Panic Attacks

[Andyd2]

Hello, 

I was on Adderall XR 20mg for about 11 years (starting end of high school). About 4 years ago I had my first panic attack. It turned into a full-fledged panic disorder and totally screwed up my digestion. Granted I was a workaholic on adderall, I never really sweat the stress, in fact I enjoyed stress and problem solving. The panic attack first happened when I wasn’t even that stressed. I went on anti-depressants (on top of adderall) which helped mask the panic but I balloooned 45 pounds (thanks to adderall wearing down my metabolism). Thanks to EMDR I was able to get off antidepressants and decided to also get off adderall. It’s been 6 months off adderall and antidepressants and the panic attacks have returned. Has anyone else had this experience? Anyone else experience panic attacks toward the end of long-term adderall use and see them pop up again during withdrawal? Will they eventually go away? I’ve tried all the therapeutic options but I tested for low norepinephrine so I think it’s biological more than psychological at this point (which is how it started in the first place). If anyone can relate or have any advice on dealing with long-term adderall-induced panic attacks I would love to hear from you!

Thanks,

Andy

[Jacob]

I'd say give it more time man, I had a panic attacks constantly the last 5 months off of adderall with derealization, depression, etc. I've noticed a lot of improvement since quitting the first few months, and on certain days my mood was better than it was on medication like today for example. You were on it for about 11 years, I would say definitely wait at least a year or more before trying to rush into something else. Psychological aspects affect biological aspects, and vice versa, that's why you were able to get off these medications with EMDR. You weren't built to last forever, but you were built to survive so give your body time to heal. Exercise, supplements, and a good diet will make this process work a lot faster. Avoid stress if you can. I read some guy on here felt like he did pre-adderall after 15 months, whenever I'm having a bad day I try to remind myself I'm not the only one who's taking forever to get better. Whenever I have a panic attack at night I go for a walk, and reward myself for making the decision to get off pills by eating something nice and watching tv. Also keep track of the days you feel good, and if you are noticing long-term improvement that will definitely help you when you go through an episode of panic attacks. I honestly believe most people don't need medication except for extreme cases, therapy is the cure, medication is the treatment, the only way to get rid of feeling like this forever is to work hard, to talk out the emotional causes of these issues, and to keep doing things you are proud of.

[Andyd2]

Very, very well said - thank you @Jacob! Out of curiosity, what types of exercise did you find helpful for your symptoms? I feel like my body is so worn down that HIIT exercises/workout classes don't give me the kind of boost that it gives people at baseline. Were there any supplements you found especially helpful as you were pushing through withdrawal?

[Jacob]

@Andyd2 Hi Andy, I've noticed weight lifting helps me a lot with both better sleep, and relieving stress especially afterward while during it feels just like any other workout. I don't do HIIT, but going for a jog or a walk of about a mile in nature with no stimulation (music, phone use) is often very helpful. I also highly recommend socializing or picking up a sport, I'm in college and haven't been very involved the first two years because of my adderall use. After stopping I've become more focused on grades and joined a sport. Meeting new people helped me very much with redeeming confidence, and having a consistent program. As for supplements honestly i didn't use too many or anything extremely altering, I would just eat a lot of protein since they contain precursors for dopamine/serotonin, magnesium/potassium and iron were all helpful. I'm still not done healing, but I am doing much better now. Take care of the things that are stressing you, it'll help you feel a lot better long-term.