not too convinced by the concerns listed here. The drug seems far less risky than alcohol on all counts, and I'm pretty sure all amphetamine users are aware that their playing with some sort of fire. I think the compelling question is why people feel so compelled to take a pill to sell their souls to a rat race? Seems like an almost Huxleyan Prisoner's Dilemma to me.

If you're "ADHD" it affects having fun just as much as working - imagine you can't finish a book and you can't hold down a conversation with a stranger long enough to start dating them. There are pretty universal subconscious skills medication improves here.

This is what I have to explain to people, my ADHD doesn't only apply to things I don't want to do.

Things like not being able to watch a movie, or even play some video games without missing huge parts of the story, or sitting through a conversation with a group of friends trying to constantly "catch up" to a topic that I missed a few minutes ago, or trying to be self aware enough to not change the subject on people too quickly because my mind has already changed topics twice during their conversation.

I love reading, and it's almost 100% out of the question when I'm not taking my medication. Somewhere around the 5th time of re-reading a paragraph trying to remember where I trailed off only to realize that I just did it again makes it really not a great experience.

Even the worst case scenario of the medication severely increasing my chance of heart attack, stroke, or Parkinson's wouldn't make me stop taking it, because it's given me a life. And I would rather live a shorter happier more fulfilling life than a potentially longer one.

Re: Adderall Risks: Much More Than You Wanted to Know

#14

Post by jglauche »

"We could still have a principled definition of ADHD. It would be something like “People below the 5th percentile in ability to concentrate, as measured by this test.” Instead, we use the DSM, which advises us to diagnose people with ADHD if they say they have at least five symptoms from a list. "

I'm in Germany and I've been diagnosed with ADHD-PI lately (I am in my 30s) after seeing a private specialist about this topic. In addition to that DSM test and 3 other questionnaires, they ran a computer test measuring my ability to concentrate which was repeated after a couple of weeks on medication. The test results were very conclusive and I think that is the strongest diagnosis criteria that I have as it's actually measurable.

It was actually really hard for me to find a doctor to actually diagnose me. I called several doctors and it was either "we're not taking any more patients because diagnosis takes too long" or "we can't tell you if we can diagnose it, you can't make an appointment here, so come in but you might have to wait half a day". Not to mention that by the time you get to your doctor, un-medicated, you will forget to tell about half of your symptoms.

Re: Adderall Risks: Much More Than You Wanted to Know

#15

Post by plazmatic »

jglauche wrote: post #14

"We could still have a principled definition of ADHD. It would be something like “People below the 5th percentile in ability to concentrate, as measured by this test.” Instead, we use the DSM, which advises us to diagnose people with ADHD if they say they have at least five symptoms from a list. " I'm in Germany and I've been diagnosed with ADHD-PI lately (I am in my 30s) after seeing a private specialist about this…

It's so ridiculous to test a persons concentration abilities without Adderall and compare them WITH Adderall and then use that test to support some claim that it's conclusive you have ADD. ANYONE will score considerably better in such a test. Adderall, and medications like it, improve concentration in all people.

The real question: is the gain in concentration worth the potential harmful effects to the individual?

Re: Adderall Risks: Much More Than You Wanted to Know

#16

Post by andybak »

gcatalfamo wrote: post #13

Just out of curiosity: do you ever stop and think/ask why ADD or ADHD exist only in the US? How could such a condition be so frequent yet only present in just one country?

Huh. Citation needed. I know many people in the UK with a diagnosis.

Re: Adderall Risks: Much More Than You Wanted to Know

#17

Post by russellbeattie »

'Adderall doesn’t “cure” the “disease” of ADHD'

This is completely wrong. It treats the symptoms of those of us with severe ADHD, and let's us do everyday things like sit in a theater or an airplane, or enjoy playing quietly with our little children.

It's not just about being an office drone spending 12 hours a day in Excel or some cynical bullshit like that, it's about every day life.

Re: Adderall Risks: Much More Than You Wanted to Know

#18

Post by y4mi »

kanishkdudeja wrote: post #7

I felt extremely sad on taking Adderall and other similar stimulant medications like Ritalin. Maybe the sadness effect would have gotten less with continuing the medicine, but overall, I didn't feel like taking drugs since they cause a lot of other side effects like insomnia. Now I've been able to control my ADHD successfully. Atleast upto the point that it has stopped affecting my life and career so much. a) 0 sugar…

How do you get enough vitamins without any fruits? Are you just using supplements?

Re: Adderall Risks: Much More Than You Wanted to Know

#20

Post by kanishkdudeja »

y4mi wrote: post #18
kanishkdudeja wrote: post #7

I felt extremely sad on taking Adderall and other similar stimulant medications like Ritalin. Maybe the sadness effect would have gotten less with continuing the medicine, but overall, I didn't feel like taking drugs since they cause a lot of other side effects like insomnia. Now I've been able to control my ADHD successfully. Atleast upto the point that it has stopped affecting my life and career so much. a) 0 sugar…

How do you get enough vitamins without any fruits? Are you just using supplements?

I take fruits which have no/negligible sugar like Amla, Lemos, Avocados. Once in a while, I do take supplements. But on the whole, I try to live a more natural life, with as less drugs/medicines as possible.

Even for milk, I drink raw milk and not processed milk.

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