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sweetupbaaby

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Posts posted by sweetupbaaby

  1. On 11/30/2020 at 10:23 PM, speedracer said:

    Hey Sweetupbaby!  I appreciate your honesty. I remember when you wrote about your plan to work full time and I remember thinking,  "oh no"   I couldnt do it. I tried so many times but when the chips were down and I needed to perform at work, I went back to the adderall. I never felt like I had a choice. I finally quit for good (at least I have 17 months) because this last time, I prepared myself for 100% total disability for at least 30 days...like a self imposed rehab program...and then limit my work to part time from there. I had to build that into my recovery plan. I had been trying to quit for 10 years and work always took me out. I have a stressful occupation, so if you can find easy work, thats different.  IMHO, we all need to prepare for 3 months of total disability and then another 9 months of partial disability with part time work. On top of all that, we now have the insane challenges of 2020. We need to manage our stress levels. Meetings are great. Finding a sponsor would be awesome. I pray God gives you the time and space to heal and find balance before getting back into the thick of your career. 

    Absolutely..I think I overestimated my ability to handle the stress of being off Adderall, being at work full time and still pushing myself at the pace I was going while I was still taking it. I quit smoking last week and I'm determined to stay that way. I told my doctor I want off the Adderall completely within the next 3 months and told him to hold me to it, I will have to figure out a plan of action, but I am just trying to take it day by day! Thanks for your kind words and I'm excited for my future because I know I will overcome this like I did in the past.

    • Like 2
  2. 3 hours ago, Civilengr2020 said:

    @sweetupbaaby don't loose hope and as long as you keep trying and learn from your mistakes you will be fine.  Also don't forget about God.  At the end of the day, he is the only one that will help you get through these tough times.  I will be praying for your recovery!

    Thank you so much. Please do pray for me. I pray to God day and night to deliver me from these demons. I will continue to rely on Him to get me through this. Thank you for your kind words.

    • Like 1
  3. On 11/17/2020 at 2:12 PM, SleepyStupid said:

    I think it's natural (even expected) to have cravings and temptations. IMO, there's no amount of mental resolve or will power that will eliminate these feelings, but if you simply don't have access to pills when these temptations occur, then problem solved!

    glad to hear that your back on a taper schedule - do you have any precautions in place to make sure you don't overuse? perhaps a family member or roommate that can dispense for you? you're at a very critical juncture right now, and it wouldn't hurt to be extra cautious.

    welcome back (:

    I am trying to find an outpatient program to help me. I have been looking for online NA meetings and a sponsor but cannot find what I am looking for. It's really stressful being back in this situation. I feel like I am again trapped in hell and wish I never picked up Adderall again. But you will hear of my success story soon enough and I know this is just a bump in the road. I have faith even though things look bleak.

    • Like 1
  4. Hey all.

    I haven't been to the forums in a while and it's because I have been embarrassed of where my mental health has been.

    I went through a period of time where the new medication I was prescribed (Cipralex) led me to have severe fatigue and depression. I had been keeping a bottle of unused 20mg Adderall pills in my closet. About a month's worth of 80mg a day. Long story short, this led me down a very dark path for the last two months. I started to justify using only 20mg a day to give me a boost at work and to improve my mood. And this is exactly why an addict cannot go back to using at any costs, even for a short term period, or every once in a while.

    After a few weeks, the 20mg had plateaued and I had forgotten I had only been using it to keep my baseline energy level at work, and not for the high. However, I am an addict, and that did not fly. I started to justify taking 20mg in the morning and then 20mg in the afternoon to give me the energy to get chores done at home too. Because if I were taking it for the energy boost at work, then I would need the same energy for home activities...right...?

    A month and a half later I was back to using 80mg-120mg daily along with 20mg of Cipralex, 150mg of Wellbutrin and 1mg of clonazepam daily (abusing this as well, then going days without any) I guess I had forgotten I had a benzo addiction in the past. I had quit smoking for 6 months and was proud of my success- I found myself now back to smoking a pack a day (because nicotine is life on stimulants).

    I have wanted to come on here to talk to you guys but I have been ashamed of my regress. I am finally back. I have had enough. That bottle of amphetamine salts emptied itself faster than it would in my initial addiction back in January of this year. It grabs a hold of you and makes you it's bitch. It will make you justify using at any cost. The shame I feel is immense, but I have a newfound hope as well. I truly believe things are different this time. I watched myself spiral so fast, and that scared the hell out of me. To see how quickly this drug could grab ahold of my life again.

    I had that 80mg a day prescription leftover from my doctor who retired, so there is no way I can get my hands back on that amount of Adderall unless I had the nerve to seriously doctor shop. My doctor has upped my Wellbutrin dose to 300mg which will help with smoking cessation and coming off the amount of Adderall I currently take which is 20mg a day. I hope to taper down to 0mg within a month or two. I am still hesitant about that, but I think I have had a real shift in perspective in the past few months. I am powerless to my DOC. It takes over my life. I thought I was strong enough to control my use. I also have a new quit date for smoking for this Thursday.

    Let this be a warning to users who feel like it's okay to go back to occasional use. You will regret it. I feel like a lot of my progress has been undone. But I will never quit trying to get sober from this Demon drug.

    Experts say relapse starts in the mind long before the physical relapse happens. When you find yourself starting to justify using in your head- nip it in the bud. It will manifest into physical use if you do not seek help.

    • Like 2
  5. 8 hours ago, SleepyStupid said:

    fear was my motivator. i was a binge user just like you - i thankfully never OD'd, or ended up in the hospital, but towards the end of my abuse i could feel my body falling apartpeople could see how fucked up i was - i looked like a speed junkie. that's when it became real for me - it wasn't a secret i could hide from myself or others, something had to change or i was going to die. 

    absolutely- fear was my initial motivator too!!! Well, it was fear combined with severe adderall-induced psychosis, so the fear was definitely exaggerated but it was a fear for my life nonetheless. I thank God for that psychosis, otherwise, I probably would have OD by now. I was headed for death, I really do think I was on death's door. Something had to give. Sometimes fear is the best tool to get things done, especially if your stubborn ASF like I am. Unfortunately, I never learn my lesson with anything until things get really bad and I suffer some sort of consequence to make me change. I wish I could learn to change bad behavior before it escalates to that point, and I am working on it and making progress!

    • Like 2
  6. 4 hours ago, m34 said:

    I made a commitment to run 6 days a week at 430/5 am. I swear it’s what has saved me, I do  give myself one day off. 100 percent of the time I don’t feel like running, but I always do and feel better. 

    This is what it takes I swear!!! Dedication over motivation I always tell myself. I feel like working out 0% of the time, but I still do and I feel so much better afterward. If we live by our feelings we will never get anything done. Maybe someday I will feel inclined to actually want to work out, but while the passion is lacking right now, I have to lean on dedication to get me through. Actually, always leaning on dedication is what will get you through. Like I said, motivation is fleeting and cannot be depended on to get things done.

    • Like 1
  7. 18 hours ago, happyinthepresentmoment said:

    Hey how is your ERMP therapy going? I forgot the acronym but the one where it digs up old traumas and helps for PTSD. I remember you mentioned you were going to start it awhile back. I hope that it is helping you! I want to get it. Stay strong! 

    EMDR therapy is great. So far, I have been using all of my sessions as just talk therapy for now. Because in order to start the de-sensitization process of it where you actually access the trauma, you need to be able to stay in the present moment. My therapist gives me a dissociation quiz every few weeks to see if I am able to stay present while we access the trauma together but so far I am still engaging in high levels of dissociation, so once my new meds start to kick in, and hopefully incorporating mindfulness more, I will be ready to start the actual EMDR process very shortly. However, the talk therapy we do is great- she's really helping me to access some great understanding as to why I feel the way I do and that I am not abnormal, I am just in a state where my body and mind are feeling emotionally unsafe and I am actively reacting to trauma on a daily basis from various triggers. My aunt had done EMDR and she was BLOWN AWAY at how effective it was. It can be challenging to revisit old trauma but you feel so free after the thoughts surrounding the trauma have been desensitized. Mind you, the sessions are not cheap at all lol but I believe it's totally worth my money. I will keep you posted with my progress!

     

  8. 17 hours ago, EricP said:

    Gosh I feel for you... Even myself after 3yrs still have that lingering feeling of what would just one pill would feel like... The euphoria of Adderall has poisoned us all. Being sober now 3yrs besides an occasional drink; I look at my kids and their friends on how happy they are without a single substance having ever altered their minds. I often wish I knew what I know now when I was their age as I believe every substance is mind altering & has an additive effect in slowly altering our minds to dim a little more and more.

    When I first took Addy it was like wow, this is my life saver. This is how I should feel... And it did last quite a long time until it slowly didn't. I found I felt good but I literally became a little frozen. I began to be less productive and didn't know why, I'd up my dose and feel better and be productive but it was temporary. I started having crashes and some days just didn't feel well. I started having angry moments that were more of a rage than anger in a situation that had some justification for anger but I couldn't control how angry I got. Oddly I also recall not feeling the effects of getting drunk while I was using. I could drink a decent amount and hardly get a buzz... I first started cutting back drinking and started eating healthier & tried exercising but nothing helped this up and down unwell feeling I had. Then I cut Addy and wow was my world upside down...

    I think for me the combo of realizing what this made me feel like after years being on it and knowing the euphoria was running out, then getting off of it and seeing how it had full control of me; this was enough. Yes, I daydream about "one pill" but will never go back after all it put me thru!

    I think the sooner you can quit 100% the more likely that one day you will have your full happy self without medication. 

    Thank you so much for your input. Yes, I use to be able to drink insane amounts of alcohol and never get a buzz. That's dangerous- because I was mixing uppers and downers with my liqour as well and who knows how that could have ended up. I think the biggest thing with me is that even if I were to continue using Addy my mind would be in constant conflict every single day saying "this isn't right" and that alone is enough to keep me away. That's alot of mental energy to expend and I'm big on saving my mental energy lol. What I have learned from these constant relapses is to be compassionate towards myself, so it has not been a total failure. Something has stuck with me this time I think. I do not need Adderall. I want it. But I do not need it. I am so much kinder and I listen to other people more intently without it. I am genuinally concerned for others problems when I am not medicated. Adderall makes me a cold, distant and an uninterested human. And that is no way to live. But- ONE DAY AT A TIME! I will get through today without Adderall and not worry about tomorrow!

    Much love!

    • Like 1
  9. Hey friends.

    I am at the point in my recovery where I am seriously reconsidering my commitment to being clean from Adderall. I believe I have forgotten the initial reasons why I had quit in the first place. I know I was abusing large amounts of Adderall. But my mind is starting to justify a small, daily dose. I relapsed again this week due to the fatigue I am experiencing from my new SSRI script. The SSRI is doing wonders for my mental health, and I know the fatigue from my new medication is only temporary. But the SSRI combined with clonazepam and 20mg of Adderall a day is making me feel absolutely amazing and I am fearful that this will become habitual again. 

    I have been able to moderate myself to 20mg a day due to the fact that I no longer chase the high, I am only taking the 20mg for the energy boost to get me through the day. The logic seems sound, but I am forgetting I am an addict. And for that reason, I have ONCE AGAIN decided to quit Adderall. I am exhausted with this back and forth mentality of whether or not I should continue usage or quit altogether. There cannot be any middle ground either. Although the cocktail of medication I am on is super helpful, there is still something that doesn't feel right within my soul- and I know the Adderall needs to go. 

    If you guys can please provide me with reasons why you quit and the benefits you experience from being clean from Adderall that would be awesome. I need a refresher as to why I quit in the first place.

    Sending love and many thanks

  10. 15 hours ago, jimach said:

    (I just posted something similar under another topic, but it seemed relevant here too). I quit Adderall in 2015 and I never would have been able to do it without this site. After reading posts from others for a few months and realizing that that I needed to quit before I lost everything (i know I was soooooo close), I was able to flush my last half bottle down the toilet and haven’t touched it since. I don’t think I participated in the forums of this site when I was going through the quitting process, but I read posts daily and kept notes of things people said that I thought would motivate me through the process and it really helped. No lies, it was NOT easy at the time and the withdrawal totally f**king sucked  (turns out, recreating natural dopamine once it is suctioned out of you from Adderall is not a quick process), but once I got through it, it was 1000% worth it.  I could have written most of these posts. I was about as as low as I could go before losing everything, but I fought my way back out. I’m honestly not even sure why I sought out this site again tonight; I think it’s the first time I’ve logged in about 3 years.  I still remember that first pill and how it made me feel, but knowing what I know now, it won’t happen again.  I normally am not one to post on forums, but for some reason felt the pull to share tonight-maybe it’ll help even one person know that they can get through it and be be better on the other side as well

    On 28/05/2020 at 0:10 PM, Diffuse Blair said:

    Thank you for posting this. This is new to me. I thought that maybe all of the negative feelings I was having indicated that I had no choice but to stay on stimulants to be an effective adult. Reading this helps me to remember that its going to be difficult and that being kind to myself is vital.

     

    I'm glad you logged in because this is exactly what I needed to hear today, right now. Thank you

    • Like 1
  11. Update: September 17th, 2020: Will have to postpone this Zoom session to another time due to work commitments!!! Stay tuned!

    _____________________________________________________________________

    Hey all!

    I have set up a zoom meeting for this up-coming Friday evening for anyone who would like to join.

    It will be roughly 40 minutes long. I thought it might be nice to talk face to face about our own personal stories, especially during these tough times. Personally, I have been very isolated myself and having a few group members to talk to would be awesome. I only set this time and date because I am not sure yet which times will work for everyone. But please drop your availability and I will try to make further zoom meetings to accommodate everyone's schedule if possible.

    Please let me know if any of you would be interested in doing this!

    Love, Victoria

    --------------------------------------------------------------------------

     

    Victoria Cyr is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.

    Topic: Adderall Support Group
    Time: Sep 18, 2020 07:00 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)

    Join Zoom Meeting
    https://us04web.zoom.us/j/74735321700?pwd=MWRpRXA1S1VSenBDTnI4UjhMMnQ1Zz09

    Meeting ID: 747 3532 1700
    Passcode: y6q41G

    • Like 1
  12. On 29/08/2020 at 2:34 PM, sage said:

    Just saw your message as I was telling the kids I have a headache, explaining why I’m lying in bed today.  I have to do something.  This is the absolute most out of control I’ve ever felt & it scares me.  Wanna share your story?

    i would love to share my story but it definitely is exhausting to type it out. I would love to zoom call, you guys. I think it would be beneficial for all of us.

  13. Personally, I would LOVE to jump on a group chat with you guys via ZOOM. I have soooo much insight to share and would love advice from you guys as well. I don't know how to set it up but if one of you knows how I would be more than willing to participate. Things are different and more intimate when you can put a face to the names you speak with over the months!!! Stay up everyone, God bless

  14. Really valid points @EricP and @DrewK15

    It's really frustrating dealing with the PAWS associated with Adderall abuse. To make matters worse, I don't know if some of the symptoms I am experiencing are from The Adderall cessation, underlying mental health issues (already diagnosed), life circumstances, the effects of COVID, are all 4 combined. It's hard to explain to my doctor how I feel and why I may feel the way I do because there are a million different potential contributing factors.

    I like to think I'm pretty informed on many various medications from years of first-hand experience and research as well. And sometimes I feel like doctors are making the wrong diagnosis... but what do I know? Lol. As of right now, I am on a mood stabilizer, Cipralex, and was finally able to get myself a benzo script which I am thrilled about. Because benzos are the only type of drug that will give me any quality of life back. My anxiety runs my life without it. I really pride myself on not being on any medication at all, and I was completely unmedicated for 4 months or so but I had to humble myself and realize that at this point in my life...I need meds to help as a buffer to work through therapy. They help me open up and relay my feelings better. Of course, I am making every lifestyle change I can to better my mental health too. Because meds are not the cure-all, hard work needs to be done in all areas as well. Hopefully one day down the road I can ween myself off again, but for the time being, it is what it is.

    I am finally feeling a lot better. I still need to find the balls to flush my Addy pills though because I stare at them every day but never take them. I feel like it makes me stronger every time I resist but it may even just be an unnecessary problem I create for myself by keeping them around. I believe its an emotional attachment and I have yet to overcome that.

    • Like 1
  15. My doctor recently prescribed Cipralex for anxiety and depression. I am on day 12 and have mixed emotions. It has SIGNIFICANTLY reduced my OCD thoughts and General anxiety. It has also given me a significant energy boost and I do not feel tired while on it. I feel so much calmer and able to sort through my thoughts. I feel like I can control my anxiety now as opposed to the other way around. It's like a part in the clouds. Or like I have just been lifted from a pool of anxiety and now I sit on the shore just watching the thoughts instead of being in them. Lol.

    However, it has exasperated my social anxiety. I feel really awkward all the time. But I don't care because the effects it has on my overall mood is superb. People say to wait at least 6 weeks to see if it works, which I will do. Apparently it makes anxiety worse at the beginning so I am willing to wait it out. So far, so good. I am going to see my doctor on Monday and I hope he can prescribe me a low dose benzodiazepine for the anxiety.

    I feel my body was definitely lacking in serotonin and I am happy to have found something that gives me some sort of relief. I am no longer dragging ass, but I have the energy to get through the day now. It totally obliterated Adderall-cessation fatigue. 

    My advice is not to rule any medication out. Yes, our brains may be depleted of dopamine, but it is probably depleted of serotonin too. We are not doctors (as far as I know) and from what I have learned over the years, sometimes I have ended up in worse situations from listening to people on Reddit to stay away from certain meds because of the possible side effects, when in fact it was the medication I needed all along. Maybe you do need an SSRI/SNRI, maybe you don't. Keep an open mind :) It is definitely frustrating to go through the trial and error of finding what works but eventually you will find the right one.

    Wishing everyone good health

    • Like 1
  16. Don't worry about blowing your streak. Your sober days have far outnumbered the days you have used. Literally put this relapse out of your mind and fix your gaze forward. Just jump back on the horse and re-center! These things happen, we are human. You have also seemed to learn something from this experience. I am glad you shared this with us because it's easy to get down on ourselves when we keep our setbacks to ourselves. From my perspective, it sounds like you are smart and introspective about your behaviour and you seem to know what you want. I too, have fooled myself too into thinking I could use stims (just a lil) but at the end of the day, it just didn't feel right...even tho my GP wanted me back on them. I had to make that decision for myself to stay off them. That was really hard, especially when I had a Doctor pushing me in the other direction.

    Your brain definitely needs time to recover from the huge crash it's gone through. I quit smoking weed, cigs, and alcohol around the same time as addy so I'm right there with you. Medication is not for everyone- but I take a low dose SSRI and a mood stabiliser to aid the healing process. That's just me though! Definitely talk to your GP about it.

    I have found that maintaining a good sleep schedule, eating well, daily exercise, yoga, limiting toxic news and influence, drinking lots of water and staying productive in one way or another has helped me. But the one thing that has maintained my sanity is routine, routine, routine!! Get into a routine and your life will become 10x easier.

    I was about 3 and a half months in when I had a relapse for 2 days. I then jumped back on the horse and two months later relapsed for a week. That was about a month ago, and I am finding it easier now without my meds. Those relapse definitely made my will-power stronger to defeat this beast. Healing is not linear, and it will vary from person to person. I know that's not what you want to hear- but we live in a culture that expects fast results and unfortunately healing from Adderall use will not be easy, nor fast. So just be patient and take it day by day.

    Good luck!

  17. 3 hours ago, sleepystupid said:

    i had a similar experience with very powerful resolve towards the end of my use 5 years ago. in my case, i was abusing so hard i was literally scared for my life. i could see my true self so clearly, and he was terrified. i decided that night, i. was. done

    so don't second guess yourself - that "something" pulling you off the couch is a very real part of you that is fighting for it's life. listen to it, even when the addict's voice is louder.

    you got this. (:

    Yes!! This happened to me too. I was at the end of a 5-day bender and had taken god knows how many Addy..I looked in the mirror and my skin was grey, clammy, sunken in and my body was shaking. I thought I was dying (I was having a panic attack) and called the Ambulance. But looking at myself in the mirror and seeing myself like that-looking almost dead- I was done too.  (This included a long stint of dissociating and hallucinating at the hospital- it was messy)

    • Like 1
  18. Wow..so proud of you!!! You took the very first step, and you need to give yourself props for having the courage to flush your pills! That's not an easy thing to do, even though you knew your addiction was out of control. Welcome to the forums. We have a great community here that will help you through your journey. A lot of us have only been clean from stims for a short while, while some of us have been clean for a longer duration. We're always here to offer any insight and advice that we can!! We all know how rough it can be to quit and stay sober. I myself, have only been clean for approx. 5 months but things are definitely looking up!!! Stay determined, I know you can do this!! I'm rooting for you.

  19. Awesome to hear. It sounds like you have a great support system already in place. Quitting Adderall will give you your life back, not immediately but definitely! Not being on stimulants will allow you to exercise your will-power muscle which was not being used previously because Adderall was doing all of that for you. I too came to a point where I felt like I couldn't do a simple task without Addy and that was a dangerous place.

    Learning how to get things done without medication is hard, but definitely do-able and you WILL adapt!! Literally just take it one day at a time. Try your hardest not to stress and think about how hard it will be two or three weeks from now. You will drain your mental energy and you need all of it right now. Try not to use up your mental storage on unnecessary things! Don't sweat the small stuff for now. Take it easy and be kind to yourself. It doesn't matter how slow you move with this progress, you are headed in the right direction. Progress is progress none the less. 

    I am totally rooting for you and I know for sure that you can do this. We are part of your support system and any one of us is willing to help you along your journey. We are all going through this at different stages, but we can all relate! Best of luck @Sydney and I am excited to hear about your inevitable progress!

    • Like 1
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