A thing they don’t tell you when you start amphetamine for ADHD, but they SHOULD, is that what they do is NOT make you function like a neurotypical.

What they actually do is turn you into a person with ADHD with greater capacity.

Sometimes MUCH greater capacity.

And there can be a honeymoon phase when you’re all like, “OMG! I’m saved! I can do all the things now!”

And the risk is that you will use the extra capacity to mask harder and engage in more of the same stuff that was causing burnout.

And then 3-6 months later you find yourself in the same place you started but with an amphetamine habit. Also you can sit still.

I see a LOT of people online who hit the point a few months in where they conclude they have stopped working and start desperately doing meds breaks, long supplement recipes, etc to get back the “functionality”.

And these people, more often than not, also seem to have massive internalised ableism. They never accept their own disability, instead thinking it’s their “duty” to use any means possible to “not inflict my shame on anyone else”.

And using up that extra capacity from amphetamine to do that is a nasty trap because you can’t go back. Ever.

You HAVE to accept what you are.

@goatsarah Using speed to treat ADHD always seemed a bit of a grift and prescribers are usually FAR too lazy (or overstressed/worked) to figure out HOW to use the drug. Here. Prescribed. Take. Daily. Bye!

Wrong. How to use it episodically while limiting the addiction risk (but NOT eliminating it) MIGHT find a better use for the drug but that is also difficult for the person using to navigate.

There's gotta be better than this shit. (And should be accompanied by ENDING the bullshit "war on drugs" so we can use the funds to FULLY fund health care).

Sorry, gotta bomb Iran.

@FIAR_Light @goatsarah Ah yes, those extremely addictive drugs that I keep forgetting to take...

@neoluddite @goatsarah Hmm....speed CAN be addictive--but again, I'm saying we need better treatments or alternatives for those who find it problematic. That does NOT mean I think it should be eliminated as an option but AS an option, more exploration in how best to use it. Sounds to me like you use it more when you need it and then other days, forget to. Some will need it daily; others not but the standard is just to take it every day.

So I'm saying we need more study and effort around NEW treatments as well as studies on how it is used.

I am not against drugs of any kind. Indeed, I find low doses of psychedelics extremely effective. A 'mezzo' dose every few weeks is what works for me.

@FIAR_Light @goatsarah I need it every day because I have ADHD, but I forget to take it, also because I have ADHD