Adderall - To do or Not to do
AspenDan
Posts: 703 Member
Have you taken it, whats your opinion? I know it's not specifically a weight loss topic but I hear that's a side effect...not why I'm considering trying it btw..
I was hoping it would help me feel more enthusiastic about my hobbies, kinda just been wandering around the house on my days off, so that's the motivation.
I was hoping it would help me feel more enthusiastic about my hobbies, kinda just been wandering around the house on my days off, so that's the motivation.
0
Replies
-
Is increasing enthusiasm for hobbies something that it is frequently prescribed to do?0
-
Maybe get more interesting hobbies.0
-
So...let me talk a little bit about my experience with Adderall. First off, it's amazing. It focuses your mind, sharpens your cognitive abilities, and heightens your awareness. It makes you feel like you have all the willpower you need to get whatever is in front of you done, then go organize everything in your bedroom and solve a 10,000 piece puzzle.
Then there's the crash. Adderall is actually dextroamphetamine. You may recognize the -amphetamine portion of that as being related to the term methamphetamine. They're related. As such, you can expect a lot of side effects with Adderall, including inability to sleep, headaches, and extreme fatigue when you come down. Further, Adderall is highly habit forming, and you'll build up a tolerance to it eventually, resulting in you needing to take more and more.
Here's the long and short of it. Adderall is fine if you're pulling an all-nighter at work or studying and need to power through it. However, you should never make it a long-term part of your life, and you should understand that you're taking a powerful drug. It's basically a weaker form of cocaine or meth, so you should think of it in those terms. It's not the drug from the movie Limitless.
Personally, I don't take Adderall at all anymore. It's not worth the laundry list of side effects.0 -
Have you taken it, whats your opinion? I know it's not specifically a weight loss topic but I hear that's a side effect...not why I'm considering trying it btw..
I was hoping it would help me feel more enthusiastic about my hobbies, kinda just been wandering around the house on my days off, so that's the motivation.
Personally I'd just buy a new game so you can do nothing in the same place instead of wandering around doing nothing. Although I suppose wandering around would be better for weight loss than sitting there on the XBox. At any rate a new game is great for a more enthusiastic attitude I think.0 -
Have you taken it, whats your opinion? I know it's not specifically a weight loss topic but I hear that's a side effect...not why I'm considering trying it btw..
I was hoping it would help me feel more enthusiastic about my hobbies, kinda just been wandering around the house on my days off, so that's the motivation.
Personally I'd just buy a new game so you can do nothing in the same place instead of wandering around doing nothing. Although I suppose wandering around would be better for weight loss than sitting there on the XBox. At any rate a new game is great for a more enthusiastic attitude I think.
I was thinking video editing, reading, and less hobbie things like a myriad of todo items I've got, but thanks for your opinions haha.0 -
OneHundredToLose wrote: »So...let me talk a little bit about my experience with Adderall. First off, it's amazing. It focuses your mind, sharpens your cognitive abilities, and heightens your awareness. It makes you feel like you have all the willpower you need to get whatever is in front of you done, then go organize everything in your bedroom and solve a 10,000 piece puzzle.
Then there's the crash. Adderall is actually dextroamphetamine. You may recognize the -amphetamine portion of that as being related to the term methamphetamine. They're related. As such, you can expect a lot of side effects with Adderall, including inability to sleep, headaches, and extreme fatigue when you come down. Further, Adderall is highly habit forming, and you'll build up a tolerance to it eventually, resulting in you needing to take more and more.
Here's the long and short of it. Adderall is fine if you're pulling an all-nighter at work or studying and need to power through it. However, you should never make it a long-term part of your life, and you should understand that you're taking a powerful drug. It's basically a weaker form of cocaine or meth, so you should think of it in those terms. It's not the drug from the movie Limitless.
Personally, I don't take Adderall at all anymore. It's not worth the laundry list of side effects.
This has been super helpful, thanks for the perspective..my biggest worry is the habit forming side..I'm not a super addictive personality but even so, I'm cautious.0 -
Have you taken it, whats your opinion? I know it's not specifically a weight loss topic but I hear that's a side effect...not why I'm considering trying it btw..
I was hoping it would help me feel more enthusiastic about my hobbies, kinda just been wandering around the house on my days off, so that's the motivation.
Personally I'd just buy a new game so you can do nothing in the same place instead of wandering around doing nothing. Although I suppose wandering around would be better for weight loss than sitting there on the XBox. At any rate a new game is great for a more enthusiastic attitude I think.
I was thinking video editing, reading, and less hobbie things like a myriad of todo items I've got, but thanks for your opinions haha.
A new book is a great idea too. Find something in the discount bin or go to a book resale store. Those are fun. I can spend hours in a resale store looking at used books.
0 -
OneHundredToLose wrote: »So...let me talk a little bit about my experience with Adderall. First off, it's amazing. It focuses your mind, sharpens your cognitive abilities, and heightens your awareness. It makes you feel like you have all the willpower you need to get whatever is in front of you done, then go organize everything in your bedroom and solve a 10,000 piece puzzle.
Then there's the crash. Adderall is actually dextroamphetamine. You may recognize the -amphetamine portion of that as being related to the term methamphetamine. They're related. As such, you can expect a lot of side effects with Adderall, including inability to sleep, headaches, and extreme fatigue when you come down. Further, Adderall is highly habit forming, and you'll build up a tolerance to it eventually, resulting in you needing to take more and more.
Here's the long and short of it. Adderall is fine if you're pulling an all-nighter at work or studying and need to power through it. However, you should never make it a long-term part of your life, and you should understand that you're taking a powerful drug. It's basically a weaker form of cocaine or meth, so you should think of it in those terms. It's not the drug from the movie Limitless.
Personally, I don't take Adderall at all anymore. It's not worth the laundry list of side effects.
This has been super helpful, thanks for the perspective..my biggest worry is the habit forming side..I'm not a super addictive personality but even so, I'm cautious.
The important thing to remember is that your own personal willpower to not become addicted doesn't matter. Dextroamphetamine is chemically addictive, meaning that you can - and will - become addicted to it unless you are extremely careful and don't use it constantly.0 -
I would hope that no doctor would prescribe this to "enhance interest in hobbies".0
-
Is Adderall still legal with a prescription? I know it's not without. Did your doctor suggest you take it?0
-
-
A good alternative to Adderall you might want to consider is Modafinil. I've not actually tried this one yet, but I hear very good things. I am a website developer, and a lot of my peers take these kinds of drugs now and then, as software development and related programming jobs can be very mentally taxing. A friend of mine is currently taking Modafinil a few times a week to enhance his focus. He's been doing this for a while now and claims no side effects. I don't believe that 100%, as all of these "smart drugs" have side effects, but it's certainly less potent than Adderall, and isn't dextroamphetamine.
Modafinil currently exists in a legal grey area too, meaning you can order it from outside of the US online without worrying about legal ramifications, or so I'm told.0 -
Talk to your doctor first. I don't know what you're wanting to take it for, but that's a pretty powerful and potentially dangerous drug. Whatever you're wanting it for, there's probably better options and your doctor will know what to try for you. Or at the very least, can refer you to someone else who can.0 -
Adderall is a controlled substance (in the U.S. And several other countries). It is a schedule II drug. If caught with this medication, without a prescription, you can face jail time.
0 -
Adderall is a controlled substance (in the U.S. And several other countries). It is a schedule II drug. If caught with this medication, without a prescription, you can face jail time.
OP's already mentioned he is just thinking about this right now and is planning on consulting a doctor. No one here is assuming he's planning on obtaining Adderall via illegal means.0 -
OneHundredToLose wrote: »Adderall is a controlled substance (in the U.S. And several other countries). It is a schedule II drug. If caught with this medication, without a prescription, you can face jail time.
OP's already mentioned he is just thinking about this right now and is planning on consulting a doctor. No one here is assuming he's planning on obtaining Adderall via illegal means.
I'm an eagle scout literally and figuratively..I'd never obtain a drug illegally or without proper professional guidance =P0 -
It's important to be able to ask these kinds of questions without fear of legal ramifications. The stigma around drugs in this country is so ridiculous. I'd rather someone went into a situation with the knowledge to handle it properly than had no idea what to do because they were afraid to ask.0
-
OneHundredToLose wrote: »It's important to be able to ask these kinds of questions without fear of legal ramifications. The stigma around drugs in this country is so ridiculous. I'd rather someone went into a situation with the knowledge to handle it properly than had no idea what to do because they were afraid to ask.
Except he want to obtain the medication for a purpose it is NOT prescribed for.0 -
This is a reckless careless idea. I can't fathom a doctor willing to prescribe this for the reasons you want it.0
-
OneHundredToLose wrote: »It's important to be able to ask these kinds of questions without fear of legal ramifications. The stigma around drugs in this country is so ridiculous. I'd rather someone went into a situation with the knowledge to handle it properly than had no idea what to do because they were afraid to ask.
Except he want to obtain the medication for a purpose it is NOT prescribed for.
If Adderall became OTC-legal tomorrow, would you use it? I'm guessing probably not. The legality of the substance does very little to stop people from using it - that's why we have a drug problem in America. It's demonstrably better to deter someone from using it by having an honest conversation about the negative side effects than to attempt to bully them into staying away from it via scare tactics.0 -
OneHundredToLose wrote: »OneHundredToLose wrote: »It's important to be able to ask these kinds of questions without fear of legal ramifications. The stigma around drugs in this country is so ridiculous. I'd rather someone went into a situation with the knowledge to handle it properly than had no idea what to do because they were afraid to ask.
Except he want to obtain the medication for a purpose it is NOT prescribed for.
If Adderall became OTC-legal tomorrow, would you use it? I'm guessing probably not. The legality of the substance does very little to stop people from using it - that's why we have a drug problem in America. It's demonstrably better to deter someone from using it by having an honest conversation about the negative side effects than to attempt to bully them into staying away from it via scare tactics.
I'd mostly just like more "focus" in my downtime, so I can be more productive. And, luckily you seem to have some very informative/useful opinions, thank you for sharing.1 -
OneHundredToLose wrote: »OneHundredToLose wrote: »It's important to be able to ask these kinds of questions without fear of legal ramifications. The stigma around drugs in this country is so ridiculous. I'd rather someone went into a situation with the knowledge to handle it properly than had no idea what to do because they were afraid to ask.
Except he want to obtain the medication for a purpose it is NOT prescribed for.
If Adderall became OTC-legal tomorrow, would you use it? I'm guessing probably not. The legality of the substance does very little to stop people from using it - that's why we have a drug problem in America. It's demonstrably better to deter someone from using it by having an honest conversation about the negative side effects than to attempt to bully them into staying away from it via scare tactics.
Not getting into a legal discussion with you.0 -
OneHundredToLose wrote: »OneHundredToLose wrote: »It's important to be able to ask these kinds of questions without fear of legal ramifications. The stigma around drugs in this country is so ridiculous. I'd rather someone went into a situation with the knowledge to handle it properly than had no idea what to do because they were afraid to ask.
Except he want to obtain the medication for a purpose it is NOT prescribed for.
If Adderall became OTC-legal tomorrow, would you use it? I'm guessing probably not. The legality of the substance does very little to stop people from using it - that's why we have a drug problem in America. It's demonstrably better to deter someone from using it by having an honest conversation about the negative side effects than to attempt to bully them into staying away from it via scare tactics.
Not getting into a legal discussion with you.
Solid choice.1 -
OP, this is just my personal opinion, but it basically sounds like you are saying you are bored and lack motivation. You are going to need to be able to focus and motivate yourself to accomplish anything for the rest of your life, do you really want to rely on a prescription for that?
There are tons of audio programs and books that will help you come up with a system to set up some goals and keep your mind focused on them. These will teach you skills you can use for all sorts of things. You could download some onto your phone and listen to them while you wander around aimlessly
And there are no side effects!
Picking up these skills is an important part of life, so my humble suggestion would be to try that before looking for some chemical focus. I'm sure there are folks who really need something like Adderall, but my own personal opinion is you have some better options to try first. Good luck!0 -
OP, this is just my personal opinion, but it basically sounds like you are saying you are bored and lack motivation. You are going to need to be able to focus and motivate yourself to accomplish anything for the rest of your life, do you really want to rely on a prescription for that?
There are tons of audio programs and books that will help you come up with a system to set up some goals and keep your mind focused on them. These will teach you skills you can use for all sorts of things. You could download some onto your phone and listen to them while you wander around aimlessly And there are no side effects!
Picking up these skills is an important part of life, so my humble suggestion would be to try that before looking for some chemical focus. I'm sure there are folks who really need something like Adderall, but my own personal opinion is you have some better options to try first. Good luck!
This is excellent advice, and is essentially the same conclusion I came to after occasional use of Adderall. It's just not worth the dependency you'll inevitably form, whether mentally or physically, and additionally there are lots of ways to heighten cognitive abilities and focus without an amphetamine.0 -
Adderall is an attention deficit (hyperactivity) disorder medication. It is for people who are hyperactive to the point where they cannot focus because they're focusing on 50 things at once. This does not sound like you. Your story sounds the opposite, like you're wandering around looking for something to do, bored, etc. Find hobbies that actually excite you. Hang out with some friends. Do a project at home. Go for a walk. Get a pet.
Just because we'd like some drugs doesn't mean we can just go to the doctor's and get them. I mean, I'd like some Xanax to relax in my downtime, but I don't have the anxiety disorder to be prescribed it.0 -
Just because we'd like some drugs doesn't mean we can just go to the doctor's and get them. I mean, I'd like some Xanax to relax in my downtime, but I don't have the anxiety disorder to be prescribed it.
Well, I'll talk to a doctor, see what he thinks, but I appreciate your opinions. Truthfully tho, I was looking for experiences from those who've tried the drug.
0 -
OneHundredToLose wrote: »
Modafinil currently exists in a legal grey area too, meaning you can order it from outside of the US online without worrying about legal ramifications, or so I'm told.
Not at all true. It's still a controlled substance and importing it without proper authority is a felony. You may or may not be likely to be caught or charged, but a felony is going to be a bigger hit to your career goals than the drug would help.
0
This discussion has been closed.
Categories
- All Categories
- 1.4M Health, Wellness and Goals
- 393.7K Introduce Yourself
- 43.8K Getting Started
- 260.3K Health and Weight Loss
- 176K Food and Nutrition
- 47.5K Recipes
- 232.6K Fitness and Exercise
- 431 Sleep, Mindfulness and Overall Wellness
- 6.5K Goal: Maintaining Weight
- 8.6K Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
- 153K Motivation and Support
- 8.1K Challenges
- 1.3K Debate Club
- 96.4K Chit-Chat
- 2.5K Fun and Games
- 3.8K MyFitnessPal Information
- 23 News and Announcements
- 1.2K Feature Suggestions and Ideas
- 2.6K MyFitnessPal Tech Support Questions