Day 1

[Bernard]

Hey guys, I'm new to the forum, I hope this post isn't too long!

 

I'm currently a senior in college and I'm approaching the one year mark as an adderall user.  Like most of you it all started out great: my GPA shot up, I could easily study for exams a week in advance, etc.  However, as time passed I realized that I had lost myself to the adderall.  I went from being in a fraternity and was fairly social, to isolating myself from my friends and leaving the fraternity.  When I was on Adderall all I wanted to do was study and that resulting in me separating myself from my closest friends.  I also started to chase that Euphoric feeling that I had when I first began taking adderall which led abusing the medicine.  I was originally prescribed 30mg IR and about 4 months ago I started taking about 40-60mg a day.  

 

About 1 month ago I switched to 30mg XR, and thats when the abuse got real.  I was so used to the immediate stimulation that XR didn't do it for me and on a few occasions I took 90mg XR in one day.  This is when I realized that I was headed down a bad path, and that if I didn't change anything sooner or later something was going to give.  About a month and a half ago I actually stopped cold turkey bc I burned through my prescription and that was my eye opening moment.  After being off of Adderall for 3 weeks I forgot how good it felt just to be me!  Before Adderall I was in the Gym almost everyday, but I stopped working out after a few months of daily use.  Being off of Adderall for 3 weeks I honestly didn't have bad withdrawls, aside from being tired and lacking motivation, I was MUCH happier, more social, more confident, working out, and actually did just as well in my classes (although it was a lot harder).  

 

Last week however was finals week and that's the worst time to be dealing with lack of motivation, so I started taking adderall again.  For some reason, I couldn't just take my meds as prescribed!  After taking a month and a half off 30mg XR was more than enough, but for some reason I just took 60mg and sometimes 90mg!  Fortunately I did very well on my finals, however I realized that I have developed a problem with Adderall.  I'm not the type of kid to abuse drugs or alcohol and I never have, but I was obviously falling victim to Adderall, and I see why it's a controlled substance.  I'm no sure I ever needed adderall, I think I was just Lazy, because I performed just as well without it during those few weeks, it just took more effort!  Anyway, I decided that enough is enough, and that the bad is starting to outweigh the good and that it wasn't worth it anymore.  

 

I've been off of Adderall now for one week but it wasn't official because I still had prescriptions for the next two months so I it wasn't official.  This is why it is only Day 1 for me; I've thought about it and after reading the articles and forum I took those two prescriptions and ripped them to shreds!! Today is the day that I take back control of my life before it gets out of control.  I'm hoping that I will have similar results with withdrawl.  I know that I am never going back to Adderall, no matter what and it feels great.  Thank you to everybody for sharing your stories, it has helped me more than you know!  Does anybody know roughly how long my complete recovery might take considering I was on Adderall just under 1 year?

[JustinW]

Welcome aboard and congratulations on your decision to quit!  Everyone recovers at a different pace so I can't say how long it will take to get back to normal.  Reading your post made me greatful that I mainly used XR and only occasionally used the IR version.  I can see how it is easier to get addicted to the instant release.  I wish you a speedy recovery and I suggest joining the 30 day challenge because it has been a real benefit for those who have taken it.

[Bernard]

Hey Justin W,

 

Thanks for the support much appreciated!