this post was submitted on 19 Jun 2026
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ADHD

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Do y’all ever feel anxious about taking medication and just stop for prolonged periods of time?

I’ve stopped my meds for 6 months for reasons I’m struggling to discern… And I also have a tendency to skip doses and save my pills in a stash I never touch. I’m not even sure if most of them are useable because they’re so old… For some context, I’ve been using Adderall XR 20mg for 10 years now so I have a pretty good idea of how it affects me.

I finally took one of the newer pills today and I feel unbearably anxious about it, even before doing so. And it’s not like I’m anti-medication or anything, I’ve encouraged others to get tested and medicated because it substantially increases quality of life but there’s something about it that personally is causing distress.

Just looking for some insight with others that have felt the same.

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[–] Jessicat@lemmy.world 15 points 4 days ago (5 children)

I have felt anxiety about pill rationing after my meds were unavailable for a while. I definitely keep a little stockpile just in case but do limit its size because like you pointed out meds expire.

Have you tried different kinds of meds? Vyvanse is more mellow as it kicks in. It’s also easier on your heart. Might be worth talking to your doctor about it, I think it also is a bit easier anxiety wise.

I don’t take my meds every day, I take them when I’m trying to get stuff done or for work. In that sense I look forward to it because working without meds is a nightmare. Wishing you luck!

[–] ZERONOVABLOSSOM@sh.itjust.works 7 points 4 days ago (4 children)

I guess it is a stockpile from medication availability now that you say that… My ability to get it has always been uncertain since I started it.

Regarding getting different meds it’s not possible for me unfortunately. My family doctor writes my prescription and they’ve been clear that they can only continue what I’ve already been given previously without adjustments.

I sought out a psychiatrist as per their referral but all have stated they do not treat ADHD and won’t entertain the idea. The psychiatrists wont even treat my anxiety because I have ADHD, it’s a pretty immediate “get out of my office” reaction I’ve gotten when trying to get assistance…

I did at one point have the opportunity to try pretty much everything on the market and concluded that Adderall XR was the best simply because it’s the most affordable on low income.

I do remember Vyvanse feeling smoother but the cost was prohibitive…

There was also a blood pressure medication I can’t remember the name of that was tried as a non-stimulant but it caused distressing side effects so that was stopped.

[–] Zarobi@aussie.zone 0 points 2 hours ago

You're probably thinking of Guanfacine, it's used off-label for ADHD because it seems to help some people but the mechanism is unknown.

If you're in Australia like me, they recently passed a law that makes it so your GP can finally prescribe ADHD medication... So it might be worth asking again. Just a guess though because not many places are this brutal for diagnosing or treating our condition.

Also I had similar pill anxiety. I didn't like how the meds affected my heart or mood, it felt like I was slowly dying. In my case even though I stopped the meds, I've had a taste of what being "normal" is like, and can feel the shape of ADHD and how to adjust for it if that makes sense. I also found a job which is more suited to my condition and less reliant on memory and task management.

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