By the way, the study you mentioned had several issues, but one very important issue in specific touches the point you made: the study only had controlled groups for 14 months. After that they continued doing check ups on people but the data was pointless because they didn’t know what the patientes were taking. The claim that the meds stopped working after a while was made by the NYTimes article only and it’s based on not understanding this point.

Tbh I recommend assuming that anything you read in that NYTimes is probably wrong - the study behind it was ok-ish but the conclusions that the NYTimes made based on it are all over the place. And “surprisingly” the article also 100% agrees with several false talking points about ADHD that the church of scientology has been making since the 80s.

It takes a few hours for the meds to take effect, it makes no difference shortly after taking them.

What happens here is simply psichological: it’s easier for me to fall asleep when I don’t expect to be able to.

Wake up at 6 and go to the bathroom: can’t sleep again

Wake up at 8, go to the bathroom and then take my amphetamines to start working soon: sleep in until 11.