I normally feel that I am a chilled out person. I talk in terms of other peoples interests, I don't dominate conversations, I take a genuine interest in others, and just generally carry myself in a likeable manner.

However, when I take adderall I am on a completely different level. I talk about myself and force my own conversational interests onto people. I become very argumenative and disagreeing. I'll often push to keep conversations going that another person isn't interested in just because its what I really want to talk about. For example, I'll talk about something like social psychology with someone who might be insecure about the subject, resulting in their obvious gestures of discomfort. I am not trying to be rude or insulting but it is something I like to talk about and I can't help but do it when I am on adderall. I often end up apologizing at the end of my adderall conversations, telling the person "I took adderall and thats why I am talking so compulsively"

I have ADHD and adderall works wonders for my academic life, however, it turns me into a social trainwreck. Maybe my dose is too high or something. If I take 10-20mg I generally don't have this problem, but if I take 40-60mg (my perscription is 60mg XR) I start to feel like I am being annoying and making people uncomfortable.

Has anyone else felt like this? I have talked to a friend who also has ADHD and he says he feels the exact opposite. When he is not on adderall he can't follow a conversation because he is distracted and ends up making very random and off topic comments. Perhaps my perscription is too high. When I take a 60mg dose I actually feel like I am high on the stuff. My doc bumped me up to 60mg way to quickly, which is why I might feel high on the dose. I am thinking that when I take a dose that results in a 'high' feeling it puts me on a different mental wavelength then a 'sober' person, which inevitably destoys the rapport. It is to my knowledge that when people are on different wavelengths rapport will not be as strong. For example, someone who is in a quiet mood and feeling tired is not going bond well with someone who is in a loud excited party mood. I feel this is kind of what is happening on adderall for me. I am in a overly uppity, talkative mood, and seeking intense conversation. During a long hectic day a lot of people aren't in the mood to engage in a long serious debate conversation, whereas it is all I want to do.

I know that their really isn't much to say besides the obvious suggestion to take a lower dose. (which is what I plan to do) However, I was just wondering if anyone else feels similar or an opposite effect.

Oh yeah, and another thing. Are people with ADHD just generally more annoying people? I imagine the inability to focus in a conversation cannot possibly work in ones favour. Also, the kids that I grew up with who had ADD always seemed to be on a different wavelength, a little too hyper and always very immature. Kids with ADD were defenitley annoying, lol.

Anyways, I feel like I am rambling right now (I am on a 60mg dose). I reward you for reading through my whole posts as I feel like what I write is a bore. If you got this far any comments would be appreciated.

Thanks

It could easily be that your dose is too high, given all of your other points. Have you spoken with your doc about possibly doing a trial with a lower dose, possibly with an IR to settle?

What you describe could easily be defined as obsessive behavior which I understand to not be uncommon with Adderall. For me, at 40 mg/day and a hyper/impulsive, I don't have that experience. But I can easily move to 60 mg without having that result.

Another thought- and possibly a good reason to trial the IR form instead- is that you are getting two different releases of the med. It is quite possible that a bolus dose in the morning and a smaller dose in the afternoon would work better for both your system and lifestyle.

If you are feeling too "amped" on a dose, a 4 oz glass of orange juice may do wonders. It will kick the Adderall down a notch. Try for a juice that is 100% juice without added sugars so that you don't catch the sugar high instead.

I've had ADHD for 46 years. I don't think I'm annoying. I know a whole lot more NTs that I find annoying. Your mileage may vary.

I am little confused as to why this would be obsessive behavior. Can you clarify?

As far as people with AD/HD being annoying...I suppose it depends on who you ask. ;) I'm sure a lot of people would say I'm annoying, but others would probably say I'm just quirky and they find it endearing.

For me, I tend to dominate conversations and all the things you are describing when I'm not on medication. I talk A LOT and i'm naturally a dominate person.

I'm wondering...as I read posts on here, I'm seeing a lot of people reporting things that indicate the medication is making certain symptoms worse or else it's giving them symptoms of co-morbid conditions (such as anxiety or OCD). Are these people TRULY getting good symptom control or are they mostly associating the buzz they get from Adderall with it working? And, if they are getting symptom relief but are getting emerging co-morbid symptoms, is it really worth it? It seems a little counter-productive to trade one condition for another.

For me (and I understand everyone is different which is why I'm posing these questions) I found that the medication that has, so far, worked the best for my ADD symptom control is the medication that didn't give me a drugged feeling. I was nervous about taking Adderall because so many people reported this buzzed, almost high, feeling and I DON'T want that.

Sorry. So many questions in my head all the time. :o Now do you think I'm annoying? :D

Hey man thanks for replying. I don't think you seem annoying at all. You seem to me like a normal well adjusted dude. In regards to your comment though this how I see it:

The altered brain chemistry from an amphetamine (adderall) puts a person on a different wavelength then a person whos brain is unaltered by this drug. If a person has a surge in dopamine, seretonin, and nor-epinephrine (the result of adderall) past a normal neurochemical range their cognitive functioning is going to be different then someone who has neurochemical levels within an appropriate range. With ADHD dopamine levels are typically lower, and therefore adderall will bring a persons dopamine back to a steady level, allowing the person to function normally. Now, when dosages are too high, dopamine, seretonin, and nor-epinphrine levels exceed the range of normality, hence the 'high' feeling. When someone is 'high' on an amphetamine they are undoubtedly going to function differently then an a persons whos brain is not 'high'. Its similar to someone who is sober vs. someone who is on cocaine. Cocaine floods the synapse with dopamine, elevating dopamine levels past a normal range. This will result in altered way of thinking and a difference in brain wavelength. While the person 'high' on amphetmaine, or cocaine in this example may feel good about themselves, their is simply no way they will be able to function or think at the same wavelength as a person within a normal neurochemical range. This is not to say that their judgement will be skewed or that their functioning capabilities will be compromised, it is just to point out that their brains will be different. This altered brain chemistry, to the point where the person is 'high', may inhibit their ability to socialize in an appropriate manner (could be any task really). This is simply because they are just not on the same level as a person with an unaltered brain.

With that being said, my high adderall dose is changing my neurochemistry to a range outside normality, making me act in a way that is inappropriate while in the company of people at a normal neurochemical level. This philsophy works the same for drunk peolpe socializing with sober people, or even severely depressed people socializing with mentally healthy people. The differences in neurochemical levels makes these peoples brains function differently. This doesn't mean that these people can't be funny, intelligent or even fun to be around it simply means that their brains are functioning on a different wave length. My dose of adderall which is too high, and what I suspect is a common trend in adderall perscriptions, exceeds an amount that is needed to allow me to function within a normal capacity. In my case 60mg of adderall XR takes me past a normal neurochemical range resulting in a change from a normally well adjusted, likeable guy to overly talkative, annoying guy. The altered personality trait as a result of the amphetamine high can be different for anybody. For some people operating past normal neurochemical levels may seemingly make them function better. However, if this is the case tolerance will build and dosages will need to be increased to keep their brain operating with elevated neurochemical levels. Burnout, will be the inevitable result of a person chasing elevated neurochemical levels. This will usually end when dosages can no longer be increased due to the compromising effects high adderall dosages have on health. Neurochemical depletion will set in leaving the person worse off then when they started.

My point is, taking an adderal dosage or any drug for that matter, that causes neurochemical levels to be outside a normal range is misuse of the drug. I believe adderall works best in very low doses. A low dose of adderall in most cases will be sufficient enough to raise a person's dopamine levels into a range where they can function normally. The rare exception is a person with extreme ADD who legitimately needs a high dose in order to function. Adderall is not meant to make life simple, it is merely a tool to help people with ADHD concentrate. It should not come to the point where adderall is the sole reason ones concentration has improved. Willpower with a low dose of adderall will undoubtedly do the trick. The problem arises when we are taking too much and getting high, or taking more and more and chasing the high.

I am little confused as to why this would be obsessive behavior. Can you clarify?

I probably used the wrong term there, my apologies. Compulsive would have been closer.

I have never had the experience of feeling compelled to do something as a result of taking the medication. If anything, I feel less compelled to do some things that were really poor coping strategies because I can see them for what they are and choose other actions that are more supportive.

In your response to tlhengle, you mentioned that you would prefer as low a dose as possible to meet your needs. Good goal as I see it. No one should be over medicated as far as I'm concerned. Give some thought to moving to the IR form of Adderall as you would have significantly more control of how and when it works. I have days when I either don't need the PM dose at all or can take half a dose and still have the focus I need. A handy pill splitter means that I can fine tune my dose to meet the need but no more.

Hey man thanks for replying. I don't think you seem annoying at all. You seem to me like a normal well adjusted dude.

ahem...lady here, not dude. :D

I totally feel you on that. If you suspect your dose is too high, maybe it is. Do you eat with your dose? If I don't eat, I am very focused but my interest level in conversation and everything like that is very intense. I can go on and on and on and conversation is just wonderful. And what joy it is if you feel like you are rambling but the other person is just as interested!

I got my first realization of annoyance when I was at the bar and I had a beer after work with some fellow workers. I don't know if the alcohol made me slow down and be more aware of my ramblings but I definitely feel more outgoing and loud while on it when I am a usually quiet person.

This can be beneficial in some settings, while not in others.

I think its about interest level. For me, my compulsivity is not always in conversation (sometimes it is) but sometimes its about *shopping*, especially online. I'm like OH my GOSH this is the cutest shirt *ever*! I must have it! Then when I get it I'm like... why did I want this so badly? I have since calmed down, and taught myself to not push the "purchase" button while medicated. Its a little bit about controlling yourself, but if you simply cannot, then your dose is definitely too high.

Hi Gino Gina,
I really liked how you described being on a different brainwave. That´s how I felt all my life, and how I still feel most of the time. I also recognize the urge to talk about something despite the other person´s discomfort. I try to repress this need with people I don´t know very well, but if it is somebody close to me, like my sister, it has happened many times that I try to force her to take interest in some of my topics although she obviously cannot follow. Then I get annoyed she cannot follow, and annoyed she does not want to learn how to follow:-( I guess I must come accross as intense and annoying at these times. But if I don´t do it, I am utterly bored, and "normal" conversations are just work. How can people find that entertaining? That´s how my brain feels. But how come I feel like that without any drugs at all?? If I take a low dose Strattera- the dumb pill as I call it sometimes:-)- I manage to enjoy even simple things that I can absolutely not enjoy without it. One of the first times I took Strattera was just amazing. I went to a party and suddenly I felt that I was on the same wave length as the others. I knew how they felt, how they would like to talk, and I could easily use that information to run smooth and funny conversations, and it didn´t cost me anything. It was just amazing, like stepping into another world. Then as the effect waned by the end of the night slowly my perception changed and I started getting bored with talks as well as perciveing more information simultaneously and feeling like an observer not able to communicate my experience because there are no others there on that wave length.

geno,

adderall isn't very specific to serotonin. Methamphetamine has a pronounced serotonin effect and that sometimes causes confusion about amphetamine.

I found taking a very low dose of SSRI's really improved some of the impatience and dominating conversation aspects of my personality while taking stimulants. Are you experiencing any anheodia type side effects?

BobC

Tlhengel: Sorry! Either way, guy or girl, you are not annoying ;)

ADHD Tiger: I am going to talk to my Doc about trying some IR tabs. I like the fact that I can manipulate the dose based on the demand of the day. Thanks for the suggestion!

BobC: I generally don't have feelings of anhedonia. However, on some occasions that I use adderall my anxiety goes through the roof which makes socializing quite frustrating at times. This kind of results in loss of enjoyment while socializing. On high anxiety days I generally end up isolating myself and spending most of my time doing school work or browsing the web. If I am not feeling anxious I usually become dominating and pushy in social situations. I guess I am getting the extremes on both ends. I had perscription to Paxil before I was using adderall, but I felt like it was actually increasing my anxiety.

On a side note, I ended up taking 120mg of adderall to write an essay yesterday. I spent most of the time goofing around on the internet, and procrastinating. Today, my brain feels slow as ****. Just typing this post is extremely demanding on my brain. I finished my script yesterday, so I gotta write this paper without adderall now. :(

I also have increased anxiety from ssri's. I think it relates to anxiety due to how ssri's decrease my level of motivation.

After taking stimulants for 18 months I noticed my outlook was a bit "cranky" and I was more impatient then normal. I found myself dominating conversations at times. I also noticed mild anhedonia in the bedroom :o. Adding the lowest possible dosage of a ssri seemed to releave all these problems without demotivation.

120mg sounds like a lot to take. You may want to check into ir meds that way you can split pills + take a smaller increase vs twice your normal. While the euphoria is motivating its counter productive and can cause downregulation in the long run.

The way stimulants trigger feelings of reward makes it very difficult to self assess how well the medication is actually working. Having an external point of view (friend/spouse/doctor) is very useful in determining a correct dosage.

BobC

Hello,
It is likely that either your dose is too high, you are using too much caffeine or you need to switch to Ritalin.

I you are using a lot of coffee, energy drinks or "health & fitness" (GNC) products, that will spike your Adderall like crazy.

With a dose of Adderall at 60 mgs per day, three doses of regular release Adderall, not one dose of Adderall XR, you should be a person of +/- 180 pounds.

If you are much lighter than that and / or if you are just taking Adderall XR, it is no wonder you are spiked.

Figuring it out is easy, if the clinician knows what they are doing. Most don't.

Feel free to respond.

With a dose of Adderall at 60 mgs per day, three doses of regular release Adderall, not one dose of Adderall XR, you should be a person of +/- 180 pounds.

If you are much lighter than that and / or if you are just taking Adderall XR, it is no wonder you are spiked.

Figuring it out is easy, if the clinician knows what they are doing. Most don't.


I'm sure you knew this was coming, but I totally disagree. :D

It doesn't always have to do with basic weight calculations, but more about the severity of the AD/HD. I'm sure a lot of people will agree.

I remember reading a post of one woman who was super tiny but would only respond to really, really high doses of medication. The amount that she was taking would probably put me in a coma, but it worked for her.

Also, some people metabolize differently.

Then there's the whole mysterious "we all respond differently" thing. So many things are unkown to doctors, and some things just can't be explained with science. It sure would be nice if it could though. ;)