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Adderall Addiction: The Last All-Nighter

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Re: Adderall Addiction: The Last All-Nighter

#3
As a college student that is constantly surrounded by Adderall and Vyvanse misuse, this hits close to home. I've had a prescription to similar drugs my entire life, and it was in 8th Grade that I realized that I didn't actually need them to function.

The drugs made me unhealthily underweight, constantly antisocial, and easily aggravated. Nowadays when I look at my peers, I see the same things happening to them. Some people take two at one time the night before a big test and don't sleep for days. The worst part is, everybody sees it as normal. Popping an adderall before a test is as common, easy, and normal as opening a beer to relax on a weekend.

People don't realize that the 60mg Vyvanse they are taking casually is an extremely hard drug to take for somebody not fully diagnosed with ADHD.

Re: Adderall Addiction: The Last All-Nighter

#4

As a college student that is constantly surrounded by Adderall and Vyvanse misuse, this hits close to home. I've had a prescription to similar drugs my entire life, and it was in 8th Grade that I realized that I didn't actually need them to function. The drugs made me unhealthily underweight, constantly antisocial, and easily aggravated. Nowadays when I look at my peers, I see the same things happening to them. Some…

> People don't realize that the 60mg Vyvanse they are taking casually is an extremely hard drug to take for somebody not fully diagnosed with ADHD.

Are controlled stimulants less harmful to those diagnosed with AD(H)D?

I'm sincerely curious. Anecdotal accounts abound on this particular subject, but I can't recall seeing any specific literature supporting the claim.

Re: Adderall Addiction: The Last All-Nighter

#5
How do people who've taken it for most of their adult life cope with adderall usage? I mean, how necessary of a drug does it seem to be -- or, to put it another way, how bad are the withdrawals, compared to antipsychotics, painkillers, etc?

And if you've lived with adderall usage, do you chronically feel like you have a reduced appetite and all the other kinds of symptoms? I've heard that happens for people who take the drug on an occasional/recreational basis, but I wonder how the side-effects feel for people who are more "on" Adderall than off of it in their normal lives.

Re: Adderall Addiction: The Last All-Nighter

#6

As a college student that is constantly surrounded by Adderall and Vyvanse misuse, this hits close to home. I've had a prescription to similar drugs my entire life, and it was in 8th Grade that I realized that I didn't actually need them to function. The drugs made me unhealthily underweight, constantly antisocial, and easily aggravated. Nowadays when I look at my peers, I see the same things happening to them. Some…

It's an extremely hard drug for anybody, ADHD or no. Adderall / Vyvanse is prescription meth[0] (something I've heard from several of my AD(H)D friends). If the pros outweigh the cons for an individual, great; I wish them the best. But while I can't find the research I remember to back this up, it's looking like long-term medication with amphetamines may be ineffective or harmful.

EDIT [0]: Yes, I know that that prescription meth literally exists under the name Desoxyn, that is not what I mean. See https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=5321949 and https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=5321935 .

Re: Adderall Addiction: The Last All-Nighter

#7
post #4

As a college student that is constantly surrounded by Adderall and Vyvanse misuse, this hits close to home. I've had a prescription to similar drugs my entire life, and it was in 8th Grade that I realized that I didn't actually need them to function. The drugs made me unhealthily underweight, constantly antisocial, and easily aggravated. Nowadays when I look at my peers, I see the same things happening to them. Some…

> People don't realize that the 60mg Vyvanse they are taking casually is an extremely hard drug to take for somebody not fully diagnosed with ADHD. Are controlled stimulants less harmful to those diagnosed with AD(H)D? I'm sincerely curious. Anecdotal accounts abound on this particular subject, but I can't recall seeing any specific literature supporting the claim.

This is a great question, and I'd love to know the answer as well.

Re: Adderall Addiction: The Last All-Nighter

#8
I remember when I was younger, I could stay up a full 30 hours consistently.

Years later I wondered where that energy went. I thought for a moment that it was a result of aging or some such, until I remembered that at the time I was taking medication for ADD.

It's really not healthy to sit and watch TV that long anyway.

Re: Adderall Addiction: The Last All-Nighter

#9
post #4

As a college student that is constantly surrounded by Adderall and Vyvanse misuse, this hits close to home. I've had a prescription to similar drugs my entire life, and it was in 8th Grade that I realized that I didn't actually need them to function. The drugs made me unhealthily underweight, constantly antisocial, and easily aggravated. Nowadays when I look at my peers, I see the same things happening to them. Some…

> People don't realize that the 60mg Vyvanse they are taking casually is an extremely hard drug to take for somebody not fully diagnosed with ADHD. Are controlled stimulants less harmful to those diagnosed with AD(H)D? I'm sincerely curious. Anecdotal accounts abound on this particular subject, but I can't recall seeing any specific literature supporting the claim.

The adverse side-effects do not magically go away; however, the benefits are (supposedly) much greater for a person diagnosed with AD(H)D than recreational users. Thus the net gain (benefits - costs) is positive for some people.

Re: Adderall Addiction: The Last All-Nighter

#10
post #5

How do people who've taken it for most of their adult life cope with adderall usage? I mean, how necessary of a drug does it seem to be -- or, to put it another way, how bad are the withdrawals, compared to antipsychotics, painkillers, etc? And if you've lived with adderall usage, do you chronically feel like you have a reduced appetite and all the other kinds of symptoms? I've heard that happens for people who take…

I took adderall (under the direction of my doctor, naturally) as an adult for around two years. Getting off it had zero side effects or withdrawal symptoms for me, other than the fact that extraordinary focus and concentration were suddenly difficult again.
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