adderall for depression

clarraga01 wrote:

Guest wrote:

yeah, I am currently depressed with slight social anxiety and I take adderral , unprescribe because my parents don't believe i'm depressed and just a teenage thing.

i don't take it everyday. Only every know and then, (an avg. of twice a week) just to get my brain a reminder on how I should be thinking. But it does do wonders, I must say so. I am afraid to have drugs be my crutch for my depression. But adderrall gives me that extra push for inspiration and confidence, reminding me of how I used to be before I became depressed.

I know it merely covers my problems but it reminds me that I used to be a lot happier then I am now. And gives me the persistance and hope to getting by until I find some peace (which hopefully when I get out of my family's house which I believe is the main factor for my depression.)

I recently became depressed during my senior year. Problems at home, college, job, etc.

It helps me calm down and get things done. When I'm depressed I forget how to be happy. I forget what made me happy. And that's accomplishing things.

I think I need sleep because I'm always fatigued. However, when adderall it gets me motivated and I get things done helping me the next day when I'm off it and the stuff I been procrastinating (thanks to depression) finally gets done. As a result, some of my stress and anxiety is lifted.

I would never use adderall as a cure for my depression for only I can be the cure for my depression. I just use it as a push in the right direction when depression pulls me down.

Hi, I can relate! I have been diagnosed with major depression and I do not respond very well to my antidepressants. It's been 20yrs of this. I too have been taking Adderall and all that you have described I can relate. I start to feel "normal" not depressed. I clean up, put on a little makeup, play board games or video games with my children, I laugh and feel confident about things. I can focus on my studies, I am a graduate student. I get things done and feel good about it! My thoughts and speech are more organized and fluent. I think that this should be considered again by the APA to be used as a treatment for depression.

I have depression, anxiety, and debilitating fatigue. I am on several antidepressants, without success. Recently my pdoc started me on adderall. First he gave me the short acting, I felt great when I took it but when it stopped working I was miserable, shaking, dizzy, restless, it was horrible I felt like I was withdrawing from the drug. I only took it one day. I was afraid to take it again. The next time I seen my pdoc he prescribed slow release adderall. Adderall 30mgXR X2, well I took one at 8a, and felt tired by 11am, so I took another one, my pdoc said I could take two if I took them before 12n. Again when the drug pooped out I went through withdrawl, I got sweaty, blurry eyes, shaking, dizzy, just felt horrible and craved taking another one, but didn't. I called my pdoc and he told me to take a clonopin to "come down". He told me the next day to take just 1 30mg adderallXR, so I did and had no effect for the positive, instead I got highly anxious. After having two bad aftereffects from taking adderall I do not think I want to take it regularly. I craved more after it pooped out, and my mother took the adderall from me. I was on my way to be a drug addict. I hate feeling so tired but it seems like I would become and addict and just add to my already debilitating state.

Pretty much described my situation spot on.

I totally agree with you. I have tried numerous antidepressants for my major depression and until being prescribed adderall I was ready to give up. It is not a cure all but it has been the best thing they've prescribed me to date. Mental health doctors need to seriously look at prescribing this drug for depression it may help a lot of people who are at their wits end.

I take Adderall xr 10mg at noon for depression/anxiety and fatigue. It was prescribed for ADD but at that dose it is not too effective. But am afraid of taking more due to tolerance and crash. It has been a miracle for me. But be careful—the crash can be terrible—rebound depression and anxiety. I find tea helps—would rather do that then more Adderall. Keep dose as low as possible and take breaks if you can to avoid crash. Use it responsibly and carefully. Eat healthy – lots of greens (I find steamed Kale has an incredible effect although I hate it—but has lots of vitamins), drink lots of water, avoid caffeine in the morning, sugar, carbs, NO ALCOHOL if you are depressed, and get exercise and PROTEIN (Tyrosine supplements are good to build up dopamine)—all this helps with the Adderall. Without Addreall I get so irritable, withdrawn, suicidal, it takes all my negativity away—with no feeling of being drugged or high or anything like that.

Adderall has been shown to help depression. I take it for ADHD inattentive and found it also helped depression better than several I had tried. Would like to mention Abilify made me suicidal. Cymbalta increased my heart rate and blood pressure more than Adderall by far. Stopped Lexapro and with Adderall didnt miss it at all.

seriously, please look up topics before you put your information up. You could harm people by giving false info. It's for accurate facts not someone's opinion...

I just wondered how the guest graduate student did with adderall for depression since last year? I have drug resistant depression but no ADHD/ADD. I have been on every antidepressant you can think of and adderall is the first thing that has worked. I am worried, however, after reading the bad experiences people have had with adderall...

You must never have experienced a deep depression. Lucky you. I take antidepressant and Adderall and finally after 15 years of hell I am feeling better. So don't judge others until you are in their shoes, if even then.

I was diagnosed with major depressive disorder and was put on numerous SSRI's and a combination of Wellbutrin and Paxil. All those made me worse and actually crave alcohol! When my daughter was diagnosed with ADHD, I realized I had a lot of the same symptoms. I saw a different psychiatrist who specializes in this disorder and he informed me that ADHD can cause depression and/or be comormid with depression, including dysthmyia (which is a mild but chronic form of depression). I currently take Adderall (generic) 20 mg twice per day, and Trazodone (used for sleep and anxiety) at night. The combination has worked wonders for me. Never believe that one fix is good for everyone. It all depends on your particular brain chemistry.

I dont think I would change doctors. I think your doctor is a good one. Not all doctors are aware that it helps with depression. Adderall is a good drug to treat deression. I suffer with depression, and went for years not knowing what was wrong with me, and I was suicidal. Nothing worked for me until I was prescribe Adderall and I'm thankful I was, sl it saved my life. I'm not sure how it will work with your brother, but I think it's worth a try

I was put on adderall for depression as well after loosing my father 5 years ago and before that 6 other family members, a house fire, 23 abdominal surgeries leaving me in pain permanently 16 oral surgeries all starting at 23! I could not take regular anti depressants! I truly believe adderall saved me from myself! I don't get busy energy as most but mind wise and emotionally it's awesome and I can finally sleep like a baby! It was God sent!

Wow it worked for u?? That's do great...I guess everyone is different ...it used to make me feel like I was having a heart attack... probably because I found out later I was bipolar it made me manic.... I wish it worked for me ..

Many people who are severely depressed to the point of being suicidal get absolutely no relief from anti depressants. Many suicides are the result of that. Some people will not live long enough to find out why they shouldnt take adderall for depression.

"Only I can be a cure for my depression" I had a family member who fought it to the end with the same attitude. A positive attitude can indeed work miracles but if not wisely applied it can also be fatal. His was. He committed suicide.

I disagree. I have been suffering from depression for years with varying degrees of severity. Although I see your point about coming down from the drug, adderall can be very beneficial as an anti-depressant. I take it every once in awhile and it really helps! I am motivated, focused, positive, etc. Perhaps if the dose is high enough and taken continuously he may struggle when "taking breaks" from it, but I have tried dozens of anti-depressants with no success. In fact they've caused other health problems. So as long as he is monitoring himself as is his Dr. I think this could be a good thing for those struggling with depression.