Started taking Adderall (perscribed)???
So, I was prescribed a months worth of adderall to help me focus, but as you know college is on winter break. With that being said how can I tell if it is doing its job if I have no course work to do? I’m not going to take it unless needed. But I need to know if it is working so that when I go back to the doc he can give me a referral so that I can be diagnosed with Adult Attention Deficit Disorder. I have had attention issues since I was young and the docs said I have a learning disability and they prescribed me a prescription but my parents refused the prescription. as a result I have lost a one job after I got my first degree and struggled in school.
Just start taking it too see what happens. It is common for people on stimulants to take “Adderall holidays” during times with no school (like now) and the reason for that is to allow the doctor to review the diagnosis and symptoms to determine if continued stimulant use is indicated and taking holidays reduces tolerance the drug can cause.
But if you take it- school or not- you will likely notice something, good or bad. If you have terrible side effects then you know that Adderall is not for you. If you find that you are more able to do daily things, read a book, have a conversation, or do anything more effectively and efficiently then that is a good sign. People with ADHD commonly find Adderall to be relaxing and that it reduces anxiety. This phenomena typically only occurs in people with ADHD. Some people have very profound changes and they are able to really excel in every way- academically, socially, and everything in between.
You don’t need classes to determine if it helps. But it might be smart to do some reading, ideally more of a “school/academic book” by a person like Shakespeare, Dante, Camus, or Kafka. See what that is like. Perhaps study a language a little, do some math problems, a cross word puzzle, sudoku, or anything that requires focus and attention. But as I said, just going about your day could be enough to see if and how well it will work.
