Quitting Adderall movies?

[Mike]

Hey Guys,

So I've been trying to write a post about movies that are relevant to the whole Quitting Adderall/Adderallic experience.

So far, I've only thought of four...

1. Equilibrium (quitting emotion-suppressing prozium)

2. Office Space (hypnotised into not caring about bullshit anymore)

3. Garden State (quitting Lithium anxiety medication)

4. The Big Hit (main character is an approval addict that realizes the err of his ways, fights for his own priorities, and saves the day)

I need 5 to do a post on it (just for even number's sake). But I'd like 10.

So, any ideas? What movie have you watched that you really identified with and that you think other Adderallics could identify with? What do you think of the movies above? I realize I may be the only person in the world who actually liked "The Big Hit".

[Lilah]

I saw the post title and immediately thought of Garden State. What about Requiem For A Dream? One of the main characters was addicted to amphetamine pills. Its a super dark movie but for me reminds me of the psychosis effects that drove me away from Adderall. Once I had quit for awhile, it was kind of like breaking up with a bad boyfriend/girlfriend... you forget all the reasons you did it and just remember the good times and kinda want them back. Reqiuem For A Dream was a pretty powerful reminder of why I was doing what I was doing.

[Mike]

Oh wow I totally never thought of Requiem for a Dream. That movie scarred me for life (and ruined my crush on Jennifer Connelly).

But you're totally right. There is no better "say no to drugs" movie than that, plus it has the amphetamine subplot. Really, they should just show Requiem in middle school instead of having all of those anti-drug speakers/displays. Someday when I found my own private school, I'm totally going to do that.

I think that's officially #5. But in the same vein I think I'm going to add "Playing God"...it just feels right. Plus in the movie the main character lost his medical license partially for taking Adderall (literally, he says "Adderall") to stay awake during stints in the OR.

So now we have 6, and might as well go to 10. Need 4 more!

[jason]

What about Traffic and Walk The Line?? Even better..Basketball Diaries and the Salton Sea (Val KIlmer as a Meth addict).

[cburnett]

How about the movie Crank...with Jason Statham?

[Mike]

@jason

What about Traffic and Walk The Line?? Even better..Basketball Diaries and the Salton Sea (Val KIlmer as a Meth addict).

Dude you so rock for having seen Salton Sea. Such an over-looked gem. That's going on the list. I think Walk the Line belongs their too. One of these days I'm going to have to write a post about Johnny Cash's speed habit. Wasn't Basketball Diaries about heroin? Will have to watch Traffic again. I think I got bored and turned it off half way through.

@cburnett

How about the movie Crank...with Jason Statham?

Haha that was a fun movie. What did you have in mind though, in terms of applicable-ness? I could definitely see it a applying to the fight to keep your mind awake after quitting Adderall. Is that what you had in mind, or some other angle?

[jason]

Salton Sea has got to be by far, one of Val Kilmer's best performances. I was thinking of Basketball Diaries for it's similiararity to the downward spiral add. can cause...not usually to the extent of heroin (hopefully).

I used to rent movies constantly, or pick one to watch out of the nearly 300 I own. Of course, in my add. world, I would rather just focus on the mindless task I needed to complete...rather than relax with a good movie. I look forward to enjoying a good movie again.

Regarding my other post under Social Anxiety and Adderall, I have come to a decision. I can't stand to be this "other person" anymore. I am going to come off them asap. It's not going to be as gradual as a step down approach, but it hopefully won't be too severe. I am basically going to go down from 3/4 of 30mg to 1/4 for 5 days. I will eat healthy and exercise to ward off some of the dreadful side effects.

I want my true self back:)

Thanks MIke,

-Jason

[Mike]

Salton Sea has got to be by far, one of Val Kilmer's best performances.

Totally agree. I always wondered if he tried meth a few times to study for the role, since he's known for being such a hardcore method actor. Such a great movie.

I look forward to enjoying a good movie again.

It's funny. When I was on Adderall, I would think of all the movies and TV shows that I was missing out on by working all the time, and I would think "I'll just binge on them all later when I've finished my work and I'm rich". Fittingly, instead of getting rich I quit Adderall and now I've pretty much caught up on every TV show and movie I missed, just to quell the newfound boredom and use the extra time. Movies are like my coping mechanism. Shitty day? Steak + potatos + cookies + milk + good movie.

Fortunately for my productivity, I think I'm just about caught up. I think I've watched pretty much ever TV show I've ever wanted to watch, and have re-discovered reading for pleasure.

Regarding my other post under Social Anxiety and Adderall, I have come to a decision. I can't stand to be this "other person" anymore. I am going to come off them asap. It's not going to be as gradual as a step down approach, but it hopefully won't be too severe. I am basically going to go down from 3/4 of 30mg to 1/4 for 5 days. I will eat healthy and exercise to ward off some of the dreadful side effects.

I've seen people step down that fast and win. It's all about what feels right for you, and how hard you work to counter-balance the side effects. I wish you lots of good luck!

[cburnett]

Mike,

As for the movie Crank...I was thinking more along the lines of how I felt when I used to actually take Adderall (pls note-I took excessive amounts!). Chev Chelios had to keep his adrenaline constantly going in order to stay alive and I also believed at the time that I wouldn't be able to function without Adderall so I just kept taking more and more as my tolerance grew. I always felt like I was on a mission of some kind or another. There was always a project (or 10) that I was working on. I was like a crazy energizer bunny. I didn't know how to just relax and I sure as heck didn't know how to "stop and smell the roses".

I must add that after 7 months of being adderall free I finally feel normal! Yay! It's the best feeling ever!

C

[Mike]

Chev Chelios had to keep his adrenaline constantly going in order to stay alive and I also believed at the time that I wouldn't be able to function without Adderall so I just kept taking more and more as my tolerance grew.

Ah that makes sense. I see your point now. Hope you don't mind: I'm probably going to quote you on that if I use Crank in the post. :-)

I must add that after 7 months of being adderall free I finally feel normal! Yay! It's the best feeling ever!

Awesome! Congratulations! Takes a while, but you hit your stride eventually. Glad to hear you made it.

[sboo]

The Lord of the Rings my precious, duh! I just saw the movies for the first time. They were watched among all the other movies I've seen in my post-adderall month-long television marathon. Perhaps I wouldn't have seen any underlying parallels to drug addiction had I not recently quit taking adderall. The obsession and rapture Frodo has over the ring is not unlike my addiction with adderall. Me and Frodo are otherwise unalike, thankfully:) I'm not a D&D follower I swear, so my regrets if this ring/drug association is old news.

Sarah

[Mike]

The Lord of the Rings my precious, duh!

I never would of thought of that. And I actually have a friend who calls his Adderall "my precious".

That's totally going on the list now.

[CosmiKitten]

Did anyone mention Spun? With Jason schwartzman, Brittany Murphy, Mickey rourke, John leguizamo, forgive me if I typed any of those names wrong, I'm using my phone here.

It's about a group of meth addicts, and the behavior is pretty extreme, but I think there are many parallels to adderall use, particularly in the way the characters create their own little worlds, and seem to believe that they appear normal to others. There is a particular scene that, after days of everyone binging and staying awake, cuts to each character in their different locations finally sleeping peacefully that really gets to me. Highly recommend.

[Courtney]

Ive watched soooooo many movies since I went off adderall, I don't think that I was ever able to sit down and finish one when I was always so anxious and there was something else to do that feeling of soethng having to be done all the time.

I was never able to watch tv or movies now i enjoy them so much.

and movie theatres and adderal forget about it! lol

Not to say that its great to sit around and watch movies all day and night but Id rather do that to cope than what was going on before, the embarassingly bad effects that adds had on me for the past 8 years.

anyways Im trying to think of some movies that are great.

Office space is hilarious.

I think that I would give anything to sit down at my table with a few of us x-add people and talk!

[Rich]

Just saw this trailer of "Limitless" in the superbowl. The premise is a pill is discovered by a down-and-out writer that lets you access 100% of your brain (basically adderall on, well, adderall). Here's it is: