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How Meds Affect Personality
Q:
"I worry that taking a stimulant will somehow change me. Will I think different thoughts or lose my sense of humor?" 
A:
ADDitude AnswersAs long as the dosage is correct, the medication should not affect your personality or sense of humor. What it will do is curb your hyperactivity, inattention, and impulsivity. An excessively high dose could temporarily “flatten” your personality, causing you to seem unusually quiet or withdrawn. If you or someone close to you notices such changes after you start taking the drug, alert your doctor. He can lower the dose or switch you to another drug. Any changes to your personality are transient. If you don't like the way you feel when on a stimulant, tell your doctor that you'd like to stop taking it. Posted by Larry Silver, M.D. A Reader AnswersMedication for ADHD is very safe and effective in treating the underlying medical need you have. You need this medication in order to function at your best, and there’s no need to worry about acting like a zombie. Just like any other medical problem, ADHD needs treatment, and although there are many different kinds that have different side effects, they are very manageable. I really truly wish that I had my son medicated earlier as that would have saved him a lot of unnecessary suffering. Posted by Havebeenthere A Reader AnswersAgree with the above statements. Medication and therapy work best together. These meds do not create this feeling you are afraid of — if it's the right medication. It might take 6-8 weeks to find the right one. It’s amazing what they can do to help you everyday. Posted by Mooch A Reader AnswersI know starting medication is a tough decision. I researched for a year and did therapy before staring medication. I did not even experience drowsiness! I felt comfortable starting medicine after the research and understanding if I saw negative effects, I should stop or change medications per my doctor's instructions. Best of luck! Posted by 20Beth13 A Reader AnswersWe waited, and researched, for five years before finally trying medication for my daughter. I was very worried from what I had heard from friends and on the internet. Turns out it was a great decision! It’s not a miracle pill but she’s not a zombie at all, but sharper and more present, calmer and available. She’s happier. She’s doing better in school. We have a better relationship. I too wish we had done it sooner for her. The decision to go on the medication doesn’t mean you’ve committed forever. It starts working in about 30 minutes. You will know in a few days if it’s working or not. If not, you keep going back to the doctor until you get the right dose and type of medication. It’s not like other medications that need to build up for months before you know if it’s working or not. At the same time, you can stop it if you feel it’s just not working well. (Doesn’t have to be weaned off). Knowing that helped us to give it a try. Good luck! Posted by Lilies&Orchids; A Reader AnswersI can understand your concerns about taking the medication, as it can be intimidating, and there is also a lot of misinformation out there. I was not diagnosed with my ADHD until I was 27, and so did not start taking medication until that time, and I can say that it did not change who I was in any way — in fact, these types of medications can not change WHO you are, only what you do, and your ability to do it. Stimulant medications do not change underlying personality, sense of humor, or anything else like that. Additionally, they only remain in your system for a limited time, so if you take them, and don’t like how you feel on them, they will quickly be out of your system. To be honest, my experience taking medications was the exact opposite as what you fear: once I started taking them, I finally felt like I could actually be myself for the first time in a long, long time. My relationships improved, I was able to pursue my interests, and I was able to go back to college and graduate, something that I always knew I was smart enough to do, but I had repeatedly failed out because of the challenges that ADHD presented. Taking medication for my ADHD allowed me to come out of a fog of sorts, and say “Oh, hey, this is who I am, and I can start presenting that more effectively to myself and to others.” This has been my personal experience, and I know many others who have felt the same way. I wish you luck with whatever decision you choose to make! Posted by bburgastros82 [NewWindow(http://connect.additudemag.com/groups/topic/medication123456789101112/, _blank, Read the original ADDConnect discussion here.)]]
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9 Rules for Using ADHD Meds Safely
Larry Silver, M.D., is clinical professor of psychiatry at Georgetown Medical Center in Washington, D.C. and director of training in child and adolescent psychiatry at Georgetown University School of Medicine. He is a former acting director and deputy director of the National Institute of Mental Health, as well as the author of Dr. Larry Silver's Advice to Parents on AD/HD and The Misunderstood Child: Understanding and Coping with Your Child's Learning Disabilities.
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