I am 26 years old and haven't used any recreational drugs (unless alcohol counts), so I have never experienced what it feels like to be high. When I take Adderall I feel energetic, focused and happy...sort of buzzed, but motivated and productive. From reading about Adderall, people who do not have ADD experience the same feelings when they take it. How do I know that I am improving my ADD and not just getting high? Is this experience any different than someone who is just abusing the medication?

My biggest fear is to become dependant and addicted to medication. Because Adderall makes everything so much more pleasant, I can see how it can be addictive. Addicts commonly claim that they can stop what they're abusing at any time....they just don't want to. This scares me a little and blurs my preception of wheter or not I am beginning to become addicted to the medication. At any point in time (that I'm not trying to sleep) I prefer the feeling of being on Adderall than not. Is that bad? I'm not sure. I would image if someone had sevre vision problems that at any moement in time (when they were not sleeping) they would prefer to wear glasses or contacts so that things are in focus. But no one is addictied to glasses. I just don't know how to tell the difference. What do you guys think?

-Ish

My biggest fear is to become dependant and addicted to medication. Because Adderall makes everything so much more pleasant, I can see how it can be addictive.
-Ish

There are many threads here concerning the fear of addiction (or not). Check them out, then talk to your doctor.

My simple metric for "drug abuse" starts when you actively seek that mild euphoric feeling above all else. The slight buzz will go away after your body fully accomodates to the drug.

The only way to get the buzz back is to escalate dosages beyond any beneficial or theraputic effect. And beyond what any descent doctor will prescribe.

When you start down that dark tunnel, your clear cool glasses turn opaque.

Otherwise, it's great to get the benefits of a drug that is safe if taken as directed, with knowlege and caution.

IMOHO.

Cheers,

With the exception of smokes I have never been addicted to anything and yet I share your concern and for the same reasons. I have tried recreational drugs and this is not the same thing. Once my body adjusted to Addreall, I have not noticed that buzz feeling that you talk about.

I am 40, happily married for 15 years, have three kids and have been successfully self employed for eight years. I don't have a reason to believe that I will become addicted but I am going to pay attention to the feeling of "seeking" the euphoric effect that you get when first starting out.

I have been taking Adderall XR for about a month and the benefits are undeniable.:)

I'm afraid to ask my Dr.for another prescription to boost the 25XR I'm taking in the morning.It wears off in a few hours......I don't want to get 'strung out' on something I started to 'help' me in the first place!What to do??!!!!

You are not going to get "strung out" on theraputic doses of Adderall. It's very common for people to find that the initial dose that worked for them at the very start - typically a low dose - doesn't quite do it anymore after a few weeks. I'm not sure if this is part of the brain's adaptation to the drug, or perhaps as we see improvements, we realize that we still have some pretty foggy moments - but I had this happen too. Once I adjusted my dosage up a bit, and experimented to see what worked best, I've settled on a dosage that hasn't changed since. I suspect that the same will be true of you. 25mg/day of Adderall isn't that much, and I'd venture a guess that you'll find another 10 or 15mg per day just about right. As long as your BP and HR are OK and the side effects aren't a bother, that amount of drug will not cause you any harm or make you addicted or dependant - you may prefer to be on it because of the improvements you see in yourself, but that's not an addiction. If you find that you are increaseing the amount you take continually, and can't take a day off or are obsessed with the drug, then you will cause to worry.
Regards,
Greg