I've decided to post this experience as whenever people mention ADHD meds they usually talk about appetite suppressant side effect.
I [26F] have been finally diagnosed with ADHD and put on appropriate medication several months ago.
I had successfully lost weight with CICO and aggressive cardio before. Like many in the same boat, I struggled to keep it off when health issues took me out of working out. With CICO I eventually returned to maintaining and balancing my weight. I am 168 cm and my preferred weight is around 69-70 kg.
A combined struggle of covid lockdown, being misdiagnosed and put on medication that is known to cause weight gain, and other life things eventually sent me into a spiral that had me at 95 kg at my highest.
What has been ongoing through my weight loss journey, even at the happiest times of my life: incredible struggle of not eating. I enjoy good food and trying food out, I'm an emotional eater, etc etc. I always assumed that's how everyone felt: everyone struggles with cravings and gets late night pizza! That's just how it is!
My ADHD is highest in impulsivity, acting on first inner impulse without resisting it, or finding it very hard to resist (i.e.why I used to constantly interrupt people). It's really hard to explain to a person without it, but it feels like a burning physical need.
When I was put on meds my mind was blown over how much easier my life became, and how I felt about food was one of the biggest changes. I held off posting thinking it may be because of the infamous ADHD medication appetite suppressant effect but I've checked my diaries - my appetite is the same as before.
It's more like: no more incredible emotional commitment to food cravings.
No more impulses to snack, or order delivery, that are an ordeal to overcome. (seriously that was an hour long emotional wrestle each time; it'd often cause me muscle pain).
No more seeing 5 different things at a restaurant and ordering them all because, well, because.
No more being full but unable to stop eating because, well, I'm already eating. No more being full but trying out another dish because I wanted to try it out and how can I change my mind?
No more buying loads of random groceries (despite having a strict food prep list), realising I don't know what to make, and then just giving up on cooking as a concept.
No more being unable to distinguish between cravings and what they were for.
Dozens of things like that.
I realise a lot of those sound like very basic struggles, and I don't mean to imply others don't have them. And I definitely still have cravings, overeat sometimes or buy more groceries than I need.
But it feels so damn different. It feels something rooted in my behaviour, something I can learn to control. It's no longer a need through my body, a commitment to the impulse so thorough denying it causes actual physical pain.
It's so, so unbelievably different and it's so much easier now. So if you're someone that struggles with food impulses and cravings so much it hurts and leaves you emotionally exhausted: maybe it's not meant to be that hard.
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