I took a Writing class this summer, and 3 out of 6 people were on Adderall. And probably all considered themselves A.D.D. or ADHD.
Weird!

I don't think it makes people more creative, I think it makes it easier to recognize their feelings to write them down. I guess before I took meds, I knew my thoughts were spinning, but could never get them to slow down. Now there a bit more clear, which isn't always a good thing.
I was so excited to learn that my love for writing hadn't been lost in the chaos of "grown-up" responsibility. It seemed like 10 yrs of writing/journaling came out in 3 months. So, is this med causing me to live(practice) one of my passions, or is it causing me to waste my my time, and not face reality.

not really sure. I can tell you Adderall has had some influence on my writing, I seem to just already know good grammar even though I don't remember learning any of it, I don't even know the termonology for anything related to English yet I know the material. maybe I just forgot learning it but it is weird my teachers only began to comment my excellent writing skills after I started taking Adderall. I even started using a journal and can now write many pages with ease even when not on Adderall, I feel like it just taught my mind how to work a certain way or something... not sure, it isn't consistent sometimes I can't write anything at all.

I believe Adderall is responsible for aiding in the creation of alternate realities in my mind, and writing was just my way of exploring them. One of the most creative, deepest, most meaningful periods of my life. Existential crisis was triggered as well. Maybe Adderall had nothing to do with it, but it is odd this all happened shortly after starting the drug.

I agree. It has brought much to the surface for me, somethings(repressed memories) that I'm not sure I want to come up. I think it makes your head slow down and if your paying attention you realize how much is there. I'm always struggling with the question of if I'm living my purpose in this life, and always have a nagging feeling that I will never be fully living my purpose as long as I am medicated.

Interesting comment about how you don't remember learning the skills, but they were just there. It makes me question if in a way, it helps a person use more of their brain capacity. I wonder if it would aid in learning languages. They use to give amphetamines to fighter pilots in the air force, and Einstein(I think it was) used it, but so did Hitler. Has the capability to bring out the worst in a person.

anyway.....

I am a writer in London, on Concerta, and I can definitely say that ANY stimulants have a positive affect on writing if you have ADD/ ADHD, as does red wine.

Thanks, I will try the wine.
Just curious....Does most of your material seem dark or negative?
When you revise or reread your material when your meds wear off, does it ever seem to not make sense? Would you say your style changes when your medicated, or can you just work faster.
Send me a snippit if you like; I would enjoy reading something.
Cheers

First, I know exactly what you mean about the not knowing the rules thing. I have always been told that I was a good writer, and, like many ADDers I would imagine, I can tend to ramble into some pretty mean run-on sentances. But it's never been a bad thing, because I can Comma well. One of my past english teachers was so fed up over our classes poor comma usage that she would take our submisions, point out the comma mistakes, and then give them back to us to explain EACH of the comma rules we broke, and then turn it in for her to grade.

Lets just say it's a good thing I never missed one, because I wouldn't have been able to tell you why it was wrong ^_^

Personally, when I'm on Adderall and I get a paper, text editor, or some other means to write in front of me, I feel like one of those old painters, who is just driven, near posessed, to paint something. It's like I can hardly keep the pen from paper.

In general, though, I do find that my writing is a bit darker on the meds, though it is also more poignant and concise. My angsty teenage years were filled with "Who am I as a person, what does my life mean" poems, though I do not know if this was the Concerta I was on at the time or just the age haha.

It has always seemed to me that stimulants enhance something I'll call "deep focus" but inhibit what I'll call "associative broad focus." Metaphors, similes, and allusions do not seem to come to me as quickly on stimulants. On the other hand, stimulants seem to help me craft well-organized and deep analysis. I don't know if there's anything to that at all. It just seems that way to me. Supposedly, the poet W.H. Auden was on amphetamines throughout most of his productive career.

First, I know exactly what you mean about the not knowing the rules thing. I have always been told that I was a good writer, and, like many ADDers I would imagine, I can tend to ramble into some pretty mean run-on sentances. But it's never been a bad thing, because I can Comma well. One of my past english teachers was so fed up over our classes poor comma usage that she would take our submisions, point out the comma mistakes, and then give them back to us to explain EACH of the comma rules we broke, and then turn it in for her to grade.

Lets just say it's a good thing I never missed one, because I wouldn't have been able to tell you why it was wrong ^_^

Personally, when I'm on Adderall and I get a paper, text editor, or some other means to write in front of me, I feel like one of those old painters, who is just driven, near posessed, to paint something. It's like I can hardly keep the pen from paper.

In general, though, I do find that my writing is a bit darker on the meds, though it is also more poignant and concise. My angsty teenage years were filled with "Who am I as a person, what does my life mean" poems, though I do not know if this was the Concerta I was on at the time or just the age haha.


Lol I know exactly what you mean about run on sentances... they used to be more of a problem but like you, I just put commas in where it feels right and usually that is just fine with the teacher.

"My angsty teenage years" ahh crap that was the best time of my life, although it was a little depressive I was happy at the same time and very confident. My writing took me from the beginning to the end of that stage, which was a stage I wanted to end so badly because I felt too smart to live amongst everyone in society just following the motions... now that I am out of it....I want to go back to that state of mind so badly, it made life so much easier to deal with and I seriously was smart as hell... now I feel like I lost it.


I think one disadvantage of having ADD, or maybe it is just me, but I can freewrite really well... but when it comes to structured writing I hate it, even if the teacher likes my work and says I have done well. I put off a 5 page research paper due TOMORROW and I am ****ed... I am gonna be up all night trying to get it done. Since it isn't just my ideas and my opinions I can't just unload and edit it a bit and be done... I gotta actually, well.... work. LOL.


river09, I always thought I was just going through negative times, but now that I look back on all my journal entrys... almost all of them are negative or focus on things your average person would catagorize as negative or depressive. Deffinitely not happy go lucky, and if it has any positive mood to it at all you can bet it is pretty short....like one to two paragraphs compared to the pages of negative stuff.

Yes, I can freewrite til the cows come home, but when I go back to revise, I just seem to go off on another rabbit trail. So I end up with like 5 different versions of a poem I started.
I just need to trust my first instinct about a word or thought I have written, instead of writing 3 or 4 word that mean the same thing to later go back and decide which one flows the best. I've been learning alot of new words this summer, but wonder sometimes if I'm over doing it with the fun, uncommon, quirky words. I know simple writing with a clear vision is usually the best, but I love to put interesting words together for the sound, just as much for the description. I can think of tons of metaphors in my head, but lose the word quickly. That has always been my problem...trying to find the exact words to convey my message.
As far as structure goes, same issue, I need to trust my first version instead of going over and over it.
I write for fun, but it would be a tortured life to write professionally. I now understand a writers' conflict, and why it could take 10 years to write a masterpiece.
I wrote a poem the other day about how a mother might have a hard time being a writer, b/c she would always feel like she was neglecting her kids. Men or fathers seem to get away with it. It seems that it might be more accepted for a man to be a tortured poet, leaving his family for days at a time to write. But a mother would be scorned, shunned, considered a bad mother for abandoning her children. Maybe?
Speaking of kids, better go take care of mine.
Good evening.

I have always wondered what I might be able to accomplish if I were to try writing poetry... or even a song.. or anything like that. I think I stop myself from doing so. Many times a day I have some metaphorical thought or something just so far out come to my mind, and I first think wow, that isn't bad I could do something with that, people would like that... and then I convince myself I am probably just another one of those people who think they are the greatest lyricist/poet/w.e in the world when actually they just make fools of themselves.

Haha, have you listened to music lately? Most of the lyrics are downright laughable! But you know, if you're basing your writing habits on what you think others would like, aren't you really prostituting your creativity away to the highest bidder? Sorry for the vulgar analogy, but really, who cares about success? My father is one of the best singer/songwriters I know, but I can tell you probably fewer than a hundred people have heard him play in the past decade or more. It's all about that creative release, if it feels write (pun intended ^_^) to you, why not do it?

It's like anything, the more you do it, the less you have to focus on the stigma of "Oh noes what if I"m no good!" and the more you can focus on really expressing yourself. I think that's what you mean by your "edge." I would wager you haven't written with real passion and consistency since your your "angsty teenage years." If you got into it again, I doubt it would take long for you to find your old stride!

I mean, I look at assignments and papers I did in high school, and all I can think is "Man, I must have been one ballsy fool to turn that in!" Just things like comparing social injustice to macaroons, a-la A Dolls House. It's that sort of... flair, that willingness to take risks, that marks someone who is confident in their abilities.

Haha, have you listened to music lately? Most of the lyrics are downright laughable! But you know, if you're basing your writing habits on what you think others would like, aren't you really prostituting your creativity away to the highest bidder? Sorry for the vulgar analogy, but really, who cares about success? My father is one of the best singer/songwriters I know, but I can tell you probably fewer than a hundred people have heard him play in the past decade or more. It's all about that creative release, if it feels write (pun intended ^_^) to you, why not do it?

It's like anything, the more you do it, the less you have to focus on the stigma of "Oh noes what if I"m no good!" and the more you can focus on really expressing yourself. I think that's what you mean by your "edge." I would wager you haven't written with real passion and consistency since your your "angsty teenage years." If you got into it again, I doubt it would take long for you to find your old stride!

I mean, I look at assignments and papers I did in high school, and all I can think is "Man, I must have been one ballsy fool to turn that in!" Just things like comparing social injustice to macaroons, a-la A Dolls House. It's that sort of... flair, that willingness to take risks, that marks someone who is confident in their abilities.

thank you for that! I like your perspective. your right, completely agree with you. its just, you know sometimes people lose sight of what its about.. whats important, etc. I guess I just have lost sight of what I used to see. I just wish I knew how to spark it again, get into again, for me it isnt as easy as just writing. Before I would write, read what I wrote and be astonished. Now its like wtf this is pointless I am saying nothing.

Thanks Elandruss, I totally need to remind myself of that alot. Why am I hesitant to share my work thinking it may not be "great". I write for me, and thats something I can call my own. My experience on this earth in my own words. Someone tried to help me with editing once because I admired his work, and after it was done it sounded like him not me. I wouldn't change my style because thats my style.
That made me question the whole editing process. If someone takes an original piece and edits it down, that seems like its not the authors own anymore.

Thanks, I will try the wine.
Just curious....Does most of your material seem dark or negative?

no, but dark stuff is not my style. I must say i do feel energised and focussed on meds when i write. my head is tuned in so well, and it flows faster.my writing is pretty good when i am not on meds too though, (organisation and racing thoughts is another matter hehe;)....)

When you revise or reread your material when your meds wear off, does it ever seem to not make sense?

no, i have to be honest here (without sounding arrogant). My writing always makes sense, medicated or not

Would you say your style changes when your medicated, or can you just work faster.

no. my style never changes, but i do work faster on meds. I write a bit better after two glasses of red wine too

Send me a snippit if you like; I would enjoy reading something.
Cheers

will do! i think im pretty average though! :)