My Friend Went Back on Adderall

[quit-once]

Last weekend I saw my best friend for the first time in several months.  He was one of my addie buddies and I have known him since 7th grade.  He had quit for about 2.5 years.  I don't get it.

 

He abused Adderall for over ten years and was completely unable to take it responsibly.  It sent him into psychosis and landed him in the hospital for a week or two.   I thought that would be enough to make him forsake the drug forever.  He had also quit smoking for over a year but now he is back on the cigs as well.  I just don't get it.

 

When he mentioned how much he loved taking Adderall, I ignored it.  I didn't want to hear that.  Maybe I should have been more judgmental or confrontational? 

 

After being free from that awful addiction for over 3.5 years, the thought of going back just turns my stomach inside out.  Why would anybody relinquish their freedom to that mind fucking, soul sucking drug called Adderall? 

 

I don't know what, if anything, I can do to help him.   I am just sad that it happened.  Any thoughts or comments would be appreciated.

[mila490]

quit-once, that must be disappointing. On the positive side, it doesn't sound like it triggered you at all, which is reassuring to hear.

I'm only a few months clean so am still frequently battling triggers. I have to force myself to think of the negative side effects and not let the craving overcome me, when I know the negative outweighs what seems like a positive in the moment. It seems like with addiction of any kind, the addict knows the negative effects on some level, but the addiction overwhelms that logic; no matter how many years clean.

I think if you were to confront him, maybe frame it around the negative effect it had on his life in the past. Why would it be any different this time?