this post was submitted on 06 Feb 2025
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ADHD

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I started taking stimulants a month ago for ADHD, and wow. I mean, some of the effects were expected - the increased alertness, the focus, the slight uptick in motivation (I haven't experienced the full 'GO GO TAKE CARE OF NORMAL THINGS' burst that some friends and online folk have had, but I've had a little motivation boost, and I'm grateful for every little bit).

But the counterintuitive effects? That I sleep easier and better now than I have in years? That my temper is much reduced because it doesn't bang at my head like a jackhammer? That I can sit down and relax, because my focus isn't darting to every little distraction? That I can listen to people talk without wanting to bash my head in because listening is idleness and idleness drove me crazy? The exact opposite of things that I would have expected from taking a stimulant, before I learned that I had ADHD and got put on them?

The human mind is whack

Medicine is fucking witchcraft

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[–] CeeBee_Eh@lemmy.world 11 points 1 day ago

It's only counterintuitive when you don't understand the why and how. Stimulants boost dopamine. Dopamine, to your brain, is like oxygen to an engine. It needs to be in balance. Too much or too little and the engine starts malfunctioning. Too much dopamine and someone gets high, too little and your brain starts misfiring. Then your brain starts making you act in ways to seek out sources is dopamine, which can lead to erratic behaviour.