ADHD Meds Analogies

Since I’ve been on Elvanse, I cannot explain to people how much better I feel for it.

Whilst Elvanse is a stimulant, I could go into the science of what it does and how it benefits people like myself with ADHD. However, that info is readily available and is kind of boring. Well, I don’t think so. Perhaps it’s not boring?

Anyway, anyone who knows me knows I love to speak in analogies, so this is what I will do.

I will also give a score out of ten for each analogy. Remember this is just a bit of fun, nothing too serious. All opinions are my own.

Also, I want to caveat that I started taking medication a month before turning thirty. My experience may be different if I had been taking medication since the age of five, which looking back, may or may not have been the right thing for me.

1. First time driving with a clean windshield

This is the most common one I think I’ve heard. Yes, I can attest. Within five minutes everything felt super clear and super vivid.

It really did feel like I was driving with a misty windshield before and this was the first time it felt like someone gave it a real clean. As you could imagine, I was so overwhelmed with how my brain was functioning that I had a mini breakdown. I just couldn’t believe how clear my mind was.

9/10

2. Driving a 25-year-old Vauxhall Corsa with all the dashboard lights flashing

All your life, you’ve been driving a 25-year-old Vauxhall Corsa with all the dashboard lights flashing, yet you somehow manage to keep up with all the other traffic.

Without realising, you’ve become this super skilful driver and mechanic. Not because you want to, but because you’ve had to make all these workarounds to navigate life, managing things most people take for granted.

An example being, mustering up the courage to make a phone call or trying to keep busy whilst you are in wait mode for that doctor’s appointment you have later in the day.

Well, you’re this super skilful driver and very talented mechanic, but now you’ve been given the keys to a Ferrari.

Unlike most people who’ve taken their Ferrari for granted, because of the skills you’ve attained prior, you now feel like a Formula One driver. You’ve got the skills and now you’ve got the engine and feel unstoppable.

9/10

3. First time wearing glasses

I’ve never had to wear glasses, so I cannot talk from personal experience. However, most people can see without glasses. Yet when they wear the correct glasses for them, I imagine their vision improves one hundred fold.

If that’s what wearing glasses is like, then yes, Elvanse is definitely that for me. Yes, I could have survived without it, but would I be able to thrive? Most definitely not.

7/10

4. Upgrading from a dusty CRT TV to an 8K OLED

You know the old TVs, perhaps if you’re young you won’t. But the ones where the distance from the screen to the back was larger than the TV was wide. Sometimes you had to give it a kick to work, it always hummed, you could see your reflection in it, the picture was fuzzy and if you looked close enough, you could see the colours on the screen.

The TV worked and as a child, I didn’t know any better nor did anyone else. It was great and did the job.

However, now you can get an 8K OLED for a rather affordable price. The picture is super crisp. I’d argue some of the nature videos and anything with natural scenery has a more endearing look compared to real life. Colours are more crisp and snazzy.

Again, that’s how I feel when I take the meds compared to when I am not on them.

8/10

5. Upgrading from your parents’ old Windows XP desktop to a Mac with the latest M chip

No, you cannot turn your Mac on with your toe. But you would never go back, would you?

10/10 only because I’m biased and could never use a Windows computer ever again.

6. Running with a weighted vest, then taking it off

I like this one a lot. This one describes my life so well. Everything I have done, I was doing with a weighted vest and I had no idea. Be it work, coding or both my degrees. I managed to do them all and do them to a very high standard. However, I had no idea I was wearing a weighted vest.

In a way, I’m grateful now because anything I do now feels so easy. It’s like wearing that vest built me up so much resistance. As soon as I took it off, everything feels so effortless, like I’m now flying and it’s amazing.

10/10

Final Thoughts

So yes, these are my favourite analogies and these are how I would describe the difference between taking meds for ADHD compared to not having them.

Again, this is not to put down those who don’t take medication. For some, it genuinely doesn’t work. Others prefer therapy and others manage just fine without it.

There are of course side effects. Some people struggle with the loss of appetite. I can't say I love the dry mouth, which leads to me needing to drink all the time, then needing the toilet, then being so focused on work I forget to go.

Sadly, the main reason is because our NHS is highly flawed. So many are on waiting lists or pinning their hopes on Right to Choose.

The only reason my diagnosis and everything was quick was because I had gone private. I personally recommend this option if you do have the money, as to me it was an investment for a better future. Then yet again, I do worry if more people do this, does this give the government more incentive to cut mental health services? This does feel like a vicious cycle.

Most importantly, if you see people struggling, this could be why. Branding others as lazy or stupid is not helpful and most importantly is damaging.