This is all a very simplistic explanation, but I think it will answer some of the questions here about Adderall vs. Depression.

Adderall increases levels of dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin in your brain. I suppose everybody knows about serotonin because we see the ads for anti-depressants. All three of these chemicals are manipulated by various anti-depressants. Adderall increases all three.

Serotonin makes you feel good. It manipulates your mood. You feel happy with more serotonin and not so happy with less.

Norepinephrine controls your excitedness. When something stresses you, it is norepinephrine that makes your heart beat faster and gives you that raised level of excitement.

Dopamine has a lot to do with your ability to think, process information and focus. It also affects your reward senses, and controls your mood.

So when you take Adderall, especially a lot of Adderall, you are manipulating your brain to have a lot more of those things that it should naturally have in appropriate quantities. So, of course, you feel great!

This is just my theory from my own studies on the subject. It seems that if you take Adderall and get used to the increased levels of those three biogenic amines then you stop taking it, the decrease of those chemicals in your brain will cause you to feel depressed until you adjust to the "normal" levels.

Now, I know Ecstasy increases serotonin levels in your brain by "squeezing" the serotonin out of the neurotransmitters, releasing a huge burst of it all at once. Once that serotonin is all used up you get extremely depressed because those neurotransmitters were emptied and can no longer give the continual supply that your brain needs.

Adderall doesn't work that way. Adderall is believed to function by binding to monoamine transporters. It keeps more of those three chemicals in your brain rather than allowing them to just get used up wastefully.

I don't know specifically what causes withdrawal effects of reuptake inhibitors, but that is likely to be the cause of depression from Adderall. I'm assuming that depression while still taking Adderall would be something like a mild withdrawal effect from your body building up some tolerance to the drug. Just a guess.

With anti-depressants it is recommended that you wean yourself from them, taking a little less continually over a certain period of time until you are off them. That may be helpful with Adderall if stopping it immediately is causing depression.

On the other hand, there are plenty of more reasonable ways to get just a little extra burst of the chemicals your brain needs. Eating increases dopamine. Eating carbohydrates increases serotonin. Exercise increases norepinephrine and serotonin. Dopamine is also increased when you accomplish something - it is the reason you feel a sense of reward. Maybe you could set some reachable goals for yourself and celebrate when you reach them. Maybe pick up a hobby, something creative. Learning how to make or build something can be very rewarding, which just means that it can increase dopamine levels in your brain.

If I learn anything more about this, I will add it to this thread. It would be interesting to hear how the people in the previous posts are doing now. Please give us an update!

You can read my post on adderall worries under user name Randog in the addiction and recovery section. This is the best explanation I have heard yet and I know you did your research. I am off of this now and getting better every day,. I want to get back to working out and enjoying my life. each day gets better, but it has been an uphill struggle. This is day 18 and I feel I am getting my life back I used to work out and have a good build i have and the part about setting goals. You have helped me a lot. I am going down to 1 xanax next week and I think with working out, I may never need BP med again. But I am determined to get my life back, You post explains exactly how adderall works and this what the doc told me. I had tried Zolft and prozac and they made me feel like a dying fish, or a zombie. First time I took this, I thought it was the magic. Not true. Also, I have a strong spirtual connection again, not religion. The world in my opinion doe not revolve around us, and this drug/med over time made me get so caught up in "self" that I could not see the flowers for the trees. In fact, my world became very small. God bless and thanks for your sharing becoming very happy again day by day. I have really bad leg pain only when I am not on my feet and my Nurse Practioner said this was normal and would go away with time. Any vitamin suggestions would be highly appreciated. When I was younger, I was really into taking lots of vitamins, working out, and eating a great diet. I would like to get back there to that place again. Thanks and God bless you kosobar!

I believe everyone one is made up of different hormones and that everyone has their own chemical make up. I would say that I have a middle case of attention deficit, however my parents were firm believers that medicine was not necessary. They were some what correct, however as an adult I have decided to try a medicine, so my doctor has prescribed Adderall XR 15 MG. I hadn't heard of this medicine until after he prescribed it. I researched it a good bit and was a little hesitant to take it. I can honestly say that I am glad I decided to try and see how it worked. I wish I could have had this while I was in school. I truly believe I would have been an A student instead of a B student and I wouldn't have been in so much trouble growing up. It has helped me focus 150% better. On a scale of 1-10 I would give it an 8. I have experienced a few side effects, one I don't care so much about which was weight loss. I don't have much of an appetite these days and have lost over 30 pounds in 8 months bringing my weight down to 130 pounds. My doctor says that I am not allowed to lose anymore weight so I make myself eat more than my stomach tells me I can. However, the next side effect is one that I have not read about being a major side effect and for me it has become quite bothersome. Hemorrhoids. I am only 27 years old and never had children. When I experienced my first hemorrhoid it was about 4 months after I started Adderall. I asked my doctor that prescribed the medicine and he didn't seem to think it was a side effect, but my mind and body are telling me that it is. If it causes dry mouth, could it not cause dry intestinal tracts? If anyone is aware of this side effect and could provide me with additional information on this I would appreciate the help.

"But 100 mgs was the lowest I did at least 2 days a week I would get 30 10 mgs n I would do them all in 1 rail"

thats 300 mgs of adderall u would overdose snorting or swallowing that nobody can take that much you heart would fail 150 mgs of adderall can cause overdose.

one girl at my school died from overdose. acouple girls took 1 oxycotton each and drank but only 1 died. its sad because i went to school with her from kindergarten to 11th grade. all bodies are different and they take drugs differently. you never know

Honestly, adderall has made a big impact on my life. I'm still in high school and I probably wouldn't be passing like I am if I never got diagnosed with ADHD. I got diagnosed late though, I was 15 years old going into my sophmore year so I had alot to make up for. My grades were nothing about a C before I started taking adderall and now I stress out if my grades are a low B.
I've losing 43lbs in a course of a year and a half, I thank adderall. I was always the fattest girl and it was gross. I thought I was going to weigh 176 forever, but now I'm 133. My self-esteem has grown, I attract guys now, and it's made me happy.

On the other hand..adderall makes me moody; I snap at everyone sometimes or I'm just the biggest jerk to some people. It's made me stress out more about little things. It makes me smoke more cigarettes; honestly on a day I don't take adderall(which is rare) I don't smoke one cigarette but one days I do(like everyday) I can smoke up to a pack a day. I have nervous breakdowns about nothihg. I don't eat when I'm on adderall, I'll be hungry but thinking about eating makes me want to throw up so I just don't. I'm emotional on adderall, I get irritated easily, I get angry about dumb things, and it's just kind of ridiculous. I always get headaches or I'm dizzy and sometimes I get nausea and I don't like it.
What I don't like the most is that, I'm now dependent on it. If I don't take adderall one day by accident I freak out. I feel like I can't live without it or I can't do anything without it. I'm not my old self, before I started taking adderall I was hyper, funny, outgoing, loud & etc.. I would think when I don't take adderall I'd be like that again but I'm not. I seem sad and tired without it. It's like it's my life now. I'm constantly asking my doctor for a higher dose. I take 40mg a day. 30mg in the morning then a 10mg mid-day dose at school.

Adderall has helped alot. I'm 16yrs old and with the adderall I stress about things I should stress about when I'm 30 years old. Adderall is addicting, no doubt. But sometimes I debate whether it impacted my life a good way or a bad one..I'm dumb-founded when it comes to that question.

i've been abusing adderall for the past ten or so years. i was prescribed it about two years ago so have been legally taking it since then. i can't seem to take it as prescribed and instead take more than needed and end up feeling like a zombie, without the ability to smile or laugh and overanalyzing EVERYTHING. i cause fights and problems in my relationships because of it and i find that i need to drink alcohol to calm my nerves. i feel like crap on it but continue to take it anyway. i hate the stuff. im not taking it ever again. i ran out yesterday (two weeks early) and will not be calling for another prescription. overall, it is just bad stuff. i think add is bs. i think it is caused by poor diet and not enough exercise and even if it is a chemical imbalance, i think we shoudl just accept ourselves and our spacy ways. that makes us who we are and creative. adderall and stimulants are poison and unnatural. f this.

I cried when I found and read this forum for a few reasons. First of all, I started to think I was going crazy about my Adderall side effects! Everyone told me that I was imagining things, but now I know that it wasn't all in my head. Secondly, I realized that they aren't to blame for their ignorance! I am. My doctors and friends have been fed so many lies by me, that they can't see the warning signs right in front of their faces... I'm addicted to Adderall...

I can't believe this. The FIRST question that I asked my doctor when she prescribed Adderall to me was, "I heard that it can be addictive, is it?" WHY CAN'T I GO BACK IN TIME AND JUST SAY YES IT IS! DON'T DO IT! I guess the real problem is that I don't even know if I would go back and stop myself. All that I know right now is that I need someone's help very badly.

My story is very complicated and strange, which does not make matters any easier. Overall, everything is a catch-22. I'm not even sure what my main problem is anymore or which problem causes the other. I've shown obvious signs of ADD from a young age. My mom and my sister are both alcoholics (they had 5 DUI's between them). My mom showing up at my private school drunk a few years ago, caused the school to give me a psych evaluation.
The only reason that I got to attend such an expensive school was due to my scholarships. I was an honors student, broke school records in volleyball, gatorade player of the year, all-state, all-county, voted most popular, etc. whatever.. and for YEARS I managed to hide the fact that I lived in the poor section of town with my alcoholic mom, party-girl sister, and cockroaches. I told the psychologist anything that I could just so that she would leave me alone. She said that I definitely show signs of anxiety disorder. I ignored her, because I was scared that she would make me go on medication.

I switched schools after moving. Within the first few months I was having major academic problems. I already knew that I couldn't focus and I was disorganized, but I always managed to get by. They did kick me out of honors after my grades dropped, but my success in volleyball didn't let them ever fail me. Every time I went to class, I had a new problem! Either I forgot my book, an assignment or something else that everyone seemed to remember. Whenever I would hand in my work, I would get the best grade in the class.. minus point for handing my work in late. Then for the first time, I couldn't finish an essay during one all-nighter. Normally, this made me skip class to buy myself time, but my attendance was too bad for this option. I went to class and completely had a panic attack (crying, red, sweating, the whole nine yards). The professor forced me to go to our counselor. She diagnosed me with anxiety and depression. I ignored her, because I did not want anyone to give me medication. My depression got severe, and I developed an eating disorder for a year. I got into a great college.. again thanks to volleyball.

*first two years of college: I struggled, did very poorly, and quit volleyball. I gained any lost weight back and more. Then, I lost it severely. My mom's drinking got worse. She'd escape hospitals to go drink, she had she second DUI, and lost her newest month-long job, etc. My sister had her second DUI, and was still partying everyday. I realized how co-dependent I was and knew I was enabling them to drink, but I couldn't stop. At this point, I never even used tylenol or advil once in my life! I was so scared of becoming addicted to a substance, like my mom and sister. One day when my mom hit me for the first time, I began smoking cigarettes. I planned on getting addicted.. how stupid am I? I was all alone, hiding this entire portion of my life from all of my friends and hard-working Dad. My sister and my mom, the two people who would understand, were lost in a sea of alcohol. At my breaking point, I had no other choice. I went to a psychiatrist, got diagnosed with depression, and was taking Zoloft. Zoloft worked in making me happy for about two weeks, but I still couldn't finish ANY of my homework. Everyone, including my psychiatrist, were always mad and frustrated with me. My psychiatrist told me I could not come back to him anymore, because I was late too many times and missed too many appointments. My zoloft ran out, I thought I'd be fine.

Finally, this past May, I had an in-depth psychological evaluation. I scored off the charts for ADD, but that couldn't be possible. I had anxiety and depression, didn't I? She put me on Adderall, and my whole life changed in a flash. I sat in the library for hours catching up on all of my lost work. I finally was organized in my dorm, schoolwork, and social life. I was given 10 MG of Adderall XR to take in the morning and Amphetamine Salts (10MG) to take in the evening.. as needed. The first month was Heaven! I did all of my work, and I was researching ADD self-help tips. I even got a psychologist to help me work with my ADD. My sister had her third DUI and was facing possible jail time. My mom started drinking worse then EVER, and that is extreme for me to say. My sister got out of going to jail, but is currently in rehab. My mom is on the brink of death, and refuses to get help. Little by little, everything started piling up. All of the sudden I noticed that I would run out of my 30-day "take as needed" evening medications. I am losing my hair. I lost weight. I've been taking multi-vitamins, and I have been trying to force myself to eat. I cry a few times a day. I rarely sleep, or I'll sleep 12 hours.

This is the most stressful time in my life, because everything is at it's breaking point. My sister, my best friend, is truly an alcoholic. She is in rehab. My mom is going to die very soon. I stay at home alone a lot to take care of my mom, since I am her unwise caretaker.. or is it because Adderall makes me anti-social.. or is it because I am in a depressing situation and my depression is making me anti-social.. or is it my anxiety over exaggerating everything.. or do I not have any of these and I am just in a rough place? Out of all of the mental health problems I have read about, I have every symptom of ADD. When the medicine was working, my anxiety subsided so much. I thought I had figured it all out.... now I'm addicted to Adderall. I am thinking I should just stop my evening dose for a few days, or just tell my best friend I am having this problem. Everyone thinks I am perfect, since I hold it together better then my crazy family. My poor, hardworking dad would NEVER understand ADD or why I would be stupid enough to get addicted. I can't let him down. I am his only hope for a stable daughter. My mom is going to be homeless if I do not continue to pay her bills. I KNOW this is stupid.. but am I REALLY supposed to let my mom become homeless?! I don't even know how, but I feel like Adderall is not even working in the way that it used to. If I tell my doctor to switch my medications, or stop medication, will live get worse or better? I can't imagine a world worse then the one I am currently living in. My psychologists don't help me, I've stopped going to my last one a week ago. Self-help doesn't help. Medicine was supposed to help, but now I'm addicted. My mom and sister are still alcoholics, and I am still suffering with codependency after all of these years. I AM IN A BLACK HOLE. WHAT SHOULD I DO? Is this Adderall or just a reaction to my current situation? How can I stop my addiction, without telling my dad?

Help me, please... I've never been so lost before..

I'm about ready to go off adderall for a while just to get my sleeping schedule back in order. In fact, I'd like to get my "life" back in order, but with my mind the way it is, it won't happen.

Adderall worked well the first couple of months. I would stay up all night, sometimes a few consecutive nights, doing my homework and feeling dedicated to something for once. I was/am really pushing it.

It is 1:42am at the time of this writing. Big surprise, eh? The only time I felt good about myself was when I fell asleep before 11pm and awoke before 6am, which only lasted for a couple of weeks. There was no anxiety, sadness, hoplessness, or moodswings; at least not any I noticed. I believe my depression resulted from sleep deprivation, which lead to brain-fog, memory loss, and depression.

Adderall works well for me when I don't abuse it. Meaning: I take it after 6pm, knowing I'm sleep-deprived, which throws everything out of wack.

So, wish me luck in the comming weeks...I'm going to need it.

Ive read all of the above and wanted to state some info for thought.
1. Everyone is made different
2. Depression/anxiety are closly related based on an imbalance of neurotransmitters. In women there is the additional POSSIBLE issue of estrogen imbalance.
3. Adderall works for some beacause it just so happens to balance the unbalanced level of SPECIFIC neutotransmitters. NOT everyone has the same unbalanced levels so there fore, logically adderall is not for everyone.
4. can it be addictive? yes, but is it always? NO. remember folks, its all math. its a matter of solving your unique particular needs.

MY STORY? I started Engineering at USL in Louisiana. I started taking the math classes and when i got to calc, it tool much longer for learning and homework. So, one of my friends gave me adderall to try. Now, keep in mind im into holistic foods, herbs, nonprocessed foods, and its rare that i take any drug. well, i did tons of reasearch before taking it and i decided to break the 15mg into 2. what happened? a Miracle, from my point of view. The nonstop thinking went away, the tightness I had in my chest my WHOLE LIFE went away. the worry went away, the depression which kept me unmotivated was GONE! I realized that the adderall had rebalanced something that was not quite right. for the first time in my life , i didnt have anxiety. i didnt know i had it untill it was gone. I quickly realized that this is how normal people felt. I was calm, i walked outside, i looked up, it was like looking at the leaves on a tree for the very first time. it was like being underwater for 25 yrs and coming up for my first breath of air. I didnt feel high, or druggy. for the first time , i slept like a baby and i DREAMED!!! and remembered for the first time in 20 yrs. as the day went, forgotten childhood memories just began to surface. being an engineer, one tends to become analitical so i noticed soo many things. I was FOCUSED! not not excessivly. everyone always told me i was soo forgetful, but when my friend who was a teacher came in and asked me, do you remember when , etc etc etc.5 hrs ago? and then he goes, o nevermind you and your forgetfullness doesnt remember anything. i paused, processed and calmly gave the answer. as he was walking away, he paused, turned around and was like, holy cow, how do you remember that?? you forget everything! i replied," its the adderall" .
I was able to processs deep thought and hold it and it was like thinking and learning because such a pleasure!!!! it was always such a nightmare to think,read, or learn.
Now, lets keep in mind, im well aware of receptor in cells and I am aware that the body will and can adjust , so, its important to stay small and if you do increase, you MUST put a cap so that you dont burn out neurotransmitter receptors. Now, a quick recap, Adderall WILL NOT work for everyone. why? everyone is made different but, all of us have neurotransmitters which must maintain balance. we just have to find the cause of the imbalance, is it something were ingesting? or genetic? id recommend a neurotransmitter test. and then find the anti-depressant which FOCUSES on that neurotransmitter. its important to learn about your mind, how it works. dont just ASSUME. Scientifically, you cant say" adderall is trash! you have to realize that it may not stimulate YOUR UNIQUE PROBLEMS. Ive been on 20 mg of adderall for 7 years and all is good. what happens if i stop? I return to my anxiety/depression which i had the first 25 years of my life but im aware and i just tolerate untill the next day, fully knowing that its just an imbalance. remember people, THE MIND AND BODY, ITS ALL ABOUT BALANCE, THE MEDICAL TERM FOR THAT IS HOMEOSTASIS, THE YIN AND THE YANG WHICH PEOPLE RELATE TO OTHER THINGS IS ALSO A ANCIENT MEDICAL SYMBOL FOR BALANCE. Ok, i think ive said enough , so take from this something to benefit you on your journey seeking the truth of your condition and the truth about adderall and its focused task.

Anti-depressants work terribly because there's no way to localize them. Then, you're stuck taking a pill every day. Also, there's nothing too specific about the neurotransmitters, like the pharmas would have us believe. They all cause depolarizations across a semi-permeable membrane in different parts of the brain. The specificity is in how each drug makes you feel.

You, sorry to say, are speeding, just like everyone does. I regret so much convincing anyone that what I was doing to myself was okay. Forgetfulness is just part of humanity. There are better ways to work on that. Sometimes it's hard because we get rewarded so heavily for what we can accomplish on adderall, but it's no good.

The problem is you were relying on a psychoactive drug to raise your overall happiness levels. Being excited and developing a sense of well-being from the adderall also causes a spike in endorphin levels but after you've had your initial kick you wont feel it quite as hard.

What you have to do is just relax man and stop thinking about a drug getting you depressed. Nothing is "getting you depressed" except for yourself downing yourself.

If you would like a healthy habbit that will help counter your pendulum-like mood-swings, then consider lifting weights or jogging everyday. This will drain the blood from your brain and give you a sense of well being and accomplishment.

Just mellow out on yourself bro. And seriously, start excersizing and testing your physical limitations. I've taken adderall for over a year now and have had no "downs". Till this day I still think it is AMAZING I don't have to drink coffee.

RELAX, LIVE, AND ENJOY.