Non-stimulant responders: who are they?

Just reviewed outcome data from our clinic and noticed something interesting - about 30% of our atomoxetine and viloxazine patients actually prefer them over stimulants they've tried before. What makes someone a better candidate for non-stimulants beyond just "stimulants didn't work"?

That 30% preference rate matches what I see - usually it's patients who describe stimulants as "too much of a roller coaster" even at low doses. I had a teacher last month who said Adderall felt like "being pulled by a rope" while atomoxetine felt like "having steady ground under my feet." Makes me wonder if it's about baseline anxiety levels or something deeper in their dopamine vs norepinephrine balance.