Adderall and benzos - the choice of our generations. How is it that so many doctors blithely prescribe mind-altering drugs with no oversight at all, and simply take patients' word for it that they are fine? And all this insistence that these drugs shouldn't be so hard to get off - they're not addictive, no, not at all! That's no kind of medical care.
29
i got through 10 years of university - undergrad and graduate studies - and never once took a performance or concentration enhancing drug. i got my PhD through persistence, even though it was hard. i see people who take these drugs unnecessarily as cheaters. how is it fair that athletes get in trouble and banned for using enhancers but students don't?
37
Please, please, please do NOT flush pills down the toilet. Do you realize what that does to our environment? Thank you
48
Adderal is more often given to boys than girls to slow them down. Some people just can't accept that Boys are just more rambunctious.
I was one of them with some differences that in those days would have confused schools and doctors. I was constantly called out for not paying attention. That's because I was 10-15 chapters ahead. Is there anything more boring that some one reading without feeling and inflection of the voice? I was class clown. Very entertaining for the students disruptive for the teachers. I was a fighter, mean enough to merit all but two weeks of expulsion in the fifth grade. And yet moved into the sixth when parents complained about a 10 year old prohibited from any school at all.
My best times were my trips to the Washington Irving Library. There I read what I wanted at my own pace.
This was in the 1950s. Today I'd be on some drug. What was never recognized is that I was bored.
We're a sad society today. We've been taught to believe that there is a pill for every condition we dislike in others and ourselves.
It can get worse. In Germany teachers nominate children for drug therapy and Psychologists analyze children they've never seen and prescribe Adderall and other drugs. If you are a parent who refuses to dope your child the state can order you to. They even take children away from such "abusive" parents and take over the medicating.
The Brave New World is here. It came in a pill.
I was one of them with some differences that in those days would have confused schools and doctors. I was constantly called out for not paying attention. That's because I was 10-15 chapters ahead. Is there anything more boring that some one reading without feeling and inflection of the voice? I was class clown. Very entertaining for the students disruptive for the teachers. I was a fighter, mean enough to merit all but two weeks of expulsion in the fifth grade. And yet moved into the sixth when parents complained about a 10 year old prohibited from any school at all.
My best times were my trips to the Washington Irving Library. There I read what I wanted at my own pace.
This was in the 1950s. Today I'd be on some drug. What was never recognized is that I was bored.
We're a sad society today. We've been taught to believe that there is a pill for every condition we dislike in others and ourselves.
It can get worse. In Germany teachers nominate children for drug therapy and Psychologists analyze children they've never seen and prescribe Adderall and other drugs. If you are a parent who refuses to dope your child the state can order you to. They even take children away from such "abusive" parents and take over the medicating.
The Brave New World is here. It came in a pill.
30
This is clearly someone with an a addiction problem not ADD. People who actually have ADD understand the serious impact it can have on some ones life. Work, friendships, and marriage are all a struggle with a learning disability. As someone with adult ADD I take umbrage with the writers condescending tone. It's unhelpful and inaccurate in terms of the real issues facing those with ADD. Stimulants have never worked for me, and I hope people can see past the narrow point of view of an addict who clearly does not have ADD.
98
To all the indignant people who have / have loved ones with ADHD: It didn't do anything to my view of prescribed use. That's not what this article is about. Please at least acknowledge that you understand that point, if you complain or criticize this. If anyone uses this experience an an excuse to view your treatment through a stigma, they already viewed things that way, didn't they. They don't care.
This article is about particularly college students and young adults who find it way too easy to get on this stuff, with or without a prescription, and way too hard to get off. It's a warning, and one that, according to some comments, has got through to a few young people.
The talking points it raises are academic pressures, temptations, and bad decisions, especially of young people, easy addiction, the the failings of the medical system, etc - not whether or not ADHD exist and if it should be treated with medication.
(I'd say parenting should be in there, seeing as these kids are proving their pre-frontal cortex is not yet developed.)
The author is a bit glib about it, but that might be irony. Or a defensive shield. It would be understandable.
This article is about particularly college students and young adults who find it way too easy to get on this stuff, with or without a prescription, and way too hard to get off. It's a warning, and one that, according to some comments, has got through to a few young people.
The talking points it raises are academic pressures, temptations, and bad decisions, especially of young people, easy addiction, the the failings of the medical system, etc - not whether or not ADHD exist and if it should be treated with medication.
(I'd say parenting should be in there, seeing as these kids are proving their pre-frontal cortex is not yet developed.)
The author is a bit glib about it, but that might be irony. Or a defensive shield. It would be understandable.
21
The growing problem of Adderall abuse is a significant story that needs to be shared. The side-effect of this issue causes a backlash for those who legitimately require the medication. It's demoralizing enough to think that you depend on a medication just to function like everyone else. That you might be as the author quotes a "lower-performer." We are stigmatized as possible "drug abusers." This leads to increasing regulation, creating greater barriers and raising costs for those who need it most. Every month I need to make a trip to the doctor's office to pick up my prescription. Every 3-4 months I'm required to make an office visit. The author even questions the need of Adderall in general. As someone who was diagnosed with ADHD in their late 30s, I can't describe how much I've benefited, now able to focus and perform the daily tasks I've struggled to accomplish prior to my medication.
58
Stunningly true. Paralyzingly true. Frighteningly true. Flinchingly true. (Hopefully true?) And I've never taken an amphetamine in my life. Yet, It's as clear as anything and conjures the memory of that day in January 2005. The day during a blocking rehearsal when I fell. Nine months before my 30th birthday. The day my doctor, kindly and sincerely trying to help me get through the back pain such that I wouldn't be forced to quit the show, handed me a piece of paper with words that would terrify, thrill, and drive me for over a decade (at least): "oxycodone/acetaminophen 5/325"...a most wonderful/horrifying, thrilling/ruinous, sorry/grateful visitor/dragon named Percocet moved in. The day the glass-half-empty me turned into a glass-half-full me for a couple precious hours each day.
Substitute "Percocet/Lortab/OxyContin/Suboxone (current)" for Adderall and Casey is telling my story. Except, I'm now 41 and I don't get to write, "...in the end" (yet) and my fear that I never will is nearly too much to bear ... every hour. So, I pray to any energy, person, God, sage, universe, Jesus, Buddha, Allah, Einstein, Satan, ANYONE, that I can live a life without opiates, and more importantly, that my ability to experience/feel joy (my destroyed receptors) will please, please, please, please be returned to my brain. Thank you Casey Schwartz. For after reading your words, I feel a tiny hopeful glimmer (of course, I did just take my suboxone).
I'm desperate for the last paragraph.
Substitute "Percocet/Lortab/OxyContin/Suboxone (current)" for Adderall and Casey is telling my story. Except, I'm now 41 and I don't get to write, "...in the end" (yet) and my fear that I never will is nearly too much to bear ... every hour. So, I pray to any energy, person, God, sage, universe, Jesus, Buddha, Allah, Einstein, Satan, ANYONE, that I can live a life without opiates, and more importantly, that my ability to experience/feel joy (my destroyed receptors) will please, please, please, please be returned to my brain. Thank you Casey Schwartz. For after reading your words, I feel a tiny hopeful glimmer (of course, I did just take my suboxone).
I'm desperate for the last paragraph.
44
What happened to the author is truly awful. I think one thing glossed over in the piece, however, is how the author's early experiences with the drug set unhealthy precedents that had ballooning effects on her continued use—buying black market, paying little attention to dosage, a motivation rooted in mentally taxing stress—things which the drug cannot be blamed for, and which are worth examining separately rather than conflating them with a purported disposition for addiction in either adderall or the patients taking it. It is also worth examining how the combination of those early factors could be especially influential in the development of a dependency. Adderall improves the quality of life of millions of people who really do have ADHD, and the factors that helped lead to her addiction—the out-of-control pressures of modern academia with added pressure from an increasingly competitive job market, the failure of the American health care system and pharmaceutical industry to provide a more open, patient-inclusive dialogue around adderall and similar abuseable (though completely legitimate) drugs—are also making it difficult for those people to receive care.
33
While I understand Adderall might have legitimate uses, it seems widely over prescribed when compared to other developed and developing countries, and suspiciously convenient for our hyper-competitive, extremely fast-paced society. I wonder if, instead of a quick fix, we shouldn't be attempting to teaching children natural and longer-lasting tools for focusing and concentration like meditation and meditation?
9
Having recently read ADHD Nation by Adam Schwarz, and after having now read this article, I feel as if there is an elephant in the room that should be talked about every time the subject of addiction comes up: The dealers. With respect to amphetamine, nicotine, and opiates in particular, these dealers are big corporations, perfectly legal, making billions and spending a good portion of that telling us this stuff is good for us and we should buy more of it. I am a grandmother and a retired school teacher. It sickens me that we as a nation are helpless to protect our youth (and their future customers) from these predators.
10
Amazing. That last paragraph brings to mind my favorite scene in the movie Equilibrium. The moment when John Preston is in a room on his first day off the drug and accidentally bumps into an old gramophone, causing Beethoven's Symphony 9 to play.
2
Perhaps their is a link between a genetic tendency for addiction and attention or anxiety disorders, if so, it suggests that a complete assessment using the methods of differential diagnoses must be done before any prescription is written. It is far too easy for a General Practicioner to prescribe psychoactive drugs based on parent and teacher complaints and completed surveys by them.
10
There is a huge difference between drug abuse and the medically supervised use of a prescription medication to treat a diagnosed disorder. Conflating the two does a disservice to those who have a real need for it. The lives of many with ADD is immeasurably improved by the use of Adderal or other appropriate medications.
38
I was diagnosed with ADD when I was 16 years old, and took (prescribed!) adderall for one day. During that day, I felt high, and that night as the drug wore off, I felt suicidal. I never took the medicine again. It took weeks for me to readjust to the coping mechanisms that I had developed during the first 16 years of my life to deal with my ADD. People who suggest drug use as natural are ignoring what bodies do when they don't have those drugs. The best treatment for even the worst cases of ADD, even among young children, are lifestyle changes. Are they as easy? Certainly not. Yet they pay off in the long run.
19
Thank you for this compassionate and intelligent article. Becoming addicted to Adderal, meth, gambling, Facebook slots, cocaine or any other drug/behavior that jacks up the dopamine system is not a matter of morals or will-power. It is a matter of becoming enslaved to immutable processes in the nervous system - and that physical reality explains why the only way out is through, the withdrawal process is brutal and the addict has to recover a day at a time. If you doubt that gambling is cousin to amphetamines and cocaine, check out my book: She Bets Her Life.
2
ADD is under-diagnosed in women. I'd tried anti-depressants across the spectrum but I was diagnosed with ADD a few years ago - skeptically to me, at first - and started taking Adderall, and it changed my life.
I do hate the side effects (the weight loss is nice; the irritability is awful - also often worse in women, accentuated by being hungry and not realizing it). BUT, when I don't take it, I genuinely have a hard time focusing and being productive at all.
While I have started not taking it on weekends, I am comforted to hear what someone who has *not* received the diagnosis experiences.
But it's not a fun medicine. I wouldn't prefer to not take it. The idea that she was taking it by choice is frustrating in that it can detract from those of us who genuinely need it to focus.
Alternately, she might also want to see a doctor to test her low energy levels. Thyroid disease, vitamin D deficiencies, and even Lyme can lurk as undiagnosed drivers of low energy.
Condolences to her experiences. But also condolences to those of us who do need it. The abuse of Adderall makes it so difficult for those of us who do need it to actually get it from pharmacies who are trying to honor regulatory requirements.
I do hate the side effects (the weight loss is nice; the irritability is awful - also often worse in women, accentuated by being hungry and not realizing it). BUT, when I don't take it, I genuinely have a hard time focusing and being productive at all.
While I have started not taking it on weekends, I am comforted to hear what someone who has *not* received the diagnosis experiences.
But it's not a fun medicine. I wouldn't prefer to not take it. The idea that she was taking it by choice is frustrating in that it can detract from those of us who genuinely need it to focus.
Alternately, she might also want to see a doctor to test her low energy levels. Thyroid disease, vitamin D deficiencies, and even Lyme can lurk as undiagnosed drivers of low energy.
Condolences to her experiences. But also condolences to those of us who do need it. The abuse of Adderall makes it so difficult for those of us who do need it to actually get it from pharmacies who are trying to honor regulatory requirements.
48
As a law professor who lost my eldest son at age 19 to a meth overdose, I've been keenly interested for several years in how laws might help reduce drug addiction and related deaths. One interesting concept that many states have been experimenting with involves the creation and sharing with other states of drug prescriptions through registries to flag problem situations. But as with other well-intentioned attempts to solve complex problems, the supposed success of the drug registries is questionable. They have tended to push addicted users into heroin and illicit sources of controlled substances. Although law reforms can help, their unintended side-effects can also hurt. Complex problems like these require very sophisticated responses that raw law is not especially well-equipped to perform.
16
I've been trying to understand WHY there is the need for speed for quite some time. It is the counterbalance to another popular movement, that of meditation and mindfulness. Both of these worlds exist in parallel universes.
Productivity is in the fabric of America. The race to invent the next novel device. DISRUPT! How can we do that unless we're always awake and producing and always thinking and talking to ourselves and reading our texts messages and emails and articles and books and newspapers and Facebook and Twitter and Instagram and Snapchatting? How can we win if we stop to breath?
The cultivation of not focusing begins early ... at birth.... when toddlers sit in front of a screen that changes focus every few seconds. See Spot Run... now see a tall building, a couch, brush your teeth, this is the letter R....
Can't we just see Spot run for a few more minutes?
Productivity is in the fabric of America. The race to invent the next novel device. DISRUPT! How can we do that unless we're always awake and producing and always thinking and talking to ourselves and reading our texts messages and emails and articles and books and newspapers and Facebook and Twitter and Instagram and Snapchatting? How can we win if we stop to breath?
The cultivation of not focusing begins early ... at birth.... when toddlers sit in front of a screen that changes focus every few seconds. See Spot Run... now see a tall building, a couch, brush your teeth, this is the letter R....
Can't we just see Spot run for a few more minutes?
9
The author makes much of withdrawal fear as contributing to her addiction. If the dread of withdrawal had been reduced maybe she could have gotten free of her demons much sooner.
Opioid addicts (who are initially prescribed pain killers, then progress to dependency much like Ms Schwartz) are finding very low doses (less than 1/10 of a milligram) daily of Naltrexone (an absolutely nonaddictive generic drug used to directly treat opiate/alcohol addiction, though at much higher doses 50 - 300 mg) to be extremely effective at eliminating the physical aspects of drug withdrawal.
See for:
http://www.forumdiaspora.com/forumdisplay.php?fid=10
for the experiences of an opioid addict with Ntx.
Opioid addicts (who are initially prescribed pain killers, then progress to dependency much like Ms Schwartz) are finding very low doses (less than 1/10 of a milligram) daily of Naltrexone (an absolutely nonaddictive generic drug used to directly treat opiate/alcohol addiction, though at much higher doses 50 - 300 mg) to be extremely effective at eliminating the physical aspects of drug withdrawal.
See for:
http://www.forumdiaspora.com/forumdisplay.php?fid=10
for the experiences of an opioid addict with Ntx.
4
My conclusion from reading the comments is that many NYT readers are overachievers sustained by Adderall or helicopter moms who want their normal but intellectually average child to ge into the Ivy League.
13
life's about balance. You need to know yourself and be mindful of your behavior. be disciplined and stay safe and don't look to party on it and use it wisely and I think one should be fine.
2
The title is misleading, but I guess "My Ivy League Adderall Experience" wouldn't be as compelling.
16
People are suffering cognitive dissonance and ego-centrism if they believe this personal manifesto is to denounce Adderall or any ADHD medicine as a whole. Do not fall into the false dichotomy trap. Just because the author is criticizing certain aspect of Adderall, doesn't make her anti-adderall.
The point of this article is simple. Adderall is simply way oversubscribed and way too easy to get for students without proper, meticulous diagnosis. Too many students rely on Adderall on false beliefs that they are some sort of magical study med.
Are there students who truly benefit from Adderall? Of course! The author never said otherwise. There are thousands of articles that show how much benefit Adderall gives to kids with ADHD. And because of that the public perception of ADHD med is too innocuous, oblivious to its side effects.
This society needs article like this. The students and parents need to understand these meds aren't for all students and aren't innocuous as they believe.
The point of this article is simple. Adderall is simply way oversubscribed and way too easy to get for students without proper, meticulous diagnosis. Too many students rely on Adderall on false beliefs that they are some sort of magical study med.
Are there students who truly benefit from Adderall? Of course! The author never said otherwise. There are thousands of articles that show how much benefit Adderall gives to kids with ADHD. And because of that the public perception of ADHD med is too innocuous, oblivious to its side effects.
This society needs article like this. The students and parents need to understand these meds aren't for all students and aren't innocuous as they believe.
8
A friend in a doctor's practice told me how patients on Adderall lose tons of weight. As a 30-something female with a few extra pounds, this was appealing. I faked the symptoms (easily found online), had my "parents" fill out an inventory and slogged through a couple of visits (aimed for a psychiatrist close to a college as I thought they'd be more open to it). Left with my scrip after the 3rd visit. Took a couple more visits to get him to ramp it up a bit, and now just maintain. Lost 30 pounds and have done nothing else to maintain that loss for years. It's wonderful to be a size 4 in a size 14 world with no effort. The "side effects" are good, too: hyper-focused on my work, time slides by when working like nothing, and I'm more outgoing on adderall, which helps my career too. The bad effects? Aggression Etc? Not seen them. Happily married, well adjusted kids, so I don't THINK I'm some kind of monster and just not noticing it... It does mess with sleep if I take it too late though. When I hear people talk about abusing it for FUN, I wonder what's so fun about cleaning out your file drawer or successfully finishing reading a really boring report? This is not a "fun" drug.
18
As a licensed counselor, teacher, and parent I regard the doping of students with Adderall and Ritalin as child abuse which has lifelong negative effects, including drug addiction. Most of the people I know who have had the misfortune of being diagnosed ADD and ADHD are highly-intelligent and creative, not designed to sit quietly in orderly rows and march lock-step to an authoritarian drummer. Had Einstein, Edison, Churchill, Picasso, O'Keeffe been doped up with these drugs, their brilliant light would never have shone.
10
This story is very poignant but one thing I notice is, although addiction is discussed and addiction specialists are quoted, I'm not sure the writer fully understands that her addiction is like all others. Substitute the word Adderall for alcohol, oxy, meth, heroin, gambling, etc. and the story could be identical.
I am glad the writer was able to kick her addiction by any means possible but I hope she also considers a twelve step program to help her form a community of people that truly understand what she has been through.
Like all addicts, including myself, I hear her classify her addiction as a "special circumstance" but like all addicts, she lives her sobriety one day at a time and that community may help her avoid falling into the trap of simply exchanging one addiction for another down the road like I did.
I thank her for reminding me what it was like to live in the grips of addiction. These reminders have helped me stay sober for 10,888 days.
I wish her and everyone struggling with addiction peace.
I am glad the writer was able to kick her addiction by any means possible but I hope she also considers a twelve step program to help her form a community of people that truly understand what she has been through.
Like all addicts, including myself, I hear her classify her addiction as a "special circumstance" but like all addicts, she lives her sobriety one day at a time and that community may help her avoid falling into the trap of simply exchanging one addiction for another down the road like I did.
I thank her for reminding me what it was like to live in the grips of addiction. These reminders have helped me stay sober for 10,888 days.
I wish her and everyone struggling with addiction peace.
11
Fantastic article.
I feel that this article could stand for anything in our lives that becomes an addiction or compulsion - be it consumption of pornographic material, food, alcohol, or anything else (politics) that holds an outsized role in our lives - that's a personal decision to make. (I prefer to use the word compulsion since the idea of addiction is controversial and can distract from the basic fact that something may a problem without being clinically addicted to it.)
I found her explanation of the psychological challenges in addition to the physical ones to be very valuable.
She shudders to think of the amount of time she gave to Adderall. Very important point that applies to many others "gods" that we give our lives to.
Maybe my favorite point from the article: “No one means to get addicted. But there’s such a casual use of something like Adderall nowadays — because it’s seen as benign, or a help to becoming more productive. And in our culture, to be productive is kind of everything. There’s a tremendous pressure not just to do well but to excel.”
I feel that this article could stand for anything in our lives that becomes an addiction or compulsion - be it consumption of pornographic material, food, alcohol, or anything else (politics) that holds an outsized role in our lives - that's a personal decision to make. (I prefer to use the word compulsion since the idea of addiction is controversial and can distract from the basic fact that something may a problem without being clinically addicted to it.)
I found her explanation of the psychological challenges in addition to the physical ones to be very valuable.
She shudders to think of the amount of time she gave to Adderall. Very important point that applies to many others "gods" that we give our lives to.
Maybe my favorite point from the article: “No one means to get addicted. But there’s such a casual use of something like Adderall nowadays — because it’s seen as benign, or a help to becoming more productive. And in our culture, to be productive is kind of everything. There’s a tremendous pressure not just to do well but to excel.”
5
I appreciate the perspective of the writer and the discussion. Her experience seems to be not atypical. I am very curious about the difference in experience/addiction potential in those who are diagnosed vs those who take Aderall as a way to manage and compete in a high-stress educational environment. Further complicating the issue is the spectrum of the disorder. In other words, if one has ADHD but is on the low end of the spectrum, is the risk for ramping up meds and serious addiction more likely?
1
Many of the criticisms of this piece seem to miss an underlying point: the illness of American ambition, and the idea that we should all live up to some cookie-cutter norm. My mother & brother are ADHD, and I had a foster child with ADHD. My mother has always been a highly functioning creative person without drugs. She can't do math and a bunch of other things, but so what? My brother took Ridilin for a year or two during grade school, and it may have helped him to have stayed on it because he did poorly in school and didn't go to college. But without a doubt, the diagnosis itself did more damage to his self-esteem than anything else. He is also now a highly functioning person running a business who can't spell or do math. My foster child was clearly someone who couldn't function without drugs. She could not even focus long enough to get her clothes on in the morning.
The thing I find disturbing is how frequently and easily these diagnoses are handed out with a pill. The whole idea that we should take a pill to help us reach some kind of ideal sickens me. Learn the enneagram and note how certain personality types are inherently ADD-ish. We weren't created to be exactly the same, or to learn in exactly the same ways; and being successful in American terms does not mean anything about what kind of human being you are (see Trump).
There are far more safe and effective ways of treating our ills holistically, and through non-neurotic parenting.
The thing I find disturbing is how frequently and easily these diagnoses are handed out with a pill. The whole idea that we should take a pill to help us reach some kind of ideal sickens me. Learn the enneagram and note how certain personality types are inherently ADD-ish. We weren't created to be exactly the same, or to learn in exactly the same ways; and being successful in American terms does not mean anything about what kind of human being you are (see Trump).
There are far more safe and effective ways of treating our ills holistically, and through non-neurotic parenting.
3
My professional job is NOT to diagnose nor medicate. It is to Educate & Support parents & educators of children who have ADHD. This article scares me & infuriates me.
Here are my concerns:
• Casey used Adderall as a drug unsupervised & inappropriately. He was not using it properly as a Tool for the treatment of the real disorder - ADHD for which it is meant.
• Someone using the drug properly for ADHD would likely have had a Proper Diagnosis to find support for actual symptoms. Thus, they would have been going to a professional who would have /should have talked about Stimulants as PART of the treatment of ADHD. The full treatment would have included a genuine & honest discussion as to how the meds are being used, the impact of the meds to insure that the dose & usage was appropriate, & the full range of other tools used to treat ADHD - such as proper education about how ADHD impacts learning & behavior, the importance of structure & systems, the importance of balance, nutrition, exercise & sleep, & the support available thru Therapy & ADHD Coaching by trained professionals.
Please, I implore you - if you have ADHD, if you work as a professional in the field, or if you are a parent or teacher of someone with ADHD:
• Learn the facts about meds
• Learn how ADHD impacts learning & behavior (beyond the basics of hyperactivity, impulsivity &inattentiveness)
• Learn the proper treatment options available
Cindy Goldrich, Ed.M., ACAC
PTS Coaching
Here are my concerns:
• Casey used Adderall as a drug unsupervised & inappropriately. He was not using it properly as a Tool for the treatment of the real disorder - ADHD for which it is meant.
• Someone using the drug properly for ADHD would likely have had a Proper Diagnosis to find support for actual symptoms. Thus, they would have been going to a professional who would have /should have talked about Stimulants as PART of the treatment of ADHD. The full treatment would have included a genuine & honest discussion as to how the meds are being used, the impact of the meds to insure that the dose & usage was appropriate, & the full range of other tools used to treat ADHD - such as proper education about how ADHD impacts learning & behavior, the importance of structure & systems, the importance of balance, nutrition, exercise & sleep, & the support available thru Therapy & ADHD Coaching by trained professionals.
Please, I implore you - if you have ADHD, if you work as a professional in the field, or if you are a parent or teacher of someone with ADHD:
• Learn the facts about meds
• Learn how ADHD impacts learning & behavior (beyond the basics of hyperactivity, impulsivity &inattentiveness)
• Learn the proper treatment options available
Cindy Goldrich, Ed.M., ACAC
PTS Coaching
14
Just want to get the word out---DON'T FLUSH DRUGS DOWN THE TOILET. They are getting into our water supplies. Bring them to the police department or the drugstore and please keep them out of the water. Thank you!
8
This persons reflection can probably be attached to many other drugs other than Adderal. Having grown up in her generation, I've seen many people, including myself for a period of time, fall in to the addiction rut of "ADD" prescriptions. To me it's absolutely over prescribed and removes many people from doing what they love.. instead becoming business or Tech people, not arts endowed. Lastly it drives me nuts talking to people on their adderal high... very irritable and annoying. Simply walk away from it.
The story is an admirable admission from someone who, from what it sounds like, did not need adderall. The story focuses on adderall but is really applicable to any of the mind altering pills that are only gaining in popularity.
I was too poor to get these drugs as a kid. I was diagnosed much later after the recommendation of my then girlfriend (now wife) who noticed mannerisms which I was either unaware of or had felt they were simply preferences.
Adderall for someone who actually needs it can be a great tool. I didn't get the escape and dreamlike trance as described here. Rather, I was able to accomplish things quicker and without needing multiple things going on. I also drank much less coffee, which I found afterwards I was doing as a substitute for adderall. I also sleep fine provided I take it at a reasonable hour. I don't find a use for it unless I'm going to work or need to be productive. I'm quite happy without it on the weekends.
The question for me today is how to address the use of pills to my children. They will not be barred from it as I was because I can afford it and am a firm believer that it can work. However, I have known friends who became dependent upon depressants and switched to harder drugs once their doctors suspected abuse. I think it is possible to function without these drugs but anyone that lives with it is doing so with a clear disadvantage. As a parent it's hard to deny children an advantage - especially one that is well known.
I was too poor to get these drugs as a kid. I was diagnosed much later after the recommendation of my then girlfriend (now wife) who noticed mannerisms which I was either unaware of or had felt they were simply preferences.
Adderall for someone who actually needs it can be a great tool. I didn't get the escape and dreamlike trance as described here. Rather, I was able to accomplish things quicker and without needing multiple things going on. I also drank much less coffee, which I found afterwards I was doing as a substitute for adderall. I also sleep fine provided I take it at a reasonable hour. I don't find a use for it unless I'm going to work or need to be productive. I'm quite happy without it on the weekends.
The question for me today is how to address the use of pills to my children. They will not be barred from it as I was because I can afford it and am a firm believer that it can work. However, I have known friends who became dependent upon depressants and switched to harder drugs once their doctors suspected abuse. I think it is possible to function without these drugs but anyone that lives with it is doing so with a clear disadvantage. As a parent it's hard to deny children an advantage - especially one that is well known.
7
What people seem to forget that whether or not the RX is "legitimate," the drug is still the same. I don't understand how people can rail against an addict and a specific drug, but expect to sail through the pharmacy line for that exact same drug just because they hold a prescription in their hand. LSD used to be prescribed as a psychotropic years ago. Yet, it is an addictive (now illegal) drug. What changed? Certainly not the drug itself.
I was once prescribed Ritalin because a psychiatrist "decided" I had ADD. Turns out, that was a false diagnosis, but I paid dearly in side effects for nearly a year before that same doctor again "decided" that diagnosis did not fit me. I finally was properly diagnosed (those conditions are not psychiatric in nature, btw).
There are two sides to every coin.
I was once prescribed Ritalin because a psychiatrist "decided" I had ADD. Turns out, that was a false diagnosis, but I paid dearly in side effects for nearly a year before that same doctor again "decided" that diagnosis did not fit me. I finally was properly diagnosed (those conditions are not psychiatric in nature, btw).
There are two sides to every coin.
1
Modafinil has all the positives of Adderall without the addiction.
My experience with Adderall has been entirely different than the author reported. Adult ADD is real. And it has nothing to do with needing to cram for an exam or finish a thirty-page paper. If your reaction to the drug is that you were able to stay awake for hours and accomplish superhuman feats of productivity, you should not have been taking the drug. It's called contraindication. Unless you've suffered from the brain fog that accompanies Adult ADD, you can not possibly understand the benefit of taking this drug--under a doctor's care, by the way, and with a valid prescription. I agree with others who feel demonized as drug addicts because we take a controlled amount of Adderall per day. For those who used Adderall to grease their way through college or grad school, I suggest you acknowledge that you had problems long before you borrowed or stole your first Adderall capsule.
18
As someone who has struggled with addiction to Adderall (and all the accompanying fear and shame) I would like to thank you Casey for being so brave. Your words have deeply resonated with me and moved me. Please keep spreading your beautiful message, I think many others would benefit from it.
1
We have a long journey ahead of us as we learn to maximize our lives. Adderall is not the devil. Brain Science connected to well being needs to legalized and applied with far more user knowledge and a lot less door slamming because chemical intervention is not perfect.
Our fair writer was seemingly honest.
Do you wonder what kind of drug free hairdresser she might be today had she never found Adderall. Glad she can walk the earth with the education and intellect and absorbed knowledge.
When you write up the 1000s of lives that have never actualized because some parent turned a kid into a ballet or piano or swimming addict that wasted their potential fat more than this writer I will say "Fair Ball". All those hours reading and time alone could have and are spent by young people that never could throw a curve ball, write a song etc.
I have 47 year old friend that, that laughs and smiles and is generally a happy person. She is roiled with PTSD and is happy and functioning because some times an addiction is a brilliant therapy.
Let's talk about dead joggers, or deeply depressed high school QBs that wasted their addiction on healthy useless drug free despondency.
Oxy Contin, Ritalin, legalize educate or start making some of these life destroying false pursuits illegal.
Our fair writer was seemingly honest.
Do you wonder what kind of drug free hairdresser she might be today had she never found Adderall. Glad she can walk the earth with the education and intellect and absorbed knowledge.
When you write up the 1000s of lives that have never actualized because some parent turned a kid into a ballet or piano or swimming addict that wasted their potential fat more than this writer I will say "Fair Ball". All those hours reading and time alone could have and are spent by young people that never could throw a curve ball, write a song etc.
I have 47 year old friend that, that laughs and smiles and is generally a happy person. She is roiled with PTSD and is happy and functioning because some times an addiction is a brilliant therapy.
Let's talk about dead joggers, or deeply depressed high school QBs that wasted their addiction on healthy useless drug free despondency.
Oxy Contin, Ritalin, legalize educate or start making some of these life destroying false pursuits illegal.
2
The drug abusing author clearly never needed this medication. The folks I know who need it don't engage in the illegal drug-seeking behavior she describes. Instead, they have to be reminded they've missed a dose because, guess what? They HAVE ADD!
10
Remember when you were little and you first fell off your bicycle or scraped a knee? And you mother or father cleaned the wound, put on a band-aid with a smiley face and kissed it? Then you went on your way, back on the bike, feeling supported and no longer in pain? Then the next time you scraped a knee you knew what to do and how to handle this? That is called a coping skill. When one does not actively work on developing adaptive coping skills but instead externalizes their problems then they become impaired adults. Any responsible, competent, mental health professional will tell you that all ADHD medications are to be used not only as prescribed, but strictly for when you need it, like focusing in class or in the boardroom. Not at night, on weekends or during summer camp. They will also tell you to go to therapy or meet with others whom have similar symptoms to learn how to adapt without medication. The real problem is generational; before your generation people were encouraged to learn to adapt and develop coping skills. Now younger generations are encouraged to think that medication IS a coping skill. Now younger generations are encouraged to externalize their problems not learn to adapt. Perhaps the author's struggles as a student in an Ivy League university while being in the late stage of adolescence was really as simple as proof of Darwin's theory of Survival of the Fittest.
3
The demand for Adderall is further proof that concentration is going to be the IQ of the 21st century.
2
The comments are more valuable than the article.
14
I found it difficult to have compassion or care at any level for the author. You essentially took drugs to cheat your way through writing a paper that you likely waited till the last minute to start. After you decided you liked the high, you continued and did anything you could and justified this in anyway you could. You blame the system for providing a prescription with just one appointment when in fact, you cheated your way into making that happen. There are far bigger issues in the world than your choice to take Adderall so get over yourself.
10
I would lose my mind after two minutes of a beeping alarm clock, let alone two days. Adderall or no adderall, that rage fit was justified.
3
Thanks, NYTimes. I gave what I thought was a reasoned response, nothing I would call remotely offensive, and you chose not to run it-- because I suggested this it was a failing on your part to print this article, which I think is damaging to real attempts to deal with ADHD.
That is pathetic. You can't handle a little criticism? Ugh.
That is pathetic. You can't handle a little criticism? Ugh.
6
It's because of immature people like yourself that it's getting harder for those of us that really need it, to get it. Adderall has saved my life. I've been on it for three years now after suffering for over 20 years. I'm not breaking my violin out because your pathetic story saddens so many people. It is a prescription drug that you got illegally and abused. My psychiatrist has prescribed a small dosage for me, which I adhere to. It works, and I'll repeat, it has saved my life.
9
When I was a child I had a friend on Ritalin. His brother would steal pills and take them. Today his brother is drug addicted and on the streets. His family won't even talk to him because they fear him.
The author wrote a well written piece illustrating how difficult it can be to get out of an addition.
The author wrote a well written piece illustrating how difficult it can be to get out of an addition.
This is a stupid article, for the many reasons already noted by others. Shame on NYT. If you wanted to do an article about abuse of this drug by people who don't have ADD/ADHD that would have been fine.
4
I will tell you what long term looks like: My sister is on this crap. She has been for close to 20 years!!! Her teeth are rotten down to almost nothing. You can not have a conversation with her, Her mind is all over the place- not to mention having her look directly at you while speaking with her is impossible. She can not hold a job and simple task that would take a normal person 10 mins will take her 3 hours - she starts then stops- almost like walking in circles or getting distracted by something she sees- extremely frigidity. She goes to sleep some days at 6 or 7 in the morning. Her face is completely sunken in and grey. She does not eat anything (from the loss of appetite). At one point in her life she had many friends, now she is socially handicap and public places make her almost paranoid. She was born with a learning disability which is how she came to be subscribed adderall- and at almost 40 years old, enough is enough. With the hippa law, this can not be discussed with her doctor- I guess he either has to retire so then she will get another doctor who will clearly see that she do not need this medication, or she will die while use of this horrible medication! Its beyond sad. I feel that is has completely scrambled her brains.
3
Billboard at Lamar Blvd and W 30th 1/2 St for cold brew coffee: "Safer Than Adderall"
This was beautiful, thank you for sharing. Most especially moved by the most succinct description of the creative (and becoming sober) process:
You start one place, go through hell and wind up somewhere else, somewhere that surprises you.
You start one place, go through hell and wind up somewhere else, somewhere that surprises you.
PROCEED WITH CAUTION! My son was diagnosed with ADHD as an elementary aged child, and utilized various stimulants intermittently over his school years. As an early 20 something, living on his own, he asked to re-access mental health care for therapy. While doing therapy with a fabulous psychologist, he was referred to a prescribing psychiatrist for management of ADHD. He was restarted on stimulants. Over the course of 6 months or so, my son stimulants were increased to the maximum dosage allowed, which was nearly 3x the dose as before. Within one month, his level of anxiety was noticeably higher. Within 2 months, his weight had dropped precipitously. Within 5 months, he was suddenly floridly psychotic. His care was completely mismanaged by the prescribing physician, WHO CONTINUED THE STIMULANT, told my son "it wasn't helpful to discuss delusions", and never offered an anti psychotic to stem the flood of dopamine causing my son's psychosis. This has been a horrible experience, and my son was not abusing his prescription. Who needs to abuse it when a doctor is writing it for you every day? Please use the utmost caution with these drugs. The risks are many.
3
Quite a superb article.
Indeed, substitute the word 'Adderall' for 'Prozac, Paxil, Celexa etc and you will be able to see just how dangerous and mind-altering these drugs are for some people.
Meantime, the FDA and, in Britain, the MHRA, continue to give drugs like these a clean bill of health.
In recent communications with the MHRA I asked them to list the benefits of Prozac - they claim the 'benefits outweigh the risks'. To date, neither they or their European counterparts, the EMA, have been able to provide me with such a list.
Indeed, substitute the word 'Adderall' for 'Prozac, Paxil, Celexa etc and you will be able to see just how dangerous and mind-altering these drugs are for some people.
Meantime, the FDA and, in Britain, the MHRA, continue to give drugs like these a clean bill of health.
In recent communications with the MHRA I asked them to list the benefits of Prozac - they claim the 'benefits outweigh the risks'. To date, neither they or their European counterparts, the EMA, have been able to provide me with such a list.
How many of these click-bait Adderall/Ritalin/ADHD "articles" will the Times publish before we stop rewarding the editors with clicks and attention? This is a single-source essay better fit for a personal blog and not worth serious consideration. Given the repeated attention to this topic with nothing new to say, all we have done is reward the editors for this time-waster.
10
I've taken Adderall every day for ten years. Now 30, the author's story is almost a perfect reflection of my own (except I haven't bothered to try and quit). Now I'm finishing a PhD that I never even wanted, and wondering what happened to the spontaneous, fun-loving person I once was. I've given up all hobbies, I only work... It's all I can think about.
The medication worked well for about two years. Then at the age of 22, I smoked my first cigarette (and never looked back) , and upped the caffeine. I used to refer to my habits as the three "ines" of studying : caffeine, nicotine, amphetamine. I can see now that I have lost the perspective I once had. Now, relationships, leisure, eating, and sleeping are just inconveniences in the way of work.
I'd tell college students not to take it unless it's an emergency, and never get a prescription. It really does change your course in the long run.. And even if the world around you sees you as high achieving, all you can see is your failure. It dooms creativity, and leaves you high and dry in a place you don't belong.
The medication worked well for about two years. Then at the age of 22, I smoked my first cigarette (and never looked back) , and upped the caffeine. I used to refer to my habits as the three "ines" of studying : caffeine, nicotine, amphetamine. I can see now that I have lost the perspective I once had. Now, relationships, leisure, eating, and sleeping are just inconveniences in the way of work.
I'd tell college students not to take it unless it's an emergency, and never get a prescription. It really does change your course in the long run.. And even if the world around you sees you as high achieving, all you can see is your failure. It dooms creativity, and leaves you high and dry in a place you don't belong.
4
Simply a Beautiful Article.
According to this story, Adderall will get you through elite universities and ensure you a job doing what you want. It seems like a few weeks of withdrawal are worth it when you look at what you accomplished
2
She is using the times and her blog entry masquerading as legit journalism to oversell her book like she used Adderall to oversell herself. But for her white privilege, she would be in jail where she belongs.
7
For us overachievers, a little Samuel Beckett:
Ever tried.
Ever failed.
No matter.
Try again.
Fail again.
Fail better.
Just say "no" to trying to be perfect, to trying to do it all.
Ever tried.
Ever failed.
No matter.
Try again.
Fail again.
Fail better.
Just say "no" to trying to be perfect, to trying to do it all.
3
Read how Big Pharma has their hand in another addiction epidemic: opioid overdoses. https://soapboxie.com/social-issues/America-the-Home-of-the-Addicted-Opi...
Big Pharma strikes again. As if it wasn't enough that children as young as preschool age are placed on stimulants, Pharm decided to go after the young adult market as well, though well-placed physician "thought leaders" and front groups that purport concern over the "epidemic" of ADD/ADHD in teens and young adults.
2
Why isn't this article titled, "My addictive tendencies"? And oh, couldn't millions of alcoholics write articles like this titled, "Generation Alcohol"?
The writer purchased and abused a controlled medication without a prescription and without being under the supervision of a medical professional, which is illegal. Then later, in predictable addict form, she lies to get a prescription. I don't see how her story is any different than the stories of addicted people who abuse cough medicine and alcohol or Claritin D.
The article is painfully ironic because the first line of wisdom you learn in the ADHD community is that you are NOT supposed to feel a high off the medication and if you are, you're on too high a dose. People don’t want to feel high. They want to feel functional. Indeed most people who are prescribed the medication pull back from high doses specifically because such doses interfere with sleep or cause other intolerable side effects. And by the way, people with ADHD want to connect MORE with the world and with others, not isolate themselves.
In the ADHD community, it is widely understood that there is a huge behavior component to minimizing ADHD and that stimulants only help--they don't cure. If you or your child has ADHD, please don't take this article about drug abuse as any indicator of what getting treated for ADHD is all about ... any more than you would take a story about abusing Claritin-D as indicative of what allergy treatment is all about.
The writer purchased and abused a controlled medication without a prescription and without being under the supervision of a medical professional, which is illegal. Then later, in predictable addict form, she lies to get a prescription. I don't see how her story is any different than the stories of addicted people who abuse cough medicine and alcohol or Claritin D.
The article is painfully ironic because the first line of wisdom you learn in the ADHD community is that you are NOT supposed to feel a high off the medication and if you are, you're on too high a dose. People don’t want to feel high. They want to feel functional. Indeed most people who are prescribed the medication pull back from high doses specifically because such doses interfere with sleep or cause other intolerable side effects. And by the way, people with ADHD want to connect MORE with the world and with others, not isolate themselves.
In the ADHD community, it is widely understood that there is a huge behavior component to minimizing ADHD and that stimulants only help--they don't cure. If you or your child has ADHD, please don't take this article about drug abuse as any indicator of what getting treated for ADHD is all about ... any more than you would take a story about abusing Claritin-D as indicative of what allergy treatment is all about.
15
What an honest, thoughtful article. Thank you for writing it.
You should NEVER flush drugs down the toilet. It pollutes our water and marine life. Poor fish being drugged up.
Dispose with ground coffee or cat litter.
On this note, you should also never flush cat poo down toilet. Cat poo has toxoplasmosis. Again, bad for our water system.
Dispose with ground coffee or cat litter.
On this note, you should also never flush cat poo down toilet. Cat poo has toxoplasmosis. Again, bad for our water system.
4
Casey Schwartz. You hurt people with ADHD who need this medication. I really hate articles like this.
11
Congratulations for getting off of such a drug. I was diagnosed with ADD and was prescribed adderall as well. I do have a problem with focus and actually I'm not that bad at waitressing but I also have anxiety problems and that heart attack like moment scared me off the drug. I looked at the work I was doing on it and it really wasn't better than when I was off the drug. Also I'm not as aggressive or stressed which allows me to focus better anyway. Now that I know that adderall is basically meth I'm relieved that I'm free
Again good luck and keep up the good work!
Again good luck and keep up the good work!
1
I've been on stimulant meds for ADD since the early 90's. I've been on Adderall for the past 10 years. I'm 55 now. I read your story with interest. But I do wish you had written more about the process of weaning yourself from the drug. You don't say much more than you were finally able to do it with the help of "a brilliant psychiatrist". What did she do or say that was so helpful? I would love to think of a future where I didn't have to take stimulants just to get out of bed in the morning. But, as you point out, the fear of not being able to function at work and home is paramount.
2
The only difference between you and a meth addict is that you probably still have your teeth.
2
Thank you for sharing. My story is almost identical to yours. Adderal is far too often over prescribed and abused and I think this is an important perspective to understand.
1
Using a medicine, almost any medicine, off label can lead to problems.
And Martha Farah should have done her homework. Had she read the 1937 paper of Charles Bradley MD entitled THE BEHAVIOR OF CHILDREN RECEIVING BENZEDRINE, she would have seen how amphetamines helped "children under 12 years of age presenting neurological and behavior disorders " who were hospitalized. The medicine improved the children's school performance so much, that they called it "the arithmetic pill."
My oncologist friends claim that none of their cancer patients become addicted to morphine or other related opioid analgesics.
The problem with Ritalin is its misuse.
And Martha Farah should have done her homework. Had she read the 1937 paper of Charles Bradley MD entitled THE BEHAVIOR OF CHILDREN RECEIVING BENZEDRINE, she would have seen how amphetamines helped "children under 12 years of age presenting neurological and behavior disorders " who were hospitalized. The medicine improved the children's school performance so much, that they called it "the arithmetic pill."
My oncologist friends claim that none of their cancer patients become addicted to morphine or other related opioid analgesics.
The problem with Ritalin is its misuse.
2
Why isn't anyone talking about a culture of schooling that pushes students so hard that they will do anything to survive?
6
Why is the problem characterized as structural rather than character when the amphetamine addict is a well-educated person of privilege?
45
Those who are knowledgeable about such matters regard addiction as a disease regardless of demographics. Character failings virtually always ensue.
2
As someone trying to get into an elite graduate school program I have come very, very close to taking Adderall without a prescription. This article has helped me settle the matter and to stay away for good. Thank you.
31
I'm afraid the author has taken an unfortunately all too common path: blaming their addiction on society or some zeitgeist.
31
I took 15 mg Adderall per day by prescription for about 5 years. It seemed to help me, but after I lost my job, I decided I didn't want to have to go thru the hassle of getting prescriptions for Adderall, which has to be filled a month at a time. It was ridiculous how was made to feel almost like a criminal to get this medication. I weaned off of it and I am doing ok on other meds.
I wish all drugs were legally obtainable without prescriptions.
I wish all drugs were legally obtainable without prescriptions.
11
I once once diagnosed, mistakenly, with petit mal epileptic seizures. In fact, I had ADD. Adderall affected an almost miraculous change in my ability to attend to tasks and verbal direction. I don't think a self-confessed liar and doctor shopper has any business casting doubt on those of us who are tired of all the ADD jokes. This isn't journalism, it's an exercise in navel gazing.
47
As someone who actually has ADHD - which, by the way, is not a childhood-only condition (check out the long-term sequelae of childhood abuse and/or "complex PTSD" to understand why/how) - I am incredibly bothered by Casey Schwartz's piece. She engaged in illegal drug use under false pretenses, paid the price for her poor judgement, and now wants others to accept her perspective on the impact Adderall has on people's lives?
No thanks.
No thanks.
72
I am surprised how offended people are by this article and judgemental of the author. I think her writing is impeccable, and I look at her piece more as a personal reflection on her struggle with the drug versus a rebuke of its prescription use. Just because she is presumably white and rich and went to a nice college doesn't me her struggles shouldn't be shared with others and met with empathy. the part in the end about her crying when she saw the concert was really beautiful and touching. I hope she continues to keep up the hard work of fighting her addiction. Good for you, Casey!
42
Hits a little too close to home. Though without it, my mind is like a gold fish or a young dog in a forest. I always wondered what it would be like to take adderal w/o ADD. I've never had that positive euphoric affect described. For me, 40mg a day let's me think and work at the same level as my peers. Even on the drug its a constant mental battle to try a remember daily tasks. I feel useless w/o it. I feel like my own worst enemy.
24
I've taken adderal for over 16 years. I was diagnosed by multiple doctors when I was in high school after taking multiple tests and going through multiple sessions. I can say without doubt that adderal has saved my life. I have gotten thru grad school with an MBA and own a successful retail shop that has been open almost ten years. I am the type of person that should take adderal. This authors story is reflective of how most people approach the drug. They got it in college. They weren't diagnosed. They found an easy way to get thru boring things then felt guilty they took "drugs" to achieve and just like the athlete who is told steroids are cheating, this author feels taking adderal somehow makes the playing field uneven. It doesn't. If you take adderal every day your body gets acclimated. The side effects go away and you learn to live your life as it's needed. For the people who need it, it just makes us normal. We don't need authors like this adding to the social stigma of taking medication simply because she didn't take it as intended to begin with.
39
I am 68 and was diagnosed with ADD in my 30s. I have learned to love myself and appreciate who and what I am. I learned to do this after a period on Ritalin and what I am told was a very negative change in personality.
I am very good at very many things that so called normal people can't do. I am very poor at doing things that people as "smart" as I am should be able to do.
The USA is a perfect example of what happens when the people have to adjust to a society instead of solving the real problem of how the society can adjust to the needs of the people.
Americans need a break, they need to sit back and decide where they want to go. Americans have gone on to long without the required REM sleep and the mania is starting to take over.
I am very good at very many things that so called normal people can't do. I am very poor at doing things that people as "smart" as I am should be able to do.
The USA is a perfect example of what happens when the people have to adjust to a society instead of solving the real problem of how the society can adjust to the needs of the people.
Americans need a break, they need to sit back and decide where they want to go. Americans have gone on to long without the required REM sleep and the mania is starting to take over.
25
Incredible article. I have nearly the same experience, really rings true. Only thing I would add would be the losing the ability to appreciate good food really to eat at all when your real yacked up. You can develop robot mentality "must have food units to keep functioning " food loses its value as something of enjoyment
7
People like you are why myself (someone with no history of abuse) and so many others with ADHD are treated like criminals and are so often told "I'm not sure when or IF we'll be able to get this in," when I try to fill my valid prescription at a new pharmacy.
People like you are why I had to spend thousands of dollars to go through several rounds of tests and reports from multiple professionals to prove my ADHD was legitimate. If I had not, I wouldn't have been permitted to bring in my medication and given the other accommodations that the ADA provides for, due to my ADHD for the required entrance exam for my chosen profession. If I had been less financially fortunate I would have simply had no choice but to forgo the accommodations that the ADA is in place to assure, and hoped for the best.
People like you and stories like this, which do not show any of the benefits that ADHD medications can offer when properly administered, only add to the significant stigma that adults with ADHD suffer from. And to see that your only remorse is for the years YOU "lost" to Adderall and not the effects your actions have on those who have ADHD who need these medications to function at an optimal level is truly stunning. Maybe it is time for you to undergo some psychoanalysis.
People like you are why I had to spend thousands of dollars to go through several rounds of tests and reports from multiple professionals to prove my ADHD was legitimate. If I had not, I wouldn't have been permitted to bring in my medication and given the other accommodations that the ADA provides for, due to my ADHD for the required entrance exam for my chosen profession. If I had been less financially fortunate I would have simply had no choice but to forgo the accommodations that the ADA is in place to assure, and hoped for the best.
People like you and stories like this, which do not show any of the benefits that ADHD medications can offer when properly administered, only add to the significant stigma that adults with ADHD suffer from. And to see that your only remorse is for the years YOU "lost" to Adderall and not the effects your actions have on those who have ADHD who need these medications to function at an optimal level is truly stunning. Maybe it is time for you to undergo some psychoanalysis.
52
Why wouldn't you want to submit yourself to a battery of tests to ensure that the diagnosis you have, and therefore the proposed powerful, mind altering treatment, is accurate?
What you are upset about is perfectly valid. The same could certainly be said of narcotics which are invaluable in medical care but are destroying innumerable lives in the US. Unfortunately people react differently to virtually all medications. Medications with frequent severe side effects are withheld from the market. Antibiotics can cause life-threatening side effects, one reason prescribing should be cautious.
But it is drugs of abuse that lead to illegal markets and fraudulent drug-seeking. That and the explosion of ADHD diagnoses necessitate the hoops you have to jump through. Yes it's a shame, yes it's not fair, but you may as well rail against human nature.
But it is drugs of abuse that lead to illegal markets and fraudulent drug-seeking. That and the explosion of ADHD diagnoses necessitate the hoops you have to jump through. Yes it's a shame, yes it's not fair, but you may as well rail against human nature.
I am a psychiatrist, and I do not prescribe Adderall. I hope, as a society, we will one day be able to move away from the mindset that there is a pill to cure every ail.
28
I have struggled with ADHD my entire life and have relied on Adderall for a good many years. I have never met a DR. that within the first 10 minutes of talking to them were not ready to dole out Adderall. I would usually get a recommended dosage of 10mg and have to cut them in half so as not to get an overwhelming spike of energy. Speaking only for me, and my chemical makeup, this drug has lead me to spiralling bouts of depression and a complete suppression of artistic creativity. I just found out from my Adderall addicted daughter that my grandson , who is 8 years old is now on Adderall. It breaks my heart. Now that I am off Adderall I have to understand my limitations, create lists and be myself. thanks .
19
Lots of interesting comments from folks who claim to have suddenly discover in college or as adults that they had ADD.
Let me enlighten you: I am almost 59 years old and my hard-wired case of ADD was painfully obvious throughout elementary school and, of course, for the rest of my life. It's a serious neurological impairment and it manifests itself in your inability to focus and concentrate in school, to manage your workload and also in your impulses and interpersonal relationships.
I believe what many believe to be late-onset ADD is simply something else.
People who truly have this impairment recognize it early on in life and so do their teachers, parents, etc.
Let me enlighten you: I am almost 59 years old and my hard-wired case of ADD was painfully obvious throughout elementary school and, of course, for the rest of my life. It's a serious neurological impairment and it manifests itself in your inability to focus and concentrate in school, to manage your workload and also in your impulses and interpersonal relationships.
I believe what many believe to be late-onset ADD is simply something else.
People who truly have this impairment recognize it early on in life and so do their teachers, parents, etc.
23
Everyone is somewhere on the ADHD scale-- it is not a yes or no diagnosis. With the advent of the internet and explosion of communications channels, it is surprising that everyone isn't on Adderall in order to focus on the task at hand and ignore the siren song of all those extraneous pings and twitters and feeds.
12
Did the maker of Adderall call all the doctors and tell them to comment on this article?
Sure seems like it. Of course there are useful applications for most drugs, but this one clearly gets over diagnosed.
Sure seems like it. Of course there are useful applications for most drugs, but this one clearly gets over diagnosed.
14
The author did not have ADHD and was using adderall as an illegal drug. This drug has proven to be effective for many people with ADHD and has helped them get through school and maintain relationships and hold down jobs. I can't believe the Times is allowing this article to be published.. why don't you have someone on meth write an article on how they were addicted because it's the same thing. The author was using a drug for a condition she did not have. Totally illegal by the way! I am a teacher and I have seen many students succeed in life because this drug was available. Adderall works in a totally different manner if a person actually has ADHD. My son, who has ADHD was also on this drug and did not become addicted. The author became addicted because she physically did not need Adderall!
47
Unfortunately, the abuse of prescription drugs is prevalent on college campuses across our country. Most students know the names of those who sell them ... in the libraries, the dorms, dining halls, wherever. If only they would keep in mind that, in addition to potentially harmful physical and psychological effects from ingesting them (without proper medical support and supervision), buying and selling prescription drugs could get them expelled from the schools they worked so hard to get into.
3
Substitute opiates or heroin for Adderall and this could be titled Generation Addicted. The piece does a good job of documenting the lack of awareness on the part drug users that they are actually addicts, the problem is as a result of their decisions and not just a series of unfortunate events outside of their control.
6
I have a question that I would like to see answered by someone with scientific or medical knowledge on the subject. I hear a lot that if you are "really ADHD," stimulants will affect you completely differently from someone who is not ADHD.
Has this been studied? It seems to me like everyone concentrates better and is more focused on a low dose of a stimulant like Ritalin/Adderall/Concerta, whether they have an ADD diagnosis or not. Hence their across-the-board popularity as a study and work drug.
I see a lot of people making the assertion that drugs work differently in an ADD brain, but the personal anecdotes they use don't really follow from this assertion. They generally say that they don't enjoy the drugs and/or that the drugs are the only way they can function like other people do -- but "I really need it, and I don't enjoy it," is not the same thing as, "It works differently in my brain."
Has this been studied? It seems to me like everyone concentrates better and is more focused on a low dose of a stimulant like Ritalin/Adderall/Concerta, whether they have an ADD diagnosis or not. Hence their across-the-board popularity as a study and work drug.
I see a lot of people making the assertion that drugs work differently in an ADD brain, but the personal anecdotes they use don't really follow from this assertion. They generally say that they don't enjoy the drugs and/or that the drugs are the only way they can function like other people do -- but "I really need it, and I don't enjoy it," is not the same thing as, "It works differently in my brain."
10
It's interesting to see people commenting about her illegally using them and weighing in on how that is different from someone who is prescribed them. We put so much trust into the way things are and don't ever question them. I'm also guessing that these people don't take adderall. Or have taken it a few times so in their mind it is awesome. Or their child is on it so they are lying to themselves.
I have been prescribed adderall for an ADD diagnosis since I was 13. I have been prescribed amounts ranging from 30mgXR once a day to 90mgIR six times a day. The addiction to it is real. The side effects are real. This article is real.
I have been prescribed adderall for an ADD diagnosis since I was 13. I have been prescribed amounts ranging from 30mgXR once a day to 90mgIR six times a day. The addiction to it is real. The side effects are real. This article is real.
10
This was a great read and I enjoyed it for what it is, an expose of a potent prescription drug that can work wonders if properly prescribed and monitored, and which can be almost deadly if abused (usually for selfish society-induced motives).
The selfish: the author starts using this drug because she finds herself facied with a deadline for turning in a 5-page paper on a book she hasn't read the night before the paper is due. Access is easy. Her roommate has extra pills because she has a legal prescription and hates how the pills make her feel. The author pops a pill and voila! It's a 12 hour fast train overnight to academic survival, if not success. What's not to like?
When my son did his final exam history paper the night before the due date (NOT on drugs), he got a bad grade. When he asked the professor why, the prof said "it reads like you did it the night before". My son (big ego) was mad. My reaction? You deserve it because you DID do it the night before. Lesson learned.
Some young people (yes, mostly white and privileged) aren't held accountable by those closest to them. What they hear instead is aptly described in this article:
"...there’s such a casual use of something like Adderall nowadays...it’s seen as benign, or a help to becoming more productive. And in our culture... There’s a tremendous pressure not just to do well but to excel.”
The author wanted to excel. A casually offered pill let her do that without effort or responsibility. The addiction begins.
The selfish: the author starts using this drug because she finds herself facied with a deadline for turning in a 5-page paper on a book she hasn't read the night before the paper is due. Access is easy. Her roommate has extra pills because she has a legal prescription and hates how the pills make her feel. The author pops a pill and voila! It's a 12 hour fast train overnight to academic survival, if not success. What's not to like?
When my son did his final exam history paper the night before the due date (NOT on drugs), he got a bad grade. When he asked the professor why, the prof said "it reads like you did it the night before". My son (big ego) was mad. My reaction? You deserve it because you DID do it the night before. Lesson learned.
Some young people (yes, mostly white and privileged) aren't held accountable by those closest to them. What they hear instead is aptly described in this article:
"...there’s such a casual use of something like Adderall nowadays...it’s seen as benign, or a help to becoming more productive. And in our culture... There’s a tremendous pressure not just to do well but to excel.”
The author wanted to excel. A casually offered pill let her do that without effort or responsibility. The addiction begins.
6
I think this is a warning to college students who might make friends or be roommates with someone who could offer them an Adderall to get them through a tough time. I certainly never had heard that there was a risk for addiction.
I've been to college and now teach college. Everyone is overwhelmed by college at some point, sometimes at the same point every semester. You are doing the best you can and still not finding enough time to do everything well enough. Most people that are in college do not have a fully developed frontal cortex. That means they are not the best at making decisions. It's not surprising that if someone offered a pill that could help get the work done on time and the potential for addiction is not common knowledge, that there would be an awfully strong motivation to take the pill. Studies suggest that up to a third of college kids without ADD/ADHD have used an ADHD drug. That's not a trivial number of people who need to get the message that this might not be such a good idea.
I've been to college and now teach college. Everyone is overwhelmed by college at some point, sometimes at the same point every semester. You are doing the best you can and still not finding enough time to do everything well enough. Most people that are in college do not have a fully developed frontal cortex. That means they are not the best at making decisions. It's not surprising that if someone offered a pill that could help get the work done on time and the potential for addiction is not common knowledge, that there would be an awfully strong motivation to take the pill. Studies suggest that up to a third of college kids without ADD/ADHD have used an ADHD drug. That's not a trivial number of people who need to get the message that this might not be such a good idea.
5
Meds lifestyle changes = proper treatment of ADHD. Can't speak for everyone, but I've been on and off various meds for the past 14 years. Far better with medication than without, and sometimes you have to adjust dosage as well as life activities as time goes on. I also strongly advocate talking to friends and family about your meds so that you get feedback about any personality changes. It takes a while to get a good rhythm down, but I truly recommend meds if you are properly diagnosed as an adult with ADHD and can also make the requisite lifestyle changes, such as finding work that allows for movement, using timers, reminder apps, exercising frequently, etc. Good luck all!
9
"Back in the day" it was white crosses and "speed" that we took for cramming on exams, or recreation. So Adderall is just another name for a drug that some people find too appealing to leave. But do not take this to mean that this is a bad drug. My wife takes the generic for this now, since insurance no longer covers the (preferred by her) branded drug. And it is a Godsend for her and us. She was finally diagnosed as ADHD in her later adult years, after I was trying to figure out why she was so easily distracted and deviated from her intended task or course of action. 10+ years down the road, she is still taking the same dose, and is much better for it. People can and do abuse all manner of drugs. But do not lose sight of the true merit a drug has for those that need what it does for them.
19
My son had ADHD in the extreme end of the spectrum. Adderall enabled him to become available for learning when he was almost 9. He finally started to learn to read. He could finally could use his very good intelligence. Without it, I don't know where he would be.
26
He says there's no long term data and in the next paragraph points out that the active ingredient has been in use for DECADES.
As an adult prescribed Adderall on and off for years, this article and the author's experiences are completely foreign to me. I suspect his initial abuse of the drug is to blame. I cannot stress how different my experience is.
I successfully and easily quit the Adderall once as I saw it as a short term way to build new habits. I stayed off for a year, year and half after being on about the same way. In the last 3 months, my work suffered from lack of discipline, focus, inability to finish, etc. When I went back to my psychiatrist, I asked exactly about the long term issues, and my psychiatrist was able to point me to records of long term use.
So although there are no published trials following 20 years of use of this BRAND, there IS data and examples of the main ingredient.
As an adult prescribed Adderall on and off for years, this article and the author's experiences are completely foreign to me. I suspect his initial abuse of the drug is to blame. I cannot stress how different my experience is.
I successfully and easily quit the Adderall once as I saw it as a short term way to build new habits. I stayed off for a year, year and half after being on about the same way. In the last 3 months, my work suffered from lack of discipline, focus, inability to finish, etc. When I went back to my psychiatrist, I asked exactly about the long term issues, and my psychiatrist was able to point me to records of long term use.
So although there are no published trials following 20 years of use of this BRAND, there IS data and examples of the main ingredient.
8
The ease of obtaining a prescription in the States and acquire illegally through prescription holders,really fuels this problem.
Very very few people truly have ADD or ADHD. Doctors view this drug as a very low risk prescription to give out which is also a problem.
I know of people who suffer from addiction and they withdrawal of the drug is long lasting and dangerous, much like any other illegal substance.
Adderall is only one hydrogen chain away from meth. Does that not scream dangerous to anyone?
Very very few people truly have ADD or ADHD. Doctors view this drug as a very low risk prescription to give out which is also a problem.
I know of people who suffer from addiction and they withdrawal of the drug is long lasting and dangerous, much like any other illegal substance.
Adderall is only one hydrogen chain away from meth. Does that not scream dangerous to anyone?
8
The psycho-physical dependencies associated with addiction often seem to be extremely difficult to alter and heal. Many addiction treatment programs have a low long-term success result. However, there are interesting reports regarding carefully controlled research programs which are successfully using certain psychedelics to treat conditions like addiction and anxiety related to cancer.
See -
- Article - "The Trip Treatment" - The New Yorker - newyorker.com - by Michael Pollan
Excerpt - Well respected addiction researcher, psychiatrist Roland Griffiths, "likens the therapeutic effect of psylocybin to a kind of 'inverse' P.T.S.D.' - 'a discrete event that produces persisting positive changes in attitudes, moods, and behavior, and presumably in the brain."
Website - drgabormate.com - Articles and Interviews -
Canadian physician, Gabor Mate, M.D., is well known for his addiction treatment programs, which have included the use of the Amazon jungle hallucinogenic plant Ayahuasca.
YouTube - "Dr. Stanislav Grof - Revision and Re-Enchantement of Psychology" - Emphasis is on "holotropic" (leading to wholeness) transpersonal experiences.
See -
- Article - "The Trip Treatment" - The New Yorker - newyorker.com - by Michael Pollan
Excerpt - Well respected addiction researcher, psychiatrist Roland Griffiths, "likens the therapeutic effect of psylocybin to a kind of 'inverse' P.T.S.D.' - 'a discrete event that produces persisting positive changes in attitudes, moods, and behavior, and presumably in the brain."
Website - drgabormate.com - Articles and Interviews -
Canadian physician, Gabor Mate, M.D., is well known for his addiction treatment programs, which have included the use of the Amazon jungle hallucinogenic plant Ayahuasca.
YouTube - "Dr. Stanislav Grof - Revision and Re-Enchantement of Psychology" - Emphasis is on "holotropic" (leading to wholeness) transpersonal experiences.
3
Yes, the author abused this drug she obviously didn't need for a bonafide disabling condition. No, critics (including DRs) are not hearing the larger message, preferring to smugly justify outrage by assigning blame & shame to what is very real addiction. All drugs (including Coffee!) affecting Mood are extremely difficult to eliminate without lasting effects on our thinking processes & sense of self/others. We now live in a too-diagnosed, over-
medicated society where individual development (or faltering steps along that path) are all-too common, yet "unacceptable." Waking up late in life to discover all your efforts have been wasted pursuing hollow values, it is crushing & complicated to rebuild a life worth living (especially if your "smart but dumb" years have been frittered away excluding People for some Holy Grail). We all could benefit from cultivating genuine compassion - for ourselves as well as others. The author came out relatively unscathed (even able to be helpful to others) from her misguided experience. Many more are much less fortunate. If we're truly listening, we will think about & share the larger messages raised by her article. Many Thanks for the risky revelations & Beware the warning it contains about racing through Life to avert "trouble" being Human by engaging with such "distractions" as (the presence or absence of) patience / love / acceptance, unimagined health issues, & so many other inevitable hallmarks of our future lives as non-young people.
medicated society where individual development (or faltering steps along that path) are all-too common, yet "unacceptable." Waking up late in life to discover all your efforts have been wasted pursuing hollow values, it is crushing & complicated to rebuild a life worth living (especially if your "smart but dumb" years have been frittered away excluding People for some Holy Grail). We all could benefit from cultivating genuine compassion - for ourselves as well as others. The author came out relatively unscathed (even able to be helpful to others) from her misguided experience. Many more are much less fortunate. If we're truly listening, we will think about & share the larger messages raised by her article. Many Thanks for the risky revelations & Beware the warning it contains about racing through Life to avert "trouble" being Human by engaging with such "distractions" as (the presence or absence of) patience / love / acceptance, unimagined health issues, & so many other inevitable hallmarks of our future lives as non-young people.
1
They used to call them diet pills and they helped me allot when I was a chubby sluggish 10 year old in the early
1950s. By 11 I outgrew the need.
Tried diet pills in the 1970s and quit due to violent thoughts on crime ridden subways. I never took them again.
The point is they have a time and place. Your body and brain change.
1950s. By 11 I outgrew the need.
Tried diet pills in the 1970s and quit due to violent thoughts on crime ridden subways. I never took them again.
The point is they have a time and place. Your body and brain change.
5
When my son was in first grade his teachers said he had ADD and wanted me to put him on Ritalin. They pressed all year long and again through his second grade. I was reluctant, for many reasons, including that one of my parents had had a serious substance abuse problem. But I think the man reason was, I listened one day to a successful film director - I now can't remember his name - be interviewed on NPR and he said he was diagnosed with ADD as a child but his mother was adamant about not giving him drugs. In his early thirties, he said he felt strongly that the drugs would have masked his creativity and other strong feelings and personal talents. That convinced me. Many of his little friends were on Ritalin. Later, at the doctor's, my son was found to not have ADD, which I'm not sure was an accurate diagnosis. In high school, he told me that his friends were trading and selling their Ritalin. Now, we have the opiate epidemic, wherein a dear friend of mine has lost her son.
It takes courage to push through the stigma and b honest about addiction. This is a great article by a courageous author. I'd love to know which Matisse print was in her therapist's artist. I love that she ends the piece with n uplifting message about truth and creativity.
It takes courage to push through the stigma and b honest about addiction. This is a great article by a courageous author. I'd love to know which Matisse print was in her therapist's artist. I love that she ends the piece with n uplifting message about truth and creativity.
10
If you really want to see Adderall at its finest, try talking to a med student. I watched my ex-husband and all of his colleagues pop those babies like tic tacs. And it worked! Now they’re all full fledged medical doctors, writing the same scripts for the new crop of medical students under their tutelege. And the beat goes on….
1
With all due respect to the very wordy author (maybe long term effects of adderall?), I find this article to be a way of transferring the blame of her addiction and guilt from the fact that she illegally and irresponsibly used prescription drugs that have the word 'prescription' attached to them because they are dangerous and supposed to be controlled substances. While I do agree that there has been serious over-prescribing of this medicine and that needs to be immediately and continuously addressed, as I know several people dealing with addiction from it, her story of irresponsible, selfish, compulsive usage does not gather sympathy from me because she knew from the beginning that the medication was not prescribed to her and she was taking it anyway. I'm not sure you can expect a different outcome of this story with that kind of wreckless behavior.
5
Adderall? I was on Ritalin in the 1970's from second grade through eighth grade. I finally stopped when my parents decided I should not be taking it any longer. Of course during those years, I got to know the school nurse very well as I would visit her each day at lunch for my second dose (this was before time release versions became available eliminating the need for a pill during the day). I never did outgrow the ADHD and these days I use caffeine as a substitute for those stimulants. Not great for my blood pressure but I get an hour and a half or so of intense concentration which allows me to do intense software development and debugging. ADHD can be a wonderful gift for doing complex math and computer work but you have to learn to harness it.
1
I admire the author for overcoming her addiction. Substitute opiates or heroin for Adderall and this could called Generation Addiction. Our current drug epidemic is populated by privileged addicts who believe that they are the victims of a series of unfortunate events outside of their control, it is all someone else's fault and that they really, really aren't drug addicts.
This tragedy has touched my family too.
This tragedy has touched my family too.
1
I had a genuine ADHD diagnosis and was prescribed Adderall for nine years (from the age of 17 to 26). I quickly turned into an Adderall addict. I don't see any difference between myself and other addicts of more hardcore drugs like cocaine and heroine, except that my dealers were pharmacists and psychiatrists. The only thing that actually helped improve my ADHD and increase by ability to focus was sobriety and dealing with my anxiety and depression in therapy. Thank you so much for this story. It's always so nice to hear about people who have come out the other side of this terribly addictive and over-prescribed drug.
8
A recent NYtimes article (The 4 Traits That Put Kids at Risk for Addiction) suggested that the four risky traits included: sensation-seeking, impulsiveness, anxiety, sensitivity and hopelessness. As I read this article, the author had two of these traits (anxiety and sensitivity) and possibly 3 (hopelessness). However, I saw the author as having something in common with many addicts I've known - her sense of being so unique (in substance abuse circles: terminal uniqueness). This article read as a straight up justification of her decade long (and not very interesting) story of being a drug addict. Meh.
5
Great article. But what is missing to me is any hint of 'recovery." After all that was experienced, not one instance of acknowledging the fact that she is an addict. Yes, there were lots of quotes from experts on addiction, but no self-identification as one. Getting off or giving up Adderall is a totally different thing that overcoming an addiction. Her descriptions definitely qualify as being in the midst of addiction. To me, this is evidence of the stigma addiction still has over America. I urge Casey to identify as one of the 23 millions Americans in long-term recovery. I am proudly a member of that group. Join us.
6
Nowhere in this article do I see true remorse for abusing this drug. No apology to individuals who fight ADHD every breathing moment of their lives. For driving medication shortages, for pumping public myths. No effort to understand what ADHD is tryuly like. This is a a neurological disorder that makes even the smallest of daily tasks quite challenging.
10
This article really frustrates me. I was a child whose teachers would send home with a letter describing how bad I was in school, and how I needed a diagnosis and treatment if I was to learn and interact positively at all. I struggled unnecessarily for years as my family resisted medication. I found a good doctor as an adult, was willing to try chemical OR behavioral treatment and was honest wit her. Now I'm focused and the only thing that keeps me successful is therapy and my prescription. I take my medications responsibly and articles like this will make it impossible for people who use their medications for a real problem to get their medications.
13
I appreciate the author's honesty in this piece about addiction to Adderall, but I feel that those who are rightfully prescribed Adderall are misrepresented in the article. I was an underperformer in school, despite scoring well on tests, up until sophomore year of high school. That year I learned that I wasn't falling behind because I was lazy, but rather because I had extreme difficulty focusing. I was prescribed a small dosage of Adderall (less than the Author's dosage) and have used it ever since.
I have never felt addicted to the pills, and my doctor has encouraged me to take breaks from them on the weekends and during periods of time where I don't need to focus on one thing for a long time. I don't feel like I wait eagerly for my next "fix," I even sometimes forget to take the pill. While ADHD is without a doubt over-diagnosed in some populations (young boys come to mind), it is a legitimate mental disorder, suffered by countless Americans.
I don't tell anyone about the fact that I take Adderall for my ADHD, because I've been met with the stigma around the illness and the drugs used to treat it in the past. Those of us with ADHD struggle with society's view of our treatment, and articles like this only serve to perpetuate this ignorance.
I have never felt addicted to the pills, and my doctor has encouraged me to take breaks from them on the weekends and during periods of time where I don't need to focus on one thing for a long time. I don't feel like I wait eagerly for my next "fix," I even sometimes forget to take the pill. While ADHD is without a doubt over-diagnosed in some populations (young boys come to mind), it is a legitimate mental disorder, suffered by countless Americans.
I don't tell anyone about the fact that I take Adderall for my ADHD, because I've been met with the stigma around the illness and the drugs used to treat it in the past. Those of us with ADHD struggle with society's view of our treatment, and articles like this only serve to perpetuate this ignorance.
14
If 11+% of school-age kids are claimed to have ADHD either something toxic has been introduced into food/environment or the medical establishment has created a condition for normal children who don't perform well in a conventional classroom. We are talking about putting children on amphetamines! By the same measure, the medical-industrial complex could label the bottom 11% in Phys. Ed., those picked last for teams, as having a generic physical deficit disorder and start prescribing them steroids for improved sports abilities.
5
I enjoyed reading this article because it highlights the prevalence of Adderall as well as the risk involved in taking it. As a junior in college two years ago, I went into my psychiatrist's office for the first time to inquire about the possibility of having ADHD, I was told to fill out a questionnaire and wait to be seen by nurse. The first thing the nurse practitioner told me was "how long did you know that you have had ADHD." I never forgot that.
Recently I went back to fill my prescription after taking a break from Adderall for several months. Not only did they increase dosage to 60mg per day, but they also knew that my tolerance was low yet it did not prevent them from upping my dosage. While I take only a fraction of my prescribed dosage each day, I think this sort of leniency in prescribing Adderall by certain psychiatrist can be dangerous.
Recently I went back to fill my prescription after taking a break from Adderall for several months. Not only did they increase dosage to 60mg per day, but they also knew that my tolerance was low yet it did not prevent them from upping my dosage. While I take only a fraction of my prescribed dosage each day, I think this sort of leniency in prescribing Adderall by certain psychiatrist can be dangerous.
5
As soon as I saw the headline for this I wanted to read it. As a college student, I constantly see so many students that have taken adderall. Just last week I went to hang out with friends and one of them had just snorted 4 adderall and was trying to stay calm but he was actually freaking out because his heart was beating faster and his body felt weird. Most people would take a step back and think about what it is doing to them. But the more and more I pay attention to it, the more teenagers and college students just don't care. They only think about how it "helps" them in the moment. They do not think about how much it could be harming their body 20 years down the road. But who cares right, it is all for fun, everyone at college does it. While reading through the article, it made me really stop to think when they said, "we know very little about what adderall does over yours of use. To date, there is almost no research on the long-term effects on humans of using adderall. We are the walking experiment." This statement makes me start to question doctors a little. They do not know the long-term effects but they still prescribe it. Even though there are people on the street that get it and sell it, it should not be that easy. The author even admitted to knowing how to answer questions to get prescribed adderall. This is a fault in our healthcare system that could change many lives. Before they start prescribing it more and more, the long-term effects need to be researched.
9
What I'm afraid the most is we have a culture that rewards the psychopaths. What you'd described is noted in the article below:
http://www.nature.com/neuro/journal/v13/n4/full/nn.2510.html
“Consistent with what we thought, we found people with high levels of psychopathic traits had almost four times the amount of dopamine released in response to amphetamine.”
Our society is at risk as a whole because there is a great deal of dehumanizing processes, thanking no less to technology. We no longer speak in terms of feelings (your music that you haven't heard for a long time). We speak in terms of numbers (test scores for teachers, patient satisfaction numbers for doctors). We don't compare the individual experience, we compare what we can only measure, what we only want or choose to measure, and normalize it on a percentile scale. The withdraw, as you put it, is dehumanizing.
I suggest you listen to your heart and go back to "real" writing. Drugs can stimulate the amphetaminergic (norepinephrenic)-dopaminergic pathways, but the hearts, your guts, stimulate the serotoninergic pathways (empathy, love, unselfishness, kindness) as well as the ampetaminergic-dompaminergic ones. In the end, it is the heart that can balance out and neutralize the other hyperstimulated ones. The human brains don't evolve that fast.
http://www.nature.com/neuro/journal/v13/n4/full/nn.2510.html
“Consistent with what we thought, we found people with high levels of psychopathic traits had almost four times the amount of dopamine released in response to amphetamine.”
Our society is at risk as a whole because there is a great deal of dehumanizing processes, thanking no less to technology. We no longer speak in terms of feelings (your music that you haven't heard for a long time). We speak in terms of numbers (test scores for teachers, patient satisfaction numbers for doctors). We don't compare the individual experience, we compare what we can only measure, what we only want or choose to measure, and normalize it on a percentile scale. The withdraw, as you put it, is dehumanizing.
I suggest you listen to your heart and go back to "real" writing. Drugs can stimulate the amphetaminergic (norepinephrenic)-dopaminergic pathways, but the hearts, your guts, stimulate the serotoninergic pathways (empathy, love, unselfishness, kindness) as well as the ampetaminergic-dompaminergic ones. In the end, it is the heart that can balance out and neutralize the other hyperstimulated ones. The human brains don't evolve that fast.
4
It's a very nicely written piece. However I find her experience to be in complete conflict with my own.
As someone who was actually diagnosed with ADHD in their late 30s and have been taking Adderall for over 5 years, I can't say that it has had the same negative effect on me as it did the author. Maybe it was because I actually have the condition and was not taking the drug illicitly? But never have I once felt addicted to it they way she has or the inability to function to the point of not being able to move without it. I've gone for as long as a couple of weeks (was too busy to get a refill) without it and have not experienced any withdrawals. For the people who claim its as addictive as crack, I would say that you probably have never taken crack or have been hooked on it.
For someone with ADHD, the benefits are quite obvious. Not just to themselves but to others who interact with them. It helps me maintain focus and not be easily overwhelmed by a dozen small tasks. It keeps my temper in check (I was easily upset by the smallest things before being diagnosed) and my self-loathing at bay.
My professional and personal life has benefitted greatly since being diagnosed, talking to someone about it and taking my prescribed Rx. I don't know Ms. Schwartz and don't know enough about how the brain works to know why it affected her the way it did. But I do know that I find her piece to be one sided, and along with the title rather misleading.
As someone who was actually diagnosed with ADHD in their late 30s and have been taking Adderall for over 5 years, I can't say that it has had the same negative effect on me as it did the author. Maybe it was because I actually have the condition and was not taking the drug illicitly? But never have I once felt addicted to it they way she has or the inability to function to the point of not being able to move without it. I've gone for as long as a couple of weeks (was too busy to get a refill) without it and have not experienced any withdrawals. For the people who claim its as addictive as crack, I would say that you probably have never taken crack or have been hooked on it.
For someone with ADHD, the benefits are quite obvious. Not just to themselves but to others who interact with them. It helps me maintain focus and not be easily overwhelmed by a dozen small tasks. It keeps my temper in check (I was easily upset by the smallest things before being diagnosed) and my self-loathing at bay.
My professional and personal life has benefitted greatly since being diagnosed, talking to someone about it and taking my prescribed Rx. I don't know Ms. Schwartz and don't know enough about how the brain works to know why it affected her the way it did. But I do know that I find her piece to be one sided, and along with the title rather misleading.
15
I highly recommend the book, "ADHD Nation." It is NOT anti-pharmaceutical-treatment, when indicated. But between the vignette-confessions of folks who faked symptoms to get prescriptions, and the hard evidence, such as the fact that in some states, the rate of child and adolescent males on Adderrall & other stimulants approaches 20%, it is, in my opinion, a quite lucid and fair exposé — and should be widely read.
3
My heart truly goes out to this author. After earning degrees from two Ivy League universities, launching a career in journalism and writing a book, she began the hard work of quitting a prescription drug which she never should have been prescribed in the first place. As an overachieving undergraduate, she abused the drug in question to stay up for days on end while many of her peers used it safely and responsibly to increase concentration during normal waking hours. And when she finally decided to quit-- she began to experience emtions which made her cry! Such a breathtaking story.
Yes, Casey Schwartz is the voice of our generation. Generation Adderall.
Yes, Casey Schwartz is the voice of our generation. Generation Adderall.
6
I suppose that what grates in this story is the self-congratulating tone. Weaving a story about the history of amphetamines with the story of her own silliness. The author said she was a focussed student, but she wasn't. I wonder if she would have even finished college without amphetamine.
Going cold turkey again and again is not even a good way to attempt to quit. It would have been better to cut down by even as little as 10% per dose, then wait a week or two. A compounding pharmacist can make up the tablets. Changing to a longer-lasting compound would have helped. An inpatient stay could have helped too. Or joining NA. Or telling people the truth.
A drug company executive came up with the idea to market a drug? Great, because by the 1970's the first research about adult ADHD was being done. By the late1990's, in Australia, adult ADHD was getting press, and some push back by psychiatrists. It is still not accepted by all psychiatrists here.
Going cold turkey again and again is not even a good way to attempt to quit. It would have been better to cut down by even as little as 10% per dose, then wait a week or two. A compounding pharmacist can make up the tablets. Changing to a longer-lasting compound would have helped. An inpatient stay could have helped too. Or joining NA. Or telling people the truth.
A drug company executive came up with the idea to market a drug? Great, because by the 1970's the first research about adult ADHD was being done. By the late1990's, in Australia, adult ADHD was getting press, and some push back by psychiatrists. It is still not accepted by all psychiatrists here.
5
I'm wondering if this article would have been published if the author were struggling with prescription opioids or painkillers. Perhaps the author could have been poor and only afforded heroin. If this were the case we would all be demonizing the woman or man who wrote this, arguing that they should've known better. We would be faulting them for their addiction. The double-standard is painful, but it will not occur to most people reading this article.
The other double standard is the response given to athletes seeking to enhance their performance using drugs also. I read an earlier comment hail the drug induced genius of Paul Erdos. This same commenter was probably also rooting against Justin Gatlin this summer for his past episodes with drugs. Why is it good in the library, but not on the track?
Just a few thoughts.
The other double standard is the response given to athletes seeking to enhance their performance using drugs also. I read an earlier comment hail the drug induced genius of Paul Erdos. This same commenter was probably also rooting against Justin Gatlin this summer for his past episodes with drugs. Why is it good in the library, but not on the track?
Just a few thoughts.
3
Excellent article. However, in my opinion, if you didn't need Adderall until you were in college, you don't really have A.D.D. I am a retired psychologist and I have watched with horror as more and more prescriptions are written, especially for adults. Please remember that the DSM is really written and coded for insurance companies so that they can track the "popularity" of different disorders and write policy exclusions when things get too expensive. And most insurance companies hold drug companies in their portfolios; they have to invest all that cash somewhere! Funding prescriptions is a pretty cheap fix, certainly cheaper than therapy. And profits for drug companies are profits for insurance companies, so there is no real push for them to exclude things like A.D.D. or Adderall. If the insurance companies ever stopped re-imbursing the psychological community for treating A.D.D. with drugs, prescriptions would plummet. But we are caught in a loop where all the parties except the patients are benefiting financially. And the patients are getting drugs...
8
While the writer seems to posit her thesis on terms of the ills of Adderall, it is really a tale about addiction. period. She never had a diagnosis of ADHD, she just abused it. Then she learned how to lie. The cycle of energy, intensity, sleeplessness and crash are typical of my methamphetamine addicted patients. None of my traditional ADHD patients crave more drug; in fact usually less drug. When a person keeps asserting that more Adderall is needed, it is prima facie evidence that the diagnosis is wrong, or the person has pushed past the point of "normal" focus, to the point of excessive focus. There is no free lunch, if you run your brain too hard there will be payback. The sad thing is that rather then completely accept this as addiction, complete with mood swings, craving, drug seeking, barter and lying, she blames the drug. And then she wants to conflate data on normal prescribing and results with her experience. I am saddened. There is data on the effects of stimulate in abuse situations, and it is not good. Decreased cognitive function, obsessions, delirium, dopamine neuronal atrophy. I see it every day.
Sorry, Ma'am, but you are an addict, period. Take the rest of your angst to the therapy suite, but do not compare yourself to a person who has SUFFERED with real inattention. Like all addicts, "it's all about me!" Sad.
Sorry, Ma'am, but you are an addict, period. Take the rest of your angst to the therapy suite, but do not compare yourself to a person who has SUFFERED with real inattention. Like all addicts, "it's all about me!" Sad.
9
Performance enhancing drugs have been routinely used by college students and adults for decades. Two famous doctors, Sigmund Freud and William Halstead used cocaine to enhance their performance as medical professionals. They were both cocaine addicts. The ADHD drugs, Adderal, Ritalin, Vyvance, and long acting amphetamines are similar to cocaine in chemical structure and pharmacology. Such performance enhancing drugs are very effective. However there is no disease being treated here. Many highly respected doctors in the field, and even NYT journalists have written that ADHD, is an invented disease, a marketing ploy to spur sales of highly addictive amphetamine-like drugs to children and young adults. There is a steep downside to these drugs as described in the book: Anatomy of Addiction: Sigmund Freud, William Halsted, and the Miracle Drug, Cocaine.
for more see:
http://jeffreydachmd.com/2013/12/attention-deficit-disorder-exposed/
jeffrey dach md
for more see:
http://jeffreydachmd.com/2013/12/attention-deficit-disorder-exposed/
jeffrey dach md
It is a shame that Casey Schwartz's and other's abuse of Adderall make it difficult for others who really need it to obtain it.
Clearly, the abuse of stimulants on elite college campuses is quite common.
I have a rather hard-wired case of ADD and so do my two daughters. I tried a few different medications but couldn't handle the side effects. But I do feel strongly that people suffering from this neurological impairment should have access to medication which can help them to function.
By abusing Adderall and other stimulants, college students and young professionals (seeking an edge) have unfortunately changed the rules for all regarding how ADD meds are prescribed and monitored. The result is those who really need these drugs have to jump over ever more hurdles to get them. Some of these diagnostic tests now required can cost over a thousand dollars.
This speaks volumes about how entitled and privileged individuals like Casey Schwartz really are. Where other students would have been expelled for abusing drugs, Ms. Schwartz was allowed 'incompletes' in several of her subjects and allowed to complete her coursework after returning from semester break.
Even more telling, nowhere in Casey Schwartz' essay was there even a hint of remorse for how her long term misuse of Adderall may have made obtaining it more difficult for those who really need it.
Clearly, the abuse of stimulants on elite college campuses is quite common.
I have a rather hard-wired case of ADD and so do my two daughters. I tried a few different medications but couldn't handle the side effects. But I do feel strongly that people suffering from this neurological impairment should have access to medication which can help them to function.
By abusing Adderall and other stimulants, college students and young professionals (seeking an edge) have unfortunately changed the rules for all regarding how ADD meds are prescribed and monitored. The result is those who really need these drugs have to jump over ever more hurdles to get them. Some of these diagnostic tests now required can cost over a thousand dollars.
This speaks volumes about how entitled and privileged individuals like Casey Schwartz really are. Where other students would have been expelled for abusing drugs, Ms. Schwartz was allowed 'incompletes' in several of her subjects and allowed to complete her coursework after returning from semester break.
Even more telling, nowhere in Casey Schwartz' essay was there even a hint of remorse for how her long term misuse of Adderall may have made obtaining it more difficult for those who really need it.
8
A lot of the descriptions in this article really hit home. I've taken Dexedrine for the last 15 years. As someone who has moderate ADHD, this drug allowed me to manage the limitations of my disease. I would not be where I am today without it. I have never abused the med, or felt the need to. In fact, when I'm properly medicated I have no interest in alcohol or other habit forming drugs. I actually get sleepy sometimes after taking it. I can fall asleep whenever I want to, even after taking a dose recently. One thing I see a lot is ADHD personalities everywhere. The behaviors are easy to spot. People who have addictive personalities need to carefully monitor their substance uptake. Casey - that's you. These folks will be addicted to (fill in the blank) easily. There is lots of sage advice in the comments of this forum from people who know what they are talking about. Don't confuse addictive personalities and substance abuse with the value or legitimacy of the substance when it's part of a treatment program. Finding the right qualified health professionals to help makes a huge difference. The rest is up to you.
6
The author's first use of a drug came about when he was a sophomore at Brown University and had a five-page paper on a book he had just read due the next afternoon.
This is a time management and coping skills problem. Many, if not most, college sophomores should be able to knock out an adequate five-page paper on a book they just started reading for the next day. At worst, caffeine would be the drug of choice for this problem. But obviously the teacher did not suddenly assign a five-page paper and ask the students to begin reading the book it was based on the day before. An Ivy League student should be able to manage his time better since thousands of community college students have and are continuing to do the same. As it is, the work involved in this assignment in such a short period is done by every first-year law student in America.
Time management skills need to be taught early on so that later people do not have to rely on drugs.
This is a time management and coping skills problem. Many, if not most, college sophomores should be able to knock out an adequate five-page paper on a book they just started reading for the next day. At worst, caffeine would be the drug of choice for this problem. But obviously the teacher did not suddenly assign a five-page paper and ask the students to begin reading the book it was based on the day before. An Ivy League student should be able to manage his time better since thousands of community college students have and are continuing to do the same. As it is, the work involved in this assignment in such a short period is done by every first-year law student in America.
Time management skills need to be taught early on so that later people do not have to rely on drugs.
This piece is about someone who was NOT prescribed stimulant medication for a medical need, but instead chose to buy illegal drugs (from a dealer), and proceeded to over-use and become addicted to them.
This has little to do with Adderall, prescribed for a medical need.
I know this from experience with a son in the 1990s. He was unable to focus in school, noticeable as early as first grade. He wasn't fidgety (the "H" in ADHD), but he lacked the ability to pay attention very long to one thing. Doctors immediately suggested Ritalin. We objected, and started on a quest for treatments other than stimulant medication.
We tried the Feingold diet. We tried a drug milder than Ritalin. No effect, and he continued to fall behind in school.
All this time he was enrolled in remediation programs at school and (expensively) outside of it, as well as Summer school every year. Our intensive work only slowed his falling behind.
After two years, starting Ritalin was like night and day. He was able to focus. We stopped his falling behind, and slowly climbed out of the whole that was dug since second grade.
Ritalin also enabled a sudden awareness of his own metacognition. *He* described his prior years as having the world come flying at him as a jumble of things all equally demanding his attention, with his inability to pick out the important thing. On Ritalin, he could pick out the important, and ignore the rest.
This, from a ten year-old.
Ritalin saved his future.
This has little to do with Adderall, prescribed for a medical need.
I know this from experience with a son in the 1990s. He was unable to focus in school, noticeable as early as first grade. He wasn't fidgety (the "H" in ADHD), but he lacked the ability to pay attention very long to one thing. Doctors immediately suggested Ritalin. We objected, and started on a quest for treatments other than stimulant medication.
We tried the Feingold diet. We tried a drug milder than Ritalin. No effect, and he continued to fall behind in school.
All this time he was enrolled in remediation programs at school and (expensively) outside of it, as well as Summer school every year. Our intensive work only slowed his falling behind.
After two years, starting Ritalin was like night and day. He was able to focus. We stopped his falling behind, and slowly climbed out of the whole that was dug since second grade.
Ritalin also enabled a sudden awareness of his own metacognition. *He* described his prior years as having the world come flying at him as a jumble of things all equally demanding his attention, with his inability to pick out the important thing. On Ritalin, he could pick out the important, and ignore the rest.
This, from a ten year-old.
Ritalin saved his future.
10
I am at the other end of the spectrum of ADHD. I have always been blessed with the ability to screen everything out and focus intently on things I was interested in. I definitely didn't fit the mold of the ADHD child or adult.
Then I hit middle age and looked back at the mess my life really was. Sure I was able to graduate college with honors (with no chemical assistance), but I couldn't hold a job to save my life. Once my interest in something waned, I was off chasing other "squirrels". Chores would go undone, bill unpaid, appointments missed because I was intently focused on my next "big adventure". I feel emotions more intensely than most other people (sometimes I think this is the most difficult part of ADHD) which has led to anxiety and depression. I've been on and off antidepressants most of my life.
I didn't start taking Adderall until 2 years ago. I take 10 mg of the extended release every morning, and I go on self imposed breaks every couple of months.
It's not a "cure all". I also exercise regularly and try to maintain a healthy diet. Exercise and diet have probably done more for me than the Adderall, but the Adderall makes it possible. I still struggle with a lot of things, but I am sooo much better. I'm tired of articles like this which make people like me feel my issues are "all in my head" and a criminal for taking the medication. Articles like these perpetuate the stigma associated with ADHD and ADD and keep people from seeking help.
Then I hit middle age and looked back at the mess my life really was. Sure I was able to graduate college with honors (with no chemical assistance), but I couldn't hold a job to save my life. Once my interest in something waned, I was off chasing other "squirrels". Chores would go undone, bill unpaid, appointments missed because I was intently focused on my next "big adventure". I feel emotions more intensely than most other people (sometimes I think this is the most difficult part of ADHD) which has led to anxiety and depression. I've been on and off antidepressants most of my life.
I didn't start taking Adderall until 2 years ago. I take 10 mg of the extended release every morning, and I go on self imposed breaks every couple of months.
It's not a "cure all". I also exercise regularly and try to maintain a healthy diet. Exercise and diet have probably done more for me than the Adderall, but the Adderall makes it possible. I still struggle with a lot of things, but I am sooo much better. I'm tired of articles like this which make people like me feel my issues are "all in my head" and a criminal for taking the medication. Articles like these perpetuate the stigma associated with ADHD and ADD and keep people from seeking help.
8
My own experience with Adderall is rather different than the author’s. I was diagnosed with ADD as an adult, about 20 years ago. I have taken several different stimulant drugs for it over the years such as Ritalin and Dexedrine. They tend to become less effective over time. I switched to Adderall a few years ago, which works at least as well as other drugs did for me.
I would probably have done better in school if I’d been diagnosed earlier. I probably would have been more ambitious in my choice of career too. Adderall has not solved all my problems, but my mind is definitely sharper and I perceive things more clearly. I am also less irritable.
I twice took an extra dose of Adderall when I'd forgotten I'd already taken a dose that day, and I felt even better, so I can see the potential for abusing the drug. However, even when I’ve been tempted to take an extra dose because I’m tired or need to concentrate on a difficult project, I have resisted doing so.
When I take a break from an ADD drug I usually sleep a lot for a few days but have otherwise had no withdrawal symptoms. When I’m off of stimulants I am more distracted, find it difficult to concentrate on a book or lecture, and I’m more impulsive. In other words, I’m my usual self. Using Adderall helps me to be a better person, and it is a benefit to those I interact with every day: my family, my friends, and my colleagues, most of whom do not know I take this drug.
I would probably have done better in school if I’d been diagnosed earlier. I probably would have been more ambitious in my choice of career too. Adderall has not solved all my problems, but my mind is definitely sharper and I perceive things more clearly. I am also less irritable.
I twice took an extra dose of Adderall when I'd forgotten I'd already taken a dose that day, and I felt even better, so I can see the potential for abusing the drug. However, even when I’ve been tempted to take an extra dose because I’m tired or need to concentrate on a difficult project, I have resisted doing so.
When I take a break from an ADD drug I usually sleep a lot for a few days but have otherwise had no withdrawal symptoms. When I’m off of stimulants I am more distracted, find it difficult to concentrate on a book or lecture, and I’m more impulsive. In other words, I’m my usual self. Using Adderall helps me to be a better person, and it is a benefit to those I interact with every day: my family, my friends, and my colleagues, most of whom do not know I take this drug.
7
To some degree, this is the story of someone who wants to be wonderful and takes drugs to do it. Even with considerable training, however, she doesn't have the intellect to understand her own field, so it's doubtful drugs could have helped, although it does explain her motivation. She lacks the insight and analytical ability for the very intellectually demanding field of psychology. So she is reduced to creating specious stories that will get attention: The menace of a drug she hasn't taken the time to understand and a method of 'saving' psychoanalysis, something that brain scans will not resuscitate. I have read other half-baked journalistic attempts to explain complex psychological problems, like one written in the Atlantic on suicide. They are not helpful. What might have been, is her understanding of how she took drugs to be more than an average person and then became that person instead.
3
These words are like reading a story of my life. But replace adderall with xanax. I'm 27 and after 10 years I have finally gotten beyond the fear of never being able to produce good work without the help of drugs. Like the author, I've found that my work is actually better now that I'm outside of the grips of the chemicals I thought I needed to be successful. Other commenters can challenge the author on whether or not adderall is addictive or overprescribed. But those arguments do not take away from our reality. A state of being that is totally dependent upon a drug and far out of reach of the real world. My anxiety was a barrier to getting my work done and my work was the source of my anxiety. Taking a drug that melted away my intrusive thoughts was the only way I was able to move forward. That is until I was able to change my relationship with my anxiety. It was really hard work and took a lot of help from my therapist, friends, and various substance abuse groups. It took a long time and many failed attempts. But in the end I was successful. Getting off xanax was the first time I succeeded in a really difficult task without the use of xanax. And my life has been infinitely better ever since.
3
This article's premise is dangerously misleading. The author was never transparently diagnosed with ADHD. And the "evidence" is cherry-picked to fit her narrative, to say the least.
I was diagnosed with ADHD some years ago. I'm a woman, and struggled with it -undiagnosed- since childhood. I resisted taking meds precisely because of the fear of dependency and the common wisdom that the condition is over-diagnosed. Then life required ever greater coordination and logistical capability, and I became increasingly anxious and depressed. SSRI antidepressants never did a thing for me. I thought if I just tried harder, I would get over it. Finally, at age 32, I started taking 20 mg of Adderall. And I can say this: if you actually have ADHD, the right drug at the right dose does exactly the opposite of the author's experience with it: it makes you feel like yourself. Calmer. More centered. Less impulsive. Not scattered to the wind. And there is no "come down" at the end of the day.
ADHD is a mental illness. One that Ms. Schwartz evidently does not have. This author is the type of person who makes it difficult for people who do have ADHD and need ADHD meds to get them. Her addiction is another story, one that I do not fault her for. But as reporting, this article is shameful and irresponsible.
I was diagnosed with ADHD some years ago. I'm a woman, and struggled with it -undiagnosed- since childhood. I resisted taking meds precisely because of the fear of dependency and the common wisdom that the condition is over-diagnosed. Then life required ever greater coordination and logistical capability, and I became increasingly anxious and depressed. SSRI antidepressants never did a thing for me. I thought if I just tried harder, I would get over it. Finally, at age 32, I started taking 20 mg of Adderall. And I can say this: if you actually have ADHD, the right drug at the right dose does exactly the opposite of the author's experience with it: it makes you feel like yourself. Calmer. More centered. Less impulsive. Not scattered to the wind. And there is no "come down" at the end of the day.
ADHD is a mental illness. One that Ms. Schwartz evidently does not have. This author is the type of person who makes it difficult for people who do have ADHD and need ADHD meds to get them. Her addiction is another story, one that I do not fault her for. But as reporting, this article is shameful and irresponsible.
10
Interesting and Informative but baffling. The author accuses the purveyors of this drug of conspiring to hook the world on amphetamines, the psychiatrists prescibing the drug as either cynical or unwitting (or a mixture of both) enabler-coconspirators for falling for/accepting patients' (the 3rd group of conspiritor-enablers) duplicitous drug-chasing self-presentations.
It seems almost paranoid. Could it be that the shrinks, rather than being duped (as alleged by the author) legitimately saw her as likely benefiting from this drug?
More perplexing is that in the same breath she rails against this drug while humble - bragging (as in allusions to a mystery graduate program that just happens to have been in New Haven - what institutionl, I wonder) about the accomplishments that by her own account were largely fueled by Adderol.
It seems almost paranoid. Could it be that the shrinks, rather than being duped (as alleged by the author) legitimately saw her as likely benefiting from this drug?
More perplexing is that in the same breath she rails against this drug while humble - bragging (as in allusions to a mystery graduate program that just happens to have been in New Haven - what institutionl, I wonder) about the accomplishments that by her own account were largely fueled by Adderol.
3
I've taken Adderall for 10 years since my ADD diagnosis at 36. I always was, to paraphrase the author, fabulous at any high-paced multitasking and terrible at anything requiring focused attention. Things fell apart when my procrastination, inability to manage time, and tendency to interrupt conversations nearly got me fired. Adderall changed all that, saving my career and my sanity as I am now able to get through a normal day's deskwork without pathological procrastination. I've never taken more than 30 mg in a day (I usually take 15 -20 over a 8 hour period) and take breaks every weekend without problems, aside from a bit of daytime sleepiness. I'm sorry the author had such a rotten experience; but she was using the substance illegally, even lying to a physician to acquire it. As my psychiatrist told me years ago, Adderall is unlikely to cause addiction among people using it to address deficits in their brain's dopamine/norepinephrine production. That has been my experience. I don't love taking Adderall - I wish I could just focus and get things done like a neurotypical human - but overall it's been a good tool for me. Please don't come away from this article assuming that all of us Adderall users are hyped-up achievement addicts.
10
I'm tired of all these comments where everyone scrambles to make a distinction between those who have a "legitimate illness" and use a medication as a treatment, and those who use it to enhance their performance in the absence of a "legitimate illness". Everyone's brain is different, ADHD diagnostic criteria fall along a spectrum, and whether or not one's symptoms cause problems or distress is highly dependent on life circumstances. It is a choice between each person and their doctor whether to use a medication. Like a lot of medications, Adderall can be very helpful and serves a purpose, but it's also sometimes overused or misused. Whether or not someone meets certain arbitrary diagnostic criteria is a pointless distinction, and the author's experience is no less valuable to a discussion of this drug because she didn't have a "real" diagnosis.
5
The best thing I ever heard from my young son's neurologist, back in the late 1990s, was, "Medications for ADHD are seriously overprescribed. On the other hand, your son has the kind of condition they are supposed to be prescribed for." I had been resistant, but our son's increasing sense of failure to attend to any task was interfering with the development of a normal, healthy sense of a capable self. He took Ritalin for five years, and then, having learned effective strategies for mindfulness and managing his time, he chose to wean off it and is now a productive, though still very distracted, adult. I look back to my own childhood and am sad that I experienced failures that were attributed to my "not paying attention" or "not caring enough." No one understood that I COULDN'T pay attention. And in my late 30s, some years after our son decided not take Ritalin anymore, I sought out a specialist in cognitive psychology to carefully monitor my own attention issues. I didn't do it because I wanted to excel or do better than my peers. I started medication because I was hopelessly lost in a sea of stimulation that churned too forcefully for me to focus on any one task. I was drowning. I had meditated. The addition of a medication for ADHD has made the difference between stumbling through a dark room full of obstacles and noises and walking through a brightly lit room where I can see, touch, and hear everything and function.
9
The author's main flaw seems to be a tendency to blame everyone and everything else for her addiction -- the pharmaceutical companies, doctors, the health care system, "the Internet," school pressures, job pressures. There never seems to be any true awareness that life can be hard and you need to make self-sacrifices sometimes and life is not always "fun" and "self-rewarding."
Of course, parents who agree to give their children this drug are the problem as well, as they put them down in front of the TV to babysit them for hours on end while they pursue their own hectic lives, then have to deal with their jittery offspring who won't sit still in school by giving them a drug. It's a lot more hard work to go outside and play ball with them or read a book. Who has the time? Ultimately, the parent's problem here begins with their unwillingness to sacrifice time and self-indulgence for their own children, and yet this is vital so that they don't produce a generation of little felons.
All kinds of health prescriptions can be made about the addiction problem which is as over-medicalized as its victims, but in the end it is a moral problem for civilization, how can people be good and do good and pursue their self-interest but not at the expense of others and even long-term, themselves. And this does begin with what the ancients said, "nothing in excess" and the kind of self-restraint that is taught in religion and which has no secular equivalent in our times, it seems.
Of course, parents who agree to give their children this drug are the problem as well, as they put them down in front of the TV to babysit them for hours on end while they pursue their own hectic lives, then have to deal with their jittery offspring who won't sit still in school by giving them a drug. It's a lot more hard work to go outside and play ball with them or read a book. Who has the time? Ultimately, the parent's problem here begins with their unwillingness to sacrifice time and self-indulgence for their own children, and yet this is vital so that they don't produce a generation of little felons.
All kinds of health prescriptions can be made about the addiction problem which is as over-medicalized as its victims, but in the end it is a moral problem for civilization, how can people be good and do good and pursue their self-interest but not at the expense of others and even long-term, themselves. And this does begin with what the ancients said, "nothing in excess" and the kind of self-restraint that is taught in religion and which has no secular equivalent in our times, it seems.
2
Any medication will have adverse affects when misused. Any drug, no matter how benign. The attitude of martyrdom and victim annoys me. The author made choices, and choices have consequences. To proclaim it a horrible drug because it was not used for its intended purpose, and it was abused, is wrong.
Let me point out the author is still using Adderall. However, instead of using it to provide inspiration, it is now the inspiration. In terms of the author, is there really any difference?
This article does nothing but promote a false image of the drug, and does nothing to distinguish the difference between people who use it responsibly, with a legitimate diagnosis, and the abusers. It lumps them all into one group, implying the drug should be banned. The Times needs to investigate the other side of the story. The responsible users.
Let me point out the author is still using Adderall. However, instead of using it to provide inspiration, it is now the inspiration. In terms of the author, is there really any difference?
This article does nothing but promote a false image of the drug, and does nothing to distinguish the difference between people who use it responsibly, with a legitimate diagnosis, and the abusers. It lumps them all into one group, implying the drug should be banned. The Times needs to investigate the other side of the story. The responsible users.
10
"In the end, I did not get off Adderall alone. I had a brilliant psychiatrist".
Had she had a merely competent psychiatrist when she initially sought a legal means to ensure her addiction, someone else would have had to write this article.
In the 5000 plus children and adults I know who take psychostimulants - because they were part of the treatment plan we developed following their ADHD diagnosis (derived from hours of neuropsychological interview and assessment), only those who skipped the essential psychotherapeutic elements of their treatment plan (again, not possible from a fifty minute interview) end up with life stories such as these.
The rest? They earn the PhD, MD, DO or JD. because they are both bright and in control of their ADHD, and therefore their lives. This article as well as books such as "ADHD Nation" point to an epidemic that is not there. The epidemic is the poor diagnostic processes which turn innocent patients such as Ms Schwartz turn into addicts. It has more to do with archaic medical training and greedy-busy physician practicing.
This will very rarley occur in states where psychologists have been trained to prescribe psychotropics. To be continued.
Had she had a merely competent psychiatrist when she initially sought a legal means to ensure her addiction, someone else would have had to write this article.
In the 5000 plus children and adults I know who take psychostimulants - because they were part of the treatment plan we developed following their ADHD diagnosis (derived from hours of neuropsychological interview and assessment), only those who skipped the essential psychotherapeutic elements of their treatment plan (again, not possible from a fifty minute interview) end up with life stories such as these.
The rest? They earn the PhD, MD, DO or JD. because they are both bright and in control of their ADHD, and therefore their lives. This article as well as books such as "ADHD Nation" point to an epidemic that is not there. The epidemic is the poor diagnostic processes which turn innocent patients such as Ms Schwartz turn into addicts. It has more to do with archaic medical training and greedy-busy physician practicing.
This will very rarley occur in states where psychologists have been trained to prescribe psychotropics. To be continued.
1
Thank you, Ms. Schwartz, for your candor. I am profoundly sorry for an experience that should not have occurred, happy that you could grow from adversity.
I write from experience as well, diagnosed ADHD late 40s in age. Because I attended college with mostly younger students, there were conversations that my medication (then Ritalin) was an advan others did not have. Adderall followed after graduation because I loved that I could focus.
As you know, there are dopamine receptor stimulants and nondopamine. I did not like changes I associated with Adderall use. I called the maker (2003), asked for research, assured I was not a reporter, not taping the conversation. I was told that Adderall was never meant for adults because the tendency to exacerbate symptoms had been noted. I decreased the dosage and then switched to the generic atomoxetine (Straterra).
You are correct about no studies for the aging generation of early stimulant users. I have been advocating for 2 decades for more research, as have many others. The CDC agreed, but req'd institutional initiation. The problem is funding and interest. In my case, are women worth studying? Obviously, yes, though cost/benefit must be significant for funding partners. Also agree far too many diagnoses for drug therapy, even, in the case of our children then, K-5 teachers, admin. "diagnosing" and suggesting drug therapy.
Remember, for thousands of adults/children, drug therapy with behavioral changes are best choice; thx again.
I write from experience as well, diagnosed ADHD late 40s in age. Because I attended college with mostly younger students, there were conversations that my medication (then Ritalin) was an advan others did not have. Adderall followed after graduation because I loved that I could focus.
As you know, there are dopamine receptor stimulants and nondopamine. I did not like changes I associated with Adderall use. I called the maker (2003), asked for research, assured I was not a reporter, not taping the conversation. I was told that Adderall was never meant for adults because the tendency to exacerbate symptoms had been noted. I decreased the dosage and then switched to the generic atomoxetine (Straterra).
You are correct about no studies for the aging generation of early stimulant users. I have been advocating for 2 decades for more research, as have many others. The CDC agreed, but req'd institutional initiation. The problem is funding and interest. In my case, are women worth studying? Obviously, yes, though cost/benefit must be significant for funding partners. Also agree far too many diagnoses for drug therapy, even, in the case of our children then, K-5 teachers, admin. "diagnosing" and suggesting drug therapy.
Remember, for thousands of adults/children, drug therapy with behavioral changes are best choice; thx again.
1
I am a 60-year-old grandmother, working full time as a psychiatric social worker, soon to be married for the third time. I also struggle with dyslexia. Ten years ago, after getting so overwhelmed by life that I was having suicidal thoughts, I was diagnosed with ADD by a neuro-psychologist and reluctantly started taking Adderall and an anti-depressant.
For me, Adderall may have saved my life. Due to my learning difference, which lead to low self-esteem, my ability to trust my decisions and let my values lead my behavior, I was often confused, easily persuaded and manipulated in relationships. By taking a low dose of Adderall, I've been able to think clearly, know my strengths and best of all, I believe I am smart. I can count on myself for the first time in my life.
With the proper education, supportive therapy and a knowledgeable prescribing professional, taking Adderall can save lives. Please be careful not to generalize, putting all people who take Adderall in one addiction bucket which can cause vulnerable people to not take their much needed medication. Every medication has side effects, but if we carefully measure the pros and cons, we can make informed decisions that can help us to create a life that one wants to live rather than wish it were over.
For me, Adderall may have saved my life. Due to my learning difference, which lead to low self-esteem, my ability to trust my decisions and let my values lead my behavior, I was often confused, easily persuaded and manipulated in relationships. By taking a low dose of Adderall, I've been able to think clearly, know my strengths and best of all, I believe I am smart. I can count on myself for the first time in my life.
With the proper education, supportive therapy and a knowledgeable prescribing professional, taking Adderall can save lives. Please be careful not to generalize, putting all people who take Adderall in one addiction bucket which can cause vulnerable people to not take their much needed medication. Every medication has side effects, but if we carefully measure the pros and cons, we can make informed decisions that can help us to create a life that one wants to live rather than wish it were over.
3
Schools have become pushers rather than educators in many instances. The focus on test scores rather than experience and progress creates a horrible dynamic for children, parents and teachers.
Teachers who are evaluated by test scores are frustrated and short tempered and seek to medicate anyone who brings spirit or possible disruption to their classrooms rather than help kids think on a meta cognitive basis about their behaviors. For some kids, the medicine helps, at least for awhile, but we are experimenting on a whole generation. We have no idea what the long term impact on heart and neurological health may be.
Still, this author was seeking the easy answer rather than the concerted effort. The desire for the perfect life, endless energy, credentialed achievement, thin appearance, had its cost in her loss of daily experience. I took my child off this medicine when he told me he felt dead inside. If a 12 year old can verbalize this consequence, I find it hard to summon sympathy for an Ivy League educated perfectionist.
Teachers who are evaluated by test scores are frustrated and short tempered and seek to medicate anyone who brings spirit or possible disruption to their classrooms rather than help kids think on a meta cognitive basis about their behaviors. For some kids, the medicine helps, at least for awhile, but we are experimenting on a whole generation. We have no idea what the long term impact on heart and neurological health may be.
Still, this author was seeking the easy answer rather than the concerted effort. The desire for the perfect life, endless energy, credentialed achievement, thin appearance, had its cost in her loss of daily experience. I took my child off this medicine when he told me he felt dead inside. If a 12 year old can verbalize this consequence, I find it hard to summon sympathy for an Ivy League educated perfectionist.
1
The notion that the ever-growing list of psychiatric drugs correct a “chemical imbalance” or provide a cure is a fiction, pure and simple. Both the psychiatric profession and big pharma know, and now admit, that there is no good science to back up that hypothesis. None. The SSRI antidepressants, long touted and marketed as wonder drugs that corrected so-called serotonin deficiencies, are now known to do just the opposite: dial down production of it, in the bodies attempt to maintain homeostasis. And there is ultimately no evidence that depression is caused by a serotonin deficiency.
In the main, what psychiatric drugs do is no different than what any other mind-altering drugs, alcohol included, legal or illegal do: create a new and different state in the brain. If the altered state suits you, and you believe it improves the quality of your life, certainly it should be your choice to take it. In many cases, short-term use of these drugs does make patients feel better. Long-term use, and the ultimate impact of pathologizing every human behavior that doesn’t advance the capitalist culture’s obsession with increased human productivity is much more ambiguous, and problematic.
But please stop the self-righteous addict shaming, and be intellectually honest about the science.
In the main, what psychiatric drugs do is no different than what any other mind-altering drugs, alcohol included, legal or illegal do: create a new and different state in the brain. If the altered state suits you, and you believe it improves the quality of your life, certainly it should be your choice to take it. In many cases, short-term use of these drugs does make patients feel better. Long-term use, and the ultimate impact of pathologizing every human behavior that doesn’t advance the capitalist culture’s obsession with increased human productivity is much more ambiguous, and problematic.
But please stop the self-righteous addict shaming, and be intellectually honest about the science.
7
It took me a while to realize that the author chose to illegally procure and use a controlled substance. She very much glossed over and diverted attention from these facts. The discussion of how Adderall was developed, the rise prescriptions, how ADHD is diagnosed, and the company’s revenues are all completely irrelevant to her experience. In a typically millennial fashion the author has taken her experience and tried to justify it while blaming society rather than taking responsibility. Sure, she did get a prescription for Adderall but not because ADHD is over-diagnosed. She obtained the prescription by intentionally lying to her doctor but still manages to blame her doctor. (“These were the answers they were looking for in order to pick up their pens and write down “Adderall, 20 mg, once a day”. . . So these were the answers I gave.” No! Those are the false answers that you prepared in advance to convince a doctor to write the prescription.)
The subject of the article could have been opioids or cocaine or alcohol. Addiction and abuse has reached terrifying epidemic proportions and has ruined many lives. Research, prevention and treatment should be one of our highest health priorities along with addressing factors that drive misuse, abuse and addiction. But there are no insights in this self-centered article. Yes, Adderall is addictive and yes it is incredibly difficult to overcome addiction. That is why Adderall is a highly regulated controlled substance. No news here
The subject of the article could have been opioids or cocaine or alcohol. Addiction and abuse has reached terrifying epidemic proportions and has ruined many lives. Research, prevention and treatment should be one of our highest health priorities along with addressing factors that drive misuse, abuse and addiction. But there are no insights in this self-centered article. Yes, Adderall is addictive and yes it is incredibly difficult to overcome addiction. That is why Adderall is a highly regulated controlled substance. No news here
3
Psychostimulants such as Adderall are powerfully addictive and so are a host of other drugs such as alcohol, opioids, nicotine, etc. I was addicted to stimulants for 20 years and before that, alcohol. I came to understand that the substance is not the problem. Addiction is a disease and some of us are born with a predisposition to it which is often reinforced by environmental cues. Addiction is not an accident, i.e., I took this drug to study and look what happened. It is a complicated condition that involves the physical, mental and spiritual parts of ourselves.
I think it is important to understand that drugs are not ever the problem. I think Adderall, especially, is heavily controlled by the DEA/FDA as a Schedule II controlled substance (the highest control for legal drugs). A doctor in the U.S.in this era is not likely to prescribe excessive doses of this drug, due to the heavy scrutiny of the DEA. Are these drugs overprescribed in general, making diversion more likely? Of course. They are a big money maker for big pharma and medicine is no more about going to the doctor seeking his/her opinion and treatment. Medicine is purely consumer driven now-a parent decides their child has ADHD and Dr agrees because Dr. has been reduced to a signature on a script. But as other readers have observed, the majority of people who use psychostimulants, use them responsibly and do get relief from them.
I think it is important to understand that drugs are not ever the problem. I think Adderall, especially, is heavily controlled by the DEA/FDA as a Schedule II controlled substance (the highest control for legal drugs). A doctor in the U.S.in this era is not likely to prescribe excessive doses of this drug, due to the heavy scrutiny of the DEA. Are these drugs overprescribed in general, making diversion more likely? Of course. They are a big money maker for big pharma and medicine is no more about going to the doctor seeking his/her opinion and treatment. Medicine is purely consumer driven now-a parent decides their child has ADHD and Dr agrees because Dr. has been reduced to a signature on a script. But as other readers have observed, the majority of people who use psychostimulants, use them responsibly and do get relief from them.
1
As a doctor who frequently diagnoses ADHD and prescribes stimulants to treat it, I am always very mindful of potential risks, including the possibility of addiction. That being said, I have rarely seen true cases of addiction as described in the article. Of course, I might not always know if I've been duped by smart con-artists, but my guess is that this is rare. I have plenty of experience with patients overusing anti-anxiety drugs, such as xanax, so I know what that kind of behavior looks like. And I am always wary of patients seeking a replacement of "lost" or "stolen" prescriptions. But like other readers, I am concerned about the impact of articles like this on the public perception of the danger in taking stimulants. The truth is they are amongst the safest and most effective medications for any illness that we know of. There is no doubt that life for many children and adults would be far more difficult without these medications. Typically people use less, not more, than prescribed and are often happy to take a day, week, or even a summer off, if they're not working or in school. Sure some people may use them just to become super-performers, but most are coming to treatment because their diagnosis makes it genuinely difficult to get through their classes and earn decent, or even passing, grades. I wish that this perspective could be acknowledged in articles like this so that people didn't come away with a skewed perspective on the risks and benefits of stimulants.
4
I almost died in 2012, and had several major surgeries in a very short period of time. I started to notice memory and focusing issues, since attributed to deep anesthesia so many times in a short time span. I couldn't cook. It was like a television show, with each ingredient in a bowl. I couldn't tell you if I put 2 o3 3 cups of sugar or flour in the bowl. I was tested, by a psychologist, and the results matched ADD, although adults DO NOT suddenly acquire ADD. I had ADD-like symptoms. After the diagnosis, I immediately noticed a difference. I could make chocolate chip cookies again. I could have a conversation. I have never once felt the feeling of well being, other than the immense relief that I could again follow a recipe and the knowledge that I didn't have some form of dementia. I have never experienced any of the symptoms the author mentions, other than the ability to focus on the task at hand. Perhaps the difference is that I actually need the drug for legitimate problems, and I didn't fake symptoms to obtain an A on a test. At the time I was prescribed, I was 49, and had already been through college and grad school, legitimately earning A's. Perhaps lack of guilt eliminates anxiety. I suppose it is like any drug, and, when not abused, and taken for its intended legitimate purpose, the effects are different. As someone who has benefited immensely, I would hope this drug is not banned simply because students, and physicians, abuse it. I
1
As a child in the 1960s, I was prescribed Dexedrine, one of the variants of Adderall described here. From the age of 10 until age 15, I took about 20 mg a day on school days, and nothing on the weekends, not really noticing a difference at the time. In retrospect, I now appreciate that the fact that I was able to stay up late and watch Johnny Carson and Joey Bishop at the age of only 10 is entirely due to the fact that I was on amphetamines. I did not get another prescription for it until I was in my late 40s.
The article seemed to promise insights into how to get off of the drug; instead, it seems only to lament the difficulties. With that in mind, let me share my own method: I have found that I have been able to gradually wean myself by taking smaller and smaller doses over a period of weeks. It is difficult at first, but it becomes easier over time.
I have come to believe that taking amphetamines during this developmentally important stage of my life may have had some detrimental impact on my cognitive development.
I would be very interested to see additional research on the long-term effects of these chemicals. There is certainly a large body of data available.
The article seemed to promise insights into how to get off of the drug; instead, it seems only to lament the difficulties. With that in mind, let me share my own method: I have found that I have been able to gradually wean myself by taking smaller and smaller doses over a period of weeks. It is difficult at first, but it becomes easier over time.
I have come to believe that taking amphetamines during this developmentally important stage of my life may have had some detrimental impact on my cognitive development.
I would be very interested to see additional research on the long-term effects of these chemicals. There is certainly a large body of data available.
2
In 2012, I almost died. I had a series of major surgeries very close together. As the physical recovery progressed, we noticed I didn't remember conversations. I couldn't cook. I couldn't remember how many cups of sugar or flour I had put in the bowl, in the last 60 seconds. Testing by a psychologist put me in the lowest 1% with respect to attention, at 49. As I had made it through graduate school, with A's, clearly, I had not suffered from attention issues. I was told it was a known anesthesia complication, from having deep anesthesia a number of times close together. because adults do NOT suddenly develop ADD. I was prescribed Adderall. Cooking was no longer like a tv show, with all ingredients in bowls. I remembered conversations. My euphoric sense of well being was because I didn't have an irreversible form of dementia. I have never experienced the described symptoms, perhaps because I had a legitimate need. I cannot describe the terror I felt when I thought I had an irreversible dementia. I sat and cried, when, in the middle of chocolate chip cookies, I had no idea what I had put in the bowl. My concern is that people who have a legitimate need will have difficulty obtaining it because of the desire for pharmaceutical influenced A's.
The author was clearly misdiagnosed and wrongfully prescribed a stimulant. The drug is not at fault, but a wrongful prescription and someone wishing to get "high" are. For those with a valid ADHD condition and diagnostic, such "typical" stimulant addiction is almost impossible and the drug abuse extremely rare. Why? The chemistry of their brains means no pleasure center rewards or stimulant-induced ill behaviors. In fact, they more often dislike stimulants' effects and are noncompliant about taking their prescribed drugs. That's certainly the case with me.
In fact, the amphetamine I'm prescribed doesn't even seem to be a stimulant given it will put me immediately to sleep should I take the least bit too much during dosing. That's been the case since I was diagnosed after very careful evaluation, and stimulants being prescribed, 25 years ago. In fact, voluntarily not taking my stimulant meds for the past two weeks has been a pleasure--even with an obviously negative effect of ADHD-induced lessened productivity.
In fact, the amphetamine I'm prescribed doesn't even seem to be a stimulant given it will put me immediately to sleep should I take the least bit too much during dosing. That's been the case since I was diagnosed after very careful evaluation, and stimulants being prescribed, 25 years ago. In fact, voluntarily not taking my stimulant meds for the past two weeks has been a pleasure--even with an obviously negative effect of ADHD-induced lessened productivity.
2
Having spent a lifetime struggling with ADHD, and not knowing I had it until my son was screened when I was 45, I attest that for those who need it Adderall is a godsend. ADHD is like having a great engine and no transmission: you rev and rev, and can't get it into gear except for fits and spurts. On Adderall I feel calm, can focus on difficult material. It pains me to think what I could be, where I could be, if I had been able to focus on the increasingly complex material I had to deal with as my education progressed. I am currently not on Adderall, because I have not found adequate psychiatric care-- in the form of executive function coaching, not psychotherapy-- to go along with it. This is a vital piece. I won't take Adderall unless I also have the suite of other treatments to help deal with ADHD, because Adderall is not a magic bullet for ADHD. In spite of discontinuing Adderall "cold turkey" I have had no craving for it.
This isn't the first demonizing article I have read by someone who clearly had no business taking Adderall, who clearly was abusing the drug. I find this article to be in the same vein as those from the absurd anti-vaccination movement. I love the Times, but printing this type of fluff will do your reputation no good in the end. My aim now is to ensure my son doesn't go through what I have. Hysteria from questionable sources doesn't help, and I do not appreciate it.
This isn't the first demonizing article I have read by someone who clearly had no business taking Adderall, who clearly was abusing the drug. I find this article to be in the same vein as those from the absurd anti-vaccination movement. I love the Times, but printing this type of fluff will do your reputation no good in the end. My aim now is to ensure my son doesn't go through what I have. Hysteria from questionable sources doesn't help, and I do not appreciate it.
5
I took adderall from the age of 21-23, and finally stopped when I had series full blown panic attack. I had been diagnosed with ADHD very young but never took medication - I initiated it in college and graduate school to cope with the workload. Though I very much fit the profile of a correct ADHD diagnosis, I also fit others - anxiety and body dysmorphia chiefly. Unfortuantely these were never of much interest to my doctors, though in their defense, I didn't share. Adderall absolutely improved my work performance, but it also had other effects, including impulsiveness, emotional lability, unpleasnt physical effects like sweating, tension, and insomnia, and of course depressed appetite. It deeply affected my behavior and relationships and pushed me head-long into anorexia. I stopped the medication after I finally recognized how it was affecting me, but truthfully it took years to begin to repair the damage. I never took it again after that day, but the reasons why I loved it so much remain.
It is not my place or within my scope (I'm an NP but not a psychiatric one) to judge who should receive this medication. perhaps i have both anxiety and adhd, or perhaps just anxiety, but regardless it was a bad fit. Any decision to initiate amphetamine therapy should come with a strong consideration of it's highly addictive properties, especially with those at risk.
It is not my place or within my scope (I'm an NP but not a psychiatric one) to judge who should receive this medication. perhaps i have both anxiety and adhd, or perhaps just anxiety, but regardless it was a bad fit. Any decision to initiate amphetamine therapy should come with a strong consideration of it's highly addictive properties, especially with those at risk.
I don't know who at the Times decided that people with ADHD didn't have enough complication in our lives, but for the past few years once every 4-6 months an article is published calling into doubt the legitimacy of ADHD. If cancer drugs could be abused on the black market would they begin a moral crusade against cancer victims? The fact is, ADHD is real, there are millions of people that live with it, and this obsession of the Times does actual damage to the public awareness and understanding of the condition.
People with ADHD are not all confused drug-addicts, as this article wants to imply. They did not all get tricked by their school or their doctor into falling for a Big Pharma scam. People with ADHD have a condition where their brains function differently than those without it. Executive functioning skills such as time management, organization, task prioritization, and others, are the main ones negatively affected. But they also excel at empathy, creativity, and have boundless curiosity. In other words, they have non-neurotypical brains that excel and are weak at different things than a so-called "normal" brain.
There is never any effort made to balance the reporting with stories about the far, far more common scenario for people who take Adderall as legally prescribed by their doctor: significant, noticeable improvement in symptoms. This series of articles is damaging to the public's ability to treat people who have ADHD compassionately and with respect.
People with ADHD are not all confused drug-addicts, as this article wants to imply. They did not all get tricked by their school or their doctor into falling for a Big Pharma scam. People with ADHD have a condition where their brains function differently than those without it. Executive functioning skills such as time management, organization, task prioritization, and others, are the main ones negatively affected. But they also excel at empathy, creativity, and have boundless curiosity. In other words, they have non-neurotypical brains that excel and are weak at different things than a so-called "normal" brain.
There is never any effort made to balance the reporting with stories about the far, far more common scenario for people who take Adderall as legally prescribed by their doctor: significant, noticeable improvement in symptoms. This series of articles is damaging to the public's ability to treat people who have ADHD compassionately and with respect.
5
As a developmental and behavioral pediatrician who does extensive evaluations of children (3 1/2 hours face-to-face time plus an almost equal amount reviewing records, talking with teachers, and scoring the testing), I do not prescribe stimulants to children and teens lightly. However, I can tell you that these drugs can make a life-altering difference in children with ADHD. They are not meant to be performance enhancing drugs, which is the way you chose to use Adderall. It's the people who don't have ADHD and chose to use them who get in trouble with addiction. I have never had a patient in my 26 years of practice who got addicted or who has had difficulty stopping the medications when the time came. In fact, many students don't take the medication on weekends, school breaks, or summer without experiencing any difficulty stopping.
A major reason these were taken off the market in the 1960's was that many of the women using them for weight loss got addicted. These women did not have ADHD.
I feel so strongly that stimulants should not be used as performance enhancing drugs that if I find out a student is only taking them on test days, or to help study for finals, I won't prescribe any longer. I also keep very careful records each time I write a prescription, which lets me tell if they run out too soon or not soon enough.
Please don't blame stimulants for your inappropriate use of them and your subsequent problems. These meds work for those who need them.
A major reason these were taken off the market in the 1960's was that many of the women using them for weight loss got addicted. These women did not have ADHD.
I feel so strongly that stimulants should not be used as performance enhancing drugs that if I find out a student is only taking them on test days, or to help study for finals, I won't prescribe any longer. I also keep very careful records each time I write a prescription, which lets me tell if they run out too soon or not soon enough.
Please don't blame stimulants for your inappropriate use of them and your subsequent problems. These meds work for those who need them.
8
There is absolutely nothing "new" about Adderall. The first incarnation of this complex of amphetamine salts and "sugars" was called "Amphlaplex," then "Obetrol" came alongside, when a certain company joined the game with an ion tweaked form called Bi-Phetamine. These were the prescription drugs known as "Black Beauties" and their confusion with "look alike" drugs drove the look-alike and the prescription form off the market. Many very helpful drugs were lost to the craze of making a stimulating, or sedating look alike antihistamines require a very close look to discover if it was a prescription, or a Sudafed and caffeine laden knock off. In fact, the Quaalude look-alike was monographed Lemon - 714, Preludin was indistinguishable from the amphetamine relative.
So, one can see that if someone were taking 5 look-alike pills and happened to get the real drug, they would certainly be in trouble. Misuse is a terrible thing, but these "drugs of old" are in many ways superior to their replacements. Now patients get all the memory loss (or overstimulation) with no feelings of well-being. To my thinking, we have entered into a far more dangerous situation than what existed in the 1970s. The real damage occurs when we use the human body as the lab to create the same effect. This is where chronic aberrant behaviors step in and possibly, forever changing body chemistry, in some very unpredictable ways; namely: suicide, murder, as well as the same impulsivity these drugs should eliminate.
So, one can see that if someone were taking 5 look-alike pills and happened to get the real drug, they would certainly be in trouble. Misuse is a terrible thing, but these "drugs of old" are in many ways superior to their replacements. Now patients get all the memory loss (or overstimulation) with no feelings of well-being. To my thinking, we have entered into a far more dangerous situation than what existed in the 1970s. The real damage occurs when we use the human body as the lab to create the same effect. This is where chronic aberrant behaviors step in and possibly, forever changing body chemistry, in some very unpredictable ways; namely: suicide, murder, as well as the same impulsivity these drugs should eliminate.
In 2012, I almost died. I had several major surgeries, with deep anesthesia, in a very short period of time. As I started to recover physically, I began to wonder if, at 49, I was experiencing Alzheimer's or dementia. I couldn't make cookies. I couldn't remember how many cups of sugar I JUST put in the bowl. Cooking became like a television show, with bowls for each pre-measured ingredient. I couldn't remember conversations. A psychologist did attention testing, and I was in the lowest 1%. The psychologist and physicians were adamant that adults do not just develop ADD. Adults may have been undiagnosed as children, but they don't suddenly develop it. I was told my issues were from the frequency and quantity of anesthesia. I was prescribed Adderall. Not once have I had a feeling of euphoria, other than when given the diagnosis. I was convinced I had a more serious issue. I can't describe the terror at being unable to do something as simple as make cookies, a task I'd done countless times, without planning analogous to a military operation. I've not had panic attacks or anything else described, perhaps because I needed it, and I had no guilt at trying to scam a prescription. And now, the scammer, by virtue of a self expose, is a hero, if not a martyr, giving up the benefits, because it is the right thing to do.
1
A painful story of drug abuse and self medication that ultimately lead to addiction. Medicating my daughter (who is now in college) required careful and concise diagnosis by seasoned psychiatrists. Her diagnosis, in second grade, required us to alter dosages all throughout her life, taking into consideration such things as puberty, work load and weight. She happily obliged and advocated for personal 'medication vacations' each summer when she bounced off to camp. Herein lies the greatest difference and most significant misperception between the illegal Adderall Ms. Schwartz consumed of her own volition and that which is carefully, methodically and medically prescribed. Properly taken, under the scrutiny of a respected and seasoned physician, It works. When a prescription drug is abused and consumed for recreational purposes, it cannot be blamed. Ms. Schwartz tells a common tale of just another teen abusing a another drug. Adderall is NOT to blame here; she willfully engaged in self medication and drug abuse rather than seeking professional help for the real issue. In her efforts to blame Adderall, she appears to be still running from those demons.
8
The purpose of ADHD medication is not to improve creativity or intellectual capacity. What the medication does is it relieves the default-mode network - the system that burbles with thought, mulling the past and the future, while your mid isn't focussed on a task - of it's duty. Meanwhile, it activates the thalamus, which is involved in awareness and attention. The result is not a brain that is smarter or more creative, but simply a brain that is able to focus on tasks that would have otherwise been difficult to focus on.
Furthermore, the author assumes that individuals only take ADHD medications for their immediate effect; that is, to improve their "cognitive performance" while they are on the medication. This just simply isn't the case. If we know one thing for certain about the brain, it's that neurons that fire together wire together; when the correct neural pathways are activated, the connections between neurons in those pathways are altered permanently. The ability of neurons to adapt their connection strengths is known as neuroplasticity, a phenomenon which is strongest in the early years (ages 0 - 25) and begins to taper off around the mid-twenties. A child/young adult with ADHD has reward neural pathways that are understimulated and underactive for reasons that are not entirely yet known. If they don't take these medications, those pathways will never fire, and the neurons will never wire together properly.
Furthermore, the author assumes that individuals only take ADHD medications for their immediate effect; that is, to improve their "cognitive performance" while they are on the medication. This just simply isn't the case. If we know one thing for certain about the brain, it's that neurons that fire together wire together; when the correct neural pathways are activated, the connections between neurons in those pathways are altered permanently. The ability of neurons to adapt their connection strengths is known as neuroplasticity, a phenomenon which is strongest in the early years (ages 0 - 25) and begins to taper off around the mid-twenties. A child/young adult with ADHD has reward neural pathways that are understimulated and underactive for reasons that are not entirely yet known. If they don't take these medications, those pathways will never fire, and the neurons will never wire together properly.
2
Why is marijuana, a virtually harmless substance, classified as a Class I drug and yet all these other drugs, that obviously can be far more harmful if abused, are allowed to go almost uncontrolled? Marijuana, even if used excessively has not been proven by any scientific studies to be harmful or even truly addictive (BTW I am not a user).
The pharmaceutical companies are to be blamed for this discrepancy as they face the prospect of losing billions of dollars if marijuana is declassified. The true benefits of marijuana cannot be ascertained until unbiased, scientific studies on thousands of users can be compared to the destructive character of drugs such as Adderall.
The use of these drugs may be necessary for many conditions but only if properly applied and not abused. Legalizing marijuana would lead people who do not have prescriptions for these other drugs to discontinue their abuse of these drugs and try marijuana instead.
We only have to blame the weak and corrupt politicians who receive 'subsidies' from these drug companies and refuse to recognize the value of decriminalizing marijuana use.
The pharmaceutical companies are to be blamed for this discrepancy as they face the prospect of losing billions of dollars if marijuana is declassified. The true benefits of marijuana cannot be ascertained until unbiased, scientific studies on thousands of users can be compared to the destructive character of drugs such as Adderall.
The use of these drugs may be necessary for many conditions but only if properly applied and not abused. Legalizing marijuana would lead people who do not have prescriptions for these other drugs to discontinue their abuse of these drugs and try marijuana instead.
We only have to blame the weak and corrupt politicians who receive 'subsidies' from these drug companies and refuse to recognize the value of decriminalizing marijuana use.
1
Another bash against Adderall. I bet author Casey Schwartz is the daughter of Alan Schwartz, another Times writer whose pieces on ADHD and meds were nothing but crucifixions of drugs that have greatly benefitted those accurately DX'd by true professionals.
As Jane wrote: "I was diagnosed in childhood with ADD and used Adderall and other strong stimulants for 12-ish years.
Never was I chasing supernatural motivation, merely the ability to do a worksheet without staring out the window, getting up 17 times, snapping paper clips to keep my hands busy, and then somehow losing the piece of paper. The transition off in college was a bit odd, although not difficult, per se. It has made it harder to manage my weight, I think, since I was not used to a full appetite. My grades fell slightly, but that may have been due to a myriad of other factors including very severe depression (something I have struggled with on and off).
In any case, my point is that I used stimulants as prescribed (very high doses) for years, and did not become addicted. I absolutely never chased another pill, never had any sort of craving. If I forgot to take them one day, I merely felt distracted, impulsive, unfocused and somewhat more energetic.
Only people who are diagnosed (preferably by multiple professionals) with ADD have any business taking prescription stimulants. For anybody else, it is playing with fire. I am very glad I had ready and appropriate access to this medication."
As Jane wrote: "I was diagnosed in childhood with ADD and used Adderall and other strong stimulants for 12-ish years.
Never was I chasing supernatural motivation, merely the ability to do a worksheet without staring out the window, getting up 17 times, snapping paper clips to keep my hands busy, and then somehow losing the piece of paper. The transition off in college was a bit odd, although not difficult, per se. It has made it harder to manage my weight, I think, since I was not used to a full appetite. My grades fell slightly, but that may have been due to a myriad of other factors including very severe depression (something I have struggled with on and off).
In any case, my point is that I used stimulants as prescribed (very high doses) for years, and did not become addicted. I absolutely never chased another pill, never had any sort of craving. If I forgot to take them one day, I merely felt distracted, impulsive, unfocused and somewhat more energetic.
Only people who are diagnosed (preferably by multiple professionals) with ADD have any business taking prescription stimulants. For anybody else, it is playing with fire. I am very glad I had ready and appropriate access to this medication."
2
When I was a teenager in a strict religious school, the administration once put pressure on my parents to "medicate" me for my "hyperactivity", essentially recommending ADD meds. My parents felt that the admin was trying to medicate my personality and refused. It was one of the only times they stood up to our school. I felt so grateful to them.
Fast forward twenty years, and a stillbirth spiralled me into extreme hypochondria. I lived as if in a day or two my son would be an orphan. I found reason to panic over an imagined stage 4 cancer at least twice a day, each time with the same certainty that this was it (despite my rational mind protesting, laughing, using techniques...) In desperation, I sought help from a psychiatrist. A dose of lexapro did nothing, but during one of the visits I asked about Aderral. A friend told me it helped him focus. I'd never done drugs. It felt like drugs. The doctor made me feel like it was. She warned it would worsen my anxeity and gave me a 5 milligram perscription.
Something absolutely astonishing happened; when I was on aderral, I didn't think I was dying. To quote a neurologist I later saw, it helped me come up for air. It got me out of a loop of obsessive worry. Now, over a year later and a supportive dr, I live my life with two less fatal imagined tragedies a day.
I could have been helped sooner but articles like these create fear; they scare parents like mine. Parents need to instead know that each person responds differently.
Fast forward twenty years, and a stillbirth spiralled me into extreme hypochondria. I lived as if in a day or two my son would be an orphan. I found reason to panic over an imagined stage 4 cancer at least twice a day, each time with the same certainty that this was it (despite my rational mind protesting, laughing, using techniques...) In desperation, I sought help from a psychiatrist. A dose of lexapro did nothing, but during one of the visits I asked about Aderral. A friend told me it helped him focus. I'd never done drugs. It felt like drugs. The doctor made me feel like it was. She warned it would worsen my anxeity and gave me a 5 milligram perscription.
Something absolutely astonishing happened; when I was on aderral, I didn't think I was dying. To quote a neurologist I later saw, it helped me come up for air. It got me out of a loop of obsessive worry. Now, over a year later and a supportive dr, I live my life with two less fatal imagined tragedies a day.
I could have been helped sooner but articles like these create fear; they scare parents like mine. Parents need to instead know that each person responds differently.
8
NYT - Way to proliferate the stigma of ADD/ADHD! Publishing an article with the title "Generation Adderall" suggests at least most people in this age group are taking it irresponsibly and may become (or are) addicts. As someone struggling with ADD/ADHD, it's frustrating to see multiple recent articles in the NYT focused on the pitfalls of what some find to be an effective medication because irresponsible pill-poppers are feeling self-righteous and looking for praise after cleaning up their act. (This article isn't meant to "help" anyone other than the author, don't kid yourself!)
This is an example of why many people including myself don't share that we have ADD/ADHD - because an ignorant but well-meaning friend/co-worker/family member will cite 'this article I read in the NYT about how people in your generation are addicted to Adderall.' It's not easy being ADD. This article makes it a little harder.
I took 5 mg for a few years after college. I believe that if I hadn't, I'd prob be where much of my high school class is: back in rural America, without a job after losing it in the recession, living with my parents --- a growing addiction to heroin.
This is an example of why many people including myself don't share that we have ADD/ADHD - because an ignorant but well-meaning friend/co-worker/family member will cite 'this article I read in the NYT about how people in your generation are addicted to Adderall.' It's not easy being ADD. This article makes it a little harder.
I took 5 mg for a few years after college. I believe that if I hadn't, I'd prob be where much of my high school class is: back in rural America, without a job after losing it in the recession, living with my parents --- a growing addiction to heroin.
12
The author took pills without a prescription, then lied to a doctor to obtain a prescription, and then failed to even follow those guidelines by taking so many in a day the author would lose count for a decade. Replace adderall here with espresso, Budweiser, cigarettes, or even Hershey kisses and you'd have similar results. Though this piece is well written, it seems to be a lure for sympathy: the pills were available on campus, the doctor believed my lies, other doctors trusted the first doctor, etc. I'm glad for the author's recovery, but the fact the psychoactive drugs are addictive and can be obtained under false pretenses is not new, and the consequences for such behavior lie solely with the author!
8
As an educator, I believe the root problem of the Adderall dependency crisis is the education system in our country, which over the last decade and a half has turned its focus to the narrow goal of standardized test accomplishment rather than stoking the powerful and creative learning lives of children. After 9/11 our educational system began to focus more and more on rote learning, standardized assessments and seat work, perhaps as a way to control an out of control world. Children are always easy targets. America's children across all socioeconomic sectors have suffered from this type of instruction. Over and over I've seen children being prescribed medications to "treat" the pathology of them resisting the hours of seat work, when in fact our schools should be first and foremost dedicated to the nurturing, caring for and inspiring the creative learning lives of children, making the school day interesting and engaging for all types of learners. We have instead pathologized our nation's most creative children all in the service of achieving better test scores. It is a national shame; this author is one of the many victims. I appreciate her brilliant writing on this important subject.
4
Having a daughter who was recently diagnosed with ADHD last year after an entire elementary school career dotted with disappointment for her, it was a relief to get that diagnosis. Ritalin has been a savior for her, a precociously gifted child who can't focus on things that don't interest her. Without Ritalin, this child, whose UQ puts her in the top 1%, may have continued to abhor school and might never have found her potential. It disgusts me that one, someone would abuse and then vilify a drug that has been a god save for who it was intended, and two, that an MD would write her the scrip with her description of her work style which actually ISN'T the definition of ADHD, merely a stereotype.
5
Some some simple lessons never take any drugs unless they are absolutely necessary, never take any drugs that are not prescribed for you, if you do take any use as little as possible and carefully evaluate the risk reward balance.
1
This article describes the abuse of Adderall while simultaneously trying to indict the use of the drug in the treatment of a real illness, ADHD with or without hyperactivity. Insinuating that it is a made up disorder to sell drugs is like saying people with clinical depression should just buck up and be happy.
Plain and simple, using Adderall to cram for a test or write a paper is drug abuse. If the effect you get from Adderall is bouncing off the walls and staying up all night then your prescription is too high or you just don't need the medication.
That said, I do agree there needs to be more study into the long term use of this and other drugs. Physicians should be cautious about diagnosing ADHD and prescribing the medication only when it is warranted, not just because they have frustrated parents in their office with an unruly child.
Plain and simple, using Adderall to cram for a test or write a paper is drug abuse. If the effect you get from Adderall is bouncing off the walls and staying up all night then your prescription is too high or you just don't need the medication.
That said, I do agree there needs to be more study into the long term use of this and other drugs. Physicians should be cautious about diagnosing ADHD and prescribing the medication only when it is warranted, not just because they have frustrated parents in their office with an unruly child.
5
Spent last hour reading these comments & relate 2 urs well. Even teared up some. 4 years ago my sister's ADD boyfriend asked if I had ever been diagnosed. I was struggling through a transition from fulltime work to fulltime univ student & he saw me sink into a very deep depression. Yet, months before when first introduced he saw my I high energy anxiety driven.
I began reading up on AD/HD generally as well as taking a few online tests. One day my life long struggle of feeling "alien" was clarified while researching and I sobbed for a long time. Previous diagnosis had been something mood, depressed, or personality disorder. Yet, it was clear as glass I was struggling with various symptoms and had not one good doctor or family member that cares to get me. For 4 years, I have been trying to get a doctor who will prescribe me the stimulant that will possibly assist me as well. The not feeling human for example and other social struggles is hard to explain to a doctor.
With my husband I have improved in public settings but he has to keep within reach cuz I begin 2 panic at times due to stimuli. I took Strattera for half year N my doc prescribed me Vyvanse but to no avail my new Medicare drug coverage doesn't cover the much more than ridelin n addes. I have hope but will take into account many stories shared to keep searching for adequate care I have yet to receive.
I began reading up on AD/HD generally as well as taking a few online tests. One day my life long struggle of feeling "alien" was clarified while researching and I sobbed for a long time. Previous diagnosis had been something mood, depressed, or personality disorder. Yet, it was clear as glass I was struggling with various symptoms and had not one good doctor or family member that cares to get me. For 4 years, I have been trying to get a doctor who will prescribe me the stimulant that will possibly assist me as well. The not feeling human for example and other social struggles is hard to explain to a doctor.
With my husband I have improved in public settings but he has to keep within reach cuz I begin 2 panic at times due to stimuli. I took Strattera for half year N my doc prescribed me Vyvanse but to no avail my new Medicare drug coverage doesn't cover the much more than ridelin n addes. I have hope but will take into account many stories shared to keep searching for adequate care I have yet to receive.
1
In 1996 or 1998, I listened to a recording about ADHD. It said that Bill Clinton has ADHD. It said that Bill Clinton can't talk and drive at the same time and that that is a symptom of ADHD and should be medicated.
I think that there is a real danger to scientific, technical, business, and creative progress if all the compulsive and / or creative personalities are medicated away. Look at all the advances that are credited to people who were outside the current goal personality.
I think that there is a real danger to scientific, technical, business, and creative progress if all the compulsive and / or creative personalities are medicated away. Look at all the advances that are credited to people who were outside the current goal personality.
2
It's regrettable that this essay about the author's addiction to Adderal throws a horribly negative light on a medication, or similar medications, that are helping millions of people who actually have ADD and ADHD lead happier and more productive lives. They're rarely the ones getting addicted. In fact, many are thrilled when they have a day off and don't feel the need to concentrate at work or in school, and therefore don't take the drugs. Many children go off their meds during summer vacation. It's time the New York Times stopped giving voice to drug addicts. How about some essays or articles on the way medications such as Adderal are helping people who would otherwise be at high risk for dangerous driving and addictions due to lack of impulse control get control of their lives.
6
I read this article and am not sympathetic to the author. I am prescribed Adderall and have been taking for the past 4 years. I'm 50. Unlike Ms Schwartz who mentions glibly that occasionally she lost track of how many pills she took in a day and then went on to abuse both Wellbutrin and Adderall, I am very aware of how much I take in a day. I am not denying her feeling that she felt her drug dependent anxiety rose during her period on Adderall nor can I deny it is easily abused. However for me it is a life saver. I cannot sit still without it, my depression which had been nearly constant since the birth of my last child has lifted and I am very very careful about my medicine since I cannot imagine at this point my life without it. At some point my prescriber has mentioned that I can use the techniques I've learned while taking the meds to wean myself off and I am hopeful for that future. Perhaps there are too many prescriptions out there, however I believe that prescribed and taken properly it can be a huge boon to some individuals.
5
You are obvious on Aderall that's why you wrote this comment.
This article, by an adult professional writer, former ADD misuser, diagnosed
with ADHD,is an inadequate case study of one person whose available and
accessible resources for daily functioning and adaptation in various roles,
networks (family,friends, neighbors and environments (home, schools),among other interacting contexts, is misleading.The author does not represent Adderall
users or misusers,who are diverse populations, socio-political constructions, who continue to be used and misused by a range of influential stakeholders.The complex,distinction between a “drug’s” pharmacological effects (a drugs’ actions) and what the user experiences or not (interaction between the drug, the specific person and the site) is not considered. Rather, “the drug”
is empowered, as is the treating addiction expert, and the diverse user,
who can’t cease, is disempowered.The treatment reality is that that there
are no unique types of therapies for “users,” which aren't also used with
non-users.The challenge remains re what criteria to use to determine a technique being indicated, contraindicated, irrelevant or even harmful for goal achievement.Terms often used in the “addiction” field are both overloaded and mixup descriptions with explanations. Consider “addiction;” a term, concept, process, outcome, The article’s style “suggests” answers; but to which questions which are necessary to better understand the relevant interacting parameters and issues for wellbeing and quality of life?
with ADHD,is an inadequate case study of one person whose available and
accessible resources for daily functioning and adaptation in various roles,
networks (family,friends, neighbors and environments (home, schools),among other interacting contexts, is misleading.The author does not represent Adderall
users or misusers,who are diverse populations, socio-political constructions, who continue to be used and misused by a range of influential stakeholders.The complex,distinction between a “drug’s” pharmacological effects (a drugs’ actions) and what the user experiences or not (interaction between the drug, the specific person and the site) is not considered. Rather, “the drug”
is empowered, as is the treating addiction expert, and the diverse user,
who can’t cease, is disempowered.The treatment reality is that that there
are no unique types of therapies for “users,” which aren't also used with
non-users.The challenge remains re what criteria to use to determine a technique being indicated, contraindicated, irrelevant or even harmful for goal achievement.Terms often used in the “addiction” field are both overloaded and mixup descriptions with explanations. Consider “addiction;” a term, concept, process, outcome, The article’s style “suggests” answers; but to which questions which are necessary to better understand the relevant interacting parameters and issues for wellbeing and quality of life?
While the highly personal story told in this piece is well told and certainly sincere and I have no doubt true, it is a story. It is not journalism.
The story is confessional in an era when confession earns credibility points, and it deals with a currently-fashionable topic.
It's heartfelt. I believe the story. I'm glad the author's life is turning around.
The author has some writing chops, but the piece is not journalism.
The story is confessional in an era when confession earns credibility points, and it deals with a currently-fashionable topic.
It's heartfelt. I believe the story. I'm glad the author's life is turning around.
The author has some writing chops, but the piece is not journalism.
2
I'm a 36-year-old man who has struggled for years to deal with the effects of ADD. I never went on meds. I tried to do this the natural way. Sick and tired of having to do thing the long way, the weight of having to work just a little longer to get the same things accomplished, I decided lets give this try. I agree with many people that overdiagnosis is a problem. For those who have ADD and have seen a dr about it, Adderall, in the correct dose, time released and under the supervision and guidance of a dr, is truely a helpful tool. I completely disagree with the premise that chemical assistance is something we should regard a suspicious. For someone like me, whose brain chemistry is off balance set against being able to function normally on a daily basis is no question at all. This is the same premise of logic we use for those who are alcoholics crying that drinking is bad, their own abuse testament to why we should completely avoid this substance at all. Why don't we observe those vast majority, or in the case of ADD (ADHD), the small collection of people who have been correctly diagnosed, who lives are enriched because now they are balanced? Because that doesn't make for a good story. It's better to hear about abuse and super pills and Brave New Worlds. Well ok. I just don't see how abusing your prescription then becoming addicted to a drug that not even been made for your brain chemistry has anything to do with the reality of how this can and has been helping people.
4
Oh my!
23 years old and you 'never even heard' of the 'unremarkable suburb' of Enfield until graduate school? Where have you been girl?
Spoiled brat alert. Assume you are White or Asian privileged.
80% common info, 20% soap opera.
23 years old and you 'never even heard' of the 'unremarkable suburb' of Enfield until graduate school? Where have you been girl?
Spoiled brat alert. Assume you are White or Asian privileged.
80% common info, 20% soap opera.
3
What a fantastic piece. Thank you for sharing your story.
So now that Mr. Schwartz has benefited from Adderrrall he wants to pull the ladder up, sounds familiar, is there a pharmaceutical company behind this with a potentially more profitable drug on the stand by as in the "pain pill" Hype that lumps together low dose drugs for legimate usage such as 5 mg hydrocodone(generic so no longer a big money maker therefore Very Bad For You) with Heroin? This of course always begs the question of why we are in everyone's medicine cabinet today but it is perfectly acceptable to smoke which kills millions annually, or cell phone use while driving killing thousands, or alcohol which is the drug of choice of those to poor for college or Adderrall, not to mention the wars America starts or provides weapons for that destroys entire societies murdering millions and driving millions more from their homes: American Democracy has become a thing of the past as corporations and special interests control everything from our medications to our elections to who we declare war on, always with the bottom line for someone in mind, and those someone's are always the someone who is the highest bidder in an increasingly bought and paid for cadre of elected officials. Welcome to the rapidly developing oligarchy of the U.S.A. A banana republic with a huge war machine available to special interests, compliments of the former middle class taxpayer.
1
N.A. mighty have saved you many years' grief and a fortune in medical and drug bills. Yet you never mention it. Odd, if you ask me. T.B.
3
I am disappointed in this framing, though I appreciate the author's candid look at her experiences and those of her peers. In our rigidly competitive culture, where one's worth is based on productivity, we are producing a climate where substance abuse is engendered.
But this must be differentiated from evidence-based use of stimulants. For those with ADHD, Adderall provides the regulation necessary for the attention / control most individuals take for granted. We have decades of research demonstrating it decrease otherwise high rates of functional impairment - substance abuse, school failure, employment instability, depression, etc. - in those with ADHD.
I am on Adderall. Prior to that, despite years of desperate effort and other treatments, I was severely depressed, about to be kicked out of school, and at risk of losing my job. Suddenly, I could focus, think before speaking, regulate my emotions, and accomplish what I set out to do. It quite literally saved my life. I am now a successful student with a nationally competitive fellowship.
Stimulants are a safe, effective treatment. Yet, it took years for doctors to prescribe it and pharmacists refuse to fill it. We must talk about substance abuse, but we must also talk about who is most harmed: those with a disabling neurodevelopmantal condition who struggle to access necessary and lifesaving medication because of others' misuse.
If the NYT would like to do that expose, I would be happy to help start that conversation.
But this must be differentiated from evidence-based use of stimulants. For those with ADHD, Adderall provides the regulation necessary for the attention / control most individuals take for granted. We have decades of research demonstrating it decrease otherwise high rates of functional impairment - substance abuse, school failure, employment instability, depression, etc. - in those with ADHD.
I am on Adderall. Prior to that, despite years of desperate effort and other treatments, I was severely depressed, about to be kicked out of school, and at risk of losing my job. Suddenly, I could focus, think before speaking, regulate my emotions, and accomplish what I set out to do. It quite literally saved my life. I am now a successful student with a nationally competitive fellowship.
Stimulants are a safe, effective treatment. Yet, it took years for doctors to prescribe it and pharmacists refuse to fill it. We must talk about substance abuse, but we must also talk about who is most harmed: those with a disabling neurodevelopmantal condition who struggle to access necessary and lifesaving medication because of others' misuse.
If the NYT would like to do that expose, I would be happy to help start that conversation.
30
Thank you. This is the type of article that perpetuates stereotypes and stigma against those who truly have ADHD and use medication legitimately.
1
Meth? My untreated child with ADD tried meth in a very low moment the 3rd year in college. It solved all his problems. He could could finally read, watch an entire movie, write a paper. I'd give anything to go back in time, started him on adderall in the 9th grade. The meth was a magical key that perfectly fit the lock.
4
Thanks for this article.
Years ago, when my son was young and had difficulty sitting still in his desk and focusing in school, teachers suggested medicating, with Adderall or other drugs.
We thought it unwise, and simply, spent more time with him, helping him with his homework.
He's on his way to college now. Reading your article, I see what he missed.
I think I'll have him read your article as well, for all those times in college when other students might tell him, they have a magic pill that makes you smarter.
Years ago, when my son was young and had difficulty sitting still in his desk and focusing in school, teachers suggested medicating, with Adderall or other drugs.
We thought it unwise, and simply, spent more time with him, helping him with his homework.
He's on his way to college now. Reading your article, I see what he missed.
I think I'll have him read your article as well, for all those times in college when other students might tell him, they have a magic pill that makes you smarter.
7
As many commenters attest, Adderall helps those with a real need who use it responsibly — which means, at least initially, in combination with non-medication therapy, not as standalone treatment. However, Adderall also very commonly replaces caffeine as a college study drug, not to mention its purely recreational uses. This situation parallels medical marijuana: a continuum of clear-cut medical use, sketchy/questionable medical use, and a sea of recreational use.
I didn't go into (adult) psychiatry to be a gatekeeper or lie detector. As states legalize marijuana for personal use, my role thankfully shifts from gatekeeper to what it should have been all along: advisor. Until and unless a similar thing happens with amphetamines — something I neither expect nor particularly favor — I just tell callers I don't treat ADHD.
I feel sorry for the unknown percentage I turn away with a legitimate problem; they often have a hard time finding thorough, comprehensive ADHD assessment and treatment. Recreational users like the author, on the other hand, have little trouble scoring a prescription with a plausible story. It's a loss both for them and my profession, a loss that echoes across medicine with every abused prescription drug: opiates, tranquilizers, etc.
I didn't go into (adult) psychiatry to be a gatekeeper or lie detector. As states legalize marijuana for personal use, my role thankfully shifts from gatekeeper to what it should have been all along: advisor. Until and unless a similar thing happens with amphetamines — something I neither expect nor particularly favor — I just tell callers I don't treat ADHD.
I feel sorry for the unknown percentage I turn away with a legitimate problem; they often have a hard time finding thorough, comprehensive ADHD assessment and treatment. Recreational users like the author, on the other hand, have little trouble scoring a prescription with a plausible story. It's a loss both for them and my profession, a loss that echoes across medicine with every abused prescription drug: opiates, tranquilizers, etc.
22
Sadly the author presented in Australia...and his concerns were translated to the Australian circumstance by the press. Our situation is very different. Our diagnosis rates match with the DSM and our medication rates are about 1/2 the diagnosis rate. In Australia, medication for an adult or child requires a specialist review, scripts are strictly monitored by the Federal govt(children's scripts are posted out by the Federal govt from a central coordinating organisation in the capital), scripts cannot be transferred between pharmacists, you cannot pick up medication 'early' - most are for max 6mths and then a psychiatric or paediatric review is required. Yes, the US does have a problem...But the rest of the World doesn't... is unique to the USA. I get very tired of explaining the variation in diagnosis and dispensation in Australian; and providing the statistical evidence each time a US EXPERT arrives in Australia to broadcast their problem as a universal issue. To all the US experts...please research the local environment before presenting...you're doing damage to children and adults in other countries....
4
There are a lot of interesting anecdotes floating around about the late William F. Buckley and ritalin, which, I presume, he was introduced to by the Army Air Corps during World War II.
4
Wow, my psychiatrist put me on Adderall 5 years ago and I haven't experienced any of the things the author describes. No euphoria, sense of superhuman power, cravings, etc. I have Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Adderall helps me have energy to get through an ordinary day - like I used to be able to do before I got sick. That's all. Many days I take it and am still very fatigued. Perhaps it's because I take a lower dose?
8
As you write this at one in the morning. I wonder why you are fatigued all day.
Or you have a legitimate medical condition.
This article is a story written by an addict, who wants to blame the drug for their addiction. I was diagnosed with ADHD about 20 years ago, at the age of 48, and was prescribed Adderall. However, it is clear from my behavior as a child - confirmed by friends and family - that I have had ADHD all my life. They didn't have a name for it back then.
I cannot get Adderall in Australia, but take dexamphetamine instead. I take these stimulants every day, same dose, as one would take any medicine. I don't crave them, like an addict. I can (and have) stop taking them, but my personality (mood swings, impulsiveness) and mental concentration (lack of focus) are badly affected, by comparison. I accept that I need this medicine, just as anyone with a disorder needs theirs. After 20 years (long-term in my opinion), I remain in good health. I've been married to the same woman for more than 30 years. I am a retired Professor of Medicine, who has held appointments at the top medical schools and hospitals in both the US and Australia. My story is entirely different from that of the author. Don't blame the drug.
I cannot get Adderall in Australia, but take dexamphetamine instead. I take these stimulants every day, same dose, as one would take any medicine. I don't crave them, like an addict. I can (and have) stop taking them, but my personality (mood swings, impulsiveness) and mental concentration (lack of focus) are badly affected, by comparison. I accept that I need this medicine, just as anyone with a disorder needs theirs. After 20 years (long-term in my opinion), I remain in good health. I've been married to the same woman for more than 30 years. I am a retired Professor of Medicine, who has held appointments at the top medical schools and hospitals in both the US and Australia. My story is entirely different from that of the author. Don't blame the drug.
23
I will never forget the morning I woke up and felt like a human again.
It was beautiful.
Alcoholism? Not so much.
Thanks for the reminder that I'm not alone.
It was beautiful.
Alcoholism? Not so much.
Thanks for the reminder that I'm not alone.
5
Yay! Yet another NYT article implying that ADHD is overdiagnosed, not real, people drugging their kids because they're too stupid to realize that kids will be kids, and now a lying addict's anecdote "proves" that what...the people taking Adderall therapeutically must be privileged white people who are all faking it! Right? Right?? And so all the people who know nothing more about neuroscience, medicine, psychology, or the experience of someone with ADHD trying to adult will intone, solemnly, with the certainty of one who has heard some secondhand piece of information repeated to them over and over again, "ADHD is overdiagnosed...the medications are dangerous prescription drugs...they are overprescribed..."
You know what is really dangerous? Driving in heavy traffic when there are too many inputs and worries and you can't concentrate on the road. Feeling suicidal every single day, day in and day out, even on "good" days, because of the shame of papers and to do lists piling up. Confronting a carjacker on impulse because the injustice of what you just saw makes your blood boil.
All of these things have happened to me within the last 3 weeks.
I'm not sure what made the NYTimes editorial board decide to wage war on the concept of treating ADHD. We're not all bored drug addicts, you know. A real reporter might look into whether this condition is something more than just the figment of the collective imaginations of drug addicts, irresponsible excuse-makers, and Big Pharma.
You know what is really dangerous? Driving in heavy traffic when there are too many inputs and worries and you can't concentrate on the road. Feeling suicidal every single day, day in and day out, even on "good" days, because of the shame of papers and to do lists piling up. Confronting a carjacker on impulse because the injustice of what you just saw makes your blood boil.
All of these things have happened to me within the last 3 weeks.
I'm not sure what made the NYTimes editorial board decide to wage war on the concept of treating ADHD. We're not all bored drug addicts, you know. A real reporter might look into whether this condition is something more than just the figment of the collective imaginations of drug addicts, irresponsible excuse-makers, and Big Pharma.
27
We spent several thousand dollars to get a very thorough and comprehensive evaluation one for our son so that we could understand as best as possible what is going on with his brain. No surprise to find he has ADHD (with an alarmingly poor working memory), since I also have ADD, but I wasn't about to slap a label on my child and let the school try to push us one way or another. If/when my son may need these medications, we will consider them. It makes me mad that meds that help people whose brains clearly don't work "typically", are being snatched up and used so that otherwise seemingly "typical" brains/people can get a leg up to... win the race, I guess?
It's kind of gross, really.
It's kind of gross, really.
11
I couldn't agree more. My husband and I spent an hour discussing how misleading this article is. Of course these drugs have the risk of addiction, especially when used by those who take them without a Rx to study for an exam. We spent two years with psychologists and special education before realizing that our son needed to try medication. It was a last resort and it has changed his life. My family has a history of drug and alcohol abuse, and we didn't take this lightly. I don't want my child to be embarrassed for taking a drug that allows him to complete his work, learn effectively and succeed. Before, he was failing and frustrated. The author describes being withdrawn and not socializing, but someone who struggles with ADHD has difficulty in social situations all the time, often through inattention or impulsivity. I find it tiresome to keep reading articles that refute decades of research about a legitimate (albeit overdiagnosed) mental health issue . What's next, all fat people are lazy food addicts?
1
This title is a much, much better nickname for that age group than "millennials."
5
To the Author: You do a great disservice to people who actually take Adderall and Ritalin for medical purposes. The high flying feeling, the addiction, the sleepless nights you describe are exactly the types of reactions people who do not need and should not take the medicine get from it. One thing you left out of your piece is that for people with ADD / ADHD, taking those medications results in the opposite affect--things feel slower, a natural feeling of impatience dissipates, and someone who actually needs the medicine will tell you that at night their medicine puts them right to sleep.
So please stop spreading stories about how you and other people who clearly don't need this medicine have abused it, because then you put a stigma on people who have found the medicine helpful to a series medical condition, which frankly your piece makes a joke out of.
So please stop spreading stories about how you and other people who clearly don't need this medicine have abused it, because then you put a stigma on people who have found the medicine helpful to a series medical condition, which frankly your piece makes a joke out of.
25
Your article does a great disservice to those of us who actually need Rx medications to function. You don't go through life normally losing things several times a day, if you're lucky. You can hold onto a thought for more than 30 seconds. You can decide, "This is enough" of something and switch gears consciously to something else. You could have focused on the user, but instead you chose to focus on the drug. You are an insult to people with ADHD and a disgrace to journalists everywhere. Shame on you.
16
Speed and college go back a long way. In fact, speed heads are nothing new, huge numbers of adults were maintained on amphetemines for years as a weight control drug. This is nothing new. But it is a pretty blatant example of Big Pharma as dope dealer, they do exactly what drug cartels do but do it legally. It's disgraceful. And it's not just Adderall, what's been done with Xanax is appalling. Other countries won't allow that drug in its so problematic. How the FDA functions needs to be overhauled to stop this blatant drug dealing.
2
I found the comments to this article extraordinarily odd. Why are people so defensive? She makes a point that she does not have ADHD and therefore the drug may have affected her differently than it would someone who really needs it. Her concern, unless I've misread the piece, is with this unauthorized use and the wide "black market" distribution of the drug. I'm sure when I was in college there were people on amphetamines, but the vast majority of people weren't. Today, however, it does seem there is an epidemic on university campuses, and kids are falling prey to this drug because of all the tremendous pressure to succeed and the universities aren't helping them by demanding far too much for them. (I recently toured an ivy league with my 16-year-old son, and the workload they described seemed inhumanly possible to complete. On speed, however ...) To me that is the story here. Ms. Schwartz could not cope with the demands at Brown, so she turned to speed and she's not alone. What our entire society needs is one huge sedative and some time off to gain perspective.
22
Agree with you,Susie Q. People commenting seem extraordinarily defensive about needing and taking these meds.
The article is about addiction, which is very well described in it.
The article is about addiction, which is very well described in it.
2
@rdkim Trust me, if you spent a lot of time with a child that has severe ADHD, you would not be questioning whether "we all" have ADHD. I thought the same way as you once, mainly because I'm from a culture that views "ADHD" as nothing more than that some mix of laziness and lack of discipline. However, ever since I started working with a child with ADHD for 2-3 hours a day, I have come to understand that one of the tragedies of the overdiagnosis of ADHD is that kids that absolutely do have a REAL, indisputable, life-changing disorder are dismissed by others. They read a list of symptoms and think that the disorder is made up, or they point to the lack of ADHD children in their lifetimes (yes, because those children often dropped out!), and so on. The overdiagnosis/overprescription has victims on both sides, much as false accusations of rape does.
Children with poor eyesight wear glasses or contacts. Do we question why they do, or why it's necessary for them, or whether they really need it? Do we shrug and say that they shouldn't be able to access a drug that helps them, because they should reach their limits naturally?
There is such a sanctimonious tone in comments from people who have not struggled with medical conditions that requires opioids or seen the consequences of ADHD firsthand. I hope they truly swear off all medical advances for themselves as they clearly think they are superior to ever needing them.
Children with poor eyesight wear glasses or contacts. Do we question why they do, or why it's necessary for them, or whether they really need it? Do we shrug and say that they shouldn't be able to access a drug that helps them, because they should reach their limits naturally?
There is such a sanctimonious tone in comments from people who have not struggled with medical conditions that requires opioids or seen the consequences of ADHD firsthand. I hope they truly swear off all medical advances for themselves as they clearly think they are superior to ever needing them.
9
I have ADD- was held back in high school. At 13 years old I knew I had ADD after a counselor mentioned the symptoms to me.
Broaching the subject of treatment to my parents was incredibly difficult because:
1) They're immigrants from Asia ("ADHD is just laziness")
2) My dad's an avid reader of the NYTimes, and 15 years ago they were running sensationalist articles similar to this one (for Ritalin instead of Adderall)
I was close to becoming a high school dropout born to immigrant parents. My future was very bleak. After another wasted year I finally got treated. Long story short- at 30 I have two MS degrees and work in analytics for a large firm in NYC. Had I not been treated I would have been (at most) a community college grad or bagging groceries somewhere.
So, since this whole article was actually about a kid at an elite school getting abusing prescription drugs: We live in an age where blue-collar workers in the midwest are dying in droves from opiod abuse. 47,000 died in 2014 from opioids, more than 9/11 and the Iraq war combined. The vast majority of those who succumbed to drugs like fentanyl fell under its spell because they had zero economic prospects or family support. I have zero sympathy for the girl in this story.
I get that the media has to run sensational articles about ADHD meds every 6 months like they’ve been doing for the past 30 years, it attracts readers. Just wish they would write more about people genuinely suffering from the disorder.
Broaching the subject of treatment to my parents was incredibly difficult because:
1) They're immigrants from Asia ("ADHD is just laziness")
2) My dad's an avid reader of the NYTimes, and 15 years ago they were running sensationalist articles similar to this one (for Ritalin instead of Adderall)
I was close to becoming a high school dropout born to immigrant parents. My future was very bleak. After another wasted year I finally got treated. Long story short- at 30 I have two MS degrees and work in analytics for a large firm in NYC. Had I not been treated I would have been (at most) a community college grad or bagging groceries somewhere.
So, since this whole article was actually about a kid at an elite school getting abusing prescription drugs: We live in an age where blue-collar workers in the midwest are dying in droves from opiod abuse. 47,000 died in 2014 from opioids, more than 9/11 and the Iraq war combined. The vast majority of those who succumbed to drugs like fentanyl fell under its spell because they had zero economic prospects or family support. I have zero sympathy for the girl in this story.
I get that the media has to run sensational articles about ADHD meds every 6 months like they’ve been doing for the past 30 years, it attracts readers. Just wish they would write more about people genuinely suffering from the disorder.
20
While I don't want to diminish this author's struggles and experience, readers should consider another casualty of Adderall abuse by non-ADHD students - abstaining students who compete with Adderall abusers for grades, jobs, and graduate school spots.
As academic institutions become more and more competitive, I encourage students to learn to forgive themselves for not being as successful as their peers and take pride in honesty and hard work.
As academic institutions become more and more competitive, I encourage students to learn to forgive themselves for not being as successful as their peers and take pride in honesty and hard work.
8
This is your *evergreen* reminder that ADD and ADHD are real conditions, that they are primarily biological in nature, caused by a deficit of blood flow and neurons in the frontal lobe and cerebellum, and that for those of us with ADD, Adderall, especially the extended release version is neither toxic nor is it "poisonous to art, love and life." I'm writing these words from Austin, where I'm here to attend the Austin Film Festival, in which I'm a semi-finalist for a screenplay I wrote while using Adderal XR (one of many accomplishments in the 3.5-year period since I was diagnosed--ask me about my play about the life of Keith Haring!), a drug which may well have saved my life.
Ms. Schwartz is a damn good writer. It's unfortunate that she wasn't more carefully tested for ADD, as I was, and that she essentially lied to a psychiatrist to get a prescription for a drug she didn't need for a condition she doesn't have. Cases like hers tend to make life considerably harder for those of us who actually have ADD... not to mention the parents of kids with real ADD who might read this and decide not to medicate their kids, depriving them of a vital and helpful tool and potentially condemning them to years of unnecessary suffering.
I do wonder, though, about the editorial judgment involved in splashing this sexy article all over the cover without including balance about those who have real ADD and genuinely need Adderall.
Ms. Schwartz is a damn good writer. It's unfortunate that she wasn't more carefully tested for ADD, as I was, and that she essentially lied to a psychiatrist to get a prescription for a drug she didn't need for a condition she doesn't have. Cases like hers tend to make life considerably harder for those of us who actually have ADD... not to mention the parents of kids with real ADD who might read this and decide not to medicate their kids, depriving them of a vital and helpful tool and potentially condemning them to years of unnecessary suffering.
I do wonder, though, about the editorial judgment involved in splashing this sexy article all over the cover without including balance about those who have real ADD and genuinely need Adderall.
20
Earning a degree is kinda like sports. I'll admit I'm not the brightest bulb in the box but then again I earned my degree w/o even thinking about cheating my way with drugs. Unfortunately I am well aware that many people I graduated with had drug help. I agree that some people should be medicated but there should be a notation on their diplomas.
Here is a clue. Only take medication you absolutely need. Only take prescription drugs with a prescription. Don't lie to doctors. Don't take prescription pills from friends for a condition you don't have. If you are prescribed medication, start with the lowest possible dose. Use the drug for the shortest time possible. Check to see if you find the drug addictive by stopping use of the drug for two weeks without any withdrawal symptoms after you have been taking the drug for six weeks. Some drugs you need to taper off slowly like SSRIs or you could die from serotonin syndrome. If you taper it off, you will know if you start to feel withdrawal symptoms. Don't put things into your body unless you know what they are and you know what they do. If you have to increase the dosage do it slowly and check again to see if it is addictive to you at that level. Use caution when taking any drug. Drugs are not toys. If you need a confidence builder get a fake rabbit's foot. Take a conservative approach to putting things in your body that affect your brain chemistry. If you are human, you most like only have one brain. The human brain is a very complex thing. Don't mess with it, if you value it and you don't know what you are doing.
10
Yes, it's hard to quit. I had to do just that after being diagnosed in second grade and trying a couple of times through the years to quit (I was finally successful between freshman and sophomore year of college). Ritalin and such stimulants are psychoabusive drugs big pharma uses for profit, not for public benefit.
They make you nervous, twitchy, silent, anti-social, they are a behavior suppressing drug used against creatives, the outspoken, the overly social, the playful. It is a death sentence for a young kid. Glad to see the NY Times decide to remove themselves from an industry influence.
The dirty secret to these drugs is it takes a solemn year to get off of them, though I could never figure out why. One grows a dependence which is hard to unlatch from, and you begin to think you cannot operate without the substance. The effects take a long time to go away after stopping, because I think taking a stimulant for a very long time agitates the mind and body.
I sometimes think of what I could have accomplished without a diagnosis, (I also had a very bad sight problem which wasn't recognized until high school, as well as a terrible fast food diet because of my parents), but dwelling on the past is never effective.
They make you nervous, twitchy, silent, anti-social, they are a behavior suppressing drug used against creatives, the outspoken, the overly social, the playful. It is a death sentence for a young kid. Glad to see the NY Times decide to remove themselves from an industry influence.
The dirty secret to these drugs is it takes a solemn year to get off of them, though I could never figure out why. One grows a dependence which is hard to unlatch from, and you begin to think you cannot operate without the substance. The effects take a long time to go away after stopping, because I think taking a stimulant for a very long time agitates the mind and body.
I sometimes think of what I could have accomplished without a diagnosis, (I also had a very bad sight problem which wasn't recognized until high school, as well as a terrible fast food diet because of my parents), but dwelling on the past is never effective.
7
So because your lack of temperance a valuable and necessary drug is to be demonized. I hate the nytkmes for stupid, Ill informed articles such as this. Because one person might drive drunk, we shall ban beer. This oped sounded like you were still on Adderall, which is actually a substandard medication for add, with the phenidates being much better.
4
I have used nicotine and adderall. I smoked for about 15 years, pack-a-day and used illicit amphetamines my junior and senior years in college.
I quit amphetamines in 1972 and stopped smoking in 1986.
In 2000 I was diagnosed with adult ADHD and have used prescription adderall since that time following the prescribed dosage.
For me, nicotine was, by far, the most addictive substance. Not even close.
Adderall, and my loving wife of 46 years, have helped my manage my ADHD and improved my business, social, and business interactions. Just one point of view.
I quit amphetamines in 1972 and stopped smoking in 1986.
In 2000 I was diagnosed with adult ADHD and have used prescription adderall since that time following the prescribed dosage.
For me, nicotine was, by far, the most addictive substance. Not even close.
Adderall, and my loving wife of 46 years, have helped my manage my ADHD and improved my business, social, and business interactions. Just one point of view.
8
Let's get this clear. ADHD is the most over-diagnosed and over treated condition treated by Psychiatrists. At the same time, ADHD is the most under-diagnosed and under treated psychiatric condition.
Research of Ritalin usage match the author's contentions that the stimulants can be useful for concentration, and are too easily and too frequently prescribed.
But if you look at the ADHD kids on Ritalin or Adderall and follow them through high school, the treated ADHD kids have no increased drug or alcohol usage. The untreated ADHD kids do.
Equally important, in evaluations of all the children in a school come up with only about half of ADHD kids being diagnosed and only half of them are treated.
ADHD is a terribly disabling condition. Untreated ADHD people have increased drug and alcohol use (when not on appropriate medicines), more failures in school, more lost jobs, more divorces, more accidents, more automobile accidents and more emergency Room visits.
ADHD people are able to sustain attention better on medicines but counter-intuitively are calmer on the stimulants, more patient, and can learn by reading better. The recreational or college study use of the stimulants help with sustained attention but rev people up. The ADHD use of them is calming.
ADHD users of stimulants don't usually develop tolerance and use drugs or alcohol less. It leads to nothing in ADHD patient
These are 2 different groups of Adderall users.
Don't throw the baby out with the bathwater.
Research of Ritalin usage match the author's contentions that the stimulants can be useful for concentration, and are too easily and too frequently prescribed.
But if you look at the ADHD kids on Ritalin or Adderall and follow them through high school, the treated ADHD kids have no increased drug or alcohol usage. The untreated ADHD kids do.
Equally important, in evaluations of all the children in a school come up with only about half of ADHD kids being diagnosed and only half of them are treated.
ADHD is a terribly disabling condition. Untreated ADHD people have increased drug and alcohol use (when not on appropriate medicines), more failures in school, more lost jobs, more divorces, more accidents, more automobile accidents and more emergency Room visits.
ADHD people are able to sustain attention better on medicines but counter-intuitively are calmer on the stimulants, more patient, and can learn by reading better. The recreational or college study use of the stimulants help with sustained attention but rev people up. The ADHD use of them is calming.
ADHD users of stimulants don't usually develop tolerance and use drugs or alcohol less. It leads to nothing in ADHD patient
These are 2 different groups of Adderall users.
Don't throw the baby out with the bathwater.
11
This isn't an article about someone needing medication to help them function because they have a medical diagnosis. This is another self absorbed drug addict recounting their tedious downward spiral. Oh yes we all care about poor you and all of the obstacles you had to overcome due to your prescription medication abuse. Boo Hoo .
6
Not a clue!
1
It's a sad truth that it's more profitable to medicate kids than to make the schooling environment more hospitable to diverse learning styles. I heard a joke that, these days, Dennis the Menace would be on Ritalin (and Charlie Brown on Prozac). And I used to joke that I had a Ritalin humidifier I would turn on after recess (teaching music to elementary students who were always wound up after play).
Now I live in Japan, where Adderall and Ritalin are simply banned. There was a recent case where an American student was deported after her mother tried to mail her a prescription. Somehow Japan achieves an educational system without stimulants—it can, and should, be very difficult or impossible for a young person to be given these medications.
Now I live in Japan, where Adderall and Ritalin are simply banned. There was a recent case where an American student was deported after her mother tried to mail her a prescription. Somehow Japan achieves an educational system without stimulants—it can, and should, be very difficult or impossible for a young person to be given these medications.
3
The problem with drugs is that two systems work together to drive up the dosage. The first system is the one that creates and distributes the substance, wanting to profit by increasing sales. The other is the human metabolic system, which develops tolerances and creates desire for more. Together, they are formidable, and there are few, if any, countermeasures. Of course, it is not just drugs. The same can be said about food. But such is life.
2
I enjoyed your writing however I think the attempt to weld together the subjects of your own experience with Adderall and an expose on the use of Adderall in the treatment of ADD/ADHD ended up short changing both. I'm a physician and I have prescribed stimulants to students for the treatment of ADD/ADHD for decades. Your own personal experience was a relatively straightforward case of substance abuse that sadly went untreated for a long time but as the old saying goes, substance abuse is cunning, baffling and powerful. You had all the signs, overdose, cravings, escalating doses, withdrawal, etc. The non-medical users of Adderall fall into three broad categories, substance abusers, those with undiagnosed ADD, and people with mental illness (anxiety, depression, etc). Non-medical use of stimulants is widespread on college campuses and the majority of it is supplied by fellow students who do have ADD (this is diversion and highly illegal). I refer you to the research of McCabe, Arria and Garnier for their research on stimulant abuse in university students. It has been my professional experience with hundreds of patients that the majority of patients who are properly tested and diagnosed with ADD/ADHD in no way reflect your experience. The dosage they take remains the same for years. Many discontinue it on weekends or for the entire summer without experiencing withdrawal symptoms. Your article would be better titled, THE PERILS OF NON-MEDICAL USE OF ADDERALL.
13
Read "Psychiatry Under the Influence" by Whitaker and Cosgrove. The book painstakingly reviews the literature on ADHD medications and SSRIs and finds that these drugs do NOT work (SSRIs offered a very small improvement in severe depression, only). Children taking ADHD drugs over several years were worse off that children who didn't take them.
The ubiquity of ADHD medications and SSRIs came from the perfect storm of pharmaceutical companies collaborating with academic psychiatry to create a market for drugs and a career outside the mental hospital for psychiatrists.
The ubiquity of ADHD medications and SSRIs came from the perfect storm of pharmaceutical companies collaborating with academic psychiatry to create a market for drugs and a career outside the mental hospital for psychiatrists.
3
The therapeutic effect of any drug is determined by the dose; at one dose therapeutic and at another toxic. Examples are legion: warfarin properly dosed prevents blood clots and is a life-saver; at higher doses it's rat poison. The author clearly documents excessive dosing and symptoms consistent with abuse.
The author's lack of an appropriate diagnosis is far from a technicality. She obtained this illegally and improperly, and not surprisingly abused it. Her deception of doctors prevented proper diagnosis and oversight. This rather pedestrian tale of drug abuse in one's 20's may be a personal learning experience for the author. However blaming the drug seems self serving, mercenary, unoriginal, and ultimately uninspiring.
The evolving understanding of ADHD suggest it is quite under-diagnosed and the human toll is substantial. Inappropriate diagnosis, prescribing, and outright abuse should not detract from this. For many patients and families, these drugs are life changers. Several years ago, these drugs were reclassified as Schedule 2, which is very tightly controlled. The first 10 comments I read were far more balanced, useful, and inciteful than the author. I expect better from NYT.
The author's lack of an appropriate diagnosis is far from a technicality. She obtained this illegally and improperly, and not surprisingly abused it. Her deception of doctors prevented proper diagnosis and oversight. This rather pedestrian tale of drug abuse in one's 20's may be a personal learning experience for the author. However blaming the drug seems self serving, mercenary, unoriginal, and ultimately uninspiring.
The evolving understanding of ADHD suggest it is quite under-diagnosed and the human toll is substantial. Inappropriate diagnosis, prescribing, and outright abuse should not detract from this. For many patients and families, these drugs are life changers. Several years ago, these drugs were reclassified as Schedule 2, which is very tightly controlled. The first 10 comments I read were far more balanced, useful, and inciteful than the author. I expect better from NYT.
8
I expect more from a high school English student
We live in a world that focus on individual achievment as the most important thing to live for. I think it's very sad that people think they need to go to college or graduate school or have "good jobs" just to be a respectable person. That implies that you need to prove your worth regardless of who you are. That implies you don't respect people who have less than you. That implies you're not grateful. People laugh at religious folks like me these days, but because I believe that God loves me regardless of how much things I have or lack, I can feel loved and grateful. So I try to have faith and avoid anxiety. I still feel scared about doing things I'm not used to, but I will at least try and improve if I can't master at first. When we focus on efficiency and productivity more than the process, people get anxious. Going to college while working these days probably wouldn't be all that relaxing so you will get anxious. But blaming drugs isn't going to help unless you can adapt to life's challenges. If you knew you had to write an essay for a book, they should have started reading before the week it's due. You don't need that much imagination to figure that out. But if you can't relax or focus for school work, they should make lifestyle changes before using drugs.
2
ADHD? When so many kid's have been diagnosed with this over the past 2 or 3 decades, it is nothing but b.s. It is called, being a kid. Teachers, parents, doctors etc. want a pill for everything. I'm sure there may be a very small percent that may need it, but not as many as they say. We all grew up with hyper and disruptive kid's in school and on the playground. That's normal. It was dealt with by good old fashioned discipline. I spoke with a man recently who was prescribed adderall when he was a kid and he said he never felt like himself and it took away from who he really was. Enough with the drugs already. Our children are becoming addicts at an early age and its not fair to them and their brains.
2
Thank you for writing this. I struggled terribly with my self-esteem when I was quitting Vyvanse and I felt, much as you did, that I would be permanently brain-damaged and incapable of ever being creative or thoughtful the way I wanted to be. Telling about your recovery releases some of what has been pent up inside me these two years since quitting, and I thank you for helping me remember and appreciate what has happened to me.
3
I applaud the writer's honesty but the sick thing about this story is what wasn't said: she's now in her early 30's, with impressive degrees, a forthcoming book, and the influence and writing ability to publish a long piece in the Times. Despite the panic attacks, seems like adderall did her a solid!
On a personal note, I too lied to get a prescription and I take it when I need it (maybe a few times a week). I feel I'm able to control my use and I keep it down for fear of developing dependency. It's funny how it affects people differently. The writer says she couldn't hear music on it--I like every song 1000x more when I'm tweaking on adderall! So fun! Totally kills the sex drive though...
On a personal note, I too lied to get a prescription and I take it when I need it (maybe a few times a week). I feel I'm able to control my use and I keep it down for fear of developing dependency. It's funny how it affects people differently. The writer says she couldn't hear music on it--I like every song 1000x more when I'm tweaking on adderall! So fun! Totally kills the sex drive though...
As an EMS professional I always wondered how I could be perfectly calm in a life or death situation when others were stressed. I was diagnosed with ADHD by a competent therapist in my 40's.
The first time I took amphetamine I realized I had wasted a good part of my career. I had never even heard of ADD. I took medication for years before I stopped because of side effects. I had no trouble quitting. If you truly have the condition often the paradoxical action of the drug never goes away, even in adulthood.
This author lied to obtain the drugs. Ingestion by "normal" people does not improve their life, they are merely abusing amphetamine no different than a meth addict who chases their first high.
I know it is fashionable to deride the condition these days. It does a disservice to people who truly benefit from therapy both drug and cognitive.
The first time I took amphetamine I realized I had wasted a good part of my career. I had never even heard of ADD. I took medication for years before I stopped because of side effects. I had no trouble quitting. If you truly have the condition often the paradoxical action of the drug never goes away, even in adulthood.
This author lied to obtain the drugs. Ingestion by "normal" people does not improve their life, they are merely abusing amphetamine no different than a meth addict who chases their first high.
I know it is fashionable to deride the condition these days. It does a disservice to people who truly benefit from therapy both drug and cognitive.
8
The effects of the drug described by the author are not those experiences by people to whom the drug has been correctly described. A person with ADHD merely experiences the same ability to pay attention as those in the general population. It is therefore not "addicting" to this group (as mentioned by an earlier comment - missing a dose would simply lead to forgetfulness, inability to pay attention, etc.). That a person would abuse a drug not meant for them (which that person knows) and then that person would complain about the addictive affects of that drug does not seem worthy of a lengthy story by the NY Times.
6
Adderall affects are EXACTLY like cocaine, any MD that prescribes knows it. We all know it. It's just like cocaine, but you can get it in a pill.
I DARE any MD that prescribes it to a teenager to try it, just once. Crack, and you get it at Duane Reade. And you don't go to jail for it either. What a great drug to hook people on. The pharm industry at this point will destroy lives to see a dime up tick in the stock market. They'll do it for a dime. How can these people, MDs included live with themselves? Beyond my understanding. Hell has a special place for them, that's guaranteed.
I DARE any MD that prescribes it to a teenager to try it, just once. Crack, and you get it at Duane Reade. And you don't go to jail for it either. What a great drug to hook people on. The pharm industry at this point will destroy lives to see a dime up tick in the stock market. They'll do it for a dime. How can these people, MDs included live with themselves? Beyond my understanding. Hell has a special place for them, that's guaranteed.
2
Another thing to consider is that we now have to compete in the office with people taking this stuff. They will always be more focused and more productive and willing to stay late. Good luck.
4
I am the same age as the author (entered college in 2000 as well). Adderrall was everywhere. Most students, myself included, did not need it to study. I was very studious and academically inclined and could get top grades before it, but hey it made it easier to stay up and to go over that paper one more and then still have energy left over to go out and party if Adderrall was around. Students new what doctors to go to and what to say to get the prescriptions. Supply was not really a problem.
Aside from using it for exams and papers at times, and a little bit after college (it also does wonders for cleaning the house very very thoroughly, not just for mental work), I stopped and would not know where to get it now anyway. But I have seen a couple of friend ruined by it. They could not get through work without it. One withered away both physically and mentally due to the combination of a very high stress job at a law firm and the never end supply of adderrall.
I have since worked in all sorts of consulting and analytics, including for the pharma industry. I worked with the ADHD marketing team at one major pharma company that has a product similar to Adderrall. The things I heard for example "How can we get more 3-5 year olds diagnosed? How can we get the parents of children on ADD drugs to see that they can also benefit from them?" Most of these people's own children were on these drugs and they were convinced that they really needed them. It is truly frightening.
Aside from using it for exams and papers at times, and a little bit after college (it also does wonders for cleaning the house very very thoroughly, not just for mental work), I stopped and would not know where to get it now anyway. But I have seen a couple of friend ruined by it. They could not get through work without it. One withered away both physically and mentally due to the combination of a very high stress job at a law firm and the never end supply of adderrall.
I have since worked in all sorts of consulting and analytics, including for the pharma industry. I worked with the ADHD marketing team at one major pharma company that has a product similar to Adderrall. The things I heard for example "How can we get more 3-5 year olds diagnosed? How can we get the parents of children on ADD drugs to see that they can also benefit from them?" Most of these people's own children were on these drugs and they were convinced that they really needed them. It is truly frightening.
13
Thank you for speaking out.
Adderrall is one of the drugs that Big Pharma shoves down our throats.
Opioids are another addictive drug shoved down American's throats.
These are the addictive drugs.
But not only addictive drugs make money.
The drug that finished off my life was sold as follows:
1. This drug is the reason Americans live longer now
2. Some people think this drug should be in the water supply.
Why would a cardiologist say such things? Just check Dollars for Docs and you'll see why: $300,000 that I can easily track from Merck and Pfizer.
The doctor was on the drug himself. Another doctor, tragically, in the same practice, got trashed as badly as I did.
Doctors may not be what we'd call corrupted, but their objectivity is definitely corrupted. Drug pushers (drug sales reps) in their offices; money to so-called "thought leaders" to teach other docs how to prescribe the drug. All this (see recent NPR program) causes increase in prescriptions. Is anyone surprised?
This isn't healthcare.
Statinvictims.com
Adderrall is one of the drugs that Big Pharma shoves down our throats.
Opioids are another addictive drug shoved down American's throats.
These are the addictive drugs.
But not only addictive drugs make money.
The drug that finished off my life was sold as follows:
1. This drug is the reason Americans live longer now
2. Some people think this drug should be in the water supply.
Why would a cardiologist say such things? Just check Dollars for Docs and you'll see why: $300,000 that I can easily track from Merck and Pfizer.
The doctor was on the drug himself. Another doctor, tragically, in the same practice, got trashed as badly as I did.
Doctors may not be what we'd call corrupted, but their objectivity is definitely corrupted. Drug pushers (drug sales reps) in their offices; money to so-called "thought leaders" to teach other docs how to prescribe the drug. All this (see recent NPR program) causes increase in prescriptions. Is anyone surprised?
This isn't healthcare.
Statinvictims.com
5
I am a doctor. I see patients (adults) multiple times a month who happen to be on Adderall or Vyvanase. Many have just graduated college. They are seeing me for something else. They are almost invariably scattered in their thoughts and so hyper that it's hard to spend 15 minutes in a room with them. Their lives seem scattered and unsettled too.
I don't know if what I am observing is the effect of ADHD or if it's an effect of the drug. I suspect it's the drug. I read the comments of those who say they are doing great on the stimulants. I wonder if they just feel that way and it's not true to an outside observer
I don't know if what I am observing is the effect of ADHD or if it's an effect of the drug. I suspect it's the drug. I read the comments of those who say they are doing great on the stimulants. I wonder if they just feel that way and it's not true to an outside observer
41
We as humans have all sorts of problems. The spectrum of situations is broad. If someone has persistent problems with lovers, no one suggests that lovers are bad. If someone has problems with food, no one suggests that food is bad. Lots of people have problems with prescription drugs, but it's not the drugs that are bad. They help a lot of people.
17
his woman tries to put forth a thesis about her generation being the "Adderall generation," but IMO no more so than college students in the 1960's - 1970's were the LSD or Quaalude generations. Casey Schwartz freely admits to abusing psychostimulant drugs during her college, grad school and early professional years. She bought Adderall from friends who had prescriptions or did homework for them in exchange. Eventually, she lied about having ADHD symptoms to get a psychiatrist to write her a prescription. If she stuck to discussing the repercussions of her addiction, I would have no problem with her or her story. Instead, she tries to blame the drug for the side effects she experienced and for the challenges she had "kicking" her addiction. She uses her Master's in "psychodynamic neuroscience" as a basis for being qualified to speak on the subject, but her opinion piece is short on science and long on self-justification. The fact is that she and her "Adderall generation" buddies have made life extremely difficult for those who actually suffer with moderate to severe ADD/ADHD. We have to jump through hoops to get scripts filled, sometimes having to drive to several pharmacies to get a 30 day supply of the correct dosage. We can't get refills. There has to be a new paper script every 30 days. She may have been willing to drive across London to get her fix, drug abusers are known to do that sort of thing. Someone who suffers from an actual condition shouldn't have to.
46
I take medication for ADHD it runs in my family and while there are some side effects if dosage is to high- these medicines and I stress the word medicine have done nothing but help me. Casey seems to reasily tomolay the cictim card and blame Abusive Dr's and her own friends instead if looking in the mirror at her own behavior? I have been on and off the Meds - i prefer being on them and i didn't have any of the side effects she described when going off of them an I was taking much higher dosages then the 20mg she mentioned. But I don't have kidney medication so if I took it and then complained about side effects I can only blame myself. Perhaps Casey should understand a littls more about ADHd symptoms and consequences in life if left untreated with medicine or otherwise- and let people make up their own minds about their own levels of honesty when interacting with healthCare Community. I am sure their are very many self-righteous people anti - medicine ( lets not forget about the Anti- Vaccine people) that read this Front Page article and are confirmed in their own ifnorant and misguided assumptions about ADHD and its treatment.
Just FYI, it isn't correct that you need a new paper script every 30 days. Schedule II drugs can be dispensed for up to 90 days with one paper script. You may have to look it up yourself and educate your physician because I think a lot of them just have this idea that a schedule II script can only be for 30 days. Alternatively, there is no limit to the dosage a practitioner can prescribe, so your doctor could write the script for 3 times the dosage you actually use (or 6 times, or 12 times). If you know your doctor and they trust you, they should be happy to adjust the way they write the script.
A stunning exposé. Well done, Casey, and well done NY Times.
11
I think this was a personal essay. I would not call it an expose.
Read what others have to say about this "stunning expose."
No it isn't! It's about someone using drugs for a condition she didn't have!
1
I think this article is a huge setback for a major problem! Ironically, I just wrote this article yesterday! http://www.hackrack.org/the-adderall-stigma/
Please share!
Please share!
7
Great article, Jessica. You said it best:
"t is difficult to describe what Adderall does for me. I like to say that it is like my brain finally got glasses after years of poor vision. Unmedicated, it is as if my brain is stuck between several radio stations and I am getting pieces of a couple songs, a talk radio show, the Spanish station, and a whole lot of static. Medicated, my brain can fine-tune to a single station, giving me clarity and focus. It has enabled me to follow through with tasks, focus on conversations that I am having, and work more strategically and fluidly. It helps me to perform the tasks that most people do automatically and with ease. It has made my life more manageable, which in effect benefits my children, my husband, my patients, and anyone who may happen to be on the streets while I am driving."
"t is difficult to describe what Adderall does for me. I like to say that it is like my brain finally got glasses after years of poor vision. Unmedicated, it is as if my brain is stuck between several radio stations and I am getting pieces of a couple songs, a talk radio show, the Spanish station, and a whole lot of static. Medicated, my brain can fine-tune to a single station, giving me clarity and focus. It has enabled me to follow through with tasks, focus on conversations that I am having, and work more strategically and fluidly. It helps me to perform the tasks that most people do automatically and with ease. It has made my life more manageable, which in effect benefits my children, my husband, my patients, and anyone who may happen to be on the streets while I am driving."
1
Great article. Yes I am so mad after reading this other article about someone falsely using a drug for a condition they didn't have!
1
Great essay!
1
This article is about the risks of addiction posed by the illicit misuse of a prescription drug in an attempt to enhance performance rather than treat a valid medical condition. It might be read most insightfully as a commentary on the extreme competitiveness fostered among high status American youth as the anxiety generated by economic inequality drives many Americans to greater extremes. The author may fail to understand that her addiction experience does not pertain to that of actual ADHD sufferers, or that failing to distinguish between these can increase stigma toward valid medication use.
34
Yes, this! The author is someone abusing a prescription drug that was not intended for her. As someone who actually has been diagnosed with ADD and takes meds AS PRESCRIBED I can attest to having a much different experience. Perhaps NYTimes can publish another exposé about the dangers of Xanax written by someone who used to snort it off the back of a toilet while partying to help them with their social anxiety. This article is laughable. There is a reason why Adderall is a highly controlled substance that requires a consult every time you pick it up at the pharmacy. This article isn't even a tale of a victim of an overzealous prescriber but rather an illicit user of the drug. To the author, I'm glad that you're clean now but please don't blame a legitimate drug, which you abused, for your problems.
2
I'm reading through the "Readers' Picks" comments and an overwhelming number of responses are critical of the author's individual story and/or defend usage of Adderall by those who are treating a real medical condition. That's fine. But I do believe in the stats in the piece on the skyrocketing usage of the drug, saw its widespread use in college and my 20s, and if you don't believe this medication currently over-prescribed in the United States in a way that raises serious public health questions, I have some ocean front property in Kansas to sell you.
21
intense writing style.
subject matter so frightening.
thank you.
subject matter so frightening.
thank you.
5
No sympathy for addicts or those looking for the easy way through life. Tough it out like the rest of us do.
9
How about toughing out your next strep infection without antibiotics? How about toughing out your next asthma attack without a rescue inhaler? How about toughing out cancer with willpower alone? ADHD is a crippling disorder for some adults who have been toughing it out for years. Many of the folks I know who have been professionally diagnosed and treated with stimulants don't even remember to take their meds half the time. The attitude that ADHD (or diabetes, or depression, or anxiety) is a failure of willpower stigmatizes and isolates a population of folks who need help.
2
It seems like the generation of high school and college kids described here pertain to an upper middle class social strata. The "generation adderall" is affluent. I don't think that working class students attending state schools, students who are perhaps holding on to jobs on the side, are taking academic performance enhancing drugs. The kids the author talks about are going to be fine regardless of where they go to school or how they do there.
4
I take Adderall fur gilet the work week, don't take it on weekends, and go for weeks at a time without it when I am on vacation. At least for me there is no withdrawal.
Thus drug is effective for people with real ADHD. Just because this addict lied to get it doesn't mean you should demonize the drug for everyone.
Thus drug is effective for people with real ADHD. Just because this addict lied to get it doesn't mean you should demonize the drug for everyone.
26
Thank you! I feel this article is so skewed as the author does not have ADHD and was using adderall as another form of meth or speed. I have a son with ADHD and he was on adderall and never became addicted and I am a special education teacher and none of my students are addicted either. In fact many choose to go off their mess during the summer.
1
well said
1
If we called adderall by its real name - amphetamine - I bet many fewer parents would allow their children to take the stuff. Maybe it can help some people, but as a parent and a scientist I am very leery of this drug. Amphetamine is related to illegal drugs methamphetamine and ectasy,and all of them tweak brain chemistry by affecting dopamine mentioned here and also some other neurotransmitters. All in all, the idea of giving this powerful drug to a child, whose brain is still developing, is mind boggling and scary.
14
A scientist is as a scientist does. In this context, you are a parent with children who do not have ADHD.
I need an adderall to get through this article.
But in all seriousness amphetamine salts provided me focus after a failed career and 5 years working in a job so below my potential. I've climbed a few rungs and I don't know that I could have done it without adderall BC focusing is extremely difficult without it.
But in all seriousness amphetamine salts provided me focus after a failed career and 5 years working in a job so below my potential. I've climbed a few rungs and I don't know that I could have done it without adderall BC focusing is extremely difficult without it.
11
Same here. Hard to appreciate unless you've been there- knowing you're smart and hardworking yet still struggle to achieve. I started Adderall in my 30s, and finally have a great, stable career.
2
I am 48 and have been on Adderall for about a year and a half. I started suspecting I had ADHD after my son was diagnosed with it. The more I read about it, the more I started looking at myself. Recently divorced, I (and my son's doctor) suspected his father had it, but once I rejoined the workforce at a higher level in an ambiguous situation, coupled with other demands, my executive functioning went out the window. Or maybe it was never there, but before I was able to cope. Is it perimenopause? Genetics? Not sure, but I can check off every symptom in Dr. Hallowell's book Driven to Distraction and looking back have school and workplace issues that were never picked up because I am female and wasn't "hyper."
Like other commenters, I'm sorry Ms. Schwartz had a bad experience. Unlike her, I have never stayed up all night or experienced the highs she got off of it. I have been told that is the characteristic reaction of someone taking it who shouldn't be. "Simple pleasures were available to me again," she writes. What does that even mean? It means The New York Times chose to focus on the first-person account of a prescription drug addict, which is fine. But let's not pretend that it is anything else.
Like other commenters, I'm sorry Ms. Schwartz had a bad experience. Unlike her, I have never stayed up all night or experienced the highs she got off of it. I have been told that is the characteristic reaction of someone taking it who shouldn't be. "Simple pleasures were available to me again," she writes. What does that even mean? It means The New York Times chose to focus on the first-person account of a prescription drug addict, which is fine. But let's not pretend that it is anything else.
22
Great response ... I am 54 and I got diagnosed at age 46 ... Totally changed my life for the better. I feel like I didn't really understand myself until I got the diagnosis. I take Adderall XR now ... It's really helpful but like you, I never chase a high, and I am from a highly addictive-prone family! ... So yes, this article was maddening.
Anyway, great to encounter so many adult ADHD folks here speaking out ... "Adder all" shouldn't even be the focus of this article. It's about illegal use and abuse of medication ... people do that with cough syrup and pain medicine and Claritin D & Allegra D .. .and of course, with alcohol! ....
Glad you are experiencing the benefits of ADHD acknowledgement and treatment. It's a life-changer isn't it?!
Anyway, great to encounter so many adult ADHD folks here speaking out ... "Adder all" shouldn't even be the focus of this article. It's about illegal use and abuse of medication ... people do that with cough syrup and pain medicine and Claritin D & Allegra D .. .and of course, with alcohol! ....
Glad you are experiencing the benefits of ADHD acknowledgement and treatment. It's a life-changer isn't it?!
Nothing is Casey Schwartz's fault, it's either the pill maker, society, the school, friends, doctors, and if all else fails, it's the pills fault. And like all addictive weak personalities, now they have a cause to ban them for everybody...just like pain killers, antibiotics, tranquilizers, sleeping pills, and other medicines (that if used correctly, save lives). And all you addictive weak folks out there writing comments agreeing with the article, those medications are not for folks like you, they are for folks who need them to survive.
PS: I am going on 71 and need zero medication, zero! and have done every drug during the 60's known to mankind. I never had a need, never, it was just fun (until bad 69 Woodstock)...but friends who were hurting inside and could not come face to face with that inner pain, OMG, they would die for them...and they did. And a lot of beautiful sensitive friends, who I thought had it made, committed suicide. It's no different today, the only diff is, they use legal drugs/meds to hide from that inner pain. I think the same thing now that I thought back then...some folks need electric shock treatment.
PS: I am going on 71 and need zero medication, zero! and have done every drug during the 60's known to mankind. I never had a need, never, it was just fun (until bad 69 Woodstock)...but friends who were hurting inside and could not come face to face with that inner pain, OMG, they would die for them...and they did. And a lot of beautiful sensitive friends, who I thought had it made, committed suicide. It's no different today, the only diff is, they use legal drugs/meds to hide from that inner pain. I think the same thing now that I thought back then...some folks need electric shock treatment.
5
Big pharma sells these drugs to physicians by touting there use. Big pharma also gives out samples to the docs and coddles them as well with gifts and trips in the name of education. Addiction is not good for anyone.
7
Adderall has been generic for a long time. No reps are visiting doctors to get them to prescribe a $10/month drug.
I too deplore the title of this article, as it will inevitably lead to further stigmatization of those children and adolescents who have a genuine, inherited condition.
@Jane wrote: "Only people who are diagnosed (preferably by multiple professionals) with ADD have any business taking prescription stimulants. For anybody else, it is playing with fire. I am very glad I had ready and appropriate access to this medication."
As the guardian of an adolescent with ADHD (whose mother, out of ignorance, refused to give her medication that would have enabled her to pay attention in school as a child), I am intimately familiar with the effects of Adderall.
Adderall is used to "speed up" the sluggish frontal lobe activity of ADHD individuals so that their executive function skills can operate properly. It is their sluggish frontal lobes that cause people to be endlessly susceptible to distractions, and young children to bounce off the walls.
Well-behaved children have appropriate executive function. Giving Adderall to a person not "afflicted" with ADHD would be like giving an opiod painkiller to someone who is not in pain.
In that sense,, abusing Adderall is equivalent to abusing opiates. The results are different in kind, but not in nature.
@Jane wrote: "Only people who are diagnosed (preferably by multiple professionals) with ADD have any business taking prescription stimulants. For anybody else, it is playing with fire. I am very glad I had ready and appropriate access to this medication."
As the guardian of an adolescent with ADHD (whose mother, out of ignorance, refused to give her medication that would have enabled her to pay attention in school as a child), I am intimately familiar with the effects of Adderall.
Adderall is used to "speed up" the sluggish frontal lobe activity of ADHD individuals so that their executive function skills can operate properly. It is their sluggish frontal lobes that cause people to be endlessly susceptible to distractions, and young children to bounce off the walls.
Well-behaved children have appropriate executive function. Giving Adderall to a person not "afflicted" with ADHD would be like giving an opiod painkiller to someone who is not in pain.
In that sense,, abusing Adderall is equivalent to abusing opiates. The results are different in kind, but not in nature.
14
Let's be clear here. This woman abused Adderall and does not have ADHD. I take offense at the title of her essay which implies that abuse of this medication is the norm for use of this medication. For people who actually have ADHD, Adderall can be a life saving medication. I have seen it countless times. We need a more balanced view.
20
As an undergrad at a prestigious STEM institute, I'm naturally surrounded by regular adderall users, and as an erstwhile ADHD sufferer, I've had a lengthy relationship with the drug myself. For us folks buried in highly technical and mathematical work, stimulants like adderall - which is my personal favorite - can seriously improve not just our focus but also our subjective experience of work. Plowing through equations is simply much easier with this sort of help.
One of the NYT picks commenters mentioned that many users, especially those who develop habits or mental health problems while taking the drug, are taking too much of it, particularly to combat job-related stress and fatigue. When taken in limited amounts, coupled with a healthy lifestyle (good sleep habits, regular exercise, etc.), it's a wonderful drug - often an even cleaner buzz than coffee. But I think it's important to treat anything more than a small dose - say, 10 mg - with a lot of respect. I get very strung out very quickly whenever I take any more than that. I've noticed that my friends who take it for ADD get prescribed ridiculous amounts, measured in many multiples of 10 mg/day, and those amounts simply do not apply to people who turn to adderall off-scrip. Like a lot of drugs, I think this one is often misused, or overused, because there just isn't enough information out there on responsible consumption.
One of the NYT picks commenters mentioned that many users, especially those who develop habits or mental health problems while taking the drug, are taking too much of it, particularly to combat job-related stress and fatigue. When taken in limited amounts, coupled with a healthy lifestyle (good sleep habits, regular exercise, etc.), it's a wonderful drug - often an even cleaner buzz than coffee. But I think it's important to treat anything more than a small dose - say, 10 mg - with a lot of respect. I get very strung out very quickly whenever I take any more than that. I've noticed that my friends who take it for ADD get prescribed ridiculous amounts, measured in many multiples of 10 mg/day, and those amounts simply do not apply to people who turn to adderall off-scrip. Like a lot of drugs, I think this one is often misused, or overused, because there just isn't enough information out there on responsible consumption.
5
You've certainly added to the literature with your verbal description of your personal, 'off-scrip' dose-response curve for Adderall.
Good and well written essay. However, you could insert the name of any addictive drug and/or alcohol in place of Adderall and have the same article - an eloquent, first-person account of addiction. The substance may change, but the experience is the same.
9
Right on point here. The name of the article reminded me of a friend but the content, myself. I was addicted to Norco (Vicodin) for 4 years and know every thought process and frame of mind the author describes about abusing prescription pills.
1
This is a pandering, unscrupulous article. It takes one person's experience and conflates it with the experience of an entire generation. It implies medical findings (such as the idea that Adderall has no real cognitive benefits) that the author is not qualified to present and that a preponderance of research does not support (not yet, anyway). Not everyone who takes Adderall provides plagiarized essays to their peers, buys it illegally, or fakes their symptoms on a psychiatric questionnaire. I'm afraid Ms. Schwartz is just a person with a highly addiction-prone personality who has done a lot of bad things in the name of Adderall. I'm sympathetic to her story, but it has absolutely no "larger implications" -- and she should be embarrassed to see all the armchair physicians who are writing in to cheer her on with their own homemade solutions to ADHD. Here's my advice: if Ms. Schwartz wants to be a voice for even tighter (!) Adderall regulation and demonization, why doesn't she remove from her CV everything that the drug helped her to accomplish? Then she'd be a hero. Then she'd be someone worth listening to. Until then, she's just an opportunist.
23
yes, this is a stupid article.
It's really irresponsible for the NYT to take a legal drug that has helped millions function - such as my own son - and instead focus on a privileged white person who has used the drug illegally.
The drug's intent is to help those who, like my son, have enormous difficulty focusing. For my son - for people who don't lie and abuse and steal the drug - there is no rush or hyper feeling. Instead, my son feels calm and focused.
Why not use people like him as your anecdote for "Adderall Nation"? Or at least entitle this article: "Adderrall Upper Class Addicted Rich Kids Nation."
I don't mean to be insensitive. Drug addition is serious. But I resent the implication that the author's experience is more meaningful than my son's, or the millions of people who are helped by Adderall.
Yes, there needs to be more research on the mechanism and long term side effects, if any, of this drug. I totally agree. But let's not frame it through the prism of drug addiction masquerading as normalcy. Let's simply frame it as responsible medicine, where research money should go.
Drug addiction is a serious problem. But let's call it what it is: This person was an addict. Articles like these pretend the addiction itself is a natural consequence of the drug existing, as opposed to a consequence of lives functioning through addiction whatever the substance.
The drug's intent is to help those who, like my son, have enormous difficulty focusing. For my son - for people who don't lie and abuse and steal the drug - there is no rush or hyper feeling. Instead, my son feels calm and focused.
Why not use people like him as your anecdote for "Adderall Nation"? Or at least entitle this article: "Adderrall Upper Class Addicted Rich Kids Nation."
I don't mean to be insensitive. Drug addition is serious. But I resent the implication that the author's experience is more meaningful than my son's, or the millions of people who are helped by Adderall.
Yes, there needs to be more research on the mechanism and long term side effects, if any, of this drug. I totally agree. But let's not frame it through the prism of drug addiction masquerading as normalcy. Let's simply frame it as responsible medicine, where research money should go.
Drug addiction is a serious problem. But let's call it what it is: This person was an addict. Articles like these pretend the addiction itself is a natural consequence of the drug existing, as opposed to a consequence of lives functioning through addiction whatever the substance.
27
Many of these drugs are too easily prescribed to children. A teacher at my son's school wanted him tested at the age of 8 for ADHD and thought he should have been prescribed. I refused the drugs. He "grew" out of his restlessness by the time he was 13 and ended up in an Ivy League college. I believe that Adderall can help some people but too many young boys are tagged with the label ADHD and improperly drugged.
10
Thanks for sharing your story.
Just a note that may or may not be of use to you. Lots of ADHDers are brilliant and have attended the Ivy League. I attended an Ivy League college. I just want to share this ... lots of people with mild ADHD who are really bright can excel as long as they are in a highly structured setting. And I hope your son is doing well in college, but the transition to college is typically when people with milder ADHD struggle and seriously struggle--because they aren't good at creating structure if they don't have a lot of external structure.
The impairment of ADHD with a really bright person, typically starts to show up in college and/or later in the workplace, as the person struggles to meet deadlines, get things done on time, fill out tedious forms, remember all kinds of details and so forth. I hope this is completely irrelevant to your son, but I just wanted to share this info ... His presence in the Ivy League does not disqualify him in any way from having ADHD ... note there are two types of ADHD ... Hyperactive ... and Inattentive. The people who tend to be very bright with the condition aren't hyperactive so much as they are in the Inattentive category--they struggle to control their attention. They can't organize their lives well or keep their living spaces reasonably neat or get themselves to do--or even start--on tasks that they know they need to do.
Good luck.
Just a note that may or may not be of use to you. Lots of ADHDers are brilliant and have attended the Ivy League. I attended an Ivy League college. I just want to share this ... lots of people with mild ADHD who are really bright can excel as long as they are in a highly structured setting. And I hope your son is doing well in college, but the transition to college is typically when people with milder ADHD struggle and seriously struggle--because they aren't good at creating structure if they don't have a lot of external structure.
The impairment of ADHD with a really bright person, typically starts to show up in college and/or later in the workplace, as the person struggles to meet deadlines, get things done on time, fill out tedious forms, remember all kinds of details and so forth. I hope this is completely irrelevant to your son, but I just wanted to share this info ... His presence in the Ivy League does not disqualify him in any way from having ADHD ... note there are two types of ADHD ... Hyperactive ... and Inattentive. The people who tend to be very bright with the condition aren't hyperactive so much as they are in the Inattentive category--they struggle to control their attention. They can't organize their lives well or keep their living spaces reasonably neat or get themselves to do--or even start--on tasks that they know they need to do.
Good luck.
This was an extraordinarily frustrating essay for me to read. It is people like the author who make it so very difficult for me to use the therapy that helps me treat my disorder. Because people like her abuse the drug and then turn around and blame the drug itself, the therapy becomes quite difficult to get in a reasonable and affordable way.
For example: I am a 32 year old female first diagnosed with ADD in college. Taking stimulant medications allowed me to slow my thoughts enough to actual participate in conversations, instead of being overcome with social anxiety because I was unable to sort ideas into a meaningful response. I regained self-esteem by learning that I wasn't lazy, irresponsible and careless - I had a legitimate medical disorder.
I've been taking the same prescription for 10 years. But every month, I still have to go to my psychiatrist's office to pick up a paper prescription. It cannot be faxed or sent in electronically. I have to take several hours off work to drive across town & pick it up while my doctor's office is open, then stop at the pharmacy to get it filled. I'm lucky that I work in a hospital with medically literate supervisors who allow me to do this. have to show my ID every time I pick up my script. I must get it filled in Wisconsin - if I'm traveling and my pills are stolen, lost or damaged, I'm out of luck.
I could go on. I am sorry the author had to go through this difficult time. I am bewildered by her response.
For example: I am a 32 year old female first diagnosed with ADD in college. Taking stimulant medications allowed me to slow my thoughts enough to actual participate in conversations, instead of being overcome with social anxiety because I was unable to sort ideas into a meaningful response. I regained self-esteem by learning that I wasn't lazy, irresponsible and careless - I had a legitimate medical disorder.
I've been taking the same prescription for 10 years. But every month, I still have to go to my psychiatrist's office to pick up a paper prescription. It cannot be faxed or sent in electronically. I have to take several hours off work to drive across town & pick it up while my doctor's office is open, then stop at the pharmacy to get it filled. I'm lucky that I work in a hospital with medically literate supervisors who allow me to do this. have to show my ID every time I pick up my script. I must get it filled in Wisconsin - if I'm traveling and my pills are stolen, lost or damaged, I'm out of luck.
I could go on. I am sorry the author had to go through this difficult time. I am bewildered by her response.
22
I don't understand why students don't stick with espresso. If that isn't adequate...then they should combine caffeine with ginseng or rhodiola. The effects are fantastic.
2
Ritalin probably saved our family life. Getting to just the right dose was tricky, but the results were well worth it. We jumped through all the hoops and followed all the medical protocols. In the end it paid off with no dependency problems.
7
My twin sister almost flunked out off college until she was prescribed. I'd make fun of her growing up for not being able to concentrate on anything. It was because she legitimately has ADHD. She takes a small dose as prescribed and says it changed her life.
My best friend in college was not prescribed and abused adderall. He rarely slept days before exams. I didn't think anything of it because a lot of people did the same thing. After first semester finals senior year, he said he wasn't going to take it winter break. A couple of days later, he told me he felt terrible. Ten minutes later he had violent seizure in front of me. They found amphetamines in his system, and his parents asked me why we were using "speed". I told them I wasn't, and that he was using adderall to study. They made him take drug tests the next semester, some of which he'd fail even though he told us that he'd stopped. I had to drive him around for 6 months in case he had another one.
I took it a couple of times my freshman year and found that it "cracked" me out. I couldn't concentrate on the actual material and would just clean. I'd move my jaw and cut the inside of my cheeks with my teeth. I joked that I had anti ADHD. I failed a test because I could barely stay awake the next afternoon after not sleeping, that was it for me.
One thing not mentioned in the article is that many college kids use it as a party drug as well so they can stay up, almost like a cocaine substitute.
My best friend in college was not prescribed and abused adderall. He rarely slept days before exams. I didn't think anything of it because a lot of people did the same thing. After first semester finals senior year, he said he wasn't going to take it winter break. A couple of days later, he told me he felt terrible. Ten minutes later he had violent seizure in front of me. They found amphetamines in his system, and his parents asked me why we were using "speed". I told them I wasn't, and that he was using adderall to study. They made him take drug tests the next semester, some of which he'd fail even though he told us that he'd stopped. I had to drive him around for 6 months in case he had another one.
I took it a couple of times my freshman year and found that it "cracked" me out. I couldn't concentrate on the actual material and would just clean. I'd move my jaw and cut the inside of my cheeks with my teeth. I joked that I had anti ADHD. I failed a test because I could barely stay awake the next afternoon after not sleeping, that was it for me.
One thing not mentioned in the article is that many college kids use it as a party drug as well so they can stay up, almost like a cocaine substitute.
6
Why are so many young people depressed? I think their expectations do not meet the reality of the current world. When I got out of college in the early 1980s, my expectations were low, or at least reasonable. Reagan was in office and the world was on the edge of nuclear destruction; contrary to the current right wing, there were few jobs to be had and Reagan had helped crush the unions. We would maybe drink too many beers and get in verbal fights with neighbors or stupidness, then sleep it off. The next day a hangover. The day after that, climb back into the ring, tell some jokes, do the laundry. The kids these day think if they are not famous or rich by twenty they are losers. We already knew the truth of our worlds, so we tried to make the best of things, and we had some semblance of happiness cooking at home and hanging out at the park with friends and a six pack. No depression around then much.
1
As a clinical psychologist, I can say that this article appears to simply document the experiences of an individual who sought out medication without a legitimate ADHD diagnosis. Anyone can learn the diagnostic criteria and fake their way (which the author did several years after abusing the drug with no documented assessment or diagnosis). Ironically, research indicates that the individuals with legitimate ADHD diagnoses actually show decreases in substance abuse over time. Instead, this very drug, used by an individual who simply didn't need it and who actually likely has a genetic predisposition to addiction, resulted in the circumstances described here. I think that this is an irresponsible publishing choice with a tragically catchy, emotion-laden title (we know people will read this stuff - hating on ADHD is so hot right now). Please consider alternative, research-based perspectives when publishing such a controversial and factually baseless take on a subject with decades of research that indicates copious facts to the contrary of this author's point of view.
23
Good point. If you have your ADHD treated, your risk of abusing substances goes down.
This article makes me angry and sad, though not because of the author's experiences. I didn't find out I had ADHD until age 37. Part of the delay was due to having read horror stories like these and wanting nothing to do with this "fake," "overdiagnosed" condition that leads to a "culture of dependence and addiction" on campuses and in workplaces.
Meanwhile, my life had been going downhill, little by little, for 20 years--frankly, since my freshman year at Harvard. The extreme lethargy she describes during withdrawal had become my normal everyday experience; I had systematically been removing "distractions" (a.k.a. joy) from my life in the effort to try to get my work done. I thought I was depressed. Against my own hard-nosed skepticism, it took me almost 4 years to come around to believing those symptoms (as well as the career failures to which I attributed them) could be the result of ADHD.
I have a diagnosis now, and some magic little blue pills, and my life has started moving forward again, thankfully.
But I know there are still millions of undiagnosed adults out there (including friends of mine and yours), quietly suffering, and I spend a lot of time thinking about what kind of messaging would help them. Certainly not scare stories. If the NYTimes would first do a serious analysis of the amount of suffering caused by too little, vs. too much, use of prescription stimulants, I think they could proceed to do a lot more good on this subject.
Meanwhile, my life had been going downhill, little by little, for 20 years--frankly, since my freshman year at Harvard. The extreme lethargy she describes during withdrawal had become my normal everyday experience; I had systematically been removing "distractions" (a.k.a. joy) from my life in the effort to try to get my work done. I thought I was depressed. Against my own hard-nosed skepticism, it took me almost 4 years to come around to believing those symptoms (as well as the career failures to which I attributed them) could be the result of ADHD.
I have a diagnosis now, and some magic little blue pills, and my life has started moving forward again, thankfully.
But I know there are still millions of undiagnosed adults out there (including friends of mine and yours), quietly suffering, and I spend a lot of time thinking about what kind of messaging would help them. Certainly not scare stories. If the NYTimes would first do a serious analysis of the amount of suffering caused by too little, vs. too much, use of prescription stimulants, I think they could proceed to do a lot more good on this subject.
16
Thank you for writing this honest and timely piece. It echos the NYT story published a few years ago detailing the Adderall addiction and suicide of an accomplished student. I am happy the author was able to avoid that fate.
I graduated from college in the last few years, and my experience with Adderall was very similar. At first, everything is great, productivity soars, and you assume that there is no task too daunting to accomplish. Slowly (as happens in addiction) you become hooked and, without access to the drug, become miserable and unproductive.
I am seriously worried that many in our generation are being led astray--whether by familial/societal expectations to "have it all" or by imprudent physicians or money hungry drug companies. Whatever the cause, your story will help others see the dangers of Adderall addiction.
To anyone contemplating trying Adderall, please read this story first and consider the consequences. If you are college aged and have performed well up until now, I would suggest you're better off abstaining from Adderall.
I graduated from college in the last few years, and my experience with Adderall was very similar. At first, everything is great, productivity soars, and you assume that there is no task too daunting to accomplish. Slowly (as happens in addiction) you become hooked and, without access to the drug, become miserable and unproductive.
I am seriously worried that many in our generation are being led astray--whether by familial/societal expectations to "have it all" or by imprudent physicians or money hungry drug companies. Whatever the cause, your story will help others see the dangers of Adderall addiction.
To anyone contemplating trying Adderall, please read this story first and consider the consequences. If you are college aged and have performed well up until now, I would suggest you're better off abstaining from Adderall.
4
From one Harvard person to another. I lived in Quincy House ... and got diagnosed at age 46. Mind-blowing ... I like you experience some regret at missing the diagnosis. Now, life is so much better in that I work WITH my brain and try to find all kinds of tricks to get me started, to created structure, to meet deadlines, keep a clean living space etc.
I too was disappointed at this article ... ADHD is so painful because it is debilitating ... but sort of debilitating in plain sight! ... I only got diagnosed because of a fluke. I took a med that had a side effect of quieting my mind. Blew me away. I could make decisions ... I was decisive ... I could prioritize ... and so I went searching for what this med was doing ... and I realized this med is helpful for some people with ADHD.
Anyway, great to see another Harvard person here.
I too was disappointed at this article ... ADHD is so painful because it is debilitating ... but sort of debilitating in plain sight! ... I only got diagnosed because of a fluke. I took a med that had a side effect of quieting my mind. Blew me away. I could make decisions ... I was decisive ... I could prioritize ... and so I went searching for what this med was doing ... and I realized this med is helpful for some people with ADHD.
Anyway, great to see another Harvard person here.
I take adderall because of a sleep disorder, called hypersomnia, which causes me to still need 9-10 hours of sleep a night at 25 years old. I crave sleep and will easily sleep 12 hours, not remember being awakened repeatedly, and can barely struggle out of bed in the morning at 8am. Adderall has changed my ability to feel fully awake during the day and not end up so tired by 1pm that working the next 5 hours is an extreme exertion on my part. My disorder is a symptom of an autoimmune disorder I have, and the inflammation it causes in my brain and the rest of my body.
To hear Casey talk about adderall, it sounds as if everyone taking it is an addict and simply using it to get ahead in school and work. In reality, those of us who take it properly don't have these cravings or exhibit drug-seeking behavior. I get no high from my adderall and barely feel it kick in as I start my day, however the difference in how I felt before and after are startling. It took me years to get any doctor to listen to me and have me do sleep studies--upon which I went to a psychiatrist who prebscribed me the medication as well as others for depression/anxiety (many which help with my arthritis and neuropathic pain). This medication has changed my life and many others in such a positive way; it should not be demonized for it's abuse by a few.
To hear Casey talk about adderall, it sounds as if everyone taking it is an addict and simply using it to get ahead in school and work. In reality, those of us who take it properly don't have these cravings or exhibit drug-seeking behavior. I get no high from my adderall and barely feel it kick in as I start my day, however the difference in how I felt before and after are startling. It took me years to get any doctor to listen to me and have me do sleep studies--upon which I went to a psychiatrist who prebscribed me the medication as well as others for depression/anxiety (many which help with my arthritis and neuropathic pain). This medication has changed my life and many others in such a positive way; it should not be demonized for it's abuse by a few.
9
My son was diagnosed at 8 and until we relunctantly agreed to try adderall, he could barely function in school. He could not sit still, getting in trouble and not doing well academically. This drug both helped and caused problems so we tried other adhd drugs. This one was somewhat helpful so he was in it for a while, and there was no issue with stopping. He ended up finding a different drug that was even more helpful with less side effects. In the end, these adhd meds changed his life for the better. Went from a poor student to a top student that attended a top college. He is not addicted at all, stopped taking all summer after HS. No withdrawal or gradual phase out. He goes on and off based on school calendar and need to concentrate on school work.
Like many inventions, can be put to good use, or abuse.
Like many inventions, can be put to good use, or abuse.
7
Not Mark...
The author I believe would be a great advocate for mental health workers like me who are not into giving medication. What happened to good ole talk therapy, play therapy, music therapy, body therapy, meditation therapy or group therapy (which includes support and motivation therapy)? It is amazing how many "medication giving doctors and therapists" hate those who say, "I am not into medications".
As a social scientist and a researcher I am aware few people may need medication all their life, some may need it for a long time and some may need it for a short time...but many do not need it at all. Even good nutrition, or specific kinds of herbs or supplements, can make up for any body or brain deficiency that might interfere with cognition and behaviors. I hope the author starts advocating for more intelligent insightful mental health workers who do not practice this kind of "easy brain candy distribution" practice.
But we must admit American culture is an addiction oriented culture. Watch the ads, one after another loud and in your face. One sells ice cream as the solution for "sadness, loneliness, heart ache or even happiness"...and another sells drugs for obesity. One set of ads sell cars for pleasure or as expression of success...another sells ads for simple life. This culture never stops selling! Ugly mercantilism.
Advocate for mental health workers like me who are intelligent and insightful, without having to take drugs or give out drugs. Thanks
The author I believe would be a great advocate for mental health workers like me who are not into giving medication. What happened to good ole talk therapy, play therapy, music therapy, body therapy, meditation therapy or group therapy (which includes support and motivation therapy)? It is amazing how many "medication giving doctors and therapists" hate those who say, "I am not into medications".
As a social scientist and a researcher I am aware few people may need medication all their life, some may need it for a long time and some may need it for a short time...but many do not need it at all. Even good nutrition, or specific kinds of herbs or supplements, can make up for any body or brain deficiency that might interfere with cognition and behaviors. I hope the author starts advocating for more intelligent insightful mental health workers who do not practice this kind of "easy brain candy distribution" practice.
But we must admit American culture is an addiction oriented culture. Watch the ads, one after another loud and in your face. One sells ice cream as the solution for "sadness, loneliness, heart ache or even happiness"...and another sells drugs for obesity. One set of ads sell cars for pleasure or as expression of success...another sells ads for simple life. This culture never stops selling! Ugly mercantilism.
Advocate for mental health workers like me who are intelligent and insightful, without having to take drugs or give out drugs. Thanks
1
<sighs> Some conditions, like anxiety and depression need talk and medications. Some, like borderline personality, just need talk. Some, like adult ADHD, need medications.
Being for or against medication treatment is about as sensible as being for or against insulin or plaster casts.
Being for or against medication treatment is about as sensible as being for or against insulin or plaster casts.
Well, it appears that the drug didn't hurt her long term cognitive abilities because that was a well written and interesting article. I am grateful that I have never used any of those types of drugs, but after reading the article, I can see how an ambitious person could easily become addicted.
3
I'm still waiting for this paper to publish my personal testimonial about that time when I was in high school my parents left for the day, and I took a gravity bong hit out of the bathtub, ate a pound of blueberries and threw up.
9
This article upsets me. The author illegally took adderal, fraud their way into getting a prescription, and continued to abuse the drug. Now she writes an article condeming adderall use. The people who legitimately have ADHD take this drug to function normally, the author takes this drug to get an edge over her peers and get high. People like the author give a bad name to adderall. They make it harder for people suffering from ADHD to get treatment. They are no better than people who deny that ADHD exists when it is proven to exist. Adderall isn't the problem here, the drug abuse is. Replace Adderall with Vicodin and ADHD with chronic pain in this article. What do you think of the author now?
16
This was absolutely my experience. It took over a year for me to fully function after going through the long, intense withdrawal. Don't take Adderall, folks. Especially since there are non-addictive variants of it such as Focalin. It's not worth staying up for days on end not eating enough food, trying to be the smartest person on earth.
3
@tyh24647 You say "Don't take Adderall, folks. Especially since there are non-addictive variants of it such as Focalin."
Your statement could be dangerous if anyone is guided by it. Focalin is a variant of Ritalin and can be very addictive for certain people. There are no 100% non-addictive variants of any of the stimulant drugs used to treat ADHD/ADD.
You may be thinking of Strattera, which is not addictive but which is also not a stimulant.
For most people legitimately suffering from ADD/ADHD, addiction is not a problem and stimulant drugs are the best and most effective option.
Your statement could be dangerous if anyone is guided by it. Focalin is a variant of Ritalin and can be very addictive for certain people. There are no 100% non-addictive variants of any of the stimulant drugs used to treat ADHD/ADD.
You may be thinking of Strattera, which is not addictive but which is also not a stimulant.
For most people legitimately suffering from ADD/ADHD, addiction is not a problem and stimulant drugs are the best and most effective option.
Regarding the comment that "there are non-addictive variants of [Adderall] such as Focalin."
This is not true and could endanger people. Focalin is a variant of Ritalin and can be very addictive for some people. There are currently no completely non-addictive variants of any of the stimulant drugs used to treat ADD/ADHD.
You may be thinking of Strattera, which is not addictive but which also is not a stimulant. For those legitimately suffering from ADD/ADHD, stimulants are often the best and most effective form of treatment and do not lead to addiction.
This is not true and could endanger people. Focalin is a variant of Ritalin and can be very addictive for some people. There are currently no completely non-addictive variants of any of the stimulant drugs used to treat ADD/ADHD.
You may be thinking of Strattera, which is not addictive but which also is not a stimulant. For those legitimately suffering from ADD/ADHD, stimulants are often the best and most effective form of treatment and do not lead to addiction.
As someone who had ALL the 'right' benefits of growing up in an affluent family, the one thing we did not have was an ADHD diagnosis. I was called 'unmotivated', 'lazy', 'underachiever'... I had 'so much potential, if only she would apply herself.'
My ADHD diagnosis at age 27, and my Adderall prescription has given me my life back! It's incredibly frustrating to read these slam articles over and over—especially when my comments/story are blocked.
I never took any kind of recreational drug. I was a good kid. I was even outwardly well behaved. It's my mind that races a million miles an hour. By high school, I graduated in the top quarter of my class without trying... And then guess what? I began a career & it became apparent that something was very wrong. I couldn't do my job. My mind wandered & time only made it worse.
Believe me when I say I was relieved to finally receive that ADHD diagnosis. While its unfortunate that some may misuse these drugs, you also need to take a look at those of us who've been helped by them. Anything—Adderall, too much fat, eating candy all day—can have horrible effects when used in excess or for the wrong reasons or by the wrong people. Please acknowledge that Adderall & drugs like it are live savers for those of us who need them. Yes, need! Not to make me smarter, faster, etc. but because I can live a normal life without constantly wondering what's wrong with me.
My ADHD diagnosis at age 27, and my Adderall prescription has given me my life back! It's incredibly frustrating to read these slam articles over and over—especially when my comments/story are blocked.
I never took any kind of recreational drug. I was a good kid. I was even outwardly well behaved. It's my mind that races a million miles an hour. By high school, I graduated in the top quarter of my class without trying... And then guess what? I began a career & it became apparent that something was very wrong. I couldn't do my job. My mind wandered & time only made it worse.
Believe me when I say I was relieved to finally receive that ADHD diagnosis. While its unfortunate that some may misuse these drugs, you also need to take a look at those of us who've been helped by them. Anything—Adderall, too much fat, eating candy all day—can have horrible effects when used in excess or for the wrong reasons or by the wrong people. Please acknowledge that Adderall & drugs like it are live savers for those of us who need them. Yes, need! Not to make me smarter, faster, etc. but because I can live a normal life without constantly wondering what's wrong with me.
17
Adderall isn't the problem here, the author's drug abuse is. People like the author give a bad name to adderal and other stimulants that actually helps people with real ADHD.
11
My unprofessional observation is that an individual's existing personal and chemical traits are exacerbated by the drug. Highs and lows off the drug will be more intense while on it. It affects people differently. Their underlying conditions -- ex., inability to self-motivate or inability to divert attention once hyper-focused -- require therapy, which the drug doesn't provide.
FYI -- Those who need the drug to focus and to help with executive function skills don't usually have "sublime" episodes like that. Many can't wait for drug "holidays" (time off it).
FYI -- Those who need the drug to focus and to help with executive function skills don't usually have "sublime" episodes like that. Many can't wait for drug "holidays" (time off it).
7
Couldn't agree more.
The NYT seems to have a pattern of publishing articles that portray adderall in a negative light and are dismissive of ADHD as an actual physical position.
The NYT seems to have a pattern of publishing articles that portray adderall in a negative light and are dismissive of ADHD as an actual physical position.
"...a pharmaceutical executive named Roger Griggs thought to revisit the now largely forgotten Obetrol. Tweaking the formula, he named it Adderall and brought it to market aimed at the millions of children and teenagers who doctors said had A.D.H.D."
This comment sounds utterly naive to me. Here's what really happened:
-Pharmaceutical companies paid for drug trials demonstrating that just tons of people have ADHD
- F.D.A. approved the drug (actually, pharma companies now pay the F.D.A. to have their product tested and hopefully approved)
-Drug salespeople inundated doctors' offices with lunches and free drug samples and educational advice about how to prescribe the drug
-TV ads (illegal in all but one other developed country) pushed the drug on all of us (Gleeful mommy saying, "Johhny took out the trash and I didn't even need to remind him!" Sound familiar?)
-Drug companies paid doctors as "thought leaders" to teach other doctors how to prescribe the drug.
-Doctors not required to report adverse effects to the F.D.A. or to anyone
-Drug companies lobby with massive dollars, added to campaign contributions, to make all the above possible.
And...you get addicted.
Hey, want an even worse one, also caused by all the above? Look at statin drugs, with 56 million Americans now eligible. No proven benefit when used as primary prevention, and not even the temporary high that gets your term paper painlessly completed on time. Statinvictims.com (Give me a week, and look.)
This comment sounds utterly naive to me. Here's what really happened:
-Pharmaceutical companies paid for drug trials demonstrating that just tons of people have ADHD
- F.D.A. approved the drug (actually, pharma companies now pay the F.D.A. to have their product tested and hopefully approved)
-Drug salespeople inundated doctors' offices with lunches and free drug samples and educational advice about how to prescribe the drug
-TV ads (illegal in all but one other developed country) pushed the drug on all of us (Gleeful mommy saying, "Johhny took out the trash and I didn't even need to remind him!" Sound familiar?)
-Drug companies paid doctors as "thought leaders" to teach other doctors how to prescribe the drug.
-Doctors not required to report adverse effects to the F.D.A. or to anyone
-Drug companies lobby with massive dollars, added to campaign contributions, to make all the above possible.
And...you get addicted.
Hey, want an even worse one, also caused by all the above? Look at statin drugs, with 56 million Americans now eligible. No proven benefit when used as primary prevention, and not even the temporary high that gets your term paper painlessly completed on time. Statinvictims.com (Give me a week, and look.)
5
So many people undergo a rigorous diagnosis for ADHD and benefit greatly from it. They are actually healthier with medications like Adderall.
Because people misuse these prescription medications, people using Adderall to combat debilitating neurological disorder --using them for their health--have to jump through the monetary hoops of required extra doctor's visits for refills as well as the stigma and administrative nightmare of using a drug classified as a controlled substance.
This is an article about drug abuse. The experiences the author describes is not typical for those correctly diagnosed with ADHD. It's a tested drug with proven benefits for those that use it properly and dire consequences for those that abuse it. Medical research hasn't found anything wrong with drug and its proper use.
Because people misuse these prescription medications, people using Adderall to combat debilitating neurological disorder --using them for their health--have to jump through the monetary hoops of required extra doctor's visits for refills as well as the stigma and administrative nightmare of using a drug classified as a controlled substance.
This is an article about drug abuse. The experiences the author describes is not typical for those correctly diagnosed with ADHD. It's a tested drug with proven benefits for those that use it properly and dire consequences for those that abuse it. Medical research hasn't found anything wrong with drug and its proper use.
15
I felt resentment halfway through the piece because the author is able to write about her drug addiction in such a public manner and not be excoriated for it. My thoughts immediately jumped to the many less successful, less fortunate people who have fallen victim to the same disease. Why does one story garner sympathy, and another a sneer, a contempt for "those weak-willed" addicts. What is the moral differentiator here? I think it's important that we re-examine our attitudes towards the (ab)use of "drugs" versus drugs.
Of course, in the end I am glad she was able to overcome her struggle with the help of a mental health professional but at the same time I wish that assistance was available to addicts across the entire socio-economic spectrum, not just those at one end. I suppose that's just my bleeding heart speaking honestly.
Of course, in the end I am glad she was able to overcome her struggle with the help of a mental health professional but at the same time I wish that assistance was available to addicts across the entire socio-economic spectrum, not just those at one end. I suppose that's just my bleeding heart speaking honestly.
6
because "drugs" are not being prescribed to millions of kids at the same rate. Specific drugs like Ritalin and Adderall are being pushed to kids through the establishment. This is an important piece and I am afraid your just being selfish.
A
A
Um, she has pretty much been excoriated.
I was prescribed Vyvanse, and now Ritalin over 8 years ago. It works well at the prescribed dosages. More isn't more, in fact it's counter productive and speaks to a psychological addiction. It's not the drug, it's you.
8
I'm surprised and somewhat frustrated that so many commenters seemed to have missed the point here. This is not about whether Adderall is a "good" or a "bad" drug; it's about the consequences of people who are not prescribed it using it just to do better at school or at work. The moral of the story is that it's not worth it.
If you have a prescription and you feel that it is helping, bully for you. That doesn't mean this author is "wrong."
If you have a prescription and you feel that it is helping, bully for you. That doesn't mean this author is "wrong."
6
No, it is there NYTimes that is wrong , for using dramatic first person anecdotal "evidence" to further their long standing agenda of "no drugs for anyone, ever.'
I was just diagnosed with ADHD last year. I'm 45. I haven't tried the medication yet, I hope to soon. I can sympathise with the articles' author for wanting to get off an addictive drug.
Myself, I am sick of self medicating on caffein. Right now I need 3 cans of monster energy drink, 1 cup of coffee, and a caffein pill just to get through an average day. Even the I can barely focus. I am in school again and it is almost impossible to read my textbooks. I mostly fake my way through classes, by listening to the proff, asking questions, and tracking down YouTube videos or online summaries about the subject.
And there is so much in my life that has been wasted because of my condition. So much pain and misery that could have maybe been avoided with just a simple pill.
Last year, when I was diagnose I only wanted to find out what was wrong with me. I almost broke into tears of joy with the "Severe ADHD diagnosis" now, though I'm kind of curious to meet the me who could have been.
Myself, I am sick of self medicating on caffein. Right now I need 3 cans of monster energy drink, 1 cup of coffee, and a caffein pill just to get through an average day. Even the I can barely focus. I am in school again and it is almost impossible to read my textbooks. I mostly fake my way through classes, by listening to the proff, asking questions, and tracking down YouTube videos or online summaries about the subject.
And there is so much in my life that has been wasted because of my condition. So much pain and misery that could have maybe been avoided with just a simple pill.
Last year, when I was diagnose I only wanted to find out what was wrong with me. I almost broke into tears of joy with the "Severe ADHD diagnosis" now, though I'm kind of curious to meet the me who could have been.
8
Wait no longer, try it, there are other variants of it that might agree with you better if it doesn't click.
Even a very small dose of this drug (in my case 5mg of dexamphetamine daily) has done wonders for my previously unexplained fatigue.
Even a very small dose of this drug (in my case 5mg of dexamphetamine daily) has done wonders for my previously unexplained fatigue.
The fact that US has almost 10 times the percentage the diagnosis in ADHD than all the other countries in the G7 should raise alarm, American pharmaceuticals are for profit, and if they can sell you a drug for life, a CEO would gladly does so. What's the long term effect after you consume it for decades? All are in for a easy way out, that including educators( calmer students) pharmaceuticals (profit), except the parents and the patients themselves in long run.
9
To the Editor: By redefining and medicalising brief behavioural problems due to peer, school and family stressors, drug companies stand to reap the burgeoning rewards of an extended market over the whole duration of childhood and the teenage years. The intense and favourable marketing of drugs to doctors and parents as showing exaggerated benefit in improved social interaction and enhanced learning generate unrealistic expectations of a quick fix with tablets rather than addressing maladjustments underpinned by disturbed social and family dynamics. Pill popping is costly to the health budget and redeem parents and teachers of responsibility to counsel and impose discipline in the proven ways of past generations. Importantly kids are also exposed to their stupefying side effects of these drugs during the formative years of their lives.
4
Speaking as an Adderall user diagnosed with ADD in my 20's. Like the author, I used Adderall while in college as a study aid. I considered myself a fairly capable student, but I had always exhibited some of the symptoms of ADD, particularly my inability to stay organized and my tendencies to forget about deadlines and lose personal items. I was fired from my first job out of college (a as a data analyst for a large tech firm).
After my firing, I succeeded in procuring a prescription for adderall. I found a new job with a small company, and I found myself working hard, enjoying the work, and doing well, earning praise from my superiors and a swift promotion. I'm not sure whether the Adderall deserves the credit for my success, or whether the job, which I found much more interesting and enjoyable than my previous gig, is wholly responsible. Adderall certainly helps me with the tedious, mundane tasks which require focus and induce frustration.
I can relate to the pull of the "downward spiral" the author describes. After a few months taking adderall on a regular basis, I began experimenting with doses above my prescribed dose. I'm a skinny guy, and I was not eating enough to sustain my bodyweight. After a month toeing the boundary of unhealthy use, I changed the way I use the drug. I now take it no more than 4 times a week, and I eat a big breakfast before taking.
Adderall can be a boon, but you have to be extremely disciplined, always keeping in mind its limitations
After my firing, I succeeded in procuring a prescription for adderall. I found a new job with a small company, and I found myself working hard, enjoying the work, and doing well, earning praise from my superiors and a swift promotion. I'm not sure whether the Adderall deserves the credit for my success, or whether the job, which I found much more interesting and enjoyable than my previous gig, is wholly responsible. Adderall certainly helps me with the tedious, mundane tasks which require focus and induce frustration.
I can relate to the pull of the "downward spiral" the author describes. After a few months taking adderall on a regular basis, I began experimenting with doses above my prescribed dose. I'm a skinny guy, and I was not eating enough to sustain my bodyweight. After a month toeing the boundary of unhealthy use, I changed the way I use the drug. I now take it no more than 4 times a week, and I eat a big breakfast before taking.
Adderall can be a boon, but you have to be extremely disciplined, always keeping in mind its limitations
5
Wow! Great piece. This spoke to me because I too was on the fringe of planning how to get a prescription of this drug. Did not know how serious the permanent effects were. Now I am aware that the temporary use turns into full use.
4
More like Generation I-phone.
We can add one more figure to the anthropological chart of man's development, that of a silhouetted man hunched over lost in his phone.
We can add one more figure to the anthropological chart of man's development, that of a silhouetted man hunched over lost in his phone.
1
This sounds like a case of erratic abuse. Some people really need addictive drugs and do not abuse them. I do not like to see children on them, however, and they are excessively prescribed.
As a licensed mental health professional I am very disappointed in this article. Like other mental health disorders ADD and ADHD do not end at the age of 18. Many people with these disorders need to be on medication for the rest of their lives. This continued use of medicine should not be characterized as an addiction. I do not know of any serious clinical studies that prove that ADD and ADHD are over diagnosed and over treated. The sooner this type of disorder is diagnosed and treated the sooner one can prevent the deficits and problems that affect someone's daily functioning whether it be socially or in school or work situations. In my experience the low self esteem caused by the effects of untreated ADD and ADHD far outweigh the fact that medication is needed. Other types of therapy such as counseling and education for all involved can also be very helpful.
16
So many implications to a story like this. Casey can be forgiven for focusing on her personal experience, I think, the same way everyone commenting is looking through their own lens.
Mine is that of another privileged white student at high school and university who never took prescription drugs to overachieve. I had a lot of friends who did, several of whom graduated with high honors.
Would we look at this differently if it was steroid abuse and the author was an accomplished college athlete? Funny that we think so highly of the purity of our sports but shrug at students who are pursuing chemical enhancement in the classroom.
So from 3-5% to an 11% diagnosis rate, and no one has any ideas for reform? Isn't it obvious that this will only continue, or even get worse as more students find themselves around friends with pills to spare? Will modern campuses have to turn into zombie farms, with every student seeking out dark corners to put in their 16 hour homework marathons before colleges act? Will the most prestigious institutions be left only to geniuses and drug addicts? Is that already the case?
To those suggesting that these issues are only relevant to the privileged, I would say that needing access to expensive medication to achieve success at a good college is most damaging to those who will arrive without that access. Goodness knows students arriving at the Browns of the world are already facing enough of an uphill battle.
Mine is that of another privileged white student at high school and university who never took prescription drugs to overachieve. I had a lot of friends who did, several of whom graduated with high honors.
Would we look at this differently if it was steroid abuse and the author was an accomplished college athlete? Funny that we think so highly of the purity of our sports but shrug at students who are pursuing chemical enhancement in the classroom.
So from 3-5% to an 11% diagnosis rate, and no one has any ideas for reform? Isn't it obvious that this will only continue, or even get worse as more students find themselves around friends with pills to spare? Will modern campuses have to turn into zombie farms, with every student seeking out dark corners to put in their 16 hour homework marathons before colleges act? Will the most prestigious institutions be left only to geniuses and drug addicts? Is that already the case?
To those suggesting that these issues are only relevant to the privileged, I would say that needing access to expensive medication to achieve success at a good college is most damaging to those who will arrive without that access. Goodness knows students arriving at the Browns of the world are already facing enough of an uphill battle.
3
One of the main problems with addiction of any kind, is that it hijacks the reward system of the brain so that simple things that gave pleasure (the smell of bread baking or sunshine coming through a window) no longer give joy. The only thing that will bring pleasure is the drug...or the food, or the boyfriend or anything really, that one can become dependent on. When one's source of pleasure lies in one thing only-- that way lies trouble.
2
I'd glad to have been a part of Generation LSD.
Because I got to take LSD once...and then I got over it.
And although I knew people who used cocaine and heroin, I was lucky. I was never attracted.
But as I got older and am staring at death, I look forward to "The Trip Treatment": http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2015/02/09/trip-treatment
Until then I'm good with 3 cups of coffee and 1-2 glasses of wine per day.
Of course, the problem with taking Big Pharma legal drugs is that once you are on it's for life...because that's what pays Big Pharma big profits.
Because I got to take LSD once...and then I got over it.
And although I knew people who used cocaine and heroin, I was lucky. I was never attracted.
But as I got older and am staring at death, I look forward to "The Trip Treatment": http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2015/02/09/trip-treatment
Until then I'm good with 3 cups of coffee and 1-2 glasses of wine per day.
Of course, the problem with taking Big Pharma legal drugs is that once you are on it's for life...because that's what pays Big Pharma big profits.
Anyone thinking of getting rid of prescription medication shouldn't flush it down the toilet. The fish don't need it either. Check local authorities instead.
3
Although I sympathize with the author's trouble with addiction, she obviously has never suffered from the stigma of having ADHD, which this article only perpetuates. Yes, Adderall is abused and over prescribed. But, there are children and adults who greatly benefit from medication. I was diagnosed in first grade, in the late 80s. I would not have finished school without the support of my parents and doctors. I'm in my mid-30s now with a masters degree and a successful career. The author is speaking about the effects of Adderall as someone without the disorder. For people who really do suffer, it can be a transformative medical treatment.
14
I am sincerely worried about our country.
There are now literally tens of millions of folks gulping amphetamines, SSRI's, benzodiazepines, hydrocodone, oxycodone, statins, acid reflux drugs and various other pharma drugs that have been scientifically demonstrated to alter consciousness and mental clarity.
Every time the NYT comes forward with an article even remotely challenging the status quo of mass pharma intake, there is an overwhelming blowback of people offended that their drug intake could ever be questioned or considered problematic.
No wonder we are becoming more and more dysfunctional as a country; possibly now on the verge of electing Donald Trump as president. Our mass wrong-headedness and mental derangement might be the product of our massive, mostly out-of-control intake of legal (and illegal) drugs.
There are now literally tens of millions of folks gulping amphetamines, SSRI's, benzodiazepines, hydrocodone, oxycodone, statins, acid reflux drugs and various other pharma drugs that have been scientifically demonstrated to alter consciousness and mental clarity.
Every time the NYT comes forward with an article even remotely challenging the status quo of mass pharma intake, there is an overwhelming blowback of people offended that their drug intake could ever be questioned or considered problematic.
No wonder we are becoming more and more dysfunctional as a country; possibly now on the verge of electing Donald Trump as president. Our mass wrong-headedness and mental derangement might be the product of our massive, mostly out-of-control intake of legal (and illegal) drugs.
7
amen sister!!!
Beautiful, raw honesty. The abuse of these and related drugs is a serious problem.
I wish I had more faith that policy-makers would respond to this problem in a measured way that acknowledged both the addiction problem and the fact that many people with an unambiguous diagnosis of ADD or ADHD have been helped enormously by the drugs.
Most importantly, I wish I didn't have to scroll down through comments about the legitimacy of the diagnosis of these disorders by people whose clinical credentials are limited to anecdotes.
The problem is not that one anecdote or case is untrue, but the tendency of some to elevate one or several stories to their version of an evidence-based finding.
I wish people would simply acknowledge that the the same drug that can wreak havoc in one life can be a lifeline in another.
I wish I had more faith that policy-makers would respond to this problem in a measured way that acknowledged both the addiction problem and the fact that many people with an unambiguous diagnosis of ADD or ADHD have been helped enormously by the drugs.
Most importantly, I wish I didn't have to scroll down through comments about the legitimacy of the diagnosis of these disorders by people whose clinical credentials are limited to anecdotes.
The problem is not that one anecdote or case is untrue, but the tendency of some to elevate one or several stories to their version of an evidence-based finding.
I wish people would simply acknowledge that the the same drug that can wreak havoc in one life can be a lifeline in another.
4
Hmmm....
I believe this article is itself an anecdote, and you've no issue elevating it to support your own "version of an evidence-based finding".
The problem with policy makers responding to this problem is essentially the same as policy makers responding to the "abortion epidemic". They would be making decisions and laws without the required, and necessary, experience and education. This is an article about drug use. It should not be titled "Generation Adderall". Because of the condition Adderall is generally prescribed for the title insinuates there is no legitimate reason to be taking the medication. People who take the medication with genuine need and reason have experienced enough derision themselves or have witnessed it being expressed towards others like them they understandably get upset with "anecdotes" like this one. If you had ever had a genuine need and had to get the prescription filled you would understand. Because it is criticized and derided in the media, you feel like a criminal and a fraud for taking it. And you don't dare tell anyone outside your most trusted friend (if even that person) you have been diagnosed OR that you're actually on any medication for it. It is your "dirty little secret". As this condition can lead to suicide, it seems more important for people to hear the way Adderall may have helped someone rather than extolling how they abused a drug.
I believe this article is itself an anecdote, and you've no issue elevating it to support your own "version of an evidence-based finding".
The problem with policy makers responding to this problem is essentially the same as policy makers responding to the "abortion epidemic". They would be making decisions and laws without the required, and necessary, experience and education. This is an article about drug use. It should not be titled "Generation Adderall". Because of the condition Adderall is generally prescribed for the title insinuates there is no legitimate reason to be taking the medication. People who take the medication with genuine need and reason have experienced enough derision themselves or have witnessed it being expressed towards others like them they understandably get upset with "anecdotes" like this one. If you had ever had a genuine need and had to get the prescription filled you would understand. Because it is criticized and derided in the media, you feel like a criminal and a fraud for taking it. And you don't dare tell anyone outside your most trusted friend (if even that person) you have been diagnosed OR that you're actually on any medication for it. It is your "dirty little secret". As this condition can lead to suicide, it seems more important for people to hear the way Adderall may have helped someone rather than extolling how they abused a drug.
The author was addicted to, and abused a drug that's helpful to countless people. It's not different than abusing painkillers. Don't take prescription medication without a prescription, or you are GOING to have a bad time.
6
Thank you to the author of this inciteful piece. I have always been grateful that my son was born in 1979 because if he'd been born ten years later I know that teachers and others would have pressed me to get an ADD diagnosis for him and medicate him.
My son did not have ADD; he was a normal boy (not good at sitting still for hours working on "boring" stuff, needed the physicality of his body to learn). Personally, I think that people have forgotten what normal boys are like and by the time that two full time worker parents come home, without the patience and the actual time needed to cope with boys' busyness the pills help them deal with their boys who just really need their attention.
I feel for the generations of kids growing into adulthood with their brains chemically rewired in ways that we really don't know what the consequences will be. I'm not saying that ADD does not exsist, but that most boys who have trouble sitting still for hours/carefully following instructions have nothing wrong with them other than the misfortune of having been born when society is structured to value these things over the real needs of boys.
My son did not have ADD; he was a normal boy (not good at sitting still for hours working on "boring" stuff, needed the physicality of his body to learn). Personally, I think that people have forgotten what normal boys are like and by the time that two full time worker parents come home, without the patience and the actual time needed to cope with boys' busyness the pills help them deal with their boys who just really need their attention.
I feel for the generations of kids growing into adulthood with their brains chemically rewired in ways that we really don't know what the consequences will be. I'm not saying that ADD does not exsist, but that most boys who have trouble sitting still for hours/carefully following instructions have nothing wrong with them other than the misfortune of having been born when society is structured to value these things over the real needs of boys.
5
Note to parents of younger kids who are on Rx Adderall. Teens take 2 tabs and figure out what that does. Just be ready for that. The comments here were an interesting window into naivete.
7
I took Ritalin from 1989 until 1996 then Aderall from 1996 until 2005. It definitely helped me focus in school and my grades did improve. I was more athletic since I had extra energy and my weight was healthy (people in my family tend to be overweight). Since stopping due to moving to another country where Aderall is strictly prohibited in most cases, I've gained a lot of weight, become less active, continuously find it difficult to juggle tasks and so on. ADD / ADHD is real, it's not only in children, and it doesn't get a whole lot better with age.
Another note to parents of younger kids, I have two teens on Rx Adderall. That has never happened once to me. I'm not naive, I fill the prescriptions and can count the pills whenever I want. They have never asked for or taken a pill on a weekend, holiday, or during the summer, except when they have a lengthy school project to complete. Some teens seek highs, others just want to focus and get their schoolwork done.
If you have kids with poor impulse control and higher levels of immaturity, might I suggest a slow release metabolized stimulant like Vyvanse? It takes at least 2 hours to work, not fun for those seeking instant thrills.
For those who feel that they cannot focus and need drugs to do so, learn something about the way the environment conditions your reflexive (automatic) responses to sensory data coming in from the outside world.
People drive very little of their own moment-to-moment behavior by reason.
Most behavior is *stimulus bound*, i.e., mediated by conditioned emotional response chains.
In effect, most human behavior mimics the patterns surfaced by addiction.
Love is an addiction. Food is an addiction. Life is a kind of mindless habit.
Learn how your mind works and you just might learn how to control yourself without using drugs.
Create an environment for yourself that is conducive to health and that interferes with unhealthy behavior. Study the use of counter-conditioning to disrupt old patterns and replace them with new ones.
Create the life you imagine or, failing that, surround yourself with something that will evoke similar feelings.
For example, do you work at home? What's your office look like?
Is it clean and organized?
If you walked into someone else's office and it looked like yours does right now, would you say, "Wow, what a cool office! This person must really be together. I'll bet they're very good at what they do."
Or, whatever...
Control what goes into your mind to the extent you can do so.
Garbage in, garbage out.
People drive very little of their own moment-to-moment behavior by reason.
Most behavior is *stimulus bound*, i.e., mediated by conditioned emotional response chains.
In effect, most human behavior mimics the patterns surfaced by addiction.
Love is an addiction. Food is an addiction. Life is a kind of mindless habit.
Learn how your mind works and you just might learn how to control yourself without using drugs.
Create an environment for yourself that is conducive to health and that interferes with unhealthy behavior. Study the use of counter-conditioning to disrupt old patterns and replace them with new ones.
Create the life you imagine or, failing that, surround yourself with something that will evoke similar feelings.
For example, do you work at home? What's your office look like?
Is it clean and organized?
If you walked into someone else's office and it looked like yours does right now, would you say, "Wow, what a cool office! This person must really be together. I'll bet they're very good at what they do."
Or, whatever...
Control what goes into your mind to the extent you can do so.
Garbage in, garbage out.
57
Obviously someone who has never experienced ADHD.
I'm 45 and just got diagnosed last year. Spent an enormous amount of time my life learning how to focus, just like you said. Learned to accept the judgements of people who couldn't understand what was wrong with me. Began to question myself.
I have never taken medication, but I would in a heartbeat. If I had to do it all over again I would take medication in the bottle of formula or breast milk my mother gave me when I was nusing.
Telling a person with ADHD to simply learn to focus is, after 45 years of doing precisely that, almost exactly like telling a person who has been deaf since birth that all they have to do is listen harder.
I'm 45 and just got diagnosed last year. Spent an enormous amount of time my life learning how to focus, just like you said. Learned to accept the judgements of people who couldn't understand what was wrong with me. Began to question myself.
I have never taken medication, but I would in a heartbeat. If I had to do it all over again I would take medication in the bottle of formula or breast milk my mother gave me when I was nusing.
Telling a person with ADHD to simply learn to focus is, after 45 years of doing precisely that, almost exactly like telling a person who has been deaf since birth that all they have to do is listen harder.
1
Do you think this will get me my own office at work? BC otherwise I won't be able to focus and do my job as well as I should.
Wrong. ADD is a medical condition, your suggestion makes as much sense as telling a diabetic to think unsugary thoughts to cure themselves.
4
Something I saw in this article reminded me of an article I read about opiods, namely, dozens of comments talking about how good the drugs are and how wonderful drug companies are and how others should not judge users and how the government and the taxpayers should not hesitate to continue subsidizing legal drug abuse because "we" can never know your pain or whatever...
37
You'd probably see it for any drug that successfully treats medical conditions that affect a lot of people. I don't remember any comments saying "Drug companies are wonderful." We all know they aren't. But that doesn't mean that the drugs they make are universally bad. Some people can function only with opioids for chronic pain, or with Adderall for ADHD. Other people get addicted or misuse them. And it is true that there is no objective way to measure pain -- but that doesn't mean pain is imaginary, either.
People are afraid of losing a legitimate treatment, perhaps their ONLY effective treatment option, just because the drug has been overprescribed or misused. We need to regulate drug companies and prescription policies better, without idealizing or demonizing them. It's no secret corporations are amoral.
A synthetic opioid called Buprenex (similar to methadone) that we administered at home was a great gift when one of our cats had terminal cancer. She got several extra good weeks from it, and let her die peacefully and unafraid in our arms, instead of us prying her out of the corner where she crawled to hide her weakness and pain, and then her suffering until we could get her euthanized.
People are afraid of losing a legitimate treatment, perhaps their ONLY effective treatment option, just because the drug has been overprescribed or misused. We need to regulate drug companies and prescription policies better, without idealizing or demonizing them. It's no secret corporations are amoral.
A synthetic opioid called Buprenex (similar to methadone) that we administered at home was a great gift when one of our cats had terminal cancer. She got several extra good weeks from it, and let her die peacefully and unafraid in our arms, instead of us prying her out of the corner where she crawled to hide her weakness and pain, and then her suffering until we could get her euthanized.
2
Ugh. You're part of the problem & stigma that goes along with any neurological and/or mental health disorder. So quick are you to brush it off all because of a disorder you can't 'see.'
Until physicians & the public are willing to treat neurological conditions & mental health the way they treat numerous other ailments, stigma will not go away. I'm glad you presumably don't 'need' any medication whatsoever. Or on second thought, perhaps I should say I hope one day you will need some specific medication; something that, should you be without it, you don't function.
You've not a clue why people take the drugs they do. I'm not getting a high. I'm not exalting it as a study aid or diet pill. I also wouldn't suggest anyone take it for kicks or if they genuinely don't need it. That said, some people do. And people wonder why it's such a surprise when someone has taken their own life after feeling that they can't cope... Stigmatizing people is to the detriment of many teens & adults. It's too bad more people haven't realized it.
Until physicians & the public are willing to treat neurological conditions & mental health the way they treat numerous other ailments, stigma will not go away. I'm glad you presumably don't 'need' any medication whatsoever. Or on second thought, perhaps I should say I hope one day you will need some specific medication; something that, should you be without it, you don't function.
You've not a clue why people take the drugs they do. I'm not getting a high. I'm not exalting it as a study aid or diet pill. I also wouldn't suggest anyone take it for kicks or if they genuinely don't need it. That said, some people do. And people wonder why it's such a surprise when someone has taken their own life after feeling that they can't cope... Stigmatizing people is to the detriment of many teens & adults. It's too bad more people haven't realized it.
6
Read both your comments - why two? Yeah sure people do rehab because it's hip and fun! Your location says NYC but it might as well be the farms of Idaho.
I wonder why all serious articles regarding the use of drugs legal or otherwise I wonder why all serious articles regarding the use of drugs, legal or otherwise, are always about or by those who become addicts?
Obviously there are plenty of people using these types of drugs by choice that do not become addicts.
The narrative of the 'recovered' addict is too often presented as an example and a warning.
It is hard not feel that a sort puritanical point of view is guiding these type of narratives.
Obviously there are plenty of people using these types of drugs by choice that do not become addicts.
The narrative of the 'recovered' addict is too often presented as an example and a warning.
It is hard not feel that a sort puritanical point of view is guiding these type of narratives.
76
Why do you think rock stars and Hollywood actors and other famous people take so many high profile trips to rehab? Puritans? Hardly...
It's hip to have a drug problem. It's hip to go to rehab. Stars do it, you know.
The message is subtle but works quite effectively on people who are neither creative nor committed to living a healthy, joyful life.
Too many people conflate spectating with living, what they heard with what they think, what others are doing with what they're doing.
Monkey see, monkey do.
Monkey see drugs, monkey do rehab...
It's hip to have a drug problem. It's hip to go to rehab. Stars do it, you know.
The message is subtle but works quite effectively on people who are neither creative nor committed to living a healthy, joyful life.
Too many people conflate spectating with living, what they heard with what they think, what others are doing with what they're doing.
Monkey see, monkey do.
Monkey see drugs, monkey do rehab...
17
My guess isn't that it's puritanical, but that if you don't have a problem with the drug is doesn't define you and you wouldn't really have a reason to write this kind of piece. I definitely agree with you though, there's a distinct cathartic and confessional tone to them, I guess the piece is part of the recovery process. There's so often shame attached to addiction. Makes for powerful reading though!
I have taken Adderall for the past 8 years by prescription. It's very very easy to just stop taking you get really tired and crash but it's easy to stop. After about 8 years if taking it, I've switched to experimental compounds which work much better.
It looks like some readers think this article is an indictment of all uses of ADHD medication, when in fact it advocates against only its recreational misuse.
64
As someone with adult-diagnosed ADHD, I'll explain my own strong negative reaction (and perhaps offer insight into the rest of the crowd): reading articles like this (from the trusted NYTimes) and wondering if ADHD was a made-up disease helped me lose years to a pre-diagnosis life. (Yes, I understand your distinction; however, reading a more balanced distribution of articles--back when I knew less--would have made a big difference to me.)
4
It seems you would do well to re-read her piece.
2
If you have been a regular reader of the NYTimes, you must be aware of this paper's continuous onslaught of indicting articles about ADHD medication, especially for children.
Even though this article is written by someone who was addicted to stimulants through irresponsible and ignorant use of those stimulants, , it will still be interpreted as a validation of their views by all anti med hysterics, further cementing their righteous. distrustful and completely irrational view of all medication, ADHD medications in particular, and more recently, pain killers.
The author's account of his struggle is rife with every anti-med cliche on record - including my favorite - the indifferent, lazy drug dispensing physician.
And I believe the editors of the NYTimes know this.
The collateral damage done by articles such as this one to the countless individuals who legitimately need these medications, not to enhance their lives, but to simply live them , is incalculable.
People in pain will find it increasingly difficult to get the medications they need to function.
Children who desperately need stimulant medication will increasingly not receive it because of parents' fears that they will judged as lazy, incompetent
and irresponsible.
Lives that might have been saved will be ruined.
And finally, no - irresponsible use of stimulant medication is not the same thing as eating too much chocolate cake.
Even though this article is written by someone who was addicted to stimulants through irresponsible and ignorant use of those stimulants, , it will still be interpreted as a validation of their views by all anti med hysterics, further cementing their righteous. distrustful and completely irrational view of all medication, ADHD medications in particular, and more recently, pain killers.
The author's account of his struggle is rife with every anti-med cliche on record - including my favorite - the indifferent, lazy drug dispensing physician.
And I believe the editors of the NYTimes know this.
The collateral damage done by articles such as this one to the countless individuals who legitimately need these medications, not to enhance their lives, but to simply live them , is incalculable.
People in pain will find it increasingly difficult to get the medications they need to function.
Children who desperately need stimulant medication will increasingly not receive it because of parents' fears that they will judged as lazy, incompetent
and irresponsible.
Lives that might have been saved will be ruined.
And finally, no - irresponsible use of stimulant medication is not the same thing as eating too much chocolate cake.
1
I have nothing against people using these drugs if they, otherwise, can't function properly. But perhaps they should consider not having children.
We pass our genetic/biological weakness along when we reproduce.... and it seems our species gets weaker and weaker, and more and more dependent...
There's something going on here....
We pass our genetic/biological weakness along when we reproduce.... and it seems our species gets weaker and weaker, and more and more dependent...
There's something going on here....
22
No one is 100% healthy. If the world works this way then no one should have kids.
2
I hope you haven't passed on your urge to tell others how they should live, to any children of your own.
4
WHAT????!! Look at these kids' parents. That might be a more fruitful line of research.
My child has ADD and used Ritalin for five years in elementary school. Hated Adderrall and ceased it after a few months in high school because of how it made him feel--not sleeping, etc. My spouse has a doctorate. I have multiple Masters degrees. We excelled academically. No ADD. My child came into his own in college. He uses meditation now to help focus. He should have no kids? Come on...
Do real comprehensive population studies before making such statements as yours.
My child has ADD and used Ritalin for five years in elementary school. Hated Adderrall and ceased it after a few months in high school because of how it made him feel--not sleeping, etc. My spouse has a doctorate. I have multiple Masters degrees. We excelled academically. No ADD. My child came into his own in college. He uses meditation now to help focus. He should have no kids? Come on...
Do real comprehensive population studies before making such statements as yours.
Thank you for writing this. My partner is addicted to Adderall, but won't admit it. He, like most people our age, started in college, but unlike most people our age he kept using it afterwards. Now his excuse is work-work instead of homework. He doesn't see why this is a problem at all, but on top of the health effects I'm sure it is having on him, it has also made him remarkably short-tempered. The "huge depths of fury" you describe are spot-on with respect to his behavior.
I have tried to get him to quit but he refuses, and I'm worried frankly that if he doesn't quit soon I might have to leave him because I am finding it increasingly difficult to cope with his violent rages.
I have tried to get him to quit but he refuses, and I'm worried frankly that if he doesn't quit soon I might have to leave him because I am finding it increasingly difficult to cope with his violent rages.
64
I know quitting would be ideal, but introducing the ideal of some vitamins could be easier for you. Things like magnesium and Alpha-Lipoic Acid are available in supermarkets/health food stores and reduce the side effects. They can also increase sleep quality - seems like a lot of the worst comes out of people on stimulants when they get in a sleep-deprived pattern. Do your own research obviously, but these are things you could add to your routine too so it doesn't look like you're attacking him. Good luck!
Have you told him what you've told us? If not, I hope you'll find the courage to do so, and that he'll decide to kick the habit as a result. Best wishes to you.
1
Ditto. One of my close female friends is addicted to Adderall. She can't see how it affects her. She has bipolar-like rages, especially "road rage". But she can't go off the drugs -- on the occasions when she runs out of Adderall (by mistake), she is a royal mess.
Meanwhile, she suffers from sleeplessness and crazy behaviors, that are probably worse than the ADD.
She started on the drugs in her late 20s or early 30s....as a way to deal with the demands of work. Her drugs are perfectly legal, and she laughs at the doctors who basically rubberstamp her prescriptions -- they do no testing, no psychological evaluations -- nothing. She knows all the right things to say to them ("I can't concentrate, and am disorganized, but on Adderall, I function at a high level").
The worst thing is seeing the effect this has on her children.
Meanwhile, she suffers from sleeplessness and crazy behaviors, that are probably worse than the ADD.
She started on the drugs in her late 20s or early 30s....as a way to deal with the demands of work. Her drugs are perfectly legal, and she laughs at the doctors who basically rubberstamp her prescriptions -- they do no testing, no psychological evaluations -- nothing. She knows all the right things to say to them ("I can't concentrate, and am disorganized, but on Adderall, I function at a high level").
The worst thing is seeing the effect this has on her children.
I am so grateful I came across this article. Ms. Shwartz discusses an experience I've gone through and heard repeatedly from both my academic and professional peers - as she pointed out there are millions of young adults taking this drug (whether acquired through the black market or prescription). As mentioned in many comments here, I am sure people legitimately diagnosed with ADD have very positive – even life changing - experiences with Adderrall and I hope the right people continue to, but it seems clear that those individuals are not this article's intended audience.
Ms. Schwartz is describing the experience of many (millions, again, not just select "privileged" individuals) students/young professionals that are introduced to Adderall as a solution to feeling overwhelmed with work and become reliant - whether they have ADD or not. Amphetamines are a much easier and faster habit to form than time management. The author made an interesting point that the difference between Adderall and other drugs is that Adderall enhances personality traits that are extremely valuable in academic and professional environments, so there is an innate cultural incentive to abuse it. I wonder if many of the individuals abusing it are high performers anyway (you hear this a lot about law students, for example), so give them a tool to perform even better in an already highly competitive setting, and it seems like a recipe for addiction. Does anyone know of any studies exploring this?
Ms. Schwartz is describing the experience of many (millions, again, not just select "privileged" individuals) students/young professionals that are introduced to Adderall as a solution to feeling overwhelmed with work and become reliant - whether they have ADD or not. Amphetamines are a much easier and faster habit to form than time management. The author made an interesting point that the difference between Adderall and other drugs is that Adderall enhances personality traits that are extremely valuable in academic and professional environments, so there is an innate cultural incentive to abuse it. I wonder if many of the individuals abusing it are high performers anyway (you hear this a lot about law students, for example), so give them a tool to perform even better in an already highly competitive setting, and it seems like a recipe for addiction. Does anyone know of any studies exploring this?
33
Many commenters note similar to this:
"I am sure people legitimately diagnosed with ADD have very positive... experiences with Adderrall... but it seems clear that those individuals are not this article's intended audience."
PROBLEM: IT'S NOT CLEAR. You have to look for the qualifiers, buried in the text, AS IF ADDED BY THE EDITOR.
As a 71 year old poet, writer and retired lawyer who has taken Adderall since its inception, after two years of dexedrine, to treat life-long ADHD, I can testify that in my case, 60 mgs/day of these amphetamines saved my life and continue to do so. In over 20 yearso of continuous use I have never had an urge to increase the dose. I'm told this is typical of those with a "legitimate" diagnosis, a term for which there is NO medical justification. Critics of the drug would be correct to use "misdiagnosis" and refer to ineffective or excessive dosing as "dosing error." Finally, physicians who knowingly engage in either, should be called out for committing "MALPRACTICE." When writing about medicine which is proven to be a critical treatment for millions worldwide, CLARITY IS REQUIRED.
"I am sure people legitimately diagnosed with ADD have very positive... experiences with Adderrall... but it seems clear that those individuals are not this article's intended audience."
PROBLEM: IT'S NOT CLEAR. You have to look for the qualifiers, buried in the text, AS IF ADDED BY THE EDITOR.
As a 71 year old poet, writer and retired lawyer who has taken Adderall since its inception, after two years of dexedrine, to treat life-long ADHD, I can testify that in my case, 60 mgs/day of these amphetamines saved my life and continue to do so. In over 20 yearso of continuous use I have never had an urge to increase the dose. I'm told this is typical of those with a "legitimate" diagnosis, a term for which there is NO medical justification. Critics of the drug would be correct to use "misdiagnosis" and refer to ineffective or excessive dosing as "dosing error." Finally, physicians who knowingly engage in either, should be called out for committing "MALPRACTICE." When writing about medicine which is proven to be a critical treatment for millions worldwide, CLARITY IS REQUIRED.
Please avoid flushing pills down the toilet. That exposes our water supply to more of their active ingredients. It's best to mix medication with something unappetizing, like used cat litter or coffee grounds, in the trash.
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The fact is, if the drug is ingested, the toilet (and thus the water supply) is where it's eventually going to end up anyway.
1
Used kitty litter is great. I used it to dispose of what was left of my Ativan and Ambien scrips when I was being weaned off with an elixir (at different times).
Or find a drug take-back place. Our police department has drug drop boxes in station lobbies and hosts several disposal events a year. No questions asked.
I agree with this article..but there is another aspect to all this..once people around you realize you are on adderall you become a ripe target for riling up. Yes you get irritated easily, but people also start deliberately trying to get under your skin. Just put them on ignore and you should be fine. Also 3 things: sleep eat and exercise. In that order. Whatever it takes!!
9
Drug companies marketing to the public. Should be outlawed as it is nearly everywhere else on the planet.
67
Doctors living from writing prescriptions for drugs sold by drug companies - what are we going to do about them?
2
this is a great article. the author's personal journey besides. while reading i thought about the first time i had the experience of dexadrine. i had copped a couple pills from my grandma's bottle. i stayed up all night studying for a big history test the next day. i had heard that dexies were good for studying. well the next day i took that test. oh yeah there was no sleep. i was the first kid that completed the test so i walked up and handed my paper to the teacher and exited the room. the next day he asked me why i had done so poorly and gave me a d. well then and there i did not exactly never use another stimulant again, but only when i had to scoot across country in a couple of days. but i learned that uppers are not very good and have stayed away.
i had no idea this was happening to kids. this is horrible. good ol big pharma.
i had no idea this was happening to kids. this is horrible. good ol big pharma.
3
e.e. cummings, jr., is that you?
A student using a drug to improve her performance is no different from an athlete doing so. It's cheating, and it's abhorrent. It's a disgusting attempt to get an edge on the competition through violation of the law and, more important, ethics and morality. While you are getting your "Adderall A+" you are depriving someone who didn't cheat of appropriate recognition.
Therefore, the suffering that results to people who cheat in this way is well deserved, and not a cause for sympathy or pity.
Therefore, the suffering that results to people who cheat in this way is well deserved, and not a cause for sympathy or pity.
15
Patients with ADHD who benefit from medications vetted over decades, should have the right to seek medical help.
Such individuals could be 8 year old child, or an adult in their early 40's.
Such individuals could be 8 year old child, or an adult in their early 40's.
14
I took Adderall for 6 months to stay up in school. Right after that I started taking heroin to counteract how the Adderall made me paranoid and unable to sleep. I was an MIT student, and I ended up being kicked out of school as a senior after I had a seizure on campus while trying to get clean.
Head meds are evil, and Adderall and Xanax are the worst of them all. Adderall is just basically methamphetamine that is sold to children, students, and now workers who need to be super productive to have a job.
I couldn't imagine working in a corporation without taking Adderall. My Dad is on Adderall. My brother is on adderall. Everyone I know who works for a big company like Google is on Adderall. If you aren't taking amphetamines, you are unable to compete. It's a very sad world, both is college and after.
Head meds are evil, and Adderall and Xanax are the worst of them all. Adderall is just basically methamphetamine that is sold to children, students, and now workers who need to be super productive to have a job.
I couldn't imagine working in a corporation without taking Adderall. My Dad is on Adderall. My brother is on adderall. Everyone I know who works for a big company like Google is on Adderall. If you aren't taking amphetamines, you are unable to compete. It's a very sad world, both is college and after.
46
There are real people (I am one of them) who legitimately suffer from ADHD and have received a tremendous benefit from this medication and others such as antidepressants. Do not demonize an entire category of prescription medication because some people have abused it. This kind of sentiment could make it more difficult for those of us who need adderall to obtain it (which is by no means easy if you're being treated by a responsible psychiatrist). I would also urge you to consider the havoc a legal drug (alcohol) wreaks far more havoc on college campuses and in the adult world without anyone trying to demonize all who imbibe it for recreational purposes only.
2
What's even sadder is that you are taking your own personal experiences and generalizing them to the entire world.
There are plenty of people who can, and do, make it through college, grad school, working (even in a corporation) without needing ADHD medication. There are also plenty of people who actually do need medicine for a legitimate medical condition.
There are plenty of people who can, and do, make it through college, grad school, working (even in a corporation) without needing ADHD medication. There are also plenty of people who actually do need medicine for a legitimate medical condition.
You don't say whether a doctor prescribed Adderall for you. Clearly, no MD prescribed heroin.
I take Adderall for ADHD, which I was diagnosed with after extensive psychological testing and family member interviews. I visit my psychiatrist every 3 months to obtain it. It's an enormous hassle and expense, made more so because of people who take it illegally. Possession of Adderall without a prescription is a Federal crime. It's a Schedule 2 controlled substance. You might want to Google it to see what the penalties are for those who are caught.
IMHO, if you don't have ADHD or another condition for which an MD prescibes it, yet you feel you "need" it to do your job, you are in the wrong profession.
And taking heroin to counteract the Adderall? Ludicrous. You're lucky to be alive.
"Head meds" are not evil and can make life better for those who take them under medical supervision. Adderall is NOT "just methamphetamine", period. Those of us who take it as prescribed are not criminals.
Adderall is a wonderful drug for those who legitimately need it. Taking it merely to stay awake insane hours to get through MIT and keep up with Corporate America is fraught with danger. Have you considered getting professional counseling? A little therapy never hurt anyone, and, with all due respect, it might save your life, from what I'm reading.
I take Adderall for ADHD, which I was diagnosed with after extensive psychological testing and family member interviews. I visit my psychiatrist every 3 months to obtain it. It's an enormous hassle and expense, made more so because of people who take it illegally. Possession of Adderall without a prescription is a Federal crime. It's a Schedule 2 controlled substance. You might want to Google it to see what the penalties are for those who are caught.
IMHO, if you don't have ADHD or another condition for which an MD prescibes it, yet you feel you "need" it to do your job, you are in the wrong profession.
And taking heroin to counteract the Adderall? Ludicrous. You're lucky to be alive.
"Head meds" are not evil and can make life better for those who take them under medical supervision. Adderall is NOT "just methamphetamine", period. Those of us who take it as prescribed are not criminals.
Adderall is a wonderful drug for those who legitimately need it. Taking it merely to stay awake insane hours to get through MIT and keep up with Corporate America is fraught with danger. Have you considered getting professional counseling? A little therapy never hurt anyone, and, with all due respect, it might save your life, from what I'm reading.
4
There seem to be two reactions to this article. One from those without ADD or experience with it, and one from people intimately familiar with the disorder. As an individual who was diagnosed at 11, I would like to make it very clear that prescription amphetamines are a crucial component in allowing many people with serious ADD to function in society. Overperscription of a medication does not lessen its importance. People have a very strong tendancy to equate ADD with laziness. Given that the disorder can be diagnosed on an MRI, I consider this tantamount to insisting that the cure for depression is to "buck up". It is completely inappropriate for people with no experience with ADD or its mitigation, to decide wether or not I need Adderall. I am incredibly sympathetic of the authors plight, having seen the effects of heroin addiction from an unfortunately short distance. But if your take away from this article is "Adderall Is Bad", then I strongly suggest you adopt a more nuanced view of the situation.
Written on my iPhone during a databases lecture because I can't sit through a 90 minute lecture even with medication.
Written on my iPhone during a databases lecture because I can't sit through a 90 minute lecture even with medication.
67
If ADD can be diagnosed with MRI, then why don't doctors confirm their diagnoses that way before prescribing these drugs? I might actually take my daughter for a diagnosis if I had any confidence whatsoever that I could find a doctor who would actually bother thinking through or verifying a diagnosis.
12
I think the reality is that MRI brain scans do show differences, statistically, but it's not a reliable or cost-effective way form of diagnosis. I too was skeptical of the holistic way ADHD is diagnosed, but once I realized I really had it, that's when my life started again. (Something else worth taking into account in this process.)
1
@Vanyali Because it's not a confirmation test. It's not even reliable. You say you want a doctor that "thinks things through" but your own knowledge is way off on the subject.
1
Since being diagnosed with ADHD at the age of 8, I have taken a similar drug to Adderall every day for the better part of 15 years. My story has been one of almost unqualified success. Not only did it make a noticeable difference to my attention growing up and through college, but I felt like a more authentic version of myself. I need only skip a dose for the day to be reminded of my ongoing symptoms: inattention, lethargy and hyperactivity. This is not to say that my success was a fluke or a typical result (sample of 1), but rather the work of diligent parents and an attentive and experienced behavioral psychiatrist.
Ms. Schwartz story, though extreme, feels very familiar. While at an elite East Coast university, I encountered students looking for "study drugs" with comical frequency. When they would find out I possessed an "addy script" I would be inundated with offer to buy or barter pills. At first I found it odd having to explain why I needed my medication every day. After a few years I began to recognize most of these shared a marked desire for productivity and an interest in their prestige.
It is hard to hear a drug be blamed for what are pretty clearly structural problems, both in the diagnosing of ADHD and the environment around elite colleges. I hope that this article does not convince parents of children struggling with ADHD to deny them this critical resource just because of one anecdotal account.
Ms. Schwartz story, though extreme, feels very familiar. While at an elite East Coast university, I encountered students looking for "study drugs" with comical frequency. When they would find out I possessed an "addy script" I would be inundated with offer to buy or barter pills. At first I found it odd having to explain why I needed my medication every day. After a few years I began to recognize most of these shared a marked desire for productivity and an interest in their prestige.
It is hard to hear a drug be blamed for what are pretty clearly structural problems, both in the diagnosing of ADHD and the environment around elite colleges. I hope that this article does not convince parents of children struggling with ADHD to deny them this critical resource just because of one anecdotal account.
60
Also, I've met 1 person in my entire life who I was sure had ADD. Everyone else just wanted to drug so they could work harder and compete with their hopped up peers.
Maybe we weren't meant to work st all hours and respond to emails at 1 am? Too bad that's not the way the world works.
Maybe we weren't meant to work st all hours and respond to emails at 1 am? Too bad that's not the way the world works.
36
Based on what criteria: your anecdotal experience? What do you know about ADD? Your attitude condemns anyone who might truly benefit from Adderall, if properly diagnosed and prescribed.
I doubt this person has a certification in psychiatry.
As the parent of high schoolers who do not have ADHD, I am grateful for this article. While I had heard that Adderall can be abused in this way, it's really eye opening to see what addiction can look like. Armed with this information, I can help my daughters resist the temptation to pop pills for productivity.
12
I still remember the day when my son was diagnosed with ADD and the doctor suggested we try medication. I thought, “They want to drug my son. How can he be himself and grow into the person he is supposed to be if he is drugged?” I had read the media about Ritalin. Articles not dissimilar to this that suggest parents are choosing to medicate their children for their teachers’ or their own convenience and doctors are fully willing accomplices. Then I called a doctor friend from college and she asked two questions. "Do you trust your doctor?" and “Have you ever considered that ADD might prevent your son from being himself?”
My son is now a perfectly well adjusted, normal 6th grader and he takes Vyvanse. He does well academically because he can focus on hearing teachers and isn’t distracted by every stimulus. He forms incredible friendships, because his natural caring shines through when he is more spatially aware and respects personal boundaries. I can be a better father whether he is on meds or not because I understand my son better and I’m not misinterpreting ADD behaviors for not listening, a lack of focus, or disrespect.
I find it unfortunate that a paper with the editorial credentials of the NYT would publish this as if it were more than a piece on personal drug abuse. Ms Schwartz had an amphetamine addiction and it is a good cautionary tale that has little to do with Adderall beyond the brand of her drug.
My son is now a perfectly well adjusted, normal 6th grader and he takes Vyvanse. He does well academically because he can focus on hearing teachers and isn’t distracted by every stimulus. He forms incredible friendships, because his natural caring shines through when he is more spatially aware and respects personal boundaries. I can be a better father whether he is on meds or not because I understand my son better and I’m not misinterpreting ADD behaviors for not listening, a lack of focus, or disrespect.
I find it unfortunate that a paper with the editorial credentials of the NYT would publish this as if it were more than a piece on personal drug abuse. Ms Schwartz had an amphetamine addiction and it is a good cautionary tale that has little to do with Adderall beyond the brand of her drug.
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To my mind, the fact that the author's acknowledged addiction was aided and abbetted not just by one, but by numerous medical doctors, says a *lot* about modern medicine.
The upper-middle class get their speed from a well credentialed doctor. If they over do it, they get treatment from another doctor. The poor cook it in trailers and go to prison.
68
Agreed, but please stop using the phrase "upper-middle class." They're called "rich people who want even more."
1
Amen
This is disgusting and ubiquitous among college students in the United States. My roommates and their friends take it often and without concern so they can do their assignments faster after procrastinating.
I find any article questioning the "system" and not personal responsibility absolutely abhorrent. I worked full-time in college - an exhausting food service job - and took five classes. I never took adderrall, and "somehow", "someway", managed to get my assignments done.
I hate that people talk about the use of adderrall like student loans - like there's no other option to graduate college. Perhaps that's the reality for many people when it comes to student loans, but it is absolutely not the system's fault for your adderall use and subsequent addiction.
I find any article questioning the "system" and not personal responsibility absolutely abhorrent. I worked full-time in college - an exhausting food service job - and took five classes. I never took adderrall, and "somehow", "someway", managed to get my assignments done.
I hate that people talk about the use of adderrall like student loans - like there's no other option to graduate college. Perhaps that's the reality for many people when it comes to student loans, but it is absolutely not the system's fault for your adderall use and subsequent addiction.
37
Why does the Times seem to be obsessed with anti-Rx articles? (There's virtually one a week!)
Substance abuse is a real issue for some people -- but a relatively small minority of those for whom it is legitimately prescribed -- but most people take prescription medication the way it's prescribed. And it helps them immeasurably to live their lives!
This weirdly neo-Puritanical tack by the Times tends to demonize people who take prescription medication for attention-deficit and pain--and likewise, the doctors who prescribe them. One clear result is to make it harder for responsible patients to get the medication they need!
And why do your writers always seem to use anecdotal and/or personal experience as a way of making sweeping generalizations and claims? The author here adds some general comments by experts to buttress her argument, but the experience is HERS, not a universal one.
Substance abuse is a real issue for some people -- but a relatively small minority of those for whom it is legitimately prescribed -- but most people take prescription medication the way it's prescribed. And it helps them immeasurably to live their lives!
This weirdly neo-Puritanical tack by the Times tends to demonize people who take prescription medication for attention-deficit and pain--and likewise, the doctors who prescribe them. One clear result is to make it harder for responsible patients to get the medication they need!
And why do your writers always seem to use anecdotal and/or personal experience as a way of making sweeping generalizations and claims? The author here adds some general comments by experts to buttress her argument, but the experience is HERS, not a universal one.
71
With respect to opiates, the evidence clearly shows that "using as prescribed" is not sufficient to avoid problems. At 50,000 US deaths a year, opiates now kill more people than cars or guns. And the route from injury to opiate prescription is well documented.
I see these articles as an indictment of the pharmaceutical industry, who has vigorously pursued increased sales and revenue by new drug development (oxycotin, zoloft) and aggressive direct to consumer marketing.
We live in an era when demonizing trailer park "meth heads" in casual conversation is socially acceptable, while pharmaceutical companies legally market and sell similar products to school children. Do you not see the implicit irony here?
I see these articles as an indictment of the pharmaceutical industry, who has vigorously pursued increased sales and revenue by new drug development (oxycotin, zoloft) and aggressive direct to consumer marketing.
We live in an era when demonizing trailer park "meth heads" in casual conversation is socially acceptable, while pharmaceutical companies legally market and sell similar products to school children. Do you not see the implicit irony here?
1
We have a big influx of questionable prescription drugs that have caused real problems. These drugs aren't intended to just treat the few, they're heavily marketed and intended to make billions for Pharma. Amphetamines, opiates, synthetic opiates (which may be worse) and anti depressants that do very strange things are just the start. Drug companies push these drugs legally, but they've set up a system and they want all of us on drugs. It's about money. And they'll kill us young to get more.
I am finally beginning to see others catching on to the NYTimes ongoing vendetta against prescription medications.
You are also correct about the anecdotal nonsense.
Good to see I am not alone.
You are also correct about the anecdotal nonsense.
Good to see I am not alone.
1
I often have difficulty concentrating on something, especially if I'm not particularly interested in it, and I can be easily distracted from anything that I'm doing. I find that most people are this way. Studying a complex and difficult topic at a university level is difficult and can at times even seem impossible. Do we all have ADHD more or less? Or, isn't struggle, even to the extent of reaching our limits, inherent in learning?
28
Is that how you feel about depression? Or autism? Have you considered that maybe people with ADD have significantly more trouble with these and other tasks, to the point that it impairs their ability to function? Or maybe you believe it is acceptable to trivialize a disorder that people fight with their entire lives, and even with medication are statistically more likely to have trouble with drug abuse, obesity, long term occupation, services use, self esteem, antisocial behavior, and social function.
1
ADHD is manifested in all aspects of a person's life, not just in the areas of achievement and learning. If you have ADHD, you not only have trouble staying on a prolonged, difficult task, but you also experience deficiencies in basic organization and relationships.
For example, you have trouble making and keeping doctors appointments. Or you might have trouble maintaining relationships with people because you frequently forget about plans you had with them. Friends start to see you as a flake. They misinterpret your inability to keep track of commitments as a lack of caring.
And because you're constantly lost in distraction, you have poor time management skills. This makes you habitually late for appointments, work, school, etc., for which you're repeatedly punished.
For example, you have trouble making and keeping doctors appointments. Or you might have trouble maintaining relationships with people because you frequently forget about plans you had with them. Friends start to see you as a flake. They misinterpret your inability to keep track of commitments as a lack of caring.
And because you're constantly lost in distraction, you have poor time management skills. This makes you habitually late for appointments, work, school, etc., for which you're repeatedly punished.
3
Lack of concentration is only one aspect of ADHD. I suggest reading up on it, because it is a recognized disorder and should not be marginalized just because you are unaware of its seriousness. A number of people, including some very ignorant psychologists, negate its existence simply because they lack the education. This causes a lot of confusion for those affected by it causing them to avoid seeking the help they need.
I use 5mg amphetamine daily (lets call it what it is, not by some trade name invented by Shire Pharmaceuticals). I get it by presenting to my psychiatrist all of the DSM-V symptoms of ADHD.
Do I actually have ADHD? I'm not sure what that even means. What I know is that before I used amphetamine, I had a had time getting up in the morning, staying focused, and controlling my appetite. I still have those problems, but less. Despite years of use, I have not had any experience like the author's. My dose has not increased, and my health is better than it was when I started, in part because I am not as overweight.
There is no essential difference between a "real" ADHD patient and someone like me who is "just faking." There are people who find amphetamine helpful, and they should consider taking it. What I know is that I'm grateful to have found a drug that improves my life, and I'm happy I can get it legally, with clinical supervision.
This anti-amphetamine hysteria is tiresome. Yes, some people have problems with it, but they are tiny compared to the ruin caused by alcohol and tobacco, which have none of the redeeming features. I hope in future, people like Ms. Schwartz feel comfortable asking their doctor for amphetamine, and seeking clinical help if it causes addiction or other adverse effects.
This is not the case now, and Ms. Schwartz's article is not helping.
Do I actually have ADHD? I'm not sure what that even means. What I know is that before I used amphetamine, I had a had time getting up in the morning, staying focused, and controlling my appetite. I still have those problems, but less. Despite years of use, I have not had any experience like the author's. My dose has not increased, and my health is better than it was when I started, in part because I am not as overweight.
There is no essential difference between a "real" ADHD patient and someone like me who is "just faking." There are people who find amphetamine helpful, and they should consider taking it. What I know is that I'm grateful to have found a drug that improves my life, and I'm happy I can get it legally, with clinical supervision.
This anti-amphetamine hysteria is tiresome. Yes, some people have problems with it, but they are tiny compared to the ruin caused by alcohol and tobacco, which have none of the redeeming features. I hope in future, people like Ms. Schwartz feel comfortable asking their doctor for amphetamine, and seeking clinical help if it causes addiction or other adverse effects.
This is not the case now, and Ms. Schwartz's article is not helping.
37
There is a big difference between people with ADHD a people who use stimulants to study or do chores or lose weight. I'm not going to list all the challenges. Peers and colleagues sniff at the child like methods I use to keep myself on task, never realizing that from the moment I open my eyes, I am struggling to get to the next step. It's exhausting. I never tell people my DX, fearing eye rolling and judgment and accusations. I keep my age a secret, not because of my face ot body, but because I know people say, "I thought you were younger", based on the tools I use to get through my day. Based on my behavior, no matter how hard I try to control it. Based on that what is perceived to be passive aggressive is merely forgetfulness, slippery focus. It's not just chores. It's not just studying. It's literally everything I do and don't do.
Not my words-- ain't it like most people, I'm no different, we love to talk on things we don't know about (avett bros)
Not my words-- ain't it like most people, I'm no different, we love to talk on things we don't know about (avett bros)
1
Concerta and Adderall made all the difference for a member of my family who has ADHD.
These drugs are seldom perfect, nearly always have some undesirable side effects and so forth.
But when the doctors gets the dose adjusted as best they can, that lets a person get through school (including college), be employable and lead a reasonably normal life.
That wasn't conveyed in this tale that included a number of irresponsible choices.
These drugs are seldom perfect, nearly always have some undesirable side effects and so forth.
But when the doctors gets the dose adjusted as best they can, that lets a person get through school (including college), be employable and lead a reasonably normal life.
That wasn't conveyed in this tale that included a number of irresponsible choices.
66
The article isn't intended to describe the experiences of someone who had a genuine need to use ADHD medication, and does so responsibly. Instead, it describes its recreational misuse.
55
Sadly the article does not explicitly make this point so that people might draw the wrong conclusions about the medication.
1
A college student making irresponsible choices?! Surely you jest!
1
I've been on Adderall for about six years now, and didn't start my perscription until my late 30's. My experience has been quite different than this. Yet, being an adult with already-formed reward pathways, I've never abused it. I've always taken what the script says. At first, it did affect both appetite and sleep a bit but not now.
What it has done is changed my life immensely, and for the positive. I used to not be able to hold down a job, forget to pay bills, get pulled over for speeding all the time...getting into serious legal trouble from not doing the things needed. I had a series of bad relationships, lack of empathy, flirting with drug use, and was just a general mess.
Then one day I went to a doctor, and got these little orange pills. Everything changed. It has been a deep, fundamental change. Before I had problems just connecting to people, no understanding of body language, and being generally "weird". Now I get along with almost everyone, can hold a "normal" conversation, and get sad when others around me do. It's like before I was an alien, and now I feel like a human.
It hasn't made me more intelligent; I don't get the "hyperfocusing" like described. If anything, I did that BEFORE the pills but now I can effectively multitask, pay attention to my surroundings, and talk to people all at the same time. The author obviously is not actually ADD, and I bet an MRI comparing us off the pills would show a radical difference.
What it has done is changed my life immensely, and for the positive. I used to not be able to hold down a job, forget to pay bills, get pulled over for speeding all the time...getting into serious legal trouble from not doing the things needed. I had a series of bad relationships, lack of empathy, flirting with drug use, and was just a general mess.
Then one day I went to a doctor, and got these little orange pills. Everything changed. It has been a deep, fundamental change. Before I had problems just connecting to people, no understanding of body language, and being generally "weird". Now I get along with almost everyone, can hold a "normal" conversation, and get sad when others around me do. It's like before I was an alien, and now I feel like a human.
It hasn't made me more intelligent; I don't get the "hyperfocusing" like described. If anything, I did that BEFORE the pills but now I can effectively multitask, pay attention to my surroundings, and talk to people all at the same time. The author obviously is not actually ADD, and I bet an MRI comparing us off the pills would show a radical difference.
140
Completely agree with you! I was diagnosed with ADHD when I was 40 and didn't start treatment until 45. Now at 50 I choose to take it or not. For example it's been over a week since I last took it. Like you my multitasking is huge, with times of hyper focus, and great socialization tendencies.
I've suffered from insomnia for decades so the use amplifies it which is why I choose not to take it and 4 hours of sleep off it is better than 2 on it.
I've suffered from insomnia for decades so the use amplifies it which is why I choose not to take it and 4 hours of sleep off it is better than 2 on it.
4
yep, me too. I can't relate to any of the situations the author mentions. Adderall has seriously saved my life. I can make it through the day without making extremely ill-advised decisions, I just function instead of living in constant dysfunction. Thanks for chiming in. I felt like this article was aimed at me but it wasn't really and your comment made me feel less alone.
2
Hear! Hear! I will be forever grateful to a GP who suggested to my psychiatrist I try Ritalin after years of depression and anxiety. The thought of a me on "speed" frightened me and my husband. However, it was life changing.
I able to go about my tasks not hyper focused but able to deal with interruptions and turn back to my work. Life changing for me and my family. I finally felt like myself but without the frustration.
The periods of focus writer describes are exactly what I and I believe those of us with valleys in the prefrontal cortex suffer WITHOUT these chemicals that are stimulants to most of the population. Whilst I understand it has been way too easy to obtain and misuse these drugs, it is upsetting if not offensive to portray use of these life saving chemicals as
I able to go about my tasks not hyper focused but able to deal with interruptions and turn back to my work. Life changing for me and my family. I finally felt like myself but without the frustration.
The periods of focus writer describes are exactly what I and I believe those of us with valleys in the prefrontal cortex suffer WITHOUT these chemicals that are stimulants to most of the population. Whilst I understand it has been way too easy to obtain and misuse these drugs, it is upsetting if not offensive to portray use of these life saving chemicals as
1
Drugs are wonders. They really do help us achieve a sense of
bliss which should be natural for us in life. The stresses of modern life, overpopulation, industrialization and pressures to adhere to valueless standards of uniformity make the use of transporting drugs like adderall and marijuana a comfort in the confusing tempest that so many of us face. The author deserves a lot of credit for writing and publishing such a detailed account of his addiction. He has made a great statement about the struggle to make sense of life, of his own life. It should be read in high schools and colleges.
bliss which should be natural for us in life. The stresses of modern life, overpopulation, industrialization and pressures to adhere to valueless standards of uniformity make the use of transporting drugs like adderall and marijuana a comfort in the confusing tempest that so many of us face. The author deserves a lot of credit for writing and publishing such a detailed account of his addiction. He has made a great statement about the struggle to make sense of life, of his own life. It should be read in high schools and colleges.
8
The author describea herself as a former waitress, so she's a woman.
12
I'm so sorry. Thank you, and my sincerest apologies to the author. My haste to comment obscured my recognition of gender. Thank you for your gentle reminder.
So would you write an article called the aspirin generation? Of course not. Adderal can be abused but it is a lifesaver to many of us. I still struggle with ADD (which sure is real) but at least adderal keeps me human. NYT don't become the anti druggers who sometimes remind e of the anti vaxers.
22
as a current college student and person who lives with inattentive adhd, this has been truly one of the greatest articles i've read on the times. as someone who took drugs for adhd for the majority of their intellectual life, this article was chillingly and immediately relatable. i first started feeling in my junior year of high school like the drug was taking more than it had originally asked - like my life was no longer controlled by me. i began taking it expressly recreationally which led me to blinding highs and pretty brutal lows. after quitting for two years i am now back on it because i simply can't accomplish all that is expected of me without chemical assistance. i've noticed other substances i've had abuse troubles with operate in a similar way to adderall, but the there's truly nothing like the visceral fear that accompanies adderall, that without it you'd be outed as a lazy fake, or a fraud. my life feels chillingly incomplete at times and i worry that my long-term exposure to stimulants plays more than just a small part - reading this gives me hope that one day i'll be able to let go of substances that physically and psychologically trap me.
6
Wrong drug and/or wrong dose.
I've been taking Adderall since collage when I was diagnosed with ADHD. I have gone off for months at a time during training for triathlons due to the increase in blood pressure caused by the drug, but have never experienced "withdrawals" from this. I honestly believe that if you are truly ADHD the medication works differently than on someone who is not. I have friends that will take Adderall and be wired, not me. It allows me to concentrate and stay on task, but does not prevent me from sleeping, give me a wired feeling, or result in any sort of withdrawal symptoms when not taken. During my training months when I stop taking my medication, my life does get a little chaotic with lots of unfinished projects and frequent bouncing from one thing to next without completion (typical ADHD symptoms), but I have never had the feelings described in this article. I guess that is the difference between someone who needs this medication and someone that uses it as a stimulant.
25
What collage did you attend?
If your using adderall to get high, good luck.
You might wind up staying awake 3-4 days but that's the most euphoria I've heard of usind it.
You might wind up staying awake 3-4 days but that's the most euphoria I've heard of usind it.
4
So many people writing in to argue that ADD causes real suffering. Is it possible that two things can both be true - that ADD exists AND that the drugs prescribed for it are addictive and problematic?
I was diagnosed ADD as at 17 by responsible doctors who spoke to parents and teachers, observed me in different contexts and asked difficult questions. I was, and am, ambivalent about the diagnosis and the science behind it, but there is no denying that I have had nearly all of the DSM symptoms, since childhood, to a degree that has made my life very difficult in a number of ways.
However, if I was ambivalent about the diagnosis, I was not ambivalent about the drugs - and I tried five. Even the lowest doses of the weakest drugs left me high as a kite. My experience was almost exactly as the author - who does not consider herself ADD - describes. The only difference was that I HATED it - the overwhelming, unstoppable focus on objectively boring things; the unblinking stare; the isolation; the shakes; the irritability -- I would rather go through life as I am, learning what I can overcome and what I can work around, than go through life high.
Fortunately, I was old enough when diagnosed that nobody could force me to take stimulants. God only knows what they do to children's still-developing brains. But there is no financial or educational incentive to study the question. Not with billions to be made on a cheap, simple drug from 1920. Not when it makes your kids successful.
I was diagnosed ADD as at 17 by responsible doctors who spoke to parents and teachers, observed me in different contexts and asked difficult questions. I was, and am, ambivalent about the diagnosis and the science behind it, but there is no denying that I have had nearly all of the DSM symptoms, since childhood, to a degree that has made my life very difficult in a number of ways.
However, if I was ambivalent about the diagnosis, I was not ambivalent about the drugs - and I tried five. Even the lowest doses of the weakest drugs left me high as a kite. My experience was almost exactly as the author - who does not consider herself ADD - describes. The only difference was that I HATED it - the overwhelming, unstoppable focus on objectively boring things; the unblinking stare; the isolation; the shakes; the irritability -- I would rather go through life as I am, learning what I can overcome and what I can work around, than go through life high.
Fortunately, I was old enough when diagnosed that nobody could force me to take stimulants. God only knows what they do to children's still-developing brains. But there is no financial or educational incentive to study the question. Not with billions to be made on a cheap, simple drug from 1920. Not when it makes your kids successful.
23
Non sequiturs.
So what, we should ban drugs that help a certain population because another population gets easily addicted to them?
The writer's problem is not with Adderall. It's with having an addiction. If you're running around dumping pills in the toilet (no wonder we can't drink tap water anymore, btw) and then freaking out and calling friends and trying to buy more then yes, you're an addict. And I'd venture to say that you would have become addicted to whatever you encountered.
If you had a root canal (instead of an essay deadline) and left with an rx for 12 Vicodin then we'd be seeing your essay about your pain killer addiction. There are certain people who will be addicts. Let's not start banning helpful drugs left and right to compensate.
The writer's problem is not with Adderall. It's with having an addiction. If you're running around dumping pills in the toilet (no wonder we can't drink tap water anymore, btw) and then freaking out and calling friends and trying to buy more then yes, you're an addict. And I'd venture to say that you would have become addicted to whatever you encountered.
If you had a root canal (instead of an essay deadline) and left with an rx for 12 Vicodin then we'd be seeing your essay about your pain killer addiction. There are certain people who will be addicts. Let's not start banning helpful drugs left and right to compensate.
29
I was urinating a lot but still thirsty, even though I was drinking lots of soda, so a friend offered me some of his insulin. What a shock! I spent the next few years cutting deals with friends, trying to keep my blood sugar level just right. After an inadvertent overdose almost left me in a coma, I laid off the stuff for a while. But the siren kept singing.
Then it occurred to me to seek a medical professional. I lied and used a little slight of hand to convince a doctor that I had diabetes. In less than an hour I had a ticket to ride the insulin train!
It wasn't until years later that I realized that I was better off just relying on my body's natural sugar processing mechanisms, even if I sometimes get sleepy after big meals.
[My apologies to those clinically diagnosed with diabetes. I know it's not the same.]
Then it occurred to me to seek a medical professional. I lied and used a little slight of hand to convince a doctor that I had diabetes. In less than an hour I had a ticket to ride the insulin train!
It wasn't until years later that I realized that I was better off just relying on my body's natural sugar processing mechanisms, even if I sometimes get sleepy after big meals.
[My apologies to those clinically diagnosed with diabetes. I know it's not the same.]
20
Some of the top-recommended commenters are concerned about the effect of this article on genuine ADD/HD cases, and diminishing the value of this medication for those conditions. My primary take on this article is not the danger for that population, but the danger of the misuse of this medication when it is not necessary at all. Having this debate also has consequences for people between the two extremes, where medication could be pushed as the 'easy' solution, when some (more expensive) behavioral therapy is probably the better course of action. I think that promoting this potentially addictive medication as benign (and easily prescribed for children younger than 5 years of age) certainly carries a greater risk.
23
Like the author of this piece, I am an Adderall addict (or Adderallic, as we like to say). Although my addiction began with a legal prescription at age 16, I began abusing amphetamines my freshman year at an elite university. Today, I am 24 years old and 57 days sober thanks to the support of my family, friends, and Narcotics Anonymous.
I agree with the sentiment many here have voiced: Adderall is not the problematic element of this story, addiction is. Ms. Schwartz seems shirk personal responsibility in her article and mistakenly assumes that most Adderall users suffer from her same addictive affliction. They do not. Most who take this drug respect it and benefit from it. Most who take this drug are not addicts.
Amphetamine addiction is tricky. Like myself, many Adderallics come from privileged homes, and as a group, we sport much lower mortality rates than opiate addicts. But the dopamine reward system that plagues heroin addicts is nearly identical to the one that we experience, and the disease of addiction does not discriminate based on socioeconomic status.
My advice to parents who are considering giving stimulants to their children: it is of paramount importance that you monitor addictive behavior in your child. Studies have shown that those with ADD/ADHD can be more prone to addictive behavior. Stimlants can be a medically necessary Godsend for some, but If not taken responsibly,can cause serious wreckage in the lives of others. Be careful.
I agree with the sentiment many here have voiced: Adderall is not the problematic element of this story, addiction is. Ms. Schwartz seems shirk personal responsibility in her article and mistakenly assumes that most Adderall users suffer from her same addictive affliction. They do not. Most who take this drug respect it and benefit from it. Most who take this drug are not addicts.
Amphetamine addiction is tricky. Like myself, many Adderallics come from privileged homes, and as a group, we sport much lower mortality rates than opiate addicts. But the dopamine reward system that plagues heroin addicts is nearly identical to the one that we experience, and the disease of addiction does not discriminate based on socioeconomic status.
My advice to parents who are considering giving stimulants to their children: it is of paramount importance that you monitor addictive behavior in your child. Studies have shown that those with ADD/ADHD can be more prone to addictive behavior. Stimlants can be a medically necessary Godsend for some, but If not taken responsibly,can cause serious wreckage in the lives of others. Be careful.
171
Congratulations to you on your sobriety, your seeking--and accepting--help, and your clear-eyed assessment.
1
Anyone can correct me if I'm wrong here - but my understanding is that the reason those with ADHD can be more prone to addictive behavior is that they are attempting to self-medicate with other drugs (or they seek out risky behavior as a way to stimulate). For me, the effect of Adderall is not the same as the effect for those without ADHD. I have never gotten a "high." In fact, I feel relaxed and focused. I'm not up all night or hyper. A high would be just the opposite of what I need to accomplish. Because I legitimately have ADHD, I think I'm at a lesser risk for abuse of the medication.
2
Maybe you didn't really have ADHD. One of my children was diagnosed in her thirties. She didn't have the hyperactive symptoms but she did have concentration problems. She wasn't diagnosed in high school or college because she was a high achiever. The medicine doesn't make her high It helps her focus so she can do her job. This same daughter was on opioid pain relievers for three years for severe pain until her doctor discovered her problem and she had surgery. She just stopped the opioidsafter she recovered from surgery so that dashes the ADHD connection to addiction. The strange thing about ADHD is that people don't necessarily overcome it. Some have learned to adapt but the tendency probably doesn't go away.
2
To whom it may concern,
I've been using Adderall for the past 18 years and have never dug through a garbage can or developed any sort of craving for it. I take it as directed and do just fine.
When I have run out in the past I didn't go through withdrawal. Just harder to focus.
The author does a disservice to those of us just trying to have a successful career and keep control of our lives.
I've been using Adderall for the past 18 years and have never dug through a garbage can or developed any sort of craving for it. I take it as directed and do just fine.
When I have run out in the past I didn't go through withdrawal. Just harder to focus.
The author does a disservice to those of us just trying to have a successful career and keep control of our lives.
41
Isn't it ironic (and disturbing) that there is a paid advertisement accompanying this article for a psychiatrist who specializes in ADD? It is likely he treats ADD with stimulant medication. Ms. Schwartz was lucky to find a psychiatrist in the end who treated her without medication. How can the Times permit this opportunistic manipulation of people reading this article? He may be counting on people reading this article to include those who are wondering if they have ADD or who are college students struggling with deadlines. No one starts off trying a drug thinking they will become addicted. Is this psychiatrist trying to capitalize on those who are willing to try drug treatment for ADD, despite Casey Schwartz's terrifying story? With an advertisement like his in this story, it's not surprising Adderal addiction is a problem. This is so irresponsible.
10
No, Casey is irresponsible. She is the one who has been abusing a drug that is beneficial to many who truly have ADD. As testified to by many commenters here, those who genuinely have ADD don't get addicted to or abuse Adderall.
I drink wine but am not an alcoholic, either.
I drink wine but am not an alcoholic, either.
Ritalin, the widely-used drug before Adderall, worked on children who truly needed it by stimulating a region of the brain that was not working correctly. At least that's what I remember our ADHD-diagnosed daughter's telling us.
It worked like a charm, and each success in learning led to another success and self-confidence, then, eventually, to a master's degree in education and a career in teaching. She never became addicted.
Though many of our friends were horrified at the time, we credit Ritalin for playing a crucial role in the life of our child. It's important not to discount this drug, or Adderall, based on stories of abuse like this one.
It worked like a charm, and each success in learning led to another success and self-confidence, then, eventually, to a master's degree in education and a career in teaching. She never became addicted.
Though many of our friends were horrified at the time, we credit Ritalin for playing a crucial role in the life of our child. It's important not to discount this drug, or Adderall, based on stories of abuse like this one.
28
Your daughter is lucky to have smart and caring parents. People with ADHD that aren't treated until adulthood are most likely to have bad habits and addiction issues that makes life even harder.
I take Adderall. I have AD/HD that's made my life significantly more difficult; I didn't know about it until my mid-30s. I find the medication very helpful, and wish devoutly that I'd known about my disability, and medications available to help people cope with it, while I was struggling in school as a child. Articles such as this one make me absolutely furious. It completely misrepresents most people's experience on Adderall; stigmatizes people like me who take it for a legitimate reason; and influences parents whose children have AD/HD to not "medicate" (read: treat) their children's disability with safe and appropriate medications. The New York Times has been on an anti-AD/HD medication hobbyhorse for years. What's driving it?
29
Really? It is clear from reading the article that the author used Adderall recreationally and her problems stemmed from her regular overdoses of the drug. You have a medically diagnosed need for Adderall and benefit from its use. What exactly does her situation have to do with you?
Have taken adderall for 20 years for ADHD diagnosed as an adult. In 20 years I've never experienced any euphoria from taking adderall, and honestly the stuff makes me feel terrible if I take more than my standard dose. The fact that some do in fact enjoy this drug shows how different each person's chemistry is. I will say this, I lost a very good paying job once trying to get off adderall. Never again, the modern world demands focus. I know people who tried using it without a prescription in college and they said it didn't work as well as caffeine. One final note regarding the author's narrative - I have never experienced any withdrawal symptoms when taking a little holiday from adderall. I'm guessing withdrawal is a sign that you were using the drug in excess, though again each person's chemistry is unique.
19
Unfortunately our country is wildly inconsistent in the fairness of its evaluation of different substances. We can read all the anecdotal comments we like from commenters here, but ultimately it is the FDA and DEA who creative the narrative as to what is "medication," and what is a "substance of abuse."
In theory their decisions about substance is based on verifiable scientific studies. But often they are not.
I say this because the DEA is currently trying to make kratom (mitragyna speciosa) a Schedule I drug. Kratom is a natural herb that has helped a lot of people with anxiety, pain, and has helped them beat opiate addiction. I have two friends who have beaten severe addictions with its help.
There is little or no scientific evidence that this herb causes physical harm. In my personal experience, I found its affects to be like its close relative coffee, with some mild painkilling and mood-boosting attributes added on. It is relatively benign.
But, unlike a pharmaceutical like Adderall, kratom does not have billions of dollars in industry money behind it, and is getting vilified by anti-drug crusaders, despite it being physically safe and minimally psychoactive.
Making it illegal will hurt a LOT of Americans.
Sad that our country has so much compassion for some people and zero compassion for others. Snopes and Forbes have some excellent takedowns of the DEA's faulty resonings here:
http://www.snopes.com/kratom-banned-by-the-dea/
In theory their decisions about substance is based on verifiable scientific studies. But often they are not.
I say this because the DEA is currently trying to make kratom (mitragyna speciosa) a Schedule I drug. Kratom is a natural herb that has helped a lot of people with anxiety, pain, and has helped them beat opiate addiction. I have two friends who have beaten severe addictions with its help.
There is little or no scientific evidence that this herb causes physical harm. In my personal experience, I found its affects to be like its close relative coffee, with some mild painkilling and mood-boosting attributes added on. It is relatively benign.
But, unlike a pharmaceutical like Adderall, kratom does not have billions of dollars in industry money behind it, and is getting vilified by anti-drug crusaders, despite it being physically safe and minimally psychoactive.
Making it illegal will hurt a LOT of Americans.
Sad that our country has so much compassion for some people and zero compassion for others. Snopes and Forbes have some excellent takedowns of the DEA's faulty resonings here:
http://www.snopes.com/kratom-banned-by-the-dea/
7
Consider a sativa.
6
Like other controlled substances, Adderall is a dangerous drug that must be approached with care by all who take it. I took it according to a physician's instructions and it worked, but it made me a monster. I was so jacked up every day that I drank to come down at night. I quit Adderall when my blood pressure was so dangerously high that I was breaking out in swollen hives. I actually didn't have any problem putting down the pills, but I had morphed into a full-blown alcoholic by the time I did. That's not Adderall's fault, but if it can happen to me it can happen to you. Tell your doctor everything, including every other substance you are taking and how much of it. Don't assume that if putting 30 milligrams of X into your body is good, putting 80 milligrams into your body is better. Take care of yourself.
8
The amount of kids selling and snorting Adderall is crazy. I cannot afford meds, so make do. True ADD is crippling, especially for those of us not whiny and privileged enough to have a crutch.
3
My generic Adderall rx costs me less than my NYT subscription, it's $10. Please stop throwing "privilege" around. Cancel your NYT subscription and get your affordable generic medication. Priorities. Especially, you know, if your diagnosis is "crippling".
8
Schwartz's calculated abuse of Adderall is similar to the way some athletes abuse anabolic steroids, to give themselves a performance "edge."
I'm a college professor, and I view this as a kind of academic fraud. I know many of my students are abusing drugs like this to enhance their performance.
I don't have much sympathy for their "plight" when they discover they've (1) become addicted and (2) feel like frauds.
Those are the consequences of the choices they've made.
I'm a college professor, and I view this as a kind of academic fraud. I know many of my students are abusing drugs like this to enhance their performance.
I don't have much sympathy for their "plight" when they discover they've (1) become addicted and (2) feel like frauds.
Those are the consequences of the choices they've made.
20
Wow. All I could think of after reading this was "the old days", and scolds!
As a pediatrician with numerous patients on this and other drugs for ADHD I have a different perspective. This young woman used Adderall without a prescription or/and advantage of a consultation with a physician. She unsurprisingly made many mistakes.
Approximately 15% of the population has characteristics of ADHD of some degree. Stimulates make a world of difference for those of who have this difference in the way their brains work. With treatment these people can compete in our very competitive society and become productive citizens. What should we do? Allow them to fail?
Any medication has risks and Adderall is no exception. However, for the vast majority of treated patients there is no "high" and most don't feel any different unless and until they become introspective at which point they will realize that they are able to concentrate more like "normal" people and are now competitive.
Is this a "performance enhancing drug?" It IS clearly by any reasonable definition and I appreciate the comparison to athletic restrictions. But, my bottom line is that people with ADHD symptoms are able to become much more productive citizens because they can do their "jobs" and that is a positive for our society. Left untreated the school dropout rate is too high and these otherwise smart people can create a great deal of mischief in a world where there personal characteristics limit their ability to "win" in the game of life.
Approximately 15% of the population has characteristics of ADHD of some degree. Stimulates make a world of difference for those of who have this difference in the way their brains work. With treatment these people can compete in our very competitive society and become productive citizens. What should we do? Allow them to fail?
Any medication has risks and Adderall is no exception. However, for the vast majority of treated patients there is no "high" and most don't feel any different unless and until they become introspective at which point they will realize that they are able to concentrate more like "normal" people and are now competitive.
Is this a "performance enhancing drug?" It IS clearly by any reasonable definition and I appreciate the comparison to athletic restrictions. But, my bottom line is that people with ADHD symptoms are able to become much more productive citizens because they can do their "jobs" and that is a positive for our society. Left untreated the school dropout rate is too high and these otherwise smart people can create a great deal of mischief in a world where there personal characteristics limit their ability to "win" in the game of life.
25
I'm a professor. I have never been into drugs at all, neither recreational OR pharmacological, but I'm not particularly anti-drug-- I realize that there are great reasons *for* taking drugs, I just don't take any. However, over the years almost all of my students have taken lots of drugs. Adderall is one of the most entrapping, most deceptive. They all think that they're doing great work. They're not. Their work is the same as always: mediocre, or fine, or good... but it ruins their own sense of perspective by enhancing their so-called confidence.... in essence, I think the drug produces "con men" and "con women"..... people with no sense of their own limits, nor the limits of their bodies, people who think their work is fantastic, full of bluster, connivance... fakes. I can't stand this drug because of what it does to them. Far from increasing their cognitive capabilities, it produces high SELF-confidence and no self-criticality. OKAY, I'm constantly hearing that some people legitimately need the drug, and absolutely can't read or pay attention. But... really? In my heart of hearts, I think everyone should get off ALL these drugs. I think that the whole world is just buying into a massive mistake. A con, if you will.
12
Please don't try to judge people who legitimately have adhd. A person who can focus properly has no idea how different life is when focus (that you may take for granted) requires a ridiculous amount of energy to attain, let alone to sustain. One of the hardest things to deal with as someone with ADHD, is when others just don't believe that the condition even exists.
23
please don't presume i don't have adhd. i have it. i prefer not to take drugs.
5
Adderal does not effect everyone the same. Just because you had a bad experience with it does not mean other people who have legitimate adhd will experience the same.
Beautifully written, Casey. Bravo.
People need to get a grip. Truth is, Adderal, Ritalin, Concerta, etc., etc., etc. are all one chemical chain removed from methamphetamine. Supposedly, one of our time's worst drug scourges.
I've been telling people for many years... giving your children the chemical equivalent of methamphetamine, regardless of reason, or "diagnosis" is a very dumb thing to do. Many haven't liked hearing that, but more and more have come back to tell me "I wish I'd listened to you" because their kids were now hopeless addicts.
In my 31 years in 12 Step rooms, I've heard Casey's story thousands of times, yet this society LOVES its drugs, and "quick fixes" that inevitably wind up fixing nothing, instead, setting people back, down, and out for LIFE.
People need to get a grip. Truth is, Adderal, Ritalin, Concerta, etc., etc., etc. are all one chemical chain removed from methamphetamine. Supposedly, one of our time's worst drug scourges.
I've been telling people for many years... giving your children the chemical equivalent of methamphetamine, regardless of reason, or "diagnosis" is a very dumb thing to do. Many haven't liked hearing that, but more and more have come back to tell me "I wish I'd listened to you" because their kids were now hopeless addicts.
In my 31 years in 12 Step rooms, I've heard Casey's story thousands of times, yet this society LOVES its drugs, and "quick fixes" that inevitably wind up fixing nothing, instead, setting people back, down, and out for LIFE.
4
You are confusing addiction with the legitimate use of medication. They are both real and valid phenomena, but they are different.
A real "dumb thing to do" is posting comments on a topic you know little about.
Stimulant medication is a godsend for those that are properly diagnosed as have a genuine need.
This hit piece only demonizes a very effective class of medications, and denigrates a large swath of the population with an actual neurological disorder. They don't need uninformed judgements from the likes of you.
Stimulant medication is a godsend for those that are properly diagnosed as have a genuine need.
This hit piece only demonizes a very effective class of medications, and denigrates a large swath of the population with an actual neurological disorder. They don't need uninformed judgements from the likes of you.
1
While I appreciate the author's candor and openness in the telling of this particular story, I am fearful of how decisions to publish "one-sided" stories like this add to the stigma that surrounds mental health in this country.
Anyone who is currently prescribed Adderall, at least in California, knows it is highly regulated, requires monthly visits to a doctor, and, at least in my case, also requires awkward monthly encounters with your local pharmacist. It took months before my local Walgreens stopped treating me like a potential addict trying to game the system. I am not allowed to fill a prescription on my own time, or at my own convenience, but instead have a 1-2 day window in which it needs to be filled lest my insurance company refuse coverage and my pharmacy shut the door in my face. Going out of town? Too bad, you can't be trusted with an additional week long supply. These experiences are stigmatizing and bothersome, a monthly reminder I am something different than normal, inferior to normal.
It is degrading.
Drugs can harm people. Addiction is real. So are the unnecessary harms of stigma. Suicide, drug addiction, alcoholism also result from a growing trend that contends "having to depend on a pill" to function is somehow a failing. To the author, and the commenters below: your words matter to people who do have a need for mental health care through medication. Your words create stigma, and stigma results in avoidable death and suffering.
Anyone who is currently prescribed Adderall, at least in California, knows it is highly regulated, requires monthly visits to a doctor, and, at least in my case, also requires awkward monthly encounters with your local pharmacist. It took months before my local Walgreens stopped treating me like a potential addict trying to game the system. I am not allowed to fill a prescription on my own time, or at my own convenience, but instead have a 1-2 day window in which it needs to be filled lest my insurance company refuse coverage and my pharmacy shut the door in my face. Going out of town? Too bad, you can't be trusted with an additional week long supply. These experiences are stigmatizing and bothersome, a monthly reminder I am something different than normal, inferior to normal.
It is degrading.
Drugs can harm people. Addiction is real. So are the unnecessary harms of stigma. Suicide, drug addiction, alcoholism also result from a growing trend that contends "having to depend on a pill" to function is somehow a failing. To the author, and the commenters below: your words matter to people who do have a need for mental health care through medication. Your words create stigma, and stigma results in avoidable death and suffering.
46
Absolutely reminds me of Weezer's "We are all on drugs" song!
I do not want to hear authors like this give Adderall a bad reputation. Our son was diagnosed with ADHD and strugged tremendously. He was evaluated extensively by many professionals before we began medication. Although he was bright he "flunked" kindergarten (yes, he had been in a preschool) and had to go to a transitional first grade during the intervening year before the real first grade. He struggled until he made it through fifth grade at which time he was able to attend a private school for grades 6-12.
Our son was not a behavior problem and every teacher loved him dearly but he could NOT focus and stay on task with out his meds. We took him off his Adderall during the summer months each year. The private school he attended for children with learning differences had a teacher ratio of 1:7 and all of the teachers had graduate degrees. He flourished despite still having to take his Adderall. He attributes his success in college in later years to the dedicated teachers that he had in private schools.
All children are different and authors have their stories but just like pain meds, tell the elderly with raging pain from debilitating arthritis they can't have any pain killers because Ohio suburbanites are hooked on heroin.
Our son was not a behavior problem and every teacher loved him dearly but he could NOT focus and stay on task with out his meds. We took him off his Adderall during the summer months each year. The private school he attended for children with learning differences had a teacher ratio of 1:7 and all of the teachers had graduate degrees. He flourished despite still having to take his Adderall. He attributes his success in college in later years to the dedicated teachers that he had in private schools.
All children are different and authors have their stories but just like pain meds, tell the elderly with raging pain from debilitating arthritis they can't have any pain killers because Ohio suburbanites are hooked on heroin.
35
I definitely have ADHD as do my siblings. I wish I had been diagnosed long before the age of 48.
If this woman had such an addiction to Adderall, she shouldn't be using it. However, for ADHD sufferers like me, who only use it when they will be in public for awhile and/or have a serious task to do, it is a God-sent.
If this woman had such an addiction to Adderall, she shouldn't be using it. However, for ADHD sufferers like me, who only use it when they will be in public for awhile and/or have a serious task to do, it is a God-sent.
23
Beautifully written, Casey. Bravo.
People need to get a grip. Truth is, Adderal, Ritalin, Concerta, etc., etc., etc. are all one chemical chain removed from methamphetamine. Supposedly, one of our time's worst drug scourges.
I've been telling people for many years... giving your children the chemical equivalent of methamphetamine, regardless of reason, or "diagnosis" is a very dumb thing to do. Many haven't liked hearing that, but more and more have come back to tell me "I wish I'd listened to you" because their kids were now hopeless addicts.
In my 31 years in 12 Step rooms, I've heard Casey's story thousands of times, yet this society LOVES its drugs, and "quick fixes" that inevitably wind up fixing nothing, instead, setting people back, down, and out for LIFE.
A friend is a pediatrician. He insists that pharmaceutical grade methamphetamine combats the symptoms of "ADD" with fewer side effects than Adderal, Ritalin, or any of the other meth knock-offs, but the stigma attached to meth keeps the medical community from prescribing it.
People need to get a grip. Truth is, Adderal, Ritalin, Concerta, etc., etc., etc. are all one chemical chain removed from methamphetamine. Supposedly, one of our time's worst drug scourges.
I've been telling people for many years... giving your children the chemical equivalent of methamphetamine, regardless of reason, or "diagnosis" is a very dumb thing to do. Many haven't liked hearing that, but more and more have come back to tell me "I wish I'd listened to you" because their kids were now hopeless addicts.
In my 31 years in 12 Step rooms, I've heard Casey's story thousands of times, yet this society LOVES its drugs, and "quick fixes" that inevitably wind up fixing nothing, instead, setting people back, down, and out for LIFE.
A friend is a pediatrician. He insists that pharmaceutical grade methamphetamine combats the symptoms of "ADD" with fewer side effects than Adderal, Ritalin, or any of the other meth knock-offs, but the stigma attached to meth keeps the medical community from prescribing it.
10
Does wonders for your teeth! LOL
Adderall is terribly addictive. Why is it doctors throw drugs at people instead of giving them good advice--like eat whole foods and exercise. We have a tremendous prescription drug problem in this country and it should be addressed before prescribing something new to fix the problem. And selling a prescription to someone because of a growing demand for Adderall has its own issues.
8
Because people don't want to take the time and effort to eat healthy whole foods, sleep 8 hours a day and exercise 5 days a week. They want a pill to make them "limitless".
10
No one will argue that healthy diet and exercise are bad for anyone but it is naive to think that they will cure misfired wiring in the prefrontal cortex.
1
Nonsense. People should not take aspirin because your pain is not my pain and I should simply learn to control my headache through other means.
I am chagrined by comments criticizing the author.
My husband is a psychologist, and my parents were neuropharmacologists. And the pharmaceutical industry is so powerful that many physicians semi-blindly buy into Big Pharma's promise that 'this medication will help.'
Big Pharma has little incentive to push side effects as much as it should, and little incentive to develop workable solutions for not becoming addicted.
(The heroine epidemic is a case in point -- Big Pharma's fault.)
My son was on Adderall. I took it for awhile. The only way to not become addicted to a habit-forming/addictive substance is to take control before the body physically becomes accustomed to the substance. (Same for cigarettes, alcohol.)
Doctors are more likely to continue a patient on Adderall than to closely examine methods of dealing with issues of long-term use.
My son had a horrible panic attack one night in the car (I recognized it as a panic attack) when taking a slow-release form. (He had crushed it and taken the entire pill, which caused the panic attack.)
There are some genuine reasons for taking Ritalin, Adderall, or similar stimulants. These should be neurological reasons. But most uses I've seen are for behavioral reasons. This is wrong. I blame physicians for this. Teachers, also.
A restless student may be bored, advanced or confused, or the material or the presentation is boring. This is not ADHD. (I've taught school.)
Because of my ADHD, I'm fidgety. So, I type. Often.
My husband is a psychologist, and my parents were neuropharmacologists. And the pharmaceutical industry is so powerful that many physicians semi-blindly buy into Big Pharma's promise that 'this medication will help.'
Big Pharma has little incentive to push side effects as much as it should, and little incentive to develop workable solutions for not becoming addicted.
(The heroine epidemic is a case in point -- Big Pharma's fault.)
My son was on Adderall. I took it for awhile. The only way to not become addicted to a habit-forming/addictive substance is to take control before the body physically becomes accustomed to the substance. (Same for cigarettes, alcohol.)
Doctors are more likely to continue a patient on Adderall than to closely examine methods of dealing with issues of long-term use.
My son had a horrible panic attack one night in the car (I recognized it as a panic attack) when taking a slow-release form. (He had crushed it and taken the entire pill, which caused the panic attack.)
There are some genuine reasons for taking Ritalin, Adderall, or similar stimulants. These should be neurological reasons. But most uses I've seen are for behavioral reasons. This is wrong. I blame physicians for this. Teachers, also.
A restless student may be bored, advanced or confused, or the material or the presentation is boring. This is not ADHD. (I've taught school.)
Because of my ADHD, I'm fidgety. So, I type. Often.
20
Of course MS Schwartz should not have taken Adderal because, as manny commenters have noted, she didn't have ADHD. The reality however is that many students and others take it, or will take it, for the same reason as Ms. Schwartz. This is the audience she is trying to reach with her warning that it is not worth it. I hope her article is effective.
19
You need to understand something: ADHD is crippling. It affects the ability to concentrate, to sleep, to sit in a meeting, to be on time, to do well in school, to hold a job, to finish tasks, to keep an ordered household, to care for your children, to maintain a relationship. One enormous side effect of the inability to control these is that it leads to constant criticism, frustration, depression and self-loathing.
ADHD is a physical deficit, an area of the brain that did not develop properly and that, to varying degrees, stymies short-term memory and executive function. I has nothing to do with intelligence, moral character, motivation, etc.
For someone with ADHD, Adderall is NOT a stimulant. It does the opposite: it calms you and allows you to sleep better, function better, get through the normal tasks of everyday life.
ADHD is a physical deficit, an area of the brain that did not develop properly and that, to varying degrees, stymies short-term memory and executive function. I has nothing to do with intelligence, moral character, motivation, etc.
For someone with ADHD, Adderall is NOT a stimulant. It does the opposite: it calms you and allows you to sleep better, function better, get through the normal tasks of everyday life.
54
You are spot on Sharon. Thank you. Emphasis on physiology and brain chemistry. ADHD's on Adderall are slowed down tremendously in order to be in sync with their bodies. Would folks deny epileptics seizure medication or just tell them it is all in the head!
17
Adderall sounds GREAT and this article just made me realize why I have shunned all drugs my entire life. Children's cough medicine, WHEN I"M DESPERATE, and Ibuprofen ONLY when I have a migraine, are all I'll do. Addictions are just too hard to overcome. And I"m lazy.
6
I'm sure it's possible that some nuance was lost to editing, but I suspect the reality for most people is somewhere in between what this writer describes and the "it's like insulin" argument. I've taken ADHD meds for almost 10 years. I was diagnosed at 27. At one point a few years ago I went off meds (at the time I was on Adderall), citing some of the same issues she describes (it had a flattening effect on my emotions and seemed to have drained the pleasure from everyday life). I went back on Ritalin about 5 months later, after realizing I would probably lose my job if I didn't. At the beginning, my use of stimulants veered toward abuse, and I went to great lengths to secure prescriptions. It was not a healthy state of affairs. Yet during the same time I accomplished things that were important: I stopped drinking and smoking, I stopped getting involved in awful (but very stimulating!) relationships, I stopped binge eating, I started sleeping regular hours, and I learned a trade that I could (gasp) actually make money doing. Eventually I settled down, stopped messing with my dosage so as to more easily work inhuman hours. But every day I'm aware that I'm taking a powerful drug that has led me to behave questionably in the past, which I'm deeply uncomfortable with. But when I look at the state I was in before I started taking meds, and at how long it took to begin to straighten myself out even with them, I think I'm ultimately better off, if only a bit.
12
Do I have ADD if I couldn't make it to the end of this long article?
I have three college age kids. Two have told me they have used Adderall to improve school performance; one of them on multiple occasions (and I fear she still does.) Also one of my nieces.
It is EVERYWHERE on college campuses, from what they all tell me. I worry for them.
I have three college age kids. Two have told me they have used Adderall to improve school performance; one of them on multiple occasions (and I fear she still does.) Also one of my nieces.
It is EVERYWHERE on college campuses, from what they all tell me. I worry for them.
15
Worry if they don't take it--and are left behind!
Like other testimonials, this is just the experience of one person and is not a scientific analysis of the effectiveness of Adderall nor the downside to using it.
9
I know there are people who take Addersll and other ADHD drugs without a prescription. That is a really big problem but it doesn't make the drug bad, but the person who abuses it is braking the law. I have family members who didn't start taking it until they were adults. They were diagnosed and had the true symptoms of ADHD, some of which I didn't know -- car accidents being one. These drugs, when taken by people who are genuinely ADHD are career savers. The fact that more people are diagnosed might just because there are more people who are aware of the problem than in the past, but I'm afraid that some are scamming their doctors. Doctors shouldn't prescribe it unless the patient has been tested by a psychologist. Testing can root out fraudulent cases.
10
this drug is not aspirin. It is a hardcore drug. Those who choose to consider it ,like the subject of this article, should seriously consider the potential consequences.
8
Aspirin is very dangerous if you take too much. All drugs have risk.
1
Adderall is popular with pre-medical students. I am told that users have a competitive edge over non-users, which I find disturbing. The sad fact is that grades are used to rank students, so users have a better shot at getting into medical school. Is this fair? Is it like sports doping? I have often considering writing to "The Ethicist" about this because I don't know the answer.
8
I'm a 60-year old attorney. I learned at age 48 that I had ADD, after going through the analysis on why my daughter's junior high grades had gone in the tank. The exact same thing had happened to me in junior high. A few years in the Army had given me enough discipline to partially deal with it, but unless some work task really gripped me, completing office tasks was always a struggle.
When my career shifted from frequent criminal trial work to office work, I'd often look up at 5 pm and find I'd accomplished nothing. Because Adderall had worked so well for my daughter, I talked to my physician about it. I've now been taking it for about 5 years. It's amazing - it allows me to accomplish the daily routine tasks that were always a struggle. I take it I frequently - usually once a week, sometimes more, sometimes less. Also - my daughter has done quite well as a journalist thanks in part to Adderall, and in fact has written about her own struggles with ADD.
As other commenters have pointed out, I'm not sure why the Times has recently begun to run these "personal experience" articles (on many topics) as if they were dispassionate news articles or analysis, but such "posts" or "blogs" are a service to no one, if disguised as news. What inform (and hopefully help) are facts - after which, readers can draw their own conclusions.
When my career shifted from frequent criminal trial work to office work, I'd often look up at 5 pm and find I'd accomplished nothing. Because Adderall had worked so well for my daughter, I talked to my physician about it. I've now been taking it for about 5 years. It's amazing - it allows me to accomplish the daily routine tasks that were always a struggle. I take it I frequently - usually once a week, sometimes more, sometimes less. Also - my daughter has done quite well as a journalist thanks in part to Adderall, and in fact has written about her own struggles with ADD.
As other commenters have pointed out, I'm not sure why the Times has recently begun to run these "personal experience" articles (on many topics) as if they were dispassionate news articles or analysis, but such "posts" or "blogs" are a service to no one, if disguised as news. What inform (and hopefully help) are facts - after which, readers can draw their own conclusions.
256
Thanks, Steve for your brave confession. My experience is/was similar. I went for professional diagnosis after my child received significant help after being treated for ADD. My story includes something I don't see a lot of mention of here. My self medicating mechanism for dealing with ADD from childhood well into my forties was sugar/carb addiction. I could get thru the day with constant and ever increasing snacking and binge-ing. I hit a wall though as I progressed through my 40s and unbeknownst to me started to develop insulin issues which are probably pre-diabetic. Unable to get the sugar rush I was using for medicine, I couldn't get through the day. Adderall used as prescribed has kept me going for probably about 5 years now and has been incredibly effective with no real negative effects. Articles like this one and reactive underthinking are making it harder and harder these days to get my prescription and get it filled which I honestly find pretty scary. I guess reasonable voices need to keep putting our stories out there so that it doesn't become easier to get Marijuana than a prescription for Adderall.
18
Folks these days focus on whether ADD/ADHD is being over diagnosed in children. Yet, it was not long ago when girls were almost never diagnosed. My IQ and working memory allowed me to breeze through high school, but college was a nightmare. I managed to maintain my academic scholarship, but only at the expense of sleeping, eating and having a social life. I was diagnosed at age 40. When chronic migraines overrode my carefully developed coping skills I was overcome with shame and felt like I was losing my mind. Neuropsychological testing revealed severe attention and concentration deficits. Like you, beginning treatment with Adderall was life changing. I was able to return to work as a health care quality manager. No one with significant ADD would take extra doses or abuse these drugs. There is no high; no rush, no being "in the zone." There are only heart palpitations, motor tics, sleeplessness and feelings of irritability. Casey Schwartz angers me. If she were less entitled, born to a different socioeconomic status, she would have been a meth addict. No one would be giving her a platform in the NYT.
4
The Magazine is exactly the place to find such a piece of writing. It is not a news article.
For people who truly have ADHD, which, though over-diagnosed, is a real disorder, taking Adderall is about as exciting as putting on one's glasses. They don't react to the drug like "normal" people--it doesn't cause them to be euphoric or "hyper" but, rather, more attentive, less impulsive, and more relaxed. People who abuse drugs make it much more difficult for those who truly need them.
37
Thank you! I dare not compare Adderall abuse to taking up a handicap parking spot when you don't need it, but....
1
Funny. I went to Berkeley in the mid-90s and then off into grad school, always hearing that folks were taking Ritalin or whatnot to get through. I never took a thing other than a couple of No-Doze or a liter of coffee, and I actually never heard a single person tell me that they had taken anything to help with their studies. I think that there is a lot of justification among those who use drugs to help with studying or work that "everyone is doing it" - because, no, not everyone is.
15
(Not Mark) I have 2 kids who graduated from college and one still in. I've asked them about stimulant use and they say they didn't know anyone who used it without having a prescription for it. Both went to top schools and were in difficult majors. The other one is an engineering major and also says the same. Drug of choice seems to be alcohol and marijuana, binge drinking is a problem. I'm starting to wonder about the 'it's everywhere in college' too. Maybe to make themselves feel better, you know, it's not really their problem, it's everyone's?
5
As someone who just graduated from a large universit, I can say without too much exaggeration that everyone uses ADHD medicine to study at some point. I knew one girl who had never taken a pill and zero guys.
3
When I was at Brown, a little less than a decade before Casey Schwartz, I never heard of anyone taking Adderall or any other study-enhancing drugs, except coffee and sometimes cigarettes. Since then, however, I've read in the media of its use and abuse, even back then. If accurate, such accounts make me reconsider my entire academic past. I wonder whether the unusually intense focus and drive of certain students, which I'd attributed to passion and discipline, were actually just induced by drugs, in a kind of academic doping. There's a new book about the widespread abuse of drugs by soldiers and high-ranking officials, including Hitler, in Nazi Germany. I wonder what would happen in the Ivy League, or the U.S. financial system, if all such drugs suddenly disappeared.
6
I think the skepticism that many bring to the discussion of ADHD is an elephant in the room. Many people wonder why all of a sudden 80% of the kids in one rural public school in a low-income area are labeled to suffer from ADHA, only to find out that a monthly Social Security check and free college education is a "perc" of the diagnosis.
.
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1
This is just a lie.
1
Stimulant medication abuse by those who do not suffer from the condition it is meant to treat is certainly a cause for serious concern. However, ADHD and the damaging consequences of the condition going untreated are also a cause for serious concern and are rarely if ever addressed as prominently as this particular story.
There is an enormous amount of misinformation in the media driving the narrative of ADHD and its treatment, almost all of it negative. This is careless and counter productive. ADHD is a very real and can be utterly devastating to those who suffer from it. Stimulant medications when used as prescribed by those who have been properly diagnosed with the condition are not only safe, but often life changing and sometimes life saving treatments.
There is an enormous amount of misinformation in the media driving the narrative of ADHD and its treatment, almost all of it negative. This is careless and counter productive. ADHD is a very real and can be utterly devastating to those who suffer from it. Stimulant medications when used as prescribed by those who have been properly diagnosed with the condition are not only safe, but often life changing and sometimes life saving treatments.
7
This article highlights a very important concern surrounding the psychopharmacology trend that has developed over the past 60 years since the discovery of choloropromazine. Although it may be shocking to some, these drugs are not entirely beneficial for most people on them. They cause alterations in expression of receptors and disrupts highly complicated mechanisms in the brain that quite frankly is not completely understood. Too many people in America are on these psychoactive drugs when their problems might be best alleviated through a more natural process. I'm not trying to discount people who are actually ill, but studies that have looked at long term efficacy of depressants, antipsychotics, etc. have shown that people who do not take these drugs fare better than those who did in the long term. Do your own research and inform yourselves of the potential dangers of drugs that quite frankly have been shown to exacerbate problems in the future. Being skeptical of pharmaceuticals is not relegating yourself to be a conspiracy theorist. Looking for a shortcut to well being does have its consequences.
4
If athletes, and entire teams, are banned for using performance enhancing drugs then why are students who use "study" ( a laudable activity, studying) drugs not expelled from the university?
This is cheating.
This is cheating.
5
This representation of Adderall as a "bad" drug that only causes addiction and misery is dishonest and speaks volumes about why folks like me who REALLY do need and respect the medication now have to jump through hoops to get it. I had to sign a document in my doctor's office saying I would not try to get more Adderall from another source, as well as affirm that I would not share it. I also had to reveal where in my home I keep my Adderall and that I'm not faking having severe ADHD.
This makes me wonder how many other people like this selfish author take it to get high, then whine about how hard it was to get off the drug. Those of us with real, bonafide ADHD take it because we know it helps. We don't take it when we don't feel we need it, as the side effects are not pleasant (rapid heartbeat, sense of sleepiness when the meds wear off).
Can I function some days without it? Certainly, I can at times be productive without my daily dose, but it is a challenge that takes a great deal of energy, as it did even before I was diagnosed in 2006 (I was 42). I don't get a high off it or feel like I can run a marathon, I can concentrate and focus on productive projects. I have fewer depressive episodes, don't have as many anxiety issues like before, and can tackle important tasks. I would really love to see "Generation Adderall" treated in a more well-rounded way, with voices from real patients who use the meds with respect, rather than a thrill seeker trying to score a high.
This makes me wonder how many other people like this selfish author take it to get high, then whine about how hard it was to get off the drug. Those of us with real, bonafide ADHD take it because we know it helps. We don't take it when we don't feel we need it, as the side effects are not pleasant (rapid heartbeat, sense of sleepiness when the meds wear off).
Can I function some days without it? Certainly, I can at times be productive without my daily dose, but it is a challenge that takes a great deal of energy, as it did even before I was diagnosed in 2006 (I was 42). I don't get a high off it or feel like I can run a marathon, I can concentrate and focus on productive projects. I have fewer depressive episodes, don't have as many anxiety issues like before, and can tackle important tasks. I would really love to see "Generation Adderall" treated in a more well-rounded way, with voices from real patients who use the meds with respect, rather than a thrill seeker trying to score a high.
12
I have suffered from ADD my entire life and once as a child whose teachers saw as smart but very distracted, my parents and physician believed Adderall was the answer. It was still a fairly new drug at the time (early 2000's) just taking over from Ritalin and I was prescribed at 10 years old. The benefits of Adderall were immediately noticeable. I could focus on anything, it was as if a barrier had been removed. My grades rose dramatically. However, while the side effects were subtle at first, they became glaringly clear over time. My appetite constantly sated, I never ate and drastically lost weight to the point my ribs began to show. Mood swings were unpredictable as I would move from fits of rage (screaming at family members over nothing) to sadness (crying for no reason) to joy (fits of delusion). I became quieted and everyone noticed. My teacher's meetings with my parents were a complete reversal of the time before I was on it. "He is performing at the top of his class but he seems depressed. He isn't the happy and funny kid I remember. He doesn't comment in class anymore. He looks skinny. His behavior has become erratic."
In all, after about two years on the med, I was a shell of myself.
At 12, I made the decision to take myself off of the drug. It took about another year to get myself back to a state of normal. Now, at 25, it's been and will continue to be a lifetime of learning to deal with my ailment on my own as I tell everyone to avoid this drug, especially kids.
In all, after about two years on the med, I was a shell of myself.
At 12, I made the decision to take myself off of the drug. It took about another year to get myself back to a state of normal. Now, at 25, it's been and will continue to be a lifetime of learning to deal with my ailment on my own as I tell everyone to avoid this drug, especially kids.
7
Children these days get almost no exercise which has been shown to produce the exact brain chemicals which make these drugs effective.
Let your kids walk or pedal to school, make physical education (hard workouts) mandatory. Let Jr. burn off some energy.
Also, plastics, preservatives, dyes, and other garbage in the food supply disrup hormonal and sll manner of other crucial bodily functions.
Let your kids walk or pedal to school, make physical education (hard workouts) mandatory. Let Jr. burn off some energy.
Also, plastics, preservatives, dyes, and other garbage in the food supply disrup hormonal and sll manner of other crucial bodily functions.
4
"Like many of my friends, I spent years using prescription stimulants to get through school and start my career. Then I tried to get off them."
like many of my friends, i spent years using a non-prescription stimulant called caffeine to get through school and start my career. then I tried to get off it.
caffeine has been used/abused worldwide for generations in tea, coffee, cola nuts and chocolate. coca and cocaine are also stimulants and used/abused by many worldwide.
a pharmacological comparison of these and other stimulants would be helpful.
that comparison might help us understand why some stimulants are non-prescription and legal, some stimulants require a prescription, and some stimulants are illegal--resulting in prison sentences for users/addicts when they are caught using them. prison sentences further increase the amount of precious time that people give away to those drugs.
like many of my friends, i spent years using a non-prescription stimulant called caffeine to get through school and start my career. then I tried to get off it.
caffeine has been used/abused worldwide for generations in tea, coffee, cola nuts and chocolate. coca and cocaine are also stimulants and used/abused by many worldwide.
a pharmacological comparison of these and other stimulants would be helpful.
that comparison might help us understand why some stimulants are non-prescription and legal, some stimulants require a prescription, and some stimulants are illegal--resulting in prison sentences for users/addicts when they are caught using them. prison sentences further increase the amount of precious time that people give away to those drugs.
1
I was in my last year of college in NYC when I decided to go to a prescription doctor whose reputation was well-known to be 'easy' in prescribing adderalls to students in my school. I paid about $12 for a month's worth of prescription of pills that I took on a daily basis, and in a month or so asked to have my prescription doubled because I was getting 'immune' to the effects, and the next month or so another increment that I was taking 4 times of what I originally was prescribed the first time (80 mg). He never made it difficult for me to recite the standard things you have to say to be 'diagnosed' with A.D.D, and at the same time I wanted a generous prescription doctor as an addict. A year on the pills was amazing for my grades, my waistline, and my sex life, but ruined my actual life. I had anxiety, depression and on a constant tug of war between the speed of my reality and the intensity of my head.
It's not really good to know that I am 'low-performing' since I was definitely on the side that it's true that my memory and 'creativity' improved being on the drug, but I am probably better off with a measure more restraint without the drug.
It's not really good to know that I am 'low-performing' since I was definitely on the side that it's true that my memory and 'creativity' improved being on the drug, but I am probably better off with a measure more restraint without the drug.
4
I took over 300 mg a day for almost two years. I too faked adhd and went to extreme lengths to get this drug and to find just the right psychiatrist who would prescribe me more than most. I've been off for about three years now and I couldn't be happier. It took a few months for my brain to get back to normal but I feel like I've had no long term side effects from taking so much for so long. I loved reading before I took Adderall but I loved it even more while on it. I still have memories of blissful fall days walking for hours reading through Herodotus. But when my Adderall focus turned to other ventures, I could waste a lot of time. And eventually I lost my family and job and ended up in rehab thousands of dollars in debt. I got everything back, but barely. Like the author of this story, I too had amphetamine induced panic attacks, but I also went through--especially towards the end--amphetamine induced mania, and this is what lead to my eventual downfall and the reshaping of my life without Adderall. I remember the ecstatic ideas and plans and the feelings that you could accomplish anything. (I decided to learn Latin by myself and was able to clep out of it in college.) But I will never go back. With the euphoria came constant anxiety and a persistent dread that got worse and worse.
8
Thank you for your honesty. The influence of pharmaceutical companies over published research and physician prescription habits is completely out of line, and much of it still remains hidden. Look at the new data coming out about the sugar industry that bought its way and influenced the way we approach cardiovascular disease for several generations. It is too easy to be prescribed a drug but there is no interest or money in researching how to safely stop taking medication. What about millions of Americans who are on antidepressants for years, without any hope to get off the drugs? This discussion needs to happen and is long overdue...
1
I am a psychiatrist who has treated many people who legitimately have ADHD, and who's lives have been changed for the better. Sometimes dramatically so.
And yet, I'm sure I've been fooled by many into feeding their addiction, as have my colleagues. I'm sure, despite sincere efforts to avoid it , I've misdiagnosed people and put patients without ADHD on stimulants. This is both a difficult diagnosis to make, and an easy one to fake.
The drug seems to have two aspects that overlap, perhaps even two different mechanisms of action. It has a speedy aspect that is addictive (tolerance, withdrawal and cravings), plus a attention, focus, organizing aspect which (at least in patients with ADHD), does not seem to require ever higher doses to get the same effect. The problem is that, ADHD or not, almost everyone will return for their second visit and say they're getting more done; some because they focus better, some because they're now on speed, and some because of both.
I'm usually much reassured when they report a "paradoxical reaction". They feel more tired or relaxed, yet focus better. But they can look that up too on the internet and just lie about it.
I don't think of ADHD as a classically pathological state. I think it's a mismatch between the way some people pay attention and the modern demands for attention nature never anticipated.
Fortunately, addiction to the degree this brave young woman reports, is uncommon, though one life ruined by addiction is one too many.
And yet, I'm sure I've been fooled by many into feeding their addiction, as have my colleagues. I'm sure, despite sincere efforts to avoid it , I've misdiagnosed people and put patients without ADHD on stimulants. This is both a difficult diagnosis to make, and an easy one to fake.
The drug seems to have two aspects that overlap, perhaps even two different mechanisms of action. It has a speedy aspect that is addictive (tolerance, withdrawal and cravings), plus a attention, focus, organizing aspect which (at least in patients with ADHD), does not seem to require ever higher doses to get the same effect. The problem is that, ADHD or not, almost everyone will return for their second visit and say they're getting more done; some because they focus better, some because they're now on speed, and some because of both.
I'm usually much reassured when they report a "paradoxical reaction". They feel more tired or relaxed, yet focus better. But they can look that up too on the internet and just lie about it.
I don't think of ADHD as a classically pathological state. I think it's a mismatch between the way some people pay attention and the modern demands for attention nature never anticipated.
Fortunately, addiction to the degree this brave young woman reports, is uncommon, though one life ruined by addiction is one too many.
182
So, Doc...you admit you and your colleagues are part of the problem, pointing out that patients are misdiagnosed, prescribed the stimulant even if they don't have ADHD. It's not very comforting to know that psychiatrists and other physicians exacerbate the problem by writing those prescriptions for that magic pill, and can be fooled into complying to keep patients supplied, thereby contributing to the problem of addiction. Evidently, psychiatry is not actually treating patients via therapeutic skills spending more time with their patients one-on-one, but relying on pills to do their job for them. Does that sum it up, sufficiently?
For those unfamiliar with the NYT's coverage of ADHD drugs, this story is just the latest in a years-long campaign.
In the NYT's world view, Drug companies = evil, so anything they produce must also be evil.
In the NYT's world view, Drug companies = evil, so anything they produce must also be evil.
13
I'm guilty of having leaned on Adderall a couple of times in college, mainly to get through the most painful sections of the CPA exam. Casey's description of the intense focus and motivation it induces is spot on. What scared me away from the drug was 3 factors: 1) the incredibly painful process of coming down. I have never felt a sense of hopelessness and depression since, outside of a death in my family. I guess this drives many people to take more though. 2) The fear that I would never be able to be productive without it. Honestly, why would you do anything without Adderall when you can do it ten times better and with ten times more joy with Adderall? And finally 3) A friend who was on a particularly heavy dose of the drug (prescribed by his father who is a psychiatrist) refused to give me any because he was experiencing an addiction similar to Casey's.
I easily could have been a part of Generation Adderall. I am very grateful that I do not lean on the drug. Now excuse me, I have to get back to work after an hour's distraction.
I easily could have been a part of Generation Adderall. I am very grateful that I do not lean on the drug. Now excuse me, I have to get back to work after an hour's distraction.
6
Thank you so mcuh for wriing this story. I hope it's a cautionary tale to those who view these drugs casually. Our daughter's psychiatrist started her on Concerta (long-acting Ritallin) at 15, when she told hime she was having difficulty focusing. She was also being treated with anti-depressents, and I assumed it was part of her depression. When my husband and I objected to the suggestion, he turned to our daughter and asked whether she wouldn't want to try something to help her focus in school. Of course she did, and we capitulated. Months later, she was hospitalized with psychosis which culminated in my waking up one night to find her standing over my bed holding a knife, almost giving in to homicidal thoughts that had been plaguing her. On to anti-psychotics, which block the Dopamine pathways that these meds impact (and are rife with side effects.) If only we had listenined to our instincts. Use caution, espepcially when dealing with the adolescent brain.
7
I currently know 3 women using Adderall , all between the ages of 18 and 49. They are also the 3 most unhappy people that I know. They have marriage problems , legal problems and problems fitting in in regular society. They all drink too much , because if they don't drink they wont sleep. I am convinced that they are being over prescribed these pills and the pills are making them look old and tired. I dont think the drugs are the problem , I am do believe that the doctors prescribing them have no clue what they are doing and in most cases the patients do not need Adderall. In one case my friend is getting her Adderall from her GP , and he prescribed it to her because she asked for it! Doctors need to do a better job diagnosing patients. Also we got by as a society for years without these new "wonder drugs" , I am sure we would be fine without a lot of them now.
5
I'm torn about this story. On the one hand I'm glad the author conquered her addiction. On the other hand, I'm very upset that she abused a drug that is useful for people who have ADHD and wrote a story about that without emphasizing that she was the one who got herself into this situation. No one held a gun to her head and told her she had to take drugs. She made the decision to take Adderall without a prescription and for no good reason. She is lucky that she was able to get it legally because without that prescription (which she lied to get) she would have had to turn to other drugs, perhaps illegal ones.
I have to take the generic version of Zoloft for my depression. When I don't take it I start to experience truly awful feelings, ones that I haven't experienced since I started taking it many years ago. I'd like to stop taking it but, like a diabetic needs insulin, I need the Zoloft. It keeps me functional. I don't get high from it. I feel like myself. I can hold down a job, control my self destructive urges. When I was faced with the loss of my job my biggest fear after 4 months on unemployment was what I would do to continue to get the Zoloft since America doesn't have socialized medicine and doesn't consider it a human right to have access to affordable health care. This writer never faced that dilemma. Perhaps she should in order to understand that some of us really need the meds we're on to live.
I have to take the generic version of Zoloft for my depression. When I don't take it I start to experience truly awful feelings, ones that I haven't experienced since I started taking it many years ago. I'd like to stop taking it but, like a diabetic needs insulin, I need the Zoloft. It keeps me functional. I don't get high from it. I feel like myself. I can hold down a job, control my self destructive urges. When I was faced with the loss of my job my biggest fear after 4 months on unemployment was what I would do to continue to get the Zoloft since America doesn't have socialized medicine and doesn't consider it a human right to have access to affordable health care. This writer never faced that dilemma. Perhaps she should in order to understand that some of us really need the meds we're on to live.
234
This article reflects very poorly on the US medical establishment which continues to enable addiction.
2
"and for no good reason"
she said to help get through school. It helped improver performance. Imagine if many people did this and it helped them. what would those who do not wish to take it do? Sit back and be shut out of medical schools, good schools and grad school? This is a zero sum game.
she said to help get through school. It helped improver performance. Imagine if many people did this and it helped them. what would those who do not wish to take it do? Sit back and be shut out of medical schools, good schools and grad school? This is a zero sum game.
She knows she made the decision and I don't think any reader would see it otherwise. Oh, and socialized medicine ISN"T a human right or even an American right. If it was, it would be in the Constitution. If you want everything paid for and given to you for free, move to another country. That was NEVEr the purpose of America. FREEDOM to choose, like this author, how to live your life, what passions to pursue and what kind of person you will become. That is what America was about.
1
Lots of comments here criticizing Ms. Schwartz' account due to her lack of ADD/ADHD symptoms. Many commenters note that this piece is a hit piece against the drug itself, when it is actually portraying the (illegal) addiction of a privileged person. These points are astute, but as a recent college graduate, I believe that stories like this must be told. The competitive college environment is only alluded to here, but for every Casey Schwartz, there are thousands (anecdotally - likely millions in reality) of students dealing with similar issues. The environment, not the drug itself, should be critiqued. People and students who cannot drive a car or focus on work or do any of the things our society demands should be given this drug. Students at prestigious (honestly, or any) universities, some wealthy and some decidedly not, should read this article. Many of my friends took this stuff. I'm sure many of them still do, and that is a topic that should be explored. Just because white, wealthy students in the Ivy League are taking "study drugs" illegally doesn't mean the phenomenon is restricted to that demographic. I commend Ms. Schwartz for writing a brilliant essay and I implore others to continue to critique this trend for our generation. It is important that the discussion continue.
240
I have no problem with this story being told. I do have a problem with the fact that it does not differentiate between productive and essential use of Adderall for people with ADHD, and people without it who are using it as speed.
10
Well said, SG.
2
You are correct that the catchy headline "Generation Adderall" could do more to accentuate the point being made here - the drug itself isn't necessarily at fault, it is the way it has been misused. However, I think the author does a good job of noting her situation (that she did not have ADD or ADHD) and the way she used the drug ("as speed.") The point, or at least my main takeaway, is that there are many young people becoming increasingly dependent on the drug - largely as a result of our culture's behavior towards it. As a student, would you want to be the only one studying for the test without a drug that, based on hundreds of first-hand accounts from friends, will help you ace that test? Of course you wouldn't. Adderall isn't cocaine - it is seen as a casual study aid, a level up from coffee in many schools and circles. I don't believe the author is condemning the drug itself here, especially for those who actually need it.
3
Slimming the comments, it's pretty remarkable how many people are on Adderall. Fair to say that fact alone lends some credibility to the point that it's over-prescribed and too easily attainable to those who don't actually need it?
10
Next time please, please, please, be more specific with the dosage! One reason getting off Adderall might have been so difficult for this journalist is that she was taking 50 - 150 mg a day ... I use Adderall (15 mg - 3 times a week) to help with mild ADHD and it has helped tremendously. I could focus and handle things without it, and did for years, but it has helped me do more since I've started taking it. I have no trouble sleeping or eating (after the first couple of weeks on it). This article felt much more like memoir and far less like journalism.
17
This reminds me of how I felt when my OCD felt at its height. I sat on the floor of my apartment and wrote a paper on my laptop for two days without moving except to go to the bathroom. My sleep-wake cycles were in total disarray. I would go running at 2am. I was totally disconnected from other people, aside from attending classes. The only time I was on medication was a brief stint on Luvox, which made me feel worse.
These episodes of hyperactivity were interspersed with periods of lethargy. The only thing motivating me to get up in the morning was my coffee. The swings settled down later. Casey Schwartz's story feels so familiar to me, even though I never took Adderall.
These episodes of hyperactivity were interspersed with periods of lethargy. The only thing motivating me to get up in the morning was my coffee. The swings settled down later. Casey Schwartz's story feels so familiar to me, even though I never took Adderall.
5
Adderall is a minor player in the scheme of things.
The drug that has us all addicted and is doing far more damage is SUGAR !
The drug that has us all addicted and is doing far more damage is SUGAR !
11
I think you hit the nail on the head here. It wasn't until I was much older than the author here and started experiencing diabetic sugar tolerance, that I discovered I was compensating for ADD with sugars. I got thru school and everything else by dosing on carbs. The strategy worked until adult onset diabetes started kicking in. Much more research is needed here for sure but my question is, which is worse? Sugar addiction or Adderall addiction?
2
as far as I know one cannot become addicted to sugar nor can it kill (at least as quickly and in small quantities like Adderall can).
1
Perhaps you should google sugar addiction and/or insulin resistance.
2
I have a friend who played in a member-guest golf tournament a couple of years ago. His brother came to the first tee with a couple of Adderall for the both of them. They took them for two days.
In the end, they both shot the best rounds of golf they have ever had. Six strokes better in fact. He remembers having a level of concentration and focus he had never experienced. He and his brother barely spoke for the entire time while playing. They won the tournament by three strokes. The third place pair was 11 strokes back.
The second place pair also shot their best score ever. They had taken Adderall as well.
Three years ago, Chris Davis of the Baltimore Orioles had a prescription for Adderall from his doctor, which MLB was aware of. He actually suffers from ADHD. He had the best season of his career. The next season, MLB rejected his request, despite being under a doctors care. He proceeded to have an atrocious season and eventually took some without permision, got caught and was suspended by MLB and he missed the playoffs.
In the end, they both shot the best rounds of golf they have ever had. Six strokes better in fact. He remembers having a level of concentration and focus he had never experienced. He and his brother barely spoke for the entire time while playing. They won the tournament by three strokes. The third place pair was 11 strokes back.
The second place pair also shot their best score ever. They had taken Adderall as well.
Three years ago, Chris Davis of the Baltimore Orioles had a prescription for Adderall from his doctor, which MLB was aware of. He actually suffers from ADHD. He had the best season of his career. The next season, MLB rejected his request, despite being under a doctors care. He proceeded to have an atrocious season and eventually took some without permision, got caught and was suspended by MLB and he missed the playoffs.
5
Information like this might have be valuable within the article. Don't you think?
2
I suppose I have some sympathy for kids who were forced to use these drugs by their parents, but to be honest, I think the whole thing is a scam. If kids can't take steroids to do better at sports, then why why should kids be allowed to take drugs to do better in school?
12
How do the people that don't take these performance enhancing drugs compete with those that do? Why are the majority of high school students taking the SAT from Fairfield County, Connecticut get them prescribed by doctors?
We take action against athletes but not students and professors.
We take action against athletes but not students and professors.
15
I'm frankly stunned that a piece of writing this irresponsibly thin on actual fact was published in the NYT. I suffer from ADHD and can say unequivocally that Adderall has saved my life. I, too, attended Brown, and nearly dropped out because my then-undiagnosed disorder made studying a punishing ordeal. Those are my "lost years." Still, I struggled through to complete my degree and was lucky enough to be diagnosed by a very smart and compassionate psychiatrist after college. That diagnosis has changed my life, though I still suffer the weight of the stigma surrounding ADHD in ways I couldn't have anticipated. Not least of these is that current laws make obtaining and filling my prescription every month an endless series of small hurdles. I hope to god this article doesn't inspire lawmakers to add any more.
Schwartz's is a sensationalist narrative, like many tales of addiction. It's an unfortunate disadvantage for AD/HD sufferers that the flip side of this tale— the many thousands of lives aided by these medications— are not nearly as compelling. For the vast majority of people taking prescription stimulants allows us to do things like not forget our keys, or get in fender benders, or miss a critical deadlines at work because our medication allows us to fulfill the mundane functions of our daily lives. Nevertheless, please believe me when I say that the normalcy, calm, and relief that Adderall allows many of us to feel is worth thousands of words of its own.
Schwartz's is a sensationalist narrative, like many tales of addiction. It's an unfortunate disadvantage for AD/HD sufferers that the flip side of this tale— the many thousands of lives aided by these medications— are not nearly as compelling. For the vast majority of people taking prescription stimulants allows us to do things like not forget our keys, or get in fender benders, or miss a critical deadlines at work because our medication allows us to fulfill the mundane functions of our daily lives. Nevertheless, please believe me when I say that the normalcy, calm, and relief that Adderall allows many of us to feel is worth thousands of words of its own.
68
Thank you! I couldn't agree more. I hoped for an intelligently written discourse but instead received nothing but a moronic and unconsidered morality fable.
7
Thank you for this comment. My 8-year old daughter requires ADHD medication (she would basically have to be institutionalized without it) and it is a nightmare to obtain the necessary prescriptions: each is good for only 30 days, each requires a visit to an authorized prescribing consultant, and only paper prescriptions are valid (they cannot be transmitted electronically to a pharmacy). In essence, once a month, one of us must take the greater part of a working day off to visit the clinic, obtain a paper prescription, go to a pharmacy and wait for the prescription to be filled. I try not to be bitter about dilettantes who abuse the system and make these ridiculous hurdles necessary--obviously, based on this article, they see themselves as victims, too--but it would have been nice to hear our side of the story as well.
7
(Not Mark) That is so true, they've made it that way with opioid meds and over the counter cold meds. 10% of the population are addicts, let's make life harder for the 90% that aren't! (Numbers just pulled out of my head, have no basis in research!)
1
This is a worrying article. A person who does not have a condition obtains (illicitly?) the medication used to treat the condition she does not have, and then complains about the effect of that medication on her.
Why not instead publish articles on/by:
1. Someone who was prescribed the medication legitimately, and found it helpful.
2. Someone who was prescribed the medication legitimately and found it unhelpful.
Why not instead publish articles on/by:
1. Someone who was prescribed the medication legitimately, and found it helpful.
2. Someone who was prescribed the medication legitimately and found it unhelpful.
70
ADHD medication has been nothing but a blessing to me. I've struggled my whole life with attention issues. Though hard work (and constant anxiety) I was able to be successful in school and professionally. But it wasn't without stress and personal cost.
Two years ago (after first trying non-medical interventions, diet, ect) I went to a psychiatrist and was prescribed medication for ADHD. For the first time in my life I was able to not feel constantly distracted.
For me, not being on medication is like driving down the road in a storm at night. Yeah, I can keep the car on the road, but its a constant, white-knuckled battle to stay awake and not in a ditch. On medication its very different, like driving on a sunny day.
I take as little a dose as is effective for me, and not ONCE have I ever misused or abused my ADHD medication. For those of you who doubt ADHD is "real"...I was recently genetically tested. I have two genes involved in the cellular methylation pathway that don't work efficently. Methylation is how the body makes dopamine (among other things). My body simply doesn't process the "raw materials" for dopamine quickly enough to meet its needs.
There is a BIG difference between people who genuinely need ADHD medication and someone without ADHD who chooses to abuse it. Medication is a valuable tool that (along with diet, exercise, supplements, ect) can truly help certain people.
Two years ago (after first trying non-medical interventions, diet, ect) I went to a psychiatrist and was prescribed medication for ADHD. For the first time in my life I was able to not feel constantly distracted.
For me, not being on medication is like driving down the road in a storm at night. Yeah, I can keep the car on the road, but its a constant, white-knuckled battle to stay awake and not in a ditch. On medication its very different, like driving on a sunny day.
I take as little a dose as is effective for me, and not ONCE have I ever misused or abused my ADHD medication. For those of you who doubt ADHD is "real"...I was recently genetically tested. I have two genes involved in the cellular methylation pathway that don't work efficently. Methylation is how the body makes dopamine (among other things). My body simply doesn't process the "raw materials" for dopamine quickly enough to meet its needs.
There is a BIG difference between people who genuinely need ADHD medication and someone without ADHD who chooses to abuse it. Medication is a valuable tool that (along with diet, exercise, supplements, ect) can truly help certain people.
23
I've taken adderall and never experienced anything like addiction. I don't even feel physically stimulated. It's not surprising that someone could become addicted to an amphetamine, yet it is a useful drug for those of us who see the big picture but can't focus on the details. We need to know more about how addictions form and what happens to the brain when addicted.
10
different people react in different ways to this drug, just like alcohol. Some become alcoholics, others not.
2
It's long drawn out personal anecdotes like these that make it harder for people that actually benefit from taking the drug to be taken seriously by psychiatrists. I finally went the route and got prescribed a year ago in my late 20s, and it has been incredibly helpful, not only in helping me focus but in helping me cope with depression. I don't take it when I don't need to, which is usually on weekends and even in periods of longer time off I have never felt the addictive qualities of 'needing' the drug to function.
It's not a super drug and those that take it chasing such effects are knowingly abusing it. Seems to me the problem is our work-aholic achievement driven culture where good enough is never enough. Time to reassess.
It's not a super drug and those that take it chasing such effects are knowingly abusing it. Seems to me the problem is our work-aholic achievement driven culture where good enough is never enough. Time to reassess.
16
One-size-fits-all is no more the ticket in psychiatric medication than it is in any other medical speciality. Adderall works for some people, not for others. For me, Daytrana--methylphenidate delivered through a transdermal patch--is the ticket. For others it might not be.
But that doesn't make one a more or less legitimate therapeutic choice than another.
I was diagnosed with ADHD as an adult and, let me tell you, it explained my life. Most people don't have ADHD so it's hard (or impossible) for them to relate to those of us who do. They say they knew what it felt like to be restless as children: They dealt with it by running around the playground. They say what worked for them should work for everybody.
But some of us have brains trapped in a gerbil-wheel spin cycle that is slowed to a manageable rate, paradoxically, only by stimulants like Adderall.
That's right: The stuff doesn't have the same effect on me that it has on "normal" people. It doesn't amp me up. It calms me down. I sleep soundly on stimulants. Yes, my brain is wired differently than yours.
And because my brain is wired differently, and my response to such medications is different than yours likely would be, they don't any recreational appeal, either.
I go off the meds for a few (carefully, strategically chosen) days every month just to let my system cycle through it all. I feel no more resistance to setting them aside or eagerness to take them again than I do my daily baby aspirin.
Just FYI.
But that doesn't make one a more or less legitimate therapeutic choice than another.
I was diagnosed with ADHD as an adult and, let me tell you, it explained my life. Most people don't have ADHD so it's hard (or impossible) for them to relate to those of us who do. They say they knew what it felt like to be restless as children: They dealt with it by running around the playground. They say what worked for them should work for everybody.
But some of us have brains trapped in a gerbil-wheel spin cycle that is slowed to a manageable rate, paradoxically, only by stimulants like Adderall.
That's right: The stuff doesn't have the same effect on me that it has on "normal" people. It doesn't amp me up. It calms me down. I sleep soundly on stimulants. Yes, my brain is wired differently than yours.
And because my brain is wired differently, and my response to such medications is different than yours likely would be, they don't any recreational appeal, either.
I go off the meds for a few (carefully, strategically chosen) days every month just to let my system cycle through it all. I feel no more resistance to setting them aside or eagerness to take them again than I do my daily baby aspirin.
Just FYI.
6
I respect this writers need to share her addiction experience but this has nothing to do with the many people who actually have ADHD and respond very well to the medication. This is incredibly one-sided. With kids, they go through extensive cognitive testing and ultimately it's up to us the parents with the help of a psychiatrist to make the decision to medicate. We made our decision to do so with many behavioral supports as well - which is what the evidence supports. And our decision was made in part to help our kid avoid the many, many potential negative outcomes people with ADHD can often experience. Shame on you NY Times for not calling doing a better job editing this.
5
I would like to see at least one profile of an adult who was diagnosed with ADD/ADHD as an adult and all the pain, misery, misunderstanding, conflict, and underachievement inherent in such a condition going undiagnosed. I was told for years and years that I was lazy, undisciplined, and just needed to buckle down, that all my frustrations and failures were the result of a character flaw (or a moral failing). Just fyi - one tends to internalize these assessments from parents, teachers, guidance counselors, tutors, friends, siblings, coaches, etc. It's not like missing a diagnosis is somehow a no harm, no foul situation. Great harm comes from false positive diagnoses (as with the author), but great harm also comes from false negative diagnoses.
10
An important and well written article.
There is little doubt but that ADHD is over-diagnosed in the US, and that stimulant medications are greatly overused, to the detriment of many. This is largely a result of abusive marketing and corporate greed by some big pharmaceutical firms. I am generally a fan of the mainstream drug industry, but these drugs are a glaring exception.
Secondary gain likely contributes to overuse; including the fact that adolescents with a diagnosis of ADHD often get double time on standardized tests. Testing companies fear lawsuits under the ADA if they don’t allow double time.
Stimulant use in children is especially concerning. A child or teenager’s brain is still developing, and the long term sequelae are simply not known.
Like many addicting drugs, there is an initial “honeymoon” when one feels good and all is well. But then, all too often, things go downhill, often tragically so. In many countries, drugs such as these are far more heavily regulated than in the US, or even illegal (e.g., Japan).
Most likely, these drugs should not be illegal in the United States, some people clearly benefit. But they should be much better regulated than today; oresently, they are greatly overused. It may be appropriate to restrict prescriptions to specially trained and certified physicians. And secondary gain – double time on standardized tests, for example – should probably be eliminated through legislation.
There is little doubt but that ADHD is over-diagnosed in the US, and that stimulant medications are greatly overused, to the detriment of many. This is largely a result of abusive marketing and corporate greed by some big pharmaceutical firms. I am generally a fan of the mainstream drug industry, but these drugs are a glaring exception.
Secondary gain likely contributes to overuse; including the fact that adolescents with a diagnosis of ADHD often get double time on standardized tests. Testing companies fear lawsuits under the ADA if they don’t allow double time.
Stimulant use in children is especially concerning. A child or teenager’s brain is still developing, and the long term sequelae are simply not known.
Like many addicting drugs, there is an initial “honeymoon” when one feels good and all is well. But then, all too often, things go downhill, often tragically so. In many countries, drugs such as these are far more heavily regulated than in the US, or even illegal (e.g., Japan).
Most likely, these drugs should not be illegal in the United States, some people clearly benefit. But they should be much better regulated than today; oresently, they are greatly overused. It may be appropriate to restrict prescriptions to specially trained and certified physicians. And secondary gain – double time on standardized tests, for example – should probably be eliminated through legislation.
46
So it should be harder for people with ADD to get Adderall, AND people with ADD shouldn't be given extra time taking tests? Consider having a conversation with someone who's suffered from ADD their whole lives. It may change your opinion.
Stimulant medication is already heavily regulated in the united states. First, I had to undergo a full neuropsych evaluation to be diagnosed with ADHD, and I had to be reevaluated once I got to college and grad school, because the physicians in university health centers are anxious about abuse precisely because of people like Ms. Schwartz. Now, as an adult who has been on medication for nearly 15 years, I still have to see a psychiatrist every 3 months to get my prescription (most family physicians will not prescribe ADHD medication, and many psychiatrists insist on seeing patients with ADHD once a month). My psychiatrist also can't send my prescription directly to the pharmacy, like any other medication, because it's a schedule 2 drug, so I have to bring a paper script and show my ID when I pick it up. I also can't use mail services like express scripts of medco in the state I live in, because there are restrictions on sending schedule 2 medications through the mail. I'm able to deal with all of this, because I have good health insurance and a flexible enough work schedule to make dr's appointment's during the workday, but that's not the case for many people. In other words, it is a myth that ADHD medicine isn't regulated, perpetuated in large part because of people who abuse the medication, and thus make things much harder for the people who actually depend on it.
1
How did this comment become a NYT pick?! There are so many erroneous assertions (offered without any evidence), it beggars belief. But the largest error by far is the conflation of the writer's abuse of a prescription drug with the safe and effective practice of treating a neurobehaviorial disorder that has been in use for decades-- and worked successfully for countless patients. As for the oft repeated complaint that students who receive the diagnosis and are given extra time some how are at a greater advantage than their peers, I can only say: "gimme a break!" For someone who suffers from ADHD, these pills are not performance enhancers. At best, they can only even the playing field.
1
The problem I had with this article -- is that it outlines the author's many achievements and successes and accomplishments while using Adderall. It almost makes the addiction seem worth it.
7
As an MD I always hate seeing an addict which is DEFINITELY a real illness defined in the DSM-V manual demean a medication!
Adderall is a necessary drug in a doctor’s armamentaria of treatment protocols. Let’s not forget that while these drugs can be abused--that’s why they are Level II controlled drugs requiring CLOSE monitoring by the MDs prescribing them..to the point that the prescription must be written on special prescription pads, given small amounts and are NOT re-fillable without another written prescription.
One off label use has been for severely depressed patients. Using the smallest dosage possible (5 mg extended release capsules) a patient with depression can take one as needed to just get them going in the morning. My patients aren’t abusing drugs--well as far as I know--as I only prescribe 10 capsules at a time and are filled in the private pharmacy next to the clinic. The pharmacists know the patients by name as they walk in--a friendly atmosphere. (Too often patients are made to feel as if they are criminals in large pharmacies that don’t know them.)
And yes, anyone who is on a Level II drug (oxycodone, Dilaudid, Adderall etc) does get urine drug tests in the state I’m working in.
We can stop drug abuse if everyone in the medical community were truly ethical. But with folks with true addiction illness, they will find a way to abuse anything...whether gambling or addiction to alcohol, nicotine, or drugs.
We MUST treat addiction as the disease it is.
Adderall is a necessary drug in a doctor’s armamentaria of treatment protocols. Let’s not forget that while these drugs can be abused--that’s why they are Level II controlled drugs requiring CLOSE monitoring by the MDs prescribing them..to the point that the prescription must be written on special prescription pads, given small amounts and are NOT re-fillable without another written prescription.
One off label use has been for severely depressed patients. Using the smallest dosage possible (5 mg extended release capsules) a patient with depression can take one as needed to just get them going in the morning. My patients aren’t abusing drugs--well as far as I know--as I only prescribe 10 capsules at a time and are filled in the private pharmacy next to the clinic. The pharmacists know the patients by name as they walk in--a friendly atmosphere. (Too often patients are made to feel as if they are criminals in large pharmacies that don’t know them.)
And yes, anyone who is on a Level II drug (oxycodone, Dilaudid, Adderall etc) does get urine drug tests in the state I’m working in.
We can stop drug abuse if everyone in the medical community were truly ethical. But with folks with true addiction illness, they will find a way to abuse anything...whether gambling or addiction to alcohol, nicotine, or drugs.
We MUST treat addiction as the disease it is.
7
I'm surprised by the number of commenters protesting, "But this drug really helps me/my spouse/my child." The article clearly states the author was abusing a drug for which she had *no medical need*. The article is about *drug abuse* and its downsides. It's specifically *not* about proper use, and it's not about a balanced view of both sides. It's specifically about the abuse aspect.
Many drugs can be abused. The same drugs are invaluable when used the right way. Seems obvious......people benefitting from it doesn't negate the fact that other people may abuse it, and if that abuse is sufficiently widespread, then that's a legitimate news topic.
Articles about opiate abuse/overdoses aren't about the people who benefit from those same pain meds. Articles about gun deaths don't usually spend a lot of time on the beneficial aspects of gun ownership. Articles about child abuse don't include counter examples of loving families. Articles about abuse are logically going to focus on the bad aspects and not focus on the benefits.
Many drugs can be abused. The same drugs are invaluable when used the right way. Seems obvious......people benefitting from it doesn't negate the fact that other people may abuse it, and if that abuse is sufficiently widespread, then that's a legitimate news topic.
Articles about opiate abuse/overdoses aren't about the people who benefit from those same pain meds. Articles about gun deaths don't usually spend a lot of time on the beneficial aspects of gun ownership. Articles about child abuse don't include counter examples of loving families. Articles about abuse are logically going to focus on the bad aspects and not focus on the benefits.
4
If this is the case the author should have started the article with statistics on addiction, not how often ADHD is diagnosed and stimulants prescribed to treat it. This article is a mess.
4
There's another sinister part of this medication that needs, but doesn't get, attention. In the mid 2000's Canada pulled it from their shelves due to fatalities from cardiac events in children on this medication. Only after the manufacturer included a "Black Box Warning" did Canada return it to consumers. This warning admonishes parents to seek a cardiologist's approval before being prescribed this medication for *KNOWN* heart issues. How many parents routinely have their children tested for cardiac issues? Unbeknownst to me; my 15 year old son's mother had him evaluated for compulsive ADHD because of behavioral issues that I would describe as being a "normal" teen. He was prescribed Adderall. Three months later he died. It was much later we discovered (through genetic testing) that he had an arrhythmia condition that we had no way of knowing he had. It can only be known through genetic testing. He was playing in the pool with friends on a hot August day. So dehydration could have contributed. Has anyone noticed an uptick in sudden collapses/deaths in HS athletes in recent years? I'm not making a correlation but there are no studies that I'm aware of to see if there a relationship. The FDA falls well short of their duties in monitoring this drug and, in the end, it's up to the parents to exercise due diligence.
5
I first read this article through a social media site, and was rather surprised at the sheer number of comments criticizing the author for giving Adderall a "bad name." Addicting drugs are not that particular when it comes to hijacking peoples' dopamine systems. Amphetamines were around when I was in college but not nearly ubiquitous, as they are today.
6
1969. Corvallis. Oregon State University. Fall quarter. I was taking 18 unit. Full load "plus". I had a two finals on the same day. I was caught up with one class. The other class was advanced geology. Current on my labs, behind everywhere else. Text book was huge. The science daunting. Someone offered me "crosstop". Benzedrine. I had never heard of it before. At 5pm the night before the exam I took it and waited, casually picking through the pages of the text I had neglected for weeks. Fail this exam and I could lose my Selective Service deferment, be shipped to Vietnam never to be heard from again...( highly un likely but it was an ever present fear). At about 7PM...after smoking countless Winstons, provided by my generous roommate. I felt the effect of the drug slowly taking hold. Hours later, as the sun was coming up, I lifted my head from the book. I had not only read and reread the chapters. But had taken notes and committed them to memory. Finally, understood the formulas, the different temperature ranges for molecular formation of different rocks and minerals, etc., I correlated my lab results with my textbook information. I sat back and reviewed once more. By 11 a.m. I walked to the large theater where the exam was held. Was handed the exam, finished it in maybe one hour. Went back and reviewed my findings and answers. Made sure all was legible and made sense and was accurate. Turned in my blue book . Got an "A". Powerful stuff. Never used it again.
6
One of my children, a girl, had ADHD. We did not get a diagnosis until age 9 when her school performance absolutely cratered. For years people had told me: " Girls don't have this." But she was an overly wild toddler, a baby who never once took a nap, could be quite destructive-not maliciously-just as a byproduct of exceptional impulsivity. I do think that people with this condition may have done better in a prior world where many of life's tasks were physical and conducted outside. I used to say that school was not functional for the little Davy Crocketts still amongst us. But I once visited Mesa Verde and had the thought that my darling baby would never have survived until age 3 there. She would have tumbled off one of those narrow ledges-albeit with a joyful look on her face. We sought medication for her because she was crying all of the time. Supplies that she left home in possession of somehow got lost on the bus. Other students were annoyed by her behavior. When I went to parent teacher night her small desk was a miniature model of "Hoarders-Extreme version'. She took Ritalin and Adderall for about 10 years. She weaned herself when in college explaining that she took it very temporarily as needed. It helped her during very formative years. It also took her about 12 years to get a college degree-a professional one in a licensed field where she does a lot of good. She is a wonderful, happy, well established R.N, wife and mother. No downside to the meds I can see.
8
This article brings forth so many thoughts and feelings. I'm a clinical psychologist and my husband an attorney. When our son was in the first grade we were notified by his teacher that he was having difficulty learning to read. I had suspected that he had ADD without hyperactivity. At the pediatrician's office my husband and I battled about trying medication on our six year old son. I was insistent that we try the meds. I had seen the results of damaged self esteem for children who were bright but could not perform anywhere near their potential. So I knew that without the medication my child would eventually learn to read. But at what cost to his sense of self?
He was prescribed 5mg. of methylphenidate. Two weeks later I got a call from the teacher. "What did you do? He learned to read.
He is a senior in college now and only takes medication when in class or studying. He took Adderal until he told his pediatrician that it made him feel like a "zombie".
Changed to Vyvanse which is working better.
He detests taking these medications. He takes a drug holiday whenever possible. I worry about the long term effects on his brain.
His biggest challenge now is finding a career where he will NOT need this medication. It breaks my heart when I think of the struggles he has had to endure because of this disorder.
He was prescribed 5mg. of methylphenidate. Two weeks later I got a call from the teacher. "What did you do? He learned to read.
He is a senior in college now and only takes medication when in class or studying. He took Adderal until he told his pediatrician that it made him feel like a "zombie".
Changed to Vyvanse which is working better.
He detests taking these medications. He takes a drug holiday whenever possible. I worry about the long term effects on his brain.
His biggest challenge now is finding a career where he will NOT need this medication. It breaks my heart when I think of the struggles he has had to endure because of this disorder.
15
Brilliant article.
1
I would be interested to hear from a physician reader why ADHD is being diagnosed more now. Was it under diagnosed before, or are we just looking for it and recognizing it more, or has there been an environmental or other cause that is causing the disease to be more prevalent?
1
This is a very good testimonial of one person's struggle with addiction - regardless of the medication used. It just happened to be Adderall. The author cannot be a spokesperson for the many people who have a legitimate diagnosis and receive medication as such. Granted, the author is in good company with many others who use stimulants to get through school. However, the title of the essay "Generation Adderall" is incredibly misleading, as it further perpetuates the stereotype that many people who are taking medication for ADHD are 1. lying about their illness, as perhaps it's not a "real" diagnosis and 2. everyone who takes this medication will become addicted to it, creating a "generation" of addicts. We do have many people who are addicted to many things, so our conversation should be about why people become addicted and how to treat addiction.
10
I whole heartily agree with peter. ufo's comment. It took me nearly 30 years to work up the courage to see a psychiatrist after years of being called a lazy careless procrastinator. I've spent my entire life fighting what another commenter called "foggy chaos" and "swirling thoughts," unable to concentrate on my studies or focus on normal tasks others take for granted. If I was interested in something, I felt a laser like focus that made me immune to hunger or exhaustion but other tasks like doing laundry or running errands made me feel like I was swimming upstream, stuck in my own thoughts. I didn't realize how much my undiagnosed ADHD had been holding me back until I started taking Adderall under the supervision of a licensed professional. When I am on my medications, I don't feel blitzed out or intoxicated. I feel "normal."
In addition, as a Millennial who has been paying for the NYT almost as soon as I've had a paycheck, I'm getting tired of opening the Times every week to see yet another article portraying my generation as a bunch of over medicated, over educated, over sensitive, self-absorbed, non employed, ungrounded, and technologically dependent Kardashian aficionados.
In addition, as a Millennial who has been paying for the NYT almost as soon as I've had a paycheck, I'm getting tired of opening the Times every week to see yet another article portraying my generation as a bunch of over medicated, over educated, over sensitive, self-absorbed, non employed, ungrounded, and technologically dependent Kardashian aficionados.
37
This article was an eye-opener for me. I knew ADD drugs were addictive but I did not realize how bad the addiction could be.
When my son was in the second grade, his public school tried to force my husband and me to put my son on ADD drugs for "behavior problems in the classroom." We (actually me) said no. I am so glad I did. My son showed no signs of ADD at home. I correctly diagnosed my son's behavior was because, though in the second grade, he could not read and he had dyslexia. ADD drugs would not have taught him how to read nor corrected his dyslexia. I hired a special education tutor for my son. By the end of second grade he was reading above grade level. The school never again suggested ADD drugs for my son.
This article has confirmed my belief that ADD drugs are not good for most children. The criteria used by my son's school to diagnose and urge parents to put kids on these drugs was too loose and not rigorous enough. I really wonder how many kids are misdiagnosed at school with ADD when what they really have is a learning disability that could be addressed by tutoring. I was fortunate that my husband and I, combined, earned enough to be able to afford the cost of private tutoring tailored to address his learning disabilities. (My son also has dysgraphia.)
When my son was in the second grade, his public school tried to force my husband and me to put my son on ADD drugs for "behavior problems in the classroom." We (actually me) said no. I am so glad I did. My son showed no signs of ADD at home. I correctly diagnosed my son's behavior was because, though in the second grade, he could not read and he had dyslexia. ADD drugs would not have taught him how to read nor corrected his dyslexia. I hired a special education tutor for my son. By the end of second grade he was reading above grade level. The school never again suggested ADD drugs for my son.
This article has confirmed my belief that ADD drugs are not good for most children. The criteria used by my son's school to diagnose and urge parents to put kids on these drugs was too loose and not rigorous enough. I really wonder how many kids are misdiagnosed at school with ADD when what they really have is a learning disability that could be addressed by tutoring. I was fortunate that my husband and I, combined, earned enough to be able to afford the cost of private tutoring tailored to address his learning disabilities. (My son also has dysgraphia.)
122
This article is written by an addict who has never taken responsibility for his addiction, illicit use, lies and rationalizations for his addiction. Stimulant medications can be misused, but they are tremendously beneficial for people who really need them (don't need to fabricate symptoms to obtain them), and when they are used only as prescribed.
4
If your son actually has ADHD, then you cannot imagine how hard his life is. People constantly scolding him to work harder, get it together, etc. will not solve this problem. In fact these problems will get worse, and compound themselves. Years of talk therapy alone will not solve his problem. By the way, ADD combined with dislexia and dysgraphia is not all that uncommon.
I spent decades afraid of the treatment for ADHD and it makes me sad to think of the years of struggle, criticism from others and self-recrimination that could have been avoided with proper treatment.
I spent decades afraid of the treatment for ADHD and it makes me sad to think of the years of struggle, criticism from others and self-recrimination that could have been avoided with proper treatment.
10
Lots of grammar schools suggest students have ADD and want them on medication. In my opinion, it's because teachers find it easier to tell boys/girls who are easily managed.
Good for you for being alert and getting your child the necessary help!
Good for you for being alert and getting your child the necessary help!
1
Seems some of us must suffer before we appreciate life. Good luck.
2
This is the account of a person who abused medication, and then presents that abuse as is it were an inevitable result and the fault of the medication itself, abetted by the complicity of the medical profession. It's another tale in the long running narrative of psychoactive drugs as being bad and scary for their ability to make you spin out of control. This idea has been promulgated about any substance you can think of; remember "Reefer Madness" and Prohibition? It continues today most notably in the overwrought response to the epidemic of inappropriate hydrocodone use.
I feel the essay was irresponsible for not pointing that the vast majority of people use these types of medication appropriately. I was diagnosed with ADD in my 30's and have been using Dexedrine for 35 years. It's a help, not a panacea, and has to be used in combination with monitoring and behavioral techniques to manage ADD most effectively.
I don't want to minimize the pain of those who find their lives have been hijacked by any particular substance or imply that theirs is a moral failing. But better to research why some have a particular vulnerability rather than demonize substances that are helpful to the majority.
I feel the essay was irresponsible for not pointing that the vast majority of people use these types of medication appropriately. I was diagnosed with ADD in my 30's and have been using Dexedrine for 35 years. It's a help, not a panacea, and has to be used in combination with monitoring and behavioral techniques to manage ADD most effectively.
I don't want to minimize the pain of those who find their lives have been hijacked by any particular substance or imply that theirs is a moral failing. But better to research why some have a particular vulnerability rather than demonize substances that are helpful to the majority.
518
Preach.
7
hubris and ambition of the subject of this article needed to be worked into article more.
3
I FULLY AGREE WITH YOUR ASSESSMENT AND CONCLUSIONS.THE NYT IS COMMITTED TO BALANCED COVERAGE. THEY OWE THEIR LOYAL READERS A STATEMENT ACKNOWLEDGING THIS ONE SIDED ARTICLE BY A PERSON WHOSE CREDENTIALS ARE SUBJECT TO QUESTION REQUIRES EITHER RETRACTION OR A REBUTTAL BY A CREDENTIALED EXPERT IN THAT FIELD.
THAT ARTICLE FAILS TO MEET THE 'ALL THE NEWS THATS FIT TO PRINT' COMMITMENT BY A LARGE MARGIN.
JOEL KRUISSINK
THAT ARTICLE FAILS TO MEET THE 'ALL THE NEWS THATS FIT TO PRINT' COMMITMENT BY A LARGE MARGIN.
JOEL KRUISSINK
America's principle paradigm is failing because it is implicitly based upon a failed philosophical system (e.g., positivism/empiricism/realism/materialism/progress).
Simply put, general social and economic conditions are unhealthy.
There is a propensity for the majority to follow leaders, crowds and/or fall prey to myriad grandiose illusions on offer everywhere from Wall Street to academia. The trend is seriously exacerbated by habitual use of digital devices and social media.
Too many are caught up in a paperless chase, driven by unrealistic aspirations that are heavily reinforced by the social context.
Group thinkers want to belong, thus fear being left behind, left out or simply failing.
Ironically, those who succeed in conventional terms often discover that material success is essentially empty of meaning. If the degree of success seems unlikely to be surpassed, it can even spark an existential crisis. It is very often quite lonely at the top.
I found another way but my path will obviously not work for the majority. No one has ever emulated me and I am already old. If my lifestyle were attractive, I suspect others would have adopted it by now.
Few people create their own individual paths. Most people crave structure and one must play the genetic cards one is dealt.
My advice will seem neither original nor compelling, but here it is:
Know thyself, follow your heart, simplify, choose life, love and health over money, status and fame. Trust your luck and say no to drugs...
Simply put, general social and economic conditions are unhealthy.
There is a propensity for the majority to follow leaders, crowds and/or fall prey to myriad grandiose illusions on offer everywhere from Wall Street to academia. The trend is seriously exacerbated by habitual use of digital devices and social media.
Too many are caught up in a paperless chase, driven by unrealistic aspirations that are heavily reinforced by the social context.
Group thinkers want to belong, thus fear being left behind, left out or simply failing.
Ironically, those who succeed in conventional terms often discover that material success is essentially empty of meaning. If the degree of success seems unlikely to be surpassed, it can even spark an existential crisis. It is very often quite lonely at the top.
I found another way but my path will obviously not work for the majority. No one has ever emulated me and I am already old. If my lifestyle were attractive, I suspect others would have adopted it by now.
Few people create their own individual paths. Most people crave structure and one must play the genetic cards one is dealt.
My advice will seem neither original nor compelling, but here it is:
Know thyself, follow your heart, simplify, choose life, love and health over money, status and fame. Trust your luck and say no to drugs...
1
Ironically, those who succeed in conventional terms often discover that material success is essentially empty of meaning."
Untrue assumption. A few feel unfulfilled, and that few speak most loudly, but the world is FULL of 1%-ers who are very happy to be wealthy. Check of the Hamptons some summer.
Untrue assumption. A few feel unfulfilled, and that few speak most loudly, but the world is FULL of 1%-ers who are very happy to be wealthy. Check of the Hamptons some summer.
1
Time release is intended to deliberately cause addiction. Keeping the level in the blood elevated, even if it's not much, is the most efficient way to produce dependence. It's the same with opioids. This "time release is safer and more effective" mantra is just evil, and self serving of the pharmaceutical industry.
This is a problem that arises directly from privilege. First and foremost, being a white and relatively affluent student at a university. Additionally, the advantage of not legitimately having the serious disorder that necessitates such potent drugs. This addiction is the result of a selfish desire to gain an unnecessary edge. Although Casey is part of a popular trend amongst college students, that does not negate the self-infliction of her addiction. I have absolutely no sympathy for someone who unfairly attempted to advance themselves and blames their following failure to do so on a drug with real problem solving capability. Adderall is not to blame here. When used as intended under professional care, it helps people. Ms. Schwartz must recognize that she is responsible for the choices she made. She consciously disregarded the serious potential that comes with abusing a Schedule II controlled substance. The problem at hand is not a drug that actively helps lots of people in need, but a subset of a generation who believes they are entitled to enhancing their already privileged position by any means, regardless of if they are illegal or potentially life threatening.
286
What does race have to do with it, exactly?
1
If attending college is that privilege, then sure. This drug is not restricted to just white or affluent students - it is pervasive enough on campuses that students of all backgrounds and demographics are able to obtain and use it. It's easy enough to turn it into a race issue when the police aren't making busts and arresting students who abuse it. But when a seemingly large proportion of the student population have their hands on the drug through legal means, and the external effects aren't even obvious as smoking, the "white privilege" perspective is about as relevant as the fact that most kids who attend competitive colleges happen to be white and privileged.
The real defining characteristic is that all the abusers care enough about the supposed benefits of the drug: being able to study all night or grind out papers. Don't make it into a race issue when it simply isn't.
The real defining characteristic is that all the abusers care enough about the supposed benefits of the drug: being able to study all night or grind out papers. Don't make it into a race issue when it simply isn't.
2
I am completely against the use of adderrall for gain in school. However, I take issue with the blame you put on white privilege and affluence. Poor choices related to stimulants in my college classes (community college and state school) were not skewed by race or class. It was everyone. People who lived on campus, people who worked forty hours a week and lived at home, black/white/hispanic/asian, people with poor parents, people with rich parents.
3
I think I'll need Adderall to finish this unusually dull, redundant (so far) NYT Magazine article.
Casey - I am sorry about what you went through, because that sounds really rough. However, I was stung by the fact that you did not try to present the other side of the story - that there are many people who genuinely struggle with ADD/ADHD, and for whom medication genuinely helps. I have severe ADD, and have been taking medication since I was 21 (I am now 27.) I can honestly say that it changed my life. I don't plan to take it forever, and I recognize that transitioning off it may be difficult - but right now, it's what I need to do to manage my life instead of feeling like I'm trapped inside a hurricane or wading through mud 24/7. But I often feel embarrassed or ashamed - in part because of the stigma associated with the medication and its overprescription. I wish almost every day that I didn't have ADD. The stigma around the diagnosis and medication, which is very prevalent, only makes things harder.
9
We know that some abusers crush and snort Adderall for a fast-acting rush. Couldn't that be an explanation for Donald Trump's loud, repeated sniffing at the first two presidential debates? I'm sure The Donald would never touch an illegal "drug" like cocaine, but a prescribed "medication" like Adderall doesn't carry that stigma (at least for world-class hypocrites.)
4
"I did it, and my high-performing friends at an Ivy League school did it, therefore it's a generational trend."
I appreciate the cautionary tale, but that's all this is.
I appreciate the cautionary tale, but that's all this is.
3
What I missed in this confessional expose is how the author paid for her drugs. Did her father enable the abuse? She never seemed to have to face the reality of paying for anything...a huge component of such a story. There are large holes of missing information in the story which challenges the credibility or rather reality of the narrative!
4
As someone who has struggled with ADD and other learning disabilities their entire life, I find this article disturbing. Before my diagnosis, I was completely lost in school, despite being an avid reader and generally a curious person. I remember taking medication for the first time and finally being able to understand and process what was going on around me -- 15 years later, I still remember that moment with complete clarity. I was in middle school, and it was the first time I was able to follow an entire conversation without losing focus and missing most of what was said. Getting my diagnosis and taking medication made a huge difference in my life. I was on Adderall for several years and hated it, so I sympathize with the author but am honestly furious at anyone who contributes to the stigma associated with having my condition and taking medication for it.
I take a different Schedule II drug, and I have been routinely interrogated for over a decade by doctors about whether I take more than prescribed (I don't) and whether I sell my medication (I never have). Getting a prescription, and then the actual medication, every month is a huge, life-interrupting hassle comparable to a root canal. I go through it because without medication, I miss large parts of conversations, lose focus in meetings, and struggle to keep up with school and work. It makes me furious that because of the abuse of people like the author, people who actually have a diagnosis suffer.
I take a different Schedule II drug, and I have been routinely interrogated for over a decade by doctors about whether I take more than prescribed (I don't) and whether I sell my medication (I never have). Getting a prescription, and then the actual medication, every month is a huge, life-interrupting hassle comparable to a root canal. I go through it because without medication, I miss large parts of conversations, lose focus in meetings, and struggle to keep up with school and work. It makes me furious that because of the abuse of people like the author, people who actually have a diagnosis suffer.
11
This article perfectly describes amphetamine abuse and addiction. The author doesn't have ADHD, and was not being treated by a physician. She was abusing a stimulant medication that she acquired illegally.
The article does not describe the safe, appropriate psychiatric treatment of persons who truly have ADHD.
Let's not throw out the baby with the bathwater.
The article does not describe the safe, appropriate psychiatric treatment of persons who truly have ADHD.
Let's not throw out the baby with the bathwater.
9
But it does describer how easy it is to obtain a prescription, which she did. Unfortunately, doctors in this country are all too quick to pull out the Rx pad - the same can be said for opiates.
2
My cousin was addicted to amphetamines. When he didn't have them, he described life as being in a thick, dull, gray fog and I could see that he was listless, purposeless, and lacking in energy to do anything except sleep. However, when he was on them, he was mentally hyper and paranoid. His speech fast and free flowing - he had a beautiful vocabulary - but irrational. He would become obsessed with an impractical idea and devote hours to trying to bring it to fruition. He was also prone to explosive anger, resulting in numerous calls to the police for protection.
Ultimately, his addiction killed him. He developed CHF and then kidney failure, which were treatable, but in his paranoia and reluctance to be cut off from amphetamines, he refused treatment. It amazed me that despite his obvious physical ailments, he was always able to find a psychiatrist to prescribe the amphetamines that stressed his weak heart. My cousin knew this, but the euphoria from the amphetamines was more important to him than staying alive without it.
Ultimately, his addiction killed him. He developed CHF and then kidney failure, which were treatable, but in his paranoia and reluctance to be cut off from amphetamines, he refused treatment. It amazed me that despite his obvious physical ailments, he was always able to find a psychiatrist to prescribe the amphetamines that stressed his weak heart. My cousin knew this, but the euphoria from the amphetamines was more important to him than staying alive without it.
5
Here is the dope on the dope. Aderall is prescribed to a lot of kids who get busted for pot. The truth is that a lot of research has been done with cannabis oil to treat ADHD, more effective and far less toxic. The Drug War has twisted every facet of social interaction into a scam from Big Pharma.
I am a psychiatrist. Part of the problem with stimulants is that the doses prescribed are often too high and too frequent. If you use the lowest effective dose and limit the number per day, it is possible to get the benefits with less chance of problems. They should only be used when you are already sleeping well and exercising regularly, because then they can work at low doses. If you are using them to overcome a lack of sleep, it takes a much higher dose, which is more likely to induce receptor down-regulation. Further, it is good to have breaks where you can make sure your brain is not becoming adapted to the stimulant. Even with these qualifications, however, for some people these medications are not a good idea. In general if a little of something helps, it is not automatically true that a little more will help more.
225
And the author wasn't originally prescribed amounts. Seems that Casey Schwartz relied on her classmates to provide it.
Quite sad that someone was so privileged to attend an elite school and lacked the resources/clarity to get matters sorted out sooner. Really a shame.
Quite sad that someone was so privileged to attend an elite school and lacked the resources/clarity to get matters sorted out sooner. Really a shame.
I have struggled with myself since childhood with having to bite the bullet and pull myself up by bootstraps each and every single day. Awakening of a morning I needed 3 hours to transition into going to work. Upon arriving home after a boringly gruelling day, I would immediately fall asleep as soon as I sat in a chair.
In school I never worked on assignments in an orderly manner. I spent far too much time letting the material settle, processing multiple aspects and, at the last minute staying up all night to complete the assignment. Some friends gave me dexadrine. A big fat tablet. I discovered that I could shave off a little dexedrine dust, put it on my tongue and I would be awake all night, When I subsequently slept, I would wake up ready to tackle life again for another day without any further medication. Functioning and producing was a nice feeling and a relief. I could concentrate, focus and feel good about what I was doing. i also lost weight, an additional boon. I did not do this everyday rather once every 6 weeks or so for a period of a year. But it seemed I needed a jump start to get moving.
At the age of 68 I decided that enough was enough. In retirement I had reached my real productive years not bound by spirit consuming drudgery at a job. And yet i still failed to produce. I saw an ADD specialist, was tested and the result was, in her words, "How have you functioned all these years"?
Speaking to physicians over the years, they never got it.
In school I never worked on assignments in an orderly manner. I spent far too much time letting the material settle, processing multiple aspects and, at the last minute staying up all night to complete the assignment. Some friends gave me dexadrine. A big fat tablet. I discovered that I could shave off a little dexedrine dust, put it on my tongue and I would be awake all night, When I subsequently slept, I would wake up ready to tackle life again for another day without any further medication. Functioning and producing was a nice feeling and a relief. I could concentrate, focus and feel good about what I was doing. i also lost weight, an additional boon. I did not do this everyday rather once every 6 weeks or so for a period of a year. But it seemed I needed a jump start to get moving.
At the age of 68 I decided that enough was enough. In retirement I had reached my real productive years not bound by spirit consuming drudgery at a job. And yet i still failed to produce. I saw an ADD specialist, was tested and the result was, in her words, "How have you functioned all these years"?
Speaking to physicians over the years, they never got it.
this article only serves to remind me how unsuccessful I am. little bump in the road and it winds up turning into a book when family connections gets her the correct publisher
Speaking to colleagues just out of college, they say this stuff is everywhere on campuses. I've been told it's the drug of choice used to get "sober" too. I've always thought all these ADD/ADHD diagnosis' were a scam - better put, over-diagnosed. It's easier to put a disruptive elementary kid on a drug to keep him focused at school rather than being patient, discovering his/her talents and interests and making sure they are physically active, et cetera. I looked back at my education experience and would definitely have been diagnosed with ADD...school was boring, I'd rather have been outside running around, wrestling and playing with my friends. Thankfully, I had a couple of teachers who "got" me and parents - especially a stay-at-home mother - who had patience and provided a good deal of structure.
1
For some people Adderall is poison but for others it is life altering medication. In the mid 90's, after much badgering from my family, I finally sought treatment for what I had always seen as a character flaw. I used Adderall for several years but eventually discontinued it because it was not very effective in treating the "H" in my ADHD diagnosis. Early this year, after yet another intervention by my family, I returned for treatment and was prescribed a very expensive medication, Vyvanse which is very effective. I don't take it every day because it is so expensive. Over the years I have also developed better skills (I'm a long time meditation practitioner) BUT I have to say that there are situations I experience as so stimulating, that leave me feeling "flooded" which make it virtually impossible to screen out the "distractions." In those situations I am unable to prioritize and focus. I also find it very difficult at times to stop talking, interrupting and in general overwhelming people with my "boundless enthusiasm." This leaves me feeling very sorry for the people who have been the recipients of this behavior. I am retired now and because of the decrease in excessive stimulation, the symptoms have decreased somewhat BUT they never completely disappear. So yes many medications can be abused but those same medications, when properly used can bring relief to many people and their grateful families!
5
I was diagnosed in childhood with ADD and used Adderall and other strong stimulants for 12-ish years.
Never was I chasing supernatural motivation, merely the ability to do a worksheet without staring out the window, getting up 17 times, snapping paper clips to keep my hands busy, and then somehow losing the piece of paper. The transition off in college was a bit odd, although not difficult, per se. It has made it harder to manage my weight, I think, since I was not used to a full appetite. My grades fell slightly, but that may have been due to a myriad of other factors including very severe depression (something I have struggled with on and off).
In any case, my point is that I used stimulants as prescribed (very high doses) for years, and did not become addicted. I absolutely never chased another pill, never had any sort of craving. If I forgot to take them one day, I merely felt distracted, impulsive, unfocused and somewhat more energetic.
Only people who are diagnosed (preferably by multiple professionals) with ADD have any business taking prescription stimulants. For anybody else, it is playing with fire. I am very glad I had ready and appropriate access to this medication.
Never was I chasing supernatural motivation, merely the ability to do a worksheet without staring out the window, getting up 17 times, snapping paper clips to keep my hands busy, and then somehow losing the piece of paper. The transition off in college was a bit odd, although not difficult, per se. It has made it harder to manage my weight, I think, since I was not used to a full appetite. My grades fell slightly, but that may have been due to a myriad of other factors including very severe depression (something I have struggled with on and off).
In any case, my point is that I used stimulants as prescribed (very high doses) for years, and did not become addicted. I absolutely never chased another pill, never had any sort of craving. If I forgot to take them one day, I merely felt distracted, impulsive, unfocused and somewhat more energetic.
Only people who are diagnosed (preferably by multiple professionals) with ADD have any business taking prescription stimulants. For anybody else, it is playing with fire. I am very glad I had ready and appropriate access to this medication.
417
Thank you for such an accurate portrayal of what a "real" ADHD person struggles with, especially a student.
3
What we don't hear from you is a definitive statement that you no longer take Adderall or any other medication, for that matter. Yes or no.
I went to undergrad in Britain and then graduate school at an ivy league university. I was stunned by the adderall abuse I saw in the US. Its use is so pervasive, and its benefits so widely believed, that NOT using it is viewed by many as quaint, misguided foolishness. Like insisting on using a typewritter to draft your thesis.
2
I am never taken Adderall or similar drugs, but I am very interested in addiction. I can't believe I read this entire article and she never explains, step by step, how she got off the drug or how others have done so. Did she taper? Does that work for others? Is it safer? What are the medical issues around various forms of withdrawal? So much lead up, so little help.
1
I think an important point not stressed here is this person did not have ADD or ADHD and really had no business taking this drug in the first place. We have an evolving relationship with this drug and it's place in our son's life. He HAS been diagnosed with ADD and he is on the smallest dose possible that will enable him to focus all day in High School. He is wary of the drug and although it does help him focus with a clearer mind for school - has no intention to use it one day longer than is necessary. He halves his dose on weekend and is off of it entirely in the summer. We keep the communication and the reality of the pros and cons of adderall up front and honest. Most of my six brothers have various levels of ADD ( which I would rename Creatively Wired ) and struggled mightily through school - but eventually went on to make great success of their lives their own way - their Creatively Wired brains helping them immensely to excel drug free. I know this is true and it will be for my son as well.
8
What an obnoxious article by someone with no medical background or authority to make these judgements. I'm sorry that you had a bad expensive illegally abusing a drug but for millions of people adderall is a lifesaver. If there's one thing mental health needs no more of, it's a stigmatization of treatment.
Oh, and as an aside, if you think doing your homework on Kant was sublime then you weren't doing it very well.
Oh, and as an aside, if you think doing your homework on Kant was sublime then you weren't doing it very well.
12
What is every bit as dangerous is the astonishing rate these doctors today are putting kids on these devastating drugs. I have a nephew whose mother had her son put on them, and simply because she had 4 kids and didn't want to sacrifice her time on Facebook to raise him and teach him proper behavior and restraint.
I have several friends whose kids were put on amphetamines - supposedly for ADHD. But from watching these friends up close and personal, their kids' problems were almost exclusively their parents' refusal to devote the time and effort necessary to raise them. They were almost universally undisciplined and never taught right from wrong, let alone the simple word "no". When these kids acted up in my home, I put my own foot down and told these kids "no", hoping the parents might notice that it's really not some sort of psychological disorder, but rather a failure to parent.
I fear for this generation of drug-dependent kids who have been raised to believe that anything they do is ok because they are "disabled".
I have several friends whose kids were put on amphetamines - supposedly for ADHD. But from watching these friends up close and personal, their kids' problems were almost exclusively their parents' refusal to devote the time and effort necessary to raise them. They were almost universally undisciplined and never taught right from wrong, let alone the simple word "no". When these kids acted up in my home, I put my own foot down and told these kids "no", hoping the parents might notice that it's really not some sort of psychological disorder, but rather a failure to parent.
I fear for this generation of drug-dependent kids who have been raised to believe that anything they do is ok because they are "disabled".
3
She sounds like just about everybody I met in law school. Minus the whole quitting part.
1
So we have an author who misused this drug from the very beginning, lied to his physicians about his symptoms and now blames the drug, not himself, for his addiction to an amphetamine?
I'm disappointed that the Times published this - not because Adderall is without its problems and risks, but because this is hardly the best person to describe them.
I'm disappointed that the Times published this - not because Adderall is without its problems and risks, but because this is hardly the best person to describe them.
13
The brilliant mathematician Paul Erdős was a regular user of amphetamines. A friend of his became concerned and bet him $500 that he could not stop taking the drug for a month. Erdős abstained for a month and won the bet, but complained that mathematics had been set back for a month: "Before, when I looked at a piece of blank paper my mind was filled with ideas. Now all I see is a blank piece of paper."
People can develop problematic relationships with drugs, but we should also remember that it's possible to have positive relationships with drugs as well. Why are we so afraid of drug dependency? Why is it so bad to need something? My parents "need" coffee every morning or they'll get headaches... are they addicts in need of help? When someone breaks up with a partner, they go through severe emotional withdrawals, weeping about how much they "need" that person... should we avoid romantic relationships?
So much of life is getting involved in relationships with people and things that become difficult to break. Why do we shake our heads in disapproval when the relationship is between a person and a chemical? Why can't we live symbiotically with the substances available to us?
After 31 years on this planet, I've come to realize that even a secular population has its religious beliefs: the idea that drugs are "spiritually bankrupt" in some vague, impossible to define way. We need to critically examine this belief.
People can develop problematic relationships with drugs, but we should also remember that it's possible to have positive relationships with drugs as well. Why are we so afraid of drug dependency? Why is it so bad to need something? My parents "need" coffee every morning or they'll get headaches... are they addicts in need of help? When someone breaks up with a partner, they go through severe emotional withdrawals, weeping about how much they "need" that person... should we avoid romantic relationships?
So much of life is getting involved in relationships with people and things that become difficult to break. Why do we shake our heads in disapproval when the relationship is between a person and a chemical? Why can't we live symbiotically with the substances available to us?
After 31 years on this planet, I've come to realize that even a secular population has its religious beliefs: the idea that drugs are "spiritually bankrupt" in some vague, impossible to define way. We need to critically examine this belief.
384
The NYT won't post this reply, because I talk about money.
First, drugs (chemicals) replace and degrade the body's own chemical production. Ambien causes the brain to stop producing GaBA. Caffeine causes the brain to stop producing adrenaline. Heroin, I think, causes the brain to stop producing endorphins. Drug addiction is bad because it harms the brain and body. Enough abuse will shut down those brain functions for a long time. Long usage will require increased dosing, as the brain becomes accustomed to the agonist (drug).
I know a lot of wealthy people who are more or less substance free, but they ski and race cars. Lots of thrilling hobbies are super duper expensive. By comparison, a pill is cheap.
The main problem with drugs is that change the brain and cease to work over time. I need three cups of coffee now but needed only one ten years ago. The wickedest part of dependence is that it becomes more and more demanding. Take one Ambien this year and need two a night next year.
First, drugs (chemicals) replace and degrade the body's own chemical production. Ambien causes the brain to stop producing GaBA. Caffeine causes the brain to stop producing adrenaline. Heroin, I think, causes the brain to stop producing endorphins. Drug addiction is bad because it harms the brain and body. Enough abuse will shut down those brain functions for a long time. Long usage will require increased dosing, as the brain becomes accustomed to the agonist (drug).
I know a lot of wealthy people who are more or less substance free, but they ski and race cars. Lots of thrilling hobbies are super duper expensive. By comparison, a pill is cheap.
The main problem with drugs is that change the brain and cease to work over time. I need three cups of coffee now but needed only one ten years ago. The wickedest part of dependence is that it becomes more and more demanding. Take one Ambien this year and need two a night next year.
2
Yes. There is some degree of spiritual bankruptcy attached to any, and all drugs. Especially those manufactured by multi-billion dollar drug companies with vested interest in getting as many people eon their drugs as possible.
There are natural remedies available to alleviate any "problem" or "malady" known to humankind that are not infected with that bankruptcy "thang."
The degree to which people pushing drugs keep people from these less bankrupt, more natural, and FAR LESS problematic paths is an indicator of degree of spiritual bankruptcy.
There are natural remedies available to alleviate any "problem" or "malady" known to humankind that are not infected with that bankruptcy "thang."
The degree to which people pushing drugs keep people from these less bankrupt, more natural, and FAR LESS problematic paths is an indicator of degree of spiritual bankruptcy.
I think this is an anxious person who probably should have been prescribed antidepressants but instead learned that ADHD medication can temporarily lift depression but it also amplified her anxiety into a panic attack. The problem was lying to the doctor to get a diagnosis of ADHD instead of being honest with herself and her doctor. I knew someone with ADHD who stopped taking their medication and ended up quitting their job to vagabond around the world on an impulse to do something new.
2
I suspect if parents were told the Adderall is an "upper" by their Dr, they might think twice about giving it to their 12 year old. And if were also told it can create addictive behavior in some, especially if they figure out what happens if they take 2 tabs. But Drs wont say any of that though.
"Adderall, the brand name for a mixture of amphetamine salts"
"Adderall, the brand name for a mixture of amphetamine salts"
7
This is an article about a woman's experience with addiction to prescription medication obtained illegally; not an article about the dangers of Adderall. While her experience is unfortunate, the given information about the pharmacokinetics and dynamics of Adderall is grossly false. I read this article while sitting in with a child psychiatist, observing case after case of children with legitimate ADHD cases who have responded favorably to stimulant medications. Seeing first hand the improvements in the academic and interpersonal functioning, as well as the self esteem of these children, I become concerned about the damage that misinformation in articles such as these can cause. As a health care provider, I would urge the New York Times to more carefully consider the accuracy of medical and Healthcare information that is published in their magazine.
282
This is the narrative of stimulant addiction. Diagnosis of Adult ADHD is a controversial topic these days for obvious reasons.
5
This story does not describe everyone's experience with stimulants, nor could it.
For those dealing with a similar private battle, the author's honest account offers a life-line: You are not alone. This struggle you're up against needn't be permanent. You may yet find yourself out on a summer night, weeping at the joy of being able to hear music again.
The author Brene Brown said that we often seek to numb pain. Who wouldn't? But she goes on to say that what numbs tends to numb everything, the pain and the joy.
Thank you for a compelling account. I hope some readers find it to be a first step toward a brighter world.
For those dealing with a similar private battle, the author's honest account offers a life-line: You are not alone. This struggle you're up against needn't be permanent. You may yet find yourself out on a summer night, weeping at the joy of being able to hear music again.
The author Brene Brown said that we often seek to numb pain. Who wouldn't? But she goes on to say that what numbs tends to numb everything, the pain and the joy.
Thank you for a compelling account. I hope some readers find it to be a first step toward a brighter world.
10
My boss was/is addicted to Adderall, and it was awful to work with someone under the influence of this drug. A bomb could go off next to her and she wouldn't flinch from her current task. I dreaded anytime I needed to speak to her while she was on the drug because I knew she couldn't muster more than 30 seconds of time on me. I remember her screaming and swearing at doctors on the phone if there was a problem refilling the drug. She was likable yet lazy while off the drug, but on it, she was a zombie.
13
I'm torn. I love the writing, and the author presents an experience that will resonate with more than a few readers.
At the same time, I view the narrative as a touch irresponsible; many people, myself included, suffer for years before coming to an ADHD diagnosis. Taking stimulant medication for the first time, I felt like the lights had come on. I was able to finish my dissertation, able to find stable employment, able to engage with the world without the dread that I would invariably disappoint.
ADHD medication fundamentally altered the course of my life for the better. More than seven years later, I can say that I have never abused my medication, and I do not feel like I'm cheating in life. I feel normal.
Selling the story that those who take these meds are often pushed into addiction, or live unfulfilled lives, is dangerous to people like me. The stigma surrounding filling a Schedule II drug every month is not insignificant as it is. I agree these drugs are pushed onto children too often, that pressures of the workforce can drive people to addiction.
But I hope that articles like these do not contribute to increases in regulation that leave more people wandering for years, wondering what is wrong with them. Beautiful piece, though.
At the same time, I view the narrative as a touch irresponsible; many people, myself included, suffer for years before coming to an ADHD diagnosis. Taking stimulant medication for the first time, I felt like the lights had come on. I was able to finish my dissertation, able to find stable employment, able to engage with the world without the dread that I would invariably disappoint.
ADHD medication fundamentally altered the course of my life for the better. More than seven years later, I can say that I have never abused my medication, and I do not feel like I'm cheating in life. I feel normal.
Selling the story that those who take these meds are often pushed into addiction, or live unfulfilled lives, is dangerous to people like me. The stigma surrounding filling a Schedule II drug every month is not insignificant as it is. I agree these drugs are pushed onto children too often, that pressures of the workforce can drive people to addiction.
But I hope that articles like these do not contribute to increases in regulation that leave more people wandering for years, wondering what is wrong with them. Beautiful piece, though.
358
I'm going to have to disagree with you about the fact that this was a beautiful piece. It was banal, millennial pablum. You can find the same narrative all over the internet. I take adderall, I don't like that I depend on it, but I also didn't get into Brown without it, and I didn't start taking it so that I could finish a 3 page essay in a humanities class. I took it because I have no attention span in an academic environment, yet wanted to make a decent life for myself. I guess I could have shrugged and said to myself "welp, the world needs ditch diggers too", but I didn't. I'm a sucess with it. I have no significant stress in my life, I have a masters degree in Engineering, I'm fit, and my apartment is clean. I don't think that would be the case if I'd never taken ADHD medication.
Dopamine receptors are a concern though.
5
As a physician I am often involved in diagnosis and treatment of ADHD. Many patients have other diagnosis ("co-morbid") such as anxiety and depression, conduct disorder, oppositional defiant disorder, learning disabilities or bipolar disease. Diagnosis, careful dosing and meticulous follow up is my duty. My colleagues in psychiatry/ psychology are involved for the comorbidities, but the stimulant medicines only help the ADHD component and must be carefully followed. This writer was abusing a medicine which is not at all meant to be used this way.
5
I don't think the author is bringing attention to legitimate sufferers of ADHD who need Adderall to live a normal life as much as highlighting the dangers this drug poses in the hands of millions of youths who don't need it.
The drug is pervasive among students and young professionals who feel like they need take it to maintain a competitive status quo. The drug itself is not a bad thing - the fact that you, and so many readers are sharing stories of how the drug has transformed lives for the better is a testament to this fact. The dangers lie in a society that is pushing young people to abuse substances in order to be in competitive in an environment that narrowly defines success.
The drug is pervasive among students and young professionals who feel like they need take it to maintain a competitive status quo. The drug itself is not a bad thing - the fact that you, and so many readers are sharing stories of how the drug has transformed lives for the better is a testament to this fact. The dangers lie in a society that is pushing young people to abuse substances in order to be in competitive in an environment that narrowly defines success.
2
As a child psychiatrist I daily witness life changing effects of stimulant medications (Adderall). If utilized carefully these medications can help millions to stay in school, college or in jobs and keep them out of prison system.
Many adult out grow ADHD and it's a good idea to try to taper them off these medication in a careful way. It works for some and not for others.
Many adult out grow ADHD and it's a good idea to try to taper them off these medication in a careful way. It works for some and not for others.
61
Seriously? People outgrow ADD? Or do the symptoms change with maturation?
I've always wondered: What is the control for tests and experiments that lead to these diagnoses? In other words, Mr. Child Psychiatrist, where's that perfect child?
Unfortunately we live in an ADD and ADHD culture where our educational institutions from kindergarten on through graduate and post graduate education are geared to quick fixes and responses and not long term goals.
Our children are not educated (or trained) to concentrate or given outlets for excess energy nor are they taught persistence and perseverance.
Instead of asking the bigger more daunting questions such as "Is there something wrong with how we are educating our youth?" or "Are our barometers of success wrong?" We medicate the 5-7% who are the canaries in the coal mine.
There are ways to train focus and concentration.
We must begin to allow our children to fail to learn that there are valuable lessons to learn. We must increase our tolerance for children out the norm and find other ways to reach them as they may be the most creative and productive members of society in the long run.
There are also nonmedical ways to treat ADD and ADHD such as neurofeedback which have been very successful at producing long term benefits. As a society we have engaged in cosmetic psychopharmacology for far too long and problems with addiction are a result of that.
Our children are not educated (or trained) to concentrate or given outlets for excess energy nor are they taught persistence and perseverance.
Instead of asking the bigger more daunting questions such as "Is there something wrong with how we are educating our youth?" or "Are our barometers of success wrong?" We medicate the 5-7% who are the canaries in the coal mine.
There are ways to train focus and concentration.
We must begin to allow our children to fail to learn that there are valuable lessons to learn. We must increase our tolerance for children out the norm and find other ways to reach them as they may be the most creative and productive members of society in the long run.
There are also nonmedical ways to treat ADD and ADHD such as neurofeedback which have been very successful at producing long term benefits. As a society we have engaged in cosmetic psychopharmacology for far too long and problems with addiction are a result of that.
55
Agree that we live in a society fixed on short term solutions. But, wouldn't you agree that not all method fit all children? That some need support of neurofeedback AND meds? - Thanks
2
I've read that lots of elementary schools have eliminated physical education and play periods. No recess. Then there is their diet from the lunch room, the dietitians working from mandates that pizza (tomato paste) is a vegetable, etc. Or perhaps the vending machines that dispense caffeinated sugar saturated drinks.
Of course there is the profit motive of the drug company who sells Adderall, and perhaps a misdiagnosis from physicians who help to make medical error the third leading cause of death in the USA. How many premed and medical students use Adderall to make it through their competitive studies?
Of course there is the profit motive of the drug company who sells Adderall, and perhaps a misdiagnosis from physicians who help to make medical error the third leading cause of death in the USA. How many premed and medical students use Adderall to make it through their competitive studies?
Dr. Newman, surely you as an MD know that different people respond differently to different treatments.
Biofeedback didn't do it for me. Neither did meditation, fish oil...I could go on.
Daytrana--methylphenidate delivered through a transdermal patch--helped me turn my life around.
Please do not make it more difficult for people like me to get the help we need to be productive, contributing members of society.
Biofeedback didn't do it for me. Neither did meditation, fish oil...I could go on.
Daytrana--methylphenidate delivered through a transdermal patch--helped me turn my life around.
Please do not make it more difficult for people like me to get the help we need to be productive, contributing members of society.
2
I have ADHD, diagnosed at 29, and was prescribed this drug for about two years. It caused me to have mental breakdown that required hospitalization-three times. I feel it did help in creating neural pathways that were more direct in terms of my executive functioning. I am a lot more practical now and find decision making easier from having been on this drug. It was however a very high price to pay for this clarity. I feel I could have gotten most of these tools through the use of a good therapist. I will recommend for my children the therapy approach if they inherit ADHD from me.
9
It's unfortunate Casey Schwartz had a bad experience taking the prescription drug Adderall illegally (scoring the pills from friends or lying about her symptoms to a psychiatrist.) I resent the way this story is hyped in the Times as “Generation Adderall” as if her experience is universal. It is one anecdotal account of a person who experimented with Adderall without a genuine diagnosis or proper medical supervision, supported by other random accounts from forums or individual doctors. I recall a similar story about a boy who abused stimulants published in the Times Magazine a few years ago.
For people with ADD/HD, which manifests itself in early childhood and should only be diagnosed through an extensive psychoeducational evaluation, stimulant medication can make the difference between life success or failure. Let me tell you about Brett, a boy so severely hyperactive that he could not attend elementary school without medication. Or Anna, who before treatment was tearing her hair out from stress. With meds, my daughter graduated from college, unlike her untreated father and aunt. (Once in the workforce she went off meds without problems, as did her cousin, who completed two master’s degrees.) My son was expelled from school before starting treatment for ADD, and is now successful in a top 10 college program for his major.
How about reporting on the numerous people with genuine ADD diagnoses who benefit from appropriate medical treatment with stimulants?
For people with ADD/HD, which manifests itself in early childhood and should only be diagnosed through an extensive psychoeducational evaluation, stimulant medication can make the difference between life success or failure. Let me tell you about Brett, a boy so severely hyperactive that he could not attend elementary school without medication. Or Anna, who before treatment was tearing her hair out from stress. With meds, my daughter graduated from college, unlike her untreated father and aunt. (Once in the workforce she went off meds without problems, as did her cousin, who completed two master’s degrees.) My son was expelled from school before starting treatment for ADD, and is now successful in a top 10 college program for his major.
How about reporting on the numerous people with genuine ADD diagnoses who benefit from appropriate medical treatment with stimulants?
1035
Jack, until you recognize that the drug is an amphetamine (and use that word) AND that it is being given to still unformed brains of adolescents for years, it is difficult for me to embrace your placid notion that "it is good for some."
19
I concur. I think this was an irresponsibly presented article. This person's experience in no way represents mine.
8
It's like opioids.
Some people really need them, and they effectively treat their pain. They manage well on them, use them responsibly, and are able to gradually stop taking them if they're no longer necessary.
Some people really need them, but don't react well to them. They might become dependent or it may not be physiologically or psychologically right for them, and they need to find another way to treat their pain, or risk worse side effects.
Some people don't need them, but they take them anyways because they want a 'benefit' they think the drug will provide. Maybe it does, maybe it doesn't, but overall, they're risking dependence, and awful side effects, even if when they start it feels innocent enough.
Most people don't realize that Adderall can be dangerous—drawing attention to the fact that it can is necessary and responsible. Furthermore, as a current student, I know that this problem does happen to be fairly widespread, especially as ADHD diagnoses have increased greatly over the past decade. That's not to say Adderall doesn't do extreme good for some people, it definitely does. However, the public assumption tends to be that Adderall does good for people, and its downsides are less often examined. To compare it to an article posted a little while ago about contraceptive and depression risk: we don't need coverage on how effectively the pill prevents pregnancy, or alleviate severe menstrual symptoms, we need awareness of less obvious effects we don't expect.
Some people really need them, and they effectively treat their pain. They manage well on them, use them responsibly, and are able to gradually stop taking them if they're no longer necessary.
Some people really need them, but don't react well to them. They might become dependent or it may not be physiologically or psychologically right for them, and they need to find another way to treat their pain, or risk worse side effects.
Some people don't need them, but they take them anyways because they want a 'benefit' they think the drug will provide. Maybe it does, maybe it doesn't, but overall, they're risking dependence, and awful side effects, even if when they start it feels innocent enough.
Most people don't realize that Adderall can be dangerous—drawing attention to the fact that it can is necessary and responsible. Furthermore, as a current student, I know that this problem does happen to be fairly widespread, especially as ADHD diagnoses have increased greatly over the past decade. That's not to say Adderall doesn't do extreme good for some people, it definitely does. However, the public assumption tends to be that Adderall does good for people, and its downsides are less often examined. To compare it to an article posted a little while ago about contraceptive and depression risk: we don't need coverage on how effectively the pill prevents pregnancy, or alleviate severe menstrual symptoms, we need awareness of less obvious effects we don't expect.
8
Great article. Thank you for for sharing your experience with such clarity and for making a difficult-to-understand subject so accessible.
12
I was prescribed vyvanse, a similar drug, for ADHD and really liked it--until I realized I was slipping into fits of rage. One day shaking with anger over something inconsequential, I realized how much it was affecting me. I'm not an angry, short-tempered person, but it was making me into one. I tried to cut the dose. It didn't help. I tried quartering the dose. Still weird pulses of fury. I had to give it up. Some of us have brain chemistry that does not react well to it.
Parents, please beware. It took a couple of months before it began affecting me, and made me a monster (I'm 43, old enough to know better to act that way). Don't assume a teen on this stuff is just turning into a jerk.
Parents, please beware. It took a couple of months before it began affecting me, and made me a monster (I'm 43, old enough to know better to act that way). Don't assume a teen on this stuff is just turning into a jerk.
29
My ex had a similar experience with Adderall, he was like Jack from The Shining. He became so out of control that I couldn't be in a room with him, let alone the same state. I intervened with his doctor, who appreciated getting information that could help her treat him more appropriately. I'm really glad self-realization occurred for you and wish you all the best.
17
Can confirm moderate monstrosity post-vyvanze.
1
Teachers and parents should not have the expectation that every kid will have razor focus.
My parents forced me to take a stimulant my sophomore year of high school. My grades went up and I got into a better college then I was expected to, but I hated who I was. I was no longer the happy go lucky kid (and sometimes class clown) I had built my identity around.
First day of college I called them and said I'm not taking the medication anymore. They asked if I wanted to try a lower dose and I said no, I don't want it in my system at all.
There's a reason I'm not a lawyer and I'm okay with that. I definitely have ADHD and struggle to read long dry passages, but after entering the real world and working a dynamic job I enjoy, I find my "disability" to be more of an advantage than a disadvantage.
My parents forced me to take a stimulant my sophomore year of high school. My grades went up and I got into a better college then I was expected to, but I hated who I was. I was no longer the happy go lucky kid (and sometimes class clown) I had built my identity around.
First day of college I called them and said I'm not taking the medication anymore. They asked if I wanted to try a lower dose and I said no, I don't want it in my system at all.
There's a reason I'm not a lawyer and I'm okay with that. I definitely have ADHD and struggle to read long dry passages, but after entering the real world and working a dynamic job I enjoy, I find my "disability" to be more of an advantage than a disadvantage.
21
Thank you for writing such a thoughtful, articulate piece. Watching a younger generation in action, I see the great danger posed by a combination of improperly used drugs, combined with a smartphone/Internet/instant communication-based culture, AND an increasingly relentlessly paced work and school culture to us all. More awareness is needed around this issue(s), and your piece is a valuable contribution.
6
I can recall similar experiences in college. The mounting pressure to maintain a perfect GPA and that Adderall is a seemingly easy solution. I do agree technology and growing digital distractions/communications plays a role. The euphoria achieved by acknowledging just what you can accomplish in one day/one night while under the influence is equally as addicting. A nod must be given to the author's ability to lose weight. That is sometimes the initial impetus for taking the drug itself.
I am looking forward to any longevity studies on the subject regarding adults who have used (abused) the substance for either college alone, or the years following.
Meanwhile, we are moving into an era of emerging technology where we talk about the implementation of technology under one's skin. Will be be able to achieve the same results using such an approach? For some reason I came away with the piece acknowledging the struggle of this author (and many others) as well as hopeful for a better solution
I am looking forward to any longevity studies on the subject regarding adults who have used (abused) the substance for either college alone, or the years following.
Meanwhile, we are moving into an era of emerging technology where we talk about the implementation of technology under one's skin. Will be be able to achieve the same results using such an approach? For some reason I came away with the piece acknowledging the struggle of this author (and many others) as well as hopeful for a better solution
2
This cult of speed is perpetuated by the pharm industry and celebrity physicians. Amphetamires, opiates and cannabis, are accepted as the norm. Thus author is describing a real problem though the article was too long.
5
I feel badly for you that you got addicted and struggled to get off the pills. I guess that's about it, though. I have struggled most of my adult life with ADD. Adderrall does not make me "do cartwheels." Or stay up all night. Or get lost in a blissful reverie of isolated naval-gazing in the back of a library. I take the minimum amount I possibly can just to do my job and hopefully avoid the side-effects someone who actually needs adderrall suffers. Non-sufferers--themselves often high-achievers--take this to get an edge, to cheat at a game they are already better at.
I'm not sure we totally blame the medical profession for this state of affairs; I'm not even sure we blame you for gaming it. I do resent the entitled attitude, however, that often leads over-achieving individuals who procrastinated, say, writing a college paper, to seek out a drug that enables them, at bottom, to cheat the system. So I guess I'm not sorry that there eventually are consequences for that.
I'm not sure we totally blame the medical profession for this state of affairs; I'm not even sure we blame you for gaming it. I do resent the entitled attitude, however, that often leads over-achieving individuals who procrastinated, say, writing a college paper, to seek out a drug that enables them, at bottom, to cheat the system. So I guess I'm not sorry that there eventually are consequences for that.
101
This was a good essay on the effects and proliferation of the drug Adderall. The most chilling statement, "To date, there is almost no research on the long-term effects on humans of using Adderall." needs to be addressed. It is a powerful and addictive drug, and has ruined many lives.
15
Many psychiatric drugs are taken for very long periods of time and there is almost no data on the long term effects. After the six week drug trials are complete and the drug has FDA approval, no more data is collected. There is only anecdotal evidence of side effects or withdrawal symptoms.
I read your story with tears running down my face, recognizing myself and the nightmare of the past 6 years in each paragraph. Thank you for sharing your story, for helping me not feel so alone. You described one of the (hundreds of) negative side effects of Adderall addiction that haunts me the most, the subtle distance that widened between me and those I love. During Adderall-fueled days, I'd spend time with friends and family only to be thinking there was something else I should be doing, frustrated if by loved ones who just wanted to spend time with me. I was too amped up and self-focused to really listen; my sister described her new dream job but I never retained any details. I understand that some need and derive great benefit from stimulants in treating ADD/ADHD. However, for me it felt like a legal and socially acceptable form of cocaine. That "I can master anything" feeling was incredibly powerful. I'm grieving the past 6 years lived in a amphetamine-fury but am also incredibly proud that, with help from a kind therapist and loving family, I've finally gotten off this crazy ride and how to give hope to anyone else trying to do the same--- it does get better.
21
I really appreciated this article because I'm currently trying to stop taking the anti-depressants I've been prescribed for 12 years. Similarly, I've been told they should be relatively easy to get off, with a little bit of tapering, but my experience is very different. I moved across the country and thought I lost my bottle of pills and have never had such a panic attack. Generation Adderall is also Generation SSRI. The majority of my colleagues take (or have taken) one, or both.
The line that resonated with me most was, "I was anxious, terrified I had done something irreversible to my brain, terrified that I was going to discover that I couldn’t write at all without my special pills." This is my fear - that I'm just an unpleasant, unfocused person without my antidepressants. And who would I have been if I hadn't dosed my brain with synthetic seratonin for 12 years? What if I'm dependent on these pharmaceuticals another 12?
The line that resonated with me most was, "I was anxious, terrified I had done something irreversible to my brain, terrified that I was going to discover that I couldn’t write at all without my special pills." This is my fear - that I'm just an unpleasant, unfocused person without my antidepressants. And who would I have been if I hadn't dosed my brain with synthetic seratonin for 12 years? What if I'm dependent on these pharmaceuticals another 12?
17
Morgan: would you say the same thing about insulin if you were a diabetic? Depression is a disease, and sometimes you have it your whole life--I do. It's a lovely fantasy to think that if you stopped taking your meds, you'd be free and more authentic. Alas, that's not true of me, and I suspect it's not true of you.
1
"This my fear -- that I'm just an unpleasant, unfocused person without my anti-depressants."
Maybe you're a depressed person without your anti-depressants, Any chronic condition will likely return when you stop taking medication for it. If you were correctly diagnosed and prescribed an SSRI in the first place, your dose is stable, and it works without bad side effects, why do believe you need to quit? The author of this essay was not using a drug to reach "normal" -- she was *abusing* it to surpass normal. She never had the illness Adderall treats.
Would you feel bad about being "dependent" on a heart medication? If not, ask yourself why you feel that way about a medicine for depression. When SSRI's have worked for me, they made me the person I would be if I hadn't been born with a defect of brain chemistry that fills my mind with bad thoughts and robs me of pleasure in life. Who would I have been without SSRI's? Probably a suicide.
Any drug can be overprescribed or misused, but it doesn't sound like that applies to you. So what if you take SSRI's indefinitely? What is the harm? Why does "synthetic" equate to "bad"? And what would be better about falling back into depression? I don't see it. Please think carefully and talk to a doctor before going off them!
Maybe you're a depressed person without your anti-depressants, Any chronic condition will likely return when you stop taking medication for it. If you were correctly diagnosed and prescribed an SSRI in the first place, your dose is stable, and it works without bad side effects, why do believe you need to quit? The author of this essay was not using a drug to reach "normal" -- she was *abusing* it to surpass normal. She never had the illness Adderall treats.
Would you feel bad about being "dependent" on a heart medication? If not, ask yourself why you feel that way about a medicine for depression. When SSRI's have worked for me, they made me the person I would be if I hadn't been born with a defect of brain chemistry that fills my mind with bad thoughts and robs me of pleasure in life. Who would I have been without SSRI's? Probably a suicide.
Any drug can be overprescribed or misused, but it doesn't sound like that applies to you. So what if you take SSRI's indefinitely? What is the harm? Why does "synthetic" equate to "bad"? And what would be better about falling back into depression? I don't see it. Please think carefully and talk to a doctor before going off them!
1
The headline and the article do not match. No doubt that psycho-stimulants are being sought by patients and prescribed by doctors without proper training and diagnostic work. But this article is about the author's drug abuse. Adderall is her drug of choice.
I am a 57-year-old man, and my story is a case study of the benefits of Adderall. I was misdiagnosed with depression and later diagnosed with "quiet" ADD in my 40s, by a psychiatrist who spent several hours doing a full psycho-social history.
For me, a 5 mg dose is akin to wearing glasses.
Please don't see this as a wholesale endorsement of psycho-stimulants, let alone one formulation, but more of a suggestion that there is a wide range of accepted practice. Patients need to make well informed decisions. A psychiatrist friend once described his profession as akin to alchemy: "We don't know why some drugs work for some people but not for others."
Just as my story is anecdotal and limited in its usefulness, so is the author's.
I am a 57-year-old man, and my story is a case study of the benefits of Adderall. I was misdiagnosed with depression and later diagnosed with "quiet" ADD in my 40s, by a psychiatrist who spent several hours doing a full psycho-social history.
For me, a 5 mg dose is akin to wearing glasses.
Please don't see this as a wholesale endorsement of psycho-stimulants, let alone one formulation, but more of a suggestion that there is a wide range of accepted practice. Patients need to make well informed decisions. A psychiatrist friend once described his profession as akin to alchemy: "We don't know why some drugs work for some people but not for others."
Just as my story is anecdotal and limited in its usefulness, so is the author's.
1
Recently, I have spoken to three parents who talked about their children's addiction problem. So moving and terribly sad. Fortunately, after years and years, these young people were able to stay off the pills. But it was -- and still is -- a battle to fight each day.
6
As a physician who prescribes Adderall to college students, I find Ms. Schwartz's article completely believable. It is, however, the story of one person apparently caught up in the illness of addiction; this is one potential side-effect of Adderall treatment, but in my experience it is not common and to focus on one story of addiction speaks nothing of the many, many thousands who find Adderall treatment enables them to do well, get their work done in a reasonable amount of time, and spend more time with leisure activities.
I also commend Ms. Schwartz for accurately reporting the interesting research that does seem to indicate that, unless you have ADD, Adderall use does not seem to benefit cognitive performance.
I also commend Ms. Schwartz for accurately reporting the interesting research that does seem to indicate that, unless you have ADD, Adderall use does not seem to benefit cognitive performance.
49
This is a story about addiction, not about the dangers of overmedication. The authors behavior, and her experience, are typical of addiction. She obtained the drug to improve her productivity, not to treat a disorder. She lied to a doctor to secure her drug of choice. She conflates addiction and the issue of overprescription in describing the increasing use of Adderall.
In contrast to the authors experience, patients with legitimate ADD may have the opposite experience; the feeling of getting their life back after years of indirection and failure through the judicious use of medication.
This is a compelling tale about addiction and the struggle to be free. It is not a cautionary tale about the therapeutic use of Adderall.
In contrast to the authors experience, patients with legitimate ADD may have the opposite experience; the feeling of getting their life back after years of indirection and failure through the judicious use of medication.
This is a compelling tale about addiction and the struggle to be free. It is not a cautionary tale about the therapeutic use of Adderall.
254
I would say maybe it's a bit of both. It's definitely a story of addiction, and misuse of drugs, but it's also a story of how a drug that most people view as quite safe can be very dangerous. Adderall does a lot of genuine good for people suffering from severe ADHD, however, that doesn't mean that it's a 100% safe cure-all for problems focusing. I hope this article draws attention to both addiction, and the need for better mental health services.
My son has many friends that take adderall. He tells stories of people popping pills before taking the SAT. It enables many of his friends to push harder for higher scores, grades. They can study more and sleep less ( after spending grueling 12 hour days at school / sports / band, etc). I think this article is well due
15
Reporters: do the public a service and don't manufacture another health scare beckoning regulation because your scarecrow had to seek attention to justify his victimhood. The heroin epidemic started with tightening access to prescription painkillers, Ghb was labeled a date rape drug even though it was a non-addictive antianxiety medication that helped people get off valium, albuterol inhalers became the cause of global warming and were banned, and now a generation of genuinely mentally ill people can't get access to medication because their doctors are in fear of the DEA. I know doctors who won't treat transgender patients because testosterone prescriptions invite federal raids.
This is not news. Stop it. Go back to ethics class.
This is not news. Stop it. Go back to ethics class.
81
Well said! My mother was an elderly woman in chronic pain and was constantly fighting not to have her opiod pain medication decreased because of the selfishness of the abusers, both doctors prescribing and addicts! The majority always suffers for the stupidity of the minority!
1
Huh? The heroin epidemic started because access to pain killers was restricted? I thought the widespread availability of prescription pills was what resulted in so many kids taking them. Are you proposing that we should allow pain pill abuse in order to lower heroin use?
I never did this myself, but it was common knowledge in college that anyone could get a prescription for Adderall, all you had to do was 'go to the doctor and tell them you're having trouble studying.' A friend of mine heard this, did this, and was swiftly given prescription. I don't know enough to say that no one should ever be taking Adderall, but it's far to quick and easy to get a prescription.
15
I know the author is going to be commended for being courageous, both in sharing her story and in beating in her addiction. But hers is also the story of a privileged person looking for shortcuts to an easy life. Great grades at an Ivy League school while dedicating only one night to reading and writing a report that would pass muster at a place like that. Then the incompletes (read extended deadlines) for courses because of her illness ( mental breakdown due to drug use).
I wonder, when reading such accounts if the fear, anxiety and inability to perform is truly all drug related, or if it is the lack of developing time management skills, setting life priorities, taking responsibility for failures and recovering from them that is causing these feelings that lead to the endless cycle of self medication/avoidance. Lack of maturity and social emotional development may be one of the underlying non- biologically based reasons some people become addicted and others don't.
I wonder, when reading such accounts if the fear, anxiety and inability to perform is truly all drug related, or if it is the lack of developing time management skills, setting life priorities, taking responsibility for failures and recovering from them that is causing these feelings that lead to the endless cycle of self medication/avoidance. Lack of maturity and social emotional development may be one of the underlying non- biologically based reasons some people become addicted and others don't.
109
Well-said!
1
The problem is that failures often mean permanent repercussions. There are incredibly high stakes involved (and the accompanying pressure), and many people are compelled to put their physical and mental well-being at risk in order to gain the keys to success.
Jethro,
My response to that would be a philosophical question:
What if you were only able to function on your chosen path using an illegally obtained substance that you had no medical reason for taking? What would your life look like in 5, 15, 35 years? You can start by asking this author, and trying to picture the resulting existence without what appears to be expensive private medical treatment by an addiction specialist.
My response to that would be a philosophical question:
What if you were only able to function on your chosen path using an illegally obtained substance that you had no medical reason for taking? What would your life look like in 5, 15, 35 years? You can start by asking this author, and trying to picture the resulting existence without what appears to be expensive private medical treatment by an addiction specialist.
I feel sorry for you that you felt the need to 'cheat' against your classmates. Did you ever consider time management as an option?
14
Thank you so much for this article. As a recovering Adderall addict myself, so much of what you describe here resonates with my own dark and lonely experience with this drug: the early bliss of isolation and the illusion of perfect productivity, perfect wholeness; then the slow decline of my work and the steady increase of my desire for more pills just to get through the day; the stilted artificiality of my social interactions and romantic life; the sharp and overwhelming rise in anxiety, secrecy, and shame, followed by the inevitable trip to the E.R.; even the late-night attempts to reach out to others on internet message boards who might also be going through this hell. Fueled by the kind of academic and social pressures you describe so well, my life came to be defined in graduate school by my dangerous relationship with this prescription drug. I, too, "lived a paradox, believing that the drug was indispensable to my very survival while also knowing that it was nothing short of toxic, poisonous to art, love and life.” After innumerable attempts to quit or somehow "manage" my addiction, I eventually found an excellent therapist and a drug support group who helped me give up Adderall once and for all, something I once believed was impossible. It wasn’t easy—my first few weeks and even months were also extremely difficult and full of self-doubt—but looking back I am still amazed at the stark difference in my overall health and, yes, my productivity today. Thank you again.
5
I wasn't dx'd with ADHD until I was 57 but suspected it for almost a decade. Like other adults in my age bracket, before this was coming into awareness in school and medical communities, I slipped through the cracks of being dx'd. Low grade enough to have found some coping skill but still burdened enough to reluctantly try Adderall after a year of searching for 'natural' treatments. I found some health aspects that made my symptoms worse such as food and chemical sensitivities, hormonal imbalances, and tried some OTC supplements such as L tyrosine that helped but not enough. I was afraid of a stimulant and addiction. I regret not trying it when my doc suggested it. I felt as if heavy weights attached to my mind were gone. Life is easier--NOT speedier! I use a low dose, do not have any urge to do more, have taken off weeks at a time while having surgeries without withdrawal or urges, maintained weight and healthy habits, and can do more for myself, loved ones and others with less wasted time and energy.
My biggest regret is that I was not dx'd decades ago. Life would have been far easier not feeling lazy, crazy or stupid--common meme with ADHDers. I wish I did not have the burden of atypical neurology yet do admit there is a boon to some traits, hyperfocus and 'popcorn thinking' which can lead to creativity, and endless curiosity that makes life a daily adventure. Using Adderall helps me keep lower the burden while keeping the boon.
My biggest regret is that I was not dx'd decades ago. Life would have been far easier not feeling lazy, crazy or stupid--common meme with ADHDers. I wish I did not have the burden of atypical neurology yet do admit there is a boon to some traits, hyperfocus and 'popcorn thinking' which can lead to creativity, and endless curiosity that makes life a daily adventure. Using Adderall helps me keep lower the burden while keeping the boon.
29
This essay hurts those dealing with the debilitating consequences of true ADHD, where medication can be a lifesaver. ADHD brains, studies show, are associated with lowered dopamine production. It's been labeled a disease by some researchers. People with these brains do not want to "turn cartwheels" after taking Adderall. They don't need a drug to study for an interesting class. People with ADHD brains want to turn cartwheels WITHOUT their medication. Unless something stimulates their interest to the point of hyper-focus, they flit from one thought to the other so quickly that it feels like their minds are a swirl of foggy chaos, preventing them from staying on task. Amphetamine, oddly, slows their brains down enough to get things done that normal people take for granted: wash a load of laundry, take out the garbage, get to class on time. The tragedy is that the drug is over-prescribed and abused by people who don't need it. A hyper kid labeled ADHD may have a perfectly normal brain and simply be curious and exuberant. Of course medication is going to work on him in a negative way over time. The upside of real ADHD is that when the person does NOT take the drug, the swirling thoughts can often lead to moments of great insight and creativity. Most ADHDers would not use the drug to study for a class they found interesting - they would harness their natural ability to hyperfocus instead. ADHDers need drugs to complete mundane tasks, not interesting or compelling ones.
49
Adding on to this, the side-effects that people with ADHD experience are different than those experiences by people using inappropriately. In my personal experience, stimulant medications helped me get to sleep at night. Whenever I went to bed I would be so restless, and I tried many remedies to calm myself but my head would keep rushing and I'd find myself getting out of bed to fuss around the house. I would regularly stay up until 4-5am until I was so exhausted I would pass out. Once I got properly medicated, I no longer felt like I was crawling out of my skin and could stay in bed and fall asleep.
4
It's amazing, isn't it? That's what people don't understand about this condition (I hate calling it an affliction, because at times the ADHD brain is an amazing thing to behold): stimulants SLOW YOU DOWN. Your mind quiets and, often, you can sleep.
4
Big Pharma = 21st century crack dealers.
8
Thank you for this very compelling article! This is precisely why I refuse to allow my kids to take Adderall or Ritalin. It's hard living with kids with ADHD, but I'm concerned about the long-term effects on their developing brains and the increased risk for addiction to other substances as they grow.
4
Adderall - measured by time to addiction, then to destruction - is a softball compared to the uber-amphetamine, methedrine... "Meth." Doctors don't perscribe it any more. In the '60s they did, as "diet pills." Obedrin was one of the big players, a seductive mix of meth and pentobarbital. Just ask your doc, and a prescription was yours. Now all the meth comes from the very black market, complete with contaminants and deep illegality. Lives are destroyed. If it's tough to get off of Adderall (granted), it's almost impossible to get off meth before your teeth fall out and you descend into a special hell that abounds in certain strata of Americans.
This beautifully written piece should be a clear warning about amphetamines of any sort.
This beautifully written piece should be a clear warning about amphetamines of any sort.
5
Schwartz's experience mirrors my own experience. I'm 33 now and began taking Adderall in high school. It became a crutch that I relied heavily on without ever acknowledging how anxious it made me. I remember going on dates and not being able to take a drink of whatever I ordered bc my hands were too shaky. And going to work and having my heart beat out of my chest when I had to do anything in front of an audience.
The waiting room at doctor's office I've gone to for Adderall is a rotating cast of young professionals who all spend about 5 minutes in appointments to pick up their monthly prescription. Adderall made me thin and gave me the energy to push through the tedious office tasks that occupied me in my 20s. How perfect. But the crankiness and emotional highs and lows were certainly a downside.
If I hadn't gotten pregnant, I don't think I ever would have quit taking it. I always told myself that it was fine to take but the instant I found out I was pregnant, reality hit and I knew it was something I needed to stop right away. I never realized how much anxiety was rooted in my taking Adderall. I feel like the same person, maybe a little less ambitious about getting up and being proactive on the weekend, but I feel so much more even-keeled. I don't have emotional meltdowns in my relationship anymore and I feel way more stable overall.
The waiting room at doctor's office I've gone to for Adderall is a rotating cast of young professionals who all spend about 5 minutes in appointments to pick up their monthly prescription. Adderall made me thin and gave me the energy to push through the tedious office tasks that occupied me in my 20s. How perfect. But the crankiness and emotional highs and lows were certainly a downside.
If I hadn't gotten pregnant, I don't think I ever would have quit taking it. I always told myself that it was fine to take but the instant I found out I was pregnant, reality hit and I knew it was something I needed to stop right away. I never realized how much anxiety was rooted in my taking Adderall. I feel like the same person, maybe a little less ambitious about getting up and being proactive on the weekend, but I feel so much more even-keeled. I don't have emotional meltdowns in my relationship anymore and I feel way more stable overall.
4
Reading this article, all I can see is the class divide. Lower class people take meth, and go to prison; upper class take Adderall legally. Both are addictive. Both are amphetamine. Both are popular because they speak to a societal need to be more, do more, and not feel.
24
Thank you for this article. My mother, late 60s, retired, living alone, was prescribed Adderall earlier this year to combat, what she felt was extreme lethargy and lack of concentration (and she did receive a diagnosis for ADD). I've begged her not to take it, but instead to exercise (walk), eat more fruits and vegetables (less sugar, salt and processed foods), meditate and have a sleep routine. Be intentional with her time and days. Unfortunately our culture of quick fixes, instant gratification, poor nutrition, easy access to prescriptions and feeling like crap most of the time is for her and many others, just life, the norm.
10
As a woman who didn't start Adderall until close to 60, with great reluctance, you may be doing your mother a HUGE disfavor! She may not have the 'brain juice' ie, neurotransmitters, needed to exercise--psychomotor retardation https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychomotor_retardation , make good decisions on food, and the frustration of trying so hard to cope when 'out of gas' can lead to cortisol imbalances that interfere with sleep.
I am a 'health nut' and have been for 4 decades. one of the first women to start hard core weight lifting, max lift 347# deadlift at bodyweight of 130, continue to learn about what a healthy for me diet is, sleep better ON Adderall than I did before when I was wired and tired from trying so hard to do what my aging and menopausal body could no longer do. I can't do the heavy exercise that helped most. My body can't take the adrenaline surges needed to 'run on diesel' when I needed a high octane fuel, hormonal changes affect neurotransmitter production and/or NT receptor effectiveness.
At her age, what has she to lose? I weighed the risk/benefit ratio, found that my driving skills rose back to premenopausal levels, am on hormone replacement also, balance improved, and am overall happier, a better companion to my beloved, more useful to self and others.
If you ain't been in her 'brain' you DO NOT have a clue what burden she has.
I am a 'health nut' and have been for 4 decades. one of the first women to start hard core weight lifting, max lift 347# deadlift at bodyweight of 130, continue to learn about what a healthy for me diet is, sleep better ON Adderall than I did before when I was wired and tired from trying so hard to do what my aging and menopausal body could no longer do. I can't do the heavy exercise that helped most. My body can't take the adrenaline surges needed to 'run on diesel' when I needed a high octane fuel, hormonal changes affect neurotransmitter production and/or NT receptor effectiveness.
At her age, what has she to lose? I weighed the risk/benefit ratio, found that my driving skills rose back to premenopausal levels, am on hormone replacement also, balance improved, and am overall happier, a better companion to my beloved, more useful to self and others.
If you ain't been in her 'brain' you DO NOT have a clue what burden she has.
1
As someone with ADHD, who relies on medication to be able to hold my job, remember to pay bills, and manage to drive without getting in car accidents, I'm really disappointed by how dismissive this article is of the fact that some people actually need Adderall to function (The author asserts that ADHD it is over-diagnosed without citing any evidence to support this). The author of this article, bluntly, was an addict, abusing a therapeutic medication. I, and the millions of other people who take medication to manage ADHD are not, and articles like this only reinforce the stigma that surrounds a widely misunderstood disorder. For the record, adults with untreated ADHD are much more likely to abuse other drugs in an effort to self medicate, get into car accidents, be unemployed, and suffer from depression and low self esteem. I went on medication after getting into three car accidents in 6 months, and almost failing to graduate from high school because I couldn't remember to turn in assignments. I'm now a college professor and see the decision to go on medicine as a turning point in my life.
53
That line about "adults with untreated ADHD" cites no evidence, as you accuse the author of doing. Glass houses, stones, etc.
If one in ten, or more, have something, it's not a disorder.
If one in ten, or more, have something, it's not a disorder.
A couple of years ago, my son, who is now 26, informed me he was going to find a doctor to prescribe adderal for him. I violently objected, but of course he did not listen.
Now I am treated to endless weeks of silence punctuated with manic outbursts of talkative ambition wherein he repeats his favorite lies to himself, to me. "I'm going back to school" is his favorite. I don't invite him to my house anymore because I'm afraid of his irrational angry outbursts.
My heart is broken. I myself have been addicted, variously, to alcohol (35 years), cigarettes (45 years), vicodin (7 years), tramadol (5 years); yes, I have an diictive personality. It runs in my family. My father was an alcoholic,
Now I realize my dear, loving son, is in the grips of an addiction so insidious he may never escape. His life is slowly slipping away, one day at a time until he can get his prescription refilled. With all my wallowing in addictive substances, I can imagine the hell in which he has found himself, yet he is in the ravages of addictive denial and I am powerless to help him.
Now I am treated to endless weeks of silence punctuated with manic outbursts of talkative ambition wherein he repeats his favorite lies to himself, to me. "I'm going back to school" is his favorite. I don't invite him to my house anymore because I'm afraid of his irrational angry outbursts.
My heart is broken. I myself have been addicted, variously, to alcohol (35 years), cigarettes (45 years), vicodin (7 years), tramadol (5 years); yes, I have an diictive personality. It runs in my family. My father was an alcoholic,
Now I realize my dear, loving son, is in the grips of an addiction so insidious he may never escape. His life is slowly slipping away, one day at a time until he can get his prescription refilled. With all my wallowing in addictive substances, I can imagine the hell in which he has found himself, yet he is in the ravages of addictive denial and I am powerless to help him.
11
"It didn’t escape me that just as Adderall was surging onto the market in the 1990s, so, too, was the internet, that the two have ascended within American life in perfect lock-step."
My first question is this: Do you think that the demands of DIgital Media and Communication are helping to fuel Adderall Addiction? If the Internet and Adderall have been in "lock-step", maybe we have been creating a world that is too much for us to manage without a crutch.
When it comes to addiction, why do recovering addicts always seem to point the finger back to themselves? Our society demands amphetamine addiction the same way it demands sleep deprivation, someone to blame, debt, tacky posters that say "shoot for the moon but land amongst the stars", standardized tests, and most importantly ... low self-esteem.
Maybe I'm playing Devil's Advocate, but I I wonder if we should blame ourselves or the cage that we are in. I cannot imagine a world like this one that does not also include addiction.
My first question is this: Do you think that the demands of DIgital Media and Communication are helping to fuel Adderall Addiction? If the Internet and Adderall have been in "lock-step", maybe we have been creating a world that is too much for us to manage without a crutch.
When it comes to addiction, why do recovering addicts always seem to point the finger back to themselves? Our society demands amphetamine addiction the same way it demands sleep deprivation, someone to blame, debt, tacky posters that say "shoot for the moon but land amongst the stars", standardized tests, and most importantly ... low self-esteem.
Maybe I'm playing Devil's Advocate, but I I wonder if we should blame ourselves or the cage that we are in. I cannot imagine a world like this one that does not also include addiction.
8
Wow, nice writing! Everybody loves hearing about the journey.
Humans are complex, we can get addicted to suffering as much as anything else. I would go running once a day, and then found myself going out twice, and then a quick mile or two before bed. Like you, it was, "healthy." My brain was okay with it, but my left achilles tendon made a decision for me.
One lesson, is that we love to rationalize. If it has some healthy benefits, it's just part of the rationalization.
Be our own parent. Cognitively, recognize when we are being self destructive. When you are in college, your brain is not fully developed, at that age it's much, much harder.
Humans are complex, we can get addicted to suffering as much as anything else. I would go running once a day, and then found myself going out twice, and then a quick mile or two before bed. Like you, it was, "healthy." My brain was okay with it, but my left achilles tendon made a decision for me.
One lesson, is that we love to rationalize. If it has some healthy benefits, it's just part of the rationalization.
Be our own parent. Cognitively, recognize when we are being self destructive. When you are in college, your brain is not fully developed, at that age it's much, much harder.
Our society rewards Adderall use and abuse. It is as simple as that. The problem for heavy users is that their personality and drive on Adderall is superficial, and not necessarily indicative of what their choices would be sober. We have billion dollar industries dedicated to productivity and achievements measured on "standardized" formats. Such boring and inessential work heralded as the gold standard is why dopamine drugs are here for the long haul. If you don't use them, you lose.
4
Ms. Schwartz didn't have a problem with Adderall as an ADD medication; she had a problem abusing prescription drugs. There's a big difference. I do have ADD, and let me be very clear: Adderall saved my life.
When I was a kid in the 70s, "ADD" didn't exist, or no adult I ever met knew of it. Instead teachers just complained that I wasn't "working up to her potential". They said I was very smart, but just wasn't trying. Except I knew I was trying. So I knew that meant I must really be stupid.
I wasn't diagnosed with ADD until my late 20s, not until I was so depressed at all my failures that I was ready to give up on life altogether. Adderall didn't "fix" my ADD, but it made it manageable. I'm successful in life and at work. My taxes are paid, my laundry is done, and my car inspection is up to date. I don't like doing any of those things any more than the next person, but I CAN do them.
ADD drugs made all the difference in the world for me, but that's because I actually have ADD!
When I was a kid in the 70s, "ADD" didn't exist, or no adult I ever met knew of it. Instead teachers just complained that I wasn't "working up to her potential". They said I was very smart, but just wasn't trying. Except I knew I was trying. So I knew that meant I must really be stupid.
I wasn't diagnosed with ADD until my late 20s, not until I was so depressed at all my failures that I was ready to give up on life altogether. Adderall didn't "fix" my ADD, but it made it manageable. I'm successful in life and at work. My taxes are paid, my laundry is done, and my car inspection is up to date. I don't like doing any of those things any more than the next person, but I CAN do them.
ADD drugs made all the difference in the world for me, but that's because I actually have ADD!
181
Ms Schwartz,
Thank you so much for sharing the story of your painful journey, and I'm so glad you succeeded. Although our societies and technology offer so much benefit to us, I wonder often if we are sacrificing our wellbeing by driving us so hard to accomplish our tasks. Although I’m no Luddite, I think we’ve started to lose sight of the emotional and intellectual benefits of slowing down a bit.
Thank you so much for sharing the story of your painful journey, and I'm so glad you succeeded. Although our societies and technology offer so much benefit to us, I wonder often if we are sacrificing our wellbeing by driving us so hard to accomplish our tasks. Although I’m no Luddite, I think we’ve started to lose sight of the emotional and intellectual benefits of slowing down a bit.
5
As a practicing physician, I am alarmed by the number of young people I see who are taking Adderall, Vyvanse, and other stimulants. As Casey Schwartz shows, it’s easy for any knowledgeable kid to say the right things and get a doctor to write a prescription. There are now more than a dozen scholarly papers showing that these stimulants damage the nucleus accumbens, the motivational center of the brain: see http://www.leonardsax.com/stimulants.htm for those citations. Casey Schwartz does an outstanding job of sharing, from the inside, what it feels like to be hooked on Adderall, to experience that damage.
Leonard Sax MD PhD FAAFP
Exton, Pennsylvania
Leonard Sax MD PhD FAAFP
Exton, Pennsylvania
25
Pity there wasn't something in the article about this drug's ability to turn someone into a total paranoid schizophrenic. I know someone who really went down the rabbit hole on this stuff.
3
This story is compelling, but it seems to be about drug addiction, not about Adderall. It's not so much about "using prescription stimulants" as it is about "abusing illegally-obtained stimulants," which, again, makes an interesting story and is probably very common, but is not the same as taking medication for a condition correctly diagnosed and treated by a qualified physician. My husband takes Adderall for his (real, actual, not faked) ADHD. He experiences no addictive symptoms (stops taking it for a month here and there, doesn't take it on weekends), and is the same person on it that he was for the 10 years I knew him before he started it. All it does is help him focus at work and stay on top of our kids' activities and whatnot without feeling totally scattered and overwhelmed. I wonder whether the issue is Adderall or physicians way too eager to prescribe it to patients who don't actually need it. I also had a college roommate with severe ADHD who tried cocaine (another stimulant) once. It made her want to go home and clean her closets. Brains have different makeups. That using a highly addictive drug when you don't actually need it can lead to addiction doesn't seem like a mindblowing insight. But a good story.
32
This was written by a person who used drugs not prescribed to her and then lied to an irresponsible doctor about symptoms to get more of that drug. There is virtually no examination of her own role or responsibility for the actions she took that made her an addict. She does a terrible disservice to those who actually have ADHD and who actually need these medicines to ameliorate its symptoms so they can function fully.
126
The story is not about a person with ADHD who takes Adderall but about somebody without ADHD who abuses the drug to enhance performance. And yes, it is a known fact that the drug is habit forming particularly in this (non ADHD) group. Adderall is easily available to any high school student and college student. My children have told me that it was offered to them or that their peers took pills to improve their performance. Years ago the NYT had an article on a college student who developed serious psychosis caused by the abuse of Adderall. I do not doubt that stimulants are live saving for students with ADD but I also hope the Adderall is included in the discussion about drug abuse in high school classes.
Very compelling story worth focusing upon.
Life is never like a well edited movie. The “cutting room floor” moments, hour, weeks… do seem to get along better/faster with caffeine, nicotine, and if you have access, amphetamines and other stimulants. “Things go better with Coke.”
The author admitted she may not have had a proper diagnosis of ADHD but simply appreciated the euphoric, focusing effects of the powerful stimulant. Many properly diagnosed persons with ADHD, eventually self-taper off stimulants, often in their mid-20s, as the brain reaches maturity.
“Stratyner estimates that he has treated more than 50 patients trying to stop using the drug; currently, they range in age from 24 to 40.”
The author agreeably describes her decade long addiction to Adderall, cushioned/abetted by apparent wealth, friendships, access to qualified mental health professionals and a very deep well of intelligence and resourcefulness. Many addicts live long with their drugs of choice, though rarely truly prosper without such resources as the author describes she accessed to achieve her eventual recovery.
One day at a time.
Life is never like a well edited movie. The “cutting room floor” moments, hour, weeks… do seem to get along better/faster with caffeine, nicotine, and if you have access, amphetamines and other stimulants. “Things go better with Coke.”
The author admitted she may not have had a proper diagnosis of ADHD but simply appreciated the euphoric, focusing effects of the powerful stimulant. Many properly diagnosed persons with ADHD, eventually self-taper off stimulants, often in their mid-20s, as the brain reaches maturity.
“Stratyner estimates that he has treated more than 50 patients trying to stop using the drug; currently, they range in age from 24 to 40.”
The author agreeably describes her decade long addiction to Adderall, cushioned/abetted by apparent wealth, friendships, access to qualified mental health professionals and a very deep well of intelligence and resourcefulness. Many addicts live long with their drugs of choice, though rarely truly prosper without such resources as the author describes she accessed to achieve her eventual recovery.
One day at a time.
It's an interesting look at a world I wasn't really aware of. But please, please, please. don't use this to condemn all use of this drug. Note that he first and for many years used it illegally and in inappropriate dosing. It can be very helpful, savingly helpful for those that really need it.
I do believe that sometimes it is prescribed too hastily. And this apoears to be a big issue. However, I also know that responsible prescribers take precautions to limit quantities available. I don't know how one fights the black market and pill sharing - addiction is complex. Clearly, not everyone gets addicted. I have ADD and I am more likely to forget to take my afternoon pill instead of taking too much.
Congratulations to the author for overcoming his addiction and best wishes.
I do believe that sometimes it is prescribed too hastily. And this apoears to be a big issue. However, I also know that responsible prescribers take precautions to limit quantities available. I don't know how one fights the black market and pill sharing - addiction is complex. Clearly, not everyone gets addicted. I have ADD and I am more likely to forget to take my afternoon pill instead of taking too much.
Congratulations to the author for overcoming his addiction and best wishes.
4
I truly hope that the problem of Adderol is a part of high school health education, alongside discussion of other drugs.
The really heart-breaking aspect of this story is that the writer had no idea what she was getting into at the beginning. That should not be ever again, for any young person.
My second reaction was to the life-saving value of the good psychiatrist. Affluent people have access to such services. Everyone should have such access who needs it.
The really heart-breaking aspect of this story is that the writer had no idea what she was getting into at the beginning. That should not be ever again, for any young person.
My second reaction was to the life-saving value of the good psychiatrist. Affluent people have access to such services. Everyone should have such access who needs it.
4
Because it is prescribed, users can delude themselves they are not doing harm to themselves or others.
Is it possible this is what Trump is sniffing about? He's a poster child for Adderall. Can't focus or stay on topic. But he seems to be reaching the limits of its usefulness and drifting into an intense decomposition.
Is it possible this is what Trump is sniffing about? He's a poster child for Adderall. Can't focus or stay on topic. But he seems to be reaching the limits of its usefulness and drifting into an intense decomposition.
1
My son takes Adderall on weekdays for school. He doesn't take them on weekends or over the summer, and has never had an issue. I guess it depends on the individual.
2
I don't understand how Casey Schwartz was able to get so much Adderall through psychiatrists. Adderall is classified as a class II drug by the DEA which requires an office visit for each prescription with no refills.
2
I feel for Ms. Schwartz and can identify with the situation that lead to her addition.
I can't help but wonder how many healthcare dollars were spent feeding and treating her addiction.
Ms. Schwartz's painful experience shows the human cost of misusing these types of medications.
There is also, clearly, a significant healthcare cost.
I can't help but wonder how many healthcare dollars were spent feeding and treating her addiction.
Ms. Schwartz's painful experience shows the human cost of misusing these types of medications.
There is also, clearly, a significant healthcare cost.
What healthcare dollars do you mean? Read your insurance policies. Most plans do not cover much. If anything it is paid out of pocket by most folks. I know more than one family who had to mortgage their home to pay for costly the therapy and treatment. People should be way more concerned about the spiraling healthcare cost of diabetes, bariatric surgeries, etc that are often the result of choice made….
This was not a choice made? At least originally?
However the author's healthcare costs were paid, out of pocket or by an insurance company, addictions like these are a drain on our healthcare system.
However the author's healthcare costs were paid, out of pocket or by an insurance company, addictions like these are a drain on our healthcare system.
I'm all for someone sharing their person experience, but I understand that there is a population for whom this medication is NOT the answer. However, there are a great many of us for whom it is quite necessary to stay on the tasks required of fully-functioning adults in this world. Before the medication, I was a flighty, flaky artist, always forgetting details, losing paperwork, and procrastinating on bill payments. When the world accepts that sort of behavior from it's creatives without penalty (and with a living wage!), I'm happy to go off it and fall back into my moody, irrational, generally unproductive habits. Until then, I'm happy with my "sold out" lifestyle that provides me with challenging work along with the salary and time off to pursue my creative interests.
4
I hope you will continue to write and share your experiences living in a world controlled by Adderall and your journey to be Adderall free. Many people will be helped and supported by your work. It takes a great deal of courage to share your experiences... I encourage you to investigate and observe and share even deeper reflections. I sense that these reflections are there. I cried when I read this article... my family has at least one nephew to Adderall addiction... possibly several. It has torn apart my entire family. Never give up. Your writing shares invaluable insights for people who are trying to get off Adderall and also those family members and friends who love them and are trying to support them in meaningful and constructive ways.
1
I'm glad you finally were able to stop and reclaim your sense of self. This article produced through slow deep thought and inner reflection is worth 50 fast paced inch deep works.
I think this article will help many people. Thank you for being brave enough to show others the heart of the journey.
I think this article will help many people. Thank you for being brave enough to show others the heart of the journey.
1
"You", said the MD, "need to relax so your marriage can function." Then he wrote me a prescription for Valium. I had initiated the session because I was deeply unhappy in my marriage. Apparently, the MD did not think to query my husband who was sitting beside me. The year was 1970.
Within a very short time, life was, once again, back to normal: my husband was happy to have a calmer, more docile wife. I felt docile and nothing much bothered me. Already slender, I didn't eat much else beside lettuce and apples, so my 8"7' tall frame weighed less than 110 Lbs. Mother's Little Helper became a part of my day. I was always careful to remember to take a little pill before going out and to bring an extra pill - just in case.
Refilling my prescription was very easy. I would call the MD, who would ask, as an afterthought, "You're not thinking of taking your own life?" It always surprised me, for had I been thinking such thoughts, I would never have said so.
After five or six years, a friend made me realize that I had to stop. I did! It was bad, but not as bad as when I stopped smoking 12 years ago. Without Mother's Little Helper, I gained a LOT of weight from wanting the calm solidity that a Valium provided. Ice cream, candy and cookies could also be used to stuff my feelings down.
Later, I learned how to allow for such urges by finding good substitutes. I also learned how to put off till tomorrow what I crave today. Tomorrow, the chocolate troll is usually far away.
Within a very short time, life was, once again, back to normal: my husband was happy to have a calmer, more docile wife. I felt docile and nothing much bothered me. Already slender, I didn't eat much else beside lettuce and apples, so my 8"7' tall frame weighed less than 110 Lbs. Mother's Little Helper became a part of my day. I was always careful to remember to take a little pill before going out and to bring an extra pill - just in case.
Refilling my prescription was very easy. I would call the MD, who would ask, as an afterthought, "You're not thinking of taking your own life?" It always surprised me, for had I been thinking such thoughts, I would never have said so.
After five or six years, a friend made me realize that I had to stop. I did! It was bad, but not as bad as when I stopped smoking 12 years ago. Without Mother's Little Helper, I gained a LOT of weight from wanting the calm solidity that a Valium provided. Ice cream, candy and cookies could also be used to stuff my feelings down.
Later, I learned how to allow for such urges by finding good substitutes. I also learned how to put off till tomorrow what I crave today. Tomorrow, the chocolate troll is usually far away.
1
As I read your article I was reminded of the allure of Adderall and the way it would intoxicate my mind. I am free of the physical addiction now but I have not yet escaped the memories.
1
A pithy title - but nothing else new here. Many drug addicts of all stripes have harrowing stories - this one is a better writer than most.
But let's not throw out the baby with the bath water. All Schedule 2 drugs (controlled substances) have a high potential for abuse. But they also have currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States. Of the 66 Schedule 2 drugs, 8 are forms of stimulants like Adderal. 49 are opiates or opioids. For those people properly diagnosed with A.D.D., myself included, Adderall provides a welcome respite from the constant bombardment of random thoughts cascading throughout my mind. It slows things down and helps me focus. I am no smarter than before, just a little better organized. Demonizing a medication that helps millions of people with a legitimate need for relief is not helpful to anyone.
Are they overprescribed? Possibly.
But let's not throw out the baby with the bath water. All Schedule 2 drugs (controlled substances) have a high potential for abuse. But they also have currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States. Of the 66 Schedule 2 drugs, 8 are forms of stimulants like Adderal. 49 are opiates or opioids. For those people properly diagnosed with A.D.D., myself included, Adderall provides a welcome respite from the constant bombardment of random thoughts cascading throughout my mind. It slows things down and helps me focus. I am no smarter than before, just a little better organized. Demonizing a medication that helps millions of people with a legitimate need for relief is not helpful to anyone.
Are they overprescribed? Possibly.
8
I often resent the fact that I can't take Adderall. My ADHD came packaged with anxiety and depression, and after trying different amounts of Adderall for weeks, I simply couldn't handle the heightened anxious state I'd be in all the time. I still remember my psychiatrist's surprised face when I told him I didn't want to take Adderall anymore. Sometimes I wonder if I made the right choice, though.
Somehow, having ADHD over the years had more of an impact on my mental health than on my studies or professional life. Since high school, all the way through college, master's and now PhD, I struggled to put the effort and study for exams, and I simply did not know why. I thought I was lazy. Yet, I always managed to get good grades and maintain a high gpa (I think this was due to hyperfocus during exams). However, my lack of effort always made me feel I didn't deserve those grades, that I was cheating. This would spiral into a lot of guilt, impostor's syndrome, and lead to depression. It wasn't until I graduated from college that I found out I indeed had ADHD and sought treatment with Adderall.
Even though the treatment didn't work out, I thought that just knowing about my condition would be enough to talk myself out of the guilt associated with it. Boy, was I wrong. As I write this, I remind myself of tomorrow's midterm exam and of how I haven't touched a book in a week. It's as if I'm still that "lazy" 15-year-old I used to be. If only I could have some Adderall.
Somehow, having ADHD over the years had more of an impact on my mental health than on my studies or professional life. Since high school, all the way through college, master's and now PhD, I struggled to put the effort and study for exams, and I simply did not know why. I thought I was lazy. Yet, I always managed to get good grades and maintain a high gpa (I think this was due to hyperfocus during exams). However, my lack of effort always made me feel I didn't deserve those grades, that I was cheating. This would spiral into a lot of guilt, impostor's syndrome, and lead to depression. It wasn't until I graduated from college that I found out I indeed had ADHD and sought treatment with Adderall.
Even though the treatment didn't work out, I thought that just knowing about my condition would be enough to talk myself out of the guilt associated with it. Boy, was I wrong. As I write this, I remind myself of tomorrow's midterm exam and of how I haven't touched a book in a week. It's as if I'm still that "lazy" 15-year-old I used to be. If only I could have some Adderall.
1
Sell adderall, get to live in a big house. Sell marijuana, get to live in The Big House.
Go figure.
Go figure.
4
Substitute the word Vodka for the word Adderall and you have the same sad story played out millions of times everyday around the world. Ms. Schwartz may feel special, she is not.
7
Interesting and well-written. But it does not contribute much to a discussion of the pros and cons of stims prescribed for people who meet the diagnostic criteria for ADD or ADHD. The author admits she never had the problems associated with the real disorder, so her experience of drug abuse and addiction is just that, rather than an indictment of stims as treatment of ADD/ADHD. That said, I am very cautious diagnosing ADD/ADHD and prescribing stims for the reasons this author explains. We don't know the long-term effects. And we don't know which kids will be prone to abuse and addiction. My practice regarding ADD/ADHD has changed over the years. I no longer diagnose it in anyone over 16, and rarely over 12. Self-reports are unreliable. When adults come to me already on stims, I only continue them if their medical records contain statistically valid psychometric testing iand thorough documentation of the symptoms in daily life. I only prescribe long-acting stims, as the immediate release forms are too addicting. I do urine screens and pill counts. And when I prescribe stims for kids, I regularly revisit the criteria and reduce the dose if possible. My goal is to help that child learn to function well without stims, before adulthood. But this is time-consuming and many patients (and their parents) balk and decide to go elsewhere. There are plenty of clinicians out there happy to accept the self-reports and write a quick script every month.
5
i am sorry you got hooked on this drug. As you know better than most, everyone's brain chemistry is different. Your brain may have been primed to love speed. My brain prefers downers. I don't know whether someone who is truly suffering from ADHD would have problems withdrawing from Adderall.
I used to volunteer in a respite center where parents could drop off their physically or emotionally disabled children in order to get some free time. There were a few seriously hyperactive children. I remember twin boys who were whirling dervishes, so hyperactive the were almost bouncing off the walls. They took some Adderall type drug.
However I started reading and hearing about children, mostly boys, who were not focusing and generally acting out. These kids were dosed with Adderall like drugs, but their behavior bore no relation to the truly hyperactive twins I knew.
It is clear that big Pharma saw a chance to turn a big profit medicalizing misbehavior that was probably explainable by too much Coke, problems in the home, etc. Instead of working to figure out the real underlying problem, they were just given a pill. It always scared me to death to think of the effects of giving speed to developing brains. As you know, at the time no one had done any long term studies on the effect of this drug on developing brains. And, as you know, the brain doesn't stop developing until the midtwenties.
I used to volunteer in a respite center where parents could drop off their physically or emotionally disabled children in order to get some free time. There were a few seriously hyperactive children. I remember twin boys who were whirling dervishes, so hyperactive the were almost bouncing off the walls. They took some Adderall type drug.
However I started reading and hearing about children, mostly boys, who were not focusing and generally acting out. These kids were dosed with Adderall like drugs, but their behavior bore no relation to the truly hyperactive twins I knew.
It is clear that big Pharma saw a chance to turn a big profit medicalizing misbehavior that was probably explainable by too much Coke, problems in the home, etc. Instead of working to figure out the real underlying problem, they were just given a pill. It always scared me to death to think of the effects of giving speed to developing brains. As you know, at the time no one had done any long term studies on the effect of this drug on developing brains. And, as you know, the brain doesn't stop developing until the midtwenties.
1
Thank you for writing this. Bravo!
While much of your article resonates with me, I want to remind everyone that there exists a population of ADHD patients who use Adderall therapeutically; people whose lives have changed permanently and for the better thanks to the diagnosis. These are separate from the peers I've seen in college scouring the campus for Adderall just to have something to do on a Friday night. Their eventual tales of abuse and addiction work to shame those who actually benefit from the drug. I'm not "Generation Adderall" -- My parents have consistently found great relief from this medication long before I was born, and I have never taken more than I am prescribed. I am honest with my doctor and I take vitamins to cushion the known physiological effects.
Not everyone with access to a Ferrari is going to barrel down the highway at over 100 mph. Others, not so much. If you're going to lie to a psychiatrist, you had problems long before the Adderall, and probably could've gotten addicted to an array of other chemicals.
Not everyone with access to a Ferrari is going to barrel down the highway at over 100 mph. Others, not so much. If you're going to lie to a psychiatrist, you had problems long before the Adderall, and probably could've gotten addicted to an array of other chemicals.
10
When I graduated from college, I got a job that was very difficult for me to do. I translated old documents from German into English. The problem was that I was not at all fluent in German. I dreaded going into work. A friend offered me Ritalin (this was before Aderall). It was like magic: take a Ritalin and I marched off to work every morning and didn't mind four hours of translating. Fortunately for me, after a few weeks of this I began to ask myself why I was doing a job that required that I take a drug not to hate it. I quit taking the Ritalin, slogged through the job for another six months and moved to another city for grad school. But it did have one permanent affect: I've always questioned the routine use of drugs for ADD. I knew from personal experience that those drugs made it possible to concentrate on truly dull tasks.
3
On the other hand, there's my sister, who went through extreme depression for many years. With two Adderall a day, she's able to live a real life once again.
10
This is so sad, but of course the writer is one of the very lucky ones. I have several people in my family whose lives have been destroyed by addictions easily traced to early use of Adderall and Ritalin. Self-medicating was a way of life before they were fully formed, and in my mind they are victims. Thanks for this article.
3
Let's STOP the "happy pill" culture to solve social and emotional issues.
It's a vicious cycle of pharma and physician relationship labeling every issue as a disorder in order to promote and sell us their poisonous drugs.
What needs to change is our system.
Government regulating pharma.
Pharma and physician conflict of interest needs to stop.
Education system to be more interactive.
More importantly we need to care about each other, create social networks to support one another and not live in isolation.
Solve our emotional and mental issues socially, not with pills.
All these experts try to put us in a cookie cutter mold.
NO...
We are different. It's ok.
We learn differently. It's ok.
Different things stimulate us.
When you have high energy they say take a pill.
When you have low energy take a pill.
Let's stop this lie.
We do not need any drugs or pills.
It's a vicious cycle of pharma and physician relationship labeling every issue as a disorder in order to promote and sell us their poisonous drugs.
What needs to change is our system.
Government regulating pharma.
Pharma and physician conflict of interest needs to stop.
Education system to be more interactive.
More importantly we need to care about each other, create social networks to support one another and not live in isolation.
Solve our emotional and mental issues socially, not with pills.
All these experts try to put us in a cookie cutter mold.
NO...
We are different. It's ok.
We learn differently. It's ok.
Different things stimulate us.
When you have high energy they say take a pill.
When you have low energy take a pill.
Let's stop this lie.
We do not need any drugs or pills.
2
"To date there is almost no research on the long-term effects of using Adderall." In most other industrialized countries, most with single payer health care systems, drugs like this have to be proven safe before they are released for mass consumption. This is especially true for pediatric drugs. But we put the profits of pharmaceutical companies ahead of the safety of our children. Shame on us.
1
"Casey, Thank you for your honest, painful, and raw depiction of the progression of amphetamine abuse and addiction. I know you have caught significant flack for this article in failing to address, specifically, that your problem was an addiction, and DOES NOT encompass those who require amphetamines for managing chronic medical conditions (ADHD, narcolepsy, and atypical depression, to name a few significant conditions).
I have shared your article with my clients who are in recovery from prescription amphetamine addiction who share your demographic privileges- those who are white and born to upper-middle class parents who have well attended competitive places for higher education. The response I have received has been overwhelming. My clients who share your history of addiction feel voiceless, and wracked by guilt about their addictive abuse of medications that benefit those who truly need it.
Thank you for sharing your story of addiction and recovery. Your vulnerability is courageous, and provides hope to many. ATchicagocompass.