[gperkins978]

I think the easiest distinction is the high part. I assume you have never crushed up Ritalin and/or Adderall to snort (I have). The guys taking it non-medicinally get a clear high, and tolerance demands higher doses. The best/worst one is desoxyn. That stuff is heavenly, but so addictive. After scoring a bottle of it I decided that I was never going to take any amphetamine ever again.

From what I understand, ADHD folks do not get the high part, so the addiction risk is not there.

[adastra22]

I don’t think there is any chemical dependency difference. I could quit stimulants if I want to (and I have, unintentionally during the shortage when I was forced to go without). But why would I want to? I’m addicted to not being a total failure in life.

But I am very curious about how people like you describe the effect of these drugs, as it is so foreign to me. What do you even mean by “heavenly”?

Some people can retreat to a mind palace in their head. I have a mind bouncy castle. It’s like confetti in a wind tunnel. Stimulants calm the storm and give me control over my inner thoughts, and mastering oneself is the first step to having any agency in the world. That’s all they are to me.

But a “high”? Never experienced that, other than the psychological high that comes with being high agency.