I stumbled on this comic from Extra Fabulous Comics today.
It really did feel like gaining a super power when I started my meds.
This image hits especially hard for me just because of the specific project. I’ve been medicated for a couple years now and thanks to the work I’ve gotten done in my hobbies I have built up a huge collection of power tools and I have bought SO much lumber.
Is this real life? Should I see a doctor?
Depends on meds and person, but very roughly (and a bit hyperbolic in this comic): yes
i think this comic is also a nod to the loss of creativity that some people (including myself) experience when medicated
i mean it’s worth it for me. i draw less but I’m also less chronically late, less messy, and less frustrated with myself all the time
Yeah I don’t lose the creativity so much but it does reign in the grandiosity. I’m like “that’s cool and all but is it necessary?”
Plus I embrace the iteration. Make the simple one, then improve. So I get the “finished a project“ rush several times. Win-win.
You get a rush from finishing a project? Lucky.
I find it’s a trade off. Off meds, I come up with ideas, but can’t implement them. When medicated, the ideas slow, but I gain the ability to actually work on them.
I often adjust my meds based on what I need on a given day.
Couldn’t agree more. I find there’s a sweet spot as the short acting meds start to wear off.
I struggle with creativity with or without meds. In this scenario I’d freeze at the idea of designing and building the birdhouse, but have no problem banging one out if I had a guide or set of instructions, then tweak to my liking later.
For me, designing from scratch is hard. Modifying an existing design to what I want is easier. Without meds, those designs stay in my head. With meds, I’m able to be realistic with my abilities and my needs to get to a completed project.
That’s what I took from this comic. The birdhouse wasn’t without creativity, it was more realistic to his skill level and he was able to finish it
Yeah I agree. I like finding existing projects and making them better.
It’s the guardrails of the existing project that helps our brains focus on what is needed
I never thought of that. You’re likely completely spot on.
To note; this depends on the meds.
I’m a fringe case, but the meds for me created tunnel vision that negatively impacted my life.
For most they can be a miracle drug, though.
As the other commenter said: it’s something to discuss with your doc
Could have many reasons, from wrong drug to to high dosage
Extreme tunnel vision is something that also tends to happen in the beginning, but fades after your brain gets used to it
I had the same thing, but it was a matter of finding the right meds.
There’s different classes of ADHD meds, stimulants and non-stimulants. I’m not trying to say I know better than you or your doc, but if you only tried one it might be worth giving something that works differently a go- unless of course you feel like your symptoms aren’t negatively impacting your life. Again, not trying to give medical information over the internet, just sharing info in case someone doesn’t know and could use it.
The first time I had Vyvanse, in my thirties, I took the best nap of my life and woke up able to finally think. It really was like being at rave my whole life and finally getting earplugs, but with thoughts. I didn’t know the noise was optional!
“My mind… everything… it’s so quiet!”
That was my experience with being prescribed vyvance. I took adderall before and it helped a lot… but damn. Vyvance just did me so much more justice. It doesn’t really wake me up if I’m tired, but I ain’t trying to speed either. I just like being able to think (aka function)
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These comments made me want to actually get diagnosed and medicated. Though I fear losing some of the fun in life
For me the fun is not only still there but the crushing feeling of self loathing from being unable to finish anything is gone because I can actually finish things now.
It’s amazing.
Luckily for me I got a good one from the start, one of my friends had to try 4 different meds before they got the right one for them.
Dont worry the meds help but sometimes they dont so you’re still fucked 👌
Most of the meds have a 4 hour half-life. You’ll get a day or 2 of recoil, worst case, but you don’t have to be medicated the whole time.
At least he finished it… as I’m eyeing the 14 unfinished projects in my garage.
When I started my meds in about a month later I finished nearly every project I had started in the previous year.
It was like magic.
I could pick up the tools, get started, and finish.
While my meds tackle some issues, the perfectionism isn’t one of them.
The perfectionism maladaptation is evil.
The best way to break it is to practice getting too minimally “good enough” with various fun projects. It helps you retrain your brain to accept mediocre when required.
This helps a lot, since you need to be mediocre before you can finally get good at something.
Yeah, thanks!
Fuck this hits. Never expected this kinda clarity and profoundness from extra fabulous.
Soon…very soon! Mwuahaha!
