self-medicating | ADHD Information

I was born in Holland, so weed was not a problem (legal there), so, yeah, i smoked an awful lot of it.. but after i finished school, i stopped that entirely.. The only thing i use now is plain cigarettes (apart from my medications), never drink a drop of alcohol (since the Citalopram i take can put you at serious risk with alcohol, same for Adderall).

Ritalin + weed + alcohol = BAD.. it'll screw the mind up badly, and counter-act, possibly worsening the ADD. Alcohol + stimulant meds is a definite no no, same for SSRI's (anti-depressants).. weed should not make too much of a difference, as long as it's not smoked constantly (limit to say, evenings only, since the meds are worn off by then).

I have to repeat, alcohol + stimulant meds is a dangerous combination, READ the information you (should) get with the prescription when it's filled by the pharmacy, it contains VERY important info.. i've enough of a history to have experienced various bad reactions and trust me, you don't want them.

I'll add a warning to anyone using Lexapro or Citalopram (SSRI), do NOT take Melatonin (herbal sleep aid) or St. John's Wort with it! If you do, the result may be a COMA, obviously, a VERY serious reaction. On the flip side of the coin, Lexapro and Citalopram (a generic Lexapro) work WONDERS if you have a temper!
I haven't used street drugs, and only drank socially in the distant past.  However, I have always had an extremely high caffeine intake.  I have drank coffee, sometimes, from the time that I wake up until the time that I go to bed.  I think that this has been a form of self-medication for me.  It has gotten somewhat better during the past couple of months since I have been on medication.Steppingstone, I think that might be common. When I told the psychiatrist I didn't drink coffee, he was amazed. He said he's met many ADD'ers who drink huge amounts of coffee, "because they figure out it helps". So you were definitely on the right track.

Same here with the caffeine. I've self medicated (unknowingly) with it for about 15 years now. It's practically all I drink. From the time I get up, until the time I go to bed.

I'm working on it now that I'm on medication, but it's still a struggle to break the caffeine cycle.

Yup, I wasn't diagnosed until I was 29.  Lots of self medicating.  Didn't work though, and pot really made my attention worse.  I just didn't care when I was high.

i am a caffeine addict,i drink only coffee and coca cola all day.

i am quite lucky also i have an addictive personnality,drugs and alcohol are not one of them.i did try marijhuna when i was ateen but did not do anything for me so never did it again and my dad was an alcoholic so kinda put me off.

coming back to your friend i think her behavior is more due to the alcohol and drugs than her ADD,and if she takes retilin at the same time her brain must be fried.

Thanks for all of your input.  I am also addicted to coffee and find I need to have it for my brain to wake up. I also have some in the afternoon or my brain goes dead. Because it makes me feel more alert, I don't stress feeling foggy.

I used to be quite the drinker for a period of time. Having a family of dogs keeps me out of the bars, now. Don't really like alcohol much anymore as I have gotten older. Harder to get over the negative affects.

I like marijuana, helps take off the edge.

Hemmie, makes a good point about mixing the drugs legal or not legal. I heard that melatonin is not good for ADD. I thought it was supposed to be sort of a "downer" and therefore, not good for ADD brain that needs stimulants to activate the sertonin. Maybe I don't know what I am talking about.

When I was experiencing sleep trouble, I started to take some melatonin at night. It does seem to help me sleep. But I wake up a bit groggy.

 

 

 

Melatonin is more or less a very mild sedative, so, yeah, it's basically a 'downer'. It's prime use is to help people fall asleep. Waking up groggy is not something that it made me do, but then, i am always cranky when i wake up, ever since i was born.

If it's good for ADD, well, you are supposed to take it before bed, when the ADD meds have long worn off, so it shouldn't influence the ADD too much IMHO. I am, however, no doctor, even if i probably know more about AD/HD than most doctors, so don't take the above for granted, if you want real info, ask a real doctor.

I was wondering how many ADDers out there have gone the round of self-medicating either with alcohol, marijuana or other substances.

I have read that ADDers have a high percentage of recreational medicating.

The acquaintance who led me down the road to ADD self-discovery, is quite the supporter of marijuana use in helping her control her ADD symptoms. She says it helps her focus.

I am not advocating lighting up a doobie to get me through the day, but I was wondering what our experiences are?

This person doesn't seem to benefit from her self-medicating. In fact, I think she and her ADDer husband both abuse alcohol.  She is a big supporter of Ritalin and yet I dont see any evidence that it helps her. I know I am ADD but even she drives me nuts with her scattered ways.  I have had a couple of visits with her to discuss ADD and she can never seem to get it together enough to actually sit down and discuss it.

She is a very intelligent person and I believe her when she says she has researched ADD extensively. Yet, I sense a whole world of dysfunction despite her various medications.

It makes me wonder if she uses ADD as an excuse to abuse alcohol and drugs. But at the same time, I have self-medicated on and off for years and never knew until recently that it was my ADD that may have compelled me to do so.

any comments?

 

 

I self medicated myself 9 years ago by smoking pot, & experimenting with methamphetamines. I ended up in a crisis intervention center & was put on proper medication. I haven't self medicated myself since. The only drugs I take are prescribed by my psychiatrist.

hello EsuVee - i was looking into MDMA in Australia to see whether it was legal or not (didn't actually find the info i was looking for yet) but i did come across this interesting article which is more about illegal amphetamine use but mentioned, i highlighted it below - that 80% of the pills marketed as MDMA pills are in fact methamphetamine. 

i am glad you have found a good source - do be really careful until it is legalised, i know this is Australia not the USA but it is such a lottery out there with no regulation! 

Amphetamines
MPHETAMINES are the second most commonly used
illicit drug in Australia after cannabis. There is evidence
of increasing use and purity, and of serious harms associated
with regular use. Health workers can expect to see
increasing numbers of amphetamine users.
Although there are few specific interventions or treatment options
for those experiencing problems related to their use of amphetamines,
engaging individuals in harm reduction measures and responding
to their specific needs can substantially reduce harms.
PHARMACOLOGY
Amphetamine is a closely related family of drugs with
psychostimulant properties. This group of drugs includes:
􀂄 amphetamines used for recreational purposes, produced
in illegal or ‘clandestine’ laboratories e.g. amphetamine
sulphate/amphetamine and methamphetamine/methylamphetamine
􀂄 pharmaceutical quality amphetamines available on prescription
for the treatment of obesity, narcolepsy, and
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)/(ADD).
These drugs include:
􀂆 phentermine (Duramine®)
􀂆 diethylpropion (Tenuate®)
Amphetamines
80
􀂆 dexamphetamine
􀂆 methylphenidate (Ritalin®)
(Victoria Police, 2002)
Amphetamines (including methamphetamine)
are synthetic substances structurally related to
naturally occurring adrenaline and ephedrine.
Amphetamines activate the central nervous
system (CNS) and sympathetic nervous system
(SNS), increasing synaptic concentrations
of excitatory neurotransmitters and inhibiting
their reuptake. The monoamines affected by
amphetamines are:
􀂄 dopamine
􀂄 noradrenaline
􀂄 serotonin
Through stimulating neurotransmitter release,
and preventing their reuptake, amphetamine
use results in:
􀂄 CNS effects: euphoria; increased wellbeing,
confidence and physical activity;
improved cognitive and physical performance;
suppression of appetite and
need for sleep
􀂄 SNS effects: increased blood pressure,
tachycardia or reflex bradycardia, increased
temperature (Victoria Police,
2001, Latt et al., 2002)
Distribution
Amphetamines are concentrated in the brain,
lungs and kidneys.
Metabolism
Between 30–40% of amphetamines are metabolised
by the liver, with the remaining
60–70% excreted by the kidneys. The halflife
of amphetamine and methamphetamine
are 12–36 hours and 8–17 hours respectively.
Although amphetamines can be more
rapidly eliminated if the urine is artificially
acidified (Victoria Police, 2001; Latt et al.,
2002), the practice of acidifying urine is
believed to increase risk of renal failure from
rhabdomyolysis (Wickes, 1993). Some
amphetamine users deliberately exploit this
fact by alkalinising their urine to prolong the
effects.
Availability and Quality
Methamphetamine. Commonly known as
‘speed’ or ‘whiz’. The term speed previously
referred to amphetamine sulphate, however
the powder form has been superseded in
recent years by the more potent methamphetamine.
Speed varies in:
􀂄 texture (fine to crystallised or coarse
powder)
􀂄 colour (white to yellow, brown, orange
or pink), and
􀂄 purity
Variation in production techniques and chemicals
used ensure that it is virtually impossible
to estimate drug quality or purity through taste,
smell or appearance. Speed is usually snorted
or injected, and less often mixed with drinks
(including alcoholic drinks). Speed is usually
purchased in grams or ounces, but contains
only around 5–20 mg of amphetamine, the
remainder comprised of bulking agent (e.g.
ascorbic acid). Prices during 2000/01 ranged
from –100 per gram of powder (Topp &
Churchill, 2002).
Crystal methamphetamine (ice, crystal
meth) is the crystalline form of high purity
methamphetamine. It originates in Asia, and
has a ‘crushed ice’ appearance (large translucent
to white crystals or coarse crystalline
powder). Crystal meth is usually smoked, although
it is also snorted, swallowed or injected
(it dissolves in water to break down
into smaller particles). Snorting may cause
significant nasal damage. Most often sold
in ‘points’ (0.1 gram; per point in 2000/
2001) (Topp & Churchill, 2002).
Amphetamines
Chapter 6
81
Free base methamphetamine (base, wax,
paste, point, pure) is a damp, sticky, gluggy
powder, of a yellow or brown colour which
results from imperfect manufacturing processes.
It can be swallowed, smoked, snorted
or injected. Due to its oily consistency it is
difficult to dissolve without heat, and hence
is associated with vein problems. It is also
sometimes mixed with a dry substance (e.g.,
vitamin powder) for snorting. In 2000/01, base
cost between –50 per ‘point’ (0.1 gram)
(Topp & Churchill, 2002).
Methamphetamine pills currently make up
approximately 80% of tablets marketed as
ecstasy (MDMA), and are deliberately manufactured
to appear similar to ecstasy tablets.
Drugs such as ketamine may be included in
the manufacturing process to produce hallucinogenic
or MDMA-like effects. These pills
vary widely in purity, tend to be available in
most jurisdictions, and during 2000/01 cost
around –40 each (Topp & Churchill, 2002).
PATTERNS OF USE
The 2001 National Drug Household Survey
found that 8.9% of the population (aged 14
years and over) reported having ever used
amphetamines, with 3.4% reporting use in the
last 12 months. One in nine people aged
20–29 years have used amphetamines in the
past 12 months. In general, males are more
likely to use amphetamines, although there is
little gender difference amongst teenagers
who use amphetamines. Of all illicits,
amphetamines are most likely to be the first
drug ever injected, and the drug most recently
injected (AIHW, 2002).
Many people take small amounts of amphetamines
in specific social settings (e.g. dance
parties, ‘raves’) and never meet the criteria
for dependence. However, there are trends in
patterns of use that suggest:
􀂄 heavy users tend to use amphetamines
in binges often lasting days (called a
‘run’), followed by a period of abstinence
(see Figure 6–1)
􀂄 heavy users will often use amphetamines
concurrently with other drugs (especially
alcohol, cannabis, benzodiazepines and
heroin), and may use CNS depressants
to help ‘come down’ after a binge
Routes of Administration
Amphetamines can be administered in a
number of ways, depending on the form of
the drug, desired effect, dose required and
previous experience in mixing and injecting.
Level of effect and risks according to route
are outlined in Table 6–1.
PHYSICAL AND
PSYCHOLOGICAL EFFECTS
Methamphetamine is more potent than amphetamine.
It is considered to be more addictive,
and responsible for greater harm. Users
of methamphetamine are more likely to report
anxiety, aggression, paranoia and psychotic
symptoms compared with amphetamine (Topp
& Churchill, 2002). Physiological effects are
similar to cocaine, but longer lasting.
Acute Physical and
Psychological Effects
See Table 6–2 for an overview of acute physical
and psychological effects of amphetamines.
Long-term Physical Effects
􀂄 weight loss, malnutrition, lowered immunity,
although with re-establishment of selfcare
and eating habits, likely to resolve
over time
􀂄 eating disorders, anorexia or nutritional
deficiency

I GUESS THIS MEANS ALL DRUG/ ALCOHOLICS HAVE ADD OR ADHD. THAT WOULD ALSO MEAN THAT NO WAY ONLY 3-5 % OF THE POPULATION HAVE THIS DISORDER EITHER.

chjones: i dont know where you got that info, but it is not correct. the actual truth is that from what police have seized and archived, 3% of the pills that they seized were either  1.) 100% fake or 2.) meth-based..

So yes, in some degree you do have to be careful, which is why i get mine from a guy who actually sends in one of the batch to dancesafe.org to get tested, and showed me the results w/ the picture.

Ivanhoe: haha you actually do make a point, but i do use it sparingly. nobody said that only people with AD(H)D do drugs/ become alcoholics... people who have a hard time coping in general do, which ADDers fall into this category more than not.

I'm not saying it will stop ur need to move around and fidget, or help you pay attention..but for alot of ad(h)ders, their thought process becomes all effed up from negativity and they lose self confidence, become depressed, and view the world in a negative manner. when your thought process is that way, its very hard to find people that like to be around you. that is where it helps tremendously.

 

read the following with an open mind:

My entire life i have been struggling severely with ADHD/Depression along with other things that stem from childhood. i have been introduced to pretty much every RX drug there is (luvox,stratterra,ritalin,xanax,effexor,zoloft...etc) and i recently found the one thing that actually cured most of my symptoms. ecstacy. i get mine from an extremely reliable source who sends one of them into a lab called dancesafe.org and  they are 100% pure. take it alone or with a few close friends and you will view the world in such a positive manner, and evaluate your life without your guards,defense mechanisms or anything else that limits your progression. the point is taking those views back with you. Most of the time, only one time is needed. most of the bad things that you hear about MDMA are entirely false and biased. go to erowid.org for more genuine unbiased info. there is a large group of thereapists/psychiatrists out there pushing VERY hard to legalize it for therapy sessions. it was made legal in 2001 for PTSD patients in controlled therapy sessions. you dont "trip", hallucinate, or anything like you hear, you only learn to appreciate everything alot more and clear your head. you "reset" your bad thought process.

that makes sense - MDMA was intended for severe depression or something originally, wasn't it?  i am sure it is very effective in treating several brain disorders and don't see why it couldn't help aspects of ADHD too.

most of the problem with recreational drugs is not the drugs themselves at all - but what dealers et al will cut them with and their general unreliability of something that is cooked up by amateur chemists in a shed - as opposed to a proper legal laboratory with standards etc..

i think mdma is legal now in Australia and New Zealand but i am might be a bit confused about that.

in england there was a big campaign to try to discredit all the 'negative hype' over MDMA - and i remember one advert which said
"you are statistically more likely to die from choking to death on a bay leaf than from MDMA".

glad you found a med that works for you.  now you will just have to work on getting it legalised.  all it really needs is for a big pharma company to get the patent (will have to be minimally altered from the original MDMA) and for them to relabel it so to remove the negative associations - and i can't see a problem!