Adderall (amphetamine mixed salts)

[SAS]

Adderall is a mix of amphetamine salts. It's prescribed primarily for ADD/ADHD, and very rarely for the treatment of treatment-resistant depression. Adderall is also used for narcolepsy.

More info:

• Drugs.com
• Wikipedia

User ratings/reviews:

• AskAPatient.com
• Drugs.com
• DailyStrength.org
• WebMD
• RXList.com
• Revolution Health

[SAS]

(Copied over from old review system)

Posted by Noca

Treatment Experience
Adderall XR is about as good as it gets folks for SA/depression/ADD treatment. One 30mg pill vanquishes my anxiety, turns me into an extrovert and makes me talkative beyond belief. I started using it 2 months ago and I still love every moment on it.

I've been crazy depressed and when this little pill gets in the way, it stops all suicidal thoughts and makes me feel alive again! It puts a smile on my face where one has not been seen in decades. I basically need this pill daily to stop my depression.

As for my ADD, it gives me superhuman concentration abilities and motivation from beyond. One pill makes me actually ENJOY working!

Only cons of this medication is that you need to take it when you wake up or you wont be able to sleep. Its effects also only last 12 hours and when they are gone, you revert back to Dr. Hyde.

This medication costs about $125 for a months worth of 30mgs XR. Its the best money you will ever spend. Talk about getting your life back geez!

[SAS]

(Copied over from old review system)

Posted by rocknroll714

Social Anxiety Background
I've had social anxiety disorder for several years and I've experimented with various medications and illicit substances for anxiolytic purposes. I don't like stimulants alone because they're so anxiogenic but in combination with say a benzodiazepine like klonopin or ativan they can't be beat.

Other Treatments
Benzodiazepines - klonopin, ativan, valium, xanax, serax, librium. All recommended in combination if anxiogenesis is too prominent. Other drugs like soma and the nonbenzodiazepines or barbituates or alcohol (not recommended) are capable of anxiolysis for this purpose as well. Other stimulants I found effective that I've tried include propylhexedrine, methamphetamine, and MDMA (ecstasy). I've also tried levmetamfetamine from vicks inhalers and caffeine and although they stimulate you and get you going quite a bit, they're ridiculously anxiogenic and they hardly pump the dopamine at all. I don't like them one bit. Combination with a benzodiazepine wouldn't be worth it if you ask me.

Treatment Experience
Adderall and related stimulants like methamphetamine and propylhexedrine make me feel wonderful, powerful, confident, and even arrogant and narcissistic. But best of all they do wonders at treating anxiety. At the same time they're lightly anxiogenic however due to their adrenergic action. Combinging stimulants with benzodiazepines is probably the most effective treatment for anxiety there is. You'll instantly become a badass (from my experience at least).

Unfortunately there are some problems however. Adderall is not a practical constant every day treatment. It'll make you crash when it wears off eventually if you follow a routine like that. There's also excessive stimulation, obvious jitteriness, paranoia, anxiogensis, increased sweating/perspiration, and tense muscles among other things. Oh yeah and you can easily come across as irritable, aggressive, egotistic, arrogant, and so forth as well. You'll become an ******* and a badass at the same time but with some effort you can probably control yourself.

[SAS]

(Copied over from old review system)

Posted by CrystalBear

Social Anxiety Background
I've had anxiety and depression since around middle school. I am now 18.

Other Treatments
I'm currently taking Lexapro and enjoying that. Gives me a boost without making me feel too different.

Treatment Experience
I was misdiagnosed with ADD with I was 11. (The symptoms are similar to anxiety)They put me on Adderall. This drug is a nightmare. You're pretty much on speed. Sure I got more work done; I got a B in a subject I'm terrible at! However I also couldn't sleep at night, lost 15 pounds from having no appetite, was freakily quiet, and terribly jittery. I was so young when I was taking this I didn't understand that it was the drug doing this to me. There is a reason people who don't have ADD take this drug. It is essentially like taking speed. I’m sure this medication can be useful from those actually with ADD, but please be very careful.

[SAS]

(Copied over from old review system)

Posted by kb_101

Social Anxiety Background
My social anxiety was formed from having PTSD.

Other Treatments
The drug I am currently on is Lexapro which I find amazing and an even better option for social anxiety. Thedownside is that it aggravates my RLS, causes low sex drive, and inhibits orgasm. But even with all that, its still worth it.

Treatment Experience
This is a great drug for social anxiety and an even better drug if you have A.D.D. It really gives me the motivation to do the things I need and am supposed to do. Without it, I will just sit there like a lump. The only downside for me is that the drug at low doses seemed to wear off, and I needed to increase the dose. After increasing the does for the 4th time I started to get a bit irritable, so I discontinued use.

[SAS]

(Copied over from old review system)

Posted by MissMay1977

Treatment Experience
I take 90 mg of the generic Adderall daily. It has helped my depression and it helps somewhat with my concentration

[oity]

As others have reported, adderall is an interesting drug, but it doesn't seem to be a very practical treatment for social anxiety. First off, tolerance to its pro-social effects builds rapidly, so it can really only be taken a few times a week. And even if you manage to avoid tolerance, its effectiveness seems to be incredibly transient--in my case, I will get about a two hour window of effectiveness, even if I haven't taken a pill in weeks. What's worse, the come down tends to heighten anxiety and make things even worse than they were before. Not too fun.

All that said, when adderall is actually working, it's fscking brilliant. For just a short span of time, it dramatically transforms me. I suddenly become supremely confident, totally comfortable and at ease, and best of all, genuinely enthusiastic about stuff. So enthusiastic, in fact, that if I think of something to say, I find myself desperately wanting to say it to somebody! This is great for an extremely introverted person--it demolishes apprehension, hesitation, and apathy. It also helps for a freakishly weird person like me to open up and unveil my real personality. Adderall doesn't ever completely eliminate my social anxiety, but at the height of its effectiveness it comes pretty darn close.

If it could work all the time, I'd easily give adderall 5 stars. But, since it can't come anywhere close to working all the time, I give it 2.

[Raptors]

Originally Posted by oity

As others have reported, adderall is an interesting drug, but it doesn't seem to be a very practical treatment for social anxiety. First off, tolerance to its pro-social effects builds rapidly, so it can really only be taken a few times a week. And even if you manage to avoid tolerance, its effectiveness seems to be incredibly transient--in my case, I will get about a two hour window of effectiveness, even if I haven't taken a pill in weeks. What's worse, the come down tends to heighten anxiety and make things even worse than they were before. Not too fun.

All that said, when adderall is actually working, it's fscking brilliant. For just a short span of time, it dramatically transforms me. I suddenly become supremely confident, totally comfortable and at ease, and best of all, genuinely enthusiastic about stuff. So enthusiastic, in fact, that if I think of something to say, I find myself desperately wanting to say it to somebody! This is great for an extremely introverted person--it demolishes apprehension, hesitation, and apathy. It also helps for a freakishly weird person like me to open up and unveil my real personality. Adderall doesn't ever completely eliminate my social anxiety, but at the height of its effectiveness it comes pretty darn close.

If it could work all the time, I'd easily give adderall 5 stars. But, since it can't come anywhere close to working all the time, I give it 2.

Are you taking the XR or the IR version? Also what dose?

[oity]

Originally Posted by Raptors

Are you taking the XR or the IR version? Also what dose?

XR, 20mg. I've also tried taking 40mg a couple of times, but it was only marginally better.

[CrystalBear]

This drug made me a total zombie when I was on it. Heads up, this one can make you weird.

[QUIRKED]

I was prescribed Adderall for Chronic fatigue and it made me even more manic than I already was, caused me to go into a downhill spiral that lead to a failed suicide attempt. Doc had me on a ridiculous 90mgs a day. This was back when I trusted doctors and trusted in Meds, I went cold turkey off the stuff & haven't touched it since. It's an upper and not a logical choice for someone with any sort of anxiety in my personal opinion.

[idk1]

Originally Posted by Thomas Paine

^ That's great! That's how I'm feeling from Provigil + Celexa right now. I didn't even sleep last night and I feel better then I have in years. The paranoia can get a tad bit tricky though. I wouldn't recommend anybody else staying up all night - I was just doing a self experiment to see how far I've improved on my panic disorder.

I actually didn't sleep all last night either! but that was because i was working on schoolwork and i had to get up really early...haha good luck on your "experiment," but stay safe, okay? make sure you're not alone all day if you can, just in case

[StoicNate]

I just got script for Adderall today and I feel good even at 5mg.
Like I can talk with people more comfortably and get stuff done at home.
I'll make sure my tolerance is low by taking a break off Adderall at least one day a week.

[MandyC]

SO effective, i went from not even being able to answer my front door to instantly being able to perform in front of a crowd of 500 upon taking the first dose. okay, yeah, i guess you could say i'm exaggerating a bit...in reality, it took 42 minutes for the adderall to kick in first...yes, seriously - then the SA was completely gone, and i got on stage with no problem. i used to fear performing/public speaking to the point where i'd rather face a firing squad. these days, it's no big deal at all...i can't even believe i just typed that - i suffered like hell with panic attacks my entire life before adderall.

but, there's always a downside - and here's mine: the depression it causes after a while of being on it...but i'd rather deal with depression than panic attacks. also, if i take a few days off it from time to time, the depression gets a lot better...but yeah, then the SA comes back with a vengeance...so i schedule that for when i have absolutely nothing i need to leave the house for.

i can only handle taking 10mgs at a time - either IR or XR - although XR is easier and has less of a comedown, i prefer IR because i can take several doses per day (i'm allowed up to 60mg per day, and i usually take half of that). the XR version works longer, but doesn't work long enough - and yet, if i take 2 XR doses in one day, i end up not sleeping at all.

[weebeastiebaby]

I have been taking Adderall XR 10 - 20 mg for the past year now. It seems to help my motivation and make me more interested in new people and opportunities. Although it is a good treatment for social anxiety, tolerance builds up fast and it seems like the medication lasts for an increasingly shorter period of time. Even though insomnia can be an issue it is important to get some sleep and not exceed your prescribed dosage. I have had some periods of extreme irrational anger because I took more Adderall in lieu of sleeping when I had finals. NOT a good idea!

[first sight]

Originally Posted by QUIRKED

I was prescribed Adderall for Chronic fatigue and it made me even more manic than I already was, caused me to go into a downhill spiral that lead to a failed suicide attempt. Doc had me on a ridiculous 90mgs a day. This was back when I trusted doctors and trusted in Meds, I went cold turkey off the stuff & haven't touched it since. It's an upper and not a logical choice for someone with any sort of anxiety in my personal opinion.

I totally agree! I've definitely thought that Adderall ruined my life and made my anxiety surface at first. The first 6 months were great-I lost weight, felt awesome every time I took it, and then out of no where it was just a downward spiral. I didn't go off it cold turkey, but during the period where I was taking it less and less I found that I could barely stay awake.

[Joegoog23]

Without Adderall, I wouldn't have the interest or ability to get myself out of bed. My only problem is that I will sometimes take my second daily pill too late in the day then i'm up most of the night but not worried about it because I know I can take one in the morning. NOT a good cycle to get into.

[behindblueeyes]

It lowers my social anxiety, but I often find a loss of desire to socialize anyway, content to be by myself. Irritability is a big side effect on this for me. If I'm productive and keeping myself busy I am fine, but if I am sitting around bored, I can get very irritable. This medication can bring out anxiety because of the physical effects too (anxiety manifests itself to me when I'm bored).

I'm kind of divided on this medication. For my job, which is physical and requires multitasking, this med is great. For sitting in a classroom listening to a boring lecture or sitting at home bored, not so great. Just restless energy.

At first, it will kill appetite. This tends to wax and wane later on but sometimes I could go a whole day without eating if I wanted to. Some days after taking it I would get hungry though (if I took it for days without breaks usually).

So I take it for work purposes and try to limit it to that.

[ruxul]

Just curious, but those who have taken adderall and ritalin, what was the main difference between the two (like specifics)? Ive heard adderall is way better but havent heard exactly why. I take ritalin every once in awhile and it makes me really focused on whatever it is thats going on and makes me feel like facing my problems and fixing my life, but that only seems to last for maybe 3-4 hours before I start to feel tired...

[crayzyMed]

Ritalin doesnt work well for my sa while amphetamine abolishes it.