This may seem like a melodramatic question, but I'm curious about what my high sensitivity to Adderall suggests?

I was initially prescribed 10mg of Adderall IR. This was too much for me, so I reduced my dose to 2.5mg, and for a couple weeks this was all I needed for an entire day's worth of steady focus. Of course, like everyone, I have had to increase my dosage steadily, but it seems as though getting an effect from just 2.5mg is pretty enigmatic, even early on.

Does this high sensitivity suggest that my dopamine levels were pretty low to begin with? I ask because I have more or less struggled with depression for many years. I grew up in an abusive home, so I was accustomed to feeling depressed from a pretty early age. I hesitate to say that my sensitivity suggests low "natural" levels of dopamine (since I believe my environment largely contributed to my depression), but perhaps a low "baseline" level of dopamine is a more appropriate phrasing. Thoughts?

Seems intuitive to think that the less dopamine you have "naturally" the more amphetamine you would "need" to raise it to "a helpful level". But intuition isn't everything.

I think it's just the opposite. Your dopamine levels were probably normal, if not high. That's why just a little bit of Adderall was too much, it stimulated the release of more dopamine, which you really didn't need.

People with depleted dopamine stores usually end up having to take huge doses of Adderall /amphetamines to get an effect.

I think it's just the opposite. Your dopamine levels were probably normal, if not high. That's why just a little bit of Adderall was too much, it stimulated the release of more dopamine, which you really didn't need.

People with depleted dopamine stores usually end up having to take huge doses of Adderall /amphetamines to get an effect.

*FaceKnife*

ADD/ADHD is caused in most cases due to low dopamine. This means that he is most likely just has naturally low tolerance. Just like how I am to Cannabis I hardly need any and I'm out. It wouldn't matter if his dopamine levels were already high to begin with anyways, because no matter how much you produce as long as your producing more than normal, you're going to notice a difference.

I am also wondering what extreme sensitivity to stimulants really means. I tried Ritalin and found I did best on 2.5 mg doses, increasing above 5 mg was almost impossible. I used to think I am very low in dopamine since I was so lethargic, no energy, very similar symptoms to depression although i did not feel depressed just very frustrated about not having the energy to do anything. Even moving was hard, but inside my head it was always full speed.

My latest idea is about the COMT gene. If you have the high anxiety variant, there is some research showing that dopamine in the prefrontal cortex is actually higher than normal. This variant also makes you prone to hyperfocus on emotionally negative stuff, because that will release a lot of dopamine. You will also be more sensitive to emotions than most people and tend to overreact emotionally. Furthermore, one study found that people with ADHD and this kind of COMT gene had more problems with inattention than without it.

So at the moment I don´t really know, but I am working on the problem:-) Btw for me Strattera in low doses (25 mg) is way better than Ritalin.

My latest idea is about the COMT gene. If you have the high anxiety variant, there is some research showing that dopamine in the prefrontal cortex is actually higher than normal. This variant also makes you prone to hyperfocus on emotionally negative stuff, because that will release a lot of dopamine. You will also be more sensitive to emotions than most people and tend to overreact emotionally. Furthermore, one study found that people with ADHD and this kind of COMT gene had more problems with inattention than without it.


This sounds so much like me!!! Very interesting!

So does what you describe about being so tired all the time and exhibiting signs of depression but you're not depressed. I was misdiagnosed with depression twice on my road to finding the real problem.