Anecdotally, I've noticed that I can take a moment more to process conversations and allow others to speak more with less misunderstandings from my brain wanting to fill in the blanks and/or jump to conclusions.

I'm also able to return more to the original topic of a conversation when divergent paths pop up in the midst of discussions, where as before, I would ride the side rail chats out and forget the original topics.

I'm also able to direct my hyper focus a bit more, meaning without Adderall, I would randomly get stuck on tasks/ activities whether I meant to or not, and with Adderall, I'm able to better pick which tasks/ activities demand a lot of attention versus those I can put off to a later time.

This is from my perspective only though, your mileage may vary.

So, it basically lets you think at a controlled pace?

More or less, yeah.

Nice

I get happy, calm and controlled. The days I don’t take it, I am irritated and snap at other people.

Also, I don’t feel hungry when I take it. I feel like eating and taking naps the whole day when I don’t take it.

It powers up your lock-on a bit, and gives you a place to stand; a very small umbrella against the soft rain of post-it notes.

It's not a fix, it just makes it a little easier.

You still need a lot of discipline, otherwise you'll just spend your first hour at work hitting the character limit on reddit posts.

I'm pretty sensitive to the stuff, and do fine on a very low dose - I never noticed any loss of efficacy or need to increase the dosage. Other people who take a fair bit more, I imagine there's a higher risk of dosage-creep.

[removed]

Ritalin user here, but since it's often used for the same purpose, I figured I could add my 2c.

When I don't take my meds, my brain is like a car with play on the steering rack. I try to control the car but the more play there is, the more it can jerk around and veer off from where I want to go. Compensating for it results in overreactions, irritation and exhaustion. Sometimes I feel like I just want to lie down and curl up in a fetal position wherever I am.

Some things worsen that feeling. Interruptions, task switching, social media, coffee, dealing with people. When I take my meds, it's like it reduces the fatigue and tightens up the steering and I can relax a bit and focus on driving as opposed to what frustrates me.

I get by on pretty low doses, and only take it when required, which is mostly work days.

>a very small umbrella against the soft rain of post-it notes.

yes

>What does Adderall do from the perspective of the person taking it?

It makes tasks feel more rewarding.

>Do their thoughts stop racing?

Not directly, but rather than go back and forth between different trains of thought, it's easier to stick to a single one which is a lot less stressful.

>Do their thoughts still race, but they can be traced for longer?

I feel that racing thoughts are a product of not thinking them to their conclusion. Once concluded, they can be let go easier.

>Do they have the ability to lock onto, and stick with a particular thought rather than their focus drifting all the time?

Yes. It's easy to stay focused on something that feels rewarding and meaningful. Adderall lowers the bar for "rewarding enough" to stick with something.

>What happens when you take Adderall for a few months?

The effects diminish a bit, especially the euphoria which is common in the beginning, but it remains quite effective nonetheless.

Please read this entire message

Your submission has been removed for the following reason(s):

Medical questions are not allowed on ELI5, and it is a terrible idea to ask for on the internet in general! If you have medical questions, please see an actual doctor rather than asking strangers on the internet.

If you would like this removal reviewed, please read the detailed rules first. If you believe this submission was removed erroneously, please use this form and we will review your submission.