ADHD Med Diary - Day 3

[@LindenMikus]

enjoying the insights and frequent videos, thanks for sharing

[@JayWallace]

You're welcome, glad it's helping in some way

[@janx8695]

It's all about a healthy balance with this sort of thing. Seeking out constant dopamine highs and being unable to feel satisfied without it is not healthy and won'e make you happy in the long run. That's how some really bad habits or addictions start and people can feel bored, listless, depressed or irritable without the dopamine high(which can't stay at that high all the time) Dopamine is a reward chemical that makes us seek out pleasure and can become unhealthy or maladaptive if we are not careful. An extreme example of abnormal production of dopamine would be those high in psychopathic and narcissistic traits. People high on these traits tend to to produce much more dopamine in their nucleus accumbens that is critical to processing rewards and is also implicated in drug addiction. Along with their poor impulse control, their brains are overly focused on rewards because of their overactive reward centers in their brains. One study showed that their brains released up to 4 times more dopamine when rewarded than an average brain. This can explain a lot of their behavior, and especially their problems with substance abuse. They are focused on the reward of using drugs and the other things-such as consequences of using them, or hurting others or anything else-do not matter. We often hear people say, "It's not the having, it's the getting," meaning the journey to the goal is just as important-or more important-than achieving the goal. For narcissistic people, the having is all that matters. Because they're driven by reward-based motivations often consequences don't work with them. They are focused on success, not why they didn't succeed. This is why repeated negative consequences do not dissuade them from continuing their behavior. In a way, because of the way dopamine works with addiction and creates pathways in the brain, we could say they are literally addicted to getting what they want. Psychopaths in particular tend to be pretty empty a lot of the time and not fell anything, the brain centres involved in emotion tend to be less active. They tend to feel physical feelings such as when something feels good to the body and they can become addicted to these things because it is the only experience they have with "real" feelings and many are adrenaline junkies. Having a reward system that is hypersensitive also plays out in a psychopaths relationships too. The reward system is regions and circuitry related to motivation, wanting, desiring, obsession, craving, attraction, lust (and more) The pursuit or chase of a new partner by someone with psychopathy can be relentless. Their attraction and lust are likely genuine, because it seems they have the capacity for such motivational states. In the idealize stage the reward system of their brain is fully stimulated by their new mate. The reward system is ‘on‘ so to speak with regard to their partner. This is demonstrated by their heightened focus on the target, attention, kindness, fun, addictive like attraction, ability to engage in sex, and likely excited presentation. The person with psychopathy likely does not establish a real connection. They get bored easily and without the ability to genuinely connect, relationships are easily disposable. During the devalue and discard phase the reward system of their brain is no longer stimulated by their mate. The reward system is ‘off’‘ so to speak with regard to that partner. (It’s like a child who receives his favorite toy on Christmas - he is not likely going to have that same level of excitement or interest in June. That is the reward system and is completely normal to lose interest in an object). Given that individuals with psychopathy are emotionally superficial and cannot move forward in the process of love toward the bonding stage - to them the relationship is over once the dopamine intensity has lessened. But the problem is this is all happening right in the middle of an intimate relationship. When the reward system is ‘off’ - males with psychopathy will often have difficulty performing sexually with their partner due to erectile dysfunction and will blame her for the issue. For some of these males with psychopathy, their issues is related to their brain functions. Proper neurochemistry is needed to perform sexually and it involves the reward system.

[@KiwiVanderman]

Going for a ADHD Consult next week... these videos have been noteably interesting to follow... can relate to the snacks... the only solution that works is to not have snacks in the house... unless theyre healthy... and when theyre healthy theyre not really bingeable anyway

[@JayWallace]

Glad they're helping. Just bear in mind that everyone's experience is going to be different and yours might be better than mine. Binge eating is a big one - I have the same strategy as you and it works for the most part.

[@KiwiVanderman]

"When you lead a life that doesn't give you any kind of natural dopamine it's very easy to feel listless and flat and gray and depressed and anxious" Summary of the past decade of my life right there.

[@JayWallace]

Sorry to hear you're going through that too - its sucks. There have definitely been occasions in my life where I've really enjoyed but felt like I've had to work so much harder to experience a level that is everyone else's "normal".

[@blackline66]

Feel you mate. You can still do so much. Power to you. Anxiety can be controlled with another medication. The SSRI takes 2 weeks to work and lower anxiety. If you would like a different perspective send a PM. I suffer since 1992….

[@JayWallace]

I was actually on sertraline for a few months but found it didn't really do much for me, Appreciate the advice though.

[@zelowatch30]

Seroxat helped me with procrastination and daytime fatigue. It turned out depression can really put you down. I'm also still taking Vyvanse but alone it didn't do much.

[@JayWallace]

Thanks for the advice, will check it out