Adderallics Anonymous

Wow. Thanks for such a quality post! i feel like everyone here on this site should see your response

Just wondering if anyone knows of a site like this for ritalin/concerta. I've been on concerta for more of my life than adderall, and even though i feel like the overall experiences are about the same...I'd like to connect with some people that have had a quitting experience from the exact same stimulant. Thanks! and no, i wouldn't just leave this awesome support group if i find one! <3

How are you Smhjen? Are you still tapering down? Yes, adderall does effect both dopamine and serotonin L-tyrosine and 5-htp will help both of them Also, I have heard that you shouldn't be on adderall and antidepressants at the same time, but some on this site have quit cold turkey and then gone on anti-depressants to help cope.

Thats some scary stuff to think about... I'm always hopeful no permanent damage has been done

Around where you are now blue moon is where i was tempted to pop a pill now and then. Push through it! You got this!

Day 80! Starting to finally feel comfortable in my own skin again. Confidence talking to people is returning, and I find myself wanting to be social again which is the real me! Just a few weeks ago I was seriously tempted to relapse. And now i feel things have really taken a turn for the better. Anyone thats in a low point right now from quitting...i would really encourage you to stay the course. I can't exactly articulate it how i would like to...but just know this change of headspace i've had recently has really showed me that quitting is going to be a blessing long term. I feel like ive gotten to a point of being normal again when it comes to energy. But its a more natural energy than adderall ever gave...adderall always kept me on edge and jittery..you couldn't turn it off. But this...its like i have a store of energy that i can choose to tap into, or just as easily choose not to and lie down for a nap at any given time. Its like...i can flip the switch on or off as i see fit. And its great Sorry for the scramble minded post lol i swear half the time i post anything its half to talk to you guys, and half just to use as like a personal adderall withdrawal diary. Which i feel like is healthy haha

I feel like a lot of us here were actually put on the adderall for a reason though. I know personally i do really struggle with staying focused to things. Even back when i was on adderall. That said i'm suprised i havent seen more strategies on this website dealing with strategies for dealing with the add/adhd that many will have even after the withdrawals are ending. Any links for effective strategies, or personal success techniques from anyone here are very welcome

80 days in and i do feel like maybe my energy is starting to pick up. Hard to tell though, the whole thing is such a gradual process i feel like its hard to really feel a significant difference one day to the next. Sorry you arent feeling the energy quite yet blue moon! In the next few weeks from where you are is when i did start to have certain days of energy. Whats frustrating is Im experiencing the energy to do things, but still lack the mental clarity to accomplish anything thats too complicated.

I am hanging in there! It sounds bad, but i feel like im getting used to the awful withdrawal symptoms at this point. It's been long enough that feeling low energy is just the normal...so anytime i do feel energy or mental clarity its truly a great feeling! It excites me that im 2.5 months so the future holds increasingly more of the good feels

I'm right there with you bluemoon. One way i get through these days is to thing about every sober day as an investment. Its an investment towards your future of being happy, sober, and back to normal without addy

Yeah, from my experience people that have taken adderall (especially on this forum) know a lot more about it than the doctors who prescribe it. And of course it will be somewhat easier because you didnt abuse it

The thing is, I've been on addy since I was 7 so i dont think i will know when the 'real' me is back... I don't know if i will be able to make peace with being normal schlub...my long term goal is to be as close to superhuman as possible off the meds..

A full month or so

I actually tapered down using concerta. The first quit i went from cutting my 36 mg extended release in half to cold turkey The second quit i was cutting them into fourths, and then quit

Nice to see someone else with a similar situation to my own trying to quit! I think our common struggle will be just how long we both ran on the stuff. Even without abusing this drug its scary how a doctors recomended dose can have you so mentally dependent. Keep us updated on your progress and feel free to message me!

It really is...don't know that ive really seen anyone here on the forums thats been on it quite as long. I consider myself pretty lucky though..in that ive never really upped my dose much. Over the years ive alternated between adderall 20mg xr and concerta 36 mg. Because i started so early, it just became second nature to mindlessly pop the pills in the morning without a second thought...like i was just taking some kind of vitamin. Didnt really realize until college what I had been on for so long. I decided to wait until my college football career was over to start tapering down...which was around this time last year. After around 6 months of tapering i tried to quit cold turkey this past june. Quit for around 30 days, but had to go back on when i started failing my summer classes. School work was impossible. Contiunued to taper even more agressively until October 28th of this year I quit again, and here we are today! Nearly 2 months clean. Also managed to pass all of my classes and graduate college two weeks ago, which has me hopeful for the future

I really feel like the key in the first stage is to have very low expectations for yourself, and you seem to have that down. Low expectations = less dissappointment, and any accomplishments are a huge victory. I too have tried quitting when i lived by myself, and more recently when i was living with 3 roomates. I can't quite grasp from your post what you are trying to say about the difference...you think its easier or harder having people around you?

Yes. Absolutely. Been on the pills from age 7-23 and just recently quit...exctited/scared to learn who the 'real' me actually is

Thanks for the response. Before i quit I was a daily user for 15 years straight, so I think realistically this is something I'm going to be dealing with for a while. Definitely above average compared to others i would expect...Even though i only took my prescribed dose, and never really abused the stuff. Honestly though, i just graduated college this past week with my undergrad degree, and its shocking how little happiness/feeling of accomplishment I felt. Something ive been working towards for years... Very disheartening i couldnt imagine a life of never feeling the reward of hard work... strategies on how to deal with anhedonia are welcome from anyone here.

IMSTAS you mentioned anhedonia as one of the withdrawal symptoms. At 50 days since quitting I am really feeling this currently. Nothing seems to really bring me any joy What was the timeline like for you when it came to this going away?

Thanks for the continued support bluemoon. To me the hardest thing at this point is just how slow the recovery process is. Every waking hour i can feel myself unable to process things as quickly, and it seems like every obligation I have daily is such a chore mentally/physically. I wouldn't say my mood is down/ depressed...I'm not really sad, but it seems like almost nothing I do can actually bring me joy Similar experiences for you or anyone else?

Also though, youve only been on addy for a few years at an average dose! Many here have successfully quit with higher dosage, and longer use! And you are still young! You will definitely have an easier time than plenty of others that have done it

I can relate to so much of what your saying. I have such a love hate relationship with adderall. If you really are looking to quit theres loads of advice here on the forums...taper your dose down, take supplements, drink coffee constantly, ect. All of these things really though are just trying to make quitting suck less. If you really want to quit, i feel like you have to embrace that its going to be rough, and change your expectations of yourself temporarily.

I am absolutely in this stage of quitting right now. 38 days in and my energy is already picking up, but words don't come to my head like i want them to in conversation with people. My desire to be social seems less now, than it was in the first few weeks, which is strange. Thankfully, it sounds like this is a temporary thing...any estimation on when my social skills/social desire might return?

Thanks for asking. trying to hang in there. 38 days in! My energy is definitely starting to pick up, but im noticing other side effecs. I remember seeing someone here on the forums talk about how around the one month mark their desire to be social really declined, and i feel like i am definitely at that stage. I've always been a fairly witty and well timed person in conversation & it saddens me to feel that slip away... Its almost like... the words that normally would come naturally in conversation are lost in my head. I feel i have to think harder about what i want to say to someone, and it makes me less likely to jump into conversation Anyone else have this feeling? Really hoping this passes