irritating issues

[Attentiondefdiff]

I wonder if the irritation when on adderall has anything to do with the ability to think more clearly and desire to stay on task. Before medication I would start and not finish a lot. I did not see when I was pulled in another direction. Now I can stay on task but find all the distractions a pain when before I would just go with the flow. My irritation is better when I ask to not be disturbed until I finish what I am doing. Then I get the satisfaction of finishing and am nicer. I wonder if others have noticed this.

[AuDHD3245]

Our brains have an attention deficit, a disorder of the brain. Have you ever taken ibuprofen for swelling or a paracetamol for pain? the pain killing relief works, but only until it wears off. The issue is still there, but the drug is designed to relax the receptors that causes the pain so you dont feel it. Very clever stuff.

ADHD meds are the same, they dont cure ADHD, they only help with it. You still have ADHD, and you still have all the symptoms, the drug just helps in ways science can only explain.

The question is, are you more satisfied now than before? Is it more irritating that you couldnt finish a task before, or more irritating now you can finish?

Do you think anyone else was irritated with 'you' before? Now that you've got something that sorts 'it' out, is it fair to be still be irritated with other people?

I bet everyone's at ease with you more than before and looking forward to a new you, the last thing you want to do is get irritated with them because you're still irritated about an issue that you've got help with.

People and family come first, tasks second, if you're doing a task and somebody wants you, leave the task and see to the people.

What's more important? completing tasks and feeling happy because you finish, or friends and family?

Feel lucky that you got the help, know it's always there now, but dont put it first

[STEM_Dad]

I think you might be onto the cause of your irritation... Now that you have more ability to focus on one thing, distractions are unwelcome.

Then again, consider if the irritability happens when the meds are beginning to wear off. That was my own experience with Adderall XR. They lasted until late afternoon, and then faded. While the Adderall was wearing off, I found myself more and more easily irritated.

I didn't like becoming crabby with me kids every evening, so that was one reason I asked my doctor to switch my meds.

(Other reasons included side effects, and the fact that the Adderall just wasn't as helpful as I needed. I'm now on atomoxetine/Strattera, and it works 24x7, but I can't take any "medication holidays"...I have to stay on it. But I'm not complaining...I like that it works.)

[Netjester]

Get a DNA pharmacogenetic test done. My guess is you don't do well with Adderall. Ritalin or something else might be better suited for you.

[Newcassie]

I have noticed something like that (I’m on Ritalin not Adderall). I used to react to everyone distracting me by allowing myself to get pulled away. Now I realize that I do NOT want to get pulled away, and so I had to learn a new skill… telling other people to Wait. Also the ADHD often means we take much longer to change focus than Neurotypical brains. So other people expect us to be able to change focus and change back much more quickly and easily than we are comfortable with.

Anyway this is an idea that might nor might not apply to you, but something you could try to observe and see if it fits.