Krax Posted January 2, 2013 Report Share Posted January 2, 2013 Hello I'm a ritalin user, now 6 weeks clean, looking for a forum as this one. Problem is there aren't many for ritalin, however reading the posts I feel as though I'm going through the same thing as most of you folks and would like to participate in discussing my recovery and so forth. Is that okay? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ashley6 Posted January 2, 2013 Report Share Posted January 2, 2013 Absolutely. I think we all agree all prescribed stimulants are pretty similar....doesn't really matter which one it is. Welcome to the forums! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quit-once Posted January 2, 2013 Report Share Posted January 2, 2013 Of course you are welcome here! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Krax Posted January 2, 2013 Author Report Share Posted January 2, 2013 Thank you Ashely I appreciate that. I've used ritalin for over 4 years. Since last May, about 7 months ago, I started on Wellbutrin and have gone off and on ritalin. Wellbutin has really given me the confidence to go without ritalin, and six weeks ago I committed to doing it for good. I function a million times better professionally (as far as talking with clients, and doing active things), and am a much better husband and father - way more engaged. The one thing I struggle with a bit is just getting started on paperwork. Now that I'm over my initial withdraw period - I think it's a matter of re-programming my brain. Over the last 4 years I've gotten programmed to think in terms of step (1) being taking ritalin, step (2) working on paperwork. Even now, my brain is still waiting for step 1 to happen - so I guess it's a matter of repeated behavior (not taking ritalin, but going to step 2) making my mind understand it isn't going to get step 1 first. Does that make sense? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg Posted January 2, 2013 Report Share Posted January 2, 2013 you are definitely welcome on these boards. I was a hardcore Ritalin abuser prior to Adderall. The experience, the struggle is the same. What you said makes a lot of sense. I was just thinking along those lines earlier today. Your brain is conditioned to 1. pop Ritalin then 2. start working. Working is like a conditioned reflex to taking the pill. So after you commit to stop taking Ritalin, that's when you begin to break the destructive conditioned reflex response. You come to realize there is no pill to turn to anymore to get work done. It's just you. When you need to get stuff done its all you. Anyway, that's how I've been experiencing the psychological change in me as I've stayed clean. I think when you really start to be confident in and understand you can only rely on yourself to get things done, the big psychological change happens. People say these meds are more psychologically addictive then physically addictive like other drugs, and I believe this conditioned reflex is what's so psychologically hard to break. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Krax Posted January 2, 2013 Author Report Share Posted January 2, 2013 it's funny, because I don't think it's actually harder to do what I have to do, once I move forward I develop my momentum and I get stuff done, but the initial putting my foot forward seems unnatural. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg Posted January 2, 2013 Report Share Posted January 2, 2013 Yup...agreed. Sometimes I run to Dunkin Donuts for a large ice coffee to get started on projects I just really don't want to do, which is what I'm right about to do now. and Even though I have the flu and should be in bed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Motivation_Follows_Action Posted January 3, 2013 Report Share Posted January 3, 2013 Hi Krax, welcome to the forum. As you can see, my username is kind of apt to your description. Something that struck home with me when I was first going through withdrawal was how the motivation cycle is reversed when you're on adderall.. all you had to do was pop a pill and the chores, emails, taxes, budgets etc etc would follow. But talk about law of diminishing returns, especially when your "prioritization gene" falls out of whack and you end up spending HOURS doing weird shit that no one cares about. Anyhow, it's good you're on the road to recovery. We have all agreed here that use any means necessary to get through your day, as long as it's not amphetamines or stimulants. For me, the magic combo is 5 hour energy + L Tyrosene + b6. (but be careful with that stuff if you take too much it can give you "funny tummy" as we say). I think Wellbutrin is fantastic for depression (see other posts) but there are some here who think it's better to be free of prescription anything... to each his own really. Anyway, one question... how far along are you in to recovery? Are you feeling like you're gonna make it through? Why now and what brought you to this place? Like Ashley said, we're stimulant-agnostic here... come one speed addict come all.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Krax Posted January 3, 2013 Author Report Share Posted January 3, 2013 thanks, it will be seven weeks in two days. A few weeks ago I was pleasantly surprised to feel no desire for ritalin at all, however the last week or so have experienced those thoughts, you know, about how I could get more done with it (same old b.s.), and talking with my wife about it yesterday (who is adamantly against me going on it again - which is totally understandable, and I did this in part to make it more difficult to do so) I was able to actually talk myself out of it just by talking to her about what I was feeling again. Anyways, I had told her how much I got from reading the posts on here and she encouraged I join, so here I am. Ya I know I'm going to make it. Thanks for the welcome Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather67 Posted January 3, 2013 Report Share Posted January 3, 2013 Hey krax.. I'm Heather and fow sho you have been brought to the right place!!!! We love you liked a fucked up brother already in the coolest family you could ever find!!!! Glad you've been getting some needed info from all those who have carried my ass through this crazy two weeks ....almost!!! So I look forward to exchanging some notes with you for a long time to come!!! STAY WELL!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Krax Posted January 3, 2013 Author Report Share Posted January 3, 2013 neversaynever: thanks so much. I actually woke up wondering what was new on the forum. I've got a long drive today, so I'm off but it was cool to check in and see how everyone is doing. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Motivation_Follows_Action Posted January 3, 2013 Report Share Posted January 3, 2013 Yeah, we're addictive too... but unlike adderall we won't ruin your life... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ashley6 Posted January 3, 2013 Report Share Posted January 3, 2013 I've realized I check this site like I check Facebook, which is A LOT. I like this place Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Motivation_Follows_Action Posted January 4, 2013 Report Share Posted January 4, 2013 I have this cool app on my computer called "rescue time" which websites you track and how long you spend on "productive" vs "non productive" sites. It counts facebook and reddit etc as "unproductive", but this one as productive... (mostly because I categorized it that way), so... ... QA is MUCH better than facebook in my opinion! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Krax Posted January 4, 2013 Author Report Share Posted January 4, 2013 this forum is great, I go on FB less and less because it's just so phony, you know, everyone trying to show everyone else how happy they are. Pictures of kids opening Christmas presents, when I have no idea who they are and don't know their parents, it's so silly. This forum is so real, it's other people going through the same fears worries and anxieties together. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather67 Posted January 4, 2013 Report Share Posted January 4, 2013 Yeah huh!!!!! Nonstop timeline bullshit ....heres a thought,,, engage imagination and come up with an original idea yourself that u can attach to a cool picture of a lotus flower or a chicks ass that you could never score anyways !! Face book got nothing on us!!!!! BRING IT BITCHES!!! LOL...SORRY!! HAHAHA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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