ADHD Meds anyone?

Anyone else take ADHD meds? I have been on Adderall for 6 years. I find it very helpful, but sometimes I wonder if it is cheating somehow. Are all mind or mood altering substances bad? Also on occasion, like today, I feel irritated as heck by the smallest things. But that could also just be life and work in general.

I’m not currently, but have been on Ritalin in the past, off and on. If it’s taken as prescribed by the person it’s prescribed for, correcting a real deficit, I don’t see any problem with it.

The “cheating” thought is something I’ve wrestled with a fair amount over the years. Since it’s highly controversial, I’m hesitant to get into it with any depth, but my personal position is that if it’s used to correct an abnormally low functioning, the purpose is to level the playing field, not cheating. The assessment of functioning, and safety of the treatment, is a decision for the professionals and not for me.

I don’t think ADHD meds are bad, nor good. Not inherently. It’s a tradeoff to make, which involves consideration of your particular situation. Weighing the considerations of health impact, dependency risk, side effects, cost, abuse potential, against the need for help in functioning at appropriate levels.

Irritability and anxiety are very common side effects, so that could be associated with the Adderall or it could be from other sources in your life. Hard to say. There are newer meds for ADHD that don’t use the same stimulant mechanism as Adderall, Dexedrine, Ritalin, etc. that may have better side effect profiles for some people, but they can be expensive and are less studied.

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Well if you stop taking adderall it will cause similar wds as meth. Thats all it is. Is a synthetic form of methamphetamine. I personally have adhd and it made my anxiety worse and i couldnt stay at task and finish. All drugs affect people differently if you find yourself increasing doses i would find that as a problem. Its all about if your life is manageable with the substance use or better without?

I would think of it no differently then a physical illness. If a medication is prescribed and taken at correct doses to treat an illness or symptoms then it is medical care. As the med does have the potential for abuse and if you have a history of drug abuse you should work closely with the prescriber to prevent unnecessary use or abuse.

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I actually take less than prescribed. I do think that if I am overly tired, hungry, or stressed, I am more likely to get snappy when I take it.

Yup also ritalin user (not abuser…anymore…did that in the beginning) but even forget to take them a lot and doesnt effect me…only when i was drinking and ritalin…that was trouble cuz it wad awesome…for a few hours but the day after HELL!!

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