Motivation_Follows_Action Posted December 12, 2012 Report Share Posted December 12, 2012 ... I thought it would be an easy way, too. And yep, I got down to my dream weight in record time! I'm 5'9 and a was a size 0. Thing is, I didn't really stop to consider the other side effects adderall would have. I just thought I'd look perfect and everything else would fall in to place... money, power, popularity, zest for life, etc etc. How wrong I was... alongside the skinny jeans came all these sides. And no I'm not exaggerating, I wish I was. Loss of skin elasticity, wrinkles Loss of color in skin/pallid complexion Hair loss, loss of condition and shine Thin, weak nails Watery or dry eyes Dark under-eye circles Runny nose "Rudolph" red nose from facial flushing Cotton mouth, dry mouth Chronic teeth problems caused from constant dry mouth (e.g. cracked teeth, stained teeth, sensitive teeth) Grinding jaw, this can cause permanent damage Constant headaches Bone pain, lower back pain Lack of co-ordination; spilling things, tripping over or bumping in to things Need other drugs to come down (Xanax, Ambien) Extreme irritability, sometimes leading to violence Irrational thinking, insistence on being right regardless of the topic Lack of ability to prioritize Feeling "slighted" by people ZERO sense of humor Cannot see the big picture in anything, lose interest in seeing it at all Confusion over simple mental tasks Wasting time Wasting time Wasting time Paranoia Lack of empathy Isolation, desire to be alone Hate talking on the phone Weakness, shortness of breath Risk of seizure Raised blood pressure Risk of heart attack No desire to exercise or eat healthy food Extreme dehydration, stomach problems, GERD Increased desire for tobacco & alcohol High risk behavior (other drugs, risky sex, gambling, shoplifting) Delusional thinking, sometimes lying to self as well as others Inability to listen for long periods of time Loss of short & medium term memory Loss of balance, vertigo Speech issues: stuttering, inability to “find the right wordâ€, or “clamming up†Hoarseness/loss of voice Not following through on promises Lack of personal organization Ringing in ears Depression Suicidal ideation Cutting And, wouldn't you know it, after about 2 years, the weight stabilizes anyway. So... weight gain. There's a photo of me and my family on the wall in the hallway, taken in 2009. Every time I walk past it I wish I'd never ever picked up the stuff. Adderall stole my beauty, inside and out. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ashley6 Posted December 12, 2012 Report Share Posted December 12, 2012 This list is right on. I was shaking my head yes reading through them...75% of them I experienced, maybe more. Thanks for the reminder of how much this shit messes up ALL aspects of your life. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quit-once Posted December 12, 2012 Report Share Posted December 12, 2012 Spot ON!! I, too was nodding my head in agreement as I read through that list. I would like to add one (or three) more that drove me nuts: Being Late Poor Eyesight Bad Judgement. What is cutting? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg Posted December 12, 2012 Report Share Posted December 12, 2012 Spot on! I'd like to add manic personality 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg Posted December 13, 2012 Report Share Posted December 13, 2012 ...and grandiose thinking...or thoughts of grandiosity or however its called Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Motivation_Follows_Action Posted December 20, 2012 Author Report Share Posted December 20, 2012 I remembered another thing! I used to seem to hold on to things for no reason. Not metaphorically but actually I would find that I'd walked 3 blocks with a piece of trash in my hand because I'd either forgotten it was there, or my muscles got stuck in that position of holding the thing and kind of didn't want to let go, or something. Did this happen to anyone? I wonder why... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ashley6 Posted December 20, 2012 Report Share Posted December 20, 2012 I've forgotten that too. I was always so busy in my own head, that I was totally unaware of normal things like that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quit-once Posted December 21, 2012 Report Share Posted December 21, 2012 Not enough hands? Haha.... All of my friends who also abused adderall...we found that really anoying, but funny at the same time. I believe that is one telltale sign that somebody is tweaked. I always wondered what caused that too. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg Posted December 21, 2012 Report Share Posted December 21, 2012 I remembered another thing! I used to seem to hold on to things for no reason. Not metaphorically but actually I would find that I'd walked 3 blocks with a piece of trash in my hand because I'd either forgotten it was there, or my muscles got stuck in that position of holding the thing and kind of didn't want to let go, or something. Did this happen to anyone? I wonder why... absolutely, I forgot about that one. Sometimes I would be walking and just freeze and stop moving, lost in thoughts unable to snap out of it and move. I would be still for a very long time, just thinking manically to myself. sigh. remembering the not so good old days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg Posted December 21, 2012 Report Share Posted December 21, 2012 Another thing that Adderall caused in me is something called perseverating "the inability to switch ideas..including repetition of words or thoughts" I would repeat the same thought or word in my head over and over for a long time, unable to tune anything else in...kind of like in a trance. I don't perseverate anymore. When I learned that word I was like that is me on adderall! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quit-once Posted December 21, 2012 Report Share Posted December 21, 2012 I just thought of a couple more: biting your cheek and difficulty swallowing. anybody else? And I had this weird obsession with beverages - like two or three open cans or bottles at a time and I ALWAYS had to have my water bottle nearby even though I never drank it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Motivation_Follows_Action Posted December 21, 2012 Author Report Share Posted December 21, 2012 Oh and then there is that tension in your shoulders that you always get when you take adderall and try to concentrate on work (use the keyboard, look down to study or read something). Sometimes I still get that as kind of a muscle memory thing.... weird... I didn't used to bite my cheek but the difficulty swallowing thing brings back that horrible memory for me of the night it all came to a screeching, cataclysmic end. I was at a work dinner, lots of "important" (hmph) people around, and the set menu was steak. I tried to force myself to eat it, but I chewed, and chewed, and chewed and just couldn't swallow it! Everyone was watching. I ended up eating only the mashed potato and ice-cream; people were talking about it, I knew it. But you reminded me of yet another thing... mouth ulcers! One time I took a bunch of adderall so I could work overnight on a 16 hour flight home. Planes are already dehydrating, and of course I was working so hard I didn't have enough to drink (except a couple of glasses of wine of course). By the time I landed I could hardly speak because my mouth was so full of ulcers. Yeah, that was fun... And finally, I found this! I've been searching around looking for an explanation of the memory loss thing, this is the best I've seen (unless someone can point me to something more in-depth). Hurray for neuroplasticity! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg Posted December 21, 2012 Report Share Posted December 21, 2012 I remember we had another thread running on neuroplasticity. I can't find it. There have been so many threads since. But I remember I recommended a couple great books I read on the topic that were really helpful. The brain that changes itself (I was actually given this book by 2 different people after I quit) And Change your brain, change your life 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brandy76 Posted December 27, 2012 Report Share Posted December 27, 2012 Wow I relate to so much of that especially the zero sense of humor, I was always the happy go lucky person. Then I started noticing friends who I talked to alot would say what happend to your sense of humor "it was a joke". The paranoia: anytime someone texted me "hey what you been up to" My answer would always be like "omg what did you hear" or "why are you asking that" And the hair loss is what finally made me realize I have to quit as a girl losing my hair like a chemo patient was a smack in the face to say enough is enough Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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