Non-narcotic ADHD treatment?

[treezy z]

I'm looking to treat my horrible focus and distractibility without uppers or other recreational drugs.

Open to nootropics or other shit that won't get me high.

I use hard exercise currently but hard to do that at work.

 

[polymath]

To get real advice on this, you need to discuss the attention problems with a medical professional. If stimulants like d-amph or methylphenidate are out of the question because of past addiction issues or some other reason, there are also other meds that a doctor can prescribe, like atomoxetine (Strattera) which doesn't affect dopamine levels in the brain and therefore isn't addictive.

There's some evidence that an amino acid derivative called SAM-e (S-adenosyl methionine) can help with ADHD symptoms, and it's available as an OTC supplement in USA and some other countries. It can have side effects, though, so try it at your own risk.

 

[AlphaMethylPhenyl]

Strattera does increase dopaminergic activity, just not in the mesolimbic dopamine pathway (which deals with euphoria). Also, given the structural similarity of dopamine to nor/epinephrine, when the levels of one of them rise, so do levels of the other, though not always to a significant level.

It's also not dopamine by itself that makes a drug addictive. Levodopa is given to people with parkinson's disease, but it's not recreational.

Try meditation.

As for pharmaceuticals, there are several drugs used for ADHD that aren't considered addictive. Wellbutrin (you might want to stay away from this one), Strattera, Intuniv, Effexor, and Pristiq are some.

 

[polymath]

Strattera does increase dopaminergic activity, just not in the mesolimbic dopamine pathway (which deals with euphoria). Also, given the structural similarity of dopamine to nor/epinephrine, when the levels of one of them rise, so do levels of the other, though not always to a significant level.

It's also not dopamine by itself that makes a drug addictive. Levodopa is given to people with parkinson's disease, but it's not recreational.

Try meditation.

As for pharmaceuticals, there are several drugs used for ADHD that aren't considered addictive. Wellbutrin (you might want to stay away from this one), Strattera, Intuniv, Effexor, and Pristiq are some.

Actually, there are some case reports of people abusing L-DOPA to feel euphoria. It's obviously not as likely to cause addiction as d-amphetamine, though. L-DOPA increases dopamine levels everywhere in the brain, while amphetamine affects the mesolimbic pathway at lower doses than what is necessary to affect other parts of the brain. Modafinil is another pharmaceutical that affects dopaminergic neurotransmission but doesn't have a very high abuse potential.

 

[AlphaMethylPhenyl]

Actually, there are some case reports of people abusing L-DOPA to feel euphoria.

But probably even fewer reports than people taking diphenhydramine for euphoria. As a general, rule, all psychoactive drugs have been abused for a high by someone, somewhere. It's just a bit trivial to call a drug recreational if there have only been a few people that think so.

L-DOPA increases dopamine levels everywhere in the brain

That's probably not true. It mostly acts on the nigrostriatal dopaminergic pathway, and also the mesocortical.

amphetamine affects the mesolimbic pathway at lower doses than what is necessary to affect other parts of the brain

It only does so significantly when one ingests a larger than therapeutic amount. I might not be able to pull up a source for this one.

Modafinil is another pharmaceutical that affects dopaminergic neurotransmission but doesn't have a very high abuse potential

But enough that it's a scheduled substance.

 

[polymath]

Here's an old thread I started years ago about the differences in effects of dopamine releasers, reuptake inhibitors and direct agonists. Epsilon Alpha seemed to have some good info about the subject. I don't think this makes a lot of difference with regards to treezy z:s question, though...

Even disulfiram, which I use myself to prevent alcohol relapse, can increase dopamine levels to some extent by blocking the hydroxylation of dopamine to norepinephrine.

 

[CFC]

As has already been mentioned, regular meditation. There's a fair bit of research published in recent years about how it can structurally alter the brain similarly to typical ADHD stimulants.

You may also find modafinil somewhat helpful (I didn't). Atomoxetine also has a more positive effect on me than typical stimulants, though it's also one of the only things I've taken that produces a prolonged semi-euphoria, which may be something you want to avoid.

 

[treezy z]

I take campral myself. Does Antabuse reduce cravings or just scare you?

 

[polymath]

I take campral myself. Does Antabuse reduce cravings or just scare you?

It doesn't really reduce cravings, but it's scary enough that I've never attempted to drink while on Antabuse. I started disulfiram in August 2014 and I've had a couple relapses where I stopped taking the med for about 4 days and then started drinking, but those relapses didn't last very long. Campral sounds like a good medication, because it can help with anxiety problems, too (or so I've heard).

 

[treezy z]

I find campral very useful.

I have done the same thing skip the campral and drink I'm doing daily AA/NA right now though.

 

[polymath]

I find campral very useful.

I have done the same thing skip the campral and drink I'm doing daily AA/NA right now though.

Good to hear that you find Campral and the 12 step program useful. Personally, I don't find AA to be "my thing", but that's just my experience.

Meditation, yoga, and that kind of things can be useful, too, like the others suggested.

 

[z3n]

Practice of mindfulness relieves hyperactivity and improves the ability to concentration. In the beginning it can be hard to stay calm, but when done on a daily basis it becomes much easier and rewarding.
As you mentioned yourself, exercise is very efficient. It's my favorite non-medicinal therapy for ADHD. Done early in the morning before work gives the best results in my opinion. Which also means that getting up one or two hours earlier than usual is necessary. Try to prevent morning bustle since it can lead to stress, which can cause or worsen concentration and memory difficulties.
Avoid sugar! It affects brain chemistry and decreases cognitive function.

I wouldn´t recommend Strattera (atomoxetine) for anyone. Indeed, some respond well to it, but I experienced way too many nasty side effects.

What about mucuna pruriens?

 

[polymath]

What about mucuna pruriens?

It's best to be careful with dosage if trying that, because mucuna pruriens can cause the same side effects as pharmaceutical L-DOPA preparations.

 

[solidsnake77]

There are a plant called siberian gingseng (Eleuterococus) that is indicated to ADHD too between another uses. Isn't narcotic, have a good stimulant effect with a few days of use or more, provides energy and combats stress. I take it to have more energy during the day, the brand that I use is from Lambert and for me is very helpful. Give it a try and see.

 

[morphine-dreams]

Changing my diet seems to have helped with my ADHD although it's hard to say because I do use stimulants and it could just be dopamine upregulation. Sugar definitely makes my ADHD worse though. I also stopped eating dairy because I'm allergic, but my symptoms did improve since then. I do eat some meat and also lots of seafood, fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Not a cure, but combined with exercise it really helps. I also avoid caffeine since I take stimulants anyway. I don't take stimulants every day though, that's how I can gauge the difference. I still have ADHD but I'm no longer non-functional on my unmedicated days, exactly what I was hoping for. Good luck!

 

[treezy z]

I've just been banging out pushups when I get overly restless, distracted, racing thoughts etc.

I have a job right as a glorified secretary on the weekends, the job was supposed to be maintenance and moving heavy shit (I like tools I like picking things up and putting them down) but there just isn't much of that to do so I sit at a desk and answer the phone. I got the job through networking so I am getting $16/hour which is alright. I charge other people more but have to hustle jobs, I like having the steady hours.

Anyway sitting at a desk is fucking torture for me so every so often I go to a side-room and bang out 15 pushups end up doing 150 or so each shift. This chills me out just enough to not go fucking ballistic from involuntary budhism (sitting there and thinking.)

I haven't had anyone complain, and if they do fuck em, they'll have to fire me if they want me to stop cuz like I said I'll turn into an animal sitting at a desk for hours at a time.