Need help - advice : methylphenidate prescribed and abused by recovering alcoholic

[ssxx27]

SWIM is a recovering alcoholic with 18 months dry. Has been diagnosed with depression and placed on many different anti-depressants, trying to find the right one. All of them make him/her tired, sedated, unmotivated. Finally the Doc prescribed a stimulant, Ritalin to counter act the effects of the Paxil. SWIM took the dose and felt better then they had in years. The addict mind took over and they just finished a months script in 8 days.

90 20mg Ritalin in 8 days. (most of them crushed and snorted)
Needless to say this personn feels like crap and is anticipating a hard CRASH.
Any advise? The stimulant work great as prescribed. Is there something else they should try? Perhaps a long acting Adderall XR once a day, or is that abused as well? The stimulant is the only thing that has worked for this person. Maybe the spouse could hand out the meds daily, and look up the stash? Please help.
Thanks

[Nagognog2]

Stay away from future scripts for ritalin (methylphenidate). 90 in 8 days ONCE won't kill SWIM. But SWIM won't be a happy camper either.

I'm more concerned about abuse of Paxil. Taking large amounts of that and abruptly stopping can/will cause terrible effects. Changes in heart rate, a depression to beat the band, ringing in the ears like you lived in the bell-tower of Notre-Dame...yikes. If this happens - see your doctor at once and get tapered down.

Sounds to me like the drug-route to depression might not be the right road for SWIM. Try something else - like meditation or stamp collecting.

[OccularFantasm]

In this scenario, you need sleep. That many ritalin is really bad for your heart and central nervous system in general. Also stay away from concerta (time-release methlyphenidate). If you pull that with those u won't survive. Also, did you ever sleep in that time? It seems rather impossible to swim. If not, then you should sleep for 2 days and you'll be fine, even avoid the crash.

On a side note I think exercise could be of real service here. It'll release some dopamine, without robbing it from you later like the ritalin does. This could help with the depression, the lethergy(i assume thats why the ritalin), and would help regulate sleep. Also, as nandog brought up, meditation works great for this kinda stuff. Just practice slow breathing. Try for a consistent 30 seconds breath in and 30 out. If your having trouble with it, smoke some salvia or weed or opium or even a cigarette. Whatever would make you feel more at ease.

Alos perhaps diet has somethingt o dow ith how you feel. For example, most peopel when they start to get depressed, eat high amounts of sugar reaching for that extra seratonin. This unfortunatly can make you feel like crap too. You didn't mention anything about it, but I thought I'd add it in. It can be surprisingly helpful for some.

[manda]

I, too, have been prescribed meds, for many years. Have your wife give you your meds as the doctor prescribed the same time every day -night is good if they make you tired, morning is good if they don't and aren't going to alter your work performance or impair you. If you take them as prescribed, I bet they will work and you will feel better.
I know it will be hard, but please give your prescription a chance to work correctly. I really think you'll feel different, your doctor prescribed them a certain way for a reason. If you abuse them, you will get all of the bad and none of the good.
Also, some meds for depression you are supposed to stay on daily unless supervised by a doctor to get off them. (Ritalin isn't one of those, but the anti-depressant family has a lot that are.) By doing them so quickly, you are risking screwing yourself up. Good Luck.
P.S. Does your doctor know you have an addicitive history? Because if he did, I sincerely doubt he would have given you the ritalin. That's like letting a fat kid that hasn't eaten for 3 days go hog wild in a candy store unsupervised!

[OccularFantasm]

Also, it comes as no surprise that stimulants work good. most alcoholics find they feel better when they do coke, and amphetamines aren't much different. Try jus smoking weed and maybe drinking some tea or coffee for an upper. None of that other shit is any better for you than heavy drinking. If you still feel depressed, maybe some st johns wart n 5-htp would help. With those too tho don't take lots of. Low-dose is far more effective. Then with the weed you can make your addict side happy. Just smoke as much as you want, as at least weed isn't addictive or bad for you. Ironically, a little bit of red wine would probably help you, but I could understand if you didnt want to even have a little of it. If you continue witht he amphetamines your just going to tank your immune system, which is most likely already partially compromised. Good luck man. Shit can get rough when you give up your crutch, so I hope all goes well.