People like me more when I am on medication!

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It is sad, really. People like me more when I am on medication that tends to make me feel empty inside. It's as if people don't like the real me.

Anyone have similar stories?

The psych docs tried several different meds on me when I was a kid to try to control or correct my "behavior" problems. Two of the meds were Ritalin and Phenobarbitol. I don't recall what the others were. Needless to say, they didn't work, because I have Asperger's, and not a "behavior" problem. Unfortunately, they did not recognize Autism and Asperger's Syndrome at the time. They just labeled us as having emotional or behavior problems. The meds didn't help my condition, but they made me feel dull, and empty. They also made me feel somewhat hazy, and more likely to trip and fall. They also interfered with my ability to learn things. Because I hated the dull, empty feelings I eventually took myself off the meds without telling my parents or the "experts". My parents were concerned that I might hurt myself if I fell, and also, that the drugs were dulling my learning abilities, and all without providing any help, so they eventually told the docs and therapists that they didn't want me on the drugs any more. Some years later, when I was an adult, I did tell my father that I had taken myself off the pills, and why. He understood, and told me about his and my mother's concerns about the pills, and that they had wanted me off them, when they saw how the pills didn't help, and had bad side effects.

Perhaps because of my Asperger's, I tend to get side effects from meds, and many meds don't provide the help they are supposed to. I can't take Tylenol because it interferes with my automatic breathing reflex when I try to sleep, but that's no loss as it has never worked to relieve pain for me. A number of other meds also don't work for me. I tried Aleve a few years ago for my bad knees--no luck, but it does help my older brother with his back pain, so I gave him the rest of the bottle. On the plus side, I do get helped by Glucosamine/Chondroitin/MSM products, but my sister tried it for her bad hip--no luck for her. She had purchased a big bottle, and sent me what she hadn't used, because I was having money troubles at the time. Aspirin and prescription strength Ibuprofen help me, but that dosage of Ibuprofen tends to upset my stomach, even when taken at mealtime. I tolerate the aspirin better, so I switched to that. It is also easier to get, as I can buy the no frills brand, enteric coated ones over the counter. When I was getting the Ibuprofen, the doctor's office was terrible about faxing renewals to the pharmacy, I would go to the pharmacy counter as soon as I got to the store, they would call it in, I would shop for a big order of groceries, come back to the counter to pick up the pills, and the pharmacy department was still waiting for the docs office to fax over the renewal order. I had to leave the store without the pills several times, so I started using aspirin as a back up. That's how I found out it worked as good as the prescription Ibuprofen, but was easier on my stomach, so I made the switch permanent.

Because of my reaction problems with meds, and because most of them are dangerous, I tend to avoid pills, if I can make do without them. A couple of times in recent years I was prescribed anti-depressants, but after checking them out on the I-net, I chose not to have the prescriptions filled. The side effects sounded even worse than my depression. Also, at least one of them listed addiction as a common occurrence. No thanks! Fortunately, I have developed some coping methods for my depression, and because my living situation has improved, I have less stress, so it not as bad now, and is under control without drugs.

I recommend coping methods before letting the docs dope you up. Try these:

- Music
- Humor
- Keep occupied with things that interest you
- Try to improve your diet. Foods do effect the body and brain
- Exercise. That also effects the body and brain. Exercise causes your body to make endorphins, which are mood boosting.--So are music and humor.

You may have some coping ideas of your own. Do give them a try, and remember, we on the spectrum are all:

A Different Drummer

If a man does not keep pace with his companions,
Perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer.
Let him step to the music which he hears,
However measured or far away.

--Henry David Thoreau

No. People generally don't like me either medicated or unmedicated.

I like me more when I'm on Ritalin and because I'm more talkative I'm sure others like me too. It doesn't depress me. It will once I have to go off it but these last couple of days I've been taking half a pill a day and have barely noticed it. Could have been all those beers I had...

On anti-depressants I barely had any special interests. That was odd. The only side effect I had was an increase in sensory sensitivity.

Usually I have short term memory problems, concentration and motivation problems, speech issues, melt down a lot quickly, sensory issues and just not be able to talk to people as much and I either have too little or too much energy which makes it hard to get anything done. I exercise, eat healthy and keep my brain entertained but if I really want to focus and even recall what I read or hear I gotta medicate.