I was forced to discontinue my adderall 20mg XR dosage because of my mom's closemindedness about listening to me of how much it has helped, but do I am seem drug dependent?

-I love the fact that adderall patched up my errors and allowed to function at my fullest capacity
-I doubled my dose as a 17 year old minor, but I only did it because my doc informed my mom and myself of experimenting with my own dose.
-I hate days when I don't take it
I.E. Sundays-I just hate not being able to fully function on any certain day because to me, it just seems like I wasted time since I will either just forget about it or lose focus on it. Note: I didn't take it on sundays because I wanted to retain adderall's effects fully and not gain tolerance. I sacrificed feeling like crap on sunday, but I believed it was worth it for the long term run
-I desperately wanted my mom to schedule another doctor's appointment to acquire a prescription of adderall b/c A. She tries to make me forget about having ADD and B. it does wonders to my life so I need it

I know you guys/gals aren't doctors or the sort (well maybe there are in the forum heh), but could I get an outside opinion if I seem to have a drug dependency or not? I can't decide if I am or not...

-I still try to perform at my fullest even when unmedicated which is now..

I'm not a doctor, but you say days when you don't take it, you hate those days which sounds like you might be dependent to the adderall. There might be a reason that your mother wanted you to get off the adderall, maybe she thinks that you should try to do your best without even taking the adderall. If it does wonders in your life then you should take it because then it will help in school and your personal life outside of school. Hope this helped. PS, nobody can make you forget that you have ADD it is something that you have and without it your life might be easier in school and such but it would make you a differnt person if you didn't have ADD.

ADHD does not go away on Sunday's or weekends and then suddenly follow us to work or school. If you were getting a benefit from your prescribed dose then I encourage you to continue with your treatment. And if you stay with the adderall I believe it's best to take it seven days a week as does most of the current literature I have come across.

As for the dependence question that the OP brought up I would not focus on this too much but instead think of the medication as one tool to help you better manage your ADHD. If you decide to discontinue adderall it's best to discuss this with you doctor. Good luck and keep us updated.

My god, I was basically reading what I wrote the other day for my english essay and wow, I cannot believe what I wrote and actually received an A while taking adderall. Now I am just trying to write another paper but wow, this is just a freaking burden because I keep forgetting what in the hell I am supposed to be writing about...God there has got to be a faster way for me to become 18..........................

I honestly do not know how more I can take of this everyday. I keep losing everything in my mind. Friends, respect, grades, hope....

Amphetamine Dependence according to the DSM IV is something that occurs with Tolerance to the drug to obtain the same effect. The pattern of use is usually consistent of going on binges and sleeping for a week afterward, during the binges you don't sleep and a binge dose of Adderall would be like 800 mg at least.

You were taking something that is indicated by the FDA for a psychiatric disorder that you are diagnosed with and the behavior that you describe added to my personal experience with similar behavior when I was dependent on Cocaine in my late teens/early 20's, I highly doubt you would meet criteria for amphetamine dependence.