Adderall - To do or Not to do

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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.
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  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
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    Is increasing enthusiasm for hobbies something that it is frequently prescribed to do?
  • DeguelloTex
    DeguelloTex Posts: 6,652 Member
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    Maybe get more interesting hobbies.
  • OneHundredToLose
    OneHundredToLose Posts: 8,523 Member
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    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.
  • _Waffle_
    _Waffle_ Posts: 13,049 Member
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    AspenDan wrote: »
    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.
  • AspenDan
    AspenDan Posts: 703 Member
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    _Waffle_ wrote: »
    AspenDan wrote: »
    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.
  • AspenDan
    AspenDan Posts: 703 Member
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    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.
  • _Waffle_
    _Waffle_ Posts: 13,049 Member
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    AspenDan wrote: »
    _Waffle_ wrote: »
    AspenDan wrote: »
    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.
  • OneHundredToLose
    OneHundredToLose Posts: 8,523 Member
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    AspenDan 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.
  • elphie754
    elphie754 Posts: 7,574 Member
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    I would hope that no doctor would prescribe this to "enhance interest in hobbies".
  • dubird
    dubird Posts: 1,849 Member
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    Is Adderall still legal with a prescription? I know it's not without. Did your doctor suggest you take it?
  • I_Will_End_You
    I_Will_End_You Posts: 4,397 Member
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    elphie754 wrote: »
    I would hope that no doctor would prescribe this to "enhance interest in hobbies".

    Right. Isn't this prescribed for ADD??
  • AspenDan
    AspenDan Posts: 703 Member
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    dubird wrote: »
    Is Adderall still legal with a prescription? I know it's not without. Did your doctor suggest you take it?

    I've not spoken to a doctor yet .this is some of my first investigation into the subject.
  • OneHundredToLose
    OneHundredToLose Posts: 8,523 Member
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    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.
  • dubird
    dubird Posts: 1,849 Member
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    AspenDan wrote: »
    dubird wrote: »
    Is Adderall still legal with a prescription? I know it's not without. Did your doctor suggest you take it?

    I've not spoken to a doctor yet .this is some of my first investigation into the subject.

    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.
  • elphie754
    elphie754 Posts: 7,574 Member
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    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.
  • OneHundredToLose
    OneHundredToLose Posts: 8,523 Member
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    elphie754 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.
  • AspenDan
    AspenDan Posts: 703 Member
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    elphie754 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 =P
  • OneHundredToLose
    OneHundredToLose Posts: 8,523 Member
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    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.
  • elphie754
    elphie754 Posts: 7,574 Member
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    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.
  • esnider211
    esnider211 Posts: 30 Member
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    This is a reckless careless idea. I can't fathom a doctor willing to prescribe this for the reasons you want it.
This discussion has been closed.