Today I was thinking about how shy I am. Its weird, because when I am not on Adderall I am shy. I get really nervous about stupid things, and because I care so much I screw it up. I overworry, and end up ruining whatever I am doing.

When I am on Adderall I am not nervous at all, but after about 30 minutes of it kicking in, I dont feel like talking. I just want to work. If people talk to me, instead of being nervous about having a ton of silence or feeling like I need to talk - I just sit there. I will say "yea" or something short now and again.

Today I had a few screwdrivers, and that really took the edge off. It was weird, because I am the type to get nervous when I really want something to do good. But when I am buzzed, I still want it to go good, but i dont freak out. I just "do it" and it works out. Weird huh?

I think this may be the start of a drinking problem. I wonder if I have social anxiety disorder. Comments?

It's funny..I have noticed without medication, if I have a few drinks, I completely calm down, and feel like I do when I take the medication....I also seem to focus a lot better, but there is a fine line, and once it is crossed, the calmness goes, and the hyper me comes back, but even worse..and nasty..

The Dr said alcohol is medicating to ADD as long as you don't pass that fine line...
I don't feel like drinking half as much now-a-days...I would talk to your Dr and see what they say!!

Thank you for the edification tracyhaddb! Its nice to know that my feeling calm and relaxed isnt just my becoming an alcoholic! I havent tried doing any work when I am buzzed, but I will try now!

I know alcohol is a depressant, meaning it slows down your brain. I think maybe my brain is going lightening speed and thats why I get nervous a lot. Does anyone else have a type of semi-anxiety type symptoms that go along with their ADD? If so, what medication works best to relieve the ADD and Anxiety?

I know alcohol is a depressant, meaning it slows down your brain
Actually alcohol kills some brain cells along the way…

Alcohol is not the way to go long term wise…..IMHO using alcohol as a means of dealing with social anxiety is like playing with fire while pumping gas…. There is no guarantee this mix will explode but there is a chance it will!


There are medications out there that doctors can prescribe that will help in a more effective and safe manner than the one you are suggesting.

Addiction happens when an invisible line between enjoying a few drinks to relax to needing a few drinks to cope is crossed. The major problems being the line is invisible and no one knows when or if they have crossed it until it is too late!

Some links to anxiety and ADD may be of some assistance!

Anxiety (generlized) and ADD (http://www.addforums.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?s=&f=140&page=1&pp=25&sort=lastpost&order=desc&daysprune=30)

Info on social phobia (http://www.addforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=24810)

It is pretty well known that people with ADD can become alcholics because of the way it slows thebrain down. It makes us feel a little bit more incontrol and socialable. The thing is that this can go out of the way. My mother was an Alcholic and likely could have ADD so her disability lead her to deal with it through alchol. I don't reckomend this aproach as it is highly distructive, and can lead to problems that can take years to recover from.

oh yea , I can relate to this , I'm 41 and when I was young I found grass, I was off to the races , not knowing then that this quieted my racing brain and would allow me to focus , after a while I became of age and decided that grass was a pain to obtain and alcohol was easy as pie - man I cannot not begin to tell you the havoc I brought into my life then I hurt so bad emotionally I went into rehab and then joined AA . I wish the story ended there but it did'nt probably the only thing that slowed me down was age and responsibility