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Adderall Addiction: The Last All-Nighter

opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com

41–50 of 223 posts

Re: Adderall Addiction: The Last All-Nighter

#41
I took adderall for almost a year (under the direction of my GP), for what I thought might be ADD. It actually did almost nothing for me... Except each time we upped the dose, I got really dizzy for a day. Other than that, I felt no better able to concentrate, no better memory. I finally just stopped taking it because it was a pain in the assignment to get it each month, and it wasn't doing anything. The only effects of going off it was that my wife said I was kind of a jerk for a few days.

Re: Adderall Addiction: The Last All-Nighter

#42
post #40

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Methylphenidate (Ritalin) and the amphetamines do wonders for physical work. You feel fantastic and capable. Amphetamines in particular provide a bit of a euphoric boost. In general, amphetamines are going to make you feel pretty damn good, although coming down might be unpleasant sometimes. I have to caution people to not do exert themselves, as they figure out that they can go workout at the gym like mad. I'm not s…

I've associated Ritalin with a negative connotation until a few weeks ago when I saw what it can do. I haven't tried adderral yet but I'm guessing it makes you feel synthetic. Like a robot who just learned how to use it's reserved cores. It's not natural but I feel like someone should measure their heart rate when doing the activities I said while high on amphetamines. How would one feel?

I was told monitoring heart rate and blood pressure is standard for a patient newly prescribed it.

Re: Adderall Addiction: The Last All-Nighter

#43
post #12

Someone close to me has severe ADD and stopped taking Adderall recently. This person is more productive and organized and even coherent on it. But this has turned out not to be worth A) the way if affects their mood/social interactions, and B) the inevitable Flowers For Algernon "mush-brain" feeling when it wears off in the evening.

I used to take lots of L-Tyrosine and Magnesium supplements to help restore the toll Adderall takes on your body. I was on 30 MG of XR daily and would indeed do the work of 2 or 3 of myself ... but you do pay for it at the end of the day.

Ever wish you could clone yourself? You can. It's called Adderall. I miss it dearly. Moving to Sweden has meant that I can't get it any longer. Heading back to the US in a week to pick up a 5 month supply.

I tried to quit, but to be honest the benefits are simply too great. I often wonder the number of successful people that are on Adderall or similar drugs ... because I genuinely think some of the amazing things people are doing these days are impossible as a "baseline human" ... or I am a severely broken one.

This is a nice post that sums up my thoughts nicely: http://backreaction.blogspot.se/2012/08/erdos-and-amphetamin...

Re: Adderall Addiction: The Last All-Nighter

#44
post #38

This made me sick. I don't know what's worst: the author's self-absorption, the victimization tone, or the fact that her colleagues had to do similar unhealthy shit in order to compete with her. It stinks the whole way. Using drugs to gain an unfair advantage over other people at work has unhealthy emotional side effects? Am I to be surprised by this?

Tone it down. This is a sober (heh) account of a young woman finding herself in a place she thought she'd never be, not a personal ad.

No, tone it up instead.

From the comments on that article:

My 3rd grade granddaughter has been put on adderall for ADD. This is really scary.

It's because of people like her and her self-absorbed, nugatory account of her experiences being featured on a high-profile news journal that we drift into a world where mention of ADHD medicine usage gets you the eye-roll 'wow you druggie' judgement. She's doing a tremendous disservice to individuals actually diagnosed with ADHD.

Re: Adderall Addiction: The Last All-Nighter

#45

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's figurative, not literal. I am very much aware of desoxyn and that adderall is actually composed of four amphetamine salts, none of them literally meth. However, the amphetamine family of drugs have very similar effects — meth is very similar to adderall is very similar to vyvanse.

I don't understand the figurative part. Is that like folks who call oxycodone "legal heroin" or "synthetic heroin"? Is it supposed to sound edgy or provide some sort of shock effect against ignorant people? I don't get it.

I don't describe it like that to "sound edgy" or provide "shock effect." It's just pointing out that these drugs are very similar chemically and biologically, and that people should examine their own biases that divorce adderall (medicine!) from meth (evil drug!) in their minds — they are not so different substances.

Re: Adderall Addiction: The Last All-Nighter

#46

Has anyone tried Yoga and/or meditation for ADD? I think it might be helpful...I am distracted easily and often. However, I find breathing exercises help me focus.

Yeah, I do these things on my "vacation" days. It helps, but it's hard for me to do it for a long time. Usually I end up walking around after a few minutes.

Re: Adderall Addiction: The Last All-Nighter

#47

This made me sick. I don't know what's worst: the author's self-absorption, the victimization tone, or the fact that her colleagues had to do similar unhealthy shit in order to compete with her. It stinks the whole way. Using drugs to gain an unfair advantage over other people at work has unhealthy emotional side effects? Am I to be surprised by this?

"Using drugs to gain an unfair advantage over other people at work"

Perhaps the ABA (American Bar Association) needs to implement a ban on performance enhancing drugs similar to what MLB (Major League Baseball) mandates?

Re: Adderall Addiction: The Last All-Nighter

#48
post #40

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I've associated Ritalin with a negative connotation until a few weeks ago when I saw what it can do. I haven't tried adderral yet but I'm guessing it makes you feel synthetic. Like a robot who just learned how to use it's reserved cores. It's not natural but I feel like someone should measure their heart rate when doing the activities I said while high on amphetamines. How would one feel?

I was told monitoring heart rate and blood pressure is standard for a patient newly prescribed it.

That sounds like a drag for the patient to update their statistics. Did they tell you if they have to drive to the doctor's weekly? I doubt it though because people don't get into the specifics on stuff like this. I can't imagine someone normally saying, yeah um, I was prescribed adderral the other day and they gave me this device that measures my heart rate-- so far I'm doing fine. Etc. Now I'm interested if it's done online or not, what device is it. Taking adderral means you don't have much time on things like reporting back to your doctor. So I'm curious, has anybody been given a device after being prescribed adderral, anybody?

Re: Adderall Addiction: The Last All-Nighter

#49

This made me sick. I don't know what's worst: the author's self-absorption, the victimization tone, or the fact that her colleagues had to do similar unhealthy shit in order to compete with her. It stinks the whole way. Using drugs to gain an unfair advantage over other people at work has unhealthy emotional side effects? Am I to be surprised by this?

I didn't like the article either. The whole thing struck me as melodramatic and narcissistic.

Perhaps there are intelligent commentaries to be written about this culture's abuse of Adderall, but this is not one of them.

Re: Adderall Addiction: The Last All-Nighter

#50

This made me sick. I don't know what's worst: the author's self-absorption, the victimization tone, or the fact that her colleagues had to do similar unhealthy shit in order to compete with her. It stinks the whole way. Using drugs to gain an unfair advantage over other people at work has unhealthy emotional side effects? Am I to be surprised by this?

Dude, have some compassion. It's upsetting that this is the top voted comment. Not everyone is as well-informed and knowledgeable about things like this as you are, and this first-hand account of her experience will likely help a lot of people experiencing similar issues.

>>Using drugs to gain an unfair advantage over other people at work has unhealthy emotional side effects? Am I to be suprised by this?

Your claim that this stimulant gives its users/abusers/misusers an "unfair advantage" over those who don't use it (ie you) not only contradicts your following statement (that it causes emotional side effects) but also tells me that perhaps you're angered or upset by this perceived 'unfair advantage' you see this drug giving your peers.

If you looked at the big picture, or her story, you'd see that the drug doesn't, in fact, give its abusers an unfair advantage. Whatever temporary 'gain' they are getting is unsustainable and clearly destructive both emotionally and physically.

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