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December 21st, 2010 by Mike1. Above-Average Intelligence
Most Adderall users possess higher-than-average intelligence. With or without Adderall, they are uniquely capable people, and are often pursing various “brainy” goals like staying competitive at prestigious universities, succeeding at intellectually-challenging careers, and thinking of all kinds of smart things they’d like to do with their life.
What’s more, the verbal intelligence of the average Adderall abuser is typically quite high. Adderall takers are an articulate bunch, able to convey their feelings with depth and wit, laughing at themselves along the way — all characteristics of highly intelligent people.
So, what makes an already-smart person reach for pills nicknamed “smarties?” Because genius is as seductive as power. Once you have a little, you want a lot more. And you never, ever have enough. Plus, just because you’re smart does not mean that you’re confident, and it sure as hell doesn’t mean that you’re always motivated.
2. Above-Average Physical Attractiveness
Pretty much like this except with more anxiety and self-consciousness.
I’ve met a lot of Adderall users over the years, and I’m always surprised by how good-looking they are. Now, the initial response to this is “well of course they’re all attractive…they’ve got speed to burn off any fat.” But I think it’s more than that.
Without fail, when I meet a new Adderall user in person after getting to know them online, my first thought is usually “wow…they’re really attractive.” This goes for girls and guys (to the extent that I can judge guy attractiveness).
I think the attractiveness trait also contributes to the fear of weight gain that’s common to the process of quitting Adderall. People who are attractive are hell-bent on staying that way, so Adderall can be a very rationalizeable addiction for them.
This is why it’s often even harder for people to quit Adderall when they have to face the possibility of gaining weight. Of course, as I’ve said before on this site: You don’t have to keep the weight you gain when you quit Adderall (see Lilah’s post for lots more on this). You will be your attractive self again just as soon as you develop an exercise habit (I’ve also seen girls totally shed their post-Adderall pounds after a few months, like a rebound effect).
3. Artistic/Creative Personality Types
Billy! Put your silly little project away and come take your math test with the rest of the class.
Adderall takers are frequently “creative types.” These are people who have a bug in them to add all kinds of new things to the world. To paint, to write, to photograph, to create new types of businesses. This is their talent, but also their curse, as it’s often hard for a creative type to settle for a monotonous daily grind (hence, Adderall).
Disclaimer: Of course, everyone is creative. But I think there’s a difference between having creativity and having a creative personality type. I don’t mean that as a value judgement. The average brain surgeon is more valuable to society and far smarter than the average homeless graffiti “artist,” but the graffiti artist is more likely to have a creative personality type (I didn’t do a study on that, I’m just trying to clarify my point.)
More precisely, I mean that most people who are attracted to Adderall tend to have overly-abstracted, emotionally-driven personalities (think NF if you’re familiar with MBTI Types) that often lend themselves better to creative endeavors that don’t pay well (painting, acting, etc) than they do to more traditional roles (doctor, lawyer, code monkey).
4. An Over-Achiever Complex
Ugh. I’ll never get this astrophysics PHD thesis done. God I’m so stupid.
As mentioned above, most Adderall takers are uniquely smart and creative people. What separates them however is that instead of being boosted by their talents, they are burdened by them. They feel a strong need to do smart things, to do creative things, to squeeze every inch of their value onto the world. If they leave something inside, they feel guilty.
As smart and talented as everyone tells them they are, they will never believe it themselves until they’ve proven it a thousand times over….and probably not even then. This makes them work like crazy and strive for unrealistic heights of perfection with everything they do. At least, when they have the motivation to do so.
The average Adderall abuser is a perfectionist at all times, but often doesn’t have the will to act on it, much to the dismay of their own inner critic. Adderall gives the user the energy and focus to try and do everything perfect…satisfying that overachiever drive. And on Adderall, they can finally feel smart.
5. Approval Addiction
Two musicians battle for a little girl’s single dollar in the Pixar Short “One Man Band”. Watch it here.
Even though Adderall takers are smart and overachieving, they’re also creative-centric, which often means they can’t properly channel their smarts and ambition into an existing, world-approved mold. But they want to. Oh, how they want to.
Adderall abusers want to be successful like other smart people. They want people to see them for the star that they are. They need their parents and friends to be proud of them…to validate them. But the creative urges inside them often drive them towards unbeaten paths….paths that do not come with much approval along the way (because the traveler alone can visualize the destination, if only vaguely).
So Adderall comes along. And suddenly they can be everything that everyone wants them to be. They get approval. Everyone tells them how smart and hard-working they are. They get all the worldly accomplishments…the grades, the salary.
Only years later do they realize that this was never the game they were meant to play; they were supposed to be different. In time they realize their fatal flaw: they are living and defining themselves by what they think other people expect of them, not by what they truly want for themselves.
6. Insecure to a Fault
About the pic: Artist website here, but it’s not totally readable there either.
And now we’ve come to the heart; the root of all evil when it comes to Adderall takers. Most every Adderallic is hopelessly insecure about their own capabilities. This is tragic considering how very capable most of them are.
Of all the Adderall takers I’ve met, each one seemed to have something in themselves that they weren’t satisfied with. Some erroneous yet persistent assumption that they weren’t attractive enough, weren’t smart enough…whatever.
Insecurity, above all else, is what attracts people to drugs like Adderall, because Adderall makes you feel so confident, so secure. But if you really look closely at your thoughts and actions while you’re on Adderall…the insecurity is still very much alive, and still as much or more damaging to your decision-making…you just don’t notice it so much because you’re too busy telling yourself you’re a God.
Then you quit Adderall, and all that insecurity comes rushing back to the surface. The good news is that now you have a chance to really address it head-on. No more masking it. Now you have to fight it. And as long as you keep fighting that insecurity, you will chip away at it. Until one day you will become, for the most part, an actual stable, secure person. You will be happy and confident, not because you’re masking, but because of who you’ve become.
7. A Hidden Talent That They Actively Suppress
Hint: Those are tap-dancing shoes
Because Adderallics are smart, they can be good a lots of things. In fact, with the help of their precious Adderall, most of them can be really damned good at pretty much anything that they decide to focus on.
But for all their widely-applicable ability, for all the the things they are really good it, there is often one special thing that they are absolutely brilliant at. But there is a catch: that special talent that they are extra-good at, that piece of gold in a sea of silver, is very often something that is unconventional, off the beaten path, hard to make a living off of, and hard to get approval from.
So like the insecure, approval-addicted, over-achieving people that they are, many Adderallics focus their lives on doing something that is seem as sane and acceptable — something that their peers and parents pour praises on them for. They follow the call of expectation above the call of their own heart. And they suppress that little piece of gold inside them, because it’s just not practical, at least not now, for this phase of your life. You’ll surely get back to it later. And who needs a real passion when you can just pop an Adderall and make anything your passion?
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Mike,
I’d like to nominate you to go on Oprah. The articles you’ve written here are amazing. You have my addiction to adderall nailed down to a science along with my personality traits as stated above. My favorite part of this article is your new term “adderallic”! Awesome. That’s totally what I turned into. It wasn’t pretty. My now ex-boyfriend would love to tell you all about it if he had the opportunity.
Anyhow, I have great news to share for all those still suffering with this addiction. Quitting this time around has been wonderful. 🙂 I am happy again for the first time in a long time. I thought my life would fall apart without adderall. It’s getting better everyday. Your website has prepared me. Honestly, I know I’d never be in such great shape right now had it not been for you and all the information you’ve shared here. Thank you so much!!! I can’t wait to share my experience with everyone. Just wanted to get this out while I could!
I am 9 days clean and sober today from everything. Life is good.
Thanks again!
Erin
@Erin
Congratulations! Glad you’re back (in both the metaphorical in literal sense)!
I can’t take credit for Adderallic™. That was reader Elizabeth’s brilliant invention. I usually have that trademark/link to the source in there, but I got two new computers (yay!) and hadn’t re-configured the little hotstring that inserts the trademark.
Keep posting! Let me know if you’ve got a full article in you. 🙂
Me? Write a full article? Really? OOOOoooo…dat sounds nice! 🙂
@Erin – Sure! You sound like you have an article in you. Let me know if you get it out. 🙂
Oh, I have a novel inside of me. 🙂 Any topic?
@Erin – Yep! Any tangentially-related topic. Check out the email I sent you for more details. 😉
I will never stop taking adderall because on it I am unstoppable. I must say though I have read through a bunch of articles on here, and I think your a great writer and every article I have read has been spot on! Also Adderallic cracked me up!!!!
Thank you. Its hard for me to explain whats in my head in a way for my friends and family to understand. Maybe if they read this it will shed some kind of light on it for them. Ive only been off adderall for 3 days and im afraid of going back to the old me before I found it. I have 3 children and i don’t want to let them down because i can’t “get my head together”.
Dude, well I can write an essay about this post but to keep it concise I am just going to say. You nailed it Mike, I’d say you are bang on at least in my case!
Your article hits the nail on the head. Thankyou for your work.
All of this reminds me of that simpsons episode where bart goes on focusin. As the dr tries to sell the drug to bart’s parents she ends her pitch by saying “the only thing more effective is regular exercise”
how do i send an email? Or use this site? Or am I doing that now? LOL
@Ryan – Thanks! And sometimes it’s helpful and necessary to stop, which is a problem for the unstoppable. :-p
@stephanie – You don’t have to go all the way! There is such a thing as days off and lower doses.
@mo – Write it! I’ll post it!
@Michael – Thanks!
@monkz – As soon as I get good at ripping videos I’m going to totally post that episode. Thanks for the tip! I’ll credit you whenever I make it into a post.
@Jon – You’re doing it now. 🙂
Hi Mike & everyone,
This post is my absolute favorite! It almost boosts my self-confidence as I still try and stay clean and dry from pills, as well as offers a validation of why I stayed on the drug for so long.
This Friday, it will be two months since I stopped cold turkey from Adderall. During the depths of abuse, I took upwards of 70 mg/day and frankly did not live on planet earth. Yes, I was very skinny; yes, I was an awesome worker bee; and yes, I even got paid more money; but I was god-damned unhappy and living on the line of true addiction. However, I knew that if I did not stop (age 24), I was certain that my future would consist of me folding laundry and other mindless household tasks for my future family only under the guise of uppers.
While the first six weeks of being clean were pretty bearable (thanks to a vacation from work the first week), I feel as though I have now hit a plateau. For instance, just yesterday I tackled the bills and other real-world paperwork that i have put off since August. Thankfully no eviction or other serious notices, however, there were a few things such as a bounced check I had cashed back in September. Also, not working overtime in upper-land means direct things for my paycheck, i.e. a desperate call to my parents for help with the rent. While they support my decision to do things on the clean and sober track, it also feels like I am 22 years old again and just sort of starting out as an adult.
While I really regret having to call my parents to bail me out, I have to remember that being so hard of myself is pretty much what landed me into Adderall abuse in the first place. It’s a windy road, but I have faith my soles (thank you exercise), my soul & my God.
Woop Woop!
Thanks for telling the truth about adderall. I wonder if adderall is an attempt by the drug companies to keep us, (the creative, non-conformists) in line, or is it just plain old fashioned snake oil? I started adderall because I thought it would help me be more productive but it didn’t do anything but make me into a zombie. My doctor went on vacation and forgot to write me a script so I have had to go cold turkey. I’m glad I found this website, it makes it easier to realize it was just a crutch. I am on my second day, and I feel my spirit comming back.
There is a youtube video of Mike Wallace interviewing Aldous Huxley. This was in 1957 or 58 and Huxley was talking about advertising and drug companies. He was describing what he felt could happen in the future and how propaganda would be more sophisticated. A lot like what is happening now with so many people on multiple drugs to control their moods. Read about George H. W. Bush and his being on the board of directors for Eli Lily. When Bush was vice-pres under Reagan, he was influential in creating a positive atmosphere in Washington for the growth of big pharma.
(Above: It’s not my Website, just my story about raising my son. I be grateful to learn you read it.)
Probably a rare personal trait (for an Adderallic) would be mine: I’m old at 67 years. After about 200 runs on Adderall in 15 years, I finally flushed the last half of my last vial. Panic! You say I’ll be better in 6 months?
As I go, I’ll keep reading your well done essays and advice, Mike.
Don
Would these (spot on) qualities be as equally prevalent among all users of FDA approved stimulant meds for ADHD treatment?
YEP, thats me. Haha. I’ve been off adderall for about 3 months now and every time I want to make that call to my Doctor to get my script refilled, I come to this site and read the articles over and over to remind myself I can continue to beat this no matter how bad my day feels.
I am continually surprised that after the first month or so, I can get through days, weeks, months now without it and I still have a job, my boyfriend and fit in my clothes. Lol. Those were my fears, and sure I take more naps now and go to bed earlier (like a normal HUMAN haha)- but I also laugh more, sing more, dance more, have started running and have started to want to have closer relationships with all my friends again.
IT IS SO WORTH going through bad parts of withdrawal once you hit the 2-3 month mark. I wish everyone luck who is going through this process. Thank you MIKE for this amazing site, I KNOW it is saving not only me but many, many others as well.
Thank you.
Wow you nailed it
Okay I just discovered this website this morning b/c I forgot my Adderall and realized it while waiting for the subway. I quickly googled tricks to keep me focused at my job today b/c I’ve been on adderall for 13+ years now and I’m TERRIFIED every time I forget to take it before work. I just want to say that this site is truly helpful and inspirational. I might make my boyfriend read it b/c he’s not ADD AT ALL and just doesn’t understand how being ADD can affect you in everyday life like just cleaning up after yourself or not forgetting everything. THANK YOU FOR THIS SITE!
The best description that I have ever read! Its eerie how accurate this is….. Just so damn eerie.
Mike,
I just read the 7 Personal traits and it makes me feel like that guy who said “Let there be light”
Nice work,
i901
I am the opposite I never knew what it was like to think about one thing for a couple minutes instead of 1000 for 2 seconds each. the first time I took it I felt like a cloud was lifted off of my brain
I’ve got to say you’re right on with a lot of these. But as someone with ADHD-PI, I have to say that Adderall actually makes that little piece of gold inside a lot more shiny, seductive. To me that’s a good thing, as my special talent is wholly achievable. But as your disclaimer says, I’m one of those for whom Adderall is appropriate.
Adderall has destroyed me. Im 16 yrs old and I tried adderall 2 yrs ago because I had bad grades and felt fat. Well now when im on it im anti-social feel bugs under my skin chain smoking and hypersexual. And when im not on it i cant help but eat 6-8 thousand calories a day. I usually take a day or two off it a week. These short breaks added all the weight i intially lost. I feel like if I quit ill become like mega-obese and lazy.(btw i was skinny b4 adderall just insecure but now gained 20 lbs on the breaks). But if i countinue taking it I feel like ill just be some loner who cant laugh or be a teenager. ill be some stupid kid picking at hi s skin and smoking 2 many ciggerettes. I don,t want to be a fat lazy depressed worthless person. And i don,t want to be pissy humorless and smokers coughing either. what the hell do i do im stuck either way?
Adderall addiction can happen to anyone. It tends to target kids with low self-esteem but it can target anyone. from kids who are depressed to old ladies trying to loose weight it does not matter. Bottom line is adderall is a dangerous HIGHLY addictive drug that can easily rip you to shreds.
Hi everyone… I am 31 years old and my adderall story is a bit different. Before I get into the particulars I would like to say that #1 I did have a history of drug addiction before starting adderall. #2 My doctor knew about it prior to prescribing adderall. #3 I am in a very dark place right now and that’s why I need to at the very least get my dosage down. I will try to make this short as I tend to ramble now..(I wonder why??). I first took adderall about 6 or 7 months ago. A acquaintance gave me a couple of her 20mg ir tabs. I didn’t think it would lead to where I am now. Basically I was addicted to pain killers and ended up on subutex which I still take. Its a type of opiate for those who don’t know. For 6 years I have been taking subutex and withdrawals from this med is so awful I don’t even wanna think about it. It makes me extremely groggy,fatigued as well as foggy minded. When I took that adderall I felt like everything I did I could do 10x better! I play guitar..and I could play sooo much better when I took it. To the point where I literally couldn’t put the guitar down. My girlfriend who expects me to be superman and do everything..was always on my case and having little to no energy before to bam! Now not only can I do everything but I was doing extra. Well I went to my doctor and got a script and I abused it badly! I had the dosage increase over the next few months all the while I was badly abusing them and running out in less than a week. I eventually about 3 months ago decided that I would take them more as directed (50mg ir a day). Anyway when I run out I fall asleep at work and while driving! I cannot control this and I was nodding wile driving pre adderall yet another reason it was prescribed. Before I would have to go 3 weeks between scripts but I’ve been on now without any breaks. I admit going and geTtinh extra scripts. I now get little to no positives from it and I’m depressed and anti social. I can’t afford to stop cold turkey and will lose my job or fall asleep at the wheel… I now have to take xanax to get to sleep and also during the day for anxiety that its causing after it wears off. I’m just really stuck and my girlfriend and I are not intimate as the adderall has completely killed my sex drive. I don’t know what to do!
@Michael – Hang in there! You can get control of this. If it all possible, the best scenario might be to take as much vacation time as you can right now and reset your tolerance levels. You’ve got so many uppers & downers flowing through your system right now that you have to keep amping the dose at either end just to be able to sleep and work when you want. That kind of roller coaster is going to keep your tolerance levels shooting higher and higher.
You need a hard reset. If you can’t get a week off, take a weekend + one vacation/sick day if you can. I don’t usually get all hippie about this, but I would even recommend trying one of those herbal detox systems. You just want to take a few days and focus on nothing but sleeping, detoxing, and letting your chemical levels start floating back towards sober.
It’s going to be a very miserable weekend/week, but it should help your tolerance levels. Note that I can only speak for the Adderall. I don’t know how wise it would be to come off the subutex and xanax completely during that time. But if at all possible, you should come off of evertything.
Then, when you have to go back to work, do what you can to maintain without the drugs. Monitor your urges. Figure out for yourself which situations make you crave each drug. At the end of one day, you should have figured out a break down like: Adderall to work, xanax to sleep, subutex to quiet the voices. And as you get the urges, you can step up each drug until you get just enough to take the edge off (but leave a little edge left over). Then try to stick at those new minimum doses until you can figure out your next move.
If it’s not realistic to come off the subutex, may ignore that one for now and focus on the Adderall and xanax.
The other option might be to cointinue taking the Adderall so you can function, while stepping-down the other drugs in the background.
If you can stand it, you may want to consult a different doctor about this. I’m a little skeptical of this guy who loaded you up with high-dose pills even knowing your history. Find a stricter doctor, and tell him your goal: You want to be as little influenced by chemicals as possible, while still being able to lead a happy and normal life.
I should add here that you definitely need to warn your girlfriend first. But ultimately, you can’t let her disdain keep you from getting healthy.
All I can say is WOW!!! So much time feeling like im the only one addicted to this crap! Im almost 36 but have been hidding this secret addiction of mine from everyone! My husband, children, sister, just everyone! I have never been addicted to anything other than coffee and cigarettes, which is bad enough. I cant belive how you narrowed the old trait thing down to the T!!! Why is it without adderall after you have taken it for so long that everything you once lived and strived for quickly becomes so “I wanna crawl in a hole and die”? Im a wife and mother of three that just wants to be the wife and mother of three i was 7-8 years ago! I have the harderst time getting past the idea of how when I dont have adderall I feel like I cant smile. I feel sad and unhappy no matter how hard I try. Like my brain cant do it, totally messed up. Not to mention before i ever took that one little adderall I was the person lighting up the room, you couldnt wipe the smile off my face! Go figure…. Reading on this site surely makes me feel not so alone and that I know I can get past this! Its just goooood to know that I will be able to smile and laugh again without adderall! I can honestly say if I could pick to go back in time and change one and only one decision I would have never taken that first adderall!!! Its funny the one and only thing that can make me feel so on top of the world is the only thing that can make me feel like im burning in the wrath of hell!!! Catch 22 isnt it???
Hi Heather!
You can totally get through this! It’s hard when you first come off and you get hit with that wall of unpleasant feelings. But that gradually subsides if you stick with it. You will crawl in a hole and die. And then one day you’ll crawl out of that hole and be reborn.
Good luck! And please keep posting updates!
Im on my 2nd week of quitting adderal. Sad to say ive been contimplating getting back on. Im actually considering concerta.
I dont know, i wished i d never discovered adderal.
I kinda feel it s like that pill from the movie Limitless.
Have been on 5 mg/day for six months. Never heard of Adderall until six months ago. Aids focus but feel like shit when it wears off. Find myself bitchy and short-tempered with the people I care about most. This stuff is like radioactive waste. No good can come from taking it. I am over it. Sorry I ever took the doctor’s advice to take it in the first place.
Thank you for posting this. I can think of so many times that I have taken (probably too much) adderall and searched online for “adderall addiction” and whatnot, and found scary articles of people who party too much/take it to get wasted, etc. But your article really hit home with me, I feel like it was written about me and made me look at the real reasons of why I even bother doing SO MUCH in the first place. I haven’t taken any in a week and a half… So tired, but Getting my “spirit” back feels so good, and even though it seems like a lot of work to get through every task, it is rewarding to know that I can do it without the super pill. (Maybe just a little/alot of caffeine…) It is just nice to know that there are other people who arent just taking it to be high, but have an addiction to overachieving :)Good luck everyone… I have found that laughing it all off is the best way to beat it!! Its kinda funny when you think about it :)))
I enjoyed immensely your thoughtful article. Unless, however, I skipped over the subject, and didn’t note your observations, there are very cogent reasons for the use of Adderall among patients with seizure disorders, in cases where patients do not respond to SSRIs and SNRI’s, etc. Some seizure disorders require enormous doses of anti-seizure drugs, and anti-depressants simply do not work. Doctors in many cases will prescribe Adderall–since its use in small doses (20 mgs a day) suspends the oppressiveness of anti-seizure drugs. To that extent, Adderall has an unarguable value. Patients behave with the confidence and enthusiasm that they are otherwise unable to enjoy.
@Eric — Yes, I definitely don’t want to imply that Adderall has no legitimate uses. People who take it for seizures (or narcolepsy for that matter) aren’t really my target audience. Very fair point. Glad you like the article!
Reading this, I think I fit every category except one. Over-achiever.
I seriously don’t understand how adderall can turn people into manic robots of achievement. I thought that was what it did to non-ADD people who snorted it in high amounts (read: most of my friends).
I figured that most ADD people were like me: adderall just made it possible for you to do basic things, like get to class on time and do laundry. I took adderall all throughout highschool and got terrible grades.
I took in college and failed out.
It makes it possible to concentrate, yes, but I still retain the ability to choose what I concentrate on. I usually could take notes for about five minutes before I started drawing on the paper. I have notebooks filled with what I call “college-level doodling”.
And I procrastinate the way most people grieve, from denial (I’ll start the project tomorrow!) to anger (WHEN IN LIFE WILL I EVER NEED TO WRITE A F***ING TEN PAGE PAPER ON FEMINISM) to bargaining (If I pull a D on this paper and then do this extra credit assignment …) to depression (why can’t I be like normal people? why is this so hard for me?) to acceptance – or in this case apathy (who gives a fuck about my english grades, anyway.)
That’s when I’m *on* adderall, you guys.
Are y’all on some crazy high dose, or am I just SUPER ADD?
how do you know when someone starts taking it again?
How ? Lack of appetite, they feel distant from you, and they need to drink alcohol at night to “come down” from their stimulant high. So many cns stimulant addicts are caught in this cycle of high-low-low-high. Many of them are addicted to benzodiazepenes, xanax in particular, so they are able to function. Let’s face it, without sleep you cannot function properly. Alcohol and/or benzo’s do the trick. Just so many people know….gonna throw this one out there….dexedrine does the same thing as adderrall, but without the nasty side effects when you want to stop. It’s more pure, just dextroamphetamine…and is much nicer to your body. Yes, its addictive too, but again, much easier to stop when compared to the blue devil as I like to call adderrall.
Like other people’s comments, I too wish I never had discovered adderall. Why? A very long list of why’s. For one, if I had never found adderall, I would had been forced to adapt to the college academic demands, and would have ‘accepted’ schoolwork to be boring and dull BY NOW. Instead, the adderall has acted like a POWERFUL ALLY defeating feelings of academic insecurities, anxiety, boredom, and lack of concentration; deceiving my brain into CONFIRMING I have unchangeable shortcomings, and only through this pill COULD I SUCCEED IN ACADEMIA.
Do I have academic/task management ISSUES? YES! I have conceived this notion that researching, studying or writing a paper for school is ABSOLUTE TORTUE. In this mindset, ADDERALL appears as a SAVIOR from the heavens because I realize just HOW WELL my work comes out, but more importantly because I realize HOW LITTLE MENTAL ENERGY & CONDITIONING I needed to WANT TO DO THE SCHOOLWORK.
See, that’s precisely the CATCH 22 about adderall; it provides a very short-term fix to a LARGER ISSUE in your life, while ignoring the ACTUAL PROBLEM and leading to NO PERMANENT SOLUTION. Adderall is like a “friend” who pretends to look out for your best interest. He listens to you explain A ISSUE IN YOUR LIFE. Looking for answers, a solution, a remedy, a FIX, you seek your “friends” advice and insight into dealing with your problem. Speaking loud and confident, he pieces together a BS plan of action. Your now sold and at his mercy, because “how could he not be right about this when he came off so sure and caring?!?” And then you implement his plan, and quickly realize ENORMOUS IMPROVEMENTS IN YOUR PROBLEM AREA, leading you to believe your “friend” is THE MAN. What you don’t realize, and your friend forgot to ‘mention’ is the RESTRICTIONS it constructs in various areas of your life.
RESTRICTIONS? “Aaa if I ACE my stat exam then whatever, I’ll revisit those areas of my life at another time.” But it is not that easy; it’s borderline impossible when you exercise your ‘friends’ advice on a daily or weekly basis.
WHAT DO YOU MEAN RESTRICTIONS? OK. Taking Adderall quite frequently, especially when abused, kind of molds your life/universe into a predictable, dark and narrow tunnel, with the light at the end moving further away with each additional pill. Sure while fully present in the tunnel you don’t seem to mind, because your measuring every last dimension, while devising what sounds to you as a ‘brilliant’ plot to construct the world’s first double-decker tunnel connecting U.S. and England. And for some strange reason, YOU ARE THE PERFECT MAN FOR THE JOB!!! HUH….last time I checked I never was nor ever will be interested in tunnels nor do I have the background to accomplish such a task. Meanwhile, three weeks have gone by without you even thinking about how far the light has gone. Your unnatural three week OBSESSION with the tunnel has led you to NEGLECT:
1. YOUR DIET
2. YOUR FRIENDS
3. YOUR FAMILY
4. YOUR SOCIAL LIFE
5. YOUR WORKOUTS AT THE GYM
6. YOUR PEACEFUL RUNS/WALKS
7. YOUR SLEEP &
8. Your Mind
Most importantly, leading YOU to NEGLECT…Y-O-U-R L-I-F-E
So after writing my thoughts and you reading them, its shocking to accept the horrendous trade-offs that come with a reliance to Adderall.
*Attaining instant ENJOYMENT & THIRST for previously BORING & Difficult tasks
{at the mercy of}
*Your interests, health, family, friends, LIFE
******{vs}******
*Developing positive HABITS, well balanced days, health, attending class & working hard to remain responsible for work, and opening opious amounts of free time
{at the mercy of}
*Feeling temporarily dreamy & delirious about largely hated aspects of everyday life, aka SCHOOLWORK.xperiencing are felt by other adderall users/abusers.
@Jay – You accidentally wrote a good article or two there. Send me an email (mike at quittingadderall.com) if you’d like to formalize everything you posted into an article for the main blog. 🙂
Dude, this was well written and true. I am all of these with adderall w/o it I would be on chat rms, making funny videos, singing and playing my instruments all day, and watching movies galore. I am in college though and need my adderall so I guess I will be bored the rest of my life.
This is scary how true this is. Even the part of being attractive. Everyone I’ve seen that takes is a really hot girl or (not gay at all) a good looking dude. Even the part about self consious. I’m going to try to quit starting tomorrow. Thankyou
@Ryan – Right? I have yet to see that attractiveness thing proven wrong. Not even one exception.
WOW! I read #1 …lucky guess. #2…okay that was just coincidence. #3…I’m getting freaked out. #4,5,6,7 : This is ME perfectly described. How is this possible? There is definite truth to this article and after 7 shots, it’s plain to see they weren’t just shots in the dark. Great read!
Thanks for creating this site, Mike. I’m not sure I can relate to the people who are saying they have been off adderall for a matter of days and are already feeling better. Kind of a mockery of the addiction if you ask me. It is just not possible; they were not an addict to begin with. I’m currently taking, on average, 80mg daily. Have been taking adderall for several years, but never at the dosage I have currently worked up to. I have tried to quit in the past and have never been successful. The depression, laziness, and loss of interest in life becomes to overwhelming. I also take about 15mg, on average, of ambien every night so I am able to shut my mind and body off. Have been taking ambien for about 7 years. I have completely lost my self identity because of this drug and have grown to resent myself and everyone around me. I do not want to set unrealistic goals, and I am not committing to quitting. I am, however, committed to ‘stepping down’ and getting back to my prescribed dosage. Once I achieve this goal I will re-evaluate the decision to rid it. I just want to speak to that point that the legitimacy of adderall does not matter. Yes, it does have it’s legitimate uses and can be an effective drug for some people, but the addictive nature and abuse of the drug is overwhelming. The implications of abusing this drug is often misconstrued because it is a ‘prescription drug.’
what about the part about us being egomaniacs?!
Here’s another one – we prefer the quick-fix
Mike, please email me at tracour@gmail.com. I’m a graduating senior in high school and I’ve been on adderall for over three years. I was given it at the start of my freshmen year and was hit hard by the negative effects my junior year. I slumped into an empty depression, only made bearable by small periods of melancholy. I was put on antidepressants for about a year. Then i stopped taking both cold turkey. I did this because I wanted my body and mind to feel the pain of being on meds and the earth shattering effect of returning to reality. I couldnt focus on anything. I looked for my heart- my emotions- but found that I could only think about them. Feeling the full depth of emotion I was used to no longer occurred. This was important because I had relied on my emotions to provide for me the “spark” in my life that pushed forward. Not that I was an ever-furious berserker or a self pitying emo, I did not let emotion control me; I harnessed it the way Martin Luther King did (I also lost my talent for public speaking, primarily the pathos aspect). I usually don’t boast about my achievements (like you said, they are never up to my expectations anyway) but now that adderall has normalized me, I can see very clearly those areas in which I truly excelled. Also, I have an IQ of 139, and scored in the top 2 percentile for verbal skills (reading, writing, speaking) and problem solving. And what a waste; now I become overly anxious (tense and sweaty palms) when speaking to more than one person and solving complex problems, once an intimate joy of mine, leaves me doubting my abilities to the point of inaction. I really need to get in contact with you Mike, I want to show people how screwed up this is.
P.S. someone mentioned Aldous Huxley? Also check out his contemporary, Alan Watts. These two understood this dilemma inside and out 30 years before it even occurred.
Plenty of people without ADD take Adderall for an edge and the high of an amphetamine. Then there are the actual ADD sufferers, who experience a paradoxical effect. I actually sleep better on Adderall, since I haven’t spent the day feeling as if I were about to jump out of my skin. For someone with ADD, the inability to filter out noise can be excruciating.
Adderall is the drug that helps me keep my hands and feet from shaking; from being overwhelmed and crippled by social anxiety because I can’t focus on multiple people talking or changing topic and thus feel profoundly alienated; from immediately having to blurt out every thought that comes into my mind for fear of forgetting everything.
Oh, I’m definitely smarter than average, Adderall or no Adderall. The difference between the two is that Adderall allows me to learn in a classroom setting with my peers and take part in group learning. Otherwise I require one-on-one work with a tutor if I want to understand anything, because there’s too much going on in a classroom for me to pick up on the relevant content.
I spent so much of my childhood being told by teachers that I was lazy and what a disappointment I was for wasting my intelligence, and feeling like there was something wrong with me: while I was leaps and bounds ahead of peers in several subjects, a few key areas were impossible to grasp, no matter how hard I tried.
I wasn’t insecure before I took Adderall: when I did excel, I did spectacularly. But even that was cold comfort, since it made no sense to me that others could not understand the things I found so rudimentary, while some of the most mundane skills (printing, operating a car, unlocking doors, judging spaces, basic scientific concepts, etc.) gave me so much trouble that any attempt at them seemed a waste of time. Essentially, I was demoralized by feeling like I was the only left handed person in a right-handed world.
During my first day on Adderall, I actually had to excuse myself to the bathroom and burst into tears: I simply couldn’t believe that I was able to follow the lecture and take notes. Adderall let me experience the world as others did. Which is all I’d ever wanted.
You can laugh all you want at the people who abuse Adderall, but please don’t lump me or the millions of other people in my situation in with them.
I always equate ADHD stimulants with nitro-booster for a motorcycle. It will let you go fast. But without the correct steering you will run the motorcycle into a wall quite literally. Adderall or any other stimulants let you fire neurons faster and maintain focus when the task turns mundane, by keeping the chemicals associated with focus and interest high enough in your brain.
But without proper judgement it is also possible, one can fixate over the trivial or the completely irrelevant and not realise one is doing so. Like I said, the nitro-boost. You still need the steering and considering the speed at which you are operating a strong steering at that.
Citations from a credible source would make your article much more influential in my opinion.
You should really stop censoring the negative comments so that it only looks as if those people who happen to disagree with your unscientific claims are representative of just a tiny margin of popular opinion. I think your website offers a very superficial and harmful view. Adderall isn’t steroids….in my experience these people are often just trying to live their lives responsibly and be good, steady parents.
@Chris – I have not censored a single comment. What you see is an accurate proportion of positive/negative comments. With one exception: I removed an entire page (General Adderall FAQ) a couple months ago because, after considering and responding to several negative comments, I realized that it was setting a misleading tone for the site. The site was never meant to be scientific, and several negative commenters pointed out that the General Adderall FAQ page in particular was making it seem otherwise. I removed it to clarify the purpose of the site and to address the concerns brought up by negative comments.
But your assumption is telling. A lot of people who’ve had good experiences with Adderall (or who learned about good experiences in med school) assume that those are the whole picture, and that negative cases are so few that they aren’t worth worrying about. They see a website like this and assume that I must be censoring detectors and misleading people into thinking there’s a problem where there isn’t. But there’s another side to this story that people on that end of the spectrum miss sometimes, and that’s what this website is all about.
For what it’s worth, I agree that most people who taking Adderall are trying to live their lives responsibly. Most people take it with the very best intentions. It just doesn’t always turn out well. Sometimes it DOES turn out well. Sometimes the ideal Adderall use case comes true. This website is for when it doesn’t.
Also, not everybody who takes Adderall is a parent. I think you might be projecting a little there, unless you meant something metaphoric.
Anyhow, thanks for your comment.
‘Kay, so I just skimmed your article, mainly just reading the titles unless something struck me as interesting. I would say you described me with numbers 4-6. I am pretty smart, or at least I thought I was until I saw that my younger sibling was surpassing me in all of my favorite subjects, electronics, computers, science, and other things.
Your number 2 doesn’t describe me at all, I mean I take a total amount of 90mg of Adderall XR everyday and have been for the past I’d say 11+ years, yet it has never caused me to lose weight at all. In the last 3 months I have lost 50 lbs but this is entirely from me switching to a strict vegetarian diet.
My problem with number 3 is that I started writing a story at the beginning of the year and I did a great job on it. I finished the first one, which consisted of 35 chapters and 50k+ words, and am currently working on the sequel to it and was typing up chapter 13 right before this until I got distracted from my hands being so shaky and wanted to see what the cause was and after a half hour of research found this article. (By the way, I just took my first dose of 60mg about 3-4 hours ago.) Anyways, I am proud of my achievements of writing especially because I have had 30k+ hits on both of my stories. (I upload one chapter a week to fanfiction.net.) Now, my problem with your statement in number 3, like I said I started writing this story at the beginning of the year… that is the first time in my life that I have ever been creative on my own, and even then I reference to so many things in my story it’s almost like I just added comments. This could also be linked with number 7, though I doubt it because I have had many things in my life that I thought might have been my special talent and I am still looking.
I do agree with numbers 4-6 because I have been like that. Except now that I think about it, number 4 doesn’t even really describe me anymore because I starting to not give a crap about anything that isn’t important to me. This actually started 2 years ago when I started college.
Now I admit that I take other medications as well. I take fluoxitine with my first dose of adderall every morning because it is supposedly counter acting the side effects of adderall. Now fluoxitine is actually an anti-depressant and yet in recent months, I have been diagnosed with depression. Let me tell you, it doesn’t help with my depression at all.
I also take clonodine at night, that helps me fall asleep. Though I don’t normally fall asleep until two in the morning. I did recently start taking a smaller dose of it, 2/3 less than I used to. This only because we found out my doctor had prescribed 3 times the normal amount and so I have been overdosing on clonodine for the past 11+ years. No long term side effects have occurred from this overdose as far as I can tell.
Overall, I do think I would be better off without taking adderall in the long run. But I can’t stop taking it because I guess I need it to concentrate. Sorry for the long rant. Your article was very interesting and did open my eyes somewhat.
My jaw dropped when I read the above traits of those who take adderall. It described me to a “T”.
I was aware of some of the aspects that keep me taking adderall, especially my perfectionism complex. I was prescribed adderall for my ADHD, which I have struggled with my whole life. I did not understand when I started taking it , the side effects I would struggle with. It seemed to be the answer to my frustrating struggle with ADHD for so long. But I feel very isolated now and my personality has changed drasticly, I never want to socialize anymore. Thank you for the insightful article, which helps me understand why adderall has such a grasp on me. I hope to quit adderall and find natural alternatives to it.
I seriously doubt adderall is even helping me out now. I’ve been taking 20mg for 5 years, it was great at first but like any other drug its effect doesnt last unless you increase the dosage. Thats something I do not want to do, considering how much of a headache to get a new prescription every 30 days. I have a major feak out moment if I cant get my adderall refilled.
#7- “But there is a catch: that special talent that they are extra-good at, that piece of gold in a sea of silver, is very often something that is unconventional, off the beaten path, hard to make a living off of, and hard to get approval from.”
Boom! There it is. I’m seriously coming to the idea that people with ADHD are not meant for the daily grind. Simply not wired for it. I have all kinds of ideas that I’m terrified of, I am my own worst critic. My biggest fear is I will not follow through and look like an idiot.
So I just recently started taking adderall again, hoping that, after getting my tolerance back, in addition to following some personal rules regarding how, when, and how much, I could control it and it could be a positive element in my life again. Results are good but not great so far, but I’m hopeful. Quitting it for 6 months was incredibly valuable whatever happens because I know I can be happy and confident without it now.
Anyway, one of the main reasons I came back was because of how creative I feel when on Adderall. It’s not that I have a better imagination or am smarter, it’s that my ideas and revelations come to me at rapid speed, sometimes it feels like i get a months worth of sober creative ideas in one day on adderall.
Fascinated by just what it is that makes me feel this way, I googled “adderall and creativity” on google, and I ended up here. So I started reading…
OH MY GOD, while reading this article I honestly wondered for a second if I wrote this myself in an adderall daze and then forgot about it. That thought honestly went through my mind,
I got chills while reading, I’ve never had anything describe me so sureally perfectly. Every one of the 7 qualities just has me dead to rights, the descriptive paragraphs even more so. I’m smart, I’m attractive, I’m a writer, I feel a constant need to achieve something legendary, I’ve dealt with insecurity my whole life (in fact i was very shy when young, adderall helped condition me to be more social in college, an effect I found lasted sober), ect. But still, those are at least fairly broad qualities.
But the end had me in disbelief. My whole life I’ve known how intelligent I am and I’ve known how imaginative I am, but I always hated school and could never bring myself to being a good student, I’d use my intelligence instead to get by doing as close to nothing as possible. I’ve loved sports my whole life but I’m a poor, at best, athlete. I chose film and screenwriting as my creative passion, but the thing with working towards that career is it’s not like theater or musicians where they get to perform for crowds and show off. I spent my whole life watching kids I knew I was smarter then get accolades, watching athletes gain confidence and accolades through achievement , leaving me wondering why i had to be such a poor natural athlete, and even other artists, especially musicians, got to play for girls and crowds and hear roars of applause, and the congratulations of adults.
All these things left me incredibly ambition and incredibly frustrated, I’ve dealt with a deep need for affirmation because I’ve never gotten the accolades others did, even when I often believed that I was significantly smarter then them. Every single day I feel a drive to one day make films that will leave people looking up to me, admiring me, jealous of me, congratulating me, ect. Not to mention show my parents once and for all that I’m not lazy like I was in school, I just needed time. I deeply love filmmaking and screenwriting in the most genuine fashion, but I find that I can’t stop myself from perverting my film ambition into “look at me now” social affirmation fantasies”. Ironically, I’ve been trying to deal with these issues by writing.
The point all being, I still can’t believe how specifically accurate this article is, I honestly feel like I’m being punked. From 1-7 I am this article, and the hidden talent aspect is something I never expected so many adderall takers to share.
I’m still finding my way, both emotionally and in terms of what, if any, role adderall will have in my life, but reading this article made me feel immediately understood. These 7 qualities for me have been a dangerous cocktail that made me crave adderall’s ability to make me feel as confident and powerful as I’ve always believed I should be, but to see other people have dealt with the same exact situation is comforting and humbling, since we all know adderall can make us believe we’re one of a kind in a very arrogant way. I don’t know where my journey with adderall is going, although I now know I’m capable of living without it, but now when I feel that addiction to feeling so intelligent and mentally powerful, I’ll immediately feel comforted that my journey has been so articulately and accurately been described and shared. This is an incredible article, you’ve really cracked a code of what drives a certain type of person to adderall addiction, and you should be very proud of yourself. Thank you.
Sorry for the typos, I should have read over before I posted
Hmph. dotdotdot. I stumbled across this website a few months ago while on one of my adderall binges. Where do I begin? First of all, I wasn’t even going to post anything on here. I just read this entire page though- each and everyone’s comments, and so I figured… ehhh.. why not?
Before I virtually spill my guts onto the computer screen and for the first time, eventhough anonymous, being the most upfront about this ‘secret life’ of mine, let me just ask of anyone who reads this: Please, don’t harass me for my ‘story’. My feelings get hurt easily 😛 No, really, they do. I’m a 25yo female and I’m a big blubbering baby.
k, so…
I’m a drug addict. I am a drug.addict. Of course I hate it, of course I know it needs to change… of course I can change it! I’m certainly neither proud of it, nor am I boasting at all. I just want some feedback. It’s just simply too easy to ‘take a pill’ and go SIIGHH rather than actually DEAL with life on life’s terms (yikes!). A little bit of my background? It all started with RX’s. Lorcet and xanax, which turned into ANY painpills and xanax… then throw a little booze into the mix. Ooo yea, this feels pretty good! My mind is altered, my mood is changed… I’m not moaping around the house (if I even got out of bed) and “woe is me! ohh dear…” Shoot! Why not?
So I started this whole RX shananigans when I was 18. Before the narcotic meds, I was on different anti-depressants, in and out of the psychiatric units, counseling, ladedah. Simply put: I was born into bad genes, genes harnassing those deep, dark abysmyl lows and ever so irritating (to everyone around you) manic highs! Never really pleautued — never really found a middle ground to just… float on through “functionally normalized”. Depression and anxiety. Common amongst many of us!
About the adderall? When did that oh-so-devious wonder pill creep into my life? My first time using a prescription upper, I was about 17. It was actually Ritalin. (I didn’t include that into my RX riddled life when I began a couple paragraphs up there ^) …for a reason though. When I had tried the Ritalin, I didn’t really like it. My friend and I stayed up all night messing around on the computer, laughing, speed-talking about everything and absolutely nothing.. whateva. I didn’t really ever think about the stuff again for years, mainly it just never crossed my mind to take it again. (my brother is major ADHD with what’s called Aspbergers Syndrome, so he’s prescribed it… he IS indeed a candidate for it though, it’s amazing how it really, truly does help him) So basically I had access to the Ritalin whenever I wanted, didn’t take it again though. So he ends up getting switched onto Adderall IR eventually, I snagged a couple one day and was off to the races again! Whoo! Woah now though, this time I LIKED IT. Too much. I thought.. ut… oh… another addiction, good going dumby. How terrible is it that I was STEALING my kid brother’s medication?? That’s sickening- ugh! but, you see… it made me feel SO much BETTER. The depression was gone, I had a little pep in my step, I seemed to be able to communicate with others better (word choice and just socializing, etc.. you know), the whole sha-bang! Of course I couldn’t get away with dipping into his bottle of ads all the time, surely enough,eventually, I did get caught by one of our parents… it was a ‘shame on you! tisk tisk!’ and that was that. They didn’t hide them from me, so I kept taking them here and there, more inexplicably though.
Well that didn’t last long, of course they noticed a HUGE change in my demeaner not too long into the gig. If I wern’t constantly in bed sleeping my life away, if I had ANY energy or “life” to me at all other than the moapy, depressed, secluded, tired, boring girl I was (am?), then they knew ‘something’ was up. blahblahblah. Fast-forward, I know, I’m rambling.
I realized I had developed a problem with adderall right away, actually. Being born into a family where alcoholism and drug-use was an issue and what not, I knew the stuff was wrong for me, that I didn’t need it for what it’s meant for. But DAMN it made me ALLLLL BETTER! :/
We all know it’s only temporary though. As soon as they would be gone, I’d be back in bed for who knows how long- until I found some while lying in bed, calling and texting people asking if they could find any. PEOPLE I HADN’T EVEN TALKED TO SINCE HIGH SCHOOL! I just remembered them to be into drugs here and there when we were in HS. How f*****g pathetic! And be-littling to myself! I flat-out let people know I was a drug-addict just by calling them up, or facebooking them and asking ‘hey… can ya get some . . .. ” again, sickening. Most of their reactions to me asking… HA! They were astounded. No one knew “me” to be into drugs at all in HS. I was the pretty, smart, quiet, band-geek and get-along-with-everyone girl that they hadn’t the slightest clue I would ever ask for adderall.
S’yea, it’s only been about 6 months now in which I’ve been diving into the deep, blue sea of addies but I’m allowing them to control my life— COMPLETELY. It’s just WAY too easy to chemically put a little pep in your step than to actually face life truthfully and earnestly. I know I can quit- I just DON’T WANT TO. I’ll go back to becomming a part of the couch/bed and hating life and ALL aspects of it!
It’s so damn pathetic too, because hey… I won’t lie, I’m not stupid, I’m not ugly, I am absolutely capable of functioning in society just like everyone else, joining the God-blessed rat race and just “BEING” without drugs, it’s just NOT going to be ‘easy’ or ‘fun’ what-so-ever, of course not. We’ve established that much already. UGH.
My bro got switched to XR’s now- he gets 10’s and 30’s. I take what I can get and I’m up to about 100mlg/24hr period. 0_o
I’m also on the anti-depressant, Celexa and anti-convulsant, Lamictal. Those two don’t even ‘work’ for the depression anymore though, as I’ve been on them for 3.5 yrs now. I still take them though because the physical withdrawal feeling from those are majorly poopy. Going to get on a different anti-depressant soon enough.
Welp! That’s that. Sorry it was so long.. I honestly did sit and think of ways to shorten it a whole lot but I couldn’t without sounding even more confusing and all over the place.
One more thing I forgot to mention, real quick– I am an EXTREMIST. And I’ve got ZERO IMPULSE CONTROL.
In a nut shell, I am a pill-head RX addicted druggie who is manic and also depressed (bi-polar if you will), who can’t just say NO and WILL NOT stop at just “one”. etc. “One is too many and a thousand’s never enough.”
That’s all folks. Again, my apologies for the lengthiness, I’m a huge scatter-brained mess. I don’t think I’ll ever find a ‘middle-ground’. >.<
I have never posted on any website, but you nailed this one! I think this is just what I neededbto motivate myself to get off of Adderall. I wasn’t even looking to quit, just trying to make sure my doctor couldn’t tell I was abusing it. Thank you! Seriously, Thank you!
ive got this problem whenever i wanna quit adderall i cant fight my natural urge to pursue my real dream as a pimp. i suppressed it for so long but i cracked under the pressure and just couldnt stop hustlin women and making money, then adderall came along and i could do paperwork and work in a boring office job and turn into the momma’s boy i always wanted to be. please help! i dont want to be a thug pimp like my dad!
I am fascinated by this Mike. I want to thank you for this because not only could I relate to the article, but I really enjoyed reading about everyone’s experience. I didn’t see any that sounded like mine though and I’m curious if you have heard of this……
I started taking adderall about 4 years ago. I developed an eating disorder my freshman year in college. Although it was very different, I only threw up my breakfast. I was never over weight, and was a division 1 athlete. I am totally the type you picked apart in your article. Fascinated…… I stopped throwing up my sophomore year in college. I didn’t start doing that again til my 2nd year into my new job which was 7 years later. I had separated from my boyfriend, lived by myself, and felt empty. I didn’t have the friends like I had in high school and in college. No longer was I labeled as an athlete, therefore I had no identity. People didn’t know me as the star athlete anymore. My eating disorder of throwing up was only after my job got out. I would binge and purge. After about 2 years of doing this I felt like I have no energy or zest for life anymore. I was the one in grade school and in college that everyone looked for energy through. I was always happy, full of life, smiling, and laughing. I had a great job, an awesome family, was looked up to by my peers, but would cry and cry not knowing why I felt so low. I would drink heavily on the weekends, then go to work and put on a fake smile feeling very up and down all the time. Mostly down but nobody would know.
This is the point where ADDERAL came into my life. For 3 years I only took adderall on the weekends. And when I say the weekend I only mean I would take it either on Friday or Saturday. Sometimes I would take one during the week but not on a usual occasion. I found that if I took it every 6th or 7th day the affect was better. Plus I really didn’t want to think I was addicted. I felt on top of the world while taking it. It got me out of my bad place. I no longer had an eating disorder, I met some really great friends, I went out and didn’t get ridiculously wasted, I started a small business on the side from my career, I felt like I could actually listen to people and their problems and cared. I wished I felt that way all the time but again, I knew that I didn’t want to do that so I didn’t. In my own head I felt as though just doing it once in a while it would be ok. People commented on how they liked the new me. At about year 2 felt like it was really hard at times to enjoy life without it. So the only thing I looked forward to was that day I could take the pill. But I thought it was ok because it was better than being at the place where I was. I didn’t want to go back there.
When I was on adderall I got all the things I needed to get done that I put off during the week ie, laundry, organizing drawers, cleaning my car, garage, and basement. I enjoyed that next day because everything was taken care of. I felt better because everything was done.
Mind you I NEVER TOLD ANYONE, THIS WAS A SECRET. I was with a guy for 2 years and never told him that I did this. I also had a best friend I lived with for 3 years during this and never told her either. I wanted nobody to know about this. I didn’t want them to know I had a crutch in my life. I was the one that everyone looked up to in my family and a lot of people around me.
Year 3 came, my boyfriend and I split because we both realized it wasn’t working.
I still continued taking adderall once a week, went out, and enjoyed myself. My career was going great, I was taking on more tasks in my career, and life was good. But again, only felt I could really be on top when I was on Adderal and when I was working out. I love fitness and never mixed the two. When I was on adderal I made sure I didn’t work out. I didn’t want to do that.
About 7 months ago I met someone who I truly am in love with. And of course was on adderall and didn’t tell him.
Mind you, I usually drank socially about once a week which was the same day I would do the adderall. So for about 90% of the time I was drinking I was on adderall. I felt as though when I drank and DIDN”T do adderall I didn’t enjoy it anymore. I did not like not being sharply aware, and not in control. Alcohol now, without the adderall made me feel tired.
Ok so back to my boyfriend and I. We have recently talked about having a child and I knew adderal was not going to be good for a pregnancy. I talked to my doctor about it finally (kept that from her too). She put me on 5-htp. I told her I really wanted to stop doing it.
One sunday evening my boyfriend and I were drinking, I wasn’t on adderall, it was an uncomfortable situation where I didn’t know anyone where we were, and I went into the car to fall asleep. I started to cry in hysterics. My boyfriend came into the car and asked what was wrong……
I CONFESSED EVERYTHING. I had never told anyone, but my doctor, about my eating disorder, and my adderall addiction. I SPILLED EVERYTHING.
I think I did this because I was ready to stop, I wanted to stop.
It felt so good after telling him, but I also knew he was someone I could trust.
I told him that I needed to find myself again, I needed to find the things I really truly loved without being on adderall. I wanted to work at finding the Julie who loved life and it’s simplicities.
It has been 3 weeks and I’m little by little starting to find joys in life. I don’t regret taking adderall because I feel as though it got me away from my eating disorder, it motivated me to do things that I felt wasn’t possible at that time, and I was able to meet friends in a new area where I wasn’t comfortable. I was in such a bad spot the 2 years before the adderall came into my life. When I took it I felt like the old Julie again.
I’m making the choice now to not be on it. I’m starting to understand that I didn’t have to be on my game all the time. I don’t have to do things I didn’t want to do. I used adderall to feel and look happy when really I wasn’t. I wasn’t being true to myself.
I feel like my life is in a spot where I can do this.
Who knows where the future will bring me.
I will say though I correlated cleaning, drinking, having fun, listening to others, being interested, to adderall. Since I haven’t taken it for 3 weekend, this is not true about me. I can do all of those things sober. I was creating that in my own head. It was a habit that I created for myself.
I really enjoyed doing the things yesterday that I only did doing adderall and I was sober. It was a mind set I created. I feel so powerful doing this on my own.
I understand it hasn’t been long since the last adderall experience so hopefullY I can keep on this journey.
Namaste
You’ve wrote an article which targets everyone and then gave it “stop adderall” spin.
@Michael – I can see how you could interpret it that way, but a more accurate way to read the article is to attach “more than average” to every headline. For example, everybody is a little insecure about something, but for most people drawn to Adderall, insecurity is a much more pervasive and damaging part of their makeup than it is with the average person.
So running down this list again, I could have said “Above IQ 100” instead of “smart.” I could have said “Above a 5 on the culturally standard 1-10 attractiveness scale.” instead of “attractive.” And maybe “A tendency to place anxiety-inducing, unrealistically high expectations on themselves, and then fall into depressive episodes after not achieving them, while still actually achieving what most people regard as above average.” instead of “overachiever complex.” And maybe “oversensitive to the approval of others in a way that severely limits them, even moreso than most people” instead of “approval addicted.”
Or I could have just pointed to the TV show Community’s Annie Edison character as the perfect example of what most Adderallics are like.
But I wasn’t trying to be semi-scientific, and I didn’t write this for the general public. I wrote it so Adderallics would see themselves in it. And when people describe themselves, they don’t think of themselves quantitatively. For example, a smart person doesn’t think “I have a 157 IQ.” They just think “I’m smart/bright.” Of course, people with an 80 IQ probably think that sometimes too, in a relative way. But when an above-average intellect thinks “I’m smart,” they mean the word in a different context, and that’s the context I meant in the first point…smarter than average. Same goes for “attractive” and every other attribute on this list.
Still, point taken. Maybe I need to narrow the wording on this list a little more. But please know that I meant it to only target a very specific type of person, so if it came off as targeting everyone, that’s a flaw in the words, but not the heart of the matter: Adderallics are very often a particular type of person to begin with, at least by my observation over the few years I’ve run this site.
I started adderal xr after reading a whole section in elle and how it was the wonder drug for Hollywood !! Being a mom and full time work… There left no time for me to excercise, I had to be home to help with school work and be a huge part in all their after school sports and commitments. Need I mention my job was high pressure all dealing with money and trading, but being a mom and wife came first?! So one day as I read this some 4 years go I decided this was the way to manage my life and with the perfection that was not only part of mt job requirements but my own standards in my personal life. After seeing how amazingbthus medication worked … To be able to do “all” like superwoman and never tire or hunger… I realized this was the exact thing I needed. I was started on 10mg but moved to 20 after a week review from my physician. I got fom ap size 6 to 0 and that was in designer zero ( totally different) then my family kept saying how horrible I looked! I loved it.. Everything fit my job was going great and suddenly a moms job of being in twenty places at once was a piece of cake! After much prodding from my extremely over reactive family I stopped cold turkey the adderal .. No side affects btw except the lovely weight gain .. CAN NOT BELIEVE I WEIGH 167 pounds!! I have never weighed that except when pregnant!! I can’t be this heavy!! Nothing fits and it’s all designer clothes .. My shoe size even went a half size.. So I decided to start the medication today! Day one I plan on loosing at least 50 pounds with excercise ( something I didn’t have to do when I was on the adderal before) hope this insight helps.. And yes thus adderal slows ur metabolism and makes u pr appetite non existent , in my case anyway!!
Goodluck to us all using adderal xr 🙂
The first time i ever took adderall was in the fifth grade , my teachers and parents decided that without it i would not be able to get to the same level as the other children and that it would supress my anger. I didn’t want to take it , my parents forced it down my throat 2 years until i finally gave up on beleiving i was’t add/adhd. At the age of 15 my parents got devorced but it never seemed like it was really happened until my mom left me and my 3 brothers and my 2 older sisters. At this point i felt hurt but i could not cry and i put my emotions to the side with pot which slowely led me down a path of distruction drugs were the only way i could stop thinking of all the things inside that i could not get out. I started using painkillers then i began injecting heroin. I did this for 2 years and one day i finally said enough is enough. I switched from using heroin to waking up every day driving to a methadone clinic where i would take my daily dose. I have taken adderall every day at a dose 120-190mg a day for 9 years. i am now 20 years old still on adderall. I son’t think i can stop taking it, The methadone has taken away the little me i feel i had gotten back after getting used to adderall. I can’t explain the pain and embarassment of being content doing nothing everyday. Im tapering off of methadone and after i am done doing that i hope i can try to see what life is life with out adderall. I loved the article it took the words right out of my mouth. For those of you who take it for weight reasons or because your self contious , you have a choice. Give your soul away for a few pounds of fat loss or try a new method. I had no choice . Wish me luck in my recovery… Jake
I feel a burden was lifted from me when i was Prescribed my xr’s. Now im mad at societies dysfunction and lack of understanding of the big picture. I needed it, but occasionally it frustrates me how well it defogs my thoughts. My gold sliver was/is the acute ability to… Well i dont have just one… But i would prefer to do them all at my own pace without adderall. But with medication the outcome of my behavior is much more precise. And timely lol
damn, my script is out, and my dr. is no longer available…. this makes me so much more depressed about it 🙁
hi i have been on adderal from age 17 to age 24..I was recently trasnferred o another doctor.. one whoi hear is more Caring and not quick to give away speed. What can i expect? Do people just stop using after this long… granted it did help me calm and focus i still gained a nice high from this..honestly think i am simple immune from the speed affect under 60 mg. HOWEVER i feel terrible and have cravings…what do u guys expect this doc to do for me>?
thanks
maddy
Thats it , i’v had it with this website , its nothing but addicts trying to justify there behaviour on something other than themselves. Dont get me wrong alot of the posters post’s are just fine like this persons. But the comment sections are just filled with addicts trying to pass off there addiction as something thats not there fault, out of there control. You make the real people who use this medication for legitimate reasons not only look bad, but you also scare of people who could probley benefit from it if they came here before starting. Not only that but some of the doses you guys are listing as taking ARE NOT THERAPUTIC doses. An adult should never need more than a 20m xr to start when they wake and MAYBE a 10mg booster 2x a week for when the medications delivery is off, which happens alot. The quality of some of the generics and even the brand names have gone way down hill. But you people ….. sick….. If you go over the doses I listed even with doctors doing it, all your doing is trying to get high. The ones who complain that, “oh I developed a tolerance” Bull shit, what you did was got use to its effects and your body acclimated so you dont feel high anymore. But the gdam pill is still doin what it was at the start, the only differance is you dont feel the high anymore. Sick Sick Sick, this site is either going to get someone killed or spread so much misinformation that it actually keeps people from getting the help they need. This site is now under report to the fda, medwatch, your hoster and google to be taken off of there search engine.
Thanks for the article! I am intrigued. I am wondering now how many people taking adderall do not *truly* have ADHD. I personally have severe ADHD (psych told me I scored higher on the assessment than any patient he has ever had), so this was an eye-opener for me to realize some people can function/understand others/spell their name correctly without that miracle drug. I just take it to function, period.
hi,
i just thought i would share this. i’m not sure if anyone reads these comments, or, is high on adderall or some sort of amphetamine derivative and simply likes seeing themselves talk. maybe it’s like some sort of “release”.
i would just like to say, there is nothing worse than losing your identity to these drugs. i have been on these medications for almost all of my life. i’ve tried going without them for a year, and my life fell apart…
What I was told?
“The adderall has changed you – to where you cannot function without it.” – so ADD right? maybe adderall induced add.
Manslaughter-It was an accident. I was trying to be responsible by taking Adderall, but i lost control and now I have killed the person i loved most in this world… ME! I’m haunted by ghosts of my happier, more motivated, optimistic, creative and effervescent self. Weighed down by the guilt, I have no self-worth. Pre-adderal-ME is dead and comparatively, this Post-adderall-ME is a fuzzy/ frayed Black and White photocopy of the full-color-original. Adderall is a soul stealing succubus and there is no way to escape her unscathed.
I’m writing in hopes of finding some cathartic commiseration. To share the loss of the smart, witty “easy-going” confident motivated and Sexy people we used to be. because once that script runs out…
Weight gain, apathetic lethargy,lack of motivation, creativity, confidence and social prowess? Welcome to Adder-ulthood!
This made me cry… Every single item you listed hit me in the stomach
Hello, this article is absurd. Anyone, whether they take Adderall or not, could look at this article and say “WOW, that totally describes me!” because it describes everyone. Yes, everyone has a hidden talent of some sort, most everyone seeks to please other people, and everyone has been or is insecure.
Further, comments such as “They’re intelligent and attractive” appear as if they were almost devised for the sole purpose of flattering people into accepting this website’s argument: that Adderall is bad.
Whether or not Adderall is necessarily a “bad” thing, one should not take advice from this website. It is hard research that should convince people, not false compliments and vague horoscopes. I strongly advise anyone with doubts or concerns about Adderall use to talk to a licensed physician, or to consult official research on the matters of their concern using sites such as Google Scholar. Websites such as this one–Quitting Adderall, not Google scholar–give false security at best, and are designed to persuade, not to inform.
Again, just go to scholar.google.com and search for your issue of concern. You will find cold, hard facts that will either assuage or confirm your doubts, and you will be better because of it.
Also, a quick addendum. I am curious, Mike, do you have a medical degree? If not, you really should not be giving advice to people regarding medical issues, especially not involving prescription medication. While perhaps your intent is for the benefit of others, you could seriously hurt someone. In fact, I would go so far as to recommend that you, somewhere in all of your articles, advise your readers to see a real doctor. Doing otherwise is neglectful and potentially harmful to your readers.
In fact, I’ll go a step further. Mike, If you do not change your articles to reflect the need for people to see their doctor on a case by case basis, I promise you that I will do everything in my power to ensure that your website is either modified to include the aforementioned advice, or shut down. I will taking legal action if at all possible or necessary.
Hello, apologies, this is my last post, I promise. Mike, I just found the link on your homepage that included a disclaimer (I am not a doctor, etc). I’m happy that you have such a disclaimer on your site, but I’d be much happier if this note was placed at the footer of your website instead of only on the front page. However, I do apologize for my having not looked at the front page; my research brought me to this article alone, not your website’s portal.
Best,
Steven
(Link for righteous justice: http://quittingadderall.com/disclaimer-adderall-is-appropriate-for-some-people/)
Mike, I don’t know you or what site this is. What I do know is as I sit here at the bar reading this at the age of 32 you are the first one to ever understand what I go through and why I am the way I am. Sorry for the ru on sentence. Now only if my girlfriend would stay with me and understand I love her so much. Age 32 prescribed adderal pills since age 17.
This kinda put me into tears. I never, actually, looked at it in that aspect.
I’m a bit mad at myself right now. I never felt like I could be accepted or praised for anything until I started taking Adderall. I know deep down that it’s completely changed me. I’m working for a company that is very strenuous and hard to maintain. The only reason I can stay focused and energetic is by taking Adderall.
Without it, I feel like the job is not me? That’s not something I naturally would be good at.
All of this is true.
It’s like that drug totally warps your brain And turns into somebody else!
Now, I’m wondering…. The people I know, choices I made, my career, relationships, etc. Did I alternate my path instead of just ME making those decisions without adderall?
I really think that I did. 🙁
Anyone with any bit of self confidence can think this way upon taking a drug like this(Adderall), or cocaine.
Why was the latest post on here deleted? I wanted to show my friend. It was completely funny. A bunch of verbal manure; but that guy was funny. Mr Adaword or something. Put it back!!!! Total Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde. He was definitely on adderall.
I am amazed at how spot on this article really is. I am a law school student who got started on adderall for really bad inattention. I’ve always had self-esteem problems due to my inability to think. It always felt like my tires were spinning but I was not getting any traction, if that makes any sense. I did not get on adderall to lose weight although, I always have welcomed weight loss. I’ve lost probably 25 pounds since I started taking it in August of this year. I’m only 5’9 and I only weighed 133 when I got the prescription. At first Adderall was great, I’d feel on top of the world. Just absolutely amazing. That wore off. Also, I had really terrible side effects initially. My tongue was always swollen to the point of sores on both sides. It was so terribly uncomfortable that I almost stopped taking it. The dry mouth was just unbearable. I have had dry mouth before but nothing like this. It made my teeth feel weird and chalky. No moisture whatsoever. I would go all day without hardly eating but never even realized it until I stood up to walk somewhere and my legs wobbled and I found I couldn’t walk in a straight line. One day I wore high heels to school and could not hardly walk in them. I couldn’t figure out why because I always could before. THen I realized it’s probably because my muscles are diminished from the weight loss. I literally looked intoxicated. My hands shake really bad. My skin sometimes gets splochy red and I’ve seen my face and hands turn purply-blue right before my very eyes. That was absolutely terrifying considering I was putting on my makeup when it happened. It was like one of those Loony Toons cartoons when a character gets mad and just fades to bright red. I think it’s Raynaud’s (sp?). Too scared to go to the doctor for fear they’d take me off of it so Raynaud’s is my Google diagnosis, and I actually think it’s right.
Anyhow, for the first month or so, the thought of eating NEVER occurred to me. I lost so much weight so fast, which I had gained during my first year in law school, and now that I lost it and then some I am very obsessed with appearance to the point that when my script runs out, I worry about how much weight I’m gonna gain until I get it filled.
Oh, and I have been working on a paper for weeks now that I can’t get done because I am so OBSESSIVE with making sure every sentence is just perfect. I have been questioning myself about this for days because I just don’t understand why I’m so incompetent when it comes to finishing this paper. Then just last night I realized it was because I am lazy, and I procrastinate, and I am a perfectionist. I’t impossible to meet deadlines when you are procrastinating on the internet all night looking for a specific pair of shoes and you’re also detail oriented. It’s just like the poster said above, it isn’t good to be able to focus on all the wrong things. I try to do my work and I just sit there and stall out. I don’t want to do the work and when I finally do, I am so particular on every single sentence that I’ll work for days and only be on page 5. It’s insane! I feel guilty, I feel like something is wrong with me, and I feel bad because I know that it’s my fault I’m behind because I wasted so much time doing other things. …yet, I don’t want to stop. I spoke to a friend about this today, and he asked what would happen if I stopped, and I replied, “I’d get fat.” It’s a weird addiction, if I have an addiction, because I don’t crave anything as far as symptoms if I don’t take my pill. It’s all mental with me, or so it appears.
I also waste more time than anyone I’ve ever met. I have, on several occasions, stayed up all night for days and days just browsing the internet. I think I stayed up 4 days in a row one time, hardly even realized it because I didn’t feel miserable the next day like I didn’t sleep. The weird thing is that I can always go to sleep, but on Adderall, if there is something I’d rather do, I can just stay up. I can just go on and on. Great job with this article. It’s nice to know that what I think I’m going through really is what I’m going through. Someone out there gets it.
I’ve just got done reading a lot of this blog. I’m 60 years old, retired, and realized that I’ve been ADD all of my life. I just didn’t know what it was until now. I’ve taken a bunch of those online ADHD test and they all say that I have all of the ADD traits. Long story short, I just want realize my artistic potential. I can’t seem to get it done. Procrastination!!! Etc…
I have an appt. to get evaluateded next week. My question is do I want to try Adderall? Is it something that, if prescribed, you really want to take?
I just want more drive and focus. Mike
This article might as well have been my biography.
you guys should try detoxing off opiates. adderall is a godsend to people trying to kick hard habits. sure it sucks coming off of anything but please try to get a grip. adderall is called “kiddie coke” because there arent any real issues with withdraw or physical dependance. give yourself 3 days and youll forget about it, unlike real hard drugs that make you want to rip your skin off when you dont have them….
It all started for me with a prescription from my doctor for 10mg a day, which after many years turned into 60mg a day and up until about 6mo ago I was taking double what I was prescribed. I had taken it for over 10yrs and couldn’t imagine what my life would be like without it. I am happy to say that I am very pleased with how I feel not taking it. Thank you for this article. It is always good to get a refresher to remind myself how I can be awesome without drugs. Like my friends say, I don’t need drugs because I AM drugs! Thank you again. Fantastic reading.
Wow, that definitely put some things into perspective. I believe that this is much more credible than the disease “ADHD” that I have recently been diagnosed with. Part of me knows better, and the other part; well this article made it very clear. Now what?
So, I’ve read this article and the comments section many times throughout the years. Almost always on Adderall binges, which I always find funny, and even then usually on the comedown. I feel like the comedowns are eased by reading about other people’s amphetamine addiction experiences. Anyway, yes, all your articles, Mike, hit home. I find this article in particular is always true for people prescribed Adderall in their late teens or later. After the initial honeymoon period wore off, I started to abuse other drugs to minimize side effects or comedowns. I recently failed my most recent semester of college due to crippling drug-induced depression. I could only operate on a mixture of Adderall and other pills. After constant soul searching, I have determined that Adderall is an amazing tool ONCE IN A WHILE for those tasks that are excruciatingly boring. I always admired the kids who only took it for finals week. Now I am using supplements such as L-tyrosine, L-tryptophan, N-acetyl-cysteine, Acetyl-l-carnitine, Alpha lipoic acid, ginkgo biloba, B-complex, fish oil, melatonin, and a multivitamin to good effect. Constant boredom is still and will likely always be a constant issue. Time will only tell if I can adhere to my once in a while Adderall policy, probably not as I am manipulative to myself and others when it comes to my drug abuse haha.
There is this girl I met in college who is prescribed Vyvanse and also has all these traits. I always have a hard time determining whether it’s the stimulants or her own personality at fault for her narcissism.
My personality during the peak of the Adderall high is so desirable. My ego is huge, my friends love how energetic and social I get, and the ladies fall prey to my alpha male status. People come to me to resolve their problems as I always have an answer for everything and anything.On the comedown, the times where I’m not irritated by everyone, I open up about life’s issues and people, especially women, love this emotional side. These extreme mood swings harmed most of my relationships in reality. It is not sustainable.
Also, I find it hilarious how many of us are tweaking on the comments section.
This makes me sick to my stomach. I’m a fucking adderallic. I just called a pharmacy to see if they carry the pink ones or the orange ones and the pharmacist totally called me out on it. I asked if it was a common question he received from people that take Adderall. His response was: “It’s a common question from people that are addicted to controlled substances in general…”
Damn.
Lol I dont get alot of you guys in the comments. I’v been on adderall since I was a kid, same dose, same effects. I think alot of you could benefit from actual therapy instead of medications because it sure seems like theres more going on then just add/adhd in alot of these comments. God I also cant wait till we get this generation out of view that thinks it’s ok to blame there actions on anything and everything except themselves. It should be called the generation of blame or better yet the generational example of addict mentallity.
It’s almost offensive how spot on this is. Reading this article helped me look a little deeper in myself, thanks for that. This is well written, and though it’s extremely opinionated and lacks scientific evidence for the trait similarities between users, I feel as though these things aren’t exclusive enough to not apply to people who’d have nothing to do with Adderall… Yet I also see how many of the adderall users I know, who fit ALL 6 of these. I take the physical attractiveness and mental efficiency with a grain of salt still, as I find it hard to truly judge those things as being personality traits that would relate to multiple peoples choice to use dextroamphetamine. Though on the other hand, I haven’t thought up an example I know personally who doesn’t fit under those.
Well written, I’m glad you wrote this, it truly helped me see the similarities in myself and the other users/abusers I know, and most importantly, reminded me that my over-achiever syndrome and approval addiction are both very real problems I deal with in my life.
I am a recovering drug addict. From oxycontin to….well just about everything. I began taking add’s last September when my first nursing clinical started. I was clean and sober for over 3 years (today would have been 4) and I wanted an ‘edge’. This was not my first go around with adderall and I never really got ‘hooked’ only because I loved benzos and everything else so much more…I didn’t have time to abuse the adderall so to speak. This go around I do the stereotypical(as people have already mentioned) add’s during day a couple of benzos at night. I don’t do any other drugs, I actually keep my jobs, and I haven’t dropped out of school because of the laziness and lack of focus drugs caused last time(13 years ago). Add’s keep me motivated. Benzos help me sleep…but…..this time its different. I abuse the add’s and take 1 or 2 benzos(whatever they may be) at night. The adderall gives me energy while making me lazy. I weighed 298 over a year ago and got down to 245. I pumped iron and exercised regularly. In Sept. when I got the add’s started up I have worked out 1 time since and have gained 20 pounds back. Add’s put me in a state of procrastination, laziness, irritation, horrible horrible eating habits(I have no focus so i eat garbage like cookies. I don’t have the peace of mind to cook anything semi healthy). Im on edge and waiting for something to happen…not necessarily paranoid but a feeling that I don’t have time to do anything when the reality is I have all the time in the world. I abuse it. I don’t have a problem admitting it. It gives me energy and thats the only reason I take it. I sacrifice my feelings, character, personality, compassion, and health for a quick boost that allows me to work and go to school with drive. It’s not worth the sacrifice anymore and it’s a false motivation. To the people who take it the way they’re supposed to more power to you. To the ones who can’t I will give a ‘suggestion’ and leave it at that. Get off that stuff. Don’t ‘take a lower dose’ or ‘ take a few days off’. If you could do that you would have done it. Thats what separates us addicts(yes, thats what it’s called. If you disagree thats called denial. Denial is not a river its something that will keep you where you’re at forever). Last but not least, yes it is true that add’s and whatever other drugs that are prescribed have legitimate reasons. No matter how you analyze, slice it, justify, disagree with, or whatever…when you get started on drugs like this you are taking a chance. Same with pain killers. Same with benzos. Some people take them as directed and some dont. Some start out taking as directed and end up abusing them…some don’t. None the less, you’re rolling the dice. I envy people who can ‘do just one’ (of anything). To the ones who can’t you’re not alone. Hang in there. You have to find other things to fill your soul, spend your time on, and find ways to be happy with who you are. God bless and prayers to all.
STM, I have been in the same position, well relatively of course. But I disagree with you saying that it cant be tapered down, I did it with subtex. My story so far… (all time periods quickly estimated) Im 23 now, At 16 I started pain killers and benzos hard for about 4 years, also I was doing and selling every other hard and soft drug. I started “trying” to quit 3 1/2 years into it after I met my wife… methadone 9 months then back to pain meds, finally a year and a half ago I started subtex… stayed on it for a 8 months and tapered down when wife got pregnant. Quit completely then started Adderall to help with school and work. I am tired of it too, even at only 30mgs a day… I can be so much more than this. I want to be just myself, no masks or boosters. I made the decision to taper down today, I did it with subtex and hope it will work with this, I don’t know if it is harder to quit ADD or Pain meds… we will see, I will repost after I am sober and along the way. Good luck to you brother, and good luck to all others quitting. Also Mike you are very observant and smart and a very good writer.
What’s wrong with taking a medication to better your life? Why don’t people just see it’s a treatable condition, it’s when adderalics become competitive in the work place that’s when the problems begin
When one reads an article about medication you expect the writer to present objective evidence. The only thing REMOTELY considerable was the first point about “Above average intelligence” but you never presented a single study and simply wrote in sweeping generalities like the poor writer that you are. The point mentioning attractiveness is what immediately set off alarms. It’s painfully obvious you’re trying to hook readers by flattering them and/or “hit home” with your vague “experiences”. There’s absolutely nothing credible about this article. I don’t understand why it’s so high on the Google search inquiry.
TL;DR Mike your article is a complete joke. Nothing credible about it.
I totally agree with everyone who says this Is great stuff. I’m talking about the article not the adderall. We already know that Adderall has its good/bad points. Funny thing about adderall for me is I started taking it because I was experiencing what I like to call Brain Cloud. The atmosphere was heavy on my shoulders. I to am very aware that it is not necessary to take adderall to have this feeling of brain cloud taken away. I remember a year before I started taking adderall that reducing my carbohydrate intake gave me incredible energy and no more brain cloud. The worst thing about taking adderall for me is that I have a craving to use nicotine products. The reason I never stayed with the low carbohydrate diet was because of the busy life that I have placed myself in. I’m a single Dad and finding the time to work, workout and eat healthy by preparing meals at home is near impossible to manage without feeling like I’m living like the animals in the wild. That is constantly searching for the next source of food to survive. For me it’s adderall and I can live life like the other slaves of the world or be a slave to the natural world of feeling like I’m starving to avoid “THE CLOUD”. Lol. I’m currently and constantly searching for a way out of being an Adderallic. But that’s not how I got to your article. I found your article by googling, “How do they make Adderall”. Not so I can make it. But so I can learn more about it, JUST BECAUSE. Lol. I honestly can’t stop wanting to learn and read and write since taking this stuff. At first I started at 20mg XR and when I noticed its effects only lasted for the work portion of my day I ask the doctor to allow me to become Super Dad. Sadly I only became super annoying Dad. Lol. I couldn’t stop sharing my new scientific discoverys and my personal scientific theorys and views. So I reduced the amount to 20mg a day and only sometimes do I take the second dose. My worst experiences on adderall have been taking the second dose with a load of caffeine. Wow! You don’t sleep. And when you don’t sleep and still continued to take it the next day with more caffeine, you get some real scary thoughts and voices in your head. Ha! Don’t do this. I have absolutely no fears of being an Adderallic. Because from my personal experience being around addicts, I know I’m not one. I could quit any day I want, but, I would have to quit being slave driven by society first. Now, I was a complete Non Believer in God before I started taking Adderall. Because of Adderall I had the motivation and patients to study, Everything. I wanted to know what nobody knew. Who we are, what we are and how we were and are created. Guess what? November 23rd, 2012 was the octave day of my personal epiphany. If an individual has the right intension’s to use this drug to free your mind to go where you want to know the truth about all things then it’s ok. But if are using this drug to get a feeling. You have know business in taking this drug. This drug is an enhancer of who you are and want to be. So get your heart straight before taking. An addict is an addict. Addicts can get addicted to any drug. Because they want to escape from reality. This drug will only enhance your perception of reality. So be warned. If your perception of reality is twisted, then the more twisted your perception of reality will become. -Butchie
BTW. It’s my Birthday. So shut up and read my long ass comment. Ha ha!
Dr. Mike, I totally agree with that attractive shit. Ha! That threw me off. If the writer had any good sense. That person or persons would remove it. I believe it falls in the category of Ignorance..!
Chris, I meant I agree with you.
I have a BIG BIG problem! I am the adderall addict in the article, every single point is embarrassingly accurate, BUT … I have never taken an adderall in my life. I love alcohol but deliberately stay away from it. I cut out most caffeine years ago too. I refuse to be addicted to anything. BUT I am pretty much a failure at life. Everyone thinks I am so smart, talented, etc. but I can’t even find a real job and have to live with my mother since I can’t seem to get it together enough to be a real grown up with a career and success…I have a grown daughter who thinks I just don’t have enough confidence. I don’t really want everyone to realize what a miserable waste I really am, it would kill me, so I keep on trying my best to be all things to everyone. I look in the mirror all the time and can’t understand why so many people keep saying I’m beautiful, I’m more on the horrible side of plain. I wish it were as simple as being addicted and getting over the addiction. in my case it would only add pointless layers on the onion, at the core I still have to deal with what I already am. But I am 44 and still do not know what that IS.
Thanks Butchie for the brain fog info, I am going to try cutting carbs to see if the foggy brain distracted chasing tangents issue gets better. I just think if I could make myself focus and quit going into lala land I might get more done and even manage to get my life in order. It would be nice to actually be what I somehow have accidentally fooled everyone into thinking I am… btw I’ve been this way my whole life, from well before 1st grade. I am indebted to a teacher who gave me the priceless gift of making me believe it’s okay to “fake it til you make it” and it isn’t evil, because it’s all I’m doing most of the time. I am terrified most of the time and people are always saying, “You’re so calm and serene, how do you do it?”
This is creepy accurate. Literally me and all my adderal taking friends perfectly.
Good article. I am a match. I am off adderall now for 2 months after being on large doses for 9 years; I am realizing the temptation to be smart and show everyone how smart I was had consumed me. It led me down a mentally exhausting career path, that I probably wouldn’t have picked if not for the adderall. Now, I struggle at work, because it just isn’t me; but I am working hard at it and hope to bring a creative twist to my work that allows me to succeed.
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Wow!!! this article is spot on. I know that its been a couple of years since you wrote this, but I just wanted to say that you couldn’t have explained it any better. As a “newer” prescribed user of Adderall I became scared that I would become dependent on this medicine and not be able to ever get off of it. A couple of times in my early months of taking it I would take 80mg a day just because I have such high expectations for myself that I make because I feel thats what people expected from me. Being a college student I was trying to get a 4.0 GPA, take care of my girlfriend, impress my friends and teachers with my intelligence while at the same time trying to be a perfect 10/10 in attractiveness, and this article really helped me realize that being perfect is impossible and if I continue to try and be perfect I am only setting myself up for disappointment every time. This encouraged me to talk to my parents, girlfriend, and close friends about how I always felt that I needed to be perfect and not mess up because I thought thats what they expected. To my surprise all of said that they loved me as I was and that all of my achievements were just extra, my girlfriend never cared about some of my physical insecurities (she actually wasn’t even aware of some of them until I mentioned it), my friends just liked hanging out with me, and my parents only wanted me to try my hardest and be happy. All the pressure that I felt that caused me to abuse adderall on some days was all in my head and was completely inaccurate. I started to read this article everyday and since then I Havent abused my medication one time. I don’t even take it everyday, I have also gained the confidence and esteem on my own without adderall and I feel amazing. I am still achieving my goals however I am doing it stress free and healthy I am still with my girlfriend of 4 years now and recently engaged, Still have great relationships with my friends, my parents and family are proud of me, and I’ve gone back to putting my faith in God rather than Adderall because instead of praying for strength, wisdom, other things like I should have I simply took Adderall expecting it to provide me with everything. I’ve landed a good job and am making substantial contributions to the company and they really seem to value my work. Although I still take adderall because I do have ADHD and do loose focus I don’t take it nearly as much and I don’t depend on it physically, mentally, or emotionally. I can honestly say that reading this article about a year ago really opened my eyes and Im so glad that I came across it. Its funny how things work sometimes, I would have never expected that an article on a website written by someone I don’t even know would have helped me so much. So I decided to finally comment on this and Thank you for writing this article bc it has helped more than you know.
I’m on day 18 and was feeling sooooo much better but am hitting a plateau already. I want to work on this project and I have the idea all outlined, everything ready to go but I get scared and stuck and I can’t even start. It’s so embarassing and lame.
I started in August at 15 mg but toward the end I was so sleep deprived I was taking 40-60/day. I broke up with my boyfriend just before I started taking it and he made me feel that the reasons were because I was not good enough…and so Adderall seemed to be this miracle at first giving me confidence and helping me accomplish so much…until it stopped working and I was paranoid and exhausted.
Everyone tells me I’m smart, beautiful, creative, with a ton of potential but I am such a daydreamer and a perfectionist that I struggle with feeling worth anything at all. I also have chronically low blood pressure and fatigue which makes me feel I can never keep up despite having so much drive and ideas in my head. I think the thing I am addicted to the most out of everything is the ability to get what is inside my head out and produce beautiful work that I am proud of. I am about to go and buy some pills tonight because I have some things I want to finish so badly. I can’t believe how quickly I went for “wow, I feel amazing I never want to do it again!” to “fuck, I will never write anything ever again” and then craving it so bad. It really is a psychological addiction.
Also…I’m a thin girl to begin with (118, 5’7″) and on adderall I got down to 112 at my lowest but mostly hovered at around 115. It made me eat a ton though!!! I think it was because it messed up my blood sugar. Everyone says amphetamines make you thin but in my experience it raised my appetite probably in alignment with what I was burning off with the speed.
When I stop taking it (I’ve had a few false starts; 8 days here, 10 days there…now the longest at 18 days) I usually eat a TON and sleep a lot for 3-4 days. But I haven’t blown up like I expected. A week ago I was at 120, today I’m at 117. My appetite is normal to low again. Weird.
My friend just sent this to me because she couldn’t believe the accuracy. THIS DESCRIBES MY LIFE!
-kgraciedavis@gmail.com
I have ADD, and have been plagued with all of these traits before I took the medication. The thing is, almost everything you listed is actually a symptom of problems with dopamine re-uptake. If you look at the functions of dopamine you would realize the insecurity in one’s self, the constant search for reassurance, striving to be on top and make outlandish goals, etc. etc., are all caused by improper re-uptake of dopamine. The only thing that Adderall does for me is allow me to speak my mine without getting my thoughts so jumbled that I can’t fully express what I’m trying to say.
I was 28 years old. Me and my cousin decided to hang out and get a few drinks. She takes out this orange pill with a smile on her face and offered it to me. Although I smoke cigarets, drug attics were weak so therefore could never happen to this strong independent woman, with a great job that allowed me to raise my two daughters perfectly on my own. Me and my girls lived simply but our love bond was as strong as ever, little did I know that, that would be the last I’ll ever know of it. Little did I know That one little pill was about to destroy my entire life in a matter of 3 years. I lost myself, my sweet Loving Bf, my job, but more importantly it ripped out the inner core me and replaced it with monster, and that is what I became, in a blink of an eye my world as I knew it. … Vanished! For those 3 years I did dicpicable things that I Just can’t even disguise. Things are almost back to normal as I’ve been clean near 2 years. I feel very good about life and what the future will bring. And still after that little slice of “hell” i went through w
being on them, i must admit i miss them and stil think about them as if
My best friend is gone, with no return
Thank you for reading
This article is so funny but there are some people out there that need ADHD medication and do not abuse it but I am one that does abuse it. I suffer from the illness of addiction. And it is an ILLNESS. I have been hospitalized 12 times for addiction and a couple for depression/bipolar .
I have been addicted to cocaine, pain pills, which was the worst of my addictions. I would take up to 30 Loratabs a day or Vicodin or whatever I had. I also was on crystal meth, then I almost died of an overdose. My pych. doctor saved my life and helped me get off of all of these drugs.
Then I started taking Suboxone to help with the withdrawals from the pain pills because I kept relapsing. I am told by my doctor that I will be on Suboxone for the rest of my life because my brain chemistry has changed from all the drugs for so long. Then about 2 years ago a friend gave me a couple of adderall. And that was all game on!
Can you guess who prescribed them for me? My pych. doctor. And now I get them from 3 doctors a month and take 4-6 30mg. a day just to function. I am on an antidepressant which keeps the weight on along with a over active thyroid.
Reading these comments has opened my eyed and I am going to start weening myself down tommorrow and try to ween off on my anti-depressant as well because I think I am over medicated with both being high doses. I take 17 pills a day NOT including my adderall.
Signed ,
Over medicated!!!!!!
This article was on the money for me. I am over 50 years of age. I recently started the prescription in the last 6 months. I think like anything you do or commit to……you have to be honest with yourself. The comments I have just read are very eye opening.
The bottom line for me is the following. I truly believe it helps. I take only 10 mg a day. I call it the execution or procrastination pill. It helps me accomplish a tremendous amount in a smaller period of time. I had success prior to this endeavor however this small dosage could be a game changer.
I wish everyone much success with or without the drug. I actually have a romantic interest in a woman who I knew for a long time but recently found out she is taking the drug. She actually helped me decide to try it. Now I see her in a whole new light. She was always extremely attractive and actually worked for me for a brief time. Now my thoughts about her are so different as well as my perception both before and after for the both of us.
Who knows if it will materialize into anything but I thought enough about it to mention it just in case this has any meaning for others reading this.
Stay well, follow your gut and be true to yourselves
this is what you call unity, i also think its quite funny how my thoughts of what to say just keep folding in to the mass that “thankfully” at the very least realizes this common-central thought about adderall.
@mike- jeeze.. enough said. this shit is bonkers.
and whats more terrifying is that all you older people who just started it. have it way better off then those of us who were told it would “fix” us. because now the constant debilitating question sticks “who would i really be?”
this topic is just too big. my thoughts much too scatterd. alls I can say is WoW
but seriously this stuff sucks in the best way.. been on it for 13 years, I’m 22… and it was a rainbow of trials before this stuff, which landed me at 40mg as a skin-and-bone-child, I was able to get off of it for a 6 month sober-stretch, half of which consisted of fear and contemplation; The other of exercise and selfstudy. During this i actually caught my first conscious glimpse of what a natural healthy life is like (what i am like) But, then i returned to ART SCHOOL.. “ZING!” i couldn’t handle the tediousness and organization of everything that all seems to pile up at once, soo right back to the meds i went, with more pressure came a double dose of “contentment” sometimes more. truth is, i forget when the abuse/ self-dosing started, but i know it stuck with me.. and i know this is a cycle from hell. its just good to see that there’s others who hate-loving this talon-gripping jester of a drug as much as i do. so my struggle to kick regulate it and have a sober mind continues.
side note that was severely unedited but i don’t care i just spent the night reading this whole page and with one word comes many when talking on this subject,
to conclude that explosion of thought i gotta say, i used to wish i could give these feelings to everyone for just one day… then maybe people would understand. but then again there’s always another day.
Whatsup Mike. I’m a 16 year old guy and i am a junior in high school. It wasn’t until my freshman year that i started to think i might have ADD. I’ve thoroughly researched ADD and i came to realize that all of the problems i was having matched up with the symptoms. I’ve finally talked my mother into taking me to the doctor next Friday and i was just wondering how they diagnose ADD and if the doctor gives me a prescription for adderall, should i take it?
All I have to say is WOW with the article and WOW with most responses. Reading some of the terms of how Adderall sucks the soul out of you is spot on. I felt like crying while reading them but even though I’m so depressed when the adderall high runs off, i’m so dead inside that I can’t even cry and the horrible state of my life on it. Now that’s sad cuz I used to be able to cry at the drop of a hat.
The whole attractive thing also openend my eyes and the need for compliments. Someone whose known me pre adderall commented on how narcissitic and selfish I became. I was always the type who would ask more questions to the other person and never wanting to talk about myself for fear of looking conceited. Now it’s the complete opposite. social media has made it worse. i’ve become addicted to instagram and making collages for instagram especially when on Adderall. The need for positive feedback constantly is horrible.
It’s messed up any possible relationships I could have cuz if the person isn’t constantly sucking up to me, I’m thinking “um how come you’re not praising me & my looks constantly”
I started it to use as a weight loss since I partake in pageant competitions. It does work wonders for curbing my appeitite but downside is when it wears off I get so ravenous for sweets that it derails my others very strict diet I have to maintain for the pagents – another catch 22. Someothimes i’ll give in to the cravings and binge on sweets, but then I’ll take more adderall and not get all my meals in for the rest of the day. This isn’t a good look when trying to maintain a fit toned physique.
I keeep telling myself I’ll stop after my next show and it’s been a year and I still haven’t stopped. It’s always something.
Another thing I also found is yes on adderall I will clean perfectly, but if i’m on adderall and say on the computer or on instagram, I will stay on that ignroning all my other responsibilities. I now find myself running late to so many things because i’m so focused on somehting mundane like facebook or instagram.
When I’m on it since i’m always rushing my room is in a state of dissarry, like in my mind I say i don’t have any time to hang this up so it gets thrown on the floor. AFter I get my laundry done, i think “hmm I don’t have time to put it away, I must go do (insert whatever mundane task) so by end of week all clothes are on floor, clean mixed with dirty. And when I do have to get ready to go anywhere and if I’m on adderall i’ll tend to focus on finding things in this mess that I probably could live without, but my minds keeps saying you gotta find “such and such”.
Oh and yes the sleep thing is horrobile so I take xanax everynight. Being in the fitness world I am in the gym twice a day (am & pm) so of course when I wake up groggy from xanax and barely sleeping I take half an adderall with my fat burner to do morning cardio and then the never ending highs/lows continue throught out the day, but the time night falls i’m an emotional mess creating arguments with what few people I do have left in my life, so then I gotta take a xanax to mellow out and stop focusing on the thoughts that are causing me to pick fights with everyone……..ugh after wrighting all of that it’s damn scary what I got myself into just to stay fit and not feel hungry
Btw, i’m prescriped 30mg IR twice a day (on them for a yr, I’m 36), lately i’ve been breaking them up in halves and just popping them through out the day so I don’t even know how much I go through
To Daytoday what your wrote “I lost myself, my sweet Loving Bf, my job, but more importantly it ripped out the inner core me and replaced it with monster, and that is what I became, in a blink of an eye my world as I knew it. … Vanished! For those 3 years I did dicpicable things that I Just can’t even disguise. ”
Hit so close to home. I too lost the only boyfriend i now realize was the best thing to ever happen to me, but on adderall i became a ridicoulosy bithcy self centered girlfriend. Him breaking up with me on adderall made the breakup that much worse because that’s all I could focus on. Leading me (as you said) to do dispciable things that I know if I wasn’t so hyper focused on the adderall i’m sure I could’ve just let things go. But every comment through our break-up made my mind wander to other comments which then snowballs into so many negative thoughts that you keep focusing on, which just leads you to become a monster.
It’s gotten so predictable that my mornings when I first take it i’m the happiest, i can do anything, I text so many people, but night time I’m agitated at everything, hate the world, hungry and don’t even have a clue as to what could make me happy by that point..it’s just sad
The truth is adderall is just another drug. It is addictive if you abuse it just like anything else. Adderall does not make you lose weight. Exercise and diet do. Adderall doesn’t make you smarter you do. If someone is taking adderall and doesn’t have this realization…. It doesn’t matter…. Time fixes everything regardless. Adderall made me face my problems. I’m labeled as adhd. I have beautiful wife and a four kids that are beautiful. I have a dog that I need to pay more attention to. I also have myself that I need to constantly keep in check while staying positive. That’s what adderall does. It will help people make sense of their lives if they need it. Stop labeling people. You have no clue what anyone feels. I know this because I thought I did.
Yoshi
Middle school dropout
Making close to six figures in corporate America
Family was drifting
money or love?
I stayed true
Anything can be bad if you label it and rip it apart.
i want to be rich and famous, and my family be wealthy forever, and i want be intelligence in my speech, in the school, in the public, to be creative also. for contact 08074965370
This is a great article! Although, I can’t be sure about other people’s hidden talents, I’d say it was about 95% accurate to me and the people I know. Very impressive. Thanks for sharing.
This list is false and written by an idiot. Drugs don’t discrimate. Adderall is speed. So you’re telling me that all people who take speed have these traits? You are all obsessed with yourselves. You all know nothing. This is just propaganda for the amateurs in life. Excuses and mental
Lethargy. I don’t need a wheelchair for my mind. Adderall is for losers and the weak. Life is for the strong.
Great information. Lucky me I discovered your website by accident (stumbleupon).
I have saved it for later!
I just read this while waiting in the doctor’s office waiting room for my appointment. Yes, with my adderall doctor. Crazy how true this is. Insane. I am trying to ween off. Not easy. I must give and create and create and create! Ha, ha.
WOW, TO A T, SIR! I want to graduate in fashion merchandising, and I also love business–would like to be buyer someday. I live in SE Missouri, so my mother nor family approves, and they also don’t care about, or have ever supported, my talent with fashion. 🙁 sad times. haha. I’m 24 and only lately have finally realized that it doesn’t matter what the southern baptists of missouri think of me. 😀
Also have always been thin and had above average looks, but I’ve never needed adderall to be thin. I’m quite a perfectionist about my appearance though, one eyebrow out of place can drive me crazy all day lol. Insecure and an approval seeker. Normal amounts of emotion–not a fake-drama filled life or the opposite. Very rational and matter-of-fact (why beat around the bush?), but goofy and can Always make fun of myself.
This was fun! Loved it!
Wtf is this circle jerk, is that articulate enough?
I’m actually a little baffled at how spot-on 1-4 and 6 are for myself. Now obviously EVERYONE thinks they’re above average in every respect (Illusory superiority, according to Wikipedia) and of course the Forer effect comes into play here as well. Still, I’ve always considered myself as not only artistically inclined but also eccentric and really “out there” for lack of a better word. I’m definitely an overachiever when it comes to certain things (albeit a very selfish one), and by that I don’t just mean actively working on something, I mean I will set ridiculous goals even if I’m aware that I may not have the time to fulfill them. I won’t touch too much on intelligence and physical attractiveness cause I know that’s just going to come off as selfish, but nevertheless (yes, I do consider myself above average).
Anyway, I can’t tell if this article is trying to say that Adderall is bad or not. On the one hand it could be seen as a way of “cheating” I suppose. That’s not necessarily a bad thing. Still, I consider Adderall to be essential because I feel like it unlocks my potential. I’ve always had big aspirations (again, self-centered ones but nevertheless “grandiose”) but it wasn’t until I started taking Adderall that I’ve really been able to act on those aspirations. It makes me feel accomplished and worth something. So maybe some people would call it bad and artificial, but I would say that as long as it makes your life feel fulfilling and worthwhile at no great expense to those around you, then where’s the harm?
(Actually, I’m in the process of researching potential long-term effects of Adderall usage and whether I’m someone who actually needs it or if I’m just another victim of drug abuse…)
Well plain and simple put I figured everything out on adderall somtimes too much. It boosted every quality I have and has changed my life positively……
Adderall is a life saver for me personally
I’m 23 and graduating with a bachelors degree in business management and a minor in industrial management this December. I give all the credit to adderall. There is no way I could have made it this far without it. Iv been on almost every ADD/ADHD medication know to man and have been taking adderall since I was 17. I started on 20mg per day and have increased over the years to 150mg per day. Although I accredit everything I have accomplished in my life up until this point to adderall; it is the worst thing that has ever happened to me. Everything u said mike was spot on and actually made me laugh out loud it was so true…. upon graduating in December I plan on getting off these pills so I can regain control of my life. I’m 100% addicted to a prescription drug and it has turned me into a person I hardley know anymore.
Personally I believe that Adderall slowly robs you of yourself by making you enjoy doing things that you would never do without it. Adderall makes you a completely different person that is not you.. Taking ADDERALL you basically live the life of another person. Adderall takers have above average intelligence? No Adderall does’t make one smarter. You either are already smart or you just feel like your smarter then you are because of all that dopamine. Adderall makes you a perfectionist and makes you shed the extra pounds.. Adderall actually makes you ugly in the long run unless you take kiddie doses. ADDERALL makes you age must faster. Adderall robs you of creativity it just makes you a working machine. Adderall makes you insecure in the long run. It’s just in its nature to make you strive for perfection. Its pretty much just like ocd.. and lastly every human being has limitless potential. Everyone is good at something. It could just be one thing but there is a thing..
Adderall just makes you over ambitious. It gives you fake confidence in everything. Sometimes you just have to watch yourself on this drug to see it.
There is nothing wrong with taking adderall. But in the end you may just end up pursuing a career and a life that you would never pursue without it.I know its not for me. It makes me feel superior to other which completly goes again me. I know we all have potential to be anything we want. We are all good people there are no winners and no losers. Sometimes all that one needs is starting point which he cant give himself. People need to be guided not abandoned. Adderall makes me do things for others not for myself. It makes me care about what others think. It’s gives me confidence which is hate. It’s very easy to tell when someone is on adderall but only when you are on it. Off it I doesn’t matter to me what others do or what they take.
In my opinion all one needs is 5-10 mg of adderall. Many people fall in love not with the focus but with nostalgic adderall feeling.
AND IF YOU TAKE THIS STUFF AFTER HIGH SCHOOL you should just stop and look where your going with your life.. Because if your trying to major in something which doesn’t interest you without adderall then its not the job for you. Do society a favor and do get a job in something which you aren’t passionate in.. ITS ALL IRONIC BECAUSE IM ON AMPHETAMINES right now otherwise I WOULD’T EVEN CARE ABOUT SOMETHING THAT I DON’T CARE ABOUT. The minority of adderall like me and you are on this forum only because of this drug. Want natural Adderall. Try h-tp and tyrosine, a good diet and exercise in good diet I mean high caloric diet. After Adderall you will need this.. Its funny how Im on the drug and Im ridiculing others adderall takers.
If you claim you are addicted to this drug have you taken more then 1 week off this drug. Have you checked your diet. Do you exercise.. Its very simple to cure the adderall addiction if you have patience. This drug depletes the brain so much. It screws with it.. Your addiction can cure itself if you isolate yourself from the drug.. Its very tricky because adderall is like a parallel universe. Is a high gpa really worth adderall. Gpa does’t mean shit. It only shows people that you are fit to work on long boring tasks. The only way to get past the whole gpa is being exceptional at something. Collage is’t for everyone. Who needs a diploma when you can be self made. You just need to understand other people. You need perspective from every angle. Then find the one thing you see from every single angle and that’s the golden idea. I know I’m not gonna be wasting my life to this aderall doing shit I don’t wanna do. With adderall you can live a mediocore to shitty life and love it. One day people will know my name. With adderall I will die a nobody and i will waste more time doing thing like this.
IF you need help with an adderall addiction please contact me at anthony.chavtelski@gmail.com
FUCK ADDERALL. SPEED IS THE WORST DRUG OUT THERE ON EARTH. ITS WORST THEN METH.
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Oh my god, it’s like i just looked into a damn mirror. I think you just described myself better than I could have possibly put to words. I usually hate these types of psych articles- they are usually bullshit, but you really nailed this one on this head. Props to you.
Although very accurate in terms of how we see ourselves, I will have to respectfully disagree that everyone who is on Adderall is an addict. True, many of us do not find our inner answers through our pill; but that is something that is innate in human nature (looking for things outside of ourselves to cure what’s inside).
To classify Adderall-takers as abusers of this concept is moot as most everyone struggles with their inner selves and what would really make them happy. To say that drugs cause this unhappiness is strictly reinforcing that this article looks on the outside of a person to diagnose what’s on the inside.
I understand it’s a highly addictive drug, and I also understand how it can be misconstrued as a poison and how everyone needs to get off it/it’s evil/bad for you/etc. However, it does something for me that I’ve never been able to do on my own: it lifted that cloud in my head that I’ve been stuck in my whole life and gave me an opportunity to pursue my dreams with all that I have.
Does it take some adjustment? Yes, it most certainly does. Will you succeed on the outside first before succeeding on the inside? Yes, most likely. For that’s the easy part. But once you have no more excuses or places to run to inside of your head, you have the focus and drive to figure out how to tackle the inner workings of your mind.
And that is something I would never have gotten to (or would have experienced much, much later on in my life) without the aid of Adderall.
Life boils down to a choice. I can choose Adderall and get the outward confidence to then achieve inner strength and peace (but perhaps get mistaken for being an addict), or I can choose not to be on Adderall and struggle with my life like I always do, constantly frustrated and desiring some sort of outlet that I will never be able to achieve because that cloud will always be blocking me. But at least I won’t be considered an addict!
I’m not saying you don’t have valid points, and I’m not saying these posts above me are an inaccurate portrayal as everyone goes through their lives with their own revelations. I suppose mine is to provide a flip side of the coin in order to establish an understanding versus a fear based on a drug that has been abused but has also been a life saver.
i used to take Adderall, and was a adderallic but would popping adderal help me write a song
This article completely rubbed me the wrong way! It does “not” make you smarter, people who take are not above average in intelligence or any more beautiful than the next. The drug only makes an individual taking feel they are. Research has proven this, that there is no change in intelligence only that the person with whom took it perceived they had done better than there peers but in reality they had not. This is a drug to not take lightly it can do more damage than good to ones self as well as to those around them! This article makes it sound like the beautiful, the smart, and the over-achiever are the ones that either take it or should. This for a problem a serious problem and if not taken correctly can to do more harm than good! Do your research: The research team tested 47 subjects, all in their twenties, all without a diagnosis of ADHD, on a variety of cognitive functions, from working memory — how much information they could keep in mind and manipulate — to raw intelligence, to memories for specific events and faces. Each subject was tested both while on Adderall and on a placebo; in each condition, the subjects didn’t know which kind of pill they were receiving.
The researchers did come up with one significant finding. The last question they asked their subjects was: “How and how much did the pill influence your performance on today’s tests?” Those subjects who had been given Adderall were significantly more likely to report that the pill had caused them to do a better job on the tasks they’d been given, even though their performance did not show an improvement over that of those who had taken the placebo
Read more: Adderall May Not Make You Smarter, But It Makes You Think You Are | TIME.com http://healthland.time.com/2010/12/21/adderall-may-not-make-you-smarter-but-it-makes-you-think-you-are/#ixzz2o3ppen6P
u my fantastic sir really are a fudge paking homo
You’re an idiot. Your article contradicts itself over and over. Not only that, but of course you’re going to get a shitload of comments saying “YOU NAILED IT! THAT’S TOTALLY ME!” because you throughout the entire article put them on a pedestal! I don’t understand what your main point is. Quit Adderall and have an inability to focus on what you WANT to do with your life or use Adderall and succeed at whatever they choose? You have to remember that being on Adderall is likely because of ADD. And, yes, ADD or ADHD tends to make one very abstract in the way they think, the person usually is very creative and perhaps one day we’ll just equate ADD with being artistic. But you know what? You still don’t get paid shit. Also, I’m a great writer and have been since a very young age, but I don’t want to do that for the rest of my life.
I want to be a doctor.
You seem to want to be beaten up.
@Christopher– I think you may need to reread the article. He’s not putting people who abuse Adderall on a pedestal; on the contrary, he seems to be saying that they’re already good without it and often don’t need it. As a sufferer of fairly severe ADHD myself, we are NOT the target of this profiling of abusers. This is a profiling of reasons people might take a pill that makes them feel like a god for a few hours. Pretty much every section could end with “…but they don’t need Adderall at all! They just can’t see it that way!” Quitting Adderall would be a disaster for people legitimately using it; thus the disclaimer on the site saying as much. This is a site for people who abuse it and want to stop an addiction they feel is ruining their lives. Even as a prescribed user, I can totally see that. My darling Addy, so sweet when you love her and so vindictive if you turn.
i think this is all BS honestly… i have many friends in college that take adderall and honestly, most of them are total retards when they are not on it! They aren’t hot, but they all think they are, they even say it that they are hot.. it’s ridiculous! I don’t even know who has ADHD and who doesn’t, because i learnt that one of them was saying she has it but it turned out she was lying… it’s just a shit show, that’s what i think.. people who can’t focus and get decent grades take such pills! if having ADHD is due to lack of attention and stuff, then i have it too!!! i can barely focus, and cannot focus on two things at a time! I dont think im sick, i think i am human! i have some times that i can study and other times when i just need to go on netflix! I personally think it is SO unfair to all of the people who don’t take such pills and do good in school, and then the people that cannot make themselves focus and actually suck at few classes excel in those and beat the ones that actually deserve those grades! one of my friend is so god damn stupid and she has a 3.8 in college…. she didn’t even know whether each state is an actual country and she was confused what the US is.. another one is a drugs addict, a third one thinks she’s the most beautiful person ever (she’s so not) and she just has this really dumb attitude…. grow up people, ADHD is BS…
This is the most amazing artical I’ve read, it nailed my carector trates down to a T, I’ve never read anything in my life that makes so much sense to me! Ever sense I was young being very unhappy with myself because all I want to be is smart everything in this artical is so amazing to me, I’m 19 and before I read this artical I felt like I was even mentally sick because of the way my mind works and thinks, I’m a very emotional person I’ve cried and punished myself for not being a smarter person, just wanting to be a sucsesful person, to be smart. My self confidance has always been so low crying cause I feel like complete dirt thinking I’d rather die then feel this way. I grew up on a farm and was home schooled I always hated sitting down and doing school when I was young cause I wanted to be out side doing something active, my mother didn’t have time to really teach me anyway so I didn’t have much schooling finally when I was 17 I got so depressed because I was still on the farm with next to no education feeling like the scum of the earth so one day I packed my bag and walked out the door on a very cold rainy day in March and walked nearly 15 miles in the freezing rain before Somone gave me a ride the rest of the way to town. I loved my mother very much it made her cry to see me leave but I couldn’t be trapped anymore, I knew if I stayed at the farm I would end up killing myself I was begenning to be very reckless on my snowmobile not worrying or even caring about if I where to crash and break my neck. I didn’t want to die, I wanted to be sucsesful and I would die trying.
So i made it to town and sat inside mcdonolds for a long time wondering what todo using there free wifi, eventually night came so I went to a gas station and sat out side I was still wet and cold from all the freezing rain so I was very cold I don’t remember where I slept that night I know one night I slept in a park. To make a long story short I got a job doing dry wall and tried to do my best at it , it felt good to have a job and make money I felt good, then I got a job for a construction company, my boss loved he told me I was the best teenage worker he had ever met that felt good. My feeling of being sucsesful stoped when I desided to go to a privit school to get my high school diploma… All of a sudden everything that made me feel good about myself was taken away. I would sit in my chair and put my head on my desk and cry most everyday at school cause I didn’t understand anything the teachers where teaching, I was ashamed I was an 18 year old man that didn’t know shit, I was put into the pre algibra math class with all the fresh men’s. I felt as tho everything was taken away from me… I used to be this hard working guy that had respect to the scum of the earth, the teachers and my
Touter wondered why I was struggling so much so I got tested for dislexia and it ended up that I had it, yet another set back.. High school was rough, life was rough, feeling very alone like no one understood made me fall in love with drugs they where my escape weed made me come out of my box made me forget about how I felt like scum, it raised my self confidance, I started smoking when I was 17 and it was my excape from pain and depression, I also was addicted to marb reds, so when I got to school and wasn’t able to have any escape it was deathly painful to face the painful reality. I thankfully graduated high school after a painful 9 months of getting into trouble and working hard on school, my mother is the only reason I was able to graduate.
Always wanting to be a sucses, and feeling like scum. Aderall opens my mind up, for the first time I could actually feel smart and be focused on school it is an amazing feeling, this artical is right on , it’s like reading about myself,. Amazing, I guess I’m not the only one out there lol… I’m tired of typing on my iPhone so I’m going to stop but aderall gives me the drive the motivation the ideas the feelings that I’ve always craved with a passion my excape to happiness, the feeling of being sucsesful ect.. Just read the artical again and u will get it…
Friedrich 19
If u don’t understand this article and it just sounds like BS to you, then it’s not for you everyone’s minds are different. If you want to disagree then go ahead it’s your choice.
But I think this article can help the few that understand it…
HOLY shit. I love to write. I was just about to try and take addy after 3 months off but fuck that, thank you.
ADDERALL HAS BEEN OFF THE MARKET SINCE LATE 2006 ( SO HAVE ALL OTHER PHYCIATRIC DRUGS) THEY HAVE BEEN REPLACED BY PLACEBO. DRUGS HAVE BEEN REPLACED BY TECHNOLOGY. THEIR IS A TECHNOLOGY OUT THEIR MANUFACTURE BY SIEMENS. ITS A BRAIN COMPUTER INTERFACE DEVICE AND IS IMPLANTED INTO THE NASAL CAVITY. IT CONNECTS TO THE CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM. IT IS CONNECTED TO THE SIEMENS NETWORK AND THE INTERNET VIA WIRELESS DATA. IT HAS A FUNCTION IN IT THAT ALLOWS YOU TO BOOST NOREPINPEHRINE AND ACETCLYCHOLINE. ACETYLCHOLINE CAUSES THE RELEASE OF DOPAMINE, NOREPINPEHRINE AND EPINPEHRINE WHILE NOREPINPEHRINE CAUSES THE CASCADE OF OTHER NEUROTRANSMITTERS. IN OTHER WORDS THIS TECHNOLOGY MAKES YOU HAVE WITH THE TICK OF A CHECKBOX IN THE VISUAL OVERLAY THAT YOU GET TO SEE THROUGH YOUR VISION.. THEIR IS NO REASON TO QUIT ADDERALL ANYMORE BECAUSE ITS ALL PLACEBO, THEIR IS NO MORE AMPHETAMINE IN ADDERALL SINCE LATE 2006. AND BESIDES WHATS WRONG WITH FEELING VERY VERY HIGH!
STOP WASTING YOUR MONEY AND TIME GETTING PLACEBO PILLS AND EAT MORE EGGS AND DRINK MORE MILK. EGGS HAVE CHOLINE MILK HAS TRYPTOPHAN. YOU NEED IT
Aw, this was a really good post. Spending some time and actual effort to generate a great article… but what can I say… I procrastinate a whole lot and never manage to get nearly anything done.
For the CRITICS who throw trash on Mike !!!
and for thous who agree with the site..
Personally, the article is eye catching by telling us (who use Aderall) that we are attractive and smarter than we think. It’s flattering, but it’s not the reason I am on this site
FOR those who just recently started taking Aderall…GOOD FOR YOU ENJOY HONEYMOON STAGE… and hell, it might actually do a lot more for you. I personally wish I started later than earlier.
But for the rest of us who see the negative aspects of Aderall, it’s not because we have strong opinions, it’s because we have proof of it’s negative effect…OUR LIFE!!!
I just finished a research study WITH SCIENTIFIC DATA about ADD & ADHD and other ways of treating it for cognitive development and function. It’s possible. I actually have access to this data based on long term scientific experimentation with results other wise known as PEER REVIEWED JOURNAL ARTICLES, and am personally against Aderall with my findings. It may work for you, but KEEP YOURSELF EDUCATION about the medication your taking and what it is doing to your body, then do the talking 8-10 years from now.
I have been on Meds since I elementary school. I use to be on 15mg, not on 5mg working on being free. No matter how much I know, the effects are real about being addicted and not easily getting of it.
Anthony Chavtelski, LETS SEE SOME PROOF HERE HONEY!!
ADERALL = JUST A PLACEBO
To be fair, isn’t this analysis overly broad? You play both sides of any relevant dichotomy. Almost anyone can identify with these vague point headings.
Besides the natural discomfort that arises when someone is dependent on something they don’t have relative control over, what is the reason for wanting to stop this drug? Physical detriments that are created from long term use? The suggested inner longing to stray from the life of a worker bee? The last one I don’t quite understand because for me the drug does not seem to increase my subservience to the straight and narrow course if I do not want to follow the straight and narrow course to begin with, but increases my ability in whatever path I choose.
Reads like a horoscope. I feel like I could show these descriptions to almost any group of people and they might feel it was written about them.
Thank you for your interesting article on Traits Adderall Abusers Have in Common.
I personally agree that most adderall users do possess higher levels of intelligence on average when compared to the general population. I do not wish to make any assumptions that autism spectrum disorder may in any way be related to ADD or ADHD, as I can only speak of my own personal experience. I have always considered myself an artistic person, and as many artistic individuals are I often have difficulty expressing thoughts and ideas which words do not often adequately describe. It is my personal opinion that most highly artistic individuals have at least some difficulty in this area and in my personal experience being prescribed adderall, I feel as though I am more able to articulate my thoughts that I often have difficulty expressing without taking medication. Adults and children with above average levels of intelligence can easily become bored and are often overly sensitive to distracting stimuli. I can only speak for myself, but adderall has helped me immensely to feel normal and able to focus my attention.
It has also been my personal experience that many individuals prescribed adderall are often (but certainly not always) physically attractive. I agree that some may use adderall for the wrong reasons such as weight loss, which is why it is so important to be taking adderall or any prescription medication under a doctors supervision, to have a responsible adult monitoring weight loss, health risks, exc. I believe that there may be some correlation between physical attractiveness and ADD/ADHD in general. If children or young adults have difficulty in traditional academic settings, the possibility must be considered that they may turn to other areas; whether that be in the areas of art, music or focusing on their physical appearance in attempts to seek approval from peers or teachers. Early intervention in general often helps ensure patients are more able to grow into well rounded and productive members of society.
I also strongly agree that many people “attracted” to adderall (or that may actually have ADD/ADHD) often do have, “overly-abstracted, and emotionally driven personality types”. I more than likely fall into the more extreme scope of this continuum, with my greatest inability to focus often relating to extreme sensitivity to my own and others emotions. It is also my personal experience that overly-abstracted personality types can often have a difficult time with conventional methods of learning taught in almost all classroom settings. I do not believe that the average adderall user is a perfectionist but do agree that the average adderall abuser more than likely does have this personality trait. However, there is no evidence
that I am aware of that perfectionists cannot ALSO have overly-abstracted and emotionally driven personality types. This may mean that more research needs to be conducted in the areas of other medications which effectively offer relief of these patients’ symptoms. As with all medications used to target mental disorders, individual response to different medications often varies greatly.
I am a strong advocate of medication not being used as first line therapy but often other methods are not as cost effective for families without the financial means to pay for therapies often not covered by insurance plans. I believe you said it best that “adderall takers [are often] creative-centric, which often means they can’t properly channel their smarts and ambitions into an existing, world-approved mold. But they want to. Oh, how they want to.” What child or adult doesn’t want to constantly struggle to keep pace with their peers? To spend all night attempting to complete their homework while their friends are finished in an hour and allowed to play the rest of the evening? What adult with ADD/ADHD wants to take work home they were not able to finish on the clock like the rest of their colleagues, instead of spending the evening with their family?
I completely agree that adderall abusers are those not taking medication for the right reasons. I also believe that many adderall abusers are not taking the proper medication to best treat their condition; which is why these medications are not available over the counter. Students or adults turned away from the medical community for legitimate medical conditions may be more likely to turn to self medication by more harmful means or attempt to purchase these controlled medications illegally. I agree that many adderall abusers are often approval seekers, which is one of the reasons why individuals with any mental health condition should be strongly advised to see a councilor if financially possible. Most good prescribers will recommend drug “holidays” from taking medications which I believe should be an important part of this type of drug therapy.
I also would also like to nominate you to go on Oprah, I really appreciate the nuances of your writing and for sharing your knowledge of adderall abuse. While it seems to be a buzz word right now, I can not under emphasize how much adderall has helped me to lead a more functional life. I believe it is very important to view all mental health medications as a tool to work through issues which leads to problems with functioning in our society, as society in general is often not overly accommodating to those who do not fall in the range of what is perceived as “normal”. I believe the most important knowledge patients prescribed these medications should be informed of, is that benefits ARE able to be retained once the medication therapy is ceased. I believe that all individuals taking any ADD/ADHD medications should be periodically evaluated to see if medication therapy is still necessary. Responsible use of all medications controlled or not should be a mandatory prerequisite for all patients. Thank you for your time and hope to someday see you on Oprah!
Are you trolling? Because you can’t be serious with this article. You’re just throwing buzzwords around in bold text and making random ass assumptions about a group of people I’m positive you’ve never even met before in your life ever. And I don’t mean meet in real life, person to person. No, I mean you have absolutely no idea whatsoever of what another human being on Adderall, or Ritalin, or whatever generic pill acts like, and you just wrote random stuff that makes it look like taking the goddamn pill is a good thing. No facts. Like you just found this huge wall of text, fresh from 4chan, and pasted it here.
I honest to God cannot see how you think you’re being helpful by being this broad and overly complimentary to a drug that is legitimately dangerous. On a SITE ABOUT QUITTING SAID DRUG.
But who cares, you’re not gonna read any of this.
Mwa ha ha ha! This dopey opinion piece reads like a horoscope.
Must be a fatty writing this article think she’s above average in intelligence lol what a joke. Lay off the adderall idiot.
Getting tired looking at the long journals my friend writes everyday on his fb soon I’ll just have to block him because it’s not really who he is. Adderall only get things done and it does cloud your judgement after you’re off of them or addictive then you’ll want even more doses and after 60mg of adderall you get a dis colored finger and soon numbness then you will have to goto the er it’s dangerous and don’t know anyone who takes only a little or prescribed a day
I agree it’s a great article ,it has precise perspective, and I’m aware essentially of nearly all of its contents. I find it hilarious that people think negative attributes include such side effects as worrying about precise wording, increased organization, and a thirst for knowledge. Flip the coin over and you have boring dialogue with no detail, in organization, and no thirst for knowledge. But nobody ever talks about that and that’s also a one way ticket to dementia. Of course you’ll appear happier off of it because you won’t have anymore lows. Regarding memory the highs and lows are just put into 2 categories. Off of ADDERALL you can’t lose because you rarely have lows unless something traumatic in your life happened. It’s simply a choice do you want the mellow steady anxiety free life or a life of meticulous organization and creativity with anxiety. It’s possible to mitigate most of the anxiety and have an incredible life but sometimes you want to relax, not feel like you always have to do something, and be human. Not too often though, people didn’t become successful for settling for average. I don’t think the simple minded can handle the drug but then again I believe smarter people have more severe anxiety when it actually comes along. I don’t like the idea of taking a pill everyday, but ADDERALL did completely change my life. My need for it is very minimal because the effects are mimicked even when I’m off it and the thought of taking it when I’m old is haunting. Then again I’m on it right now and are most certainly biased, clearly from my rant. Then again I’m never smarter nor do I think more clearly…and we’re back to choice. It’s like a roller coaster ride or vacation you may like it or love it and maybe can even handle it longer than others but you eventually want to go home. What grabs me is the creativity and the fact that I’m an over achiever. Hell, one time I even had to pull over on the side of the road because I had to write an epiphany I had for a theory of the origin of the universe regarding concepts that were so detailed and profound that I was shocked I could think in such depth at once. Sounds silly right? I agree but that is also what is said about most break throughs and ideas. But that’s the easy part…imagining and contemplating but actions speak louder than words. Managing all of the thoughts is the hardest part. It’s a hard choice to take ADDERALL but it’s extremely hard to not use all the weapons of your armory.
There is one thing that makes me cringe when reading this article and that is the reference using adderall as a mask to our real passion in life or to quote ” In time they realize their fatal flaw: they are living and defining themselves by what they think other people expect of them, not by what they truly want for themselves.”
Actually, there are many things I disagree with in this article. The one thing I can agree with is that we are all insecure…but who isn’t??
Adderall helped me discover my passion, it appears it works very differently for various people. This medication is not an anti-depressant that makes you a zombie. It essentially activates your adrenaline for the most part and simulates you at your best (flight or fight response). Thats why it’s crucial that it’s not abused, you eat plenty, and you get plenty of sleep. More accurately it enhances your cognitive abilities, activates energy, increases focus, increases confidence (chemically), and increases confidence (through the ability to make clear, precise, and intelligent decisions). I’m never more self aware and referencing the flight or fight response, people undergo the same awareness after and during involvement with a crucial situation in their lives. The key is to use this medicine correctly and I’ll admit it’s not easy. A mask is not a proper term, although it is a passive aggressive way to define the effects of a biased post user, to make them feel as if they made the right decision. This is simply a human way of handling things and it very well may be the best decision for that particular person.
Dam, idk how you put that together but I realized as I read, true in my case n everyone I know that takes it.
What a load of crap. This entire article and most (not all) of the comments following it. I’ve been on Adderall for 6 years now and never before in my life have I been so together.
I noticed you said “Adderall users” in the beginning of your article but later said “Adderall abusers” and it didn’t seem like you were addressing 2 different groups of people. A perfect example of an Adderall abuser would be that fat twat DJ (comment #65) A working mom who is oh my god SOOOOO busy and is miserable because she’s fat. It’s assholes like that who ABUSE Adderall that make it difficult for us who truly benefit from it to get it. So, DJ, I hope you choke on your miracle pill. Adderall isn’t a quick fix. It’s an aide. When you suffer your entire life with ADHD, an aide is a wonderful thing. Mike, honestly I think your article is nothing more than an uneducated rant decorated with 7 fake boosts of “that’s me!” signs. Take your “7 signs of bull” and shove it.
Amazing work. I am recovering as well (18 months now) and loved taking the adderral prescribed to me initially because it greatly improved my ability to write creatively. Sadly though, after a few brilliant pieces, and slowly a few years of abuse, I lost my love for it entirely. Everyday is better, but I certainly wish I was never prescribed the drug in the first place.
Anyway, great work. The article here was very relateable.
Mike
I have that imaginary condition called ADHD. I have taken adderrall for nearly a year now. It has been both positive and negative for me. I wish the last part of your article where you explain that adderrall gives you a passion for anything was true. Even though it helps me at work, I still want better for myself. Before I took adderall I was terrified of driving out of my town, but I had appointments that I had to go to. I was terrified because I had a terrible sense of direction and everything just seemed too overstimulating. I did not have any idea that Adderall would help me, but after starting my meds I went to an out of town dentist appointment, and I suddenly realized that I knew where everything was, and was not scared. Was I high to the point of not caring? That was my first thought. I still was myself, and even took a wrong turn, but my thoughts were so well organized that it was easy, and for the first time in my life I left my town without having a panic attack. I have done more and gone more places in a year than I have my whole life. My kids get to see museums or zoos like the normal people now. People who do not have ADHD, do not understand what it is like to try as hard as you can every day only to fall short. Stimulant medications are dangerous. My blood pressure has raised some, but is still good according to my doctor. I have checked myself and it shows prehypertension. I am not super attractive because of my medication, I still like food. It supresses my appetite, but I like the taste of foods that are not helpful, so my weight goee up and down. The worst downside of adderall for me is insomnia. I have always had this problem, because at the end of the day I love having my time. Melotonin helps, but I want to stay up, and Adderall lets me stay up at the cost of extreme tiredness. This is more of a personal bad habit, because I do get tired at the same time, it just helps me fight my tiredness. I am very happy with how much it has helped me so far in dealing with emotions. I use to get upset to the point of tears at least twice a week over the stupidist things. I have always had lower self esteem than average and am perfectionistic. I am the most imperfect perfectionist you will ever meet though. I often remind others that I am human. Adderall does not make me anywhere close to perfect. I have a terrible memory especially for people. The medicine has done nothing for helping me remember that, but I remember when I stock the cooler at work that there is a rootbeer hiding in the middle shelf behind the seven ups. This use to be hard. I find it depressing that my medication helps me think so much more clearly, but I still have time restraints and my need to be there for my kids that holds me back from doing more. I feel like a caged animal surrounded by prey just beyond my reach. I was not prescribed adderall until I went through my divorce, and I wonder if I had taken it a long time ago if I could have been a better wife. As you can see my thoughts jump around quite a bit, they always have, and I am not concerned anymore about that. I am glad that I still feel like I have my personality. I am not anymore of a zombie than I was before. I have always been very robotic when at work not because of my ADHD or the adderall, but because I know that the type of work I do, a robot is what they want. We are only there until they can find the robots to replace us. I worked at a place for seven years and was laid off right as my divorce was finalized. They did replace multiple jobs with robots. Mental illness runs in my family, and I chose to get help instead of feeling completely useless. I am still overwhelmed with everything, but this is a tool that helps me. When you understand what it feels like to not be able to do things that other people take for granted and you have no reliable family or friends, then tell me how bad my choices were. Even if they made Adderall illegal tomorrow, I believe that the skills I have improved on will still be there. I have and always will think differently than the average people with or without meds. If others with ADHD feel insecure, it is because we are truly treated negatively for being different. I do want approval from others, but who doesn’t. I do not do things that I do not care to do out of gaining approval though. I want others to approve of me as I am, not to conform to make them/you happy. I have been told before that ADHD is code for basically being stupid. It is frustrating to know that I am not stupid, but because of my differences I am treated as though I am stupid. I am not a genius, but you are damn right that I want to be. Why should I not want to learn and do as much as possible with my life? I want perfect understanding of everything, and even though I will never achieve it.. I will spend my life learning. I always have, just like every person living has that has a halfway functioning brain.
Wow, I have to say that your article is frighteningly apt. I am not what I would call an “Abuser” due solely to the fact that I micro-manage myself in ways that prevent unwanted dependencies on such things as my prescribed Adderall. First off, I take only half my prescribed dosage. I’m prescribed two twenty MG tablets per day, and at one point I was prescribed three thirty MG tablets per day, which was just insane. I take only fifteen MG twice per day, and do not wait the full six hours between I was prescribed. I found that it wore off too quickly, and it caused a lot of bad side effects in the middle of the day between my next dose. So in addition to cutting down my dosage, I began taking one, and then another three hours later. The first being at around 11 am, and the second at around 3 pm. The last pill seemed to last until around seven o’clock, longer than it seemed to during the afternoon. I suppose this is just reflective of my existing chemical balance during the afternoon when I’m in a more stressful environment, ergo, probably burning off the medication faster than normally. The point of that section of the ramble is ONLY TAKE IT WHEN YOU NEED IT, AND TAKE NO MORE THAN YOU NEED. If fifteen MG is doing it for you when you are prescribed 30 MG, JUST TAKE THE FIFTEEN. Adderall, for all of its glorious effects, has about twice the negative effects. These side effects become manageable in smaller, more controlled doses. I am a writer, and seem to fit all of the categories you described to a point where it is a tad unsettling, but for those of you who share those qualities and are concerned about developing an addiction, allow me to enlighten you on how to avoid such a difficult situation. 1) If you are worried about gaining weight, let me warn you; eventually, the effects that keep you from being hungry DO wear off. You will begin to have an (almost) normal appetite, and your metabolism will slow to a more normal rate. THIS IS HEALTHY. Adderall increases blood pressure and heart rate which increases your metabolism as well as induces things like cold sweats, panic attacks, dread, and restlessness, in addition to the weight loss so many people take this drug for. 2) Yes you will be extremely productive when you are busying yourself in a task, but God forbid you find yourself stuck in a mundane moment with Adderall after then initial euphoria has passed, and you will be questioning the meaning of life and finding error in the human condition and going of on tangents about how your life is not as it should be and all the ways you could improve it, and how everyone is oblivious to the void of meaning in our daily lives and that Darwins theory of evolution could be improved if you just had a few days…. or whatever your mind clutches to while under the influence of a highly active amphetamine. Again, when you take smaller doses, this effect is supressed, and eventually, you get used to the danger of mood swings and learn how to control it. But, and I CANNOT STRESS THIS ENOUGH, it really is about how much you take and how often you take it. I tend to get “the meaning of lifeish” when my pill starts to wear off. This state of mind usually only lasts an hour or so, and now that I know when to expect it, I can manage it. Do something that doesn’t involve too much thinking during this “come down.” Watch a really interesting movie or TV show or cook something fancy. DO NOT try and finish the last few chapters of your novel, or you may end up deciding you hate the entire thing, erasing it, and starting from scratch because nothing means anything. Haha. And once you are back to normal, you will be very angry with yourself and that magic little pill. 3) If you are feeling particularly good one day, DON’T TAKE IT AT ALL. Every so often, it is okay to take a break and just be natural for a day (though I do recommend some sort of mild caffeine throughout the day so that your brain is still mildly stimulated and you don’t start going through withdraw)If you have these days about twice a month, it sort of reinforces the fact that you don’t ALWAYS need the pill, and that you are still capable of functioning without it. That is key in the goal of not becoming dependent on it. 4) Lastly, and this applies mostly only to myself, because I am not a doctor and cannot tell you what to do, but what I find helps me when I become frustrated that I have to take the pill or tired from its overwhelming motivational effects, I remind myself that I will not be taking this medication forever. Adderall is a means to an end, a way of correcting your chemical synapses that allows you to function as a normal human being (an over functioning one, but still relatively normal)
After a long enough period of time passes, your brain will actually learn how to fire correctly on its own, due to the countless days of being re-trained via Adderall. So it is not necessarily a life sentence, this drug, so keep in mind you may want to still have a life to live once you’re finished taking it. That may help put things in perspective when you find yourself become too attached to the drug.Best of luck. And remember, Adderall may focus and motivate you, but you are still the one getting things done. You survived without it for some length of time in your life, and you can do it again. Stay strong.
Please stop abusing adderall! It will melt your brain. Drugs are bad mmmmkay. lol, but yeah i hate how people fake their conditions and take it so they have an advantage over their peers.
You are ruining it for people who actually need it. Having adhd is like you are channel surfing in your brain 24/7 and you can’t turn it off. You can’t focus on things that are important/due no matter how hard you try and you become frustrated and anxious.
When i take adderall everything calms down. It is the most peaceful feeling ever and its so beautiful. And i can’t believe that is how people feel normally.
Its almost frightening how this article describes me to a T. Thankyou.
Phenomenal article! This is incredibly interesting. I was able to get a script for Adderall for two years, and I’d say the above traits describe me pretty well. Very well, actually. Thank you for sharing your knowledge!
Wow, that’s what I was seeking for, what
a data! existing here at this website, thanks
admin of this website.
It would seem probable that people who use Adderall for reasons other than the treatment of ADHD (or other medically qualified treatments)would share some personality attributes including self perceptions of attractiveness and intelligence. People will not continue using a drug that does nothing for them. There is probably something very similar in the brain chemistry of those who feel compelled to use this drug, especially in greater than therapeutically standard doses.What this article exposes for people who identify with the 6 qualities is potentially the root of the problem. While artificially adjusting dopamine and serotonin levels in the brain with arbitrary amounts of amphetamine may, for a time, provide improved perceptions of self worth, but it will also keep one isolated from the person you really are and dealing with the real issues that prevent you from having the life you truly want. This drug can be a really good thing for people properly diagnosed with ADHD and appropriate dosing and monitoring. Not in every case of course but for many ADHD sufferers it will reduce the internal static and allow enough impulse control to complete tasks that seemed previously impossible. For the rest however, this pill often leads to a superficial relationship with yourself and everyone else. Yes, sometimes taking a pill of this sort is easier than figuring out who you are, why you feel the way you do, and how to make a life that means something to you. But I suspect for most this dabbling with brain chemistry approach is ultimately a dead end. Consider taking the higher road. Good luck.
may seem silly but I got chills reading this, as it’s so wonderfully understanding and accurate to my inner world in my experience with adderall, especially the creative urges and motivation to take adderall for the sake of normalized kindof functioning.
I decided to go off adderall after 3 years, I never did abuse it, but my relationships and communication with people got weird. It’s been VERY odd going off of it — been about a month or so even though there’s other yucky stuff in my life going on — it’s made me feel empty in a bizarre way I never have felt before. However, even reading the responses gives me some reassurance that eventually my old selfie shall once return!
It is nice having my sense of humor back.
Addiholics are always attractive not only because the adderall helps them suppress their appetite and stay thin, but also because it makes us obsess over perfection. Sometimes to the point where it drives us to tears. I was doing my make up on day for 3 hours because I couldn’t seem to get it the way I wanted!
Nice cult-induction moves, straight from the book (though, admittedly, AA has turned organized religion’s playbook into mainstream accepted practice for addiction treatments long ago):
Validate pride
Praise
Stroke ego
Induce light doubt, continuing ego inflation
Establish counterpoint that fits above praise BETTER
Invoke insecurities
Shoot down pride points as insecurity-driven conformity to rival ideology
WALK ALL OVER PRIDE, LINKING ALL ACHIEVEMENT TO INSECURITY
Denigrate thoroughly
Offer vague alternative supposedly provided by your ideology (“better” counterpoint)
…Spout Army-Poster-Type “Be All You Can Be” nonsense (-only if you join now!-), providing zero reasoning as to how your approach might facilitate one’s exceptional unique blooming.
Powered by subconscious suggestion that, simply having removed some number of declared barriers, said wondrous blooming is now inevitable
…UHM, NO. WITHOUT STIMULANTS AT ALL, I’M A HAZARD TO TRAFFIC THAT CRASHES INTO THINGS ON A REGULAR BASIS (driving, cycling, walking – regardless). I MANAGE TO BREAK MY OWN BONES WALKING INTO A DOOR, UNASSISTED AND COLD SOBER – REPEATEDLY… LONG BEFORE ADDERALL, IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN A CHOICE BETWEEN BEARING STIMULANT SIDE EFFECTS OR RISKING HURTING SELF OR OTHERS. AND THAT’S JUST MOVING ABOUT THROUGH LIFE – NO BELT SANDERS, NO BOILING POTS OF SOUP, NO FILLING IN BILLING OR PAYMENT INFORMATION MUCH LESS WHEN WIELDING OTHER PEOPLE’S MONEY, NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR CHILDREN, etc etc
Side effect wise, amphetamine salts are simply the cleanest, least damaging strong stimulant. Caffeine causes too much overheating, too near the threshold therapeutic dose. Energy drinks destroyed my stomach. Coffee black, ditto, undrinkable in any appreciable quantity. Sweetened latte? Palatable, seems to work, but still thermogenic – but also causes rapid weight gain. Diet/energy supplements? Unknown true active ingredients, unstable quality, unstable supply, often just as addictive but also with wacky side effects no one ever thought to predict. (experience, not conjecture)
You want to get people off the peaky, uneven and potentially abuseable adderall? Go lobby somebody to get Obamacare to cover Vyvanse, all plans all ages no alternatives first no authorizations… That pricetag is currently beyond many’s means. And crashing into things is not an option.
PS wellbutrin is a whole nother ballgame and its own mess, not an alternative, while strattera offers chemical castration for adult males and a host of other general side effects at double-digit incidences, all at a price that could have covered Vyvanse instead
Ok, never mind… Sort of. The wonderful disclaimer you have on your site just wasn’t quite prominent enough.
Please place the key not for everyone / not a doctor / not preaching bits, in nice fat bold font, and a link to the complete disclaimer text above this blog ran.
Why? Well, because it seems to lean very far towards the “hardline” and “new agey” past beliefs that your own disclaimer has since disavowed, but also most importantly because some google search about the complex interplay of Adderall and supplements/vitamins and minerals landed me on this page… Which goes a bit beyond “take a magnesium supplement if experiencing leg cramps as a side effect, consider taking fish/flax oil, and by all means pop an aspirin unless contraindicated should you develop the odd tension headache”
Wow! That was absolutely amazing. Awesome writing.
Are there any credible sources to back any of what I just read? Although you made good points, this article was a soundly subjective interpretation of (what it seems like) your experience of aderall and the people who use it. Am I crazy?
It so funny how all of the Adderall addicts love this column so much. Haha. He so right! I’m totally a genius but I’m trying to impress my family! I really wanna be a famous actor but instead I’m working at 7-11. Psh. B.S. I’ve knows lazy ass adderall addicts who have no aspirations. I take adderal sometimes too. But I was say that this article probably applies to most addicts of any kind. Of course I have a hidden talent that is off the beaten path. I think everyone does actually. Even heroin addicts. They can’t do that thing so the heroin makes them happy for now.
Hey Mike,
your article was dead-on with everything. that entitles my 6 year abuse of Aderall. it was a devil in disguise. iv been off it for 2 years now, battled hard for 6 months to change my mind set and re-gain my confidence. however i still think about ever day, i am well aware of all the negatives but i miss the optimal brain function, problem solving abilities and the drive to do anything. i just crave higher brain function which makes me want it once again. Are there any natural herbs that can optimize my cerebral brain flow/ memory/ drive to run for my dreams and problem solving. i was considering the Neutroflexyn. Good idea?
Mike, is it? I forgot because I got lost in the posts really absorbing the information. The root if it all is summed up rather well. As I was taught by my father a recovered substance abuser.. One might just sum it up ths way. We are all “egomaniacs with an inferiority complex.” Aren’t we then?
I am pleased to see your article. My cousin has been on Adderall for years, she is now 54, my aunt and uncle are in their 80’s, and can’t handle her any more. She was diagnosed either as A.D.D., or bipolar, I’m not sure which. You seem to have described her in 7 ways. Nobody is interested I dealing with her, so I have to try. Even though she has a problem, she’s still a very loveable person, and there is a real human being behind the troubled façade. It sounds like the doctor is going to take the Adderall away from her, while providing nothing to help with her depression. She asked me for some herbs that she had taken on a previous attempt to get away from the drug, (Gotu Kola, Black cohosh, Fo-Ti, Skull Cap, and Eleuthro/Siberian Ginseng ) Her parents flipped about possible adverse reactions with the drug (even though the drug would be suspended, and they don’t know of any possible conflict or complication). I am familiar with all of these herbs, as I have taken them at one time or another for different reasons, I believe that they are some of the more mild herbs available. More to the point, I found your article while searching for more information about Adderall and any possible problem with these herbs, as well as general info helpful to my cousin’s situation. Thanks for being there
Adderall literally saved me from my almost 2 year out of control bulimia that I started from March 2013 to November 11th 2014. And yeah I was seeing therapist and nutritionist every week with out any results. But when I started taking Adderall it helped me stay focused in class, homework, working out better, appetite control (not suppressing), being in contact with me self and seeing things clearly, better relationships, and simply being able to listen to people or just setting down and enjoy a movie. I also started Prozac to control my anxiety/Depression that I had for so long.
This was a fantastic read. As I finished each sentence I was thinking wow, how incredibly accurate!
I wish a portion of society could pull their heads out of there asses allowing them to understand this point of view. It sucks that we all have been conditioned and given an expectation of what normal is. People are generally far to judgmental as they naturally revert to expectation. You don’t judge an individual based on there emotional being, we make a decision about there emotional being based on what they do or don’t have for possessions or achievements. For me, this relentless “never good enough” thought process contributes to my Adderall/stimulant intake. I believe that the drive to impress others and create this ideal image of myself drives me to mind alternates because I am striving for something that is not real. Got a bit off track but seriously GREAT article!
I am not on Aderall. I am dating a woman who has been on aderall for over 8 months and your article is spot on. My worry is that while she says she likes me, I can’t help but wonder if the Aderall is making her like me or in other words surpass the challenge that is me.
She uses Aderall religiously and when inconfronted her she tells me she is taking it because the doctors says it keeps her awake and focused and that she is not abusing it. I find that most days end up with her just crashing mid conversation and I mean an incoherent crash.
She is hyper alert when on it and she is almost paranoid like. She has issues with trust and will conduct investigative sessions through my life and always finds something from nothing. We fight and I always end up calming her down as she realizes she overreacted. This is happening more and more and she just blames it on her personality but I worry it is much deeper than that.
On top of Aderall she was also prescribed Prozac which she also takes religiously. I am at a loss when it comes to the future and what it may be like. I am afraid to tell her I am uncertain I want these drugs being the glue that hold out relationship ending in a glorious fireworks show.
I do jot undertsnad why these doctors freely prescribe this crap and then onc you’re hooked they juat tell you you’re doing great and you should keep on taking it.
You see, she was put on it as a trial and yet after 8 months there was no discussion of stoping this poison.
I asked her once if she planned to talk to her doctor about stoping and all i got was anger as if I qas trying to ruin everything. I was reminded that i knew she was on it when we started going out and therefore i ahould just be ok with it.
I love this woman but I worry that this Aderall thing is changing her in ways that doctors cannot see in the 3 minutes they spend with their patients nowadays.
We talk about living together and all I can think of is running away. I am not depressed on a daily basis because of this situation while I see her jump from task to task and contemplate changing jobs daily for little reason. She thinks she can do anything and she keeps looking for answers in places that are complete dead ends but somehow she thinks they will be like working in heaven.
It has become a nightmare for me because I like stability and like to plan the future based on historic facts and not on a mere feeling some drug empowers me with.
If doctors read this, please stop this madness! Whatbis wrong with facing life on your own two feet as God made you? What is so wrong with failing and learning from it? What is so wrong with geeling sad and learning do pick yourself back up and try again? What happened to us? Why are you prescribing these mind altering drugs without ever knowing the damage they end up causing? Stop it!
Those of you on these drugs…. Get off them and be the failure or success God created you to be. Be proud of it! Be you! If you have faith you wont be a failure! You will pick yourself up eventually. It is the honest and natural way of living!
I am now struggling with a decision. Should I live with this or should I just run and not look back. I am terrified of having a family with these drugs at the roots.
Ya’ll with a head on your shoulders, steer away from those who try to fix your head with drugs! They have no idea what they are doing and they are all blinded by the money! They dont give a crap about helping you! For those who kicked Aderall to the curb, be proud of being clean no matter what flaws you think you have. We are not meant to be perfect.
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There are even trained eye specialists providing glasses in malls nowadays. But optometrists do a lot more than that. A lot of people think of these people only as the ones who perform a yearly eye test and prescribe glasses if needed.
Glasses and/or contact lenses are the norm for perscriptions by doctors in the field of optometry. An Optometrist can, of course, be male or female, and they are responsible for keeping your eyesight in good shape. Now I know there are a few readers out there who are thinking “These eyes are mine! I’m not trusting them to some ‘doctor’ who can harass me with medical jargon” Luckily, I have your solution. This treatment isn’t a bottle of “good-eye” pills, or a needle full of eyesight, it is vision correction throught the use of lenses and other optical aids. They are there to examine and diagnose your eyes, as well as give sufficient treatment to correct poor eyesight.
The Blizzard Optometrist Stawell office is only open on Wednesdays each week, but the Ararat location is open six days a week. The Blizzard Optometrist St Arnaud offices are open for the convenience of their customers five days a week. When you schedule an eye examination there you will need to give yourself approximately thirty five minutes for the vision screening. They remain open from nine to five thirty each weekday and they open up until noon on Saturdays. They open on Monday through Friday each week at nine in the morning. They remain open until five thirty in the afternoon.
Some of the popular exhibitions take place in this centre including interactive displays, net art, video art, sound art and installations. This is the screen gallery that displayed the exhibition of “TV50”. What this exhibition did was emphasize fifty busy years of good Australian TV. It was also filled with great classic clips as well as memorabilia as it marked the largest wall of TVs in the world, with a total of 750 televisions.
An optometrist is a doctor but not a medical doctor. He or she is a doctor of optometry. The educational period for becoming one can be as many as eight years – four years of undergraduate study and four years of education in an accredited school of optometry. Some specialists continue their education with advanced residency training as well.
Possibility for change, transformation and healing are located here, including healing ones future verses the past, through karmic release. Throat Chakra body parts include the throat, neck, jaw, teeth, ears, hearing, and the thyroid gland. The throat can store our anger, and what we need to let go of. It holds the blueprint of the physical body. Any light blue gemstones will heal and balance this Chakra. Its characteristics are expression, hearing (include psychic hearing), receiving others, communication, and creativity. The Throat Chakra is the fifth Chakra located in the throat, and its color is “Light Blue”. Recommended gemstones: Aquamarine, Blue Tourmaline or Turquoise.
But the fact that you can see well today does not ascertain that you will be able to see well tomorrow. A good optometrist in Miami can assist you in addressing many an eye problem fast and effectively and if you already have a history with one then it is time critical. Even if you do not make use of eye glasses or contact lenses, you still need to go to one of the eye doctors in Miami as we all need to have our eyes checked on a regular basis immaterial of any past medical history. Accidents can happen any time and we can also lose vision as a part of the aging process. For those people who can see fairly well, the penalty that one has to pay for poor eye health may not cross their minds.
A regular visit to your optometrist in Miami is a good prevention method to keep you from running into serious eye or vision problems as time goes by. Making sure your eye glasses or contact lenses are at the right prescription will also assist in keeping your eyes from getting worse as the years go by. The eye doctors in Miami will even tell you ways and means by which you can keep your eyes nice and healthy.
This centre, also known as ACMI, is a fun and interesting place to visit while you are in Melbourne. Another great choice, maybe a little less obvious to some, is the Australian Centre for the Moving Image. The centre is devoted to the moving image in all different forms, similar for example to the Museum of the Moving Image that can be found in New York.
They go to medical school and then do a residency purely relating to the eye. After their residency they sometimes opt to do subspecialty training. These doctors are able to do a number of procedures that an optometrist cannot. From the eyelid to the cornea they can address diseases and infections. An ophthalmologist does all of the things that an optometrist does but they are in fact medical doctors. For example they can deal with diseases that affect the cornea and other exterior parts of the eye. They also have training in how to properly perform transplants or corrective surgery.%
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west (Dessie)
Week 3 of Addy withdrawal: I want to cry, no energy and feel utterly useless.
Quitting after a manic episode that landed me in the nuthouse. I have been ABUSING Adderall for 6 years, plus alcohol and Ativan. I felt proud to know I tricked the doctors into giving me whatever I wanted, not realizing I was tricking myself instead. 7-8 months ago, I began thinking I had bugs in my skin, biting me ( In retrospect, I should have known the seriousness of this development ) Three weeks ago, I had a full blown manic episode, of which I can barely recall. I had acted like a mad woman with violent blinding rage.
All in front of my three young children.
I used to be a great mom, wife, friend, daughter…
Now, I’m laying here in bed, unable to get up. How I want to go to the zoo with my 9 year old.
I wasn’t satisfied with my results, they weren’t perfect. The Adderall made me feel like a superhero, but now I feel like a villain. Looking back at how I was acting, I put my family through hell, but I thought I was amazing.
It was like beer googles, but addy goggles. I blame no one but myself for thinking there is a miracle pill.
I’m not on Adderall. I looked seriously into getting on it a few months back. I am in an exceptionally difficult and competitive medical program. Roughly HALF of my class is on it. Currently, I am in the bottom 1/3rd of my class and there isn’t a single ‘user’ that isn’t doing better than me.
Its difficult to read an article like this where you are touting those that use this drug as some sort of super-person. Obviously, I have a personal issue with it. What makes it worse is that the program is on a sliding scale. So, as these ‘users’ get higher grades it actually pushes the rest of use to the marginal bottom. So, Id like to vent and share my perspective on Adderall users. Specifically, if they are taking it to perform better.
1) We ALL have attention problems. Its called adult learning. However, you have displayed the ineptitude to deal with this by cognitively focusing on what distracts you… so, you take the easy route and pop a pill… Done.
2) Yes, likely you weigh less than you did before. Lets not attribute that to your awesome will-power. If you had awesome will-power then you wouldn’t need the pill. THE PILL lost that weight for you.
3) Strangely, its neat to see you struggle with writing a 15 page paper. You become SO FOCUSED that I watch you try harder to justify why your paper needs to be longer. I also enjoy it a bit when you look a bit hurt when the instructor says that they DONT want to read a 30pg paper and that you should become a bit better at focusing your work… its ironic.
4)People on Adderall have the social aptitude of a brick. I meant that to be blunt. I see your frustration that you are required to listen to the ideas of others. Its as if you have no time for the ‘little people’ and their unenhanced input. Its similar, in ways, to someone with autism, its a clear and obvious detachment in social situations. It helps though that you broadcast your ‘triggers’ so fragile that I can simply push those buttons and send you into a tizzy.
5) I take great pride with every solution I provide when you get it wrong. I felt shame the first time I felt that pride in beating your pill… as if I was becoming a monster. I see the monster though when that dopamine induced rage sets-in. Its like watching a child wrestle with a Python. I have harnessed my monster… but your pill is unable to help you there. This ‘medicine’ bares the weakness that has always been there.
6)The ‘alpha’ mentality that comes with this drug has to be one of the most unattractive qualities that comes with it. You say you are strong but you can’t do what you do alone. There is nothing ‘alpha’ about that. Fragile and insecure is no way to lead a pack. My children may not see strength in their father dredging over ‘the books’ night after night -hours after they head to bed and up again hours before they rise- forced to read things 3-4 times just to ‘get it’ but its stronger than anything gained from popping a pill just to ‘get it’ at first glance. That’s a confidence that doesn’t come in an easy-to-swallow extended release form.
As I said, my statement is a personal one. I am not trying to flame anyone here but I figured it may help some of you if you heard input from outside the ‘flock.’
What is worse about all this is I have a close friend that HAS to take it just to be functional. My statements here aren’t for those that LEGITIMATELY need it to function. They are intended, with purpose, to impact those that take it because they want to perform ‘better.’ Those individuals that aren’t happy with what they were given and instead will hurt themselves and others to get what they want. You are doing it all wrong…
Those that are the best become so through their efforts not their chemistry.
Hello I wanted to share my exsperience and de if any others have exsperience do the same. I was put on vyvanse then adderal for help in nursing school. It did help me but my plan to stop on break never happened I was to use to the energy and the loss of appetite. I forever have taken diet aides so this to me was better then that. I felt so good so attractive as well. Strange my sex drive went sky high but not for my husband for anyone else who found me attractive I have never behaved this way and I’m not proud of it. Now that I’m seeing a personal trainer at the gym he wants me to stop the mess and let the healthy food I eat give me natural energy but I’m scared scared to gain weight and be stuck in bed with no drive Also I need it for school in semester. So I’m not sure what to do or how to do it at all. Thanks for listening
Dave,
People who are addicted to adderall tend to feel like all their worth lies in the pill and its effects. They feel that they are not capable without it.
This article is to allow adderall users understand that even without adderall they are intelligent, creative people.
I understand how you see it written as a bragging article but its not. People who are trying to quit adderall need constant belief in their abilities without adderall.
I’m so thankful that you have never taken it. You should feel lucky. Don’t ever take it. Also know that those you see using it are actually struggling deep down or will most likely be struggling at some point in their future.
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Please help me going on 10 years this drug is destroying my life.
I have a love/hate relationship with adderall. Most days its love, most nights its hate.
I have too been one of those people who felt “saved” by adderall, but, as most of us long term users have expressed, this love affair does not last long. For many of us it has turned into a disfunctional, abusive love/hate relationship. We literally form a relationship with adderall. Over time we give this PILL credit for our passion, success, motivation, drive, creativity, ect. We give this pill so much credit that the thought of quitting comes with the fear of losing YOUR TRUE SELF. This is where so many users/potential abusers become debilitated. You slowly begin to feel the self worth you felt before this pill. Your body gets so used to the excess dopamine and brain activity that without it you feel incompetent, stupid, lazy, and worthless. NOTHING SHOULD MAKE YOU FEEL THAT WAY. This drug robs you of the feeling of accomplishment that could have been achieved through alternate, non addictive, treatments. But doctors never seem to give you the alternatives. My family suggested I get checked for ADD due to my lack of drive, impulsive decisions/risky behavior and inability to fully apply myself. Yes I am sure I have ADD but i also know part of these symptoms stemmed from a lack of parental involvement, an out of control home environment, and the eventual desire to escape the depression and anxiety that was too hard to cope with as a young teanager. These systems were easily defined as ADD and after a few dates tests the doctor decides stimulants were the route I should go. This doctor did not even attempt to give me alternative solutions that didn’t involve taking an addictive medication. The doctor didn’t even bother asking my history and if she did she would have know that both of my birth parents are drug addicts and so obviously addiction runs in my genes. Even then I’m sure I would have never been offered other solutions that weren’t deemed as a “quick fix” that so many Americans desire. Being the unconfident, under achieving teenager that I was I accepted that I needed medication to be “normal”. Unfortunately I took this drug right before college, a time when I was choosing paths that would eventually become my future. I didn’t realize then that the future I started creating wasn’t the REAL me. It was the “enhanced” version of me (or so I thought) that made me have unrealistic expectations for myself. This pill did not allow me to find what I was passionate about without stimulants. I created a life where I would always need stimulants in order to meet the desired expectations. And in return for motivation and drive I gave up my personality, my loving spirit, my zeal for life, my sense of humor, and my sense of self. My tolerance grew and grew to where no matter how much I took I could never seem to regain the success I achieved when I first started taking it. And this is what led to my abuse. I continued trying to succeed in the life I created when I was in an over stimulated, unnatural world. The honeymoon phase ended and now 7 years later I am still in the trap. THAT BEING SAID NOT ALL OF US “ADDICTS” ARE BAD PEOPLE WHO JUST WANTED TO GET HIGH LIKE MOST OF YOU ADDERALL ADVOCATES HAVE DESCRIBED US. Some of us did not realize that agreeing to take this pills in order to have “normal” functioning brains would mean becoming a slave to the drug. By the time many of us accept that stimulants have become more destructive than good ( which usually takes a while (as proof in the overly positive comments that new stimulant users attribute to this “wonder drug”) it is too late to just throw our pills away and never look back. We have become dependent. We relate quitting with failing. Because of this many of us will never have the courage to break free from its tight grip.
The saddest part of all of this is that we have let you this drug define us. So much so that the thought of quitting seems to be associated with a life in ruins. We let adderall steal our dignity and self worth. That is what I regret the most about ever starting this magic pill. It makes me sick when I think about how much stronger I could be if I would have suffered through the challenges brought on by my ADD by learning life long skills that come from hard work and dedication. But instead I took the easy way out like everyone else and in the process gave up my true self. Those of you who view stimulants as positive and reject the author’s view give this pill credit for your achievements instead of yourself. In my opinion that is negative. Those of you who continue years of use without craving more and without feeling self doubt and guilt and depression are truly blessed and instead of downing those of us who weren’t as lucky try instead offering compassion. Because I can promise you none of us wished for this. And most of us would take it back if we could. No matter how hard today is my last day being a slave to a drug. This is my last day depending on a drug for my success and passion and LIFE. My passions that come from a non-stimulated life will be all the more real and meaningful. The one motive that will hopefully keep me positive during this hard road ahead of me is that at the end I will feel REAL and STRONGER in the end. I will no longer question who I am. Regardless of whether the new me looks better to the outside does not matter because I will be the person God created me to be. Beautifully flawed. And that is how I believe I will finally find true happiness.
The name Ann can replace “Anonymous” for the previous comment if anyone wants to respond to me directly with words of encouragement/questions. Forgot to add it when submitted
I love adderall. But hate when I’m not on it. I work in a factory and had surgery back in nov on my shoulder. I gained over 20 pounds by feb and feel into depression hard. I took an adderall for the first time mid February and loved it the effect is just like u described. But man I hate waking up and not having that feeling and feel lazy until I take it. Which I was never like always been active and out going. But now after reading this article on how hard it is to b your self again after adderall is scary. I know I can stop and I definitely will now and will push myself at work and home to get out of this faze. I know I’m better then adderall today is start of something new guarantee it to myself and my family. Thanks for and eye opening article loved the read
I am a 43 year old alcoholic, porn addict, father, divorced after 18 years of marriage, very athletic, have a successful career at the worlds leading semiconductor R&D facility, AND, this article fits me to a T. I decided I didn’t want my 40s to look like my 20s and 30s so I sought professional council. After many weeks of discussion, my counselor asked me if I had ever been prescribed Ritalin. I said no but my teachers asked my parents to put me on it. I got tested for ADHD and fell into the 7-7.5 of 10 scale, so not too bad but worth looking at treatment. After a period of trial and error I have a dose that seems to be just about right. Since being on a consistent dose of Adderall for a year, I have quit drinking and porn for 6 months and have no desire to go back. The parts of my life that porn and alcohol ruined are healing and I feel like I have hope again. I’m also gaining momentum for the life I want. When I skip a day or two of Adderall I feel just like I did before Adderall which makes me understand why I did what I did. Interestingly, in my search for answers about alcoholism I found most alcoholics suffer from the same problems described here in this article, as well as porn addicts. I am trying to find someone who has tied all of this together. From what I read, Dopamine appears to be implicated in all of this, but the information I read is spread out and hard to condense. I don’t want to continue down this path if it only leads to a new set of problems. However, Adderall is shining light on the existing ones and helping me solve them, thus improving my quality of life.
HI IM 16 AND IM CURRENTLY TAKING ADDERALL, I USED TO TAKE VYVANSE, I TOTALLY UNDERSTAND THIS ARTICLE AND I WANNA SAY THAT IT IS UTTERLY INACCURATE. It sounds like whoever wrote it just wants to get a bunch of super insecure people together and have an Adderall party. TBH, from my experience with stimulants, they make you feel like THE SHIT. you literally feel like there’s nobody else in the world better than you. this has both positive and negative side effects! I denied many relationships because of this, and I deeply regret this because I now realize that I lacked in having compassion for these unique and admirable individuals. SO YOU MIGHT THINK YOURE THE SMARTEST AND PRETTIEST AND MOST CREATIVE, but its only because the medication makes you feel this way. DONT TAK THIS SHIT!! EXERCISE INSTEAD
… AND WHAT DAVE SAID ON JULY 12 IS VERY TRUE AND WELL STTED, WHETHER WED LIKE TO BELIEVE IT OR NOT. wow, it realy opened my eyes
Wow. I cannot believe how right you are all the time. This site is amazing! Thank you so much for what you’re doing!
Okay, so since when did adderall make someone some sort of super human? If this is what it does to you…guess what? Your NOT ADD, or ADHD? Before pharmacies became some sort of drug dealer, these drugs were to help people. When I was younger, I had a problem. And it was beyond just being a child, it was beyond creativity or distraction. I could not, for the life of me “chill out”. My snack for school was soy nuts. My mom always packed a lunch (turkey or pb&j, apples, fruit snacks (if I deserved it) and a water bottle. No sugary pop ever, that was banned. But I was hyper. I had all the energy in the world. I swam competitively, the summers were five different Rec sports (just for fun, unlike swimming ended up being) but at the end of the day I’d stay up all night reading. Wake up running around like a goober. Knocking things over, breaking things by accident. Talking in class. I took attendance to the principal. And one time the teacher actually created me a “run pass” so if I was caught running in the halls I would be allowed. So I was prescribed adderall. 30mg at first. Made me odd. New doctor, went to 20 XR. I remember hating it in the mornings. It made me feel like I didn’t have enough time for nothing. Certainly didn’t do anything “crazy”. Actually in Highschool I remember a girl wanting one to take to a party, and I gave her some of my old IRs too, hearing those are the “only ones you can get high off of” (apparently you have to snort it? I never tried even though I did have a run with drugs early 20s. Adderall didn’t get me high…)
I’m not done tho. People in college wanted them. I think it did help some stay up late, but by morning they would pass out. Even if you took an XR, all it does is simply keep you awake. If you over take it, mix it with coffee, and at this point you might as well be taking meth? Then yea your gunna feel it, but really weird too! It wouldn’t be like meth? Or cocaine? It would be a sickening dry mouth nauseating hungry but can’t eat headache but can’t function hing you could only pull off for a bit! Then after sleeping off and wasting a few days (idk what genius in the real world can do that) you end up possibly even addicted depending on your personality- and you fall into a place many addicts and what I call “accidental phasing addicts” (NA, AA, chill- your not the only way. U realize such groups were created during the prohibition and was a big money maker for a narcissistic womanizer who he himself believed he was God? Also stealing money for a whole book other people wrote? And his spiritual awakening was a result of LSD but I’m getting off topic here, aren’t I?)
The point is, I understand your concern, maybe? Or it could be that many people feel because the Internet gives them a stand they feel their opinion MUST be heard, the homeless graffiti “artist” who manages to have a tablet, and the brain surgeon who feels they have an opinion on food stamps. If you don’t know it personally, if you don’t know even someone close, why talk about what you don’t know? This problem is the real killer- false information confuses people from real issues. Portraying this drug as some sort of gift to adults in need of a salary raise or suspecting the pretty celebrities who are used to make you and insecure consumer to buy things you don’t need, and in your need to blame something, you point fingers at whatever you personally believe the problem to be.
I see a lot of truth to this, I see a bit of opinion. I do not see all adderall users are skinny? I was really fat as a kid! Again the description here is abuse. Which trail leads to prescribers. Which will lead to even bigger prescribed issues like Xanax, Percocet, Valium. Yes all these drugs are misdiagnosed by an easily manipulated Doctor, who only learned drug addiction or drug abuse in a rotation class at Arizona of Phoenix. But these doctors exist. And people who are desperate, like a woman seeking for a tanning booth that wil let her control the nob, they will find it, as long as it’s there.
Best thing to do? When I want to get to the root of an opinion, I look up things like who what when how WHY! This is important. You’d be amazed the stuff you’ll find about anything! Then compare that to your findings. I also suggest adderall Ritalin AND vivamce and also the generic brands and their differences. More people, I’d think, take generic brands depending on their insurance. And I assume, disclaimer here’s an opinion, that drug abusers have stars in their eyes for the name brand.
The fact is adderall will not make you skinny. Your body will adjust to it. You’ll take more. And you’ll be weird. You’ll get tired. And if your not eating enough your hair will fall out. And unlike the celebrity goal you wish for, right now you just don’t have the money to get extensions, to hire a nutritionist, to get skin tinted, to get your jaw reconstructed, to have a makeup artists literally photoshop you like Jennifer Lawrence so you don’t need to lose weight. Or just plain old tear apart yourself to look awful. And realize when your older you wasted your whole life in vain, and maybe the damn BIBLE was on to something (atheist relax. It’s a joke. But really society? Enough with the selfie overload and life pics. Start living it)
Adderall is not a super drug.
Adderall will not solve the problem of why your not a genius
Adderall does not help people think
Adderal when abused is the worst kind of drug that will make you paranoid and could cause your heart to stop if you don’t usually do drugs.
Also, a kid from my Highschool did die from adderall. He mixed it with cocaine. He was not a drug addict actually, just one of the cool cute boys that were popular, who would do whatever his friends were doing. Who really wnjoyed being cool. But ended up staying in the cool popular crowd after Highschool. Went to college only to party and be attractive to girls.
Who stayed there. And never came back. Because, it’s just a fun drug! It makes you focused! Lose weight! Get that salary….
No wonder heart disease and heart attacks are on the rise!
This isn’t mean. Just an encouragement to those reading who really don’t know first hand. Everyone has their own opinions. I recognize mine is limited to my experience, my own research, my own environments I’ve been exposed to, and the people I know. I acknowledge it is a used, I also know one died, one girl thought I gave her fake pills, kids in college used them for a bit like it was a “fad” and soon retreated to the coffee and energy drinks because “they didn’t like how the adderall made them feel” and women who want to lose weight are usually discouraged by how thin yet dead, discolored, hair falling out, but with their bloated gut and overall lack of energy but to do anything except sit around wondering if they are pretty yet, until they muster the courage to get a shovel to begin digging their own grave whispering
“Just one more pound”
“Just a few more”
“Adderall helps me”
“I must be thin”
These kind of goals with a pill are dangerous. And NOT EVEN TRUE. I think the amphetamine confused people thinking meth.
Also, not true.
Also, another thing. Re reading above. Adderall does not produce dopamine? That is heroin, actually.
See how the lies spread?
Oh and prince didn’t do Heroin either.
This is just my opinion but I think the vast majority of middle class kids with the resources that allow them access to adderall mainly for the purpose of academic performance enhancement do not actually need the drug. I postulate that its effects are nothing more than those of a placebo. This could explain why studies on whether Adderall delivers a true cognitive boost have been inconclusive. I always knew I was intelligent enough to tackle high level mathematics (phd level) because the people I knew who excelled at it were not particularly intelligent in my opinion. I would hold conversations with some of them and marvel how such shallow and unsophisticated thinkers were considered to be geniuses just because they could regurgitate a few formulas on command like trained lab rats. That’s not to say all math nerds are people of this variety but in my strictly anecdotal experience, this has almost invariably been the case. I can count the really truly “intelligent” people I have met in my life on half a hand. Am I narcissitic? Maybe a little lol. But I can tell you this: I am the poster child for ADHD—world class athlete (empirically and emphatically proven –not an exaggeration) with seemingly boundless artistic talent—I play piano by ear—I can can arrange six part vocal harmonies and convince you that I have had years of vocal and musical training, I excelled and measured off the charts in grade school..was basically untouchable until high school when my undiagnosed adhd reared its ugly head. I never got a high off school work but at the grade level it was very obvious I was gifted. In high school not so much because oftis pesky but necessary habit called studying. I just could not bring myself to do it. On the track i could train like an olympic athlete. I could sit at a piano for 8 hours straight but even then i never liked the mundane task of actually learning prescribed chord techniques. I just positioned my fingers in such a way as to produce what i wanted to hear and so the road to piano maestrodom became arduous because i knew what i wanted to hear bit did not possess the patience to actually master the techniques or learn to sight read. My athletic exploits earned me an easy ncaa div 1 scholarship. I scraped through two undergrad degrees and even obtained a masters degree through sheer will and luck. To say forcing myself to do homework in my masters degree was a superhuman effort on my part is an understatement. I worked in and excelled at sales but my career was hampered due to the fact that i was so absented minded and an found paperwork to be so boring that i never bothered to complete it properly much of the time. I even got a job as an analyst (worst job for someone with ADHD) and hated it as much as my boss regretted hiring me lol. I quit within two weeks and took up an offer to start on a PhD—-struggled through highly quantitative and demanding coursework and almost crashed and burned because i could never focus enough to get past a C average in on course in particular. I am not stupid by any means and i certainly did not convince myself I had ADHD. For me the evidence was overwhelming. I was late for everything, constantly lost items like keys sweaters wallets, never studied, hyperfocused on “unimportant things” — lucky for me one of them earned me a full ride—persistently underperformed academically to the frustration and chagrin of my instructors. One mild manneredand very prim and proper professor pulled me aside after class one day and said to me: “You are obviously the smartest student in this class. So tell me. How do you always manage to “f@$# up my exams”? Last year in an act of desperation i sought the help of a physician. I explained my lifelong struggles to her and she put me on 25mg XR. The first day I was on the the medication was the first day in my life i was able to study for more than an hour in with a span of 24 hours. I studied for eight straight hours and crushed the test in the class i was struggling in to such an extent that the professor thought i had cheated lol. My house is now neat. I have built up a spotless credit record during the 8 months i have been on adderall…have not been late for an appointment and my personal relationshipshave become better…not necessarily more peaceful but better because i address issues head on with promptness. I feel “normal” when I am on Adderall. I am lucky in that it provides such a boost to me that i only need to take it every other day. On fact most weeks i only take it twice. I do not feel like i am abuser of the drug nor do i feel i fall under the category of white frat boy B student of below to average intelligence. For people like me Adderall is a lifesaver and it has nothing to do with conformity or gaining an edge. I feel if I had been properly diagnosed in my childhood i would be light years away from where i am now. I am currently on my way to completing a phd which Adderall has kickstarted to the extent that i may even finish in record time. So the moral of the story , at least, to me is that for every B student popping Aderrall as an upper to gain a slight academic competitive advantage there are the few of us who truly need it.
This statement destroyed the credibility of the article for me. “Because Adderallics are smart,”. Generalizations don’t enhance your statement and at times can destroy it entirely.
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Its not so much approval I want or recognition. I want to understand how my brain arrives at mathamatical solutions so I can repeat the process instead of just inconsistantly supplying impossible to know answers while being unable to memorize simple algorithems for practical use. I am part of the .01% mentally and I cannot do grade 10 math because I will multiply by 4 instead of square when I see the sign or misread a conversion chart and finish the work with a stupid attention to detail error. I dont want to fit my intelligence into a mold that allows for recognition. I want to force it to do what its perfectly capable of. Math that matches my level of intelligence. If some little pill can help me focus on the numbers in front of me instead of trying to focus on the numbers in front of me while also attempting to discern which female is wearing which perfume, I will be very greatful, and the people who are helped through my work, whaqtever it ends up being, will probably be alive instead of dead or better yet, capable of exercising free will. Either way I have the intelligence, and I want to fit it into the mathematical mold. not earn a pat on the back for being a special butterfly. thats about 15 iq points down the chart, if we are to speak in generalizations.