ADHD Stimulant Meds Question

[Magna]

I put this post in this section because ADHD is sometimes a co-morbid with Autism. If this post should be moved to a different section that fits better, so be it.

ADHD Stimulant meds like Adderall are considered "habit forming" medications.

Words have meaning. I realize that "habit forming" may not be equated with "addiction", but addictions can also be described as "habits".

There are other "habit forming" prescription drugs (ie legal) that some people, through no fault of their own require on a regular basis. Opioids fall into this category. Clearly not everyone who takes opioid medications is addicted to them or become addicted to them. However, it is a fact that many people who are prescribed regular opioid medications are addicted to them. In other words those people have a drug addiction to a legally prescribed medication.

My question is: Is it possible that someone prescribed an ADHD stimulant based medication like Adderall used on a regular and ongoing basis can develop an addiction to the medication? Why or why not?

 

[Raggamuffin]

If you look up Adderall withdrawal you'll see that it can be a real struggle for some people. I personally couldn't get past the side effects in the first few weeks of my ADHD medication. Sure, I could focus better - but the headaches, dizziness, dry sinuses to the point it hurt to breath etc. meant that my concentration was distracted by unpleasant symptoms.

From people's experiences that I've read, much like meds for anxiety or depression - it can be quite a rough road to come off the pills, even if you weren't knowingly addicted to them. The body chemistry adjusts to incorporating these meds on a daily basis, and the body feels pretty haggard when coming off them.

Being able to focus more, not get riled up emotionally as quickly - these are all positive things. In fact, several articles and videos I saw claimed over 80% of people with ADHD responded positively to medication. Even heard the term "life changing" being used. All sounds promising - and if people really do feel like it's changed their lives, I can see how that would be addictive.

Truth be told, a lot of my struggles were around my job, and I thought it would be a sad state of affairs to willingly medicate myself, just to be able to stick it out in a depressing and stressful job. That's not worth it.

In fact, Doug Stanhope in his Beerhall Putsch stand up special specifically discusses ADHD meds and that people shouldn't have to medicate themselves to focus on dull and soul destroying work. Claiming the reason you can't focus and keep making mistakes is because these jobs are worthless. Which is obviously partly for comedic effect, but it's understandable to a degree. Boring things create difficulties in focus and attention - especially with ADHD. So on medication you might be able to focus for a whole day, but you're still not going to get the satisfaction you really need or deserve by being more productive in such menial and ill-suited jobs.

My therapist made an interesting comment today, saying that our employers are lucky to have us working for them. Rather than assuming we're lucky to be stuck in these dead end jobs. At the end of the day we're a lot better and more capable than we probably view ourselves. Especially once we start getting diagnosed with various disorders, and live lives with stigmas and traumas that greadually erode our sense of self worth and belief.

Ed

 

[Forest Cat]

Adderall is racemic amphetamine and dextroamphetamine. Yes it can be addictive. Amphetamine is one of the most evil things on the planet. I think it's strange that any form of it is used in medication, it should be wiped off the face of the earth.

 

[Magna]

Thanks for the info @Raggamuffin

The reason I asked this question is that I have co-morbid ADHD (diagnosed) and I've never taken meds. You've posted publicly about your addiction issues. I have posted publicly that I share the same struggles in that regard. I know that there are non-stimulant based ADHD meds, however I wondered if someone is on a stimulant based ADHD med long term, could they end up being addicted to that drug.

Your response seems to support that it's possible. Maybe it could even be stated probable rather than possible.

 

[Matthias]

My question is: Is it possible that someone prescribed an ADHD stimulant based medication like Adderall used on a regular and ongoing basis can develop an addiction to the medication? Why or why not?

You can become addicted to anything that has a positive effect on you because you'll want to keep experiencing good things that happen to you.

 

[Darkkin]

ADHDers tend NOT to become addicted to their stimulant medications do in large part to how the medication affects the ND brain. Its effects are the opposite of the endorphine high and heightened awareness the medications produce in NT brains.

It quiets ND brains, many to a point that those on the medication will tell you they feel like zombies. It is almost as if some vital light in the brain has been switched off.

I was on a stimulant when I was little with devastating consequences. Thankfully my family knew something was drastically wrong and advocated for an alternative. To this day, I still hate anything that could muddle my thinking, even pain med. I can deal with pain, but not the silence in my mind.

 

[Magna]

ADHDers tend NOT to become addicted to their stimulant medications do in large part to how the medication affects the ND brain. Its effects are the opposite of the endorphine high and heightened awareness the medications produce in NT brains.

It quiets ND brains, many to a point that those on the medication will tell you they feel like zombies. It is almost as if some vital light in the brain has been switched off.

I was on a stimulant when I was little with devastating consequences. Thankfully my family knew something was drastically wrong and advocated for an alternative. To this day, I still hate anything that could muddle my thinking, even pain med. I can deal with pain, but not the silence in my mind.

I have heard something to that effect before, that stimulants to an ADHD brain have the opposite effect of an NT brain and that's even an anecdotal way of telling if someone has ADHD or not.

I believe it because caffeine, a stimulant, has a calming effect on me. I have been amazed myself that when I was younger I'd drink up to a whole pot of French press coffee late at night prior to sleeping and it would have zero effect in impeding my sleep.

However...if caffeine is any way indicative on how I would react to ADHD simulant meds, I've learned that I have to limit and regulate my caffeine intake VERY closely. My brain always wants more and in higher doses (see previous addiction comment). Always.

 

[Raggamuffin]

I've read numerous posts recommending caffeine as a substitute for ADHD medication with regards to focus etc. I binge on it at work for that very reason.

I would feel tired towards the end of the day on the ADHD medication. But you notice it starting to work very promptly and with its effects lasting for 9-12 hours, it certainly goes the distance. Focus was magnified greatly. But the dizzy feeling for me was just too much to try and deal with.

I too can have coffee into the small hours and be fine going to bed not long after.

One other oddity for me is that for a lot of people, weed calms them down and makes them sleepy. Whereas I find it a stimulant and it gets my imagination and thoughts flowing with more enthusiasm and colour. Can't fall asleep with any degree of ease if I've smoked within the past hour or 2.

Ed

 

[Magna]

One other oddity for me is that for a lot of people, weed calms them down and makes them sleepy. Whereas I find it a stimulant and it gets my imagination and thoughts flowing with more enthusiasm and colour. Can't fall asleep with any degree of ease if I've smoked within the past hour or 2.

Yeah, coming from an ex-smoker, for the sake of my family I can't dabble with that kind of self-medication. From prior experience there's zero possibility that it would stay at a dabbling level for me. That's crossed off my list.

 

[Raggamuffin]

Meditation supposedly helps calm internal head chatter if you can keep up with it on the reg. Same with regular yoga.

All the health and fitness stuff which needs time, effort and dedication.

Which is why a lot probably just pop pills instead.

Ed

 

[Magna]

Meditation supposedly helps calm internal head chatter if you can keep up with it on the reg. Same with regular yoga.

All the health and fitness stuff which needs time, effort and dedication.

Which is why a lot probably just pop pills instead.

Ed

I have thought about trying yoga. I need more skeletal flexibility and that would help in that regard as well. Meditation does not work for me. Never has. My ADHD brain fires so randomly and rapidly it's never been possible for me to "clear my mind".

 

[Darkkin]

I've learned to harness motion and music because my EDS makes me nearly immune to most oral medication. I have a massive balance ball I bounce the bejesus out of every day. The faster I bounce the deeper my hyperfocus, the better my concentration.

It is a workaround I have harnessed since I started school. When they discovered that they couldn't medicate me without essentially poisoning me.

But give me my ball and music on repeat and my brain ignites. (We are talking meteoric rise in grades and content retention.)

When I walk Rue Dog my inner monologue will still because it is at peace. It is all about working with your brain. Mine responds to motion and patterns, focus hardwired to my stims.

 

[Slim Jim]

I don't think I have this. But over the years I seem to be more unable or unwilling to concentrate on things, without being distracted, restless.

I take no medication, and doubt I ever would, unless I felt my brain was going to mush, and I couldn't function. And even then, ...I view most medication as a subtle form of poisoning.

Adderall, isn't that recreation drug? I know people have abused that. For efficiency, motivation purposes.

 

[Fino]

I've gotten nothing but benefits from it. It improves the way I see the world, improves my ability to socialize, makes me more energetic and confident, and more. I've heard it can be addictive, but I don't see how. You can suddenly stop and the side-effects are pretty much just tiredness. All in all, it's amazing!

 

[Luca]

Some people can get very addicted to ADHD medications, yes... I have actually known people that crushed them up and snorted them!

I'm not a fan of being on medication in general, but there are some (especially medical, not so much psychiatric) that I need just to basically live my life. Psychiatric medication is... meh, I do take some but I would like to go without.

For me, ADHD meds made me really nasty and irritable. Which, as everyone on here probably knows, is not what I'm normally like. I also got *obsessively* focused on tasks and couldn't break focus and couldn't really go to sleep. It was a pretty terrible experience for everyone involved.

I'm not going to attempt to tell anyone what they should or shouldn't take, since everyone has different needs, traits, and levels of tolerance. But this is just my two cents. It was a really unpleasant experience for me.

 

[Shamar]

I put this post in this section because ADHD is sometimes a co-morbid with Autism. If this post should be moved to a different section that fits better, so be it.

ADHD Stimulant meds like Adderall are considered "habit forming" medications.

Words have meaning. I realize that "habit forming" may not be equated with "addiction", but addictions can also be described as "habits".

There are other "habit forming" prescription drugs (ie legal) that some people, through no fault of their own require on a regular basis. Opioids fall into this category. Clearly not everyone who takes opioid medications is addicted to them or become addicted to them. However, it is a fact that many people who are prescribed regular opioid medications are addicted to them. In other words those people have a drug addiction to a legally prescribed medication.

My question is: Is it possible that someone prescribed an ADHD stimulant based medication like Adderall used on a regular and ongoing basis can develop an addiction to the medication? Why or why not?

When I was first diagnosed with AD(no H)D, I was given Ritalin. It was like a magical, mystical, transcendental experience. For the first time in my life, I was not bombarded with hundreds of thoughts competing for my attention. I could concentrate on one thing and then go to something else. It was wonderful. Unfortunately, the effects became less and less each day. I needed to up the dose after a few weeks to get the same effect. When I needed to up the dose again, I quit taking it. I started doing something I read about on the Compuserve ADD forum. This involved trying to mentally replicate the feeling I got while on the meds. It helped, and I only used the Ritalin when I needed it. I now do the same with methylphenidate. This avoids addiction and reduced effectiveness from tolerance.