Hello all,

First off let me say God bless this site. I'm a first time poster here and want to thank everyone involved in making this site possible.
I am 39 years old and have always known that I've had ADD. I really can't remember a time that it hasn't effected my life in some order. I'm kind of your ADD poster boy. Dropped out school. Received my GED after entering the Army, of which I later dropped out dishonorably of course. Followed up by three failed marriages (twice to the same woman). After some time off being single I have actually gotten married to the most wonderful, understanding woman I have ever met. I finally got something right and married a social worker who believes in counseling and medication. Having tried Paxil that worked for a while, Wellbutrin that made me want to jump off a building, and Stratera that did nothing, I have finally found a life saver!

Adderall has been wonderful. I'm am much more focused with the ability to pay attention in any situation. If I do start to drift away I now have the power to pull myself back in. I do tend to be a little short tempered at times which I understand is normal. My wife's therapist attributes it to the fact that I now deal with the real world like everyone else instead of closing life out and going to my happy place.

Now finally to my question. I work out 5 days a week. Since taking adderall I can't stand to listen to my ipod anymore. It is annoying to the point of being painful. Talking to my therapist we think it might be that now that my brain is clear and more organized there is no place for the "noise clutter".
Has anyone else had this problem? Is it fairly common? Does the feeling ever go away?

I'm sorry my first post was so long. I promise to try to krrp it short from here on out.

Thanks again!

Medicated or not, I have times when I can listen to music and others when it drives me bonkers. Adderall and stimulants are sometimes used to help people with extreme sensory sensitivities. If it makes some people less sensitive to noise, it could certainly work in the reverse way. If you read a little about sensory processing disorders, there are a variety of different types and I do recall that they can involve undersensitivity as well as hypersensitivity. Perhaps unmedicated you are undersensitive and the adderall increases your sensitivity. This is just a guess on my part, so I could be totally wrong.

Here's a link that explains Sensory Integration Dysfunction:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sensory_integration_dysfunction

ps. I got all excited about my theory and forgot to welcome you to the forums! IMHO, your post is not too long. Mine can be really, really, long. I guess I just have a lot to say :)

Since being on Adderall, I've noticed I too can't stand noise. I have been on it a year, but now my sensitivity is to the point where after 15 years of marriage, I just can't sleep in the same room when my husband is snoring. (He is being tested for sleep apnea now.) Also, when surfing the internet, I used also listen to music or television. Now I have nothing on and often mute music if it comes on a website.

But this is a small price to pay for the wonderful benefits I have received from being on Adderall.

Hello Waxler900, welcome to ADDForums! If you haven't already, you may want to post a quick hello in the intro section as well.

http://www.addforums.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=14

Hey Wax,

Yeah, I experienced something similar. For me it's music/noise that is appropriate to my moods. Suddenly I'm listening to a lot more house/trance music when I write on the computer where I used to prefer classical. In the car I like metal/punk/indie rock where I used to prefer jazz. It all seems to have happened about the same time I began stim meds (now on adderall). The hypothesis with my counselor is like yours, it's a matter of changing perceptions. Have you tried other music when you work out? Do you find this is your preference when you do other things? Keep us up to date.

Now finally to my question. I work out 5 days a week. Since taking adderall I can't stand to listen to my ipod anymore. It is annoying to the point of being painful. Talking to my therapist we think it might be that now that my brain is clear and more organized there is no place for the "noise clutter".
Has anyone else had this problem? Is it fairly common? Does the feeling ever go away?

I don't quite understand how this is a problem. Why not just not use the iPod?

Yeah, I experienced something similar. For me it's music/noise that is appropriate to my moods. Suddenly I'm listening to a lot more house/trance music when I write on the computer

Trance becomes much more appealing with Adderall. It's kind of embarrassing, since most of it is pretty bad. :)

Wow - yes! (I thought this was just me.) I used to almost constantly have the t.v. on in the house when I was here just for the background noise, but now I don't like that at all. I can't stand the distraction of music/t.v. when I'm trying to get something done. Doesn't it seem that it should be the opposite way around?

My hubby likes this change, too - he says the house seems more "calm" now. I agree. :)

I don't quite understand how this is a problem. Why not just not use the iPod?



Trance becomes much more appealing with Adderall. It's kind of embarrassing, since most of it is pretty bad. :)
I don't mean that not being able to listen to the ipod is annoying. The music itself is what has become so annoying. Silence used to drive me crazy. I was constantly turning on the tv, radio, or anything else that made some kind of noise. Now too much background noise will make me almost nauseous.

I used to almost constantly have the t.v. on in the house when I was here just for the background noise


oh man, this is me all over as well!!


when i started taking the adderall, i also couldn't handle all the noise anymore. i started sleeping with no fan on and earplugs in, rarely turned the tv on, and started jogging with no iPod....it was a very strange, quiet world for me :D

I totally understand what everyone is talking about. I started on Adderall in december and since then excess noise drives me batty. i used to need to listen to music almost 24/7, i would fall asleep to my ipod, blast music in the can, and keep a radio on at work. now, music or noise that is too close to my ears, like with headphones, makes me cringe. it kinda makes me sad actually, i miss the music!

Know what I miss?. . . . .really enjoying a good meal. I used to LOVE to eat and now I don't find myself hungry enough to "fantasize" about food. I haven't been out to a good restaurant lately, but I hope I can get that feeling back if I do. :)

Welcome!

I can't say that Adderall put me off music, but I did notice that when I'm on Adderall my taste in music is for softer stuff. Before I started Adderrall I would crank up harder stuff just to drown out the constant noise in my own brain.