I have been putting off getting treatment for ADD because my mother died due to anphetamine addiction.

Hi vickymon. Welcome to the addforums. It's ok to be worried about amphetmine addiction since that's what your mom died of. There are alternitives to Adderall and Dexadrine (amphetamine-based) meds, like Ritalin, Focalin, Concerta, Daytrana (patch), Zoloft, Celexa, Wellbutrin, Effexor, and many more. Make sure to speak with your doctor and explore your options. Again welcome to the forums... Good Luck...

Andy...

Thank You for welcoming me and thank you for replying.
I did actually allow a very good phyciatrist to prescribe me Ritalin about 7 years ago.
It did nothing for me. He asked me if it made me hyper and I said no. He said. That he had worked me up to the highest dose over about 6 weeks time and if I was not feeling even a little hyper on it then a did truely have ADD and he would like to try me on another ADD medication. I got scared and pulled out of treatment.

Yesterday my doctor prescribed Adderall for me and I tried it yesterday and today. And I am very frightened that it might actually help me. I feel more focused and it did not make me feel much more energetic than I was before.

I really had a long thought out letter wrote on this board and when I clicked Post. It disappeared. Frustrating.

I don't know what could cause that...

I would just like to be able to accept responsablilties like normal people do in the world.
I want to make my husband and my children proud of me and work a full time job and go where I am expected to go and not always be so self centered.

Is it usual for ADDers to be self centered?

I will type out the whole story again sometime and save it on text document and then post it here and you might better understand me.

I know I have been an underacheiver and I am tired of feeling the low self exteem that comes along with that. I also know that I am capable of much more. As they say, I am not lazy, crazy or stupid. Fact is, I just can't pull it all together and put it out there.
I get to befuddled.

Just hang in there. You will find out everything you need in time. It'll definatly be soon. We do have a journal section under the section creative writing if you ever want to use that at all to share your stories. Best of luck and keep us updated.

Not only that. I get befuddled. I end up expecting too much recognition for what I do. I tend to want to be the center of attention. Is that usual for and ADDer?

I didn't even tell my husband that I started on Adderal because I don't want him to get upset that I started on the same sort of thing that my mom was doing and I am just trying this. If it doesn't work I don't want to disappoint anyone. I will be disappointed enough. It took a lot for me to break down and another medication for ADD.

I'm 46 and I am sure I have been
ADD all my life.

There's some evidence that people with ADD are actually less likely to develop addictive behaviors when they are getting treatment, because it supplies something the brain needs.

Be sure to stay in touch with your doctor. If Adderal works for you it will make a big difference, and after experience with it you probably won't worry as much about becoming addicted. If you're still uncomfortable, ask your doctor about non-addictive meds.

For the most part, ADHD medication when taken by those with ADHD (and without?) in standard therapeutic doses (that being much less than what an abuser would take) is not addictive (does not produce withdrawal when stopping the drug). If your mother was abusing amphetamine/amphetamine from the street in doses much higher than standard therapeutic-level doses, then there probably isn't much to worry about, as anyone can get addicted (physically) in those instances. Considering that your mom could also have ADHD, she would naturally be inclined to trying amphetamine and liking the effects, and thus getting addicted as one normally tries such drugs at high doses to begin with.

As charonshanti stated, those properly treated for ADHD are less likely to continue to have or later develop substance abuse issues. People with ADHD that are untreated seek out substances in order to self-medicate, whether it be methamphetamine, cocaine, caffeine, nicotine, alcohol, MDMA, etc. Filling the gap will decrease these tendencies dramatically.

I moved this to the Addiction & Substance Abuse forum as it fits this topic better. Anyway, welcome to the forums and feel free to introduce yourself in the New Members Introductions forum (the one you originally posted this in). :)

Thank You.

I was a person who used to snort 80 mg of ritalin per hour in high school and the medication that helps me for adhd is dexedrine and the fact that your mother had an amphetamine addiction may be a factor as to why you have ADD. I view my medication as just that, A long acting medication may help you the best if addiction is a concern but it isn't rational if you can find one that is safe. Addicts get addicted to amphetamines because of a high they get from it and ritalin and cocaine are the only 2 drugs I get that kick from but I don't look for that in asking for a prescription so that helps as well