Hi all,

I'm a Newly diagnosed adult ADD - I've been on 20-25 mgs Ritalin 3 x daily every other day or so for 3 weeks now (sometimes skip 2 days, wary of physical addiction) - I started at 5-10mg twice daily the first week and that dose did absolutely nothing to help me concentrate better.

It seems to do what it's purported to do, i.e., increased focus, alertness, & all that, but it seems to make me want to withdraw a little from people due to an uncomfortable "inner tension" that it creates in me (even lower doses do this without any increased focus!). This is "not" desirable as I've already had to deal with long-term dysthymia & I'm prone to often sequester myself like a little hermit in a cave!

I've been reading that Adderall can facilitate a desire to be more social - is this generally true? Can people with symptoms like mine (withdrawn dysthymic type) please share your experiences? If Adderall in fact does help in conquering the temptation to socially isolate, then count me in, I'm getting on board!! I see my psych doc Thursday 6/12 & he informed me we could try various stims to see which possessed the greatest efficacy for me, so I'm sure he will let me trial Adderall - any observations are indeed most welcome, and many thanks in advance . . . Robert

Welcome, Robert.

I don't have dysthymia, but can share my own experience with Adderall. For me, it makes me chatty and increases my self esteem. But I can't say it makes me more social than what I am already. If I don't feel like socializing, Adderall won't help. If I feel up to it, then Adderall can help (chatty & self esteem). Others in the forum have said it makes them irritable. I guess everyone reacts differently.

Hope this helps.

Robert, there is no magic answer to your question. Some people become more social on ritalin, others on adderall, others get no social effect.

If you're getting increased focus, I think that's a good thing. Now it may be that the drug cannot get you to be more social ... But the good news is that the drug may give you the focus and clarity to now work on that part yourself and/or with a counselor.

Are you on an anti-depressant for your dysthymia? I wonder if you need that part of it along with the ritalin.

But I would counsel you not to panic right now. If you can concentrate, you can think and that thinking power can help with everything, potentially.

But you may need to get to a counselor to work on this.

Good luck.

I always found Adderall made me very anti-social and hesitant to speak. I went from being the 'class clown' to being a reserved kid in the corner. Perhaps that's a good thing.

People close to me told me that Adderall was sapping me of my personality.

I've noticed when I was taking Adderall by itself, I was always extremely focused...to the point...and barely talking (just getting work done)...then after it would leave my system I would just CRY!!! The rebound, for me, was absolutely horrible (taking only Adderall)...and made me much less social than I was without medication.

When I began to take Wellbutrin with the Adderall, that's when I began to be a lot more social. It helps take the edge off when the Adderall is wearing off...I think it's because it's a medication that is constantly in your system...and since it's lifted my serious mood, I can be the same person I was before medication (now I can concentrate and get what I need done also!). The two medications work wonderfully together!

my untreated ADD was making my social life get worse and worse. ive started adderall and it boosts my confidence and self esteem with people. its not a magic drug but it helped me in that way. i think one effect of amphetamines is boosted confidence. here are some psychological side effects listed on wikipedia under "amphetamines".

Psychological effects of amphetamine could include euphoria, a sense of well being, increased alertness, increased concentration, increased talkativeness, increased energy, excitability, feeling of power or superiority, repetitive behaviors, increased aggression, and in rare cases paranoia.

(Those effects include all amphetamines.)

i recommend you read the page if you are interested. Some people might discount wikipedia, but this page is well sourced and worthy of taking note of. the way wikipedia explains everything is pretty is easy to understand.

here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amphetamines

btw Robert do you have ADD with or without hyperactivity?

I've noticed when I was taking Adderall by itself, I was always extremely focused...to the point...and barely talking (just getting work done)...then after it would leave my system I would just CRY!!!

i can relate to that. i had that same thing this past year when i took Adderall XR 15 mg. It was good for school but sucked for me. My grades soared to like 98s and 99s in all classes. I actually wanted to study... but the social thing was not worth it. Now im taking instant release which does not have that effect on me.

Sometimes I worry they make me TOOOOO social. If one has road-runner type ADD (often motor mouths anyway), I think they often calm them down and make them quieter. If you have snails type ADD, then I think you will pop out of the shell and talk ones ears off upon initial intake of meds. Before I started medication, I never realized how slow I talked. Even now when I see myself in old video footage, I find it hard to believe. Throughout my young life, my mouth and mind never seemed to correlate well for some reason. With meds there is spontaneity between them. The main thing I noticed upon starting Adderall was how I began scrolling through my cell phone number list and calling people I had not spoken to in forever, just to see how they were doing. I would have never done this without the meds. I sometimes wonder what they are seeing however, because I've never revealed to anyone that I take meds. Sometimes (not often) I realize I'm being a real motor mouth in a conversation, (where I can't seem to get the words out fast enough), then notice everyone is just staring at me. I'll stop and pause for a moment. I then will say...."Wow! That esspresso shot at Starbucks has really got me going." Everyone laughs, then I just remind myself to tone it down and relax.

I'm taking 60mg once in the morning and I can relate to what Sirginho216 said .. I feel like this dull blob...I feel like I'm somewhat outside of whatever social situation I'm in and I usually don't even know what to say. This is the OPPOSITE of the way I used to be. Sometimes I stumble for words b/c I'm so used to secluding myself.

amg7613 - what you said is really hopeful for me b/c I just got a script for Wellbutrin and was told to take it about an hour before my "downward spiral" begins. I'm hoping it'll get me back to being social and actually having fun instead of being a studying machine. :)

Sometimes I worry they make me TOOOOO social. If one has road-runner type ADD (often motor mouths anyway), I think they often calm them down and make them quieter. If you have snails type ADD, then I think you will pop out of the shell and talk ones ears off upon initial intake of meds. Before I started medication, I never realized how slow I talked. Even now when I see myself in old video footage, I find it hard to believe. Throughout my young life, my mouth and mind never seemed to correlate well for some reason. With meds there is spontaneity between them. The main thing I noticed upon starting Adderall was how I began scrolling through my cell phone number list and calling people I had not spoken to in forever, just to see how they were doing. I would have never done this without the meds. I sometimes wonder what they are seeing however, because I've never revealed to anyone that I take meds. Sometimes (not often) I realize I'm being a real motor mouth in a conversation, (where I can't seem to get the words out fast enough), then notice everyone is just staring at me. I'll stop and pause for a moment. I then will say...."Wow! That esspresso shot at Starbucks has really got me going." Everyone laughs, then I just remind myself to tone it down and relax.

I understand how you feel, I used to be very outgoing, and much more funny, I appeared more relaxed on the outside, and I made friends better. The adderal focuses me to the point where I can get into my own little world. When I do engage people in conversation, especially when they first meet me. I feel like they think that I talk too much, also I can appear a little overly happy and optimistic, as strange as that sounds. My old friends know me well, and they know I am taking the drug, so they put up with my smart retorts, and nerdiness when I'm on it. But people whom I have just met, view me as being a little overzealous, and too talkative. I notice that when I'm on it, people are always telling me they gotta go, or their ending the conversation first.

Before, it was me who was always leaving, or ending the conversation first. It can be hard to make new friends when I'm on it, because meeting new people requires a casual nuisance. I think that people get a little scared off by how talkative I can be when we first meet. Maybe they think I'm gonna start emailing and calling them all the time or something. I have noticed that my email endurance, has skyrocketed, and sometimes I have to avoid writing an essay to my friends. Before my email conversations with friends consisted of a one liner joke or a funny forward email. Now, I am spilling my guts about life, and I think that people can definitely find it a little to intense, because they don't always feel like writing a long reply. I definitely have to watch myself to keep it in check

I guess it's just different for everybody.

Adderall alone made me almost anti-social. I get too task-oriented to want to talk to anybody. I would get kindof manic and snap at people if they slowed me down or got in my way.

I take adderall with Wellbutrin now and don't have that problem. It's almost like I can take advantage of the ADD... being able to switch from one activity to another quicky, but can still focus get stuff done. And I'm much nicer to people now :)

For the first couple of hours after taking my 20mg pill in the mornings. In the evenings I become a little anti-social because everyone starts to get on my nerves! LOL!