Irritability

[Rina]

I have mixed feelings about the drug.

I'm 26, a stay-at-home-mom, an artist, a massage therapist and a military wife ( I mention the last one because I get little help at home).

Past teachers and employers have taken me aside and asked me if I was ADD...a bit embarrassing to say the least.

I was officially diagnosed with add last year and was given adderall xr 10 mg but I was also diagnosed with hyperthyroidism /Graves' disease around the same time.

I saw a doctor who said I had a thyroid issue and a chiropractor who ran a hair analysis test and said I had adrenal fatigue.

(Most medical doctors don't acknowledge adrenal fatigue as an issue).

Adderall is definitely contraindicated if you have adrenal fatigue.

I still proceeded in taking adderall.

I've never needed to increase adderal and I feel like 10 mg has been more than enough. I've never abused it (Ok, we all had our high school indulgences).

I saw that my productivity, my irritability,my depression, my mood, confidence...everything improved but I still felt scared I'd eventually have to go to a higher dose.

I also feared I may have been taking on too many projects and being the overachieving, "yes" mom.

I also noticed when I would take breaks from adderall that I would question why I agreed to do somethings or even why I was trying to seek approval from certain people while on the drug.

I've been off adderall completely for almost 6 months now.

The past few days I feel like I've been completely depressed because of my lack of focus and my irritability.

I'm really starting to question if the positives out weigh the negatives.

I have horrible irritability issues. I have zero tolerance for loud noises, obnoxious people, being interrupted in general...etc.

I feel like I'm the female version Larry David when I'm off adderall

I ran out and picked up some vitamin-d because my primary doc said I was severely deficient.

add symptoms sometimes mimic vitamin-d deficency.

I also picked up some rhodiola.

This is all out of me trying my damnedest not to revert to adderal and I'm hoping it works.

I eat extremely healthy all the time.

I take a wide range of prescribed whole food supplements for my thyroid and adrenal health.

I get to bed on time.

I'm frickin' lost.

I'm definitely losing my patience.

I'm question if I ever was really addicted or really benefited for adderall.

How do you all naturally deal with irritability?

Advice anyone?

[LILTEX41]

Yes, you need to work on building your frustration tolerance.   I wrote you a big long thing and then lost it.

 

Go to Smart Recovery, Resources, Articles and Essays, and click on Irrationalities Related to Low Frustration Tolerance (LFT).

 

The good news is you can learn to dispute the irrational beliefs you are telling yourself such as I have zero tolerance for loud noises, being interrupted, and obnoxious people, etc.  Once you start disputing these and formulate Rational Beliefs you will no longer feel so hopelessly devoted and dependent on Adderall.  People with addictions are known to have a very low frustration tolerance and act impulsively with their drug of choice when upset or frustrated.  The key is learning how to develop High Frustration Tolerance so when life throws you curve balls you can handle it without falling apart. 

 

Hang in there and do not give up!!!

[Rina]

Thanks so much! Heading over to check out those resources now