Stimulants Being Prescibed an ADHD Med.

[sean107]

I'm having trouble deciding whether or not I should be put on an ADHD med because I'm an addict, and the main drug I use is prescription stimulants, but the only reason I use them is to be able to concentrate in school, and be motivated to get stuff done. I was prescribed vyvanse when I was 14, and I remember thats the best I've ever really done in life when it comes to getting my school work done. I'm currently taking intuniv and it doesn't help at all. The real reason I don't think I need the med is because I can do all the work fine, but I never have the motivation to do it or anything else for that matter. So does anyone have any advice?

 

[Shady Kaity]

do you have someone that can hold on to your script for you? a parent, roommate, partner? thats what im doing as an addicted as well im on vyvanse and have my mother administer it to me herself cuz i dont trust myself enough

 

[Tommyboy]

Personally, I would stay away. I've been diagnosed with ADHD, but never went the medicine route since I could get by if I really tried. Considering that you have an addiction, that's even more of a reason to stay away. It's one thing to take them a couple times a semester when you have to write a paper or study for finals, but a monthly prescription may be difficult to take responsibly.

 

[Deleted member 175441]

I'd say just be responsible about it if you do get prescribed. Don't get sleep deprived, do some homework when coming down, and don't get socially dependant cause you'll end up annoying your friends with rants. Set a line of use to abuse because in reality using them for an attention deficit is a stimulant addiction if you're skeptical of these blanket disorders in bullshit psychiatry, which you should be.

The key part of stimulant addiction is the sleep deprivation. Responsible stimulant use should end with coming down, eating a small meal, and wanting to go to bed. It might also help to start using the prescription meds once you're in a clear state of mind, not one where your lack of motivation crosses over with some kind of depression.

 

[PriestTheyCalledHim]

If you do decide to take medications for your ADD/ADHD, DO NOT wind up fooling yourself into thinking that you can take large or moderate doses of them and that you won't become addicted or that you won't abuse the drug or medication.

I've never taken it but isn't Strattera (Atomoxetine) an ADD/ADHD medication that's not a stimulant?

 

[sean107]

Thanks for the tips, I think I'm just going to try my best to just get it done without the stuff. Whynaught said to be skeptical of blanket disorders, which I always have been, I'm currently prescribed anti-psychotics for what the doctors think are hallucinations, but all it is, is astral projection, which is pretty natural, but after about 7 years of being on these meds I now notice if I dont get the med I show symptoms of psychosis, so I'm trying to convince them to taper me down.

 

[LSDMDMA&AMP]

Depends. What do you define as being.an addict? Im curious...vyvanse is damn near abuse proof

 

[Utahrd]

^truth. I hadn't heard of "direct defiance disorder" until a couple years ago. When I took adderall with no prescription in high school, I set rules on it, took it in the morning when I woke up or not at all, I had to pay attention and take notes in class, I had to do homework when I got home, and I had to force myself to eat and it was unpleasant, but I was able to get to sleep at night. also, I stayed hydrated and would sometimes take a smaller dose of adderall and supplement it with excedrin or a mountain dew. teachers have the biggest misconception of attention deficit, I have had at least 6 teachers ask if I have ADD, and I have been tested twice and I don't have ADD. I wouldn't want anything other than methylphenidate or amphetamine prescribed to me anyways though. I dropped out of college first quarter, failed all my classes and haven't gone back since, I fucking hate school. the college I went to was just like high school.

 

[Alex000]

First off, I recommend daily use of any anti-psychotic. Secondly, I don't think whether or not you were an addict is that important, unless you were an addict to psychostimulants, in which case I'd pretty much stay away all together. A lot of people would disagree but that's my opinion, HOWEVER, I am not sure I think it is the best idea to treat so called "ADHD", what I believe to be a very questionable disorder, with psychostimulants on a daily basis due to the fact that they are neurotoxic and cardiotoxic. They can fuck with your brain chemistry in some fairly significant ways. I don't see an issue in occassional use or short-term use, but prolonged drug therapy with stimulants just doesn't rub me the right way with anyone. About the ADHD, I believe there are those who have trouble with focus, and there are those who can be hyperactive, but I don't really believe in the combined disorder of ADHD as it is present in the DSM.

 

[Oxide]

I'm having trouble deciding whether or not I should be put on an ADHD med because I'm an addict, and the main drug I use is prescription stimulants.

You seem to have answered your own question, and the answer is a resounding no. If you self-identify as a prescription stimulant addict, why would being prescribed your drug of choice be anything else but a horrible idea? Would I be wrong in assuming the only thing limiting your use at the moment is availability? If so, removing that barrier is only going to put you so deep into the hole you won't be able to see the light anymore.

There is a fine line between 'these help me' and 'I need these' that you apparently have already crossed. When you start using them as a tool, it's a slippery slope from there on out. The false motivation and 'magic' amphetamines induce at first is quickly replaced by needing the amphetamines all the time to have any motivation whatsoever. Not worth it man.

I agree with Tommyboy here, don't do it. If anything I think it may be time to reconsider the way you are using them instead of trying to get yourself a "prescription for addiction" if you will.

I'm currently prescribed anti-psychotics for what the doctors think are hallucinations, but all it is, is astral projection, which is pretty natural,

No offense, but astral projection is the farthest thing from natural IMO.

These are probably hallucinations like the doctors are telling you.

 

[LSDMDMA&AMP]

First off, I recommend daily use of any anti-psychotic. Secondly, I don't think whether or not you were an addict is that important, unless you were an addict to psychostimulants, in which case I'd pretty much stay away all together. A lot of people would disagree but that's my opinion, HOWEVER, I am not sure I think it is the best idea to treat so called "ADHD", what I believe to be a very questionable disorder, with psychostimulants on a daily basis due to the fact that they are neurotoxic and cardiotoxic. They can fuck with your brain chemistry in some fairly significant ways. I don't see an issue in occassional use or short-term use, but prolonged drug therapy with stimulants just doesn't rub me the right way with anyone. About the ADHD, I believe there are those who have trouble with focus, and there are those who can be hyperactive, but I don't really believe in the combined disorder of ADHD as it is present in the DSM.

thats cool mang, how about you stop attempting to say a condition doesn't exist...
it sucks to not be able to stop being hyper even though you want to, and to not be able to pay attention in school well even when you try.
amphetamine being neurotoxic is debatable, it isn't properly neurotoxic IN HUMANS except in high doses, last i knew, and cardiotoxicity from low doses of amphetamine...i dont even think amph is cardiotoxic in low (eg. therapeutic) doses in healthy people with normal hearts.
uhh he said he was "addicted" to RX stims, i'd like to hear about the OP's habit, because honestly as someone who's been called an amphetamine addict by quite a lot of people on BL, i'm very skeptical of most kids online who say they're "addicted" and claim to WD and shit when they aren't using high doses, dont have much of a tolerance if any...and aren't binging ever...noticed it on 420chan too, kids convince themselves they're "addicted" when they have no idea what amph addiction is like...
woah woah woah, may i ask what the fuck is an astral projection?
if you see things or hear things that are not real (without drogz in you, and without being sleep deprived etc.) then those are hallucinations...and someone legitimately batshit insane has NO business having access to a drug that can and will make "normal" people go batshit insane with heavy use (i've hallucinated from amphetamine binges/staying up a few days high and ive had paranoid delusions during amph binges...and i never "hallucinate" sober, never have...if you get that kind of shit without drugs you shouldn't do stimulant drugs, period.)

 

[Tommyboy]

I agree with Tommyboy here, don't do it. If anything I think it may be time to reconsider the way you are using them instead of trying to get yourself a "prescription for addiction" if you will.

I actually ended up getting a prescription for dexedrine recently. This is my second month getting a prescription for ADHD (last month was adderall) and likely my last. I really don't recommend them for anyone that is mentally unstable, and I also don't recommend anyone taking them if they are not in a good mindset.

With prescription ADHD meds, your mind basically gets stuck on whatever you are doing, which is good if you are studying, but can be very bad if you start having negative thoughts. I have been waking up in a good state of mind, but after taking the dexedrine it sometimes gets worse, and I just want the effects to be over with. My anxiety and relatively shitty time in my life are the main reasons for this, which is why I wouldn't recommend it for anyone that has mental conditions that may worsen due to amphetamines.

 

[Oxide]

^Very good advice.

 

[Tekloc]

I agree with Kaity vyvanse is prob the least abusive of all the stimulant medications but still can be misused so having a someone else hold on to your script is a good idea.

 

[BuddingPharmacist]

do you have someone that can hold on to your script for you? a parent, roommate, partner? thats what im doing as an addicted as well im on vyvanse and have my mother administer it to me herself cuz i dont trust myself enough

This.

You need to do two things for the ADHD medicine to work properly for you. Have someone hang on to it for you and give it out, and find the correct dose.

ADHD medicine (Vyvanse) has done miracles in my own life, recently. I found that too much makes me act strange, while too little makes me go back to my unmotivated tired nature. When I found the "sweet spot", it was just the right mix and my life began a steep upward climb in quality.

Beware that Vyvanse and other such medicines are heavily sensitive to acidic and alkali foods/drinks. I found that I have to skip OJ and fruit in the morning for the Vyvanse to work correctly at my dose.

Best of all, though, is if you can do without. The natural state is usually best. "If it isn't broken, don't fix it", comes to mind.

 

[LivingOnValium]

First off, I recommend daily use of any anti-psychotic.

WTF! ? This is a shit advice and a terrible generalization.

I say do not take any antipsychotics unless you really have to. All drugs in this category tend make people miserable.

Why would anyone take willingly something that makes their cognitive functioning worse? These meds should be used only as a last resort or for such conditions as schitzofrenia or bipolar disorder. Low dose antipsychotics use as a sleeping med can also be justified.

 

[BuddingPharmacist]

If you do decide to take medications for your ADD/ADHD, DO NOT wind up fooling yourself into thinking that you can take large or moderate doses of them and that you won't become addicted or that you won't abuse the drug or medication.

I've never taken it but isn't Strattera (Atomoxetine) an ADD/ADHD medication that's not a stimulant?

It is a stimulant, but not addictive. Many find the side-effects to be a real bitch, though. I did. I felt like a lightbulb being operated at twice the normal power. It burned me out, so to speak. It is hard to describe it. My brain was overheating and I felt like crap.

Nuvigil is another option, too. But, like strattera, the sideffects are a drag.

They both might work for the thread starter, though.

If those two don't work, Vyvanse is this dude's best option against addiction vs. other amphetamines. Everything else will probably feed that craving for a high.

If not

 

[BuddingPharmacist]

WTF! ? This is a shit advice and a terrible generalization.

I say do not take any antipsychotics unless you really have to. All drugs in this category tend make people miserable.

Why would anyone take willingly something that makes their cognitive functioning worse? These meds should be used only as a last resort or for such conditions as schitzofrenia or bipolar disorder. Low dose antipsychotics use as a sleeping med can also be justified.

You are wise, and hit the nail on the head.

 

[BuddingPharmacist]

All of this should be asked to your doctor. Sometimes advice on the Internet isn't the best advice. Just be honest with your doctor, dude. Tell him your true feelings, an he can direct you.

 

[Oxide]

Agreed.


answered and closed.