AbsentMinded

I upvoted you on reddit, but just wanted to say great post! You did a ton a research that is helpful to. Have in one place.

You both bring up great points. I definitely think that I am trying to fit into societies norms but at the same time, aren't we forced to an extent? My apartment doesn't care if I have ADD they just want their rent paid on time. Any job has at least minimum expectations. Something that really bugs me when I read other add boards is over compensating which I mentioned here before. If someone is about to be fired and they take adderall it should bring them up to average worker. Yet all the posts talk about getting fired (or just not being director yet) to getting multiple promotions. Now you're not normal or average. Yet, when I was taking it doctors were surprised I wasn't excelling at work. I was showing up on time and not screwing everything up but I was no where near employee of the year. Some said that maybe it wasn't working well enough or I could take event more, but I was fine with average because compared to where I was before I WAS excelling. Now I'm trying to figure out how to be average while people around me are popping pills and passing me by.

I came across some old short educational clips on YouTube from the 50s/60s. If your interested just search things like procrastination 1950s or responsibility 1960s. For example on video has a girl who waits to the last minute to plan a party and ruins everything. Another one has a kid whose fish die and he can't find his new toy. A third is a girl who interrupts everyone and wears messy clothe because she doesn't bother to clean them in time for school. You get the idea. My point is that everyone in these videos would qualify for ADHD by today's standards. In the videos they talk about getting up on time, forming good habits, etc. So, it got me thinking. Did these characters have something wrong with them and were blamed for something they couldn't help? Or did we make up a disease to treat bad habits and traits with pills? Is ADD real? I feel like if it is i have it, but what are the alternatives to meds? The videos are just like "stop procrastinating" which we all know is easier said than done. At this point i feel great and healthy, but the issues i had pre-adderall with finishing things, forgetting things, etc are still there.

Took for over 8 years. I don’t think I realized it was causing problems until I quit. I didn’t register now anti-social I had become or how dependent on it I was for energy. Looking back now I realize I wasn’t full of life or really happy. I was Adderall happy. “Cleaning my floors is fun!!” I think it really started day one. So, it took me 8 years to wake up.

As others said it’s NOT permanent. A lot of people have been successful tapering down, but I actually think it’s more difficult. You’re constantly detoxing from the drugs which is where your symptoms are coming from. Once you’re completely detoxed I bet you will find you stop having these issues. Maybe instead of not taking any for two hours you could take a lower dose? Or when it wears off take some l-tyrosine or caffeine. I have only been off two/three months (Can’t remember my quit date. It was just whenever I finally ran out) I feel great and I think 90% is nutrition, sleep, and exercise. I ate healthy (by American standards) before but I really went all out when quitting and since I have a bigger appetite I was able to get more nutrition in. (Without gaining any weight). If I could go back I would have started this before I quit. If you have ever taken your blood sugar after Adderall you will see that it spikes. Add sugar to that and you’re in for a crash. I don’t know if any of this applies to you. TLDR: You will recover. Tyrosine is super helpful. It’s hard to believe how great you can feel off of it when what you’re feeling right now is detox symptoms.

I got off Facebook during the election and at first I really missed the mindless addiction. I went back a few months ago and it seems most of my friends are either off it now or haven’t posted in forever. There are a few acquaintances that post non-stop like they are on Twitter “headed to the movies and getting my nails done!” “Long day of work today!” This time I deactivated because I really just didn’t have any interest it in anymore.

I would also be furious at whatever vet okayed this. I would think most would have them taken into foster care or something.

I think this topic is allowed, but I’ll remove it if it’s not. I just saw a brief interview with Simone Biles (who is amazing) about how she takes anti-anxiety meds. I know she also takes Adderall as do other Olympic athletes. I just wonder what you all think of it in regards to safety and health of these athletes, as well as the potential for this to start a trend. Especially in a sport like gymnastics with stunted growth and hyperfocus would help anyone, not just those with ADHD. I know they are being seen by doctors and it’s their business, but it’s just concerning to me. Taking it to study is one thing, but taking it while doing intense sports just seems so risky. To be clear, I’m not judging anyone who needs meds, I’m concerned about those who see these world champions and think getting a script themselves could give them an edge.

I know this is an old post, but I figured I’d add my two cents. I was taking 3000mg 2-3X a day along with multiple preworkouts a day. I didn’t think it did anything so when I ran out I didn’t replace it. After a few days of wondering why I was so tired all the time I made the connection. I don’t think l-tyrosine makes you “feel” anything (at least for me) it’s not like caffeine when there is a clear difference. But, if I don’t take it I do notice. Kind of like how Adderall was in the beginning. I didn’t notice anything, but my world was somehow becoming more organized.

Congrats! I love this post. Dogs are the best. Some days I wouldn’t leave my house if it weren’t for my dog wanting to go out. I find I’m much more attentive to him now as well. I’m not blocking him off while I clean my clean floor AGAIN.

The idea of traveling. I remember looking up various places like Japan and finding out that it’s illegal to bring Adderall. (I think you can bring Vyvanse now) I pretty much crossed anyplace off my list that wouldn’t allow me to bring it. Now I can go anywhere and not have to worry if it’s legal, how many pills I have, what if I lose it out of the country. It’s such a handicap for any sort of travel or adventure. Also, I luckily didn’t have many physical side effects, but I was at universal once on a fast ride that really made my heart race and it scared me so I swore off rides and amusement parks. Will be fun to go back without worrying about dying on a roller coaster.

This may apply to men in other ways, but I wanted to make a quick post in case it could help someone else. The last couple days my clothes were getting tight, I was more tired than usual, and I started to think maybe I should go back on Adderall and try stepping down. I know it’s a vain thing to be concerned with, but the thought of receiving clothes from my family for Christmas and them being too small was really starting to get to me. Well, this morning I woke up and my clothes fit again. It was PMS weight gain and mental fatigue that I haven’t experienced in years. It was something I didn’t have to deal with on Adderall so I forgot it was a thing. So, in case any other ladies out there are thinking they gained 10 pounds overnight from stopping Adderall, it may just be hormones trying to regulate themselves after years of being out of wack. I have no scientific proof that this is what is going on, but it definitely seems to be what happened with me. Hope this helps someone not stress out about it like I did.

@Socially awkward I thought the lack of eye contact thing was just me. I would be talking to someone and completely avoiding eye contact, even though I knew it wasn’t normal. Yet I couldn’t make myself do it. So I would have conversations looking at the ground or in the distance and feel super awkward. Wish I made the connection earlier.

I have been slowly reading through all the quitting stories to keep myself motivated. I’m not sure how much information is actually registering, but I came across one that mentioned teeth shifting that really caught my attention. Is this a known side effect?! I had braces growing up, but I would constantly forget or lose my retainer so my teeth weren’t 100% perfect, but since Adderall they have shifted so much on the bottom I can’t even fit a retainer on them. I never attributed this to Adderall, but now I am wondering if it is the cause. On Adderall I started grinding my teeth at night while sleeping. Not during the day, but at night probably due to pent up stress?! Anyone else experience this? If so, this is another strike against Adderall. Although I have decided to quit, in my moments of weakness I think “what harm did it really do? What’s another month going to hurt?” But things like this help me realize that there are long term consequences that I will still have to deal with if I start and stop again so why make it worse?

Thanks for responding! I feel like I have to keep finding and reminding myself that my life was not perfect and easy. Right now I’m bored out of my mind when I try to work, but I’m also in no position to interview for new jobs. I want to be social again, but I almost forget how, or maybe I’m just too tired and overwhelmed.