IN Focus First, Psychiatry Simplified.

02/23/2026

What if diving deeper into your mental health could unlock the clarity and resilience you need to thrive? Join IN FOCUS as we discuss why this might be exactly what you need.

IN Focus First The Mental Health Minute · Episode

02/23/2026

02/23/2026

Every favor has an invisible price tag.

Every kind gesture is an entry in a mental ledger you never agreed to.

A covert contract is when someone gives with a hidden expectation attached - they never tell you what they expect in return, but they are absolutely keeping score.

And when you don’t repay what you never borrowed, they explode, withdraw, or hit you with “after everything I’ve done for you.”

Real love doesn’t keep a ledger.

A real partner tells you what they need instead of performing kindness and resenting you for not reading their mind.

If this sounds familiar (whether you’re on the giving or receiving end) this pattern destroys relationships from the inside out.

02/22/2026

https://infocusfirst.com/can-adderall-make-you-tired/
Can Adderall make you tired instead of focused?

Yes—and it’s a known neurobiological response, not a failure of treatment. This 2026 clinical deep dive explains Adderall fatigue, Adderall crashes, and exactly what to do when stimulants slow you down instead of speeding you up.

What causes Adderall fatigue?

If you’ve experienced the “Adderall nap,” afternoon crashes, or that wired-but-exhausted feeling, this video breaks down what’s actually happening in the brain—and why quitting the medication is often the wrong move.

Listen if you if Adderall causes:

Sudden afternoon crashes
Feeling wired but exhausted
Brain fog or emotional flatness
Shakiness or hollow fatigue
Sleepiness shortly after dosing
Loss of motivation or personality

What’s really happening:

Adderall crash = fatigue when medication wears off (rebound fatigue)
Paradoxical fatigue = fatigue at peak dose due to overstimulation, burnout, or nervous system shutdown

Topics covered:

Why stimulants can cause fatigue instead of energy
Rebound fatigue vs paradoxical fatigue (not the same thing)
Immediate-release vs extended-release Adderall crashes
The dopamine “Goldilocks zone” and why too much feels sedating
“Wired but tired” and emotional flattening explained
Blood sugar crashes from appetite suppression
Why protein (tyrosine) is essential for dopamine production
Sleep debt, cortisol, and stimulant-driven burnout
ADHD, anxiety, and nervous system safety shutdown
When lowering the dose works better than increasing it
When Adderall may simply be the wrong medication

What to do instead of quitting:

Optimize dose and release profile
Fix fueling first: protein-forward breakfast, hydration, scheduled meals
Address sleep debt before escalating stimulants
Use fatigue as diagnostic data—not a side effect to ignore

In this audio:

00:00 Why stimulants can cause fatigue

02:10 Adderall rebound crashes explained

04:00 Dose too high: dopamine overload

06:00 Blood sugar and protein collapse

08:30 Burnout, anxiety, and shutdown10:40 What to change before quitting

This video addresses ADHD medication side effects including stimulant fatigue, dopamine dysregulation, Adderall XR vs IR crashes, ADHD burnout, and medication-induced exhaustion.

Content is grounded in clinical psychiatry frameworks and neurobiological research—not anecdote or hype.

If Adderall makes you tired, flat, or ready to nap, this is not tolerance and it’s not you “failing” medication.
It’s a signal—about dose, timing, fuel, sleep, or nervous system overload.

This video walks through which signal you’re getting and what to change before quitting or increasing the dose.

fatigue Adderall make you tired crash rebound fatigue fatigue ADHD makes me sleepy nap but tired ADHD stimulant exhaustion side effects tired XR vs IR burnout overstimulation medication crash Adderall stops working dosage too high brain fog medication and fatigue First psychiatry neurobiology

02/18/2026

Is your mental health medication working... but making you feel like a ghost of yourself?

If you feel "gray" or "flat," you aren't doing anything wrong. It’s a biological side effect called emotional blunting, and you don’t have to just "live with it."

We created this guide at IN Focus First to give you the exact words to use with your provider. We want our community to know that your joy is just as important as your stability.

Check out the slides below for a simple script to take to your next appointment.

We’re here to help you get back to feeling like YOU. We have same-week appointments to help you get there faster.

02/11/2026

Ever feel like you’re running on empty, but you aren’t sure if it’s just a bad month at work or something deeper?

While they look similar, burnout and depression require different approaches to healing. Check out the guide below to help identify where you’re at.

02/10/2026

https://youtu.be/58nV9FWv6LA?si=9ebPMleJLkZymwRe

https://infocusfirst.com/can-adderall-make-you-tired/Can Adderall make you tired instead of focused?Yes—and it’s a known neurobiological response, not a fail...

02/10/2026

Comprehensive mental health care in Indiana. Expert ADHD testing, anxiety & depression therapy. Accepting new patients with next-day appointments. Schedule now.

02/05/2026

02/05/2026

01/22/2026

Our Official ADHD Deep Dive. Whether you are an adult struggling to focus at work or a parent concerned about your adolescent’s behavior at school, our team seeks to give you clear answers.

Expert Psychiatry for ADHD & Anxiety in Carmel, IN. Specialized testing & medication management at 550 Congressional Blvd. Next-day telehealth available. Book now.

01/19/2026

This is the real struggle of ADHD - every single day.