Bob is preparing for an important test, progress is not well and he's easily distracted. Friend of Bob, who got ADHD (not me again), gives him prescribed Ritalin pill (1) to try out. He likes it so much, he buys RC's, because he does not want to trouble going to doctor and doesnt want to keep begging for Ritalin.
This is the first experience of Bob with any kind of drug. He's a regular user of Coffee and Tea though.
EPH = Ethylphenidate
IPPH = Isopropylphenidate
Day 1.
Bob wakes up, takes coffee and half a pill (12.5mg) of EPH. He stays at home for Day 1, to see how his body reacts. He listens to some music while studying at his desk, waiting for the effects.
+0:15 Bob experiences suddenly outside his view of sight, a bright light. He focusses on that light, and it appears its the lava lamp . The light appears scattered, very bright, and is mesmerizing to look at. He can keep looking at it for days, somehow he is very interested in the otherwise extremely booring studying material and returns to that.
He explained me it in this way: imagine you're not hungry, nor entirely full. Not thinking about food. Now you walk past a shop which sells your favourite food, which you haven't eaten for a long time, Somehow it draws you to it, you want to feel the taste in your mouth again. You eat it, and relive its greatness and satisfies you completely, momentarily only thinking about nothing else than the food. This is how studying feels on EPH, according to Bob. Nothing else matters. Except the music: even the songs which have been played over and over again, sound great, just like hearing it the first time.
+0:45 For some weird reason, Bob is very thirsty. He wants to buy some Cola so he goes to a shop nearby. He has going back to studying on his mind, and for some odd reason all small things which "waste" his time (e.g. awkwardly putting key inside lock due to shaking hands) annoy him. At the shop he is extremely irritated due to a line up of customers and the slow workers, checking his watch way too often, frustration builds, "they probably get paid by the hour, wasting my time like this". He has been away 5 minutes, but it already feels like 30 minutes. He leaves without buying anything.
Until +- 4 hours after taking, studying is perfect. No distractions.
6 hours afterwards, effects wear off.
------------------
Day 2
Bob tries some IPPH, known with the effects of 12.5 mg EPH from previous day, he takes 6mg IPPH now. Effects are quite the same, except less annoyances throughout the day, same focus and work vigour though.
With IPPH Bob does notice a raised heartbeat. Not a problem he thinks. However, when trying to sleep, he can hear it going, and it takes considerable time (+- 2 hours) before slowing down sufficiently until allowing him to sleep.
Days 3 to 6
Due to experience of previous days he takes a quarter pill (3.75 mg EPH) or 3 mg IPPH, switching between things every day.
Studying and day to day life is perfect, no bad effects when sleeping. Both drugs seem to be expired before bed time.
Bob feels though, just like day 1 and 2, mental fatigue, leading him to have early bed-times.
Day 7
Something appears to be happening. Bob took 3mg of IPPH in the morning with espresso (200mg of caffeine). Friends call him over, 10 min after, drinking espresso again within 30 minutes.
That adds up to:
400mg caffeine
3mg IPPH
Within 10 minutes, Bob feels extremely jittery. Hands shaking, and his left-eye is spasming. Friends start to notice it, they laugh a bit. 30 min after, Bob goes to study again.
Study is perfect apart from a "weird headache":
In the left upper part of his head (brain), near the skull he feels like a wrinkled balloon is popping up, being filled. He tries to drink sufficient water throughout the day.
At the end of the day, while happy with the work he has done, he is completely exhausted.
----
---1 week off---
Bob goes hiking in a remote area, just coffee every day, no need to study. Headache disappears.
--Day 14:
Bob returns to study, refreshed from good mountain air. However, he finds out, nothing works anymore !!
He tried many things, up to 10mg IPPH, 20mg EPH, now even 10mg MPA. It just makes his heart-rate go up, but no crystal clear focus like he used to have, or working desire..
He's very anxious, doesn't want to "force" it by taking >100 mg, due to becoming addicted. (e.g. perhaps after 1 week 100mg is not sufficient any more, like before?)
Bob wants to return to the situation of day 3-6...
How can Bob do this? And what was the meaning of the headache? Did he burn out his brain??
It just makes your text boring to read.