I've been taking Dexedrine for over a year now and one thing I experience an hour or so after taking a dose that I believe is a side effect of the medication is the "false sense of well-being" that is supposed to be a side effect. I don't know what to make of it. It's a bit unsettling. I'll begin to feel very motivated and hopeful for the future, it's like a little rush, and I don't know if I should see this as a positive thing (because it's a feeling I so rarely experienced when I wasn't on the Dex, I always felt in a rut) or as a negative thing (this feeling might not be "genuine" because it may just be a chemical reaction) But then some people might argue ALL of our thought processes and emotions are a result of chemical reactions.. it's all very deep I guess.

Anyone have any thoughts on this? Thanks!

erm, i would guess it depends alot on your state of mind, the intensity of this "feeling" and the length of time it lasts.

I.E. if you are depressed and the dex helps to remove this, but after the dose has worn of the depression regains dominance you would have to ask (A) is the depression being supressed by the dex or is the dex allowing me to think more clearly, thus the depression becomes less of an issue because im able to think things through and be more objective? If the first, the suppression one, you would need to look at why it is unhealthy. As in, how its suppressing the depression. Is there a real change in state of mind, a healthy one, or does the dex just take dominance over it. Makeing sense?

Am i makeing any sense. Erm, you would have to ask a few of those "why" and "root cause" and all those other style questions and be honest with yourself about the answers. Does the feeling of well being actualy seem fake? if so why? is it because you are not used to this feeling? does it make you uncomfortable? if so why?. As you rightly mentioned its all wraped up in chemicals. I guess it depends partly on weather or not the chemicals that dex re-ballances are being over-ballanced by the medication. Like the dose is not quite right. Then you have to look at all the variables that affect dose; time at which its taken, if your suffering fatigue (which can modify the affect of the meds), eating properly, other substances that may be affecting the meds (booze or eccies or even other legit meds). If they are, what substances might be doing this and why. How can it be changed? could changing the time you take your dex or the time you take other substances be changed to compensate? or would it be advisable to remove certain substances, eather permanantly or for a short period. If so, then an elimination style diet similar to that sometimes used to track food alergies may be a good way of finding out. In that you remove all substances and then slowly re-introduce each substance, when you find somthing your not comfortable with, for whatever reason, you remove said substance causing the issue and continue till youve re-introduced all substances bar those creating the problems. (Similar to extention trouble shooting under OS9, how i remember those labouriouse nights sitting in front of a screen turning on extentions, restarting, turning more on re-restarting. Then trying to find ways to compensate for the corruped or troublesom extentions). Such action is highly drastic, may well be dangerous and should not ever, under any circumstances be performed without regular concultation with your psyc or phisician both before, during and after. There may well be an easyer way to track down the causes as well. Am i still making any sense.

Yeah, all very vauge and non-specific. On the info you provided and the limited knoledge i have thats about all i can wrap up in the matter. I fully spect somone else on the forum would have better advice though.

shinobi, you used your own creative way to explain what I believe to be true. If you've been "down" so long you don't remember what "up" feels like, you might feel strange or "false" when the chemical imbalance is changed.
L.

I remember that...waking up and realizing this was what it was like to not be depressed and hate myself.:o

The amount of extremeness (not a word, I know) was about like that of Dex--maybe less than the Dex, 'cause I'd spent 23 years "stupid." But it was pretty shocking to remember what "up" was like when I'd been "down" so long.

Chrys

shinobi, you used your own creative way to explain what I believe to be true. If you've been "down" so long you don't remember what "up" feels like, you might feel strange or "false" when the chemical imbalance is changed.
L.

I get this "false sense of well being" feeling but I don't think of it was being false. This is how people feel naturally without meds so I'm just back to normal when I feel it. Can't complain!.

Note: ADhD people are not "abnormal". "Normal" is an abstract word. Defenition of "normal": the majority. There for, "normal" is ever changing, and not entierly accurate. I.E if the majority of the population of say Texas had ADhD then it would be conciderd "normal" in that state and "abnormal" to not have it. Would you say a person who had broken their arm and had it plasterd is "abnormal", or a person with polio is "abnormal". If so you may want to look into steriotypeing. Just a rant, im pig $hit of being called "abnormal" be docs and psych and the like. Even if i may be "abnormal" (due to not conforming to that of the majority) i dont concider "normal" to be, well, "normal".

Oh yeah, and normal is a lame word (that is steriotypical, i know) but look at it. n o r m a l norm-al its just such an "abnormal" word.

RANT OVER

I would think that how false your feelings of well being are will be dependant on the situation. My ADHD often makes me view my situation using the worst possible interpretation. In many situations I feel that things are worse than they are. The almost automatic notion that I'm not deserving of a feeling of well being has been a hard thing to fight. It's irrational, but emotions are often that way.

Thanks for all the great input, I'm looking at this in a different way. I also have Social Anxiety Disorder, and my therapist wants me to look into taking antidepressants, but I'm scared of the weight gain side effects, that would just make me more stressed. I'm wondering if maybe I could up my dosage by 5 mg (so instead of taking 15 mg 2x a day it'd be 20mg 2x a day) so the non-depressed feeling will last longer.

ack, you'd think that my total lack of experience with Dex would be reason for me to not post here, but alas, here I am...

I also get that "feeling of wellbeing" from Ritalin. Frankly, I'm happy for it, and ride the wave, baby. My point (ahem) isn't to recommend Ritalin to you, but to let you know that this feeling happens with other meds, too.

Ritalin is a central nervous system stimulant. In addition to that happy feeling, Ritalin helps with my ADD symptoms and is the chief reason behind my 20lb weight loss. Maybe talk to your pdoc about that?

I'm sorry, I don't want to sound like I recommend Ritalin for weight loss--I'm no doctor, and it may not be what you need. Do ask your doc.

Bummer, isn't it, that the stuff that ostensibly will make us feel better can also bum us out with unwanted weight gain? From what I've heard, a lot of anti-depressants will cause weight gain in some, weight loss in others. It's a toss-up, really.

Good luck to you.

addhil,
Upping your dose wont, I believe, help the anxiety. I would ask your DR about xanax, but be careful. Im currently trying to quit xanax. I never thought quiting would be hard, but it is. I am switching to wellbutrin (spell). I will continue to have the xanax, but only when i need it. Anxiety sucks. I know your pain. For example in class i know the answers to most questions but as i begin to answer the question my heart starts beating out of my chest, sweating and if thats not enought my eyes actually shake uncontrolibly. Xanax cleared these issues, almost instantly. At first didnt see the harm in taking xanax for a long period of time, but was un-aware that it effectiveness decreases. So....thats why i need to find an alternative, but still use xanax for extreme situations (interviews, presentations......)


oh a NOTE to everyone: I AM THE WORLDS WORST SPELLER

Disclaimer I compulsively stick on nearly all meds-related
posts I write, reiterating herekittykitty's statement:
Please don't just mess with stuff after reading posts on the forum, even if the posters are well-informed and experienced: essentially, please talk to your doctor before altering your medications in any way. I do not say this to insult anyone's intellect at all, just a concern for safety with the knowledge that yeah, it's easier to just switch it yourself, but, man...I've had too many bad reactions and interactions--the root of this paranoia. Again, just please talk to the doc, I'll shut up about this now...


Well...I have this hyperfocusing thing going on, and I had a ton of Xanax that I rarely-to-never use, so my husband came up with an idea and I started taking Xanax (many viewed the stuff I posted when initially pondering that idea/issue.)

I have noticed that since I started doing that (.25-.5 mg of Xanax 3x a day, after checking with my doc to get the go-ahead on it) my hyperfocusing seems to have calmed down, school-wise and emotion-wise* and as well, my weight loss seems to have eased and appetite has come back (the weight loss thing is described in "Ladies and Gentlemen, We Have a Problem, Take 2" if you wanna check that out...*)


Summary:
The small dose of Xanax helped the hyperfocusing in school, chilled me out a bit temper-wise, and lessened or just got rid of the plummeting weight loss problem (I think, but I've only been doing this "experimental Xanax/hyperfocusing" thing for a week or less)...if that means a dang thing in relation to the issues you're describing here (?)


Chrys

*(I had a hell of a temper there for a bit--very uncharacteristic, and it was noticeable on the forums more than in "real life" or anywhere else--just horrid, thank goodness that's over, I was...well, for lack of a better term, I'll simply say "acting like a wretched b*tch from time to time." Xanax is addictive...but if I keep an eye on it to watch for potential addiction, I think it's a good idea to go ahead and take it.
** Man, I've noticed I'm like a serial thread-starter or something! Eek, that's gotta be some sort of unnamed disorder or something. What's it called? Oh, yeah--I believe the clinical terminology would be "Excessive Time Spent on the Forum(s) Disorder..." Most frequently diagnosed: Those who take a 'short break' from obsessively trying to work when musical children's television programs are playing in the background and distracting them. Sufferers are prone to experience frustration and turn to leisure activities until two in the morning when things are quiet, peaceful, and homework seems feasable.)

I experience almost the same well being and euphria when i'm off the meds by excercising and being in touch with my spirit (not religion), except I still go into mental fogs during this time for lack of positive stress (norepinephrine). Ive been working on my spirituality so long (20 plus years), that the euphoria of Adderall is practically non-existant. My most euphoric moments have occurred completely sober, and occur mostly during times when I'm helping others.

Jogging, spirituality, and living w/out anger and resentment and self acceptance, I maintain a very high standard of emotional welbeing that is not altered much by the stimulants, other than when they start wearing off and my chemicals become depleted. Adderall just gives me the positive stress I need to be more vigilant.

ADD = Lack of positive stress or too much at the wrong time

My sense of wellbeing comes from the medication I take, working out, jogging, studying (mathematics, physics, zoology, pharmacology, ec), working on my spiritual growth, and becoming the best person I can be. Meds alone do nothing for me but make me depressed in the end, and I can't do the things I want to do without the meds. They work hand in hand.