I head up a small community for fans of a niche indie brand. The founder is doing an event in Japan with an exclusive item for people who attend! I was so excited and was looking into booking a plane ticket to go!
However… turns out that Japan has a law that absolutely forbids stimulant medication in the country. And, no, I don’t really want to upend my regimen of 8 years and risk going on a new medication for the trip.
I’m really shattered, as I wanted to attend this cool event and meet up with other enthusiasts. It really hurts to be barred from an opportunity like this.
I hate ADHD. I really do.
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Intuniv, Strattera, Concerta, and Vyvanse can be prescribed for ADHD in Japan. Ritalin is also available but not for ADHD, though travelers can bring a maximum of 2.16g of methylphenidate. Other stimulants such as Adderall are not allowed.
Most doctors would be willing to prescribe a different medication for the duration of your trip. It of course won’t be ideal, but it would be a temporary hiccup that might be worth it considering you seem to be really excited for the trip.
Op mentioned they do not want different medication for the trip though.
And, no, I don’t really want to upend my regimen of 8 years and risk going on a new medication for the trip.
I did read that which is why I noted in my comment that I realize it won’t be ideal but may be worth reconsidering for the opportunity. I also wanted to provide some more complete information for the people in the comments who were gleaning false conclusions from misleading information.
I agree the reply is informative, just that OP had asked to avoid other medications as a suggestion.
It does not say that in the OP. They said “I don’t really want to… risk going on a new medication for the trip” which is not the same as “please don’t give me advice on alternative medication” and was also preceded by a false claim that no other stimulants would be allowed.
EDIT: Defending one’s point while trying to be polite is “being aggressive”.
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As I stated in my previous comment, it was not clear. You told me I was wrong, you continue to reply to me with false information, and you wonder why I respond defending myself. OP does not seem to have hard feelings about this, so I don’t understand why you seem to.
Why are you being aggressive? They didn’t state which medication they are actually taking so it could be one on the list mentioned.
Classic ADHD troupe of only reading the title / skimming. Lol
Please do not imply that I did not fully read the post because you did not like my answer. I noted in my comment that I realize the situation is not ideal, and I provided information that I thought might be worth reconsidering. I’m sorry I did not realize that adjusting your medication is such a hard no for you.
However, it is disingenuous to claim that Japan “absolutely forbids stimulant medication in the country” when that simply isn’t true, and this was causing multiple people in the comments to come to false conclusions. Many other people would consider a temporary adjustment agreeable, and it is unfair to lead people to believe that this isn’t possible unless they can tolerate non-stimulant medication.
Nah, not at all. Just ribbin’.
Yeah, every single website I’ve pulled up on the matter says everything is a hard “no” and that no accommodations can be given.
When you see 4 or 5 sites saying the same thing, you tend to come to that conclusion. But I’m happy to see that’s not necessarily the case!
No hard feelings. I did notice that the ministry documentation was written rather confusingly, so I can see how it could be twisted. It does say you can email them with inquiries at least.
Tbh it sounds like thats what you did rather than them. They gave you options and acknowledged your concerns and your response was “lol they didnt even read my post.” Yes. They. Did.
Trope. A troupe is a group of performers.
Something you’re also guilty of apparently.
I read that and was thinking of non-amphetamine alternatives. I kinda lump most of the amphetamines together.
OP: I hear you on not trying different meds, but one of these things is barely different from adderall (still very much a stimulant). Vyvanse is basically adderall xl, just in prodrug form. Apparently other commentors say it is allowed in japan. Prodrug just means that an enzyme plus the drug means your body creates the basically the same exact drug as adderall when ingested. If vyvanse is allowed but adderall is not that’s strange although one of vyvanse’s strengths is that it can’t be snorted, which might make some nations feel better about the drug’s potential for abuse, since it must be ingested to work.
Adderall didn’t do a whole lot for me, but Vyvanse made me actively sick. People can have weird reactions to medications.
You’re absolutely correct that a medication isn’t going to react the same for every person. People can have weird or even fatal reactions to medications. Any local pharmacist should be able to answer questions about medications and interactions.
To be clear, I am just saying that if adderall works for someone, vyvanse is likely to work for that person as well, because the drugs are so similar. Vyvanse’s biggest difference from adderall is that it’s a prodrug, meaning that starts off as a drug that has no effects on the body until it reacts with an natural enzyme we have in our colon which causes the drug to turn into what is basically adderall.
Adderall is mixed amphetamine salts.
The mixture is composed of equal parts racemic amphetamine and dextroamphetamine, which produces a ratio between dextroamphetamine and levoamphetamine, the two enantiomers of amphetamine.
Compared to vyvanse:
Lisdexamfetamine is an inactive prodrug that is converted in the body to dextroamphetamine, a pharmacologically active compound which is responsible for the drug’s activity.
So technically, Adderall is dextroamphetamine and levoamphetamine. I can’t speak more to this because of my lack of knowledge but “dextro” and “levo” are “right” and “left”, basically meaning something like the left and right “versions” (wrong word) of the molecule. Vyvanse on the otherhand is just the right “version” (wrong word) of the molecule.
^^ An informative and very thoughtful comment ^^
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I’ve been told that if you can get a transfer there you need to understand that you’ll only ever hang out with other westerners because the culture is impenetrable.
I’ve lived in Japan and that’s completely untrue. Sure lots of westerners have this experience, but it’s usually for one of three reasons:
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Language barrier: if you don’t speak Japanese, obviously you’re not going to fully integrate. However English is a required subject in schools, and while many Japanese are hesitant to speak it (mostly out of embarrassment over mistakes) there are plenty who are eager to utilize what they’ve learned. And this doesn’t even include Japanese who’ve lived abroad and are properly fluent and comfortable in the language (there aren’t many, but they certainly exist). Learning even a little Japanese and appearing to make an effort will also open a lot of doors.
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Self-segregation: It’s easy to fall into this one, especially because of point 1. But if you make an effort to make friends with people who are Japanese, they’ll introduce you to their friend group. This works best if your co-workers are mixed westerners and English-speaking Japanese, but with some searching you should be able to find mixed socialization opportunities outside of work too. Plus there are non-Western communities in Japan too: folks from other Asian or Latin American countries who also feel like outsiders. Of the foreigner friends I had in Japan, almost none were American (and almost none were native English speakers, although they were all fluent or close to it). Taking Japanese language classes is a great way to meet these folks, but each school is going to be very different in their demographic populations so be choosey and avoid any that seem too homogenous (eg all Chinese students).
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Expectations: Japanese social culture is very different. It’s easy to make acquaintances and hard to make friends. And yes, even if you speak Japanese fluently as a foreigner you will find it more difficult to make friends with the average Japanese person. However you have two strengths you need to utilize: curiosity and otherness. As long as you appear approachable, strangers will sporadically come up to you and talk with you out of curiosity. Sometimes the socialization ends there, and that’s fine. But look for the outsiders: Japanese people who don’t feel like they fit into Japanese society. I found that there were a good number of English-speaking Japanese who wanted to be my friend because they struggled to make friends with other Japanese. Some of them were socially awkward or autistic, some had lived abroad, and some seemed totally normal. The good news is you probably have a lot in common, even if it’s superficial like enjoying the same Western culture (TV shows, etc; think reverse-weeabo), but it’s enough for the foundation of a friendship. However you’ll need to accept that you’re now a member of a misfits social group, because you’re yourself a stranger in a strange land!
So in conclusion, it’s very easy to fall into the only-socializing-with-Westerners trap, but it’s certainly not inevitable. It takes conscious effort to avoid, but is completely feasible, especially for someone who has interest in Japan/Japanese culture/Japanese language.
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Don’t forget that their porn is blurry. Such a travesty.
Wait what the fuck? I thought that’s just what japanese genitals (and sometimes faces) looked like?
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You called their culture autistic.
That’s exactly the word you’re looking for
That’s not what autistic means…
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There are many better words you could use. Insular, isolationist, xenophobic. Not to mention that I’ve never once heard Japan’s culture described as “autistic”
They’re making it up. Which is why they can assert “they” say it but then calls folks dumb for not being able to find it.
They also will provide no proof.
It’s a mental gymnastics floor routine.
Where. Where is it described that way?
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As an autist who studied Japanese and gave up when I realized I just couldn’t connect with any of the Japanese people I met - even the ones where it was obvious we wanted to be friends - I can assure you the culture is even more impenetrable for autistics. And I don’t have such issues with other autistic people usually, no matter the culture.
Don’t mistake your stereotypes for reality and tell everyone people call you out because of political correctness. You’re just plain old wrong in this.
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Link to those studies?
Edit: me being autistic make everything I say useless? Really?
I really admire your ability to mental gymnastics. No matter what anybody says, you always find a way to tell them their opinion doesn’t matter. Must be nice to be so secure in your own superiority that nothing can convince you otherwise.
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If you want to convince people it’s up to you to bring the evidence. I’m not doing your work for you.
Besides, there have been studies shoing that autistics among themselves don’t have the same communication breakdown as they do when interacting with neurotypicals. So if Japan was truly an autistic culture it should be easier for autistic people, but it’s not.
Besides, I’m very curious to see how you are going to apply diagnostic criteria for a neurodivergence to a culture. Like, how do you even begin? Is the culture averse to bright lights? Loud sounds? Does the culture go into hyperfocus moments? Does it suffer from PDA?
The only way you could do this is if you were to take stereotypes about how autistic people behave and try to somehow match them to cultural traits.
Yeah this dude probably has been in the parts of the internet where that language is typical and now thinks their usage of the word applies.
Which explains why they just deflect when asked for literally any source for what they’re saying.
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No it actually doesn’t.
Please provide some form of authoritative or even scholarly source for who the “they” it’s that called it that.
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I can see where you are coming from.
But my impression is that Japan has a lot of unspoken rules on how to interact with others. And unspoken social rules are the arch enemy of autism, lmao.
They’re unspoken but far from unknown, and you will get taught and reminded about it. And autistic people very much like rules and rituals, as long as they’re clear and explicit.
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Ritalin is also allowed
Vyvanse is so much better for me personally. But it’s expensive af
I loved Vyvanse. I was able to advance at work because of Vyvanse.
And then out of nowhere my insurance decides, not it’s $350 a month. Back to adderall I went.
Yeah, it’s $250 a month for me. No thanks, I’ll just be all over the place.
The Vyvanse patent expired recently and generics are available now for cheaper. My insurance is willing to cover the generic, it’s possible yours will too
Great to know! Will look into it.
Hello from France where Vyvanse still isn’t approved! Every day I read about how amazing it is and I cry
Sorry to hear that friend. Someone else commented that the patent expired recently and generic versions exist now, perhaps that is worth looking into.
OP, don’t hate the ADHD. Hate the Japanese law. That is a stupid law.
I can do both.
Try to switch to Vyvanse if possible.
Totally legal in Japan.
I went to Tokyo 6 months ago and took a bottle of Vyvanse with me.
You need to clear it with the authorities before you head over. You’ll need your doctor to write a letter. It can be done though.
… Or just get hooked on $1.50 cans of coffee boss instead.
Which is ironic since the original Vyvanse manufacturer, Takeda pharmaceuticals, is based in Tokyo.
Apparently Vyvanse is the only one that’s allowed. Sounds like regulatory capture to me.
Ritalin/Concerta is also allowed.
Oh shit. Guess I’m allowed in Japan after all.
It’s actually an interesting history that goes back to WWII. Japan distributed amphetamines to both soldiers and civilian workers to support the war effort. After the war, it turned into a serious problem of abuse. That in turn led to the country banning amphetamines outright in 1954-1955 and they have never really reconsidered.
Here’s an article from 1957 on the topic: https://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/data-and-analysis/bulletin/bulletin_1957-01-01_3_page003.html
Just play Yakuza as a sort of stand in /j
Yakuza and also Okami
Wow, so…they just don’t treat ADHD over there?
Of course they do. They just don’t allow Adderall because it contains amphetamine.
Just Adderall? Or all ADHD meds?
Intuniv, Strattera, Concerta, and Vyvanse can be prescribed for ADHD in Japan. Ritalin is also available but not for ADHD, though travelers can bring a maximum of 2.16g of methylphenidate.
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Yeah, I’m lucky enough that mine is only really debilitating for study so I didn’t have an issue not taking my meds for the trip. Really feel for you. :(
If it’s a visit, then just take your meds and your prescription. I’ve never had any issues taking meds into Japan that cannot be prescribed there. You probably won’t even be asked.
This is an absolutely terrible idea, and a great way to get arrested and/or unable to ever enter the country again.
Absolutely not.
That is illegal.
Bringing adderall into Japan carries a sentence of up to 20 years in prison under the Stimulants Control Law. Your prescription means nothing once you are on Japanese soil.
This is truly idiotic advice, and I don’t say that lightly.
Brodie, this is your sign to take a small t-break. Not medical advice, just watching your 6.
Your meds are there to help you live the life you want and shouldn’t make you choose them over the other pleasures in life. Are you taking breaks on weekends?
Remember that at the end of the day they’re stimmies, and dependency is very real for us ADHD peeps.
Choose life papa.
This isn’t a recreational drug where we need to take “T breaks” in order to have a stronger high when we start it again. It’s a prescription drug that has a prescribed daily dosage. Going off it has serious consequences. I skipped a week once years ago when I was at my family cottage and forgot my meds. By the end of that week I was so deeply depressed and lethargic I had no motivation to do anything. So yeah, the dependency is real, but the withdrawal symptoms are no joke either.
No one said anything about a stronger high. And what you said proves that amphetamines are a dangerous drug, prescription or not
No one said anything about a stronger high
“T break” (short for tolerance break) is a term used by people who take recreational drugs to describe abstaining for some time in order to lessen tolerance and get a stronger high from a lower dosage afterward.
Which is why you take it under the care and guidance of a professional, and not listen to some random moron on the internet!
I’ve lurked for a while, but I made an account just so I could comment on what a brain-dead take this is. Referring to ADHD meds prescribed by a licensed physician as “stimmies” perpetuates the idea that ADHD is nothing more than a “lazy person” illness, and that our medication is merely a crutch or an “addiction”.
Furthermore, people don’t “choose meds over other pleasures in life”. Meds are the reason we can achieve and enjoy pleasures in life. Needing medication is not fucking “dependency” akin to a drug addict. Jeez, I guess you must have a real problem with diabetics always neededing their next hit of insulin too, am I right?
Unreal. You’re doing way more harm than good and I suggest you check yourself before doing even more damage.
You, thank you.
This is unhinged, why are you trying to give advice if you’re so uninformed?
Nobody can change me only God can judge me.
I’d never let my head or its bandages decide where I can go or not. Live fast. Die whenever.
