Stimulants and ADD

[Ness]

I have no problems admitting I am a drug n00b. I have some geekdom and research working in my favor, but as far as experience goes, I am very limited so far. I have ADD and have been taking medication for it my whole life (I am 17, started taking meds for it probably around 1st grade or kindergarden) I've never taken high doses, especiallly not in recent years as I don't like the way they make me feel. My question is, can anyone on here comment on if stimulants such as cocaine, amphetamine, speed, MDMA etc. will affect me? As you may or may not know, most ADD meds (strattera excluded) are simply stimulants, so I'm wondering if strong stimulants won't be any good for me. Also, I've had some pretty hefty doses of caffeine, and...I dunno, it's hard to tell exactly if it was enjoyable, but they definately zoned me out.

 

[hussness]

Caffeine achieves its stimulant effect by adensoine inhibition, so it is in an entirely different class from amphetamines and cocaine. If I'm not grossly incorrect, this basically means there's no cross-tolerance between caffeine and any ADD stimulant drug. If you've developed a tolerance to the effects of ADD stimulant meds recreational stimulants may or may not have diminished effects on you. It really depends.

 

[Trogdor]

As far as I know, most add medications, with the exception of methylphenidate, consist of various salts and analogues of amphetamine, especially dextroamphetamine. There's even one with pure methamphetamine, Desoxyn. Having been prescribed amphetamines for 6 years, I can tell you from personal experience: if you don't like the low dose effects, you probably won't like the high dose effects either.

 

[nuke]

^^ except for atomoxetine which is an SNRI (that does shit all for most patients...)

 

[Byrnn Grass]

The effects you will enjoy from MDMA are almost entirely different from those of amphetamine. I am ADD, prescribed medication, and a hater of stimulants myself (except when I need them to function), and I enjoy MDMA. And you shouldn't have any tolerance; it will still feel amazing.

Cocaine, meth, and similar stimulants on the other hand are not the most enjoyable for me. You will probably have a tolerance to those, but by the sound of it, you probably won't enjoy them either, so you don't have to feel like your mssing out as much.


Another thing I've noticed: People like me who are extremely ADD do not seem to derive much euphoria from stimulants, but they are still of great help to their functioning. I wonder if there is a correlation between to two, or if some of the posters here will contradict my statement.

 

[Trogdor]

It seems to me that most people who have been prescribed stimulants for any length of time come to hate the effects of them. However, the empathogenic/hallucinogenic effects of the psychedelic stimulants are missing in the medicinal/recreational stimulants, therefore one who has been forced to take medicinal stimulants does not usually have a negative predisposition towards said psychedelic stimulants. Which is why myself and the above poster can hate meth/cocaine but at the same time love mdma.


Oddly enough, the irony in my case is that while I hate amphetaminic stimulants, caffeine is my wonder drug. I carry no-doz with me at all times, which I take whenever I have the desire to concentrate harder than normal, be more creative, stay focused, stay awake, or perform any other related mental function. When I first discovered my love of caffeine I took as much as 3 grams per day (making it the only drug I've been dependent on, besides nicotine), until I realized that my dependence was very unhealthy. Now, a year and a half since the peak of my dependence, and 5 years after refusing to take amphetamines, my caffeine intake is 0.6-2.0 grams per week.

I am proud to say that I am not currently addicted to any drug, nor have I been in a very long time.

 

[hussness]

I'm ADD and caffeine doesn't do shit for me. It'll put me to sleep.

 

[Trogdor]

I'm ADD and caffeine doesn't do shit for me. It'll put me to sleep.

Sometimes 200 mg or less makes me even more tired too. Guaranteed 400+ mg won't put you to sleep

 

[focalinboy]

Hafta agree with Trog, No-Doz caffeine pills are the best legal, over the counter stim you can get, esp. if used in conjunction with a good energy drink on an empty stomach.

 

[fastandbulbous]

Another thing I've noticed: People like me who are extremely ADD do not seem to derive much euphoria from stimulants, but they are still of great help to their functioning. I wonder if there is a correlation between to two, or if some of the posters here will contradict my statement.

Probably as ADHD is a result of there not being enough dopamine released in the reward centres of the brain. That means that you're starting from a situation of not having enough dopamine in the first place. To get the euphoric state most people get from stimulants most probably requires the sort of dose where the side effects become very noticable

 

[nuke]

Yeah... low dose amphetamines I can usually barely tell I'm on until I realize I'm doing things instead of not, and there's not much in the way of euphoria. When it gets to higher doses I start to get very weird and confused and while it can be euphoric, I don't find it enjoyable at all. Cocaine makes me lazy and I can barely tell I'm on it except that I'm really grouchy.

 

[focalinboy]

Nuke, I agree..What's the deal? Coke, no matter the source or quality, just makes me grumpy and wanting more and more! My first time was the only time I ever felt the effects and it just kept me up for 72 hours. I am still surprised that I can get such a better high from methylphenidate or adderall.

 

[LMM]

In my opinion meth is far superior to coke, even regular amphetamine is just so much more positive (because you arent fiending and crashing in 40 minutes) and it's sooo much cheaper on the whole.