I was on Adderall and Adderall XR, before getting genetic testing done. I found out I metabolize Adderall twice as quickly as I should, which explains why I mentally crashed everyday. I also learned which medications my body processes best. I switched to Strattera, which isn’t a stimulant!! It’s been much more helpful in regulating my thoughts and regulating my focus. I can’t recommend getting genetic testing done enough for those looking to find the “right” medicine to help!!

Honestly, we need to have discussions regarding meds. We need to hear people’s experiences. The docs are likely not going to be helpful with this side of things. It’s difficult to know what is “normal” on the meds and what’s not. Many of us have been told that our experience is not valid so much that we think we should ignore all the “not quite right” feelings.

Hey! Love your assessment of stimulants, it’s very self-aware. I also love that you mention the tie to eating disorders. Most stimulants up regulate dopamine. With ADHD, certain eating disorders, and other diagnoses, the person’s brain does not have enough dopamine bouncing around the right synapses. Taking a stimulant up regulates dopamine so that the persons brain is now functioning with more normal, optimal levels of dopamine (and serotonin, norepi). With my diagnoses, taking a stimulant has been life-changing. It just puts me on a normal level - able to prioritize, focus, formulate clear thoughts, AND make significant progress with my 15yr (binge-purge subtype) eating disorder . Definitely happy to go into more bio chemistry on this, but the point is - for years my brain just hasn’t had enough dopamine bouncing around to function properly. Pair this with some spectrum characteristics, and it was a recipe for (high functioning) disaster. *** SO. Point being, your self assessment of stimulants’ effects on your body makes it sound like YOUR brain probably already has enough dopamine floating around. The extra neurotransmitters made you feel really good, and made you talk a lot because for you, they were EXTRA. When you mentioned that you couldn’t sleep, that’s probably because even when half of the medication was out of your body, you still had too many neurotransmitters jumping around your brain. For someone whose brain chemistry actually needed the stimulant - well half of the medication wears off, and they’re back at a sub optimal level of neurotransmitters… And their energy level tapers off normally. Just a little extra science. But kudos to you for recognizing this in yourself, and your medical team for helping you find the paths that are right for you.

Great talk here. I have tried antidepressants since my 20s before I realized I was autistic. I end up feeling blah and flat, which I hate. Stimulants help me also socially and with social awkwardness and to feel less sad and fatigued.

I’ve seen atypical antipsychotics and benzodiazepines used to treat ASD with mixed results. Both can have common, significant side effects. A THC:CBD blend in a 1:1 or 1:2 ratio has been shown to be beneficial in some autistics, moreso than CBD alone. High THC only was linked to increased anxiety/agitation, CBD only didn’t have a robust impact. I think beta blockers get overlooked for anxiety in autism! I was told a lot of my performance anxiety was mental, CBT was suggested. But I wasn’t really worried about performing, my body’s response was just overwhelming me. So beta blockers were perfect for those occasional “can’t calm down” moments. Thank you!!

I really appreciate this video, I'm trying to get an ADHD assessment, as an Autistic person, and a person with (sporadic) anxiety & depression. I can't imagine having an excellent, caring conversation with my GP about all of this, relevant to my autistic self.

I went to type a comment and it turned into a whole journal entry so here's the gist: was diagnosed with ADHD in my early 20s, have been on a very low dose of stimulants since. It's been helping me tremendously, notably with sleep since it quiets my overactive thoughts. I still feel like there's a peice missing though and even with the help I get from medication, I feel like I struggle to thrive. I've been suspecting comorbid ASD for a while now, but your video on ASD in women connected some dots for me tonight. So thank you for what you do, your work is important and helpful to at least one other person (and many more I'm sure).

Your experience with stims certainly is abnormal, especially for someone with ADHD, so I'm glad you clarified that. ADHD stims are only addictive to those with ADHD at higher than therapeutic doses, though. Some side effects, like tics, can be reduced by combining stims with clonidine or guanfacine. Your adderall experience does sound a lot like mine, so if you haven't already, I highly recommend you get a pharmacogenomic test done. Its just a cheek swab & it is covered by some insurance companies. I've had a lot of issues with medications, especially psychotropics, & my doctors would dismiss me when meds either didn't work or had "rare/weird" side effects. After I had been on Adderall for a while, my psychiatrist ordered a pharmacogenomic test for me. Would have been nice if it had come in BEFORE I was up for 3 days straight hyperfocusing on a science project where I, unnecessarily, calculated & compared the average pH & duration spent in each part of the GI systems of deer, rabbit, & humans. Instead of just using the info provided, I scoured Google Scholar for decades old research papers to find the info. On the 3rd night, after I finished the project & before I passed out from exhaustion, my toes were purplish & face jaundiced. I tapered myself off from the adderall the next morning when I, luckily, woke up feeling much better. The pharmacogenomic test showed that I didn't have an active metabolism (CYP2D6 4/4) that was needed to rid myself of adderall effectively, so it builds up & becomes neurotoxic. The same metabolism is needed for most psychotropics/migraine meds, which caused a paradoxical effect when I took them. When I switched to methylphenidate (currently on an oral dissolving form, Cotempla 25.9mg & 8.6mg) & guanfacine 4mg, my side effects disappeared & its fairly effective as far as stims can be. My memory is still shit, but I also have doctors gaslighting me pretty constantly & am on muscle relaxers, both of which can cause poor memory, especially in addition to chronic pain & autistic burnout. I'm not sure if you mention pain meds elsewhere, but feel they should be discussed in addition to self medicating if you're willing to put in the research. With 2/3rds of autistic women (1/4th of autistic men) suffering from chronic pain, which is the same percent of all autistics who experience homelessness & suicidal thoughts, it seems like a significant comorbidity. Not only do autistic adults have very little if any specialized care, but most health care providers don't know about autistic burnout, which is a major source of chronic pain conditions including migraines, but they also don't know about autistic hyperesthesia. Healthcare also tends to be very opioiphobic, which means that research like the µ opioid balance model that shows autistic traits are associated with either excessive µ opioid activity (high pain tolerance, social indifference, low social reward) or blunted µ opioid activity (low pain tolerance/hyperesthesia, social anxiety, low social reward), isn't likely to reach medical educational institutions. The opioid system effects more than just social/physical pain (ex. learning, stress response, & reward mediating for food intake) & works synergistically with the dopamine/noradrenaline/adrenergic (ex. Executive functioning, memory, learning, & another pain regulation system), hormones (ex. Vasopressin & oxytocin, which are also involved with social bonding/trauma), Orexin/Hypocretin (ex. Narcolepsy/wakefulness, arousal, appetite)...essentially the many internal systems that autistics have issues/conditions associated with. Adult autistics could have many of our comorbidities reduced by more research into the BENEFITS of long term opioid therapy, but it's essentially forbidden because opioid agonists, like stimulants, *can* be abused despite research showing 92% of those who abused prescription opioids already abused other psychoactive substances (their brains were already rewired by a substance like alcohol/nicotine/meth/cocaine/heroine to be hypersensitive/inclined to abuse substances/behaviors that people wouldn't normally get an adrenaline rush/"high" from otherwise & they'd still have to knowingly take a substance at a higher than prescribed dose or do a behavior at higher risk/frequency than normally recommended).

I have always viewed medication for mental conditions as an as-needed basis. If you are struggling and it is preventing you from accomplishing basic life functions or working it is absolutely worth considering medication in the short term to get to a better place. And some people will need medication for life to help regulate extremes that can be disastrous for them. Your individual needs are unique and need a solution specific to you. I had an unrelated medical condition for most of my life that obscured my autism and once that was treated I was overwhelmed with finally experiencing the world fully from an autistic perspective without the energy to push through it. I went on SSRIs in the short term until I could get diagnosed and discover I was autistic and begin to adjust my life and expectations to create a situation where I was comfortable exposing myself to the world and learning to live with my autism.

I tried antidepressants for the first time with Prozac last year at age 42.- the start of my mental decline. They increased doses, stopped and started new meds and I continued to spiral. Then realized it’s the freaking meds!!! I think some adults with asd are more sensitive to these types of meds. But as a black woman with asd, our self reporting is usually brushed aside. I’m a nurse and decided I’d wean myself and my mental health has stabilized.

I haven’t finished the video yet because the ~15 seconds starting at ~1:20 blew my mind completely. As an ASD family we are still early on our journey of discovering what an autism-positive point of view might look like as we navigate an NT world. I had to stop and replay this just to capture these beautiful words. I’m genuinely tempted to post them in every room of our home so that each member of our family can read them every day. Thank you so much. ❤️

Thank you!! Thank you thank you!! My name is also Taylor and I think we are close in age! You know what, I feel a bit silly because I am a pharmacist and never really knew just how differently psyche meds affect the autistic brain. I never thought autism would affect that! They did not talk about autism and reactions to medications in our general course of learning in pharmacist school. Maybe they went over it in the psyche elective but I didn’t get into that class. (It filled up fast 🙃) thank you for posting research links. I know what I’m going to be doing all day now. And also going to bring this up to my psychiatrist

Taking low dose pregabaline was a total gamechanger for me. My anxiety became tons more manageable, taking depression down with it.

I was recently prescribed an SSRI for PPD and it made me so so so much worse. Like dangerously worse. I didn't realise until my brother told me that they affect an autistic brain differently. My mum went through a nightmare trying different medications and having after side effects. I wish more doctors understood this anomaly. I actually have found that taking CBD capsules has the best and more stable affect on me with zero side effects. And I take valerian to help with sleep. That combination has been wonderful for me.

I love your bird shirt! I was diagnosed by a dr who knew a lot about girls/women on the spectrum, and also specialized in pharmacology. She doesn't prescribe my meds, but she did talk about how we generally do need lower doses because we have the pardaxol effect. I didn't know it was because of serotonin levels in the brain so I learned that in this video, and neurotransmitters are a special interest for me so thank you for sharing that! I also have ADHD, and am on a stimulant. It's so interesting to hear how you talked more, because I didn't connect that to the medication. I will talk my hubby's ear off about research lol and I used to be so shy. However I've also done a lot of therapy and mindset work around letting others see myself for who I am and I'm most comfortable unmasking around him. I went on a depression medication before the stimulant, a few months before, and sleep much better now. I noticed after adding the stimulant that it affected my sleep a bit, but after getting used to it, I was actually okay. That said, I am on the tiniest dose, and I take only part of it. The downside I have is being unfocused and hyper when it's worn off which can be very hard, but that's not the medication, that's hyperactivity unmedicated lol.

I’ve known about being autistic since I was 18, and for my whole life medication is not great for me. My original diagnosis was Multiplex Developmental Disorder (which is no longer used and was supposed to bridge autism with schizophrenia). I definitely have never had signs of schizophrenia at any point in my life, but the autism resonates with me big time. My parents tried Zoloft and adderall with me as a kid, and Zoloft just made me absolutely hyper. Adderall made me jumpy and twitchy so when I was in 6th grade I asked to stop taking it and my parents also backed me up. Even now things like Benadryl, alcohol and marijuana affect me much more than most people. I’ve been called a lightweight and the worst medication trial was birth control pills. Worst experience ever-it exasperated my anxiety and I was constantly on edge and would have more meltdowns-so I threw them out. Even anaesthesia hits me pretty hard and I often vomit after I wake up. Long story short most medications and I do not mix and I prefer that way. I don’t even drink coffee anymore because it increases my anxiety and makes me spiral-it’s awful.

You are truly amazing. The way you present information while Including links is very, very helpful!

I have had an experience somewhat similar to yours with stimulants, but mine was just with caffeine. Even drinking caffeinated beverages made by thoughts so much clearer and it was easier to think of things to say during conversations. I felt like I had more energy I could push outward. Typically a lot of my energy goes toward my internal world and it’s harder to gather my thoughts. I loved this feeling but felt tired and had mood swings when the caffeine wore off. So now I cut back a huge amount

It's so important to hear these stories. Especially what you said about stimulants. Thank you for speaking on this!

Thank you so much for this! There are so many people who make you feel bad or wrong for choices you make about what to put into your body. It is your body, and only you know how those medications will affect you. I appreciate so much how you have been so honest and so open with the struggle. I'm late diagnosed myself along with having ADHD and believe me everyday is a damn roller coaster hahaha. But I believe that whatever works for each individual is the best thing for them. Thank you for sharing your thoughts on this too because this is what I've been waiting to hear💖

Atomoxetine (Strattera) helps me a lot. I'm overweight , so now I'm losing weight as I can control my eating impulse and stop eating after is enough. I does not have any mood effects on me, it helps reducing sensory hypersensitivity a lot, and regulating my emotions. Totally helpful on the inner multi-chattering, now is single chattering, but way more manageable. Talking to people is really easy, barely an inconvenience. Now doing CBT effectively, too.

Thank you so much for posting this. I am diagnosed adhd and think also Autistic. Our 9 year old daughter got diagnosed, and she doesn't want meds. Myself and her little sister use stimulates, but no idea for oldest.

I've tried and had reaction to antidepressants but I found a different mood stabilizer that has been helping for a long time. I also have ADHD and autonomic dysfunction so homeostasis is rare and fleeting for me, but I'm glad mindfulness helps you too! I hold a lot of anger and tension and stress in my muscles, so progressive muscle relaxation and listening to music and just trying to not do anything physical really helps. When I took yoga that was great too. I'm glad you have found things to help Your cat is so beautiful!

Your podcasts are a key to unlocking so many mysteries.

THANK YOU, MISS TAYLOR!! This info helps a lot & I'll also pass this info & the video link onto some other people for they &/or their family members/ friends/ co-workers, etc. I tend to overload some people with info, but will try to slow down when speaking about whichever subject. Thank you, again!! LOVE, HUGS, BLESSINGS, HOPE, COMFORT, HEALING, UNDERSTANDING, PEACEFUL MINDS & PRAYERS FOR EVERYONE, ALWAYS!!!! ♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️🤗🤗🤗🤗🤗🌈🌈❇️❇️❇️❇️❇️

My new psychiatrist has suggested i start antidepressants to manage my stress tolerance with autism, so i can get through the day with less challenges etc.. i am on the fence and trying to do my own reseach to find how other autistic have experienced antidepressants so i found this video really helpful!!!

As a teenager I took street stimulants for many years. This explains why it seemed to fix me…. Before it totally broke me….

I really appreciate your unjudgemental view on medication. I take anti-anxiety meds, but I'm not sure how helpful they are as I am still anxious, just to a milder degree. I like that trying something and deciding if it works for you is something you promote. I think that's the best way to live.

I felt absolutely amazing when I first started stimulants. It helped with sensory triggers and overload. Along with social anxiety & burn out. However, the side effects are not pleasant & I agree that it only masks sensory triggers.

Hey Taylor! Couldn't agree with you more! I agree 100%. I will say, after being mis-diagnosed with bi-polar as a young boy, imagine being autistic in the 80's, going through several years of electro-convulsive therapy on a weekly basis, and going through about EVERY common anti-anxiety, anti-depressant and anti-psychotic you can think of, because I was autistic and NOT depressed or bi-polar, trust me, these prescription drugs only make it worse. What happens is, at first they turn you into a zombie, then you need to keep inreasing the dosage because they stop being effective, then they will prescribe other drugs to take with the original drug prescribed when you reach max dosage. So, all of a sudden you're taking a half dozen different drugs, at all different dosages, while being electrocuted to the point of hallucination every week. It was torture. It was dark ages torture, of a young child with no advocacy to speak of and being completely misdiagnosed. Marijuana is great for relaxing, for being creative, and to help you sleep. Everything just comes with understanding what autism is, and how powerful if is, and how your autistic mind is SUPERIOR to theirs, in every way.

Medications and I are not friends. I tend to have major side effects from the smallest dosages. It has been a struggle trying to find something that treats my migraines that doesn’t leave me non-functional dizzy and/or drowsy. I also tend to have the opposite experience from what most people have. I’m allergic to many narcotic pain killers. The few I can take don’t give me the euphoria that most people experience. I feel like Every cell in my body is being crushed. So…post-op meds for me is only Tylenol. I’ve never wanted to take antidepressants or things in that psycho-pharmaceutical arena because of this. One Sudafed will have me not sleeping for a couple of days. :/ Better for me to sit. Breathe in. Breathe out.

I'm on the autism spectrum, and I have chronic depression, generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety, and ADHD. I take fluoxetine for depression and anxiety, propranolol for hand tremors, and Strattera for ADHD. If it weren't for my medication, I wouldn't be able to function.

So many things you mentioned I really relate to and you discussed it beautifully! I was diagnosed with depression and social anxiety in 8th grade and started medication shortly after. I disliked it in the beginning because I did feel a bit like a guinea pig trying one medication after the other and experiences side effects. Eventually we tried Prozac and that has really works for me coupled with therapy. I actually have S.A.D. (Seasonal Affective Disorder) so oftentimes my doctor accommodates by having me reduce how many milligrams I take in the spring and summer and increase it in the fall and winter. I'm much happier when it's sunnier out so I might need to get a S.A.D. lamp as the seasons are starting to change! Thanks for sharing your experience and research. I'm a big fan of mindfulness too! Take care :)

Thank you so much for talking about the dangers of medication. I also don't want to perpetuate stigma, but I continue to see people online advocate for the use of medication, especially antidepressants, and I find that to be a little irresponsible. Drugs like Lexapro and Wellbutrin are not harmless. Antidepressants made me detach even more from myself and they made me complacent with things I wouldn't normally be okay with. I didn't notice that at first though. In the beginning, I was convinced they were saving my life, and I was the first to recommend them to others. Over time, that changed. The reason I felt better initially is because I was numb. But when you're numb, you don't usually know it, for the simple fact that you're numb. After being off them for many years, I can now see the true effect they had on me, and it wasn't good. Being on them didn't allow for any growth to take place, and I became someone I really didn't like. I realize now that there wasn't actually anything wrong with my brain to begin with, I just grew up in a very toxic household and I was gaslit into believing I was mentally ill. Once I understood that, everything changed for me. I had a few different psychiatrists over the years, and I wish they had asked me some more questions before giving me medication. I was so young when I first went on meds (about 18), and I'll never know now how much smoother my 20s could have gone had I not gone down that path. I feel pretty betrayed by healthcare professionals to be honest. They all missed the signs of what was really going on. Brain chemistry isn't something you want to mess around with--it can have devastating impacts on a person's life. In regard to what you said about mindfulness at the end, I totally agree. For a long time that made me roll my eyes, but it's powerful and it's real.

Great topic Taylor!!

the stimulants part was very relatable well all the video was thanks for sharing this

We were medicated at age 12 after being diagnosed with PTSD. In the reality, we now have cPTSD. We went through the gauntlet of medication with devastating results. The one we were able to tolerate for a long time (2 years) was called straterra. It’s suppose to be for ADHD but e had extremely bad results with all antidepressants, including mania and violent outbursts. The other drug we had moderate success with was lorazepam for our panic attacks but that was more to treat our OSDD than the ASD.

Hi Tay, thank you, thank you, thank you! Wonderful information. I think I have said that I was diagnosed with ADHD way back when dinosaurs roamed the earth and life was simple and it was called Hyperkinetic disorder😂. Anyway I have lived with it for 50 years and lately it has been more burdensome then usual so I have been thinking of trying some medication. I have a friend with ADHD who is on Adoral and loves it. I have done my usual obsessive research and decided it was not for me. Your amazing descriptions of your experiences sort of put me over the hump. I realize that everyone is different so I know my experience could be different than yours, but it helped me decide anyway. Sometimes my brain is a nuisance but sometimes its wonderful! For the most part I like me and I am comfortable with all of my quirks. I have decided to get more into mindfulness. I meditate regularly and it has helped immensely. You said you were going to do a video about it so I am looking forward to it. I also like how you have seasons as I feel the same way. Having Autism and ADHD can be a complex mess. Sometimes I feel they are in concert with each other and other times they are at war with each other! With all that being said I don’t think I would change a thing🤪. Like you said there are many advantages to these conditions and for me medication just might change things too much. Wow again I have written a short novel! Thank you again for your channel I am learning so much. Congratulations on 700!

Thanks for this video, Tay. The only category of medication that I have any experience with is antidepressants (SSRI's). I didn't know they affect autistic brains differently. That's worth thinking about and researching.

I learned so much from this video, thank you Tay! Im autistic and on a 'new' medicine which has helped immensely the last two years - its called Wellbutrin, or Bupropion and is an antidepressant which is more activating than numbing (Wellbutrin belongs to a drug class called norepinephrine-dopamine reuptake inhibitors (NDRIs), which works to increase levels of dopamine and norepinephrine in the brain by inhibiting this reabsorption, or “reuptake,” process), without classifying as a stimulant. It is also used to treat people with ADHD who dont tolerate stimulans. I dont have ADHD but this is the first medication that really helped me stay out of depression and cope with difficult situations - as well as energizing me enough to prevent- and not stay too long in my autistic shutdowns. It somehow has helped with my executive functioning. I have had a low dose for 2 years now and it still helps me without major side effects=) Just a tip to check with a doctor perhaps, for those who dont tolerate stimulants - and feel numb by regular antidepressants.

Hey! Thank you and everyone in the comments for sharing. Could you please also make a video about nutritional supplements for people on the spectrum? Do you have any experience with it? I’ve recently started taking fish oil and vitamin D, and am waiting to experience the effects (or lack thereof 😅)

Thank you for this video

Thank you. This 😂is what I was looking for - the links you provided, also.

I have had a very different experience with all of those drugs. It's very interesting to me how different each person is!!

Hi Tay, thank you for this video, it's very important and I love it. I never took medications despite I'm autistic with c-ptsd, because I don't think they fit to me. I'm autistic and I love it. It makes me who I am. I know the stigma about take (or don't take) medications, but it's a personal choice and judging it is unfair. P.S. Sorry if my English is worse than usual, it's late night here.

Thanks for this info and the discussion in the comments so far! I'm dealing with long time insomnia and recent mild sleep apnea diagnosis. I've tried a few meds for that with very few "working" and now I'm trying a CPAP that I think I hate LOL It does nothing for the insomnia, and I am still waking up tired. I really want to find something effective for the insomnia. I feel like it is at least partially related to delayed processing that keeps my thoughts going all night.

I appreciate you. Thank you

I rather not have my autism cured and love ❤️ the way I am and my unique strengths that I offer the world and the planet 🌍

Prior to my autism diagnosis, I was on SSRIs for depression

This is incredibly interesting. I’ve tried many antidepressants and they’ve all caused me to just be super irritable so I just told my doctor I wasn’t doing it anymore.

I really like your channel but I need to point out that some of the information about stimulants a little incorrect actually.

Thank you.

When I took Adderall, I often had visual hallucinations when I was between sleeping and waking states. I got off of it and opted for a nonstimulant alternative.

Thank you

I’m on Prozac and a beta blocker for anxiety and I find it really helps me. I’m not having panic attacks anymore. I’ve not tried any stimulants, though, so I can’t speak to the effects of those.

I really relate to having seasons with managing things. It would be nice if there was something you could take for those times that worked right away but not an every day medication.

It’s no different than someone with diabetes being “dependent “ on insulin. Without my two antidepressants i would not be here today. I cant take stimulants because i have too much anxiety and it increases that plus i have tachycardia so thats not an option for me. My 12 year old Is on meds for anxiety and its changed her life and enabled her to stay in school. We both have diagnosis if adhd and autism and generalized anxiety disorder

I tried Sertraline, which affects circulating levels of serotonin. I have very occasional migraines preceded by visual aura; by occasional, I mean I can go years without one, and, had never had more than two in any one year. Taking Sertraline I reached day 10, by which time I had experienced 5 migraines with increasing severity. I then stopped taking the drug and had 3 more migraines, one a day, for the next three days, with decreasing severity. This was about 5 months ago and have not had a migraine since. Sertraline had no noticeable effect on my mood. Sertraline can be very effective and often has negligible contraindications for most people. However, as you say, autistic brain chemistry can be quite diverse and it is useful to treat any newly prescribed medicine with some caution, until the indvidual becomes aware of its specific effects on his or herself.

Interesting, I was on Tofranil for 16 years for depression, but that was 10 years before I was diagnosed autistic. I was finding drinking worked better, stopped that, trying welbutrin at the moment.

If you are just autistic, the stimulants have nothing to offer. But, if like me, it is ADHD and autism, then stimulants can help a lot. There are 3 different formulas, and different types of delivery. Take long time sore some to find the right ones. Again, only if ADHD is involved. Since i have autism in the mix, it is certainly not magic, but helps to get at least some things done.

CBD and Medical marijuana make life tolerable by toning everything down and turning down the volume, but everyone has to pick what works best for them

ADHD and Autism here. My first time trying anti-depressants did nothing. My second time, the new doctor increased the dose very high very quickly and I could barely stay awake. I'd be awake maybe for 30 minutes at a time then pass out again. I tried 3 different stimulants after that: vyvanse, adderall, and concerta. Vyvanse was also increased too much too quickly (they kept doing this because of my weight). The lower dose of vyvanse seemed to be positive but I wasn't sure if it was placebo or the actual drug, the higher dose gave me symptoms of depression I didn't have before. Switched to adderall and completely lost all interest in food. Eating was the biggest chore. The higher dose gave me bad headaches. Switched to concerta and I got my appetite back, had less social anxiety and was able to feel like I could be myself around my friends again. I'm still on concerta at least 5 years later. It doesn't give me mood or energy boosts, doesn't help me focus. It just helps me feel a little less anxious, mostly socially, so I can be more my authentic self with my friends instead of hiding and masking too much.

There is so much that I could reply to as usual but wanted to say the best thing I have found for mindfulness is an app called headspace and worked miracles for me and you have just reminded me that I haven’t used it for a year and it was a year ago almost that I was diagnosed and I do realise I’m finding this video later than it’s posted but just wanted to say thank you

I’ve been on Concerta for 5 months. I found that the lowest dose worked great until the late afternoon when I would hit a wall (overstimulated, headache, unmotivated). When my dr upped my dosage it made it last longer and deal with the “wall” way less frequently. I’m able to concentrate so effectively and it helps me not go into freeze-mode where I cant seem to start a task. The only big issue is that it makes my anxiety way worse, which makes me want to take it less frequently.

Stimulant meds can vary a lot from person to person. Personally have tried all the different classes of antidepressants with bad outcomes. I've been on Adderall for about 9ish months now. The initial first few months was really difficult to deal with because it was such a strong experience. I did not feel euphoria. It was the same kind of feeling as being on an airplane and feeling all the forces of it taking off, and then once you are in the air you don't really realize it except for turbulence. I had to troubleshoot eating times (mostly because id forget) and drinking water (because id forget) and not having food or water make me feel really anxious and less focused. Now that i am established on it, i do not feel cravings for more. I feel good on the dose that i have. I do feel frustrated that its a) not sustained at all times. When it starts to wear off between doses it sucks. When it wears off for the day I feel useless. I also feel frustrated about the weekend breaks. b) dealing with the regulations around it are not ADHD friendly, and i have on more than one occasion had to ration so i could make it to the next refill. Shortages have made this worse. I like it because a) it is the only thing that has genuinely addressed my depression. Its like a breath of fresh air. b) i feel semi normal on it. It would suck to go off it. Withdrawals are real. I have already gone through several rounds of withdrawals because of shortages and such. Honestly, i don't crave it like I've been told addictive drugs make you feel. I mostly just want the withdrawals to stop. But if i had to go completely off it for whatever reason, i don't feel like gollum from LOTR obessed with the precious. I feel that way about my coffee, but i have contemplated going off it and trying other things because of the nature of how the drug works and I just wish i wasn't depressed on the weekends and after 6pm because the meds wore off. I have talked to several other people on/have been on stimulant meds and the experiences seem to vary a lot. Some people don't get effected at all, some people get real tired, some people feel closer to how I do which is just having that internal voice go away and feel "normal" some people have increased anxiety or medical side effects and some people get severe rage on it (something I had the first few months before my body adjusted). I've also heard people talk about going off it, and tapering off slowly and the only real shitty things is the expectations are still there but no meds to help them out. Edit to add to respond to her thoughts on stimulants: i don't feel like i am masking more or the med is masking me. I do have adhd so maybe that is part of it. But i feel like i can be more authentically me, and have some intrests come back, where I've been dealing with severe depression since i can remember and apathy has been a big lifelong issue. So the meds benefit me most because it is treating my depression.

Stimulants gave me a depression which lasted almost 1 year. They help but there are also downsides.

Prozac was the only one I didn't react to before I knew I had ASD and ADHD, others made me get insomnia instantly, and suicidal. Anxiety meds taken only when a meltdown came, worked better, back then I didn't know it was neurodivergent meltdowns I thought it was anxiety attacks. ADHD medication has a better effect to help me deal with my ADHD then my sensory triggers are not overworked all the time. As an AuDHDer I differently need these in my state of life, as my health complications if not taken are more damaging and possible life-threatening than taking Ritalin. Where I live Adderall is not prescribed as ADHD treatment, due to what you express and more.

Years ago, my neuropsychology prof said: ‘brains are as individual as faces’.

I know this is an old video but if you (or anyone else) is willing to share, which stimulant caused 'dark thoughts' im trying them again (after them not working well before) and i'm trying to figure out if its affecting my mood or its a coincidence and i'm not finding much online about this

I was on clonazepam for 7 years (at 1mg daily average)had to stop due to moving states. About 3 years ago, and about a year and half ago I first started to realized the BPD diagnosis given years ago was not correct and I started to look into autism and everything 100% clicks. Unfortunately, it was the clonazepam that was allowing me to work jobs, attend school,be social, and want to go out and do things. Now I’m in yet another state and can’t find a primary who will listen and on many wait lists for a proper diagnosis. Stimulants help, but they cause me terrible painful acne and I can’t. The closest I can get is adipex. Most Dr’s don’t want to prescribe benzos but they truly are the only thing that work for some people & it’s unfortunate I’m almost 35, misdiagnosed & not properly medicated still.

I had negative reactions to Wellbutrin, Zoloft, Celexa. But Prozac (Fluoxitine)works really well for me. I've tried stimulants as well but have bad reactions to them, like increased anxiety. I'm taking mirtazipine (Remeron) at night and Prozac at day time. This balance seems to work for me with minimal side effects. My psychiatrist had me take a genetic test to help with figuring out medication, and it seemed to help a lot to narrow things down. I've considered Straterra because it seems to help people that can't take stimulants but I'm not sure, three medications seems like a lot.

Any naturopathic or homeopathic remedies to help with autism? I am on enough meds for OCD/Depression/ADD.. don’t want to be on any more Big Pharma meds.. too many side effects 😢. I eventually want to fully go naturopathic, baby steps here..

Word! Every one. So good.

I talked to a doctor about a medication that helps with stimulants. It also treats autoimmune disease. The doctor told me I wasn't autistic (even though I have an official diagnosis.) He also said the medication was only tested on children with autism. (Because I guess in his mind, we grow out of autism? lol) I was very frustrated with the experience and I am having symptoms that I believe are autoimmune. Normally, I take no medicine but the low dosage part made me more willing to at least try it. Oh well.

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I like weed! It’s natural and peaceful and soothes the brain If you are not a paranoid person. You will be able to sleep peacefully and Food is the stimulant, it makes anything you eat taste better than it ever has before. Turn on some music. If you don’t like weed, CBD Gummy’s. No side effects except hunger and laughter.

when you are not cared for as an autistic person for most of your life (being expected to handle things as if you did not have a disability) you might live with comorbidities that will have to be treated medically for the rest of your life. i dont treat my autism, i treat the other things so I can handle being autistic

I found the video very interesting but talking about stimulants I don't agree at all... It might be your experience but not for everyone. It helps me to connect with my body, in part because it allows me not to ruminate day and night. It regulates my appetite... It might be because I have adhd. But my feelings are just the opposite.

What kind of magic Adderall were you on? Addictive? I forget it regularly. I have never heard anyone describe stimulants like you have and my husband and his whole family have adhd. Stimulants just seem to help me organize my thoughts and help my body keep up with my brain. Although here lately its mostly just keep me awake.

I have adhd and stimulants don’t effect me like that. I don’t want more than the amount that help me focus. They quiet me brain, and even help me sleep. Sometimes I just take my non stimulant meds if I don’t need focused attention

Interesting, I’ve tried ritalin and did absolutly nothing to increase energy/ stimulant what it did was that my brain went quiet and I could sleep. My guess if that you are having that ” fun” side of stimulants you have been given a way to high dose or the wrong one. Or it could just be that it really isn’t for you it’s interesting though.

I cannot access a psychiatrist as I’m unemployed

I have a lot of irritability and will be going on medication to control that. *I can't function or have relationships with this irritability* I wish I didn't have to deal with this awful condition. 3:28

Adhd stimulants- the addiction isn't so much the drug then your removal of certain stims. Your stimming all day everyday then someone gives you a drug and you feel euphoria. The drug replaces some stimming and you can focus better, you feel like its not as effective because you have stopped adding to the drug. You go off the meds stimming 70% less, then your mindless movements require attention to balance yourself. Thats not an addiction, it's a social wheelchair.

Nothing works for me

Video starts at 5.04

Stimulants increase the dopamine, not serotonin in the brain. Some also increase norepinephrine! I was surprised you are more wary of stimulants than antidepressants. I tend to be fearful of antidepressants even more since they require you to take them long term to see if they even work, and their side effects seem to be worse. Stimulants are scary for me because I have psychosis. If I take one I often lose my ability to speak as well. Stimulants and psychosis do not mix well. I have heard often times psychiatrists start with too high a dose for people. For many the lowest dose needs to be cut in half. Maybe your dose was too high and that’s why it greatly affected your sleep. Sorry for all these thoughts, I just think it’s interesting.

Great cat! What's his name?

For me, stimulants suck. They just don't help One stimulant that actually works good for me is Sudafed it is available without a prescription at the farmacy counter. I take it as the box indicates for allergies starting when I wake ending 6 hours before bedtime. Every few weeks, I will start to get cranky if I am talking Sudafed every day. I stop for about 4 days and then start again. Sudafed is awesome. It really helps me with anxiety and allergies. Now I only take it when I am feeling sick, which is often, but it helps a lot. When I was a kid, I took it every day, and it helped. Amnitriptiline is good before bed. CBD 10-20 mg micro dose is good when you get home in the evenings. Valium takes away all my anxiety and calms my thoughts, but it is addictive and no one wants to prescribe it. Thanks for the video.

Magnesium

I take medication with doctor prescription and I don't like it. I don't like to take those pills, to manage time to take them and don't like the fact that's not a season or moment thing, is forever, because I'll forever have sleeping hormone problems, 'cause my body doesn't produce much of it. But I do like the fact that when I do take then, I feel more calmer, more centered and more stable. My medications is mainly for anxiety and sleeping.

I personally stay away from stimulants they are way to harsh on my heart ❤

Temple Grandin says a very low dose of anti depressants helps her not be anxious 😊

I couldn't be tested because I'm on anxiety meds grr waah

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Overall a decent video, however the section on stimulants is largely misinformation. At medicinal doses addiction is INCREDIBLY unlikely. Additionally the "sense of euphoria" you describe does not happen for everyone, and almost always goes away within a week or two at most. Medicinal dosing of stimulants will not allow for that feeling to be sustained as doing so requires a constant increase in dose, which is inherently not viable given there is a relatively low maximum prescribed dose allowed for stimulants. Yes, they absolutely can have side effects, but a feeling of euphoria or needing more is generally not one of them for people with ADHD.

If the meds don't work...none of them...tca, ssri, srni, antipsychotics, amphetamines, and maios. Lastly, anxiety meds. Then what?

Oh.yeah beta blockers too don't work on me.

Anafranil and tofranal,

I'm tired of the so called challenges tbh..