Question about long term use

[_KNIP]

Hey everbody,
I started taking adderall when I was a freshman in high school and now I am a junior in college, so about 7 years ago. I've always taken 10mg and at first I experienced all the normal side affects,like insomnia and weight loss, and I eventually got hooked and started taking way more than I was supposed to...but that was a long time ago, I eventually started taking my normal dose (which is about a pill and a half a day) and recently, for about a year or so, I've only been taking about 5mg and I'm worried that I have a mental addiction of some sort. I feel as though I can't wake up in the morning if I don't take it. Even though I know that 5mg doesn't really affect me, I just think that it does. Has this happened to anyone? I'm not really even sure if I need it for ADD anymore. Is this a long term side affect perhaps? Any suggestions?

[emtchick]

I don't know much about side effects...could be the placebo effect--you think it works, so...

I don't know; I haven't had any side effects from this, really.

Maybe it's not the pill waking you up, but the act of getting up? I know that I have the WORSE time getting out of bed, I'm all sleepy and like, oh just ten more minutes..but once I force myself to get and walk over to my desk to take my pill (since I am taking 3 doses per day and so the first one is at six am) I wake up. It's not the drug, it's just getting up and moving.

Just a thought.

I would suggest, though, that if you've had addiction problems with adderall in the past, and you don't think that it is working for you now, to talk to your doctor about switching to a different medication, perhaps one of the non-stimulant variety, like wellbutrin or strattera.

[_KNIP]

Thanks for the reply!
I agree that it's probably the placebo effect, but I still experience all the side effects like dry mouth, perfectionism, insomnia, and appetite loss...

which is really weird..it could just be my brain making me think these things should be happening..so therefore they do.

the past couple days i've tried taking the amount that I am supposed to take and I do believe that it's working again. which is super weird, cause I would think that it would for sure lose its effectiveness.

Also, I think the stimulant in Adderall works for me, because other wise i'm just naturally really lazy and I would never be able to get anything done.

[imatotalmess]

perfectionism? I wish I had that side effect! :-)

[Sc@tterBr@in_UK]

How do you know that it "is not working" any more? From waht I have learned, as you get used to the medication you may stop "feeling" it when it starts working (i.e. you don't feel "different") but it still works.

Only taking a medication break (often resulting in a sudden drop on performance, motivation etc.) usually makes you aware of how effective or ineffective the medicaiton still is.