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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 8 of 8. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by calamityjane on November 12, 2008, at 13:26:34
My friend takes Adderall, and constantly she is putting me down as to whether I am taking too much or not using it wisely. The catch is, my friend is COMPLETELY abusing this drug. I want to help her - I offered to stop getting our prescriptions - as a team - and go without it for a few months. She said she NEEDS it and that it was not an option. I think the depression she is experiencing is a result of the drug. Not to mention she is on a few other meds. BUt she seems to believe that its NOT a result of the Adderall. BUt I have seen a change in her - I really think she is having adverse reactions to the Adderall.
How to I state my belief without coming across as judgmental, or having a "holier than thou" attitude? Because I am most certainly NOT better than her. I just recognize that she is in the same place I was a few years ago.
Posted by desolationrower on November 12, 2008, at 14:23:43
In reply to Adderall is hurting my friend, posted by calamityjane on November 12, 2008, at 13:26:34
Well you can't make someone else be who you want them to be. You can just communicate how they way she is now is affecting you. Maybe also being conscious of the situations that make her misuse her prescription and hleping her avoid those might help.
-d/r
Posted by Justherself54 on November 12, 2008, at 15:17:57
In reply to Adderall is hurting my friend, posted by calamityjane on November 12, 2008, at 13:26:34
You could simply say you are worried about her, you care for her and you'd hate to see her have to go through what you did. All you can do is extend the hand..it's her call whether she takes it. If she is putting you down, you may have to put some boundries up in your relationship. Some people have to take the wrong turn in the road before they realize it and make their way back.
I think if you approach it in a non-threatening way, you may reach her. If not, then she needs more help than a friend can give her.
Posted by Phillipa on November 12, 2008, at 21:11:08
In reply to Re: Adderall is hurting my friend, posted by Justherself54 on November 12, 2008, at 15:17:57
Yes above thread sounds like a good approach to me. Phillipa
Posted by kenny7 on November 14, 2008, at 16:34:02
In reply to Re: Adderall is hurting my friend, posted by Phillipa on November 12, 2008, at 21:11:08
Tell her blowing Addies isnt cool anymore...like one of your friends did it...It downregulates dopamine receptors so she will enter a deep depression....forever. Then ask them to toke up or something. Be a pal
Posted by kenny7 on November 14, 2008, at 16:35:50
In reply to Re: Adderall is hurting my friend, posted by kenny7 on November 14, 2008, at 16:34:02
anymore..woops gave that away....Its not cool after a while tolerance is rapidly built when snorting and even when taking it regularly. This is random but if she ever talks about switching to work (coke) the amount of adderall she probably does it better than it. If she has instants....
Posted by utopizen on November 17, 2008, at 18:36:28
In reply to Adderall is hurting my friend, posted by calamityjane on November 12, 2008, at 13:26:34
sounds like she might be more responsive to clinical information, that any advice...
might want to just mention you've read some studies about how amphetamines use to be used to treat depression in 50's and 60's, until they realized it actually agrravates even minor depression.
also, it's unrealistic to think she's going to quite entirely. i'd just focus on encouraging her to lower the dose.
honestly, frankly, she'll be unlikely to do even that. better bet is just try to encourage her to go to the gym with you, using the buddy system for moral support.
antidepressants and exercise have comparable efficacy ratings, in side-by-side studies of the two as treatments for depression. treat her depression, and she's likely to either lower the dose of her Adderall or stop it...
the reason why stimulants make depression worse has to do with the OCD hypothesis to depression.anyone who's taken abnormal psych is familiar with this it's the research that explains that women have more depression than men, because once they have depression, they worsen it by worrying about the fact they have depression. Since women have higher rates of OCD, this explains why their incidence of depression is higher.
stimulants make OCD/obsessive thoughts worse, by making the circuitry repeat worrisome thoughts more... thoughts that might otherwise be likely to be fleeting ones.
when someone is depressed, they are also just less resilient to things in general... so the same dose is likely to make her have more anxiety, insomnia, worries, weird behavior than when she's not in depression.
so my advice is, forget the adderall, and just do all the non-drug things that any friend typically does for their friend during a rough patch try to get them to go out to a club, exercise with you regularly, encourage them to eat better, hook them up with a date, talking with them about their day, etc.
All of these things distract them from worrying about taking their next dose. =)
Posted by utopizen on November 17, 2008, at 18:39:54
In reply to Re: Adderall is hurting my friend, posted by utopizen on November 17, 2008, at 18:36:28
As a side note: make it clear, if she appears to use this primarily to hurt you almost more than her don't tolerate manipulative behavior. It's only going to make your own problems worse. It's tough, but, if you do the best you can, and she still doesn't listen (even about non-drug talks)
it's important to know at the end of the day, just like your problems are your problems, her problems are her problems.
She doesn't seem likely to do the same stuff you're willing to do for her, so, keep that in mind. Friendship isn't a one-way street.
This is the end of the thread.
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