I’m a therapist. In grad school, one of my professors said that the most reliable way to diagnose someone with ADHD is to give them a stimulant and see how they react. Understandably, that’s not how people are diagnosed for safety and ethical reasons… but it is effective.
Its addictive for people with ADHD as well. There is a study from about a decade ago that researched and found over 50% of Americans incarcerated on methamphetamine charges were diagnosed as either ADD or ADHD.
I once told a therapist that I was skeptical of my diagnosis based off how the moment I ingest adderall, my entire prescription will be gone within 9 days, she then told me that she had not once in all her years of practice met an adderall addict who didn’t have an ADHD diagnosis. She did however point out that those who actually truly did seem to not get high from amphetamines were more likely to enjoy opiates recreationally, which kind of tracks, because despite trying on several occasions, I’ve never once felt the effects of recreational opiate usage and thus very likely immune to forming an abuse disorder if ever prescribed them long term.
Well as I stated, recreational doses of street opiates (before cent became a thing that had to be worried about) have not once ever produced an effect on me, and I have had 30 day prescriptions of medical dosages last 2 years.
It takes a little time to get on the ride at first. If you never used two days in a row then its not crazy you never got hooked. Even with recreational opiates, taking home a 20 bag one weekend isn’t going to end your life. There are actually weekend warriors who only use on weekends and do relatively fine, if they can stick to the limits they set.
Also opiates properly prescribed (the least amount needed for relief) are actually not too tricky to kick. I’m talking about 7 day or 30 day scripts that are take as needed or taken daily. You will likely experience nothing more than what feels like a minor cold or flu, symptom wise. You might have a few rough nights sleep.
There are variations to things, there are many additional gears left to shift into, so to speak, I’m just warning you shouldn’t test them out because first gear didn’t scare you.
I’m likely older than you and retired from the street drug consumption game.
Believe me, I have tried opiates. They dont do anything for me. It’s a better ibuprofin but robs you of the ability to poop.
Believe me, my interest in researching the validity is zero, I’m just pointing out that there are people with ADHD who claim that adderall doesn’t get them high, while at the same time, there are people with ADHD who are adderall addicts the moment they get the first pill ingested yet appear to have diminished or zero response whatsoever to opiates.
“…appear to have diminished or zero response whatsoever to opiates.”
I still think its dangerous to post things like this on a forum without any sort of actual citation.
I understand its your personal experience, but there are so many compounding factors, it’s nearly impossible to say why you had that experience, or if it would happen again if you tried some street fentadope thats available now.
If you can get addicted to something from trying it just once, there is something already wrong with you at that point. This sounds like a misunderstanding of how addiction works.
… There are lots of people like that and it’s mostly genetic so I’m unsure if you’re agreeing or not with this standpoint… Because that’s a big fucking ethical issue lol.
I think both of y’all have a rough understanding of addiction. There is no such thing as people who get addicted to substances after a single use. There are instances of people trying a drug and then continuing to use it, usually due to availability.
Its a lot like any other opportunity that enters your life. Sometimes its really hard to turn down the idea of using to fix whatever problems you have in the short term. Noone plans to use forever you know.
Is it so shocking that average people are just as capable of addiction as the people they see at their local methadone clinic?
You are right that taking something once at a low dose is unlikely to make you addicted. It doesn’t make sense though to ignore psychological, situational, and genetic risk factors for addiction.
I never said that those factors should be ignored.
The point I’m making is that when people frame this as “some people just aren’t built to handle it” they put people into two groups: the easily addicted, and normal people.
People want to be part of and prove they are in the normal group. Something is wrong with you if you are in the addict group. Those in the normal group feel protected by being part of it. They think they aren’t capable of addiction that they must have gotten lucky.
I think that’s an incredibly dangerous framing of addiction. Everyone is capable of becoming an addict. Just because some never do, doesn’t mean they had some special mutation that protected them. Addiction is an incredibly social disease, and with how little we know about it we should be more cautious rather than callous when discussing it.
You’re going to need some serious evidence for that one. Most people become addicts because they have something to run from like mental health issues or bad life circumstances. You can have a genetic susceptibility to addiction, but that would probably require you take it more than once unless another issue is in play.
Edit: in fact even then getting addicted to amphetamines on one try, from the relatively low doses doctors give for ADHD is very unlikely.
This is also the most DARE shit I have ever seen. People are very unlikely to become addicted to amphetamines from one low dose given by a doctor, not matter what their genetics might be. Genetics are only one small piece of the addiction puzzle, and alcohol is probably more addictive anyway.
A more ethical approach then: put the person in a room together with an adhd’er and see how quickly they bond. Seriously, it’s like there’s a hidden kinship, shit just works.
I’m a therapist. In grad school, one of my professors said that the most reliable way to diagnose someone with ADHD is to give them a stimulant and see how they react. Understandably, that’s not how people are diagnosed for safety and ethical reasons… but it is effective.
And how would you say “most reliable” is figured? Is it like a 15% success rate and the next best test is 13%?
Is this more of a gut feeling thing or is there some sort of data to back up the claim?
That doesn’t sound all that dangerous to me. I don’t really understand what the ethical issues here are.
For people who do not have ADHD, the medication used to treat ADHD can be extremely addictive.
Its addictive for people with ADHD as well. There is a study from about a decade ago that researched and found over 50% of Americans incarcerated on methamphetamine charges were diagnosed as either ADD or ADHD.
I once told a therapist that I was skeptical of my diagnosis based off how the moment I ingest adderall, my entire prescription will be gone within 9 days, she then told me that she had not once in all her years of practice met an adderall addict who didn’t have an ADHD diagnosis. She did however point out that those who actually truly did seem to not get high from amphetamines were more likely to enjoy opiates recreationally, which kind of tracks, because despite trying on several occasions, I’ve never once felt the effects of recreational opiate usage and thus very likely immune to forming an abuse disorder if ever prescribed them long term.
Man, I wish it was more addictive. Then I would remember to take it.
Please dont test out your theory of “I’m immune to opiate addiction”. I promise you that you aren’t the unicorn.
Well as I stated, recreational doses of street opiates (before cent became a thing that had to be worried about) have not once ever produced an effect on me, and I have had 30 day prescriptions of medical dosages last 2 years.
It takes a little time to get on the ride at first. If you never used two days in a row then its not crazy you never got hooked. Even with recreational opiates, taking home a 20 bag one weekend isn’t going to end your life. There are actually weekend warriors who only use on weekends and do relatively fine, if they can stick to the limits they set.
Also opiates properly prescribed (the least amount needed for relief) are actually not too tricky to kick. I’m talking about 7 day or 30 day scripts that are take as needed or taken daily. You will likely experience nothing more than what feels like a minor cold or flu, symptom wise. You might have a few rough nights sleep.
There are variations to things, there are many additional gears left to shift into, so to speak, I’m just warning you shouldn’t test them out because first gear didn’t scare you.
I’m likely older than you and retired from the street drug consumption game.
Believe me, I have tried opiates. They dont do anything for me. It’s a better ibuprofin but robs you of the ability to poop.
Believe me, my interest in researching the validity is zero, I’m just pointing out that there are people with ADHD who claim that adderall doesn’t get them high, while at the same time, there are people with ADHD who are adderall addicts the moment they get the first pill ingested yet appear to have diminished or zero response whatsoever to opiates.
“…appear to have diminished or zero response whatsoever to opiates.”
I still think its dangerous to post things like this on a forum without any sort of actual citation.
I understand its your personal experience, but there are so many compounding factors, it’s nearly impossible to say why you had that experience, or if it would happen again if you tried some street fentadope thats available now.
If you can get addicted to something from trying it just once, there is something already wrong with you at that point. This sounds like a misunderstanding of how addiction works.
… There are lots of people like that and it’s mostly genetic so I’m unsure if you’re agreeing or not with this standpoint… Because that’s a big fucking ethical issue lol.
I think both of y’all have a rough understanding of addiction. There is no such thing as people who get addicted to substances after a single use. There are instances of people trying a drug and then continuing to use it, usually due to availability.
Its a lot like any other opportunity that enters your life. Sometimes its really hard to turn down the idea of using to fix whatever problems you have in the short term. Noone plans to use forever you know.
Is it so shocking that average people are just as capable of addiction as the people they see at their local methadone clinic?
You are right that taking something once at a low dose is unlikely to make you addicted. It doesn’t make sense though to ignore psychological, situational, and genetic risk factors for addiction.
I never said that those factors should be ignored.
The point I’m making is that when people frame this as “some people just aren’t built to handle it” they put people into two groups: the easily addicted, and normal people.
People want to be part of and prove they are in the normal group. Something is wrong with you if you are in the addict group. Those in the normal group feel protected by being part of it. They think they aren’t capable of addiction that they must have gotten lucky.
I think that’s an incredibly dangerous framing of addiction. Everyone is capable of becoming an addict. Just because some never do, doesn’t mean they had some special mutation that protected them. Addiction is an incredibly social disease, and with how little we know about it we should be more cautious rather than callous when discussing it.
You’re going to need some serious evidence for that one. Most people become addicts because they have something to run from like mental health issues or bad life circumstances. You can have a genetic susceptibility to addiction, but that would probably require you take it more than once unless another issue is in play.
Edit: in fact even then getting addicted to amphetamines on one try, from the relatively low doses doctors give for ADHD is very unlikely.
This is also the most DARE shit I have ever seen. People are very unlikely to become addicted to amphetamines from one low dose given by a doctor, not matter what their genetics might be. Genetics are only one small piece of the addiction puzzle, and alcohol is probably more addictive anyway.
A more ethical approach then: put the person in a room together with an adhd’er and see how quickly they bond. Seriously, it’s like there’s a hidden kinship, shit just works.