Speaking of ADHD stimulants, the whole “paradoxical response” to them in ADHD isn’t exactly correct. Stimulants shoot up your dopamine levels and this makes you more alert. Plenty of ADHDers will take stimulants to go to sleep. Why? Their baseline dopamine levels are thought to be lower. All the stimulant does is bring those levels more in line with what they “should” be, allowing the person to function better. There is no paradoxical effect - stimulants push dopamine up regardless. There is only a paradoxical RESPONSE. Which, frequently, is calming down and becoming more methodical.
This is why taking ADHD stimulants as study drugs is hilarious. If you don’t have ADHD, you shoot your dopamine way above normal and disregulate your brain. You don’t get smarter. You just make the same mistakes faster and with more confidence.
