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Amphetamine use in America's workforce

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Re: Amphetamine use in America's workforce

#41

Post by tcj_phx »

yarou wrote: post #19

This article is pretty poorly written. First off, methylphenidate is a phenethylamine - not an amphetamine. Its chemical structure doesn't resemble amphetamine. Secondly, Adderall is not simply dextroamphetamine, it is a racemic mixture of both amphetamine salts. There have been studies showing that amphetamine leads to definitive cognitive improvement in the general population. Why restrict it? Human beings have a s…

> There have been studies showing that amphetamine leads to definitive cognitive improvement in the general population.

Stimulants cause people to become psychotic. Some are more vulnerable to this effect than others.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Substance-induced_psychosis#Su...

There are better, safer ways to cause a "cognitive improvement in the general population".

Re: Amphetamine use in America's workforce

#42

Post by ta_339393 »

eridius wrote: post #11
6stringmerc wrote: post #3

So glad that as I was growing up, my ADHD tendencies were seen more as just an individual issue I'd have to learn to control myself rather than a physiological condition in need of medication. Granted, in my street-wise years I've found stimulants and I get along really, really well, but there's a nagging feeling that I simply don't want to be on amphetamines daily. It might turn my writing into delusional drivel lik…

People with ADHD react to amphetamines differently than people without it (at the correct dosages at least; I've never read anything about what happens to people with ADHD that take more than the correct dosage).

This is false and a common myth. If this was true then we would have the perfect test for ADHD, just give someone some stimulants and see how they react.

Re: Amphetamine use in America's workforce

#43

Post by nemo44x »

fixermark wrote: post #30

I can't help but ask myself whether we should be wondering why Americans can't make it without drug-modified behavior, or whether this is better or worse than alternatives such as cigarettes, alcohol, caffeine, etc. Humans in societies have been chemically altering their moods since we discovered mood-altering chemicals. Stress occurs inside and outside civilized workforces, and people take measures to mitigate stres…

Anecdotally I think Europeans are more likely to self medicate with alcohol and cigarettes rather than prescription pills which are more common in the USA.

In my experience the culture around having a few drinks after work and even having the occasional cigarette is far more relaxed in the European countries I've been to than just about anywhere in the USA.

But as I've said, I have zero evidence that any of this is even true - just my observations however well travelled I am.

Re: Amphetamine use in America's workforce

#44

Post by yarou »

huac wrote: post #20
Havoc wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>bit sensationalized...This excerpt..."Abuse by young professionals" I don't think so. I'm in one of those environments where long hours are common and it definitely does happen. There are also people using a mix of uppers & downers (need the uppers to be wide awake but then can't sleep when at home hence downers). Hell I'm doing a vaguely similar thing (just with coffee and melatonin). Add a bit of anti-depressants…

OT: wouldn't recommend melatonin for constant use. more useful in setting a fixed bedtime; taking it too often may cause issues falling asleep.

Anecdotally, I can attest to this. I took melatonin for 3 days straight and my circadian dysregulation crept up again on the 4th.

I've found that simple sleep hygiene habits (no blue light exposure 30 mins before, taking a shower, etc) facilitates better sleep than melatonin.

Re: Amphetamine use in America's workforce

#46

Post by Lewton »

ta_339393 wrote: post #27
semi-extrinsic wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I believe it's well-established that Adderall has a profoundly different effect on people like yourself who actually have ADHD, than on those who don't have ADHD. So when TFA talks about "abuse", I understand it as referring to people who do not have ADHD but are obtaining these medications illegitimately. It is unfortunate that the article mixes this up with the (presumably legitimate) increase in ADHD diagnoses.

That is a myth, the effects are the same regardless of whether or not you have ADHD otherwise we'd be able to test for ADHD by simply giving someone amphetamines and seeing how they respond. Almost anyone who takes low-dose amphetamines will experience enhanced cognition. It just happens that this enhancement also alleviates symptoms of ADHD. As you pointed out the problem with the article is that it makes no distinc…

I thought giving people adhd meds and seeing whether it relaxes them was a pretty good (not perfect) indicator? Am I wrong?

Re: Amphetamine use in America's workforce

#47

Post by [deleted] »

ta_339393 wrote: post #27
semi-extrinsic wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I believe it's well-established that Adderall has a profoundly different effect on people like yourself who actually have ADHD, than on those who don't have ADHD. So when TFA talks about "abuse", I understand it as referring to people who do not have ADHD but are obtaining these medications illegitimately. It is unfortunate that the article mixes this up with the (presumably legitimate) increase in ADHD diagnoses.

That is a myth, the effects are the same regardless of whether or not you have ADHD otherwise we'd be able to test for ADHD by simply giving someone amphetamines and seeing how they respond. Almost anyone who takes low-dose amphetamines will experience enhanced cognition. It just happens that this enhancement also alleviates symptoms of ADHD. As you pointed out the problem with the article is that it makes no distinc…

[deleted]

Re: Amphetamine use in America's workforce

#49

Post by yarou »

tcj_phx wrote: post #41
yarou wrote: post #19

This article is pretty poorly written. First off, methylphenidate is a phenethylamine - not an amphetamine. Its chemical structure doesn't resemble amphetamine. Secondly, Adderall is not simply dextroamphetamine, it is a racemic mixture of both amphetamine salts. There have been studies showing that amphetamine leads to definitive cognitive improvement in the general population. Why restrict it? Human beings have a s…

> There have been studies showing that amphetamine leads to definitive cognitive improvement in the general population. Stimulants cause people to become psychotic. Some are more vulnerable to this effect than others. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Substance-induced_psychosis#Su... There are better, safer ways to cause a "cognitive improvement in the general population".

If you take an excess of any chemical substance, there will be consequences. Barring an underlying latent condition, amphetamine use at therapeutic levels causes cognitive improvement in the general population with minimal risks.

Re: Amphetamine use in America's workforce

#50

Post by chm »

A word of caution to those readers who might want to try self-medicating:

I have used pharmaceutical grade methylphenidate and amphetamines. The former inevitably led to suicidal thoughts and feelings or worthlessness at the end of the day (i.e. once the dose is gone). This happened to all of my peers who tried it. The effects were mild, but still quite noticeable. And we were healthy (both mentally and physically) young men.

My advice is you just get a prescription from a doctor. They are unfortunately quite easy to come by. At least your dosage will be supervised, and you will have someone to talk to about possible side-effects without fear of reprisal.

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