I have been able to quit drinking for 5 years after struggling with alcohol for 10 years. Since I have been taking various ADHD meds (doc has changed them a few times). over the last month such as concerta, adderall and vyvanse. I have been having a STRONG craving for alcohol, and I have actually given into it several nights in a row, which has me in a state of deep depression now. I can't freaking believe I am doing this after all of the years I have stayed sober and freaking happy. I refuse to be this person for my daughter. Do I have to stop taking ADHD meds?

Not necessarily sweetheart! Just because you're having issues now doesn't mean they're directly related to the medication you're taking. It could just be that you're feeling really pressured emotionally right now from all the changes that are going on (diagnosis, medication, working on accepting both of these and the fact that you've got a lifetime disorder).

Try not to get too depressed that you gave in a few times. Your daughter loves you even if you made those mistakes. And forgive me for bringing religion into the conversation, but I strongly believe that guilt is the Devil's greatest tool in our lives. You mess up once, you feel guilty over it, and instead of doing the other things God had lined up for you, you're busy being guilty or trying to "make up" for a human mistake.

Alternatively, if you rather, you could be using that "guilty energy" to do something much more productive; namely, finding a psychiatrist, therapist, or trusted person to help you find the root of your issues, which are possibly in turn causing you to turn to alcohol.

Another explanation is that you're simply changing meds too quick, the meds you have aren't lasting you long enough and the "down" part of the day is putting undue stress on you, or you need a different medication. Concerta, adderall, and vyvanse are all stimulants-maybe you need something else.

Just know that you aren't alone in your alcohol problems or your ADHD ones; we're all here for you, and your daughter loves you very much. *hugs*

Also, (for your sake and my urge to help but lack of knowlege), tell us specifically what the alcohol is doing for you that you crave. For me, I never drink alcohol on a day that I take stims... until yesterday, I wanted to spicen up a cheap frozen pizza, just with a taste (and possibly a feeling, idk really). I only took a sip after a couple cheap pizzas, and when I finished the pizza I put the bear back in the fridge to go flat (to be fair though, it's a really foul batch I was drinking).

Taterbug,

Finally! I have been saying this for 3 years and no one seems to understand what I'm going through. I have been on adderhal and concerta for 3 years. I notice some benifits and some terrible side effects. One of them is when I take the ADD meds, I almost have to drink to calm down. The combiniation of the two is not good for our health though.

The combo gave me high blood pressure while I was on it. I have gotten off of the ADD meds and am not drinking either.

I agree....I take the stims to get me goning and focued but when I want the down, I want the drink. Not good.

Taterbug,
I would suggest that you address the alcohol issue ASAP, the disease does not go away just because we don't drink. It is cunning, baffling, powerful and patient. The phenonmenon(sp) of craving does not occurr in the average drinker, it only occurrs in the brain of an alcoholic. Get in touch with someone from AA in your area. Good luck and I will keep you in my prayers.

I have gotten off of those stimulants that give me the rush as that is what brings on the craving. I was also self medicating to calm down form thje "high". Be honest with your doctor and they shoudl world with you to find what the right combo is. You relaly have to be your own self advocate

This is a topic of great interest to me. I've wondered why there's not more written on it and, specifically, warnings for adults with Add/Adhd recovering from alcholism that they be mindful that temptation may increase if they take stimulants. If you struggled with alcoholism for 10 years, I think you should have a doctor or therapist who is knowledgable about the connection.

I have no hx. of alcoholism or addiction of any kind yet for a time had a hard time craving wine at night. And as soon as I went off my meds, the craving went away.

I've never been a drinker so it caught me off guard. The first time I drank hard liquor, around 14 was my last. It was a rite of passage in the mid 70s where I lived, you/friends waiting for a night someone's parents went out, get friend's big brother to buy booze, get blitzed though you knew you'd get caught. Five or so rum and cokes had me throwing my guts up. I'd eaten lots of pizza so the vomit smelled awful. Since it was in my friend's bathroom and her parents would soon be home, we tried to cover it with Chanel #5. (An even worse yuch than plain vomit). Since that event, I've not wanted a mixed drink nor do I wear perfume. All I've cared for as an adult is one glass of wine when I go out to dinner, every two weeks so. And sometimes I don't finish it.

About 9 years ago, my husband and I separated for a time and I was dating someone. We were busy, both custodial parents, worked, attended grad school. At most, we had one night weekly to see each other though if one of our kids needed us we'd cancel. He started calling on the phone every few days, after his kids were asleep. It would be around 10 pm. My ritalin schedule was 4x daily, starting at 7 am, last dose at 6 pm. Phone talking is awkward for me. In the first place, I don't like it. I'm visual and have a hard time if I can't see who I'm speaking with. Second, my thoughts are unpleasantly fuzzy around that hour so I like it even less.

I enjoyed this man, his warmth, humor, patience though, and he was the opposite on the phone, confident and cheerful. One night when he called I poured a glass of wine, thinking it'd help me tolerate the conversation better. Not only did it, I felt warm, calm, pleasantly fuzzy. I loved being that way and soonafter, I started calling him nights he didn't call me, in easy chair with wine. By month 3, I was drinking a bottle of wine in a 2 hour conversation! The 3rd month, something else happened. On nights we didn't talk I began craving wine. I started to sneak-drink. If I went out to dinner, I'd hide one or two single-serve bottles in my pocketbook, embarassed because 2 glasses of wine wasn't enough. I knew about tolerance, but I didn't expect it so quickly.

Long story short, 4 months after the phone-drinking started, I had a two week vacation. One thing that surprised me as I never knew about this association either -- drinking caused me a pot belly. Since teens, I'd been lucky that way, flat stomach no effort, even 2 months after birthing one 9 and one 10 pounder. This wasn't just a bump, it was big and grabbable. The weirdest thing was, I didn't put on weight anywhere else; legs, arms, butt stayed in shape. In a bathing suit I looked 5 months pregnant! So here's the end and the point of the story (YES -- IN MY OPINION THERE'S A SERIOUS CONNECTION BETWEEN ADHD MEDS AND CRAVING ALCOHOL). During my vacation, I went off ritalin for a week. It was an ocean vacation and that's the safest place for me, unmedicated. The air and surf has a healing effect. The frst day off ritalin, my friend called at night. I had no interest whatsoever in drinking wine. I was my old befuddled self, wanting to get off the phone. I asked him, since I was off all day and he had a lunch hour, could we talk then? He was fine with that. After vacation, I told him about the wine problem and he agreed it would be in my best interest if we didn't speak at night.

So in my experience, Add/Adhd meds can cause an intense urge to drink at night, even if you've never had a problem. As a result of my experience, I no longer plan social interactions after 9 pm, unless it's a day I can put off taking my first dose of ritalin til 10 am and take my last around 9.

It could be the meds or the amount of meds. When I was on too high of a dose of Dex, I found that at the end of the day I'd feel jittery/on edge and would really want a drink to take the edge off - and I'm typically not a big drinker.

On a lower dose of Ritalin, at the end of the day - I don't have that urge to drink. I just find with higher doses of stimulants, once it starts to wear off -your mind is still a bit racey (but not in an ordered way) and a bit of lingering restlessness which makes you want to grab that drink to take the edge off.

Thanks for sharing your story, I'm in the same boat myself. I've been clean and sober for almost two years now. I read a few of the replies other people wrote but it's obvious they are not alcoholics.

Although this is probably not what you want to hear, a drug is a drug, and most of these ADHD medications are basically amphetamines. Any drug I have tried has always lead me back to drinking. Eventually the consequences of my drinking were so great that I came to realization that I could not safely use any form of drug. I was a sober a year before I had some surgery and was given pain killers and I was drunk again within a month.

Strattera is not a abusable drug though, so you might want to give that a try. I recently got back on it myself. My sponsor who has over ten years sober also has taken Strattera without issue.

I dont know much about alcohol, I havn't taken a sip in my life (on exception of the jello shots when I was young, I thought it was plain jello XD), But I'm guessing it might be because of the stems... eather way, if you get cravings thats not healthy. You sohould probably consult AA, even if it IS just the stems that give you the cravings. Alcohol cravings=BAD!! O.o

ME TOO!
I know that for me though, it's anxiety brought on by the meds that makes me want to drink, not so much just for the sake of drinking. It helps me relax. I am going to lower my dosage so hopefully this won't be an issue anymore. Also, I have a prescription for xanax which helps a lot.

I was diagnosed with add three weeks ago, until then i was drinking heavily on weekends only for over 7 years and it was my way of self medicating, so until i was able to see my phychiratrist (which was a three week wait) my DR put me on edronax because it apparently helps up to 40% of add symptoms but also is good for people with addicitions. i started on it at only 2mg a day and it has been a month and i cant even think of drinking... its unbeleivable! weird too... all my mates are still smashing the booze, i hang out with them but dont want to binge. It actually works maybe u could try that? my phychiatrist wants me to stay on it aswell, he even suggested to have it only on weekends if i like. also he said edronax takes up to 6 months to reduce the symptoms of add but is a long lasting med if you can hang out for that long. in the three weeks of having it, i found it made me not drink alcohol and wake up with alot more energy.

i was put on ritalin two days ago, 10mg pills, having 1 a day then two etc to find the right dose. had two this morning but crashed at 1pm made it tough to finish the last 3 hours at work... might try 2 in the morning and one in the afternoon tommorow? any suggestions?

Thanks for all the helpful posts and sharing your experiences! It has been very helpful. I started tracking it and realized that I was having the alcohol cravings for about 1 week before my female cycle started (every month). I talked to my doctor about it and it is not unusual. I am getting help for the horomonal fluctuations and I am happy to report that my alcohol cravings are GONE!! Thank goodness. That was scary. I thought that I would have to go off the medication.

Good to hear you are better!!
Use your will power to conqueor any future uges to drink. The fact that you know what leads to the urges to drink means that you can controll them!

After quitting Ritalin last summer, I went through two months of strong cravings for alcohol. I don't drink anymore and had never had a drinking problem. I never craved liquor like that when I did occasionally have a drink. I was very much relieved when the urge went away.

I can completely relate. On Adderall IR 20 mg twice a day. Like clock work every night when my medication is wearing off I get intense cravings for alcohol and severely anxious and depressed. It's quite frustrating but what I like least is I entirely lose my personality during this period. Normally I'm rather light hearted / laugh easily but I'm like a robot at night. Thus when my boyfriend calls at night i'm overwhelming tempted to have a couple drinks or i'm a raging *****, which I hate.

It's quite frustrating unmedicated I'm happy go lucky and unproductive, medicated I'm quite productive and quiet and grumpy it's as if I can't even think of anything to say. The only thing that remedied it was a short Adderall/Xanax stint but alas that can't be maintained. Something must be going on with the GABA receptors.

They make me crave smoking. Not presently medicated partly due to that issue.

Interesting. I just started on Vyvanse. I have a friend who is in recovery and has been sober for more than 5 years. He is also on ADHD meds. He has never gone back to alcohol. I admit I am concerned. However I do not think it is a requirement to drink. I would like to know more.

How many meetings have u been attending?

Are u praying in the morning and at night?

Are u in regular i.e Daily contact with ur sponsor?

Are u involved in service work?

Are u working with other alcoholics?

I do not think ADHD meds mean a person has to go back to drinking. I have a friend who has remainded sober. That gives me hope.

Also ask about Staterra. Is meant to be less addictive than other meds. Anyway glad u are still with us . I was in and out of AA for 13 years before I got step 1.

Remember alcoholism is "Cunning, Baffeling and Powerful." It will do and say anything to get us to drink. AA is a "we" program. Do not try and deal with alcohol alone. U will not win.

Thanks so much for ur post.

my personal opinion is that is add meds are leading you back to drinking you may b e on a dose that is unknowingly getting you high

when i was on a dose that was a little to high my impulsiveness increased instead of decreased , went back down and my ciggarette smoking decreased along with my urge to drink

adderall 15xr

I do not think cravings I may have are due to the medication. I believe that in my case at least it is due to my alcoholism. Earlier this evening I was feeling great. I was thinking my "problem is not alcohol. My problems are mental health. That means I can drink like normal people now." Thankfully I stay close to AA and people in the program. I also am involved with a lot of literature meetings. Immediately chapter 3 of the "Big Book" popped into my mind. Chapter 3 is entitled "More About Alcoholism." Pages 30 and 31 talk about the delusion that alcoholics have that some how, some day alcoholics will be able to drink like normal people. It also says this delusion has to be smashed or the alcoholic may follow such thinking into insanity or death.

I believe my addition is separate from my ADHD. I doubt that an person who is ADHD and NOT an alcoholic would have had the obsessive thoughts about alcohol that I had earlier tonight. They were really scary. As they say "Alcohol is cunning, baffeling and powerful.

There is no way I could successfully treat my ADHD without AA. The program of Alcoholics Annoymous is my foundation for living. ADHD and my Bi-Polar are built on top of that foundation.

I've been sober over 11 years and I'm on Adderall. Today I was actually having a conversation with someone about trying to drink again. So, yeah - it's been really making me want to drink. It's only been a few months that I've had the dx and meds have been really helping. At first it was fine but that may be because I was paying a lot of attention to this and taking steps to make sure I didn't pick up. Also, bought my first pack of cigarettes in over 9 years the other day. It's a slippery slope.
my personal opinion is that is add meds are leading you back to drinking you may b e on a dose that is unknowingly getting you high

when i was on a dose that was a little to high my impulsiveness increased instead of decreased , went back down and my ciggarette smoking decreased along with my urge to drink

adderall 15xr
I think that you may have hit the nail on the head. I'm on Adderall 20XR in the morning and 10IR early afternoon. I should try lowering the dose to see what that does tho I am trying to do my taxes. (Oh, maybe THAT's why I want to drink - just kidding this was pre-taxes)

Anyway, what I'm doing to not drink is I'm talking to people and will talk to sober friends and therapists before I make any concrete decision to do this. Telling me not to won't work. I have to have the choice and make the decision not to.

Wow - update!

So I had something to eat - had forgotten to until 8PM or so - and everything was fine! Looking back I think that when I don't eat the meds are too intense, I bet if I pay attention when I start getting crazy that's going play a big role in what's going on.

I am an alcoholic who has been clean for seven years. I started taking vyvanse about three months ago and it has not caused any cravings at all. I suggest that you find a doctor (MD) that specializes in addiction medicine. They can make all the difference in the world. Addiction is a medical disease and is not a moral issue - dont beat yourself up. Just get the right help.:) And AA is the answer for longterm sobriety - just get your meds straight.

Wow - update!

So I had something to eat - had forgotten to until 8PM or so - and everything was fine! Looking back I think that when I don't eat the meds are too intense, I bet if I pay attention when I start getting crazy that's going play a big role in what's going on.

Bingo =) Food encourages dopamine and endorphins and that whole "feel good" neuro-chemical response.. and eating food with meds means the meds wont take you over.. in looking for quick fixes to correct your mental motabalism.. im pretty sure thats a "mostly" correct way to put it? ;D

So on that, looking at what Dopamines, Endorphines and Serotonin has done for "Me" as an ADDr with ADDiction.. :

I think this post hit pretty close to home from my interpretation of the issues.. From what i understand (have learned) is that ADD/BiPolars are addictive by nature.. because of the dynamic fluctuation of dopamine, endorphins and serotonin levels of the brain.. normally these levels are kept flush with eachother and are level like the horizon of the ocean.. but in an irregular frequency they fluctuate more.. line a Sine wave.. or a wave.

When the waves hit a low apex thats when our brain feels the need to rebalanced itself on dopeamine, serotonin and endorphins.. and unfortunately because we are naturally ADDictive personality types.. this means that we will naturally seek out what has previously worked to balance ourselves out in the past.. downers are a huge one, end of the day drinks.. smokes.. hell. pot.. opiates.. it seems to me with the ADD types that downers are a big part of the self manifested chemical meditative diet.. by that i mean they make themselves (downers rather) so easily excusable.. because we run 'high' all day.. or fluctuate all day.. and at the end of the day when we 'desire' to be slowing down.. (which is hardly EVER the case with me.. im usually up until 3.. or 4 am.. and i wake up and go to work at 9am.. i can never seem to slow down..), in those down times we seek out something to bring the cognitive electricity down.. so that we can in turn.. "come down" from our day.. Its learned behavior..

This isnt healthy.. but it seems to be the natural cycle for chemically dependant ADDrs. But truth be told.. as an ADDr.. I am a Pleasure Seeker in theory moreso than someone who is not ADD.. and so coupling that with an ADDiction is that much more cri- i dont want to say crippling.. Hell its like a bad marriage you cant get out of.

I know it is for me.. im an alcoholic aswell, and ive thought long and hard about "why" i do.. or what it is thats so important to me.. and its not so much the desire to be drunk ( i mean sure.. thats up there of course ) im hardly ever incapacitated by my drinking.. but it seems to me to be my aggressive (though self destructive) attempt to correct my cycle as the sun goes down..

In lue of that it would seem to me that "Why are ADHD meds making me crave alcohol?", would be for this exact reason (or so it would seem for me.. ) im up.. and i take an upper to come down.. but the upper is still in my system - making me UP... even though i can focus.. buuuutt the end of the day comes around and im STILL up... and so i pour a drink.. and depress it all.

Anti Medicating. Compensation Medicating? And besides.. when we hit our "Lows", they can be pretty darn low. Its so tempting to throw in the towel to feel good.. regardless. Especially after a whole day of UP down UP down UP medium ... kinda up.. DOOOOOOWWWNNNN..

Erm.. thats how it is for me.. =\

I_DTour

I suggest that you find a doctor (MD) that specializes in addiction medicine. They can make all the difference in the world. Addiction is a medical disease and is not a moral issue - dont beat yourself up. Just get the right help.:) And AA is the answer for longterm sobriety - just get your meds straight.

So true.. since most ADD meds attenuate the same brain receptors as any other addition (as i tried to fake my way through seeming 'SmRt' in my above post), the side effects of an ADD med.. can be ADDictive cravings which trigger the same sites as the current medication.. so when the meds run out.. the craving kicks in.. or even when when the meds are still goin - its all the same sites..

I dont know much about them, but there are addiction meds (i believe for ADD aswell?? or just Smoking and Alcohol?? dont know.. i dont have my shovel to dig my grave with here so i'll try and stay away.. and just work in THEORY :D)

If you had an ADD medication that was able to trigger different receptor sites THAN the usual suspects.. than in theory, the cravings would be non existant (at least until .. the meds wore off.. which again IN THEORY.. your brain would adjust to the medication.. and the cravings might never go away.. but might not be as dominant in this... circle of life.. )

In honesty.. hypothetical =0

I_DTour

On dexedrine my alcohol cravings are reduced. never an alcoholic but a binge drinker.

i do experience mild withdrawals when i don't drink but if i do have a few beers i dont really feel better.

i find that when i'm taking my meds regularly i just avoid alcohol most of the time. after 2 weeks without a drink my meds work a lot better and almost no side effects.

Interestingly, the latest update is that I drank. After 11 years of not drinking I thought (deluded) that I could perhaps be an occasional glass of wine or beer drinker.

It's pretty clear that this has been triggered by the Adderall, but that's not the whole story. The rest is related to not caring enough about myself to take the steps necessary etc...

I guess I would call it trying to drink again that turned into a relapse. Because even though it quickly became clear that I'm not a normal drinker, and even though I haven't yet got in trouble I'm still not done even though I know I should be.

I realize this is a very old topic, but it is highly interesting.

I was a functioning alcoholic for several years (contrary to popular belief, I believe it is curable), well, my wife said I was a raging alcoholic but she thinks an extra dash of salt means you're addicted to it. I'd guess it somewhere in the middle.

I've actually have the opposite effect. My desire for booze is completely gone. Most likely, I drank to 'self-medicate' because my mind would never slow down. It was the only way I could relax.

They make me crave smoking. Not presently medicated partly due to that issue.
This is my side-effect. It's been ten years, and all the sudden I'm dying for a smoke.

Are u praying in the morning and at night?
What does this have to do with anything? Ugh.

I'm not trying to be a jerk or single you out because it's mentioned several times, but this can be interpreted by many as highly offensive. How do you know this person is spiritual or religious? Look to the polar opposite of your suggestion for an example, would suggesting agnosticism be acceptable? If I were to suggest religion was a mere fairy tale, would this be offensive to you?

Either way, I respect religious beliefs, but the respect must be mutual.

I hear you, I am in the same boat. for may years I drank. Then dry for years. My shrink told me that I am not an Alcoholic. But I started to drink on my meds.This is a concern for me too. right now a beer would be great! But it is wrong to drink on meds.:eek:
So for me I Started to go to AA.I believe that they have it correct,and a simple free solution. you might not be a gutter drunk (yet) I'm not.
I didn't drink today,did you? Don't fool yourself stay sober.
Call AA central and ask for some help.:D

[quote=iggypop;768248]I hear you
So for me I Started to go to AA.I believe that they have it correct,and a simple free solution. you might not be a gutter drunk (yet) I'm not. ...


Everyone's bottom is different...we all sink to different levels...

Today Im sober 16+ yrs.....after I was sober for 1yr, I was diagnosed adhd

Adhd meds helped save my life...It was when I wasnt on meds that

it my desire for a drink...[who am I kidding] for LOTS of drinks was almost overpowering

I heard a speaker at an AA meeting tell the reason he joined AA was

because he had back problems ....his wife was on his back, his kids were on his back..his boss was on his back...

so if anyone thinks they have a problem with alcohol they probably do

congrats to those on this thread staying sober

Amphetamines have a relatively high addiction liability as they activate the Limbic Reward System in the brain. The limbic system, similar to tother regions in the brain, influences how we respond to the world around us. More specifically, amphetamines act upon the ventral tegmental area (VTA) with messages being relayed through the Nucleus Accumbens to the Prefrontal Cortex. Once the Limbic Reward System has been activated, that is, the reward pathway is sending and receiving messages, regardless of whether it is excitatory neurotransmitters or inhibitory neurotransmitters, there is a change in your brains chemistry. The brain's chemistry is complex...even with newly gained knowledge of the action of neurotransmitters through PET scans and advances in Neuroscience, scientists can not definitively pinpoint the reason why one person taking stimulant ADHD meds may crave alcohol and another not. This is why addiction remains, despite scientific advances, "cunning, baffling and powerful." Your neurotransmitters, Acetylcholine, Dopamine, GABA, Glutamate, Glycine, Norepinephrine and Serotonin seek homeostasis. The brain seeks to balance itself. Therefore, the brain regulates the number of receptor sites and the quantity of neurotransmitters released and received ie through the uptake. This dynamic shift in membrane permeability changes the resultant action potential of your receptor sites. The result is a craving...Although the effects of Amphetamines or stimulant drugs are not limited to the reward pathway in the brain, their effect on the brains reward pathway is profound. Their abilit to alter dopamine transmittion in the VTA and Nucleus Accumbens in one of the most important factors explaining your alcohol craving. Hope this was helpful.

I was a functioning alcoholic for several years (contrary to popular belief, I believe it is curable), well, my wife said I was a raging alcoholic but she thinks an extra dash of salt means you're addicted to it. I'd guess it somewhere in the middle.

I've actually have the opposite effect. My desire for booze is completely gone. Most likely, I drank to 'self-medicate' because my mind would never slow down. It was the only way I could relax.
I find this SO interesting. In AA you never get to hear about the people who can do this (for the obvious reasons that they "go out," drink and don't come to meetings). I also believe that some people can do this, but I don't agree that it's curable or that everyone can - or maybe it's just curable for some people. I really did wonder this about me, but I guess given that I was having cravings it wasn't the time to try to find out. I have been learning some very very interesting things about my particular alcoholism. Totally agree about the self medicating part with the pot and alcohol and yet even though the meds are so so helpful...

This is my side-effect. It's been ten years, and all the sudden I'm dying for a smoke.
Heh heh picked up the cigarettes too... After 9 or 10 years. BUT once I got to the booze (and pot the other night for the first time) don't seem to want the cigarettes.

I hear you, I am in the same boat. for may years I drank. Then dry for years. My shrink told me that I am not an Alcoholic. But I started to drink on my meds.This is a concern for me too. right now a beer would be great! But it is wrong to drink on meds.:eek:
So for me I Started to go to AA.I believe that they have it correct,and a simple free solution. you might not be a gutter drunk (yet) I'm not.
I didn't drink today,did you? Don't fool yourself stay sober.
Call AA central and ask for some help.:D
I haven't been mixing meds with the booze at all. AA is great for many people I'm really glad it's working for you. I'm not there yet.
I hear you
So for me I Started to go to AA.I believe that they have it correct,and a simple free solution. you might not be a gutter drunk (yet) I'm not. ... Well as the following person says, everyone's bottom is different. I've been a gutter drunk already and already know what it's like to lose everything. So, I see that I am "playing with fire" here AND how much I have to lose - but I'm still doing it (probably because I am an alcoholic or maybe just stubborn or stupid).
Everyone's bottom is different...we all sink to different levels...

Today Im sober 16+ yrs.....after I was sober for 1yr, I was diagnosed adhd

Adhd meds helped save my life...It was when I wasnt on meds that

it my desire for a drink...[who am I kidding] for LOTS of drinks was almost overpowering

I heard a speaker at an AA meeting tell the reason he joined AA was

because he had back problems ....his wife was on his back, his kids were on his back..his boss was on his back...

so if anyone thinks they have a problem with alcohol they probably do

congrats to those on this thread staying sober
Congrats on 16 years, that's great.

Amphetamines have a relatively high addiction liability as they activate the Limbic Reward System in the brain. The limbic system, similar to tother regions in the brain, influences how we respond to the world around us. More specifically, amphetamines act upon the ventral tegmental area (VTA) with messages being relayed through the Nucleus Accumbens to the Prefrontal Cortex. Once the Limbic Reward System has been activated, that is, the reward pathway is sending and receiving messages, regardless of whether it is excitatory neurotransmitters or inhibitory neurotransmitters, there is a change in your brains chemistry. The brain's chemistry is complex...even with newly gained knowledge of the action of neurotransmitters through PET scans and advances in Neuroscience, scientists can not definitively pinpoint the reason why one person taking stimulant ADHD meds may crave alcohol and another not. This is why addiction remains, despite scientific advances, "cunning, baffling and powerful." Your neurotransmitters, Acetylcholine, Dopamine, GABA, Glutamate, Glycine, Norepinephrine and Serotonin seek homeostasis. The brain seeks to balance itself. Therefore, the brain regulates the number of receptor sites and the quantity of neurotransmitters released and received ie through the uptake. This dynamic shift in membrane permeability changes the resultant action potential of your receptor sites. The result is a craving...Although the effects of Amphetamines or stimulant drugs are not limited to the reward pathway in the brain, their effect on the brains reward pathway is profound. Their abilit to alter dopamine transmittion in the VTA and Nucleus Accumbens in one of the most important factors explaining your alcohol craving. Hope this was helpful.
I definitely fall on the neuropsych side of LOVING knowing how things work, however, in this case it doesn't mean a thing in terms of not drinking. Too true, alcoholism is cunning, powerful, and baffling.

How many meetings have u been attending?

Are u praying in the morning and at night?

Are u in regular i.e Daily contact with ur sponsor?

Are u involved in service work?

Are u working with other alcoholics?
What does this have to do with anything? Ugh.

I'm not trying to be a jerk or single you out because it's mentioned several times, but this can be interpreted by many as highly offensive. How do you know this person is spiritual or religious? Look to the polar opposite of your suggestion for an example, would suggesting agnosticism be acceptable? If I were to suggest religion was a mere fairy tale, would this be offensive to you?

Either way, I respect religious beliefs, but the respect must be mutual.
I don't want this to turn into an AA rant, am I'm going to try not to. I love AA, it's what it took to get me sober 12 plus years ago. I also completely acknowledge that THE reason I'm not in meetings or going to whatever lengths I need to lies squarely on MY shoulders. That said, THIS is one of the things that made it so hard for me to go to AA in the first place, stay in AA and now go back.

Ditto on what was just said about religion - also it's not the only way (even if it was the only way for me). I have such a hard time with this attitude and big book quoters. I remember that once I had quit drinking and had a little time I was able to just take what I needed and not pay attention to this. Also, maybe this is super helpful to other people struggling with staying or getting sober and I fall in the minority. I don't know, my point is that I find throwing AA at people struggling with addiction can backfire and make people like me have an adverse reaction.

Again, it's all on me what I do and no one has the power to keep me out of AA etc. that's not the point at all that I'm trying to make.

I do not think cravings I may have are due to the medication. I believe that in my case at least it is due to my alcoholism. Earlier this evening I was feeling great. I was thinking my "problem is not alcohol. My problems are mental health. That means I can drink like normal people now." Thankfully I stay close to AA and people in the program. I also am involved with a lot of literature meetings. Immediately chapter 3 of the "Big Book" popped into my mind. Chapter 3 is entitled "More About Alcoholism." Pages 30 and 31 talk about the delusion that alcoholics have that some how, some day alcoholics will be able to drink like normal people. It also says this delusion has to be smashed or the alcoholic may follow such thinking into insanity or death.

I believe my addition is separate from my ADHD. I doubt that an person who is ADHD and NOT an alcoholic would have had the obsessive thoughts about alcohol that I had earlier tonight. They were really scary. As they say "Alcohol is cunning, baffeling and powerful.

There is no way I could successfully treat my ADHD without AA. The program of Alcoholics Annoymous is my foundation for living. ADHD and my Bi-Polar are built on top of that foundation.Despite what I just said, I'm truly glad that you are getting what you need from AA. I just want to mention a few things in response to what you said. One is that I have a very close friend who is not an alcoholic and gets cravings for alcohol and to smoke when he is on stimulant meds for his ADD (the neuropsych posts will probably explain that peice). Probably not to the extent that we might obsess about it as alcoholics as you mention, but nonetheless he is NOT a drinker (drinks a beer or two a month and will be more likely to not even finish the bottle). The other thing is that (and I know I fall into a minority here or at least this is a sometimes very unpopular opinion) I think it's important to be able to not agree with everything that's said in the big book. Or that people who choose that be given room to. If doing it by the book 100% as it's laid out works, then that's great. I'm not so inflexible as to not be open to the possibility that herein lies my problem...

Bingo =) Food encourages dopamine and endorphins and that whole "feel good" neuro-chemical response.. and eating food with meds means the meds wont take you over.. in looking for quick fixes to correct your mental motabalism.. im pretty sure thats a "mostly" correct way to put it? ;D
This isnt healthy.. but it seems to be the natural cycle for chemically dependant ADDrs. But truth be told.. as an ADDr.. I am a Pleasure Seeker in theory moreso than someone who is not ADD.. and so coupling that with an ADDiction is that much more cri- i dont want to say crippling.. Hell its like a bad marriage you cant get out of.

I know it is for me.. im an alcoholic aswell, and ive thought long and hard about "why" i do.. or what it is thats so important to me.. and its not so much the desire to be drunk ( i mean sure.. thats up there of course ) im hardly ever incapacitated by my drinking.. but it seems to me to be my aggressive (though self destructive) attempt to correct my cycle as the sun goes down..

In lue of that it would seem to me that "Why are ADHD meds making me crave alcohol?", would be for this exact reason (or so it would seem for me.. ) im up.. and i take an upper to come down.. but the upper is still in my system - making me UP... even though i can focus.. buuuutt the end of the day comes around and im STILL up... and so i pour a drink.. and depress it all.

Anti Medicating. Compensation Medicating? And besides.. when we hit our "Lows", they can be pretty darn low. Its so tempting to throw in the towel to feel good.. regardless. Especially after a whole day of UP down UP down UP medium ... kinda up.. DOOOOOOWWWNNNN..

Erm.. thats how it is for me.. =\

I_DTour
Yeah that. All of it :D I call it living like Elvis. Even though I know that this is so dangerous, one of the very interesting things for me has been having a drink or two and observing myself and really noticing how it feels. Because it had been completely out of my system for so long I could really feel the effect of 2 beers throughout the following day in that I had this extra tired, depressed quality.

Here's another observation you might find interesting: you know how people say that when you pick up again your "disease" is right where you left off or has progressed? Well, for me it's true!! One of the things that happened at the end of my drinking was that just drinking one beer made me nauseous (I had my own built-in Antabuse heh heh), well it's back! I can't drink more than a beer without feeling nauseous. My liver and all that is fine and completely recovered from before. Weird.

I would not have classed myself as alcoholic,but had troublesome times when drunk and around drunken people.
(but did have an addiction to weed,needed to calm down,not liven up....)
It's funny how I have been calling it self-medication for about 8 years....and find out here,that is exactly what I have been doing.
I have it under control,and suppose I have always been on top of it more so than,it on me.......I presume this is due to seeing first hand what it does,and how it feels.

How do the medication and self medicating work,so well,but obviously with side effects...is it that the foreign elements,in the medication and blood stream/brain,take a slight piece of concentration off,of where it is needed for that task/sentence/word/movement/etc....

I'm having a can now,it may lead to more,but I have no other crutch at the moment,and know to well this crutch can turn into a self inflicting weapon.....or someone else may grab it,and use it against me.(Metaphorical para-graph;))

I would not have classed myself as alcoholic,but had troublesome times when drunk and around drunken people.
(but did have an addiction to weed,needed to calm down,not liven up....)
It's funny how I have been calling it self-medication for about 8 years....and find out here,that is exactly what I have been doing.
I have it under control,and suppose I have always been on top of it more so than,it on me.......I presume this is due to seeing first hand what it does,and how it feels.

How do the medication and self medicating work,so well,but obviously with side effects...is it that the foreign elements,in the medication and blood stream/brain,take a slight piece of concentration off,of where it is needed for that task/sentence/word/movement/etc....

I'm having a can now,it may lead to more,but I have no other crutch at the moment,and know to well this crutch can turn into a self inflicting weapon.....or someone else may grab it,and use it against me.(Metaphorical para-graph;))

all I will say is I never got in trouble when I drank....but everytime I was in trouble I was drunk...food for thought...no more on this subject here its more appropriate on the substance abuse threads....

love reading your posts doiadhdaddy...take care P

I feel that adderall makes me crave a beer, and it also makes me crave ciggarettes.. i think the reason for this is becuase i have taking my adderall before and while it was still strong in my body i started drinking beer, and smoking.. i am a smoker, but before i started taking adderall i was down to just smoking 3 a day, now i am up to atleast a half a pack a day, and my boyfriend, who hates smoking and was the main reason i was quitting started taking adderall and he has smoked a few cigarettes himself.. when you take adderall and drink your dont get drunk, both together my you feel great, it doesnt matter if you are out at a party with 50 people or just at home by yourself on the computer, you will enjoy every second of that time... your body is not stupid it knows what caused that feeling so when you take your adderall, you crave other things that pleasure your body more bc it feels better.. thats just my 2 cents, i hope it helped