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Comment by kanishkdudeja | Hacker News Reader

I felt extremely sad on taking Adderall and other similar stimulant medications like Ritalin.

Maybe the sadness effect would have gotten less with continuing the medicine, but overall, I didn't feel like taking drugs since they cause a lot of other side effects like insomnia.

Now I've been able to control my ADHD successfully. Atleast upto the point that it has stopped affecting my life and career so much.

a) 0 sugar in diet. Not even fruits. b) Try to sleep for atleast 8-9 hours a day. c) Drink lots of water throughout the day d) Exercise and no junk food. e) Have got an accountable job. Leading a software team so I know that procrastination will hurt me in the long run, so forced to do stuff on time.

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Interesting, Adderall always had the opposite effect on me. I have a tendency towards mild depression, which was a problem on Ritalin but which Adderall treated very well. It functions as a mild anti-depressant in many people (it was why my doctor suggested switching).

However, even in low doses Adderall and Ritalin can cause psychosis in a small fraction of people. Is that what happened to you?

Same. Adderall (plus welbutrin more recently) have been enormously effective at helping with the mild depression that have plagued me my entire life. (Adderall isn't indicated to treat depression but it doesn't hurt and is particularly effective for me when combined with welbutrin.)

Ritalin made me angry, scared, and flat out unwilling to do work (although perhaps it would have helped the concentration had I decided I actually wanted to anything).

I hope adverse reactions to one of many possibly-effective medications don't deter patients from getting the help they need.

I was on ADD meds (including ritalin for a few years) and I agree with everything you said. My behavioral therapist who put me on the ADD meds did mention all of those 5 factors but I wish better action plans were put in place rather than just saying "these could help".

How do you get enough vitamins without any fruits? Are you just using supplements?

I take fruits which have no/negligible sugar like Amla, Lemos, Avocados. Once in a while, I do take supplements. But on the whole, I try to live a more natural life, with as less drugs/medicines as possible.

Even for milk, I drink raw milk and not processed milk.

> 0 sugar

> I drink raw milk

You'd have to drink milk in tiny quantities; I'd be astonished if raw vs processed makes a difference if so.

I mentioned raw milk not in reference for "0 sugar". Just mentioned normally that I try and keep away from processed food, drugs, medications etc.

Still seems weird that in avoiding sugar, you're going as far as not eating fruit, but you still have milk.

Pasteurization was invented for a reason though, and literally saved millions of lives. I can't fathom how the supposed benefits of raw milk could outweigh its risks.

Also, what are the supposed benefits exactly? Can you link to scientific studies validating them?

> a) 0 sugar in diet. Not even fruits.

Lactose in milk is a type of sugar.

edit: I see you replied below this. No added sugar but still no fruit.

But still I'd say you're missing out on the benefits of fiber in fruit. The sugar in fruit wouldn't concern me it's offset by the vitamins, minerals and fiber.

Fruits are just dessert vegetables. You don’t need them for anything.

You can avoid fruits and still get your nutrition from vegetables, which are more nutrient dense in general (especially leafy greens).

Of course, fruits are more tasty.

Another thing that can help is doing a yoga class once a week. I found the 3h0 Kundalini yoga to be the most helpful. But eliminating sugar is a big one too there are many ways in which we unintentionally expose our self to everyday food items that can induce ADD states.

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