Addiction - prescribed adderall 10+ years

[chillinwill]

swim has been prescribed adderall for over 10 years for his ADHD. however since SWIM is battling heroin addiction right now, many people at the rehab's and treatment centers SWIM has been to since he needs to get off of it. SWIM's doctor treats SWIM for his heroin addiction and says that SWIM needs to stay on the adderall for his ADHD.....should SWIM be concerened about developing an addiction to adderall? when SWIM doesn't take his adderall, he feels real shitty and feels like he needs the adderall to function...has SWIM developed another addiction?

[GForce]

Generally psychiatrists don't give the addiction potential of Adderall as much credit as opiates and benzodiazepines. It can certainly be as psychologically addicting as both, but the physical withdrawal symptoms aren't really there. Yes, people will feel groggy if they stop taking adderall, but it isn't really like feeling groggry from a crash or something. I've been perscribed Adderall for over 2 years now, and right now I'm in between semesters at school, so I haven't taken one in days without a problem. I have no problem going from heavy use to no use, and my doctor actually told me if I can go without it some days it will help me keep my tolerance lower (I was complaining it lost some effect). And I don't really feel motivated to take it unless I have class or work for class to do, so I don't. I haven't taken one in days (finals were done friday morning) and I feel fine. So I'm not sure how addictive it really can be. I feel like the worst case scenario would be an easier taper schedule than a benzo taper.

[Dexyfiend]

Addiction to amphetamines is completley different than addiction to benzos or opiates as GForce mentioned above.
Your body won't suffer any physical w/d symptoms like pain or flu like symptoms. In fact your body will thank you as amphetamines seem to affect physical health greatly (malnutrition, dehydration, dental problems allthough this isn't probably apparent from a therapuetic dose)
The question is does SWICW abuse his/her adderall??? SWIM thinks that if SWICW is taking a therapeutic dose everyday, even for 10yrs it's not going to be a major problem but SWICW will probably find it difficult to go without them... after all SWIY has been taking them for ten years.
SWIM reckons SWIY should kick the heroin first and that the adderall won't be an issue IF SWIY's not abusing them cos thats a whole different kettle of fish. SWIM personally finds amphetamines to be far more addictive than opiates (not in the physical sense but pschologically) so be careful. SWIM got into the habit of munching 50 x 5mg dexamphetamine over 3-4 days and had to get $4000 of dental work done... not cheap aye

[GForce]

Dexy is right, it really comes down to abuse vs no abuse. If you weren't abusing the Adderall it won't be difficult (or as difficult) to stop taking because the doses are smaller.

On a side note, Dexyfiend, why did SWIY need dental work? Did he clench his teeth to rubble or something?

[Hollow Hippie]

Hell withdrawal is a breeze, SWIM justs sleeps for a day or two :P

[chillinwill]

swim does occasionally abuse his script but it has not turned into an everyday thing

[GForce]

If SWIY doesn't habitually abuse his script he is in significantly better shape for coming off the drug than if he did. A recreational addiction is just a lot more difficult to overcome than one induced by taking therapeutic doses because a habitual user wouldn't even be open to the idea of stopping. There is definitely a line between experimentation and abuse.

[Taytay613]

swim has taken it for 10 years 2 and swim knows he is addicted/dependent on it. he has developed a high tolerance now need a new and higher mg every six months. Tried getting off it for a month gained a ton of wieght, slept a ton, and wasnt mottivated did give a shit. it was horrible. honestly he suggest that if u have been taking it for as long as him dont bother getting off it will be extremely difficult....

[blackdb1]

Swim deosn't think swiy has a problem with an addiction to adderall by what swiy said!!!??? Swiy said first off he has been taking them for 10 years which is quite a LONG TIME! Swim saw no statements about not having enough to get through the month, tolerance, satying up for days, etc... This leads swim to believe swiy is not addicted to his adderall and thinks if he were swiy would DEFINATELY know as swim was an opiate addict for about 5 years and swim can MOST DEFINATELY tell if he is addicted or becoming addicted to a substance now!!!

Swim also thinks some people are just more prone to addiction from one drug to the next...??? Swim feels this is the case with him!!! Swim at 16 started using marijuana and became SOO FASCINATED that ones mind could become altered so much by a 'drug'! Swim within 3-4 months of his 1st time smoking bud tried mushrooms, DXM, cocaine, nitrous, methamphetamine, alcohol, benzodiazepines and opiates although swim had NO KNOWLEDGE on prescription pills then!!! Swim didn't find ANY drug to be as great as DXM but didn't mind cocaine if he couldn't obtain Dex. Swim got ATE UP and had to quit DXM and just smoked weed for awhile but searched HARD to find a drug he enjoyed as much as DXM! He tried Salvia, Valium, Klonopin, etc. until a time when he had got a good job and had to piss clean so had to quit weed so he scored some 10mg hydrocodones. The 1st night in a friends basement with neither of them smoking ghanja they took 15-20mgs of hydrocodone and swim noticed a stimulated feeling he had not experienced with opiates thus far!!! After that night swim started taking his dads percocet (oxycodone 5mgs/APAP 500mgs) which swim HAD taken before he just never experienced a euphoria like that!!! Swim started taking them more and more until he was using 3 weeks outta the month so decided he had to quit but kept taking them not really thinking it was serious! DUMB!!! Swim had NO knowledge of opiates at this point!

Swim started searching Drugs-Forum and discovered what the pills really were and around the same time swims dad got switched to Oxycodone IR's... Swim eventually got to taking them everyday and realised he had a REAL problem and decided to quit but wanted to try sniffing them before quitting,,, in short BAD DECISION!!! Swim from then till now struggled HARD with opiate addiction, this past year and a half his tolerance skyrocketed from the 5mgs lasting ALL DAY to 30-40mgs of oxy 3-4 times a day or 100-120mgs methadone!!! In the LAST month he started IV'ing which he always saw as a rock bottom so decided to ABSOLUTELY QUIT!!! He's been clean about 5 months now on suboxone and has not felt this good his WHOLE LIFE!!!

Swim just realised how FAR off topic he got so back to the point... Swim quit and saw a psychiatrist and an addcition specialist, telling both of his addiction to opiates he got diagnosed with GAD, SAD, panic disorder and ADHD. The psych gave him xanax (alprazolam) .5mgs 3x a day and his Dr. gave Suboxone, then Klonopin (Klonazepam) 4mgs a day, then this past month Adderall! Swim has had NO ISSUES with addiction to any of these as he does not find them to be abusable drugs,,, except the adderall but he limits his use to only when serious works in order!

Generally swim is saying while amphetamines and benzodiazepines do NOT pose a threat to his sobriety opiates DID VERY MUCH!!! Also swim always had to watch his cocaine usage as he believes he could EASILY become addicted!? Swim now refrains from all illicit drug use and ONLY uses his prescribed meds with the occasional spliff!!!

Swim apologizes for the SUPER LONG POST!!! He just got going and he is very upset now cause his litlle brother (15years old) has been HARDCORE hooked on opiates for a year and has just went through 2 detoxes and a rehab in 3 weeks and still wants to get high on NETHING he can get!!! Because of the swim just rambled on as he tends to do when stressed out? SORRY!!!
Hope this helps the OP and others who wonder about poly-drug addiction! Everyone have a great morning and be safe!!! -bdb1-