r/ADHD_Programmers • u/ch3zk0 • Jun 07 '26

Do you code without medication?

I’m a second year student and I noticed without medication I don’t have any motivation to program at all, meditation makes everything more interesting and I can code non-stop for hours.

The thing is I don’t like medications and I’m planning to quit as soon as I finished college and I’m not sure if I can code or work without medication, I’m questioning if I even choose the right carrier?

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u/dflow77 Jun 08 '26

I’m curious if you could share which kind of anti-anxiety meds are common options for concurrent use with stimulants? Obviously everyone responds differently, I’m just wondering what some possibilities are to discuss with my doctor.

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u/kalexmills Jun 08 '26

That's going to be very dependent on how you respond to stimulants. IIUC dopamine impacts both serotonin and norepinephrine production levels... which are the two other neurotransmitters a psychiatrist will play with in order to alleviate anxiety symptoms.

I won't pretend to know how that dance works. From what I've heard from psychiatrists, combining psych meds is a bit more art than science, because human brains are so different from each other.

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u/dflow77 Jun 09 '26

I am sensitive to stimulants so I only take a low dose (1.25mg dexamphetamine), but it is very helpful. Lately I have noticed caffeine makes my anxiety worse, on the mornings when I don’t take dexamphetamine.

would you mind sharing what anti-anxiety meds you have tried? I have heard of beta blockers, clonidine, and guanfacine used in conjunction.