Struggling- advice needed

[magd]

Hello everyone,

I’m officially two days into tapering off taking adderall/vyvanse during the weekdays. While I’m already much happier and feel like I can connect better with others, I’m really struggling to get work done. I’ve only been at my job 3 months, but this week, I’ve fallen behind on two deadlines already. 

I work in a data-heavy job writing studies. I’m lucky enough that my deadlines are arranged in a way that I can take two-to-three days off during the week with no problem, but I’m really struggling to produce the same quality of writing (or the same thoroughness of data analysis) on the days without vyvanse/adderall. I know I haven’t nearly given myself enough time, but I’m just worried that I’ll never be able to live up to the expectations I set for my work ethic again, and it’s really stressing me out. Any advice or similar stories would be beyond helpful. Thanks! 

[DelaneyJuliette]

Just so u know it does get better.  I'm on month 2 of a relapse and wish I never had.  You can do this!

[SleepyStupid]

Hi @magd

welcome to the forums! first off, congratulations on your decision to cut down usage, presumably to eventually eliminate usage altogether. the first couple of weeks are going to be hard no matter what you do, but it sounds like you know that you need to give yourself more time to recover. if you're still taking stimulants at some point during the week, be careful of falling into the trap of procrastinating work until "pill days".

regarding long term work ethic, perhaps consider whether the expectations you set for yourself are different than what others would actually expect of you. I'm not saying that doing a bad job is okay, but remember that those expectations were set while on a drug that pumps reward juice into your brain no matter what you're doing. many of us can relate to the feeling of writing epic, masterpiece emails when a two-liner would have sufficed! give yourself a break for a while - just focus on delivering by the deadline. bare minimum, sufficient work is fine for a while until you've had enough time away from the drug.

gl and keep us posted (:

[DelaneyJuliette]

12 minutes ago, SleepyStupid said:

Hi @magd

welcome to the forums! first off, congratulations on your decision to cut down usage, presumably to eventually eliminate usage altogether. the first couple of weeks are going to be hard no matter what you do, but it sounds like you know that you need to give yourself more time to recover. if you're still taking stimulants at some point during the week, be careful of falling into the trap of procrastinating work until "pill days".

regarding long term work ethic, perhaps consider whether the expectations you set for yourself are different than what others would actually expect of you. I'm not saying that doing a bad job is okay, but remember that those expectations were set while on a drug that pumps reward juice into your brain no matter what you're doing. many of us can relate to the feeling of writing epic, masterpiece emails when a two-liner would have sufficed! give yourself a break for a while - just focus on delivering by the deadline. bare minimum, sufficient work is fine for a while until you've had enough time away from the drug.

gl and keep us posted (:

Omg.  Writing epic masterpiece emails when a two-liner would have sufficed.  I can't possibly relate to this more.  Right now.  I have to make some changes.