What I Notice On Days I Take My ADHD Meds (And Days I Don't)
What I Notice On Days I Take My ADHD Meds (And Days I Don't)
Clients (and friends) will sometimes ask: "What difference do ADHD meds actually make for you?"
And I can sometimes find it hard to answer in the moment. So I had a think, and pulled together some real examples from the past few week (including that time a friend clocked that I hadn't taken my meds before I had!)
Before I jump in: I'm a registered counsellor, not a prescriber. This is my personal experience, not medical advice. That said, the evidence is pretty clear that ADHD medication is helpful for the overwhelming majority of people who've been appropriately diagnosed and who try it; with thousands of studies to back that up.
This is just what it actually looks like in my day-to-day life.
The Walk That Gave It Away
A friend and I go for a walk together most Sunday mornings. A few months back, we were about halfway around our usual route when she turned to me and asked: "Did you remember your meds this morning?"
I hadn't.
What she noticed was that I was more scattered than usual; not really following along, pulling my phone out mid-conversation to show her something, then getting sidetracked onto something else entirely. Topic, topic, topic, with no real thread.
One of the things I notice most with medication is being able to follow a conversation and stay in the flow. That sounds small, but it's not; not just on a Sunday walk with a friend, but in meetings, with family, in any situation where being present and keeping up actually matters.
Task Initiation — Actually Starting the Thing
I'll still get the ‘ugh, I really don't want to do this’ feeling. Medication doesn't make everything feel appealing; it doesn’t magically make me want to sit down and do my taxes!! But when I have my meds on board, I'm much more likely to just get started anyway; to do the thing and push through rather than circling it indefinitely.
The most boring-but-meaningful example I keep coming back to is emails. Sitting down, drafting it, reading it through once or twice, and hitting send. Not "does this sound right? How else could they take this? Maybe I'll come back to it later." Just … done. Next one.
It sounds so small. For me, this one makes such a difference.
Starting AND Finishing
Related but distinct: not just getting started, but staying with something through to the end rather than bouncing off halfway and landing on something else entirely.
For an ADHD brain, getting started is one hurdle. Keeping going until something is actually finished is another. Medication helps me with both; but particularly that second one, which is often the less talked-about part.
Keeping My Cool With the Kids
This is probably the biggest one for me (and many clients and other mums that I talk to) in day-to-day life.
I have a teenager, a tween who also has ADHD, and a giant puppy who is - let's say - full on. On days when I've taken my ADHD medication, I can ask something and not lose my temper when I have to repeat myself. The usual teenage mess doesn't send me over the edge. The follow-up conversations happen more calmly. Everything just goes more smoothly.
And when I'm calmer, they're calmer. The whole house is calmer. Mealtimes are more likely to be laughing and chatting than someone being cranky about something. That matters. That really matters.
What If Medication Makes You Feel Dull?
Some clients have mentioned that ADHD medication takes their edge off; they talk about feeling a little flat, or less creative. I want to acknowledge that because it's real for some people.
Personally I don't experience that. If anything, medication helps me feel more like myself; it’s like I have better access to my own brain, my ideas, my ability to connect seemingly random dots, but now with this new ability to follow through. But if you're taking ADHD medication and something doesn't feel right, it's worth going back to your prescriber. A different medication or a different dose can make a significant difference.
What Medication Doesn't Fix
ADHD medication doesn't fix everything. And honestly, I question whether ADHD is even something to fix - I think it's a brain with a different way of thinking that doesn't always fit the norm, and is more likely to come up with creative ideas, workarounds, novel solutions etc that can be really beneficial.
What medication does for me is make the tools and strategies more accessible. It supports the follow-through. But the ideas, the spark, the pattern-spotting, the creativity - all the good stuff that comes with ADHD - those are still there. For me at least, the meds support the good stuff rather than flattening it.
FAQ
Does ADHD medication work for everyone?
Not for everyone, but research consistently shows it's helpful for the overwhelming majority of people who've been appropriately diagnosed and who try it. The key phrase there is getting appropriately diagnosed; which is why proper assessment matters.
How do I know if ADHD medication is right for me?
That's a conversation for your GP or psychiatrist - not something to decide based on someone else's experience, including mine. What I can say is it's a conversation worth having if you're curious.
What if I don't want to take medication?
Completely valid. Medication is one tool, not the only one. There are a number of other tools and strategies that help manage ADHD effectively. For many ADHDers though, medication makes it easier to learn tools and strategies, and to apply them more reliably; no alternative treatments have been shown to come close to the same level of effectiveness.
Will ADHD medication change my personality?
Yes and no - it depends! People often report feeling more like themselves, with better access to their own thinking and less energy going into compensating for the harder parts of ADHD. Something that I’ve heard from a few clients is feeling like a duller version of themselves, or less creative - the reality is there are likely many and varied experiences.
Is it safe to take ADHD medication long-term?
As always, your prescriber is the right person to discuss this with; they can walk you through the evidence and what's appropriate for your specific situation. Research broadly suggests that side effects generally reduce with time or with lowered dose. Some of the most common are rebound, feeling flat, insomnia and occasionally headaches. The ones I’m most familiar with from clients are feeling dull or less creative, and appetite suppression, which I’ve heard reported more in kids than adults (and which my own kid experiences) so I’m very conscious that this can be a concern. Often things like encouraging grazing, ensuring good breakfast first etc can help.
If you're curious about ADHD medication, diagnosis, or just want to talk through where you're at, I'm happy to have that conversation. I'm a registered counsellor based in Brisbane and also work online as The Anxious ADHDer. Feel free to reach out at anxiousadhder.com.au