Alcohol

[happyinthepresentmoment]

Hey guys I quit Addy on May 8 2020. I stopped drinking alcohol on July 4 of this year. I am craving alcohol way more than addy. I crave alcohol so much, it is super hard. However I've really only craved addy once or twice. Major win! I'm not sure why that is...but I also still am really high strung and having difficulty stopping work or relaxing. 

Has anyone else given up alcohol as well? Does giving up alcohol speed up the healing process? Do you still drink? What has your experience been with drinking and or not drinking after quitting adderral? 

[DrewK15]

I quit Adderall and Alcohol at the same time. May 6, 2018. I absolutely think it’s sped up my healing process. In my mind they are connected. I would have a hard time taking Adderall without drinking and visa versa. I know some here have been able to smoke and drink post Addy, but I am not one of them. I am thankful and happy with my decision to live 100% sober.

[speedracer]

Me too. I quit the beers and Addy at the same time.  Total sobriety. Its been 15 months. I crave a beer more than anything after a long day at work like right now, or socializing. Very few addy cravings ever. Its been 15 months. I set a goal of 1 year on everything, and then i was plannign to back to beer socially with friends. After I hit the 1 year, I decided to keep it going. I dont want to take any chances. I just started on Wellbutrin for depression and it really is helping me turn the corner on fatigue and depression. I am performing better at work and doing better with friends and family. I guess after 20 years of use, the pendulem swung hard the other way...

[JennyF]

Hi @speedracer, I’m a week away from 15 months. I’m much better overall than in the first year but I still have a very hard time with motivation and drive to do things and my anhedonia is pretty intense.   I’ve considered Wellbutrin but I’m terrified to get in the same cycle as I was on Adderall. Not to mention not being able to get the anhedonia fixed naturally for good. Can you share a little bit more about your experience on Wellbutrin? Does it feel like Adderall? Do you get bad come downs? How does it make you feel? How long are you planning on taking it? 

Sorry for the million questions  

THANK YOU! 

[speedracer]

Jenny, I am glad you asked. We really are on the same wave. Im just out ahead of you by a bit. My wife would routinely mention I need to try anti-depressants. She has had family members and known friends who really do well on them. I was against it for the same reasons you are. I figured its just part of my recovery from long term adderall use. I have to go through it. I will go through it. etc. But starting the first of September, for whatever reason, I noticed my fatigue, anhedonia, and motivation were worse than August. OK so my recovery is not linear. I get it. But I wondered if my wife was right. I started researching Disthymia and depression and began thinking, I might be cutting myself short unnecessarily. What if I do respond well to Wellbutrin? What if I am foolishly giving up quality of life when I could get help for depression? So I went for it and so far my wife was right. Its nothing like adderall. Its subtle and effective. In fact, I learned after the fact, that this drug is sometimes used to treat add. Its only been 12 days, and its supposed take 30 days to get the full results, but I am delighted so far. I noticed I laugh more, and I feel kind of normal. I dont notice any significant side effects. I feel like I can start making plans again. Its giving me more confidence to meet and see poeple. More motivation for sure. That little adjustment is helping me exercise more, and the more I exercise, the better I feel. 

I plan to take it for another 9 months or until I hit the two year mark on my sobriety. I read some threads on here from a gal name Cassidy? She wonderfully explained her journey and it was encouraging to see how she had used wellbutrin effectively. 

[Ready4Change]

7 hours ago, speedracer said:

Jenny, I am glad you asked. We really are on the same wave. Im just out ahead of you by a bit. My wife would routinely mention I need to try anti-depressants. She has had family members and known friends who really do well on them. I was against it for the same reasons you are. I figured its just part of my recovery from long term adderall use. I have to go through it. I will go through it. etc. But starting the first of September, for whatever reason, I noticed my fatigue, anhedonia, and motivation were worse than August. OK so my recovery is not linear. I get it. But I wondered if my wife was right. I started researching Disthymia and depression and began thinking, I might be cutting myself short unnecessarily. What if I do respond well to Wellbutrin? What if I am foolishly giving up quality of life when I could get help for depression? So I went for it and so far my wife was right. Its nothing like adderall. Its subtle and effective. In fact, I learned after the fact, that this drug is sometimes used to treat add. Its only been 12 days, and its supposed take 30 days to get the full results, but I am delighted so far. I noticed I laugh more, and I feel kind of normal. I dont notice any significant side effects. I feel like I can start making plans again. Its giving me more confidence to meet and see poeple. More motivation for sure. That little adjustment is helping me exercise more, and the more I exercise, the better I feel. 

I plan to take it for another 9 months or until I hit the two year mark on my sobriety. I read some threads on here from a gal name Cassidy? She wonderfully explained her journey and it was encouraging to see how she had used wellbutrin effectively. 

I’m with the both of you and we all seem to be around the same time off Adderall. My anhedonia is still kicking my ass. I have much more energy but no drive, focus or motivation to use it. I  am in a kind of life limbo. Apathetic and blah. I’m also still struggling with executive functioning. I’m so close to reaching out for medical help because this process has been grueling and my wife and family are tired of seeing me suffer.  These waves are so rough and the windows are few. Small amounts of stress send me back down into another wave. CNS damage is no joke my friends. I withdrew from the SSRI Effexor for 2 years prior to beginning my Adderall journey and I have been suffering for 3 years and 6 months in total and I just want all of this hardship and pain to be worth something. It has to work. I couldn’t bear if it was all for nothing. Time is the most valuable thing on earth. 
 

Year one was incredibly difficult on every measurable level. Year two has its own unique set of challenges that still make this process very challenging. I’m at 16 months off Adderall and I’m really considering that I might have an underlying generalized anxiety disorder and it is making my life hell. Adderall gave me confidence and the ability to believe I could tackle anything in front of me with focus and drive. I’m now a very different person. I can’t feel pleasure or laugh. I don’t even watch TV or play video games anymore. NOTHING grabs my attention or motivates me to take action. It’s like I’m a damaged animal trying to hide and recover.  My anxiety is still paralyzing most days. I fake being normal to those around me but inside I am in some strange warped reality of emptiness. I’m hoping things continue improving. I pray for all of us in this process. We are very strong to preserve through this hell. I’m horrible at writing and my thoughts are so scattered but I wanted to jump in and be a part of this conversation. 

[speedracer]

Hey, thanks for jumping in. Your symtoms sound familiar. It sounds like depression and anxiety. You should talk to a doctor about it. What if you find something that helps your quality of life? Getting some treatment for the problem makes sense. I just read somewhere that diagnoses for general anxiety disorder and depression have tripled over the last year. So not only are we fighting the battle of recovery, but we have to deal with the stress of 2020 as well. 

[EricP]

Alcohol and Addy definitely have some correlation to each other...  When I was on Addy I feel like it helped me perform during the day however when I would go home at night I would feel edgy with a touch of anxiety. Alcohol curbed that feeling and helped me sleep also; however my tolerance to Alcohol went up significantly. Also in social situations I would do both and with that combo I'd rarely feel drunk...

Now having quit Addy I stopped drinking during the process for 6mo or so. I now still drink occasionally however I really watch myself. Usually a glass of wine with a nice steak etc. Only a couple times since I drank too much and still oddly I don't feel very drunk even when I drink too much however the hangover whatever high dose damage drinking does is simply not worth it!