Please excuse my posting here as I take Adderall for depression (treatment resistant) and not ADHD but I REALLY NEED HELP with my Adderall tolerance and no one in depression forums knows anything about this medicine.
I'll try not to write a novel. Hard to condense my experience with this drug but will try. Initially (6 months ago) I was prescribed 60mg extended release (I have always needed the maximum dose of all meds I've tried, so doc started me on that) and my life went upside down for a couple months. Nothing had ever elevated my mood like this before!! - certainly no antidepressant and I've tried almost all of them. But I missed work and ignored important things. Fast forward.
I resumed regular work and got a handle on things while taking the Adderall early in the morning and all was well for a while.
Then it stopped working.
And I eventually starting taking more than prescribed per day, causing my script to run out too early. This made me stop abruptly and I experienced severe fatigue/excessive sleeping/ thick brain fog/weakness that kept me home from work until my next prescription refill.
I'm ready to throw in the towel on the only medication that I've ever felt happy/optimistic/outgoing/confident/productive on in my life and go back to being a depressed blob. 😒😒😒
The 'crashes' are just too difficult. I may lose my job. And I don't see the point in taking it if I don't notice a change in mood. ( I only feel a change in mood when I take too much now.)
Does anyone know of an effective way to use Adderall without developing a tolerance?
(My research suggests there is no way and a week and 1/2 without the med does nothing.)
All replies genuinely appreciated!
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GoldenYellow
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The withdrawal you described, are just every day ADHD symptoms. This was my every day until I was near 20. It sounds like a hard withdrawal, or you have ADHD. Don't know, possibly.
60mg is a high dosage. This family of medication isn't lightweight, as it's highly addictive and highly controlled. Starting at max dose, I bet initially you felt like a bloody rainbow.
It's a stimulant, like coffee, but generally intended for specific use. The high feels good, and boosts motivation and mindfulness. Increasing brain activity to feel closer to the norm. Realize there is no antidote.
It's slow release, not cocaine. Relax.
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Depression meds:
For anyone following, depression meds have a much harder withdrawal. They play with your mood. And when they don't work, you feel crazy and not OK.
I can't judge you for trying something different.
----- Advice ------
Treat your body like a temple. You are what you eat. It helps no matter what your health condition.
Sit down: reflect and be mindful. Plan your day. Be thankful about something. It's naturally self medicating to set your head right. Think the way you want to feel.
If your tolerance is built this high, don't increase. It is what it is to some extent.
Although, you could play with time. Maybe 40 in the morning, next get exercise or get productive, and then 20 at lunch for a boost until supper... Or try 30 then 30. There is some flex.
For better sleep, less procrastinating, better medication results:Reduce screen time.
No screen time after 8pm. Limit usage. Get your ass to bed and get it routine.
Eat brain food, vitamin b, physically move and exercise. You have be your best too. You have to do.
honestly I can’t believe they would give it for depression bc the only time you would feel a change in mood is when you’ve taken too much. Or when you are actually high. And when you take too much or get high on it is when you have the big crashes. Years ago I abused my Adderall for years and I know all about the euphoria and fatigue, more like deathly tired, I’ve never experienced tiredness like you experience when you are addicted to adderall and then suddenly have to go without. It is literally unbearable, your eyes will just shut. To this day no legal dose of adderall while work on me for my adhd bc the thing with stimulants is (I’m a long term stimulant addict - the adderall addict led me to cocaine ruining my life then meth addiction which somehow I controlled pretty good- go figure) with stimulants. Once you hit a dose or threshold consistently your brain remembers it and that’s your tolerance and from then on no other amt lower than that will ever work again or make you feel the same again. It may be working but not giving you euphoria which we think we have to feel to be happy.see with adhd we are not supposed to feel the medication working when it’s working. We are just supposed to notice we can read better, concentrate better, not get so distracted, etc. if we feel the euphoria the dose is too high. When you feel that, that’s when you can easily become addicted to theM. Same with pain medication. Pain meds are supposed to be given at the lowest dose so the pain is relieved and no euphoria is felt. Once our brain feels that it wants more. They may be why you don’t think antidepressants are working. It takes them a good 4-6weeks in your system to even start working and it’s pretty subtle. It’s just like one day you notice damn I smiled without faking it. I got out of bed without forcing myself, I feel different yofay, it’s not like you feel this extreme happiness. Or I never have. I gave major depression and am one 2 strong antidepressants at high doses with other meds and I’ve never felt extremely happy all the years I’ve been on them. But I use to be in bed all day everyday and not be able to stop crying so it’s better than that. And most days I want to live.
Drug jokes don’t bother addicts, we make them ourselves. We, addicts, all have a kinda sick sense of humor other people don’t get because unless you’ve experienced addiction you can’t understand it. It’s impossible to make someone understand completely what we have been thru or most of us still go thru daily. But we usually can’t joke about it until we are on the other side of it if that makes sense.
Its fine. I've had to admit I'm addicted. Will be quitting for good over the holidays as work is down for 2 weeks. Why did they give a depressed person something to get high on, when they must know the tolerance problem and how easy it is to become addicted because of it...I mean, they're experts right? It is like they gave me cocaine. Of course 60mg to start improved my mood. Someone said, "you must have felt like a rainbow" and yes, I very much did. I've been chasing that rainbow for months now, trying to get it back. Thinking of taking Adderall for depression? First ask yourself if you would do cocaine to feel better? If the answer is no, stay far away from this.
I used to be a speed freak myself and now I have a script that mostly sits on the shelf... the first step for me to get on top of my habit was to admit that amphetamines are very powerful stimulants and admit to myself that I could easily lose control. Now when I use the medication it's for a predetermined huge project and predetermined length of time and then I know I have to go back to dealing with my own brain chemistry. I think this is more functional for me than trying to use it as a day-to-day mood enhancer. To be honest I can't think of a much worse strategy than relying on amphetamines for controlling my mood 🙈I had to bite the bullet and learn to work with my brain for my baseline happiness. There are a LOT of mood enhancing and dopamine enhancing strategies that really work and yeah a lot of the are the cliche things (sleep, exercise, relationships). Something that helped me a lot recently was just letting go of a lot of things be they grievances or worries... I think this is part of just me maturing and putting my happiness first. Anyways.
You got it we have to first admit we have a problem and the drugs are actually a symptoms of our problem. Or the desire to repeat whatever is making us feel the high at first is because it’s taking away some pain we have inside us. We need to figure out what our problem is before we can recover. It’s really hard especially some pain we have to feel in our life and ADHDers are more sensitive than most peoples. That’s why we tend to like the feeling alcohol and drugs give us.???
I’m not a doctor but this is partially why I do not agree with using a substance that is highly addictive at its highest recommended dose for depression. It’s just asking for someone to get addicted. It’s kinda like here try this cocaine everyday whenever you’re feeling down and let me know if your depression gets better. Yeah it makes you think you’re happy temporarily as do all addictive, then you’ll need more of the substance to get get the same effect, then eveetually it will quit working and you will be worse depressed v
Oh man I hadn't even thought of it that way, it is pretty much like giving a depressed person cocaine or something 🤦🏼♀️ I'm not by any means anti-speed. I like it too much and I know it but I also appreciate it's utility and wants it on deck for every now and then but yeah after years and years abusing it I just could never go back to seeing it as the main fix for my mental issues that's like asking to burn out terribly!!
Wow. Did your reply ever hit home. Thank you so much for sharing your perspective. It's really helped. 🩷🩷🩷 When you said, " I do not agree with using a substance that is highly addictive at its highest recommended dose for depression. It’s just asking for someone to get addicted. It’s kinda like here try this cocaine everyday whenever you’re feeling down and let me know if your depression gets better." I had to think. Um, they gave it to me IN ORDER TO GET HIGH. But they had to have known it would stop working, and I would need more and more to 'feel happy' as they intended me to feel. Didn't they? So, I got addicted. Who wouldn't have? I'm ditching it for life over Christmas cause I've 2 weeks off to crash. No more feeling like a rainbow. But no more scheduling my life around highs/crashes, missing work and damaging my relationships. I'll take a pass please. Adderall/Madderall is not for me. You said it perfectly. Might as well of given me cocaine. Well, it will be behind soon enough. You guys here, all sharing your stories really strengthened my resolve. I thank you for that. And I hope you find ways to cope with your ADHD symptoms. Had no idea ADHD could be so incredibly rough on some people. Take care and, well, it's November, so what the heck, Happy Holidays. I'll be withdrawing over x-mas. Sad. But, I'm hopeful about the new year at least. Cheers 😊
Congrats on conquering the speed thing. That couldn't of been easy. And thanks for sharing, it was so helpful to read your reply. 🩷🩷🩷 When you, and several others here, said, " To be honest I can't think of a much worse strategy than relying on amphetamines for controlling my mood" I had to think. They gave it to me in order to feel "high". That was the point. Don't know what's going on with the fair bulk of scientists now touting this as a viable treatment for depression. Might as well of given me cocaine. And I'm depressed. Think I might crave the high when the tolerance comes and take more to get it back? Could anyone be at a higher risk for addiction? Ditching Adderall for good over the holidays when I have 2 weeks off work. Took 6 months for me to realize I wasn't going to find a way to handle it - rather it found a way to handle me. No more feeling like a rainbow. But no more scheduling my life around highs and crashes. I've got them planned out on my calendar for Pete's sake. Soon, it will be over. Depressed old me doesn't look so bad at all right now. Thanks again for sharing your thoughts/experience. It really helped. Cheers. 😊
So sorry to hear of your struggles. Thank you so much for sharing 🩷🩷🩷 When you said, "honestly I can’t believe they would give it for depression bc the only time you would feel a change in mood is when you’ve taken too much. Or when you are actually high" I had a bit of an aha moment. When you are prescribed this for depression - the point IS to feel the high. I simply don't understand it either. Why did they give it to me? Taken me 6 months to conclude this high/low rollercoaster needs to end and I have to get off this stuff. The high will never last, for anyone given this to improve mood. The temptation to take more will also be there for everyone. I am scheduling my life, by a calendar, according to when I will have Adderall to be fit enough to accomplish something. Right now, my boyfriend has my pills so I will not take them out of temptation and ensure I DO have them for important dates. Can't do a damn thing without it. The days in between I will crash. I get what you mean about eyes literally closing. It's like the eyelid muscles won't work, even when I'm awake, so I go around, the best I can, with closed eyes! I'm scheduling my 'stopping the Adderall' for Christmas break as work is down for almost 2 weeks. Hoping that will be enough time to come round to my pre-Adderall self again. But fear it will take longer. Depression was better than this. All your replies make me sure I am doing the right thing. Time to ditch the Adderall. Wish I could say it's been a nice ride.
You don't have to settle for feeling depressed either. When you are done feeling totally burnt out from coming off the amphetamines (give yourself a week or 2 to feel like crap - think of it as being sick - drink soup, dont judge yourself)... Pick a (healthy) depression-busting strategy that resonates with you and give it a try!!! Make a morning routine that includes light or moderate exercise. Pick an evening routine where you don't look at your phone right before bed. Let go of the strife of worrying if you can, and things really will improve. Drink water and maybe cut down your carbs (they can produce quite disruptive highs and mostly lows in some people). You can do it, believe in yourself. Take it step by step and day by day but don't give up on yourself.
Having ADHD is a very difficult thing to manage! For a large percentage of us, without medication, it’s close to impossible! I can understand why it would work for depression too…since I suffered from that when I was not on ADHD medication! However, each of us has to find what works for them…dosing of stimulants is different for each of us! In addition, you need to maintain a good daily routine, find your kind of “difficult”, and a good advocate! I’m going to be 60 soon, and it’s been a constant ordeal to manage. Especially in the world we live in and the daily distractions we face! Don’t give up and good luck! 🙏🏼❤️🩹
I’ve found having adhd as an adult is much harder than I ever remember it being as a child. I struggle so much with adulting it’s not even funny. I don’t see how people make it look so easy. I can’t even remember I’m washing clothes. No matter what I try. It takes me a whole day almost to do a load or two of laundry beginning to end. And that may be all I accomplish that day. Medicine helps a little esp with my memory, not with me being able to figure out time, or planning. When I’m off meds my anxiety and depression are 100% worse because my adhd symptoms are worse for one but I also have alot of trauma that just won’t go away. I’ve done years of therapy and multiple therapist and have never been able to get through one specific thing. But as I’ve gotten older I’ve learned you have to make yourself happy. It’s a choice if you want to be happy or not. No drug is going to or person or concert or place. You have to decide everyday if you want to be happy. Happiness is part of depression but not all of it. Depression is not a choice. It’s a chemical problem in your brain, as is adhd and anxiety. Some people are actually mentally ill and so meds don’t work as they should. They are just not happy. They need to decide they want to be happy.
You are 100% right about happiness! I believe it’s a choice as well, but a difficult one to maintain for many of us. However, once you decide that’s what you want over the heaviness or the sadness we can feel, that in itself becomes the motivation. You then need to “create” a routine and/or process that aligns with that goal. God bless…🙏🏼❤️🙌🏻
Thanks so much for your reply. I really appreciate you sharing your experience. 🩷🩷🩷When I read, " It takes me a whole day almost to do a load or two of laundry beginning to end. And that may be all I accomplish that day. " I felt deeply sympathetic. That must be truly horrible. I don't have ADHD so can't exactly relate. They gave me Adderall for depression, at 60mg to start. They made me HIGH. Then I developed a tolerance they have to have anticipated. Might as well of given me cocaine for depression. You'll need more and more to get high each time, but here, try it, it's good. Getting off it for life over Christmas when I have 2 weeks off work. Hope it's enough time to get back to normal. Boyfriend is a great support. I hope others thinking of taking Adderall for depression see the messages here and run, run the other way. You'll get addicted. You won't admit it. You're life will become a series of high's and crashes until you simply have no choice but to say: Hey, I am an addict now. Not to mention missing work and damaging relationships because either you simply cannot pull yourself away from the computer, or you're a weak, lifeless zombie who cannot, for the life of them, even open their eyes. Really. Anyhow, will be over soon. Being depressed doesn't look so bad now. At least I went to work. And showered. Thanks again for your response. It did me good to hear your experience. I wish you luck with your ADHD symptoms. They seem brutal. Hang in there. Eventually everything always comes around. 🩷
Thank you so much for your reply and encouraging words. So good to hear from others with experience. I will be ditching the Adderall for good over x-mas since work is down for almost two weeks and I can go through the crash then. I do not understand why this would ever be prescribed for depression. Why it was prescribed to me I mean. It only improves your mood when you've taken too much and total tolerance is inevitable. Then temptation to take more is so strong. Don't the doctors writing the papers saying this is a suitable treatment for depression know about the tolerance and extremely high risk of addiction, when you administer it to patient IN ORDER TO GET THE HIGH. Might as well have given me cocaine. Hearing from all of you assures me I am doing the right thing. Best of luck managing your ADHD symptoms, sometimes depression and complicated balancing of meds! 🩷🩷🩷
I think this is why some people don’t take it on the weekends or on holidays. Also, if you could take a different medication for a while, sometimes your immunity goes down and you can take it again. I would ask your doctor for a similar med for a while and then after a few months go back in adderall. Also, you could try immediate release instead of extended release and see if you have the same issue. It doesn’t last as long but you get more of the med right away.
Thanks so much for your reply, it's so good of you to share your suggestions! 🩷🩷🩷 I started with 5mg tablets actually, immediate release, but took 60mg of them. Then got switched to 60mg time release each morning. I can't feel the 60mg any more and a whole week and a half without it does not reset my sensitivity so that I can feel it again. So I started taking more to elevate my mood again. I don't want to take another med for a while. It will be another stimulant I have to get high on to lift the depression, not a solution, but thank you for suggesting it. Don't understand why this would be given to me in order to make me 'feel happier'. You begin to need it like cocaine. Can't do anything without it. Scheduling my life around it. Over Christmas am going to ditch it for good as have 2 weeks off work. Hope that's long enough to learn to function without it again. Been a roller coaster and, well, a bit of a nightmare. Don't the scientists promoting you use Adderall for mood elevation know that tolerance is inevitable and the 'high' won't last? And the risk for addiction, when you give it to someone IN ORDER TO feel the high is likely around 90%. Depression was better than this. Time to get off the carnival ride. If you're reading this and are going to try it for depression, don't, run the other way. Saw someone say: Adderall/Madderall They weren't far off the mark.
Hi. Yes, I believe I am addicted now. Giving it up over Christmas break as have time off then. Took me 6 months to admit I wasn't handling well - it was handling me. No more stimulants for me. Might as well have handed me cocaine for depression.
Thanks so much for your reply! 🩷🩷🩷 I am not a naturopathy type of person but do appreciate you taking the time to read my post and offer a suggestion. I will be stopping it over Christmas. Adderall/Madderall is not far off the mark.
Look into taking Alpha Lipoic Acid, 60mg is a high does otherwise I would say you need to increase your dosage. ALA when taken approx 20 mins prior to medication helps to smooth the medicated transition as well as clean your body of the "buildup". When I feel my 50mg of Vyvanse is not as effective I take the ALA and it helps bring my absorption back into check after a few days. Good luck.
Hi NateV, Thanks for the heads up on taking ALA. If I understand correctly, you take the ALA "as needed" not on some form of maintenance schedule, correct? How much ALA do you generally take? Thanks.
Yeah I only take it when I need it for a few days. 300 mg is what was recommended and the bottle I picked up was 300mg per capsule. Make sure you have some food at some point after taking it as it will lower your blood sugar levels.
Thanks so much for your reply. 🩷🩷🩷 Your suggestion, alpha Lipoic Acid, might very well help but I doubt it will sustain the high indefinitely. And that's what they gave it to me for. The high. Might as well of given me cocaine. Getting off it over Christmas. Hope others see my post and don't take it for depression. Sad? Get hopped up! You won't function without it and you'll keep needing more and more to get high, but hey, we think it's a good treatment for you. I'm addicted now. Imagine a lot of people would be if they get used to the high. I'll be off it soon. No more feeling like a rainbow. But sanity will return. Just hope getting off doesn't feel like death. Doc will help me taper when I tell her my plan to quit. Maybe that will help. Best of luck with your ADHD and whatever else ails you. Take care of yourself - no one else will. 🩷
If you take the adderall to FEEL a mood, you are taking it for the wrong reasons. I’m not a therapist but have education as a CHADD leader. I also take 40mg of generic adderall XR.
Generics based on the manufacture act different with different people. One time I had a dose where I was focus, focus, till I was almost late for work. Then transitioned and chaos happened juggling responsibilities and about 5pm I felt a feeling where I couldn’t think anymore and needed a break. That was my crash. My doctor has me take 2 short acting generic adderal in the morning so I don’t have the crash when I take my regular dose at 1130am. Some take 1 pill in the morning and 1 about noon to counteract a crash. Only your doctor or therapist who has experience with this medication would know. Also talk to your doctor about how it affects you and the consequences of taking too much. It’s not a drug to feel high on, it’s a controlled substance that when taken correctly will calm a brain with racing thoughts.
Thanks so much for your response. 🩷🩷🩷 When you said, "if you take the Adderall to FEEL a mood, you are taking it for the wrong reasons." I had to really think. Because they gave it to me to "feel a mood". To feel the 'high'. Why would they do this? Don't they know it will stop working and I'll just take more and more to get the good mood back? I mean they're specialists right? Will have my doctor taper me off it over the holidays as work is down for 2 weeks then. Till then, I have to have someone else hold my pills to ensure I have some to function on important days. My life is scheduled around doses of this drug. It is a drug for me. Not a medication. Six months to face the fact I can't handle it - it's handling me. Hope these messages reach someone else considering using for depression. Don't. Just don't. So I wish you luck with your ADHD symptoms. Thank you again and take care.
You are welcome. Yes you need to speak to your doctor and report any side affects to your pharmacist. After starting to work at Walgreens and talking to the pharmacy manager I learned that they will keep track of the side affects of each manufacturer and it gets reported through their system to an agency.
Hi Golden Yellow, My situation, with managing changes in the effectiveness of taking adderall, might have some baring on your difficulties. I took adderall for quite a long time (10 years?) and it worked great. During that time I was also doing a fair amount of exercise (swimming) so that was also a great help.
Two years ago all that changed abruptly. I had a really bad fall with head injuries (no damage to spinal cord thank goodness) and the neurologists took me completely off the adderall. That was OK cause my ADHD behaviors were greatly reduced, but I experienced strong mood swings into anxiety/depression.
After 2 years however, the anxiety/depression started to decrease, but my ADHD started to reemerge. I restarted taking adderall but at a reduced dose of first 10mg/day then 20 mg/day. The adderall seemed to work as before, except due to the trauma of the fall and related medical issues, I was still prone to quite a lot more episodes of stress, anxiety and depression. When these episodes occurred, the effect of the adderall went real screwy, and I felt much better during those periods if I stopped taking any adderall at all. After the stress anxiety and or depression declined, I would start taking adderall again but at half my previous dose. As long I manage my anxiety/depression the adderall seems to work OK for the ADHD.
This is still working itself out, so unfortunately, I don't have an ending (good or bad) to my story.
Best of luck to you. Hope your situation improves.
Thank you so much for your reply! It was so helpful to hear about your experience. Very sorry for your troubles with an accident, anxiety/depression and screwy Adderall response. I hope you work it out. Myself, reading all these replies assures me that my plan to quit the Adderall over x-mas is the right thing to do. Time for me to get off the roller coaster that has become my life. Don't understand why a doctor would hand a depressed person something to get high on, that you will need to take more and more of. That is so easy to become addicted to. Hope anyone considering Adderall for depression reads our messages and can avoid what I've gone through. My advice to them? Don't. Just don't. In fact run the other way. It's like they're prescribing you speed or cocaine. Really. Maybe it works in small doses for ADHD. But taking it on purpose to feel happy/high is a recipe for disaster. My doctor read the journal articles citing it as a new, suitable treatment for depression. I don't blame her. But what are these scientists thinking who are promoting it? It was a real help to hear from all of you. I am stronger in my resolve because of it. So, thanks once again and I hope you find the balance you're looking for. Cheers 😊
Hi. Thanks for the information but I've made up my mind to give the Adderall up over Christmas break. Do appreciate your taking the time to suggest assistance! Cheers 😊
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