Atomoxetine (Strattera)
Ranked 6 of 9 ADHD medications by recommenders
Recommended for improving working memory and task focus in ADHD, as a non-stimulant option. Common caveat: it doesn't work for everyone, and some report irritability.
Recommended for improving working memory and task focus in ADHD, as a non-stimulant option. Common caveat: it doesn't work for everyone, and some report irritability.
11 people gave an opinion
- recommend it
- 8
- criticize it
- 3
- approval share
- 73%
Recommended in 4 of 13 months
- November 2025: not recommended
- December 2025: not recommended
- January 2026: recommended
- February 2026: not recommended
- March 2026: not recommended
- April 2026: not recommended
- May 2026: not recommended
- June 2026: not recommended
- July 2026: recommended
- August 2026: recommended
- September 2026: not recommended
- October 2026: recommended
- November 2026: not recommended (month in progress)
Why it doesn’t carry the badge
- 8 people recommend itNeeds 10 or more, not met.
- 2.7 recommenders for every criticNeeds 2 to 1 or better, met.
- Recommended in 4 of 13 monthsNeeds 4 or more, met.
The same three rules apply to every product, and the badge can’t be bought. How the badge works
What people say about it
The reasons people give, with the number of comments that give each one. Open a reason to read what they said.
Why people recommend it
Each mark is one comment
Strong personal results
“The game changer for me was atomoxetine.”
Comment from 14 Jan 2026 in “ADHD. How do you manage the constant stream of thoughts and ideas?” “Atomoxetine has been a god send for me.”
Comment from 28 Aug 2026 in “Doctors are finally learning to manage antidepressant withdrawal” “Atomoxetine works for me.”
Comment from 14 Jan 2026 in “ADHD. How do you manage the constant stream of thoughts and ideas?” Improves working memory and task performance
“By day 3 I could see a huge improvement in my working memory and ability to perform tasks.”
Comment from 29 Jan 2026 in “Vitamin D and Omega-3 have a larger effect on depression than antidepressants” “while it has not brought me back to that zen head space it brings me close enough”
Comment from 29 Jan 2026 in “Vitamin D and Omega-3 have a larger effect on depression than antidepressants”
What people warn about
Each mark is one comment
Ineffective for some people
“It didn't do shit for my ADHD or depression.”
Comment from 28 Aug 2026 in “Doctors are finally learning to manage antidepressant withdrawal” “but it's not very effective”
Comment from 22 Mar 2026 in “No evidence cannabis helps anxiety, depression, or PTSD” “while it has not brought me back to that zen head space it brings me close enough”
Comment from 29 Jan 2026 in “Vitamin D and Omega-3 have a larger effect on depression than antidepressants”
Other ADHD medications people recommend
The four most recommended other ADHD medications, with the same counts for each, so you can compare like for like. The tick on each bar marks the 2 to 1 line the badge needs.
| Product | Recommend | Criticize | Approval | Months | Owned | Badge |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adderall | 38 | 26 | 59% | 11 | 3 yrs4 owners | — |
| Ritalin | 18 | 19 | 49% | 8 | 11 yrs4 owners | — |
| Vyvanse | 13 | 11 | 54% | 7 | 1 yr3 owners | — |
| Methylphenidate | 10 | 8 | 56% | 8 | — | — |
| Atomoxetine (Strattera)This page | 8 | 3 | 73% | 4 | — | — |
What people said
All 11 comments that mention it, newest first. Each links to the original comment.
“research shows that the best treatment are the recommended drugs”
“For me, it made me perpetually pissed off, and made me feel like I had a cold.”
“It didn't do shit for my ADHD or depression.”
“Atomoxetine has been a god send for me.”
“I tried this for several years and only afterwards realized it was bad for me - one because of personality changes, two because of high blood pressure.”
“though in my experience it treats different aspects of ADHD than stimulants”
“but it's not very effective”
“while it has not brought me back to that zen head space it brings me close enough”
“By day 3 I could see a huge improvement in my working memory and ability to perform tasks.”
“Atomoxetine works for me.”
“The game changer for me was atomoxetine.”
Counts come from 1,795,640 Hacker News comments, November 2025 to November 2026. How we count. Report a mistake.