Adderall (mixed amphetamine salts) is a psychostimulant drug that is used primarily to treat ADHD (attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder) as well as narcolepsy. It is also used to treat conditions such as: chronic fatigue and in some cases is used as an antidepressant augmentation strategy. With this particular drug, there is high potential for dependency and thus it is quite often abused and used for off-label purposes – it is considered a “Schedule II” substance in the United States.
Many college students take Adderall as a “smart drug” to help them cram for a test and improve academic performance. Others take this drug recreationally for a boosted mood and to “get high.” Although many people have concerns about taking Adderall, it is one of the most studied and well documented drugs on the market. It has been in the pharmaceutical industry for a long time and generally is pretty well-tolerated.
There are no documented negative long term effects associated with this drug if used for its intended purpose. Despite the fact that many consider this drug a lifesaver for treating symptoms of ADHD, many people that take it end up eventually going through a withdrawal period. The withdrawal period can be difficult to cope with if you do not know what to expect. Most people experience a major “crash” which is accompanied by feelings of fatigue, concentration problems, and mood swings.
Factors that influence Adderall withdrawal include
There are various factors that influence a person’s withdrawal from Adderall. These include things like: how long the person took the drug, the frequency at which it was taken, the dosage, tolerance, and whether the individual withdrew “cold turkey” or via gradual taper. Individual physiology, social support, and environmental factors are also thought to play a role in expediting recovery.
1. Time Span
How long did you take Adderall? Was it over a period of a few months or have you been on the drug for years? Individuals that have been on it for years likely have a greater tolerance and dependence upon this drug for everyday functioning in comparison to people who have been on it for a month or two. In general, the longer you are on amphetamines, the more difficult the withdrawal is thought to be.
2. Frequency
How often did you take Adderall? Was it on a daily basis? Was it a few times a day? Most people take a dose that is therapeutic, but some people abuse this drug and are on such a high dose, that they remain strung out and “high” all the time. People that abuse the drug and take it with greater frequency are going to have more difficulties coping without it.
3. Dosage (5 mg – 60 mg) + Subtype
Dosage: The dose of the drug can play a role in determining the severity of withdrawal symptoms. When you are on a higher dose, your brain is essentially using up more dopamine. Some would argue that consistently using the drug at higher doses could end up lowering dopamine levels in the long term so that they are below the “baseline” level at which you started the medication. Although this is up for debate, people that are taking high doses tend to have a tougher time stopping the drug – especially if they are using it for things other than treating ADHD. Most people take between 5 mg and 60 mg to treat their ADHD, but some find a dose higher than 60 mg to be effective.
Subtype: There are two types of Adderall that people take: IR (immediate release) and XR (extended release). The immediate release is effective for a short duration of time, while the extended release version works for a longer “extended” period of time. It is thought that if you are simply taking the IR on an “as-needed” basis, the withdrawal shouldn’t be as debilitating because there are intervals at which you do not take the drug. Someone who takes the XR version every day without major drug-free intervals may have a more difficult time coming off of Adderall.
4. Tolerance
It is pretty easy to build up a tolerance to the amphetamine class of drugs – Adderall is no different. For some people when they take the drug, they feel euphoric for the first few days or weeks, but this feeling fades. If you are using the drug for other than its primary intention – to treat ADHD, you may try to continuously increase the dose to chase the “high” that you enjoy.
Individuals that are simply treating their attention-deficit symptoms usually are able to stay at a particular dose without chasing a “high.” Although not everyone develops a tolerance to this drug, many people do – which is why they take “holidays” or stop taking the drug for a certain period of time to reset their tolerance.
5. Cold turkey vs. Tapering
Despite the fact that there are many people that quit Adderall at high doses “cold turkey” with no reported effects, there are others that really struggle. It is never recommended to quit “cold turkey” because there is really no need. If you suddenly stop taking Adderall from a high dose without gradually tapering off of the drug, you may experience extreme depression, paranoia, and schizophrenia-like symptoms.
There are also some major health risks associated with stopping “cold turkey” including: seizures, cardiac arrest, and psychosis. Take the time to work with a professional and conduct a gradual taper. By gradually “weaning” off of the drug, it is thought that you can minimize most of the withdrawal symptoms.
6. Physiology
Believe it or not, there are individuals that have taken Adderall for their ADHD for years at a pretty high dose (every single day) and they experience zero withdrawal symptoms. There are others who experience such a crushing withdrawal that they have a difficult time quitting the drug. There are others who experience symptoms for a short duration, but eventually return to their normal state of functioning.
Your individual physiology will play a huge role in your ability to withdraw from this particular drug. Most people that have ADHD and non-addictive personalities tend to have a relatively easy time quitting Adderall. People that have addictive personalities and that take Adderall for its non-intended purposes are thought to have a more difficult time coping with the withdrawal symptoms.
Adderall Withdrawal Symptoms: List of Possibilities
Everyone’s experience regarding Adderall withdrawal is going to be different. Therefore it is impossible to say that you will experience all of the symptoms listed below. These are merely a collective of all the “common” symptoms that have been reported upon withdrawal. Keep these in mind as you go through with your withdrawal process.
- Anger: Many people experience extreme anger when they quit taking Adderall. This drug helps people keep their cool and maintain self-control by stimulating activity in the frontal lobes. When people quit the drug, they do not have the same level of self-control and are prone to bouts of anger.
- Anxiety: The anxiety that you experience when quitting Adderall may be pretty extreme. Some actually take Adderall for anxiety disorders because it can help treat them. A lot of people notice that they are extremely anxious and nervous for no reason when they come off of this drug. That’s because dopamine can play a role in helping regulate anxiety-responses in the brain.
- Appetite changes: Most people notice that when they quit Adderall, they have an increased appetite. You may become very hungry and start eating significantly more than you did on the drug. This is because amphetamines naturally curb our hunger – coming off of them may lead you to feeling very hungry.
- Can’t concentrate: All of a sudden you can’t concentrate and your ADHD is way worse than before you took the medication. This is because you took a drug which may have used up some of your dopamine stores. It may take awhile before your natural levels of concentration return to normal, but your dopamine will eventually restore itself.
- Cravings: Some people experience pretty intense cravings for Adderall within the first couple weeks of quitting. This drug is addictive to some people and the cravings can be tough to cope with – especially if you were taking Adderall for non-medical purposes. Know that these cravings will gradually diminish.
- Crying spells: There are cases of individuals that become so depressed that they start crying for no reason. If you experience crying spells because you feel so depressed, take a second to realize that it is mostly due to the fact that your brain is trying to restore homeostatic activity and replenish its neurotransmitters.
- Depression: One very common symptom that people experience when they quit Adderall is that of depression. The depression may be more extreme than you have ever experienced in your life. This is thought to be a result of having lowered levels of dopamine in the brain. Additionally some people become depressed because they no longer have the energy, quick-wit, and mental spark that Adderall provided. Certain individuals actually take Adderall for treatment-resistant depression because it works so well. It is natural to feel depressed when you stop this medication.
- Dizziness: A common withdrawal symptom is that of dizziness. You may feel dizzy when you first quit, but this usually goes away within a few days. If you are feeling especially dizzy, you may want to conduct a more gradual taper.
- Fatigue: Adderall gives most people plenty of energy to complete tasks and function at peak performance. When you take the drug away, many people become extremely fatigued and unable to get out of bed. This may seem similar to “chronic fatigue” but usually this subsides within a few weeks. Even if the fatigue lasts a few months, just know that you’ll eventually restore your natural energy levels.
- Foggy thinking: It is very normal to experience “foggy” thinking or “brain fog” when coming off of this medication. This is accompanied by feeling physically lazy and lethargic so it makes for a tough combo to deal with.
- Headaches: It is common for people to experience headaches when they quit this drug. Some people report migraines, but usually the headaches are relatively minor. If they are really bothersome, make sure you buy some headache relief.
- Irritability: Most people report feeling a little bit irritable and grumpy when they first quit. If you find yourself snapping or getting excessively antisocial, try to recognize that it’s part of withdrawal.
- Laziness: Most people report that they become lazy slugs when they first quit Adderall. This is because they are no longer receiving stimulation from the drug. Their body and brain is trying to get used to functioning without the drug. You may feel extremely lazy and little tasks around the house may seem like a huge deal.
- Mood swings: There is no telling what your mood may be when you quit this drug. One minute you may feel good about the way withdrawal is going, the next you may feel extremely depressed. The mood swings that you experience should die down after a few weeks.
- Nausea: Some people experience nausea to an extreme. They may end up vomiting as well if it becomes too powerful.
- Panic attacks: As was already mentioned, a person may experience debilitating anxiety for awhile when they quit this drug. This may lead to a person experiencing major panic attacks at uncontrollable times. In order to cope with any “panic” work on relaxing yourself naturally with deep breathing and plenty of exercise.
- Psychosis: There is evidence that abrupt discontinuation of amphetamines can yield psychotic symptoms. This is a result of dopamine receptors being abnormally stimulated. Amphetamine withdrawal psychosis will gradually subside, but may be difficult to deal with. Recognize that you are not crazy or becoming schizophrenic – it is a withdrawal sypmtom.
- Sleep changes: It is obvious that most people are going to sleep for longer periods of time when they first quit the drug. This is because they have no energy and desire to stay awake throughout the day. The body and brain are trying to reset themselves without energy and stimulation from the drug. Your sleep cycle may be thrown off for a period of time, but it will eventually normalize.
- Suicidal thoughts: Many people become suicidal when they stop Adderall. Although it is undocumented and unreported, the depression can become very difficult for certain individuals to deal with. Many people think that the depression that they are experience upon quitting is permanent – so they become suicidal. If you are suicidal, try to view your situation from the perspective that it is merely a withdrawal symptom – you will eventually feel better. If you are having a tough time coping, get yourself into a professional therapist.
- Tiredness: Many people have a difficult time coping with the extreme tiredness that they experience when first quitting Adderall. It may persist for days and you may feel like sleeping all the time. Do your best to push through this “tiredness” to stay productive, but also make sure you are getting plenty of sleep at night – sleep at proper times helps restore your brain.
- Vivid dreams: Many people report having “crazy” dreams and/or extremely vivid dreams. No you are not possessed by a demon, you are going through withdrawal.
- Weight gain: Some people pack on some weight after they quit Adderall. This is because their appetite comes back in full swing and their metabolism slows down to their natural baseline.
My Experience Taking Adderall
I was prescribed Adderall to help with slowed cognition. I took a computerized test and honestly tried my best to do as well as I could on the testing. My psychiatrist noted that certain aspects of the test were normal, while others appeared to be slower than average. In one area I was pretty significantly slower than I should be and therefore he discussed Adderall. I was prescribed this medication to help with the slowed cognition that I was experiencing as a result of depression.
I was instructed to take it daily for maximum benefit, but I have since found that taking it “as needed” works better for me. In my experience, I typically use the lowest dose that I can get away with for maximum benefit. In other words, I use a dose that gives me therapeutic benefit without taking any more than is necessary for me. I have found that lower (than recommended) doses actually are quite effective if you don’t have much of a tolerance.
I have noted that I experience what is commonly referred to as an “Adderall Crash.” I have highlighted what you may experience when you initially stop taking this medication as well as what you can do about it. Just know that the “crash” eventually goes away and the extreme fatigue and foggy thinking will go away.
How long does Adderall withdrawal last?
The amount of time that it takes you to withdraw from Adderall will vary depending on your situation. If you are taking the drug “as-needed” to help treat ADHD symptoms, you may not even notice a withdrawal. If you have built up a tolerance to the drug and are using it for purposes other than ADHD, you may experience a more debilitating withdrawal. At the end of the day, the withdrawal timeline will be different for everyone.
If you were taking a relatively high dose for an extended period of time, it is likely that you are going to experience some withdrawal symptoms. Symptoms may be intense for a few days or a few weeks, but may last a few months. Some individuals have reported that it took them nearly a full year to fully “recover” psychologically from Adderall withdrawal. A good rule of thumb to follow is a withdrawal period of 90 days.
Most people will be feeling better within the first 3 months of functioning without the drug. If you take the time to properly taper down your dose, the withdrawal should be even easier for you. In the meantime, your goal should be to manage life to the best of your ability and force yourself to engage in healthy activities to rebuild your dopamine stores. When you stop using Adderall, some hypothesize that your dopamine levels are lower than before you started the drug.
Even if your dopamine stores are “lower” like some hypothesize, it’s not anything to freak out over – you will recover in time. If you have had a crazy experience with Adderall withdrawal or would just like to share how coming off this drug felt for you, please do so in the comments section below. It is nice to get a variety of perspectives on how withdrawal felt, how long it lasted, and what works to help ease various withdrawal symptoms.
If you are starting your own withdrawal, try not to read too in-depth into other people’s experiences and just focus on what you can do to speed up recovery. Oh and if you are looking for some alternative treatment options, you may want to check out the article I wrote called “10 Best Adderall Alternatives.”
Hello friends! I am in my mid-twenties and have been a user of adderrall for almost four years. I began on two 15xr’s daily and climbed to one 30mg xr after my first year of being prescribed. I never took this drug during my teen years. I had a really great job was constantly recognized for surperb customer service. Many of my co-workers were just that to me co-workers and after my first year I became very paranoid found myself having trouble breathing and thought my heart was going to jump out of my chest.
Even things I said became robotic I felt like a broken record. I’d come home from work feeling like I was the only one who did anything at all. I felt like the company was out to get me that customers were my bosses family or managers from other stores and at the end even under cover police checking to see how I was doing. Just couldn’t sleep unless I had been up for days on end. I always took mg medicine as prescribed one thirty mg xr a day very early and not as soon as I woke up if that makes a difference.
I eventually switched to the instant release two 30mgs daily never at once, I felt better for the first few weeks. my hands would shake uncontrollably, trouble talking without sounding scared. So I put my two weeks in. Heard a lot of why would you do that from my parents rightfully so. I tapered down going from 30 to a half of that to a quarter of the IR for a few days. I should be at 2 months, completely nothing at all but sometimes I slip and take half an xr which is not good.
I hope I haven’t hurt my progress the whole point of leaving my job was to stop working to spend my pay check on my script. Aside the fact I lived the first quarter of my life without it. I can’t even find the strength to play a video game maybe I don’t find them interesting off adderrall. I’ve dealt with withdrawal clouded thoughts no drive. I keep telling myself remember it’s for the best. This past week alone I have done more as far as getting out and trying to live than I did while I was on adderrall.
I don’t feel enlightened, unmotivated dreading days where I have to follow through with situations where I have to leave my house. Let me say this though once I do these things like socializing I feel a lot better and following through is opening more doors for myself as far as allowing myself to feel okay with who I am. I actually wrote this right now. I know I’ll feel better and can’t beat myself up if I do slip up and take a little bit of an xr and try to not do it again. Taking walks helps for me, I drink a lot of water now.
Used to be a caffeine addict. I have dealt with some severe headaches. I started doing yoga once a week to have something to do it helps. Everyday is a small victory. Does anyone have any suggestions as to a way of thinking to help me leave my house instead of the just do it. I used to have fun and want to do things but now I feel as though I have to force myself is this just growing up. I really need a suggestion on how to get the happiness flowing. I don’t want to feel detatched and scared. Good luck all.
I quit Adderall cold turkey about 3 months ago after about 10 years of daily use, between 20 and 40 mg. I have experienced many of the more moderate symptoms described in the article, mostly related to feeling fatigued and even “lazy” a lot of the time, a little weight gain, etc. The symptoms seem to be subsiding, albeit a little more “gradually” than expected, or desired. Focusing on diet and exercise is helping. In general, it has been a positive experience, I am feeling more relaxed and a lot less stressed out than I was while taking it.
I have been on Adderall for about 2 years. They prescribed it for depression and no energy. This has to be one of thee hardest medications to come off of. I do not think I can do this alone. I am looking into an inpatient program. Every month I go through withdrawals because I take too many. It is debilitating. I have extreme fatigue and mental fogginess . I have come to realize that I need help with my addiction. I wish anyone luck who is going through the same thing.
I’m coming off too. Day one. Can’t even think straight. Mood swings. If I could go back in time I never would’ve taken this drug. Ruined so much for me. Just want my old life back before drugs.
I am a college student who tricked his doctor into prescribing adderall do I could have it available for learning benefits. Stupid I realize now after being on 25-50mg a day for about 4-5 months that I am totally dependent. I did not realize withdrawals would turn me into a complete lunatic. So much anxiety I literally have had to leave in the middle of tests, parties, even just sitting in the library. I quit cold turkey for the first 9 days before researching and realizing that is awful. So I have now gone to an unsupervised tapering method which is a little better, but the anxiety is still crushing me. I really hope it goes away soon, I’ve dealt with depression before adderall, but this anxiety makes me feel downright hopeless… Vent session over. -Kyle
12 year addict here, 80-100mg regular strength with few if any breaks in-between. I’ve been off Addys cold-turkey since mid-December, so roughly two and a half months. Here’s the bad news: I’ve endured most if not all of the shit you’ve read above. Kicking this sh*t is a total b*tch, and there don’t appear to be any shortcuts. Here’s the good news: It gets better, and you’ll eventually reclaim the person you were (20 pounds heavier, mind you, but I’m working on that as well… hehe).
My advice to anyone going through it right now would be to do something everyday that reminds you of the person you were before you started, the person you’ll be once again once you’ve cleared the hurdle. Listen to a song you’ve always loved. Go for a run or a walk. Call your mother and just let her talk. Love on a big stinky dog. Whatever makes you happy to feel alive, even for for a moment, once a day. When you do these things, you’ll feel yourself start to brighten; you’ll feel it awaken in your brain.
That’s the bridge back; by remembering who we were, we allow ourselves to reclaim it. I know that may sound crazy, but trust me it’s true. And it works. One more thing: When the going gets rough, and it will, be sure and ask for help. Not from others, but yourself. Your internal guides, your higher self. The help is there, just be honest with yourself and ask. We created this mess, and it’s okay to admit we need a little help cleaning it up. Just read the comments in this thread, it’s crystal clear we all do.
You’re closer to getting through this than you think. Just remind yourself of who you are on the daily, and whenever you’re feeling weak take a quiet moment to go within and ask for strength. It’s a beautiful feeling when you realize you’ve got this, that no one but you gets to determine your needs.
You have everything you need, now go live long and prosper. :)
So I have been on Adderall for about six years now with about a one to two year break in between. I have two left right now and so much to do and I’m scared to take it because I’m worried it won’t work and now I’m stuck on this site reading and trying to figure out if there is a way to get off this roller coaster. This month I have gone through it a lot faster than the one before, it varies a lot. I have been trying to have family members dole it out to me so it lasts as long as it should, but I always manage to talk them into giving it all to me early.
I don’t get my next RX until the 6th of next month and I am dreading how I will be feeling the next few weeks. The first few days all I can do is sleep. I don’t care about anything else and can barely stay awake or alert enough to do anything at all. After that, even once I start spending more time awake, it’s like nothing matters. The world turns gray instead of full of colors and nothing is enjoyable or interesting. After about a week I start having a lot of trouble sleeping, yet still have no energy or enough focus to think much less try to do homework or anything else that requires concentration.
No matter how long I have been off of it, it seems I never get to a point where I have energy or happiness or much interest in life or even the ability to half-way function in every-day life. I don’t know what to do, if it’s even possible to ever be “human” again without Adderall or how much longer I can deal with living in a gray world 90% of the time. I really don’t like who I am without it, but I am also learning that there are things I don’t like about who I am with it as well. And no matter what I try or how well I plan, I fail to remember how bad it starts to hurt after being up for days.
I also can never remember in the gray, tired times, the things that I “enjoy” and that make me “happy,” because during those times, it seems as though these tasks are far beyond my abilities and the effort it takes to even attempt them is impossible for me to make. Please help, if anyone has any advice or words of hope, it might give me the strength to continue the fight and to believe that someday I may be able to find the me that “lived” without all of this, instead of the zombie slave addict that I have become.
You are the only one who can make the decision to stop taking Adderall. I took 12 years to get to that point. Every night I would lay in bed wanting sleep, feeling my heart beat throughout my body, my mind racing and swear it was the last time. The morning would come and I would convince myself I was overreacting and that Adderall was not that Bad. I was prescribed it by a Doctor after all and a lot of people take it.
It is a crazy powerful Drug. When you decide to stop have a plan. Know it is not easy and write down the road blocks you know you will encounter. Share it with the family and friends who you can count on. I only had one, you will need the encouragement! The scariest part of stopping for me was the unknown of who I was going to be without Adderall. What would I feel like, look like, what things did I really enjoy, what would people think of me, how would I function day to day? Eight months I have been off Adderall. I still think of taking it some days, I can’t throw my last few pills away.
I hate looking in the mirror, I am trying to find out what I really enjoy. I coast through a lot of days, similar to what you describe as gray days. When you decide it is time to stop have a plan, take it one day at a time. When you feel like going back, look to the reasons you stopped, talk to someone who knows your situation. I read this blog and write my feelings and frustrations down. Allow yourself time and do not expect to feel normal, Adderall normal, again. Take pride in your new normal.
I was prescribed to adderall XR 30mg halfway through last semester. After a couple months i began to abusing my prescription. After heavily abusing it one day about 3 months after I was first prescribed it, I threw out my remaining pills. From then life has just seemed like it sucks. I’ve been depressed and at times severely depressed. I’ve had panic attacks and high anxiety. I’ve even had a few small episodes of psychosis.
I was once a very outgoing person and now you could even say I’m shy and have no self confidence whatsoever. Its now been a month since I last took adderall and I’m still experiencing some withdrawal symptoms, but I can tell it’s getting better. But now is the first time where I’ve actually read about the withdrawal process. The whole time I’ve been wondering what the hell is going on with me.
This article has put my mind at ease. Going through this phase I kept telling myself that this is only temporary. Now all I’m wondering is how long until I’m fully back to myself again, but at least I know this is not some permanent thing.
100% same story here. And I don`t know when it’s going to end. The only thing is helping me to feel better is having sex. At least for an hour or two after the extreme anxiety again and panic attacks.
I quit taking adderall, cold turkey, two months ago after 6 years at 90 miligrams a day. Will I ever feel normal again? I feel like I can’t get anything done. This sucks!
My son goes off to college and the campus nurse prescribes him adderall. Being that I’m his mother I don’t find out about this until he has become addicted and has been abusing it for years. While on it he zoned out and doesn’t function at all. He talks non stop and if you try to speak he will speak over you. He will not bathe or wash his hair and will eat all the time.
He agreed to let me have control of his prescription to keep him on track but all I am doing is feeding his addiction. His last pill was Monday morning. Tuesday he was out of control with yelling, talking irrational and sleeping. Plus, he turns to alcohol and gets drunk to cope with the withdrawals. How can a pill cause a 25 year old man turn into Dr. Jekyl and Mr. Hyde in less than 24 hours?
If I had the nurse’s name that put my son on this mess I would probably rip her head off. You send your kids off to college (Wake Forest) to get an education and instead they come home a junkie. Frustrated mother who will fight for her son to get his life back to normal.
A nurse didn’t prescribe your son adderall. The doctor she works with did and it’s because your son went in there and claimed to have ADHD. This is what all or most college kids do to get the drug. Stop blaming the nurse who can’t prescribe meds – she’s probably the ONLY person who tried to talk your son out of it and warn him of the side effects.
Your son probably thinks the nurse prescribed it because that physician didn’t even see your son for more than 10 seconds before writing him a script and handing it to the nurse who passed it on to him. He remembers the nurse because he can’t remember the Dr.
I am 25 and a mother of a 2 year old and 4 month old. I was diagnosed at 13 with ADHD due to poor grades, forgetting homework, etc… it turned my life around tremendously all through school. I have also tried Ritalin and Vyvanse – both of which they did not work nearly as well as the Adderall. Now, I find my 20 MG dose wears off by lunch time and the w/d immediately begins. I feel helpless without them. I just educated myself and found out the depression, mood swings, suicidal thoughts, rage, anger and weight gain were withdrawal symptoms. I’m so dependent on this, but without it, it affects my mothering capabilities, my marriage, and almost every aspect of my life. My marriage always seems to be on the brink of divorce. I yell, scream and rage out over stupid things. Also on issues that I shouldn’t be dwelling on at all. I love my husband and children more than anything! Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Hey everyone, my name’s Will, and, I’ve withdrawn from this before multiple times at different intensities. The first being after the first two months of taking it. I would take somewhere around 30-50mg a day of adderall, I was prescribed it. When I stopped it wasn’t that bad. After a few months my school started back up and I started taking it again following a 35mg a day prescription near perfectly. 2 months into school I decided to increase my dose because I noticed not only did the “high” feeling I got from it started fading, but so did its ability to help me study and stay focused.
It still wasn’t bad but eventually I thought it might become a problem so I quit. Withdrawal was a bit tougher, but nothing some good sleep, food and the right attitude could fix. The third time, I’m still only two weeks in and it has been by far the worst. I am in many hard classes and because of using adderall so much in the past, it became very difficult to do good in school without it. It wasn’t bad, but I was taking 60-80mg a day, way more than prescribed. A month or two in I broke my ankle, it was a bad break.
I was put on oxycodone for pain but because of my tasking classes that had high standards I still had to function in school. I already had a good tolerance to my medication but the oxycodone I was on countered the effects even at 80mg of my adderall. I was still in school though and being a stupid young kid determined to give anything to focus, I decided it was worth increasing my dose even more. My tolerance shot up. Two weeks ago I was taking almost 200 miligrams a day, the last time I used it was for my last test in high school, 3 days ago.
I took 170-190mg in the course of around 12 hours. The sad part is once I got off my oxycodone, which was a experience on its own, my tolerance to adderall did not drop, and I still required the same unhealthy dose to benefit from it. I mentioned that my test three days ago was my last, and it was for at least the next few months. I’ve been accepted into many colleges that I want to go to and have graduated a semester early from high school. I’ve set the next few months aside, hoping that it won’t take that long to withdraw.
This is day three coming down from adderall abuse / addiction. I cold turkey’d, and have stopped smoking. It’s almost unbearable. I haven’t slept, feel like throwing up constantly, and am so depressed I can’t speak to even my closest of friends. That being said, what always got me through in the past, even though I do know it is going to be a lot harder now, is a good mind set and knowing it’s just chemicals. With time you can get through it. 200mg a day is a very hefty amount, but even at this amount, I know I can get through it.
The one good thing that came out of it is I don’t think I will do any drug again, for any reason that’s not near hypothetical. I still am happy to be here and love life, and if I don’t die now, I will continue to strive on as if it never happened. I hope this helps anyone going through something as bad as I am. The walls around me may be spinning, but with enough thought, you and I can make it and return to normal. Please don’t relapse, please don’t go down the path I have put myself through. The best time to quit is now. Even if it sucks more than anything, just stop, and move on.
I’ve been on and off adderall for 14 yrs. For the last year I’ve been on 30 mg – 3x daily. I was told that I have to have surgery,but before I do,I have to be off adderall for 2 weeks. Its been 5 days so far and I’m miserable, I’ve slept all day since I stopped, today is the first day I’ve been able to stay awake but I can’t think clearly, and have anxiety. For me I think it’s a little different because I also have lupus, thyroid disease, celiac disease, and degenerative disc and joint disease. But I’m a strong woman and very determined that I will beat this. Like scripture says “I can do all things through Christ, which strengthens me.” God bless everyone who is dealing with stopping adderall. Don’t give up!
I’ve been taking Adderall for a year now, I started at 10mg moved up to 20mg then within two months was abusing at 40-50mg. I have been taking 30mg for the last 6 months. The last month I leveled off to 20mg and that was fine but I started to notice:
1. I never sleep anymore
2. I get mad and irritated at the slightest things
3. I become fixated on some stupid stuff
4. I noticed tremors and irregular heartbeat
I stopped taking it cold turkey today and I feel in a fog. Does anyone have A SUCCESS STORY ON ACTUALLY GETTING OF IT? I will keep you guys posted monthly. I am truly worried because my personality is not the same and I feel like a zombie. I don’t care about anything anymore, not even getting laid or sex!
I took Adderall XR for twelve years. I started with a dose of 10 mg daily. I was prescribed it to lose weight – ridiculous I know. Over the years tolerance set in and I was being prescribed 90 mg daily. My Dr would mess up the do-not-fill until date on the script occasionally and I was elated when I could fill my script early at 25 days instead of 30. This allowed me for a few years to take 120 mg daily. I moved states and decided it was time to stop taking Adderall for good. I had stopped taking it a few times in the twelve years.
I would sleep for a week, the sleeping was filled with crazy dreams and I would wake up sweating, waking up only to eat. I would consume such a large quantity of food but could not get full. I would be constipated and it would take my system a few weeks to normalize. I would gain 10 – 15 pounds within a month. I would hate the weight gain and start taking Adderall again. I was tired of Adderall controlling my life. As soon as I woke up I thought of Adderall, I would spend the day counting the hours until I could take more, constantly counting how many pills I had left.
I decided not to find another Dr. When I moved states and began tapering off. I spent roughly a year tapering down. I got down to taking 7 mg daily (I opened the capsule and split it myself). I thought I would be fine when I ran out of pills and I stopped completely. It has been so hard, a daily struggle. That was June 1st. I sit here today after sleeping for three days straight in the same clothes feeling worthless. I have gained 25 pounds. I think if I just took it again my life would be great again.
I know this is not the case. Most days are good. I love the quality of sleep I get now (besides the few setbacks I have had when I sleep too much). I enjoy waking up and knowing whatever I do will be because I did it and not Adderall. I don’t get fixated on stupid things that are meaningless, like scraping paint off a wall instead of cleaning up, running errands, doing laundry and making dinner for my husband. I feel more relaxed. I don’t have cottonmouth all the time. I don’t feel my heart beating in my ears or get chest pains.
I don’t get angry and lash out. I don’t go all day without eating. I surely don’t miss the looks I got from the pharmacy staff when a filled a script for 30mg XR taken three times daily. I always felt guilty – I knew what I was doing was wrong. I get frustrated when I have a bad day. I ask myself over and over – Its been 7 months, will I ever be normal again? Or is this the new normal? Will I ever lose some of this weight? Why can’t I just get up and fix this worthless feeling? I allow myself these setbacks. If I feel like sleeping, eating, crying or just feeling sorry for myself – I allow myself this. I feel like some days I grieve for the person I used to be.
A superhero who lost their super powers. I loved who I was on Adderall and I know that person is gone. I am learning to love who I am without Adderall. My advice is to keep pushing through it, minute by minute, one simple task at a time if need be. It will get better – I know!! Allow yourself bumps in the road, it’s part of the process. Listen to your body and keep focus on the person you want to be when your Adderall free!
Prescribed 60mg XR for 2 years then 90mg XR the following 2 years; four years total use. Abused heavily. I took 2X instructed dose almost the whole time. Withdrawls between scripts only lasted 4-5 days. Now I’m quitting cold turkey on day 10 and have 21 of 22 listed withdrawal symptoms of considerable degrees. I attempted suicide which is not a (anywhere near normal) characteristic of mine, yet it happened. This drug was the biggest mistake of my life. All to pack in a few extra study hours while I finished my Bachelor’s.
Please keep us posted!!
I began using adderall about 2 years ago, I was a freshman in college and my grades weren’t excellent so I went to a neurologist and gave him some symptoms he did testing and said “the tests came back fine but would you like to try the medicine anyway” it was somewhat like signing a contract with the devil in a sense. I kept increasing my dosage enjoying the weight loss and extreme version of my already larger than life personality, but I felt like it wasn’t real, none of it was the “real me.” After a while I noticed I became detached from others, no longer had a desire to have sex and became extremely routine like.
I just felt like a robot, so I stopped cold turkey. That kind of depression I don’t wish on anyone. It’s interesting looking into the type of depression neurologically speaking, a dopamine deprived depression is excruciating with low energy, feelings of hopelessness, it’s the kind of depression that makes you look at the world differently. To be honest I don’t even know what’s worse dopamine depression or serotonin, but I stopped cold turkey for about 5 months. I don’t even know how I did it, but I went from 25mg XR to nothing. I think it got better towards the 3rd month but then I started back up again this summer, currently cutting it in half so now I’m taking around 12-13 mg XR.
It’s been 5 months on it and I sort of want to stop taking adderall again. But I am a college student and work a full time job and I feel completely dependent on it now, but also feel like I’m no longer in touch with my emotions. I mean I can’t put my finger on what I truly hate about adderall but there’s just something not right about it. Like I traded in my creativity and uniqueness for a 8 hour roller coaster ride of productivity and rushing. Just needed to vent my situation, but ultimately my question is: I’ve been taking adderall XR for 5 months around 13 mg and I don’t want to go through the withdrawals, what should I do?
John, unfortunately if you want to stop taking it, you’re probably going to feel somewhat uncomfortable. Nothing will completely mask the low dopamine resulting from withdrawal. However, with proper self-care (e.g. healthy diet, light exercise, mindfulness, rest, and supplementation), you may be able to offset some of the symptoms you’d experience. Best of luck.
I give Adderall a score of 6.5 outta 10. I’ve been on it for 10 years – I’m 24.
-PROS
I eat healthy. I don’t drink sodas, except clear sodas once or twice a week. I drink solely water and healthy juice at home. I exercise for 15 minutes 5 days a week. I take a multivitamin(when I haven’t had a proper/healthy meal which is frequently). I experience slight appetite loss when I take it. Sleeping issues have long since subsided and only occur the night before something important (exam, speech, etc). I expect this to occur and so, work out really hard that day. Good for reading boring and dense material for several consecutive hours at a time.
-CONS
I take adderall because I am dependent on it, not because I need it, and I know this, but I haven’t stopped. I take this because it helps me read graduate and collegiate text books for 8-12 hours no problem. In fact, I fucking hate taking adderall in public and purposefully lower my dosage when I know i will be in a public, communicative setting. I only like taking adderall when I’m going to be studying solo and have no plans to go out.
Its basically the only issue I’ve had since I started taking it 10 years ago.
-Final Notes
Like someone else below said, adderall, after a while, is only good up to the extent you have a plan and a schedule. Personally, I cannot multi-task on it, so I start with the easy tasks and move through 1 by 1 to the hard tasks attempting to keep a solid pace. This doesn’t always work out as you may imagine. You may tunnel vision on one assignment and forget you still have other assignments due.
Don’t expect adderall to control your focus the way it does when you first start taking it… Sure it’s fun as hell to check facebook, text, play games, rant on forums (lol), or jerk off on adderall, but it will be 2 am before you know it and you will have gotten 0 progress done. At least for me that’s why I’m taking this pill–because the pros outweigh the cons.
Each of you should evaluate your own pros and cons for taking this drug, and if the cons outweigh the pros, then you know what to do.
Reading this article may have just saved my life. I’m on day 18 of detoxing. Adderall gave me intense cravings to smoke cigarettes, so it’s day 18 of quitting adderall & cigarettes together. And I feel like I’ve become bat sh*t crazy. I knew the withdrawal would likely include fatigue, lethargy, difficulty concentrating & a bit of emotional ups & downs, but I had NO IDEA what I was getting into.
At 2 weeks+ in, I thought the worst was behind me. But the past few days I have been more depressed, more emotionally volatile & more lost than I have every felt before. I was sitting in my car this morning, feeling utterly hopeless like this awful feeling of anger & worthlessness would never go away. I was having very serious thoughts of suicide, with the cloak of despair draped abound.
But instead, I found this posting. & I realized there was hope- that this feeling really is just a symptom of withdrawal. And that others are experiencing the same thing.. That I’m not alone. Hang in there, to all those trying to detox, re-balance and start living a truly robust life.
I took Adderall 30 mg back in the 90s and then 60 mgs a day from about 2003 on. This was for ADHD. I was taken off of it 1.5 weeks ago. First week I slept nearly all day and night. Now this week my appetite has taken off big time. A couple of panic attacks, nothing I couldn’t handle. And now tonight i’ll be going off Abilify full dose and starting Trileptal full dose. Side effects are just no fun. Either are withdrawals. Hang in there.
Weight gain. Anyone have any advice on how to curb it? I quit Adderall cold turkey one month ago after almost 3 years of abusing it. I’m extremely thankful to say that the withdrawal process has been so far not terrible for me fatigue-wise or mood-wise, but I’ve gained 40 pounds in that single month of being off it. I knew to expect the rebound appetite after quitting, so I’ve kept that relatively in check, but my metabolism is AWFUL now.
Long story short, does anyone have any experience with this? I’m succeeding at making myself be active, but I want to get my metabolism back to normal as quickly as possible. I also don’t want to keep gaining weight at a rate of over a pound a day for much longer. My heart has been through enough when I was ON the drug. At the very least, does anyone who gained weight after stopping the drug know how long that symptom tends to last before it dies down (as long as you’re keeping it in check)?
I am so glad to kick this drug to the curb. The withdrawals suck! I was on adderall xr 20 mg twice a day then on 20 mg in the morning and 10 mg in the afternoon. I had too much coffee to drink one day and felt my heart fluttering and had a panic/anxiety attack which brought me to my dr. She ended up putting me on concerta 18 mg but that made me more confused. Then I just cut cold turkey cause I couldn’t take the anxiety especially since I’m not one to worry. I have been having crying spells and anxiety at night not to mention feeling heart abnormalities and pain/numbness in my left arm.
I am going for blood work tomorrow to make sure my heart is OK. I didn’t know how hard my heart was working on the medication until I had an EKG done in one of my classes (before coming off of it) and saw my heart rhythm was at 110 BPM and my blood pressure was 120/80. Now being off, it is about 72 BPM and my blood pressure is 120/65 huge difference!! So anyone who is coming off or still on and feels anything with their heart, please get it checked!
I want to encourage people thinking of quitting Adderall, and let you know that the withdrawal may not be as bad as you fear. I was on Adderall XR everyday for about three years, and at the end I was taking 60-90mg/day. I definitely abused it, taking up to 150mg sometimes. I knew I was facing a major challenging coming off, not just because of the Adderall, but because I also take 150mg/day of Seroquel (I’m bipolar), and it makes me extremely tired.
It was one of the reasons I was started on the Adderall in the first place. In any case, I had to quit cold turkey because every time I tried to taper down over a long period, I simply took most of the pills the first week I had the prescription and then wound up begging for more. When I finally quit, I only tapered down for about two days, and then just stopped. In order to deal with the extra tiredness from the Seroquel my doctor started me on Provigil, and I think this has been a major factor in my recovery.
Coming off the Adderall, I slept most of the first few days and felt pretty confused. Now it’s been about two weeks, and I haven’t experienced any major depression, anxiety, or physical sickness, and I’m able to stay awake and do most of the tasks I have to do (although I’m not working at the moment- I start a new job in two weeks). Anyway, good luck to anyone who is trying to do this. You can get off it!
I came back to update this post and say that I have been successfully off Adderall for almost a month now, and I am still doing fine in terms of side effects. I don’t know why I didn’t have a worse time of it- especially judging by the stories shared by others here and elsewhere. Perhaps it was the Provigil, or another medication that I’m on. In any case, I actually feel happier now, not being a slave to the Adderall everyday.
I started taking adderall in college, like most, i imagine. About 8 years ago, I talked my doctor into prescribing the drug because I was struggling with my focus and keeping up at the office. The truth is, I was smoking too much pot and drinking almost every night, so I needed something to help keep my head clearer. I took the drug for almost 8 years straight with two or three periods where I tried to get off. It seemed the drug would always help, after i first would start back up. It was always the same string of events from then on.
I would have SEVERE anxiety, SEVERE paranoia, EXTREMELY high blood pressure and it would always lead me to drink to calm my nerves. 8 years later, my doctor was prescribing sixty 30mgs rapid release. These were the orange oval pills. I would constantly go 8-10 days near the end of my script, mostly because I would share them with my friends while we would party. I NEVER once felt what I am feeling now. On November 16th, 2014 I flushed my last prescription. Honestly, it got to the point where I literally thought adderall was going to be the death of me.
Either by a heart attack or the anxiety would lead me down a much darker road. Today is December 16th, 2014 and I still feel f*cking terrible. My anxiety is worse than it ever, I have no motivation to exercise, my appetite is hit or miss, I look forward to almost nothing and I am depressed. It blows my mind that I continued to take such a hard drug for so many years. I am also surprised to see how long the withdrawals are lasting. On a positive note, it gives me hope that others have experienced similar lengths with their own struggles. I am going to get through this, I have no doubt.
To all who are currently taking this drug for recreational purposes, you honestly have no idea what you are getting into. I never once in 8 years thought I was actually addicted. It took my poor health to realized I needed to discontinue the use. My friends and I had a great time taking this at parties or on the lake but I can promise you that the road you are traveling is a dead end. The walk back to sobriety is up hill and miserable. Fight to get back into the gym, fight to bring back those meaningful relationships you lost. Whatever you do, get off this filthy drug.
I took adderall for 2 years for adhd. I am a middle aged college student. I have had adhd all my life. I dropped from 20mg to 5mg about 2 months ago, I didn’t like who I had become. I only thought of myself and obsessed over stupid stuff. I became rude, spoke my thoughtless, insensitive mind all the time. I offended and hurt everyone around me. I lost several good friends. I just blurted random, inappropriate stuff out, usually in the middle of another person’s sentence. That was kind of embarrassing. Couple of things lead me to quit.
For one, I couldn’t remember anything. 2 years of intense studying… wasted. I always had an amazing memory. I was always just hyperactive and couldn’t sit still. As a FT college student, I couldnt sit still to read 8 to 10 chapters a week, but I remembered everything in detail. On adderall, I had EXTREMELY bad short term memory loss. I could study all day long. Pass a test. 2 weeks later… the chapter didnt even look familiar. I was as if I never saw it. If I skipped a day of my meds, I couldn’t stay awake.
I was a useless, lethargic mess. I had to take a state exam and a had to re study everything!! Luckly I passed. Main reason to quit… I needed to pass a drug test and get a job. I kind of weaned myself off, at 5mg I just stopped. That was 5 weeks ago, what a living hell. I slept the first few weeks. If I was awake, I had no energy and within an hour I felt like I was going to collapse and fall asleep. I have gained 20 lbs so far. When I start eating I am unable to stop. I have vivid horrible nightmares. These nightmares wake me up several times a night with my heart racing and pounding and my chest aching.
Lately I am intolerant, impatient and just irritated and mad all of the time. My husband and children avoid me now. When I wake up they all quickly leave. I think my husband is about done with me, (what a shame – he is the most patient, passive,”kind-hearted person). If I am not asleep then I am ranting and raving. At this time, everyone just drives me crazy. Everything anyone one does irritates me so much.
It is unfortunate for everyone around me that I am awake a little longer between my napping. (Before adderall, I was fairly passive, it took alot to make me mad). Wow, I really hope I can eventually return to who I used to be. I miss the days when I was just hyperactive. If this this doesn’t end soon… I may be divorced and disowned by my kids. When my energy finally returns, at this rate I may be too obese to get out of bed. I now have a degree that is currently useless because I am stuck in bed, lethargic and can’t remember anything.
I’m going to be brief because I am currently experiencing some withdrawal. Initially though I was on 2, 30mg XR a day, one at 8am the other at 12am. This was great for a while, no crash each day, no mood swings, definite issues with weight loss and dehydration but I compensated for it. Long story short I decided to quit cold turkey, I lasted 4 days before I decided to take my adderall again. I was immobilized on my couch, in extreme pain and very suicidal.
I made a friend stay with me those 4 days. At times I was screaming and crying “make it stop make it stop” or “it hurts so bad”. I’ll admit at times I used adderall in higher doses than prescribed, but I just felt the need to say that adderall is certainly a wonderful and helpful drug for those of us that need it. Just pay attention to what your body is telling you and do your best not to let it control you.
Unlike others I had no plan at all to stop. My doctor told me he had to see me for an appointment and that he would not allow a partial refill. I hate him right now. The meds helped me so much with little things and these side effects suck. I feel like a sleepy nervous wreck. I just want to stay in bed. I think it was wrong to force me to stop cold turkey. I take my prescription properly and sometimes take less.
I can’t concentrate when driving and everything seems even harder. It makes me wonder if taking this was a major mistake. I wish they could make a med that helped without hurting you. I never could function as well before meds and I can barely function at all right now. Uggghh… I feel like I’m in a bad dream and if I try to do anything I feel nervous or scared? Effing bleepity bleeping mo foe bleepers!! That’s my opinion.
I hear you Holly. I ran out of Adderall early again (because sometimes I take more than the 20 mg. twice a day) because I need to due to fatigue. Anyway, I ran out on Saturday. It is now Wednesday night at 8 p.m. and I am awake now, but have been sleeping since Saturday. It feels like something sucked the energy out of my body. I fell asleep on the recliner and couldn’t get up for two straight days — then moved to the couch and just got up about an hour ago. Right now, I’m feeling so tired I can hardly type.
It sucks really bad. I am going to get my adderall filled on Friday (I will be at the pharmacy 1st thing in the morning) but what do I do about tonight and all day tomorrow and tomorrow night? Should I just stop altogether? I feel like Adderall is the only thing that keeps my depression at bay (along with the antidepressant) and the only thing that lets me function as somewhat of a human being. Help!! What should I do?
I have been on Adderall for 4 years. Started off at 20mg 3x a day…then my Dr bumped me up to 30mg 3x a day. I couldn’t take the impulsiveness and the crashes 3x a day… it was hard on my Family to understand me or even want to be around me. I lost one of my best friends of 36 years and I was completely socially withdrawn… it affected my job and the relationships important to me in my life. I hated the way I felt. I have been off of Adderall for 45 days and it is still affecting me. I have no get up and go. I’m extremely tired and it is hard to get myself motivated even after 45 days. Hang in there because slowly but surely it will get better.
Ughhh i really want to stop taking this medication. Everything is just a thousand times easier to do when i take it. I cant imagine working an entire day without taking a non therapeutic dosage. I dont remember what “normal” feels like. I want to stop but i dont know how to. Crappy existence. Blah.
Stefanie, Good support helping makes a difference. If you have close friends that can help, let them help. If you stay busy, that’s helps. It is hard. Trust me I know, but hang in there girl!
Hello, my buddy gave me some adderall and I took 30 mg for 4 days and quit cold turkey. I’m having bad withdrawals. It’s the third day and I’m still feelin depressed and can’t think straight. But it has gotten better. Does anyone know how long the withdrawals will last?
Brandon, after about 2 or 3 weeks you will feel fantastic off of it. But after that you will still feel sluggish. But you will feel much better and clearer mentally. Hang in there. Don’t go backwards.
Was on 20xr daily, tapered down to approx 10 mg of the XR (wrapped in cellulose) over 3 days, then 5mg over 2 days. The jump down to 5mg was rough, but I also had some seasonal rhinitis (probably rhinovirus). Anyways, 4 days off and I feel like a king!
So I was prescribed adderall after a mind altering break up with my girlfriend years. I used to abuse it with her before prom and homecoming every year to get a little buzz at the dance (we smoked weed too). Once I was prescribed I immediately thought my life was great even with the break up still in my head everyday. I was getting sh#t done and feeling better than ever about myself, which isn’t common for me.
Anyways, adderall and my addictive personality didn’t mix well like the dude above said happened. Its been almost half of a year since I quit. And guess what?! I’m permanently f#cked. I have to get drunk or high to even be maybe a little happy. Everyday I don’t enjoy anything and I don’t look forward to anything. Deep down I know I care about the things I used to, but I don’t care anymore I just know I should. I’ve been thinking it’s a “withdrawal” symptom but I’m almost positive the copious amounts I took every single day really f#cked up my levels. Neurotoxicity I think is what its called.
Anyways I basically said f#ck everything and I just got a job at mcdonalds. All and all adderall was telling me to kill myself every night. I wasn’t a b#tch and I didn’t but psychosis is crazy and still gets to me. BTW I had severe depression, OCD, PTSD, severe anxiety, insomnia, and ADHD. I haven’t felt normal for a couple years and it seems like everything I did when I was high is a blur. Sleepless nights and no nutrients really f#ck your head up. I said and did things I never would of done without it. Im really twisted right now though so enjoy that messed up paragraph I jotted down for the world to enjoy. I’m a lethargic retard forever, haha JK. Dopamine is coming back.
I’m 2.5 years off addie & actually took it the same way you did. Eventually getting my own script, I felt like nothing could stop me then. Anyways after abusing “my happy little friends” for 12 years I quit cold turkey. 2.5 years later I don’t care about anything still, thinking I would be better by now & still depressed with major fatigue.
I forced myself to get a job at walmart just to get myself started again. Then felt better got a better job then feeling better last year got a good paying job in sales but can’t stay focused. All through school I got high, if I wasn’t high people thought I was sober. Getting high pulled everything together for me. But I got to a point where I was smoking an OZ a day so I quit… and was introduced to addie.
It kept everything together for me but I abused it. Now 2.5 years clean, no addie, no weed & no alcohol and I feel dead. Over the last couple months I’ve even started to talk myself into getting another script but with the last 2.5 years sober my justification comes that I am more mature & now know how to manage the use.
I’m at the point where I might lose my good paying sales job & losing my wife & being known to my 7 year old son that “my daddy does nothing but sleep”. I’m tired of being dead inside and maybe I did or have destroyed my brain somehow over the past years of use or maybe I always was missing something in my brain & that’s why I love chemicals… it makes me feel normal, but it’s time for me to make a change.
Your story is the most relatable to me & I don’t know why I wrote this but I did. Maybe it’s because I understand your inner thoughts very well and want you to know there are others that feel the same since posts on here are “mild” in my opinion. Good luck.
I was prescribed Vyvanse after taking Adderall for about 6 months or so. However, the dose I was prescribed was equivalent to a third of what I was taking of Adderall. Even this is a slight tapering since I’ve simply moved to another stimulant/amphetamine, but I’m experiencing withdrawal nonetheless. Depression, and ADD that’s worse than it was before ail me at the moment. I hope it doesn’t last too long…
I took low doses and switched Ritalin and Adderall for a year. In the last six months neither drug worked as well and I had to take the full 60 mg of Adderall at the End. Then I realized that my psychiatric well-being was totally dependent on how much Adderall I took. I tried to quit cold Turkey. I went for four days and switched antidepressants. Then what I did was switch to Ritalin, which does not pump out serotonin but works on reuptake.
I still had really Bad Adderall Withdrawals at two weeks, so I put 20 mg back in one day. It totally relieved my symptoms. Then I cut down to 10 mg and am really hurting again. I am definitely addicted to this drug to feel OK. It works like magic, but only lasts a few hours. I think I’m in for withdrawal for the long haul. I’m anxious, suicidal, worried, and so forth. I feel like killing myself when I wake up. Have a huge appetite but everything seems gross.
In the fall of 2013 I got a prescription for Adderall. This was almost alarmingly easy to do. I was 53, and finding it more difficult to focus on my work, often sleepy in the afternoons, and, frankly, wanting more of a stimulant than my shots of Starbucks espresso could deliver. The dosage was 20 mg of time-release per day. I loved the effects of the “high”–lots of energy, lack of appetite, crazy focus–and minimized the downside: almost too much focus, so I’d spend waaaay too much time on a task and actually end up being less efficient than before. Still, I felt so great!
I didn’t want to stop. I could clean the house for hours, take on projects I’d procrastinated on, and do it all happily, at least until evening when the drug wore off and I sometimes got irritable and snappish. Keep in mind that I am not and have never been diagnosed with ADD/ADHD. People with a legitimate diagnosis will no doubt have a different experience. I learned over the last year that when I was “high” I had to be careful of what I did and said. I was more apt to “add to my cart” when shopping online. I was prone to writing verbose emails. I’d talk too much or too fast. I trained myself to pause before speaking or “hitting send” to prevent missteps.
As time went on I also realized that I was feeling slightly paranoid. I look back on my behavior at work during this time, and while it wasn’t extreme enough for co-workers to remark on it, I was clearly not myself. As a writer, I thought the amphetamines were helping me. I could write and write and write. I thought my work was good. Later, rereading the pages, I realized–not so much. In the last few months I discovered I could even out the effects by taking a little less a day. In the mornings I’d open a capsule, pour out about half, and swallow (I never crushed, chewed, or snorted–though I thought about it.
I didn’t let myself: that would be, I knew, “true addict” behavior). Around noon I’d take a little more. I never took all 20 mg. This worked pretty well. I especially liked it for the appetite suppressing effects, though by evening I was pretty hungry. Still, I could stabilize my weight by not eating much during the day. I wasn’t sleeping great, so sometimes I’d take a day off from the drug, but that got harder–I’ve definitely been becoming more and more dependent on the drug, if only psychologically. I reasoned that if I wasn’t feeling so great I could take just a little, why not? Then I’d take a little more, and be back where I started.
Around April of 2013 I came to terms with my alcohol dependence. I’m a high-functioning alcoholic: never really hit bottom, no trouble with the law, never lost a job or a friend, was a good mom, etc. Still–I drank 2-5 glasses of wine every night (a lot for a 5’7″, 125 lb. woman). I often regretted the drinking, vowed to stop, and then drank again that evening. I realized I was not a normal drinker. One drink created a craving that was difficult or impossible to resist. When I white-knuckled my way through a few months of sobriety, I was in a dry drunk–still obsessed with alcohol.
In spite of a lot of fear and misgivings I started going to AA meetings, and while I’ve yet to hear anyone’s story that’s as mild as my drinking was, AA is not, as I assumed, filled with only Skid Row drunks and people with multiple DUIs. Nor is it a cult or an organization that pushes any particular religious views. Suffice it to say that I’ve found AA hugely helpful, a great source of support, and–weirdly–a lot of fun. There’s a lot of laughter and joy in those rooms. I’ve made some good friends, people who are both like me (educated, middle-class, employed, etc.) and people very unlike me, too. How refreshing to be someplace where everyone is trying to get better–and many have been sober for years.
Sobriety isn’t the problem for these “old-timers.” They are trying to be better human beings, and they’re honest about themselves in ways I haven’t found anywhere else. Many haven’t craved alcohol in a long time, but they know they have alcoholic ways of thinking about relationships, daily life, everything. So they “keep coming back.” I no longer crave alcohol or think much about it. Sure, there are occasions when I wish I could have a glass of wine like everyone else, but then I remember how much more I enjoy those occasions sober. And I’m learning so much about myself by working this program.
Anyway, the lessons I’ve learned about my alcoholism have made it impossible to deny my (mental?) addiction to Adderall. I’m behaving the same way as I did with my nightly drunk: the drug, whether I take it or not, takes up a lot of space in my head. “Am I addicted? Should I quit? Naaah, it’s okay, it was prescribed after all, and why shouldn’t I feel good? OK, how about we stop for a few days, that’ll prove I don’t have a problem… But… let’s take a break from it next week. Next week would be better.” Around and around. Same as my glasses of Pinot Gris every night.
I felt guilty, going to AA meetings essentially high on amphetamines. I felt I was being dishonest with others, with my sponsor, with myself. So here I am, 7 months sober today, and day 5 of no Adderall. I’m not ready to throw out the last 5 pills in the bottle, or the last prescription I have, folded up and hidden in the back of my planner. “I can’t be THAT dependent, after all that prescription is dated AUGUST and here it is November, the truth is I haven’t been taking THAT much.” See? See how I rationalize, convince myself it’s okay, obsess over my usage? That, my friends, is a very bad sign.
Yesterday, after some potentially bad health news (girl-stuff–unrelated to any of this), I spent the day in bed, crying and sleeping. I didn’t feel like I was reacting to the medical stuff, though. The crying was uncontrollable and felt unrelated to my doctor’s phone call. After all, everything is probably okay, health-wise. I know the fatigue I’ve been feeling all week, the lows, the lack of motivation for writing, the lethargy, the depression, is all due to the withdrawal from this drug. I’m pretty convinced (“pretty convinced”–there I go again) that I’m better off without it.
GLOOM’s article was so helpful to me, as were the comments from everyone who has posted here. Thanks to all who took the time to share their stories. Everyone has a different experience with this drug. It’s been helpful to me to write this post, and get clear about what’s really going on. Maybe I can finally flush those last pills down the toilet, and throw out that prescription, and rely on exercise, meditation, good eating, and naps to feel clear-headed and energetic and happy. And continue to learn from others who struggle with addiction, both online and in the rooms of AA.
Hi Susie, thanks for sharing your story. I too am an alcoholic. Was sober for many years. Now, I’m on adderall. How are you doing now? I’m on my 5th day without it and depressed, moody and angry.
Hi JC. Just saw your reply to my post this morning; I returned to this site because I was looking once again for a time-frame: How long will this last??? Because, yeah, my attempt to quit that I posted here didn’t stick. Sort of embarrassing, seeing the November 2014 date of my original post. But… this time I did in fact flush all the remaining pills down the toilet, and am now 8 days clean.
Also picked up my one-year-chip at AA this week. And I told my sponsor about the Adderall, which I hadn’t done before because I didn’t want her to tell me I needed to stop! (Addict behavior.) I hope I’m on the right track now. Even though I was only taking about 5-10 mg a day in recent weeks, quitting has still really affected my mood. As you said–“depressed, moody, and angry.” Especially those first two. I feel sad and hopeless.
I keep telling myself, It’s just your brain, don’t believe anything you’re telling yourself right now, this feels like how it’s always going to be but that’s not true. So, I’m waiting to feel better. I hope you’ve done better than I did, and if you return to this site and see this, please let me know how things are going for you now. I don’t regret throwing out the pills–I know that taking more would just put me back on that merry-go-round–but I’m also eager for some relief.
I have to go cold turkey tomorrow. I have been there before when I got pregnant I should have never started back. I am only on 15mg XR, but believe me the withdrawals are very real. I wonder if Xanax will calm the storm?
I hope this is not too late. Please, please, I beg you do not take Xanax!!! Truly it (its class, the benzos: Xanax, Valium, Klonopin, etc.) is the worst drug ever invented in all this wretched world: it causes permanent brain damage, is more addictive than heroin, with a potentially deadly withdrawal that lasts for years.
Do you have any evidence for these claims about benzodiazepines? I haven’t read or heard anything that claimed they are “more addictive than heroin,” or that they have a “potentially deadly withdrawal.” I’m fairly certain amphetamines are much worse in terms of potential for abuse and withdrawal, and the benefits of benzodiazepines would outweigh these risks.
Please don’t take xanax! My mom became addicted to benzos for 8 years, she became a monster. She is just now deciding (after my first car accident) to quit. It’s a mess, hallucinations, seizures, no eating, no sleeping, jitters, racing heart. Study xanax, it reduces the ability to form new memories. I’m quitting adderall xr 15 MG now before I get too addicted.
I have adhd bad, I think since puberty, but only diagnosed as an adult. I don’t care I’ll go back to dealing with my symptoms of ADHD by myself, drink red bull and coffee and try adding these vitamins everybody talks about. It’s better than the long term affects of adderall. Although I love addies, it’s just going to make my life worse.
This is day six sober off adderall for me. I was taking 300mg a day. I quit cold turkey. I have a support network and I am continuing to go to work through my detox. On my days off all I do is sleep. I feel stuck in bed. I have insane crying spells especially at night. This is so hard. I had three years sober off meth and opiates. I know I can do this but I just want this feeling of misery to end. I am so exhausted mentally and physically.
Oh god, thank you so much for this!
Hey Christi, How are you doing now? I read your post that you wrote on July, 19, 2016. I started tapering off Adderall on August 10, 2016 (just a tad behind you). How are you managing now? I just wanted to keep up on your journey. It’s a struggle, but the alternative is a death sentence. I can see why the docs gladly prescribe Adderall. Doing that makes their business flourish, Please get back to me. Sincerely, Bridget
I am bipolar and I have been on 30 to 60 mg of adderall and nuvigil 250 I usually don’t take both on one day but I have other medications that I have to take like 6 mg of klonopin, 200 mg seroquel, remeron and pristq. I am trying to reduce the seroquel and the klonopin and stop adderall and nuvigil. I have stop cold turkey for 3 days and today I took 30 as prescribed. It was like I took nothing. I have had horrible anxiety and depression and crying spells I want to get off the stimulants but don’t know how. Does anyone have any suggestions. I want to work with what GOD gave me with the bipolar drugs.
I used to take 20mg or Adderall XR starting in December/January of 2013. Things were great! I took it for my ADD and it made me concentrate so well. I felt like I was on top of the world and my attitude reflected that. I always had energy to workout and go to work. I literally felt like superwoman. I was really loving life. I was making great money for my age and my fitness goals were almost where I wanted them to be.
I was down to 130lbs and 21% body fat. Around May 2014, I noticed that I had built a tolerance to it. So I went a couple days here and there not taking the drug. I didn’t want to increase my dosage to 30 for fear that I would become even more dependent on it. I felt my appetite coming back and was eating everything in sight. However, my stomach wasn’t digesting as fast as it used to. So it felt like the food was just sitting there, in my stomach.
I couldn’t stop eating and my body stored everything as fat. I ended up gaining 20lbs and was up to 29% body fat!!! This all happened in 2-3 months!! I instantly fell into a deep depression and had thoughts of suicide. I had no interest in even the small things. It has been 4 months since I’ve taken Adderall XR 20mg and I’m still struggling. My depression is slowly going away and I’m beginning to get my body back.
I’ve always eaten healthy, it was just the amount of the food I was eating. Yes the drug has helped me short term. Long term, however, it ruined my life. It is now mid October 2014 and I am studying holistic nutrition and finding ways to heal my body from the drug naturally, by using food and exercise of course.
I have taken Adderall XR for about 14-15 years ( I believe I started it in 4th grade, but could have been earlier. I’m now 25 ) w/ no breaks other than a few days max. I’ve been on 60mgs of the extended release for a very very long time, other than when I thought I wanted to take it down to 50mgs which didn’t last long because I was having more ADHD issues again.
I can truely say this drug has me feeling trapped. I start to go through w/d the same day I don’t take it, no energy, mood changes, increased appetite, exhaustion. More than one day & I just can’t control my attitude and mood swings, almost impossible to get myself to have enough energy to leave bed. Honestly I would love to never take this drug again or to even wean myself off of it but I’m just entirely too scared of the withdrawal.
Withdrawal isn’t to terrible. I’ve been taking it for about 3 years (well I switched between 50mg-100mg Vyvanse daily and 20mg-60mg Adderall daily) and just recently decided to (foolishly) abuse it, taking 7 20mg Adderall XR capsules over the course of 20 hours, my last dose being yesterday at 2:15pm. After I crashed (still in my blood, but not strong enough to help with my sleep deprivation) I ended up sleeping for 13 hr straight, waking up mostly due to a bizarre dream.
I was groggy at first, but now I’m just a tad bit grumpy and already pulling another all nighter, unassisted by adderall or any stimulant for that matter. How you ask? First, before going to sleep yesterday morning (3:45am) I took L-Tyrosine, which your body turns into dopamine, and melatonin + 5htp (serotonin) and L-theanine. Then after waking up yesterday evening (4:50pm) I killed any remaining adderall in my system by taking as much Vitamin C as possible. I also took a multivitamin with minerals, a B-Vitamin complex with Choline and a fish oil supplement.
Then I went on an eating spree, just let yourself go wild the first day of w/d, it really helps. After less than 12 hours I can honestly say the worst of it is done, but not over. I am still prone to sudden rage (although, you can’t blame me, there’s a stink bug flying around my room and it’s driving me nuts). In short, if you want to quit do this:
Day of quitting: take multivitamin, multi-mineral, B-Complex (with Choline is a good idea), vitamin c (on top of what the multivitamin has), L-tyrosine, fish oil and try to relax as well as eat/hydrate plenty.
Night of quitting: take melatonin, 5htp, L-theanine and L-tyrosine and vitamin c + plan to sleep for 10+ hours.
Repeat until you feel baseline (although, you may not know what that’s like anymore). Avoid caffeine, I drank coffee today and for whatever reason got extremely lethargic. Stimulants are known to have paradoxical effects in certain situations so I’m not surprised. I did find that nicotine (e-cigarette so only nicotine, no MAOIs like cigarettes) does help, so if you’re into that go for it. If you smoke cigarettes, however, you’ll probably crawl right back in bed after one.
My suggestion would be to switch from the extended release to the immediate release because you could taper much easier if your body is used to having hours out of the day without being medicated and that helps your body learn to cope without it. I am on 20 mg. 3x daily = 60 mg a day (non-XR) for 10 years now and have tried going cold turkey 3 times.
I have lowered my dose to 40 mg a day (went down one full pill) the past week and it’s definitely much more tolerable than quitting cold turkey. Although I am finding myself still somewhat depressed and unable to feel much excitement over anything. But at least I’m not sleeping for weeks straight :-) Keep up with the drive to quit! I myself am quitting because I am 27 and would like to have children.
This crap will cause you to miscarriage and possibly give your baby severe heart conditions (not to mention hurt YOUR heart and liver too). I would suggest getting bloodwork done to make sure everything is OK like my Dr. Did with me before he could prescribe me more meds and switch to non-XR. You might find you don’t need as much as when you were on the XR. Good luck!
I have been taking adderall for 13 years (30 XR am- 20 IR pm). It has always been my lifeline, and more or less the control over my life. Almost 3 weeks ago (I know that’s not long) I decided that I was done and that I wanted my life back. I was done living in fear, but not because of life but because of the fear of living a day unmedicated. Anyone who has ever lived day to day on this drug knows what I mean.
Taking your last pill and knowing you have 4 days until your script can be filled gives you the upmost feeling of anxiety. Knowing you will be worthless, full of anger, hungry, agitated, unsociable, etc. No one looks forward to that. More importantly no one ever wants to be that and I will never be that again. The first 6 days of detox were as expected.
I was all of the listed above. But on day 7 the worst was finally over. I went for a run, stocked my house with healthy food, bought some good books, and made goals. I AM DOING THIS FOR ME. I am determined to become the person I know I can be without adderall and take back my life, and you can too! I know I will find out what it’s like to be normal, smile genuinely, want to socialize because I want to not because adderall makes be sociable.
I will feel the natural high of feeling good and healthy and happy. Exercising helps the most. It makes me feel free and so incredibly happy. The only negative thing I have to say is… I’m having a lot of trouble sleeping. The insomnia is pretty intense, but I’d rather be dealing with that issue than living the adderall life.
I don’t know if this will help anyone in any way but I promise I thought I would never be able to live without that lifeline, the thing that I thought was saving me, when all in all I needed to be saved from it. To be honest.. I am no where near where I want to be but the best advice I can give is the first day you decide to quit, even with the pain, you’re already a step ahead and in more control of your life.
13 years and I’m finally free and the absolute happiest I have ever been!! This too shall pass. Anyone and everyone that is on this journey or deciding to take it always remember “a smooth sea never made a skilled sailor”… The struggle is well worth it!
It took you 13 years after quitting adderall to feel good again?
I hope it doesn’t take 13 years. I think she meant that she took Adderall for 13 years. Keeping my fingers crossed.
Thank you so much! I too, am doing this because I don’t want to be a prisoner! Thank you very much again!
Hi Lauren, I just read your post from June 24, 2016 about stopping adderall. I have been taking 60 mg IR for 9 years. On August 10, 2016 I decided that I needed to quit and get control of my life like you did. I’ve been taking 1 1/2 IR for 16 days and today I went down to 1 1/4. I’m doing this slowly and I pray to God I can do this. Adderall really does take over your life.
At first it makes you feel great, but after a few years you realize that it’s not you that is happy it is the Adderall that’s making you be happy. The reason why my doc gave it to me in the first place was because I tried every antidepressant out there and none of them worked. I was just wondering how you are doing now? You started this journey 5 weeks before me.
Did you stop cold turkey or taper off? I just want to know if you feel super depressed or have your natural happy juices started to kick back in on their own? Hoping to hear back from you good or bad it doesn’t matter. Please reply. P.S. I can’t seem to make myself exercise.
This is me. I want my life back. I’m tired of depending on some stupid little pills. Thank you so much for your story <3 I now need to work up the courage to make my first move.
I had been on Adderall for years for ADD. For the second time in eight years I finished my prescription a few days early, three. I felt a chronic fatigue and just wanted to sleep but my body would not let me, I just layer down for twelve hours a day for three days crying, did not know why. I also felt borderline line suicidal and for no particular reason. I did realize it was due to not having my Adderall for three days so I talked myself through and just road it out loving on my two dogs. They helped me keep positive. I strongly recommend take your prescription as directed so you don’t go through this insane phenomenon . It’s just not worth the pain and suffering, God forbid you can’t handle it, then you may hurt yourself, so NOT WORTH IT!
OK, I have been looking deeply into this. Right now I am awaiting the call from my doctor saying my script is ready. I feel foggy and tired but I have not had Adderall for more than 2 weeks. What I do is get the script, abuse it and then sorta taper. I usually have none for 2 to 3 weeks before the cycle starts again. My script is for 30mg per day, down from 60mg per day some years ago.
I have been on it for over 7 years and have never really taken it as prescribed. I feel like it would really help me if I would follow the script but I get it filled, start slow but by the end of the week I’m pounding Adderall. This irritates me as I know I have more control than this – especially since I can go without for 14-20 days and still get to work and do what I need to do. However, I always have a crash and I do not want to keep going on this road but I do not want to give up the Adderall. I just want to take it as prescribed but I have been unable to.
Any advice? I seem to be getting more compulsive the longer I do this, especially with eating. For example, I bought a fitness app – I have logged over 150 miles/50,000 calories burned in 5 months with NO WEIGHT LOSS. Because I eat poorly – not all the time, but enough to negate my fitness. Seriously – 50,000 calories and no weight loss. I feel like I am spinning my wheels yet I do not want to give up the Adderall. God I feel crazy sometimes.
I thought it was just me! Hanging in there I hope? How are you now?
John-I’ve gone through the same cycle as you with my Adderall prescriptions for the past 3-4 years. I wanted desperately to take Adderall as I was supposed to, but could not do it no matter how hard I’ve tried. Over Christmas I ran out of Adderall yet again while my doctor’s office was closed. Between my abuse of Adderall, taking Xanax daily for 7 years, and drinking, I went to a treatment facility. Now this is absolutely not necessary for someone to get off of Adderall, but it has been the best way for me to stay off of Adderall.
I’m coming close to 90 days, and I feel no where near 100%. I crave the drug nearly every day, mainly because Adderall destroyed my self-confidence and I feel I can’t do anything without the drug. So it’s going to be a while until I’ll be normal again. But if you’re able to get through those 2-3 week periods after you’ve burned through your script and function, then I think you’d be OK if you stopped. Me, I just felt like a victim and slept all the time before. This time I’m sticking to a routine and hoping that within 8-9 months I’ll be back to normal.
You share my story!!! I WANT TO GIVE UP TOO! I know it’s WRONG and I’m RIGHT and/better off. BUT, the feeling of “need” or wanting it again sets in, even after this “detox”! …Yes, weight gain sucks sucks too.
I do exactly the same thing. I know how you feel. It’s a terrible vicious cycle every month. I’m so tired of living like this.
My dear, you just described me of myself! I’m quitting too. I lost half of my hair, stopped losing, but rather started gaining weight from not sleeping, staying up night after night after night. I also go on a binge drinking… Not that much long ago I started having heart issues, irregular heart beat, excessive sweating (not just alcohol related), I swear, I started experiencing backwards effects, nausea, gain wait, headache, severe anxiety and anger, unpredictability.
Being so miserable and feeling that the END is coming… and I am only 34. :( But reading all of these posts makes me think I can try! Again! Which more like whichever last time I’ve abused, ran out and had to wait at least 2/3 weeks…). I thank you for your courage and everyone else’s!!!
I’m 35 now & been off addie for 2.5 years. Started when I was 19 & upped my doses every 6 months or so. By the end I was taking 120 mg daily & usually ran out with 2 weeks of nothing. Those 2 weeks were always horrible! I finally told my doctor addie was controlling my life & I wanted nothing to do with it any longer (trust me this was the scariest thing I’ve ever done)!
I didn’t leave my house for months & my dr refused to take my calls or see me for 2 months per my request. It worked, cold turkey but “normal” withdraw symptoms lasted about 6 months. But the depression, laziness & major fatigue continued & 2.5 years later it still continues although not as severe. Although after 2.5 years I would think I would be doing better & over the last few months have been contemplating getting back on addie because my life is not working.
My thought is I’ve been off it long enough that I’m more mature & will be able to manage properly as its intended use. I wrote this because I’ve been battling ongoing depression, laziness & fatigue for so long & when searching these boards hoped to find someone going through the same thing as myself… not a one person. Not to take away from all these short time quitters, I was just hoping to find someone like me.
Well, Steve, here I am. I also have wanted to find some one like me. I have scanned multiple boards but I have never found anyone with a similar story. I also don’t want to minimize anybody’s struggle but there is no way most forum posters are going to “get me”: I have been addicted to amphetamines longer than a lot of them have been alive.
I think I’d sell my soul (what’s left of it) for the chance to be”only” addicted for 2, 5 or even 10 years! I am 48, have been addicted since 1993 at the age of 25. This week I started a taper. I’ve never tried that before, so if anyone out there uses prayer, please pray for me? My last “vacation” was from Feb 2014 until Aug 2014… a whole 6 months (not being sarcastic; for me this was hope-restoring)!
I have faith in you! You can do it!
I’m in my late 20 ‘ s and I’ve been taking 15 mgs of adderall ir for about 3 years. I have inattentive ADHD. My doctor has suggested taking breaks from it time to time, so often on the weekends I’ll just take one dose a day or even skip it altogether. Now I’ve just moved states and I’m between pcps, so I’m taking an unintended break!
I must say, I’m not having any problems at all. In fact, reading these withdrawal symptoms, I’m prone to think that my tolerance may have raised as it seems like I’ve been experiencing those things on a daily basis between doses; midmorning around noon and then in the evenings. That’s really weird!! I also want to add that my doctor says side effects are always worse with xr drugs, which is why he put me on two doses instead.
I have been taking 20mg twice a day of Adderall IR for 2 months. My doctor prescribed it to me for treatment-resistant depression. At first it helped, but now I feel like I go through withdrawal twice a day every day!! I feel the Adderall wear off and I get hit with a wave of intense depression, shaking, and sweating. I want to taper off the Adderall altogether but I am afraid of how severe my depression will be!
I have been taking adderall for 2.5 years, between 20mg and as high as 120 mg per day. The withdrawal at that point almost felt as terrible as opiate withdrawal (which I also battled years earlier and beat using suboxone and kratom) – there are ways to get Immediate relief.
What I’ve tried that worked for me:
– St. Johns Wort (herbal supplement) – for me this works best, its amazing! It is a natural SSRI, but also prevents reuptake of norepinephrine and dopamine without the SSRI side-effects because it does not bind the receptors, but instead works some magic through the sodium channels at the neurotransmitter synapses.
– Cats Claw (herbal supplement) – used for many health problems including chronic fatigue syndrome. Worked great for me.
– Vitamin B6 and B-complex – instant energy boost, works great as a helper
– Magnesium and calcium – worked great on the achy muscles
– I have not tried L-tyrosine yet, probably won’t as I feel great now but I hear this helps a ton also
So happy someone mentioned achey muscles. There are days I won’t take my meds because I feel it’s a waste if I don’t have to work or go anywhere. But the days I don’t take it, I have extreme fatigue and my body aches and hurts. It’s hard trying to describe the feeling but muscle aches is the best way.
I have been on adderall for almost 8 years…and the past 2 have been my tapering years. As amazing as this drug is…it is also equally as terrible. My personal experience with the drug allowe’d me to get through high school and college. But now I’m realizing I lost myself in the process. …once I tapered down from 5 mg to now nothing (4 weeks ago) I have laughed and smiled more than I have in years. I can finally feel emotions again.
Pros
. Feeling like myself
. Not as anxious or have constant running mind
. Other health issues…heart racing. Rashes. Losing hair have gone away.
. Learning my body’s. At natural state…rather than being on turbo speed all the time (naps are a beautiful thing)
Cons
. Withdrawl symptoms. Nausea hunger ( really bad) fatigue (coffee got me through the first 3 weeks) inconsistent sleep and some add symptoms. The biggest symptom I’ve noticed is a headache that feels like I’m going to throw up….but still hungry
. Lack of drive and motivation to do things like I use to
I’ve gone to a natural dr. And she told me my liver has been over worked for years ( makes sense) and I should try a liver detox diet and regimen. Im starting that tomorrow. However have noticed a big difference in energy when I eat really clean.
My biggest piece of advice for those quiting is doing it when your ready and have a support system. It’s so freeing not to think about getting medication to function every month. Just like anything in life. It takes time but you can do it!!!
If anyone has any information about metabolic damage reversal after quitting I would love some resources and techniques that worked for you.
Good luck to all and know you. Are. Not. Alone. In. This.
Thank you! I thought I was going nuts!
There is an old Edgar Cayce (health psychic from the 40’s) for liver detox that doesn’t require your liver to actually process it. In other words, this works to oxygenate liver. Get a flannel cloth, soak it in Castor Oil and put it on liver. (Upper right quadrant of stomach and above.) Get a heating pad on medium or high and stay under it for an hour. Three times a week. 25 years of psych meds…a lot of them…and my liver function tests are still normal. I am detoxing off Adderall now, it’s the devil of depression.
I had been on Adderall XR 15 mg (and Lexapro 20mg) from my sophomore year of college in 2006 until just recently, with a few periods of “Adderall vacations” in-between (usually because I was trying to quit). Whenever I tried to quit I would usually get back on it once I really started experiencing the fatigue, foggy thinking, and anxiety. It just never seemed like a good time to be feeling that way; I was trying to establish myself in my job. Now I’ve got a wife, a house, and a good title at work, so with some support groups in place, I’m getting off Adderall once and for all. But it’s been no bed of roses to get there.
I tapered extremely slowly. 15 mg to 13.5ish, to 12, to 10. Then I stuck w 10 for a while to level out. Then I lowered my Lexapro equally slowly to 15 mg before my doc urged me to quit Adderall first. From Adderall 10mg I went to 7/8. That’s when some stronger fatigue started settling in, but I got over that. You’d think I’d go to 5 next right?, well I pretty much went to 3.5/4. And then the real trouble began. Anxiety, depression, fears and worries all had me broken for a good while… But I made gradual progress, even feeling extremely joyful in the evenings sometimes.
Once my mood leveled out, I said goodbye to Adderall altogether; losing that last 3mg should have been cake, right? Wrong. It’s been almost been 3 weeks since that, and this Monday was worse than the last. Anxiety is my big Achilles heel, but I handle fuzzy thinking with “baby steps”; one thing at a time at work, and less thinking about getting things done – which stresses me out – and instead more doing. I had a pretty wretched day of uncontrolled anxiety today, but I know this is temporary…
I also believe in God and Jesus Christ. I’ve believed in Him through feelings of invincibility on Adderall, and feelings of weakness and despair. He is the #1 reason I can safely say that this too shall pass, because even if my ills were going to be permanent in my life, I trust there is a bountiful life to come which will dwarf the trials of this one.
I hope I have helped someone somewhere. Now back to my tireless fight against this stubborn drug that makes you feel like a million bucks until the day you quit it. Just know that you’re not any less awesome of a person if you decide to never quit it.
Thank you for sharing, you helped me. your statement about Christs help and this to shall pass, gave me hope. Thinking of heaven someday gives me the motivation I need to continue this process and accept the “not so good feeling” I’m having now.
Hey Jeffington…I hope you answer this…I’ve had VERY SIMILAR reactions to quiting, minus lexapro as I’ve never used it before. How did things end up for you? I quit 2 months ago cold turkey after a serious anxiety attack. I’ve never felt addicted, so it wasn’t too hard to stop. Now I’ve have a lot of seemingly uncontrollable anxiety…never had this issue before in my life. What was your experience? Did the anxiety simply eventually just taper off? Anyone is with anxiety issues over a month after quitting… please respond. I’m really confused and would like to know what others have experienced. Thank you for your time.
Yes! I quit adderall a month ago and have had back to back panic attacks. It’s so scary. I’ve had anxiety in the past but nothing like this. Idk what to do.
I was on 30-40 IR for seven years before I quit about 3 months ago. I am having severe anxiety/depression. Have you had any luck with this Johnathan? I’m not doing great on exercise or eating well, but I haven’t been able to get enough energy to do so.
I quit six weeks ago and I have severe anxiety. I take antidepressants and I’m going to ask my psych dr about something for anxiety as long as it’s not a schedule II drug like Adderall. Never again! Maybe Buspar…
Buspar was not good for me. It always gave me these feeling of electrical impulses surging through my body. I gave my body time to adjust but it never did. I kicked buspar to the curb. I never even noticed any positive results from taking it.
Jeffington, I love the fact that you believe in Jesus Christ. I’m currently facing such a terrified and lonely life. I’m on 40mg of adderall a day along with 4 other physciatric drugs. Im 33 years old and I feel like my whole life revolves around these drugs, and I’m basically spending all my days behind a door on my bed starring at the wall. Today I’m fed up with it and my faith has come in strongly. I’m going to stop taking all these meds. I really don’t need them. I’m really hoping and praying that God will help heal me and take this all away. Anyway, I guess tomorrow will be day number 1 for me. I don’t want to think about the misery, that comes with withdrawing but keep my focuse on a brighter future. God bless you.
I’ve been as low as 20IR and as high as a 30xr + 20IR each day since about ’07.. I quit cold turkey a few weeks ago, just had some crazy anxiety attacks the past few days and I feel like my brain is eating itself away looking for adderall! It’d be too easy to take another one though. Thanks for your help!
I have had the same problems. I was taking fat burners or adderall for about 3 years. I decided to stop cold turkey because I started having major anxiety and occasional panic attacks. If only I had known how horrible this would be. I had to drop my classes, I’m taking a leave of absence from work, I feel sometimes like I’m losing my mind. God is all that’s getting me through this, I know that it’s just temporary.
Over the past 3 weeks, I’ve had times when I seem to feel okay, but then the anxiety, paranoia, intrusive thoughts, all come back. My therapist says I’m in a perfect storm of stressors and detox, but I never could have imagined that I’d go from this strong can do person, to a depressed anxious mess. It’s unreal what this med and supplements like it can do.
WOW… I’ve been thinking about my comment on this blog as I continue to read with my situation crippling me… BUT I HAD TO STOP ON YOURS. THANK YOU FOR THAT, YOUR WORDS ARE ENCOURAGING.
Thank you so much! God is good…all the time. I tried quitting without tapering and lost my mind. Been taking 20mg 3x’s a day for ten years. I want to have children one day and don’t want to rely on a drug. When I reduced my dosage without consulting my doctor, worst mistake ever. Panic attacks like never before, paranoia- psychosis like thoughts, extreme feelings of impending doom, crying spells, extreme depression…
I was literally losing my mind. Right now back up/down to 15mgs 3x’s/day. It’s much better now. I will be on a very slow taper as described above. Reading your experience was tough, but Christ always wins. If He is for us, who can be against us. This is possible, through Christ all things are. He gives hope to the hopeless. So even at my worst, I praise Him.
So my purse was stolen two yesterday and my adderals were in it. I take 60mg a day of the xr’s. My face is shaking and its to the point that people can notice…i find my hunger more intense and i am forgeting a lot more than i wouldve before i took this medicine. I am also very adgitaded and cannot focus at all. I cannot focus on my daily job. This is a horrible feeling. I feel lost and so overly tired and lazy. Dont wish this experience on anyone!!! Hope that my doctor calls me soon so that i can get my meds back. I cant continue to feel this way for too much longer.
I know how you feel. First trying to get out of bed is awful. The lack of concentration is horrible. I just suffer the whole day at my job. I’ve been on 60 mg a day for over 7 years and always take more a day and end up short before my next script. Now I’ve got 2 weeks to go before my refill and I’m scared as hell about the withdrawals. I know how hard it’s going to be. I’m thinking after I suffer through the next two weeks I shouldn’t take them again… but it’s so hard because they help me function.
My experience w/ Adderall withdraw- I quit cold turkey. First day- Horrible. I was shaking couldn’t sleep. I don’t recommend quitting cold turkey. I had anger
Day two- I had couldn’t concentrate. I slept alot and ate alot. Isolating myself. I never went outside I didnt want nobody to see me like this because your just not yourself. I had depression crying mad. It’s a rollercoaster.
Day three- Still no concentration. I would start working and would stop. Hard to get through your days. I really admire everyone for staying strong through there struggle through withdrawal’s
I have been taking Adderall for about 7 years. I started with 30 mg xr once a day. It was great the first few years until I had my first panic attack. Ever since then I’m convinced I am going to die of a heart attack from taking this drug I think I need. I stayed on it constantly afraid and I believe it has caused muscle problems as well from constantly being tense.
I got pregnant and had my daughter in 2013. My dr told me to stop taking it “cold turkey” so I did. The first week I remember being in bed. Not only was I withdrawing from Adderall I was pregnant. I ended up having to take a leave of absence from work. But I didn’t have 1 panic attack when I was pregnant. I was happier. I have been back on ir 15 mg 2x a day for about 6 months or so and just feel horrible all the time. So I am going to try taking a lower dose for a few days and then get off completely.
I would not recommend this as a long term drug to take. I couldn’t imagine being on a higher dose than 30 mg a day. I hope this transition off the drug goes smoothly. I really just want to stop cold turkey but I cant sleep like I used to being a mother. I want to get off this drug for her too. You don’t have any personality on it. Like a robot.
You sound like you have adrenal fatigue. You feel better while pregnant because your adrenals kind of get a break due to pregnancy hormones or something. I have it pretty severely at this point because I didn’t get my chronic stress under control. I took 5 mg of adderall daily from last year till now and I gained a lot of weight in my abdomen, like ten lbs and I’ve always been thin.
I had other symptoms too and it took me till now, having had a nervous breakdown (which is actually just severe adrenal fatigue) to realize that adderall was just exacerbating the adrenal issues. If your adrenals are burned out, adderall will only make it worse. As will caffiene. And stress! Big time! I suggest you educate yourself on this condition.
I recently started taking 500 mg of L-Carnosine (not to be confused with l-Carnitine) twice a day and I feel amazing. I can focus much better than on adderall and I am calm and feel much more in control of my life. Most people are deficient in this amino acid, and it’s also very anti-aging so I look forward to seeing the benefits in my skin as well. I hope this helps someone here, also if you find you have adrenal fatigue you need a lot of vitamins and healthy diet, sleep and laughter.
Most doctors don’t diagnose it because it can’t accurately be tested for, but if you fit many of the symptoms, have had a lot of stress, and stimulants are making your health worse you probably have it.
Yeah, no. I’m not writing this for the poster but more for other people who might believe the info above. Adrenal insufficiency has become a popular fad diagnosis in alternative health circles. There is such a thing as adrenal insufficiency, but it CAN be tested for by an endocrinologist. It’s called Addison’s disease. Chronic stress really does mess with your health, though; but I’d always check with a doctor or pharmacist before messing with supplements, especially if you take any other medications or have any conditions that may affect your liver or kidneys.
Adela, I currently take 5mg two xs a day and want to come off . I’ve only been on it a month but this drug scares me, my bf came off recently he took L tyrosine, multivitamin , fish oil, seemed to help him a lot! Anyone know how long it should take for me to level out after taking this low dose for a month??
My name is Adela and I ran out of adderall 2 days ago and I won’t have anymore until school starts back on the 25th. I am a mental wreck. I didn’t realize how much I depended on it and now I feel as if I need it to complete the most simplest task. I feel tired and foggy and I feel like I can’t do anything. I can’t socialize because I’m always angry. I’d say things and not remember them almost as if I hadn’t have said them at all. Im always paranoid that someone’s watching over my shoulder or standing right behind me. I’m struggling with this and I had no choice but to stop cold turkey. I have no idea what to do, there’s no way I can stop because I need them for school. So if there’s anything that will help all these symptoms go by smoother please please please let me know.
Hi im just wondering that if a person builds up a tolerance to adderall 30mg xr can the affects be similar to withdrawls. I was bumped up to 30mg about a year ago and take 1 daily for adhd. For about a month and half i have felt terrible, low energy, fatigue not at all how i was feeling before i got dumped upside down.
The effects are not necessarily going to be similar to withdrawals. Tolerance and side effects associated with taking the drug are different than what you’ll feel during withdrawal. Although there may be symptomatic overlap, usually withdrawal is a different experience. Best of luck.
I am in my mid 30’s and I have been taking adderall for about year and a half. I am up to 80 mg, 20mg XR and 60mg(3X20)IR. I stopped taking my meds about 5 days ago and I was looking to see if I missed something, since I stopped “cold turkey” and in reality I did not feel much of difference other than going back to the big time procrastination times of my life. I feel a little more detached of all events but no “pains” of any kind. I want to say that I stopped taking the meds because I was getting WAAAY ahead of myself. The experience now is a more restless body(shaky legs, feet…)and a more detached mind like I said. While on my meds it was more of a clam mind and a more focused direction of activities. If I even took more than my regular dose, I would get sleepy. While on my meds, I did a lot, and all had a purpose. I stopped my meds because I do not want to develop an immunity to its effects, or “tolerance” but I do think I am more productive and focused while on my addies.
If I may add, I am not prone to any addiction…and I have tried, seriously…to like alcohol and cigarettes…coffee is the only one thing I have consumed constantly since college, but there are times that I do not drink any for a couple weeks. I can say I “forget” I like those things.
Wait! ….Here is one thing I did notice the day after I stopped taking my addies. I have had pneumonia a couple times in my life, and had asthma when I was a kid and difficulty breathing at times as an adult. While on adderall my breathing has been nothing less than stellar…after stop taking my addies, I did feel pain in my lungs, chest area…on the right side, where my pneumonia affected my lung a few years ago. That is all.
Thank you for mentioning lung function. I am on day two of an adderall withdrawal. A pharmacy I have used for a number of years refused to fill my script since the pickup date on previous month meds was less than 30 days ago (27, fIll date exceeded 30) I was preparing to fly to visit my elderly mother. Insurance approved my obtaining adderall that day.
Discretion of pharmacist (or tech) at ___ chain pharmacy I have used for about 4 years sustained the denial. Somehow I lost the mandatory scrips. Still having some IR left and halving the remains as I wait for replacements, I must be cordial. Awake but lying in bed with a dry cough I am hoping for the script to arrive today.
From the comments a drug holiday seems like a good idea but the situation is not conducive. Thanks, ___, I will take my business elsewhere!
As someone in the second week of withdrawal, I can attest to the fact that it is a miserable process. I’m going from a daily dosage of Vyvanse Extended Release to absolutely nothing (cold turkey) and if I can give one insight, that works be to avoid cold turkey at all costs. Between sleeping 18+ hours straight through, to barely having the energy to shower or get out of bed, I wouldn’t wish this on anyone. I’ve never abused the stuff and have always been on it because my doctor prescribed it and even that kind of regimen can lead to these symptoms. Be careful if you get started because you might find it difficult to every stop.
Hey Andrea, thanks for sharing your experience, sounds like you are having a pretty rough time. Hopefully your energy levels start to return within the next few weeks. Keep pushing yourself through this – I wish you a speedy recovery. Best wishes.
“Wish you a speedy recovery…” Haha, were those words chosen with intention? (Amps are usually referred to as speed… No one else making that connection?)
This is my third day quitting adderall cold turkey. Three days on the couch, too tired to even get up. I have been on adder all for 4 years nothing higher than 30 mg a day. I have to quit because when it wore off I was a crying yelling mess to my husband. Everything made me angry. I Also became hyper focused on certain things, but did not make dinner or laundry or anything but the craft project I was making. I was acting insane and I knew it was the adderall. But it gave me so much energy. But the cost of taking it was the demise of my marriage friends and family. The fatigue is overwhelming… so brutal. I pray it ends soon. Anyone quitting I KNOW WHAT YOU ARE GOING THROUGH, but we can make it.
Hi, are you still having success? I’ve been off Adderall for about 2 months now. Still so sleepy all the time. No energy. Incredibly irritable. And I’ve gained about 25 pounds in 2 months! I also quit because it was making me crazy. I was on 30mg per day for about 5 years.
I was taking 30mg twice a day for 3 years. I stopped because my dr has moved. It has been about 5 or 6 wks now. I have no energy. I don’t sleep well at night. I’m nauseated almost all the time. My memory and ability to focus seems to be getting better but I had a major meltdown at first because it was so bad. ADD sufferers are usually high functioning and successful when taking the right dose of adderall.
My dr said I could have been the poster child because of the huge difference it made in my work life. Now I can hardly get out of bed. I don’t know if I need to stay off of it or find another doctor. I just turned 60 so I don’t know if my body will bounce back as described above. Just don’t know what to do.
Hello, I know it’s been a few months now, but I wondered how you’re doing. One of the reasons I stopped adderall was because I felt like my body couldn’t take the speed anymore. I’m 45. It gave me palpitations. I worry about anyone my age and older who relies on this medication. *hugs*
Hey Kim, I am also in my 60’s and am in the same situation, with dosage, etc. I am just beginning the withdrawal symptoms… I am attempting a gradual withdrawal by cutting down on my doses.. Tomorrow I will be down to one 20 mil. I only have a few left. I am already feeling ill. I must quit because I have had a heart attack.. I just want to know how you dealt and are dealing now..
Stay in there. It gets better and better every day trust me!
I took every day for about 3 years. Been 2.5 months off and basically had a nervous breakdown and I’m on leave from work. Headaches, crying for no reason, severe depression, suicidal thoughts, no motivation, bad breath and gained at least 20 pounds. It’s horrific. I quit smoking at the same time. Too much but no going back now.
I was diagnosed with ADHD and chronic fatigue and prescribed adderall. I switched between the XR and the IR. It was great at first but then became totally unpredictable and so did I. I didn’t sleep, was depressed some days and great on others, would be angry for nearly no reason, etc. During this time I got a brain scan (QEEG) to map my ADHD. Turns out the activity of my brain (definitely ADHD) was in a location of the brain where adderall wouldn’t work and more often than not, it would make my symptoms worse! I’ve stopped cold turkey and some of these conditions have improved so far. I recommend very highly finding someone in your area that does these tests (they are not well known but very, very helpful). There is still an element of trial and error in finding the right meds, but at least you know what you are dealing with!
How much do tests like these cost? Sounds expensive!
What are the scans called for ADHD?
Oh my God, You just described ME and everything that’s going on with ME!!! I have been in IR 20×3 per day since 2011 for ADD and possibly depression comorbid with anxiety or vice versa. Then few months back I started feeling either completely unresponsive, or more often enraged, irritable, so mad, even less focused, manic, you name it.
I have a stupid medical and am waiting to be assigned to an actual medical group for it to become HMO; However, my psychiatrist is just being a dick, either claiming me an addict or trying to get himself a dealer in a pharmaceutical business and get me on Strattera “to begin with”… Please help me understand how your situation got resolved and what should I do in my own case if you don’t mind, because You have no clue how much I am dependent on folks like us and their own research and experience. Thank you very much!!!
I’ve been off of it for 6 weeks after abusing my prescription for nearly two years. I asked my doctor (kind of hounded him about it) to give me something for fatigue, and he finally prescribed me Adderall. Boy do I regret the day I first took the stuff. I think it’s evil. I’m having pretty bad depression and boredom as withdrawal symptoms, but I will never take it again. I don’t ever want to have to “come down” again. If I weren’t on antidepressants I would be suicidal.
I really get you. I first had to withdraw from an antidepressant which was a nightmare. Now I’m off adderall too and that’s been about four weeks. I’m so exhausted all the time, but it’s nowhere near as bad as getting off of lexapro was. Hang in there! My husband did it and he reassures me that I will feel normal again in time.
I had the same problem. I fell into a deep depression Two Years ago and was prescribed adderall. I felt great; normal you know but with extra energy. After awhile when I would come off of it I was so nasty and mean to everyone. I still did not get some very important things done, that were time sensitive. Anyway I am tapering off. Best of luck. I will try to supplement and some natural things to increase my dopamine.
Congratulations on a new start! :) Inspiration.