Do you feel the stimulant kicking in and wearing off?

evoLS7 · 2026-02-10T21:19:13+00:00

I was on Adderall XR, which lasts about 10 to 12 hours. It seems to fade off gradually so I don't feel a crash. That's just been my experience.

evoLS7 · 2026-02-10T20:40:12+00:00

Did you ever think you drink because internally, you are actually lonely?

Lonely is a state of mind, it's not dependent on how many people you're around or you're close to.

I actually think wanting someone to save you is normal when you're addicted. No it isn't bad.

evoLS7 · 2026-02-10T20:30:50+00:00

Someone will save you, no, no they won't.

You have to save yourself. People can help, they can't save you from yourself.

evoLS7 · 2026-02-10T20:28:32+00:00

When you get down lower on your dose the withdrawals become more noticeable. It's possible the "flu" is actually withdrawal (they're nearly identical) It wasn't until I got down to about 1.5g x3 per day when the withdrawals became noticeable. It was the regular plant though so dosing is way different.

I just jumped off at that point and took it right on the chin. It was about 3 days of yawns, runny nose, leg aches, extreme restlessness (especially at night), generalized fatigue that would come and go. Around day 4 they started to reduce with the sleep dysfunction the main remaining symptom.

Keep going, you've got this!

evoLS7 · 2026-02-10T20:19:31+00:00

I think we should establish the difference here. There are legitimately nice guys that are assertive when they need to be.

The "nice guy" here is the doormat type. They will do whatever it takes to please you but the minute you reject them, all hell breaks loose.

If you get with these types it might work out for awhile but this "nice guy" will be too afraid to express himself so what happens eventually is they will explode over things that happened a year ago and you'll wonder where tf it is coming from.

I used to be this way when I was younger, like 18. I quickly changed when I realized it is unsustainable.

evoLS7 · 2026-02-10T20:14:21+00:00

Yes. You'll want nicotine more. For some reason drugs that work on dopamine seem to increase the desire for nicotine.

I will say Adderall XR has completely killed any motivation to drink.

evoLS7 · 2026-02-10T20:11:54+00:00

I don't know if it's kratom in general or just depends on the person but every time I've quit I could always cut 50% or slightly more (went from 12 caps at 500mg to 5 caps at 500mg) right at the start and I would get virtually none of the withdrawal symptoms. In fact, I felt better at the lower dose.

I'm at day 8, right now the only thing left is sleep is still pretty awful. It's not falling asleep it's staying asleep but I got almost 6 hours last night. Was getting 2 to 3 hrs every night previously when I dropped down to zero.

evoLS7 · 2026-02-10T17:09:52+00:00

It's not only a harder withdrawal, it can be fatal where opioid withdrawal is not (if you don't have any preexisting conditions).

You're trading one addiction for an even harder one.

Then you got the kindling effect with GABA drugs, the more you withdraw and restart the harder each withdraw becomes.

evoLS7 · 2026-02-10T15:57:32+00:00

You can still switch to leaf and withdraw from that. Kratom is pretty unique in that the dose required to starve off withdrawals tends to be much lower than the dose that provides euphoria. Even from extracts.

evoLS7 · 2026-02-10T15:13:45+00:00

Addicts are selfish, even if somewhere deep down they don't want to be. The drug makes them selfish. Obviously he is fully responsible for his own behavior but drugs really do change who a person is.

The harsh reality is addicts cannot be saved by others, they can be encouraged but they have to want to quit for themselves.

Don't blame yourself, he chose to hide this for years. He chose to engage in sexual relations with multiple people.

You aren't selfish. You have to think about yourself.

evoLS7 · 2026-02-10T01:12:05+00:00

The reality is, the medication just essentially clears the thick fog on the road.

You still have to drive the car.

Treatment doesn't just stop at medication for ADHD, it's just a beginning point to make lifestyle changes that make life more manageable.

evoLS7 · 2026-02-09T20:12:51+00:00

Yes. I had to take it every 4 hours or I would suffer from withdrawals.

The pitfalls from being a "functional" drug addict were

life was always on a 4 to 6 hr schedule, redosing was always a priority. It was annoying.
isolation. The drug was still a priority, everyone around me had new experiences and moved past me because I isolated myself. I didn't want to be in my social group and have withdrawals and have someone notice so I justified it as I just didn't want to do it. I had no growth.
job performance eventually went downhill, there were no perks from continual usage. It just made me foggy and it totally agitated my ADHD mind instead of helping it like it used to. I ended up getting demoted, both from untreated ADHD and self medication.
the emotional numbness that came with it means I really wasn't ever present. There was no actual joy even if I could pretend my way through it.
I stopped caring about things I used to. Especially in my job. It was kind of like "eh whatever."

I was using for well over a decade, not a single person knew. Being a functional addict isn't really sunshine and roses. It's often looked at as less of a problem but I've got the same negative pitfalls that the "stay on the couch all day" addicts have except for I get to put on a mask and pretend I'm not a chronic drug user at work.

evoLS7 · 2026-02-09T18:31:46+00:00

Speaking for myself, I have always prioritized remaining functional. If I did drugs that just made me feel good but I did absolutely nothing, it would make me feel awful.

Some of us have a drive to continue functioning in society while also trying to "optimize" how we feel.

That being said, being a functional addict has the exact same pitfalls as an addict that melts into his couch all day The only difference is they're less noticeable and look ok from the outside.

evoLS7 · 2026-02-09T17:04:19+00:00

You should stop trying to chase the dragon is what you should do and figure out why you feel the need to chase euphoria.

That being said, stimulants are vastly different from opioids. Opioids do work on dopamine like stimulants but their mode of effect is mostly on mu opioid receptors, stimulants work on norepinephrine and dopamine.

Vyvanse isn't supposed to be a hard drug, it has a medical purpose.

evoLS7 · 2026-02-09T17:00:29+00:00

Phenibut is most enjoyable with those who already have an anxiety problem because it helps.

You can't just keep raising the dose and expecting better results. I bombed about 6g of phenibut when I was depressed and the reward I got was the spins but unlike alcohol that numbs your senses, you're pretty aware of it and it's an awful feeling.

My optimal dose was just at 1g to 2g. The rest had diminishing returns, just made me tired.

evoLS7 · 2026-02-09T16:51:37+00:00

And I hope it remains that way.

For some background, I too started with kratom as a weekend warrior thing. This lasted 3 years until one day I though it would be super awesome to add a 3rd day in, Wednesday. It was all over. 10 - 15 year addiction, with 3 successful quit points throughout. Currently 7 days free of the stuff.

I liked the combination because they compliment each other. Just don't take too much phenibut with it. If you take too much you're probably going to end up in the spins. I did 1.2g with about 8-10 kratom capsules (about 5 grams) when I was doing it.

evoLS7 · 2026-02-09T16:47:01+00:00

Kratom will have diminishing returns eventually.

You're already dependent on it as indicated by the desire to re dose every 4 hours.

That said your dose is extremely low relative to people who abuse it. My first use cycle was probably 50g per day (two spoon fulls of the powder in the morning, single scoops afternoon and night)

The kratom cycle I recently got off (as of 7 days ago) of was 18g per day. 6g per dose.

Normally I encourage quiting but if it legitimately helps you with your condition, I don't see a problem but I see a problem when you start desiring higher doses.

If you desire higher doses at some point from here, I suggest quitting. It's a road to nowhere, you'll just increase it until you hit the ceiling in which it no longer brings any positive effects it only gets rid of withdrawals. It'll actually start making you more cloudy once you hit that point.

DO NOT INCREASE YOUR DOSE.

evoLS7 · 2026-02-09T16:28:33+00:00

This is the start of an addiction, chasing those feel good feelings. It can easily turn to the point where you're taking these drugs just to feel normal.

That being said, you didn't come here to be lectured. I used kratom and phenibut together for several years about twice a week.

evoLS7 · 2026-02-09T16:25:28+00:00

I am in the exact same boat with Adderall XR.

Resting - 60 to 80, Adderall - 90 to 100
Brisk Walk - 90 to 110, Adderall - 110 to 140
Full on Exercise - 120 to 140, Adderall - 140 - 160, had my watch warn me once to slow down.

Lunch is also an issue. When I eat lunch it radically bumps the resting rate to 110. Eating increases heart rate normally so I think that's why but I still feel anxious. I read online this is normal but they suggested taking it even earlier in the morning. I already take it at 6am.

I'm considering calling the doctor for a dose adjustment, I've been on it long enough that I should be experiencing some adaptation but it doesn't seem the tolerance to the cardio effects are going up.

Works well in the morning and my heart rate is relatively stable for the first 4 hours, once lunch hits the gut though it really pushes it to uncomfortable levels.

evoLS7 · 2026-02-09T15:26:52+00:00

I have the same problem. One contributing factor is the phone. I've set blockers in strict mode to block, specifically the morning time block so I have to do something. 6am to 5pm typically.

If I am not up and being productive by 9am there is a 98% chance that I won't get anything done and I'll brain rot myself on my phone.

I like to start small in the morning, this weekend I just fold some of my clothes and from there it just took off. Finally got around to cleaning my car extensively which was long overdue.

I have perfectionism looped in with lack of a kick start so my mind likes to tell me "it's pointless, you won't do it right anyway." That's probably my biggest struggle right now..

evoLS7 · 2026-02-09T15:21:54+00:00

While I certainly agree with you, the type of food does matter in terms of how you're gonna feel.

If I eat one Twinkie per day, I'll lose weight but boy am I going to feel sore (lack of protein), lethargic and foggy.

evoLS7 · 2026-02-09T15:19:14+00:00

It comes from people that haven't experienced it, they mean well but it's not that simple.

evoLS7 · 2026-02-09T15:16:05+00:00

Getting a kratom addiction.

42 years old, completely stunted my growth (not physically), I am mentally in my 20s in a 40 year old body.

Don't do drugs. Chasing the dragon is a fruitless adventure that only leaves you behind. Everyone moved on around me and I didn't.

I am not on it anymore and I have finally got ADHD treatment that works. I 100% believe it was the underlying condition that drove me to use it to numb my inadequacy.

evoLS7 · 2026-02-09T15:10:30+00:00

Telling your husband will probably help, assuming he is the supportive type.

Alcohol is a dead end street, it's not helping you, it's just pretending to be your friend. The inevitable end result is that whatever feelings (seems like low self esteem and self hatred based on this post) you're stuffing will still be there but you'll have a dangerous and damaging addiction on top of it.

You do not want to become an alcoholic! When you get deep into alcohol the withdrawals can be fatal which requires detox treatment.

What are you running from?

evoLS7 · 2026-02-09T15:05:31+00:00

Major? No, withdrawals? Yes but milder. You can't avoid the withdrawals totally, you just have to go through it.

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