Sp3000 made a relevant comment in response to this but he may be hellbanned as it came up dead.

The article cites research into dopamine receptor issues in those with ADHD and I believe adderall works to inhibit reuptake so you have more dopamine in circulation than you would normally.

I can't speak for everyone but personally it is never a matter of "this feels rewarding and this doesn't". It's more being able to function vs. not being able to function. Without medication "I know I need to do these things, man I should really do these things, look at this list I made of things I need to do" which can spiral into what may be depression when the things don't get done, people get let down, etc... Whereas with medication you are just able to do what you need/want to do.

With unmanaged ADHD I have many ideas and desires that would be rewarding to complete but I am frequently just unable to perform.

It's exactly the same for me.

The article seems to be making a case that people with ADHD should find things to do with their life that don't conflict with their condition.

I think "we have the technology" to give people the ability to alter their brain chemistry to let them do things they wouldn't be able to otherwise, and having that choice available or those who want to take advantage of it is better than not having it.

I was late diagnosed with ADHD. I used to be on Adderall for years. I'm now on a non-stimulant medication, as well as an anti-anxiety anti-depressant.

Adderall helped me in college. It helped me get every homework done, even if the homework was pointless.

I spent some time trying to switch medications, as I personally did not like feeling glued to whatever activity I was doing. I like having the choice to focus, or not focus.

I switched environments, where I could experiment with this new way of approaching learning and working. I don't mind iterative, mundane tasks, because at the end of the day and before I begin them, I try to think about why it's interesting, novel, and different, for me to perform this iteration of task. I try to think that the fact that I have gotten my mind to this state without dramatic intervention is as well novel, unique, and worthy of self praise.

In a world where I already felt distracted and slow, Adderall offers a quick fix. But I would have never built those parts of myself, of my mind, that can find novelty in what superficially appears to be 'boring'. I just try to change everything else in my control, to help myself see 'boring' in a different perspective. If I work in java at work on jsp pages, at home and during my 'web surfing time' at work, I teach myself about unikernals, clojure, the curry howard isomorphism - with serious intent, over long periods of time. And then I begin to see connections in the ordinary that are extraordinary.

As for nootropics, I'm trying to look for research in anything that uses language such as 'relaxing / calming' and 'focus'. I think there is a serious slant in literature that truly believes, and primes it's audience to believe stimulant -> better concentration. Stimulant -> temporary concentration. I am firmly confident that stimulants either prevent or override the creation of neural connections that are less explicit.

Regarding nootropics, gwern has an excellent writeup on different ones, and how he tested them http://www.gwern.net/Nootropics. You might already have seen it, in case it might be helpful to others.

Before I was medicated for inattentive ADD, sitting down to study was essentially impossible. I would sit down to read, and within a minute my mind would start to wander and it took an enormous amount of effort and mental energy to get my mind back to focusing. But once again I would lose my train of thought unintentionally and start day dreaming. I used to lock myself away from any distractions, but my mind was just not equipped to learn the way my high school and college required me to. I needed to learn and I wanted to learn but I didn't have the ability to.

After taking Adderall, my mind doesn't wander aimlessly and it doesn't take an enormous amount of effort sit still and study. I still need to take mental breaks every hour and use will power to get myself to sit down and learn, but the effort was just much less, making it a much easier process. I am naturally motivated and curious. But this is hindered by the fact that I can't naturally sit and learn. On Adderall all of a sudden I can focus, and my motivation and curiosity can let me successfully get things done.

As far as tasks that would feel good even without medication, video games for example, I had even more focus and could play for longer periods of time if I wanted to. But now all of a sudden playing video games didn't seem as attractive to me anymore, because there were other things I needed to get done (like study) which I always wanted to do but were too hard. When the threshold of effort required to do work successfully is lowered, it becomes much easier to stop myself from playing video games and actually get motivated and excited about learning and getting work done.

I take dexedrine (and not adderall) and was just recently diagnosed at 33. BUT..

I don't have to fight to learn. For the first time in my life i have a thought ( " I need to finish my homework. ") i walk over get my homework out and finish it in a single session. Before i would think about doing homework, put it off for hours, finally get frustrated enough with myself that i can force myself to do it, make tea and check my phone, have tea and sit down about an hour later then i had planned do ten minutes of work, lose interest, fight myself, get frustrated, and have to walk away with really only having done 10 minutes of work.

This last example applied to hobbies, work, watching TV, relaxing, to everything. i highly regret waiting but am now quite a bit happier.

It does not improve motivation past the first few weeks (the honeymoon phase). Once your body is used to it you have to still talk yourself into doing whatever it is you need to start. Or even better have a routine to get you started on things so you can do it on autopilot.

The only rewarding feeling that has manifested itself for me is having more pride in the code I write. Completing goals otherwise feels the same as before I medicated.

Without medication the best feeling was post exercise, but this feeling is and was short lived.

The feeling of the medication is totally transparent now. I do not feel any side effects, or feel anything that would suggest they are kicking in.