People with ADD / ADHD have essentially an imbalance of dopamine, and amphetamine / ritalin / other stimulants directly act on this imbalance to improve motivation and concentration. Individuals without ADD / ADHD can surpass their baseline performance with a reasonable dose, though if it starts to alter mood or personality in a noticable manner you are probably exceeding that threshold. It does take a few days for you to reach a level of tolerance where the long halflife of amphatmines doesn't result in sleep loss. That said, it's one of my favorite substances, I was prescribed it for a while and when I lost my medical insurance I purchased it in street form for several years. It is addictive, but if you have anything remotely resembling will power, and/or are not already flushing yourself down that self-destructive downward spiral, it can do nothing but good for you. You can also combine it with a depressant to chemically enforce a sleep schedule -- pop one at 6-7AM, pop a benzo at 8-9PM, you will inadvertently find yourself compelled to follow that schedule even after you quit. DO NOT use the drug to pull "all-nighters," between sleep deprivation and stimulant withdrawal it will leave you in one of the worst states of mind imaginable.

10/11/2008 11:51:36 PM

but hey, you'll get your paper done

10/12/2008 12:20:39 AM

Quote :

"adderall and dexedrine (which i assume is the close to being the same) is the miracle weight loss drug that nobody except users know about. if you're fat and take this drug then don't stop taking it because you'll be really fat without it.""

when the weight loss effects of regulated amphetamine intake wear off after a month, you'll quickly gain all of the weight back and then some.

10/12/2008 1:10:41 PM

I started taking Adderall on school days after I was diagnosed with ADD. It basically turned me into a raging maniac, so I switched to Ritalin. All it did was keep me awake and kill my appetite. Now I'm out of school and have determined that Asperger syndrome is probably a more accurate diagnosis, and I don't take anything, and I'm doing just fine.

[Edited on October 12, 2008 at 9:25 PM. Reason : Oh yeah, I gained 50 pounds since I quit taking Ritalin.]

10/12/2008 9:23:47 PM

Quote :

"when the weight loss effects of regulated amphetamine intake wear off after a month, you'll quickly gain all of the weight back and then some"

not necessarily....

10/13/2008 8:47:26 PM

^^ so you're basically autistic?

10/13/2008 9:35:30 PM

[Edited on October 13, 2008 at 10:11 PM. Reason : .]

10/13/2008 10:10:49 PM

^

Quote :

"asperger's syndrome is not autism."

Quote :

"Asperger syndrome is one of the autism spectrum disorders (ASD) or pervasive developmental disorders (PDD), which are a spectrum of psychological conditions that are characterized by abnormalities of social interaction and communication that pervade the individual's functioning, and by restricted and repetitive interests and behavior. "

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asperger's_syndrome

10/13/2008 10:12:46 PM

just make damn sure you NEED it. that shit fucked up my life for like 3 years. and I was prescribed it againsted my will (to clarify: i didn't request it. the doc was just all like "HERE YA GO. HAVE SOME AMPHETAMENE SALTS. SEE YA LATER"

also she was a girl doctor and she saw me naked


P.S: Keep it a fucking secret if you do end up takin it. unless you want to make a lot of friends real fast

[Edited on October 13, 2008 at 10:37 PM. Reason : ♥]

10/13/2008 10:35:41 PM

Quote :

"P.S: Keep it a fucking secret if you do end up takin it. unless you want to make a lot of friends real fast"

sad but true. i have lost friends over this drug.

10/13/2008 11:15:25 PM

Quote :

" I could read a paragraph and have no clue what was in it by the time I got to the end. "

Sign me up for an Rx, then. Seriously, I need to blame my laziness and lack of focus on something other than myself.

10/13/2008 11:17:18 PM

Quote :

"so you're basically autistic?"

Well, I'm not exactly Rain Man, but yes.

10/14/2008 8:47:24 AM

ok then, carry on!

10/14/2008 9:58:39 AM

Quote :

"oh really? I take 60mg XR an hour before I get up in the morning."

40mg/day is the recommended max for XR, you can go 60mg with immediate release

of course, these are just that... RECOMMENDED maximums. i'm probably going up to 40mg bid cause of my ridiculously quick tolerance to this stuff.

10/14/2008 10:07:43 AM

Quote :

" Healthy people should have the right to boost their brains with pills, like those prescribed for hyperactive kids or memory-impaired older folks, several scientists contend in a provocative commentary. College students are already illegally taking prescription stimulants like Ritalin to help them study, and demand for such drugs is likely to grow elsewhere, they say. "We should welcome new methods of improving our brain function," and doing it with pills is no more morally objectionable than eating right or getting a good night's sleep, these experts wrote in an opinion piece published online Sunday by the journal Nature. The commentary calls for more research and a variety of steps for managing the risks. As more effective brain-boosting pills are developed, demand for them is likely to grow among middle-aged people who want youthful memory powers and multitasking workers who need to keep track of multiple demands, said one commentary author, brain scientist Martha Farah of the University of Pennsylvania. "Almost everybody is going to want to use it," Farah said. "I would be the first in line if safe and effective drugs were developed that trumped caffeine," another author, Michael Gazzaniga of the University of California, Santa Barbara, declared in an e-mail. The seven authors, from the United States and Britain, include ethics experts and the editor-in-chief of Nature as well as scientists. They developed their case at a seminar funded by Nature and Rockefeller University in New York. Two authors said they consult for pharmaceutical companies; Farah said she had no such financial ties. Some health experts agreed that the issue deserves attention. But the commentary didn't impress Leigh Turner of the University of Minnesota Center for Bioethics. "It's a nice puff piece for selling medications for people who don't have an illness of any kind," Turner said. The commentary cites a 2001 survey of about 11,000 American college students that found 4 percent had used prescription stimulants illegally in the prior year. But at some colleges, the figure was as high as 25 percent. "It's a felony, but it's being done," Farah said. The stimulants Adderall and Ritalin are prescribed mainly for people with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, but they can help other people focus their attention and handle information in their heads, the commentary says. Another drug called Provigil is approved for sleep disorders but is also prescribed for healthy people who need to stay alert when sleep-deprived, the commentary says. Lab studies show it can also perk up the brains of well-rested people. And some drugs developed for Alzheimer's disease also provide a modest memory boost, it says. Ritalin is made by Switzerland-based Novartis AG, but the drug is also available generically. Adderall is made by U.K.-based Shire PLC and Montvale, N.J.-based Barr Pharmaceuticals Inc., and some formulations are also available generically. Provigil is made by Cephalon Inc. of Frazer, Pa. While supporting the concept that healthy adults should be able to use brain-boosting drugs, the authors called for: - More research into the use, benefits and risks of such drugs. Much is unknown about the current medications, such as the risk of dependency when used for this purpose, the commentary said. Also, according to the Food and Drug Administration, Adderall, for example, is an amphetamine that carries warnings about possible sudden death, heart attack and stroke, especially for people with heart problems. - Policies to guard against people being coerced into taking them. - Steps to keep the benefits from making socio-economic inequalities worse. - Action by doctors, educators and others to develop policies on the use of such drugs by healthy people. - Legislative action to allow drug companies to market the drugs to healthy people if they meet regulatory standards for safety and effectiveness."

http://www.wral.com/news/science/story/4094820/

12/8/2008 12:55:51 AM

it was given to me for depression
i hated every minute of it and took myself off of it
it gave me bad stomach aches for some reason
\

12/8/2008 4:44:17 PM

what doctor gave you that for depression? my depressed friends and I who cant function in society are about to make him a very rich man.

12/8/2008 4:47:14 PM

i have some for 1 million dollars per pill!!!!!

12/8/2008 4:49:04 PM

personally, i don't need any. it would be nice to go to a doctor who is willing to prescribe things a bit unconventionally though

12/8/2008 5:52:01 PM

Quote :

"using adderall solely as a finals cram/study aid is just as cheap and pathetic as juicing in professional sports in my opinion"

That's a pretty ridiculous comparison.

12/8/2008 10:16:30 PM

I'm glad I've got my Rx, although when I go back for another meeting with the doctor I think I might try and get an increased dose. I have very obviously developed a tolerance and they're not quite doing what they used to, although I'm sure laying off them for a few days (probably over xmas, when I have a few days off work) wouldn't hurt.

12/8/2008 10:35:39 PM

Quote :

"Sign me up for an Rx, then. Seriously, I need to blame my laziness and lack of focus on something other than myself."

ADD and ADHD are currently being misdiagnosed quite frequently, particularly in children attending public schools. It's absolutely necessary to use a variety of information to make an accurate diagnosis, including info from parents, peers, teachers, etc. as well as school and social performance and whatnot. Otherwise ADD/ADHD becomes little more than a knee-jerk reaction explanation for nothing more than your common run-of-the-mill disciplinary problems.


On the other hand, equating a ADD/ADHD diagnosis with "blaming laziness and lack of focus on something other than myself" is fucking insulting to those of us that actually have it.

Without medication I cannot maintain attention to a lecture lasting more than 15 minutes. After 15 minutes my brain will seize upon any distraction it can find. A phrase that reminds me of a movie, a guy in the front row chewing on his pen which gets me thinking about what I want for lunch, a picture of a sports player that makes think about last night's game, and so on. It's always something. As a kid I'd routinely have 5, 10, even 20-minute gaps in my notes in any number of classes. Without meds I have a hard time keeping track of a set of instructions. That includes remembering all of them, creating a plan to complete them, and trying to get them done without getting distracted or just flat-out forgetting them. That makes repetitive, time-consuming, dull tasks next to impossible.

Yes, ADD/ADHD can be managed. That's part of the overall solution. But to belittle people that use the meds that work for them shows a severe amount of ignorance about this condition.

PM me if you'd like more info. In the meantime stop being a fucking dipshit.

12/9/2008 1:45:06 AM

How on earth are you diagnosed with ADD if you don't know you have it? I can tell you from experience that if I am not kept busy or my mind is not working/thinking, I go absolutely insane. My boss even notices how jittery and "busy" I am while we're having a conversation. If something bores me, I find something that wont. And it sometimes gets to the point that I get depressed if I don't find something to keep me busy and then that starts its own vicious cycle. (I know I sound batshit crazy, but thats how my brain works) I get depressed and then I don't feel like doing what I normally do such as running etc and I want to sleep soooo much. Its not even that I am not motviated, its just something my brain does. I thought that B vitamins would help me with this... I haven't noticed much of a difference.

I have taken Adderall but like small doses and I feel absolutely wonderful. In fact, when I feel depressed like I mentioned above and I take adderall, it snaps me out of that funk immediately and I get my work done and I do it really efficiently. I want to do my normal running work outs as normal and maybe more and when I get off of work I am not tired. And I get a normal 8 hours of sleep instead of the 12 I crave when I am in a slump. I dunno much about ADD and always thought maybe I was. I know one of my brothers is like this too and showed it more when he was younger.

So if you have any suggestions as to why this is happening your imput would be helpful before i got to a doctor and embarrass myself... I guess PM me if it sounds super serious to you. LOL I just would never think there is any thing wrong with me

[Edited on December 9, 2008 at 10:05 AM. Reason : I'd rather be PMed and told I am batshit crazy rather than in public LOL]

12/9/2008 10:01:55 AM

yeah, you wouldn't have any trouble getting prescribed something.

12/9/2008 10:04:43 AM

Can ADD be a precursor to depression?

12/9/2008 10:07:17 AM

probably not a precursor, but i think people with ADD are more likely to suffer from depression

12/9/2008 10:11:57 AM

yeah, what ^ said. what you described is pretty dead on for ADD though.

hell, i'd see a doc and see what they said.. i've seen people prescribed adderal for way less.

12/9/2008 10:14:05 AM

add appearance later in life and depression are not related direcetly. however, children with add/adhd are many times more likely to become depressed later in life. this is one thing that they really do not look for, or did not look for when i was a kid - through now. I sure as fuck know they didn't watch for it in me.

you will most likely not be prescribed adderall for depression though, you will instead, be perscribed a low level anti-depressant.

Quote :

"ADHD/ADD and Depression Several well conducted have shown that children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder/Attention Deficit Disorder are more likely than others to become depressed at some time during their development. In fact, their risk for developing depression is as much as 3 times greater than for other children. Symptoms of Depression Lets begin by reviewing what mental health professionals mean when they talk about depression. The important point to emphasize is that the clinical diagnosis of depression requires the presence of a collection of different symptoms - just because one is feeling down or depressed does not necessarily mean that the diagnosis of major depression would be appropriate. According to DSM-IV, the publication of the American Psychiatric Association that lists the official diagnostic criteria for all psychiatric disorders, the symptoms of major depression are as follows: * depressed mood most of the day nearly every day (in children and teens this can be irritable mood rather than depressed); * loss of interest or pleasure in all, or almost all, activities; * significant weight loss when not dieting or weight gain, or a decrease or increase in appetite * insomnia or hypersomnia (i.e. sleeping too much) nearly every day; * extreme restlessness or lethargy * fatigue or loss of energy nearly every day; * feelings of worthlessness or inappropriate guilt; * diminished ability to think or concentrate nearly every day; * recurrent thoughts of death and/or suicidal thoughts; For the diagnosis of depression to apply, 5 or more of the symptoms listed above need to be present during the same 2 week period (i.e. the symptoms must have persisted for at least 2 weeks), and at least one of the symptoms must be either 1) depressed mood (irritable mood in children can qualify) or 2) loss of interest or pleasure. In addition, it must be determined that the symptoms cause clinically significant distress or impairment, are not due to the direct physiological effects of a medication or general medical condition, and are not better accounted for by Bereavement (i.e. loss of a loved one.) As you can see, the important point is that true clinical depression is indicated by a collection of symptoms that persist for a sustained time period, and is clearly more involved that feeling "sad" or "blue" by itself. Let me also say a few words about depression in children. Research has shown that the core symptoms for depression in children and adolescents are the same as for adults. Certain symptoms appear to be more prominent at different ages, however. As already noted above, in children and teens the predominant mood may be extreme irritability rather than "depressed". In addition, somatic complaints and social withdrawal are especially common in children, and hypersomnia (i.e. sleeping too much) and psychomotor retardation (i.e. being extremely slow moving are less common). What does depression look like in a child? What, then, would a "typical" depressed child look like? Although there of course would be wide variations from child to child, such a child might seem to be extremely irritable and/or very sad, and this would represent a distinct change from their typical state. They might stop participating or getting excited about things they used to enjoy and display a distinct change in eating patterns. You would notice them as being less energetic, they might complain about being unable to sleep well, and they might start referring to themselves in critical and disparaging ways. It is also quite common for school grades to suffer as their concentration is impaired, as does their energy to devoted to any task. As noted above, this pattern of behavior would persist for at least several weeks, and would appear as a real change in how the child typically is. (It is also important to note, however, that some children can experience a chronic, somewhat less intense type of mood disorder that is called dysthymic disorder. In this disorder, there is a pervasive and ongoing pattern of depressed mood rather than a more distinct change from the child's typical way of appearing). Depression and Children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder/Attention Deficit Disorder As noted above, children with ADHD/ADD appear to be at increased risk for the development of depression. In addition, it is important to recognize that in some children, the symptoms of depression can be incorrectly diagnosed as reflecting ADHD/ADD. That is because diminished concentration, failing to complete tasks, and even agitated behavior that can resemble hyperactive symptoms can often be found in children who are depressed. It is thus quite important to be certain that depression has been ruled out as an explanation for the symptoms of ADHD/ADD a child may be displaying. Having said this, please remember that for many children, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder/Attention Deficit Disorder and depression can co-occur - i.e. be present at the same time. Thus, it is not always a matter of ruling out depression to diagnose ADHD/ADD, or ruling out ADHD/ADD and diagnosing depression. This is because in some situations both diagnoses would be appropriate and is one of the reasons why a careful evaluation by a trained child mental health professional can be so important to have done. Recent research has suggested that in children with ADHD/ADD who are depressed, the depression is not simply the result of demoralization that can result from the day to day struggles that having ADHD/ADD can cause. Instead, although such struggles may be an important risk factor that makes the development of depression in children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder/Attention Deficit Disorder more likely, depression in children with ADHD/ADD is often a distinct disorder and not merely "demoralization". The results of one recent study indicated that the strongest predictor of persistent major depression in children with ADHD/ADD was interpersonal difficulties (i.e. being unable to get along well with peers). In contrast, school difficulty and severity of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder/Attention Deficit Disorder symptoms were not associated with persistent major depression. In addition, the marked diminishment of ADHD/ADD symptoms did not necessarily predict a corresponding remission of depressive symptoms. In other words, the course of ADHD/ADD symptoms and the course of depressive symptoms in this sample of children appeared to be relatively distinct. Implications Depression in children can be effectively treated with psychological intervention. In fact, the evidence to support the efficacy of psychological interventions for depression in children and adolescents is currently more compelling than the evidence supporting the use of medication. The important point that can be taken from this study, I think, is that parents need to be sensitive to recognizing the symptoms of depression in their child, and not to simply assume that it is just another facet of their child's ADHD/ADD. In addition, if a child with ADHD/ADD does develop depression as well, treatments that target the depressive symptoms specifically need to be implemented. As this study shows, one should not assume that just addressing the difficulties caused by the Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder/Attention Deficit Disorder symptoms will also alleviate a child's depression. If you have concerns about depression in your child, a thorough evaluation by an experienced child mental health professional is strongly recommended. This can be a difficult diagnosis to correctly make in children, and you really want to be dealing with someone who has extensive experience in this area. "

[Edited on December 9, 2008 at 10:19 AM. Reason : h]

12/9/2008 10:18:55 AM

If you need a quick, informal evaluation, take a look at the criteria list for diagnosing ADD and ADHD. I match up with all nine criteria for ADD (inattention), but you only need 6 for a diagnosis.

http://borntoexplore.org/whatisadd.htm

Quote :

"There are two major types of ADD at this time (this aspect of ADD keeps evolving): ADD with hyperactivity (the traditional type of ADD) and ADD without hyperactivity ("inattentive" type). Here are the DSM IV diagnostic criteria in a condensed form: Inattention (must meet six of the following to a degree that is "maladaptive"): Often fails to give close attention to details or makes mistakes in schoolwork; difficulty sustaining attention in tasks; seems not to listen; fails to follow instructions or finish work; unorganized; difficulties with schoolwork or homework; loses things like school assignments, books, tools, etc.; easily distracted; forgetful about daily activities. ADD with Hyperactivity (must meet six of the following to a degree that is "maladaptive"): fidgety in a squirmy sense; doesn't stay seated; runs or climbs excessively (or feelings of restlessness in older children); difficulty playing quietly; often "on the go" or acts if "driven by a motor"; often talks excessively; blurts out answers to questions; difficulty waiting in lines or waiting turns; often interrupts or intrudes on others. For a longer version of the DSM IV criteria and quotes on related MBTI temperament traits, click here: http://borntoexplore.org/DSM.htm "

Quote :

"Can ADD be a precursor to depression?"

Not directly, but it can have that effect.

Before I took meds I would have tremendous mood swings. Sometimes I'd be overly positive/negative for honestly no apparent reason. My explanation for it is that it relates to "achieving potential." People with ADD actually have a lot of advantages over everyone else. They tend to handle last minute, volatile, and otherwise chaotic situations better than average. They tend to be very creative (over-active brain and all). They also have an ability to "go the extra mile" and hunker down to finish a difficult task under tough circumstances. The list goes on...

The problem is that having ADD makes it more difficult for you to fully utilize these strengths. It's like being a great programmer, but your computer is on the fritz. Yes you're capable of great work, but you're not regularly operating at full capacity (due to your computer/brain "acting up"). That can be very frustrating, or at least it was/is for me. One minute you're ready to conquer the world. The next minute you can't find your keys or remember what time you're supposed to pickup your brother from school. That's a pretty wide margin. Ironically, it's your percieved ability to be exceptional that makes mediocrity so depressing.

I hope that helps.

12/9/2008 12:26:32 PM

I am fairly certain I could be diagnosed with ADD but I've never bothered to check with a medical professional about it heh

12/9/2008 12:43:47 PM

Quote :

"You have to have a pretty good reason to get it. "

have you actually seen the number of college students with adderall prescriptions, particularly around exam time?

its like the exact opposite of what you said


its legal maryjane, i had a cabbage patch doll sign a note on some used toilet paper and i walked outta the doctors office with a prescription

seriously im sure uve had a more difficult time with elementary schools accepting your field trip permission slip



[Edited on December 9, 2008 at 12:48 PM. Reason : s]

12/9/2008 12:45:02 PM