adhd not treated caused my addiction

[bigt1976]

Hello,I am a 12 year opiate addict,but been clean with help of suboxone.also have adult ADHD,depression,anxiety disorder,ptsd,learning disabilities,chronic pain.been on suboxone 5 years, finally with my mother supervision I am on 50 mg vyvanse,Zoloft 50mg.klonopin,anxiety.i am 37 now diagnosed at 6 ADHD.is it natural too substitute pain medication,to help symptoms of ADHD,it seemed like life just kept getting better ,but eventually stopped working,had to take to function.25-30 lorcet 10 a day .it ruined me,I'm on disability.But the treatment of my ADHD has changed  me,well suboxone also.i am finally back with family,used to Dr.shop,no friends,anyway if I would have stayed in treatment for ADHD,do you think I would have become addict

[OpenMind24hours]

For what it's worth: I have ADHD that went un-diagnosed throughout my childhood, thru the military and into my work career. I had to fight hard to keep up with normal thinking people, but on the other hand I excelled in an area that became my occupation. As the disorder became more and more widely known, I realized that this is me. I still find that I ace every ADHD test I take. My daughter has followed in my footsteps. Both of us are addicts. I've never read that most ADHD peeps are addicts, but here you go with my stats. We're both are addicts. My daughter has been fighting her addiction lately. I went out and I'm back and clean for over a year now. On the other hand, my son is completely normal and is a 4.O graduate from Northwestern University with a brilliant career in advertising.

In my case my drugging dragged me down and I used everything but opiates. I found the various versions of what we called speed back then helped me to focus. I first got clean and sober back in 1982 and stayed that way for 28 years. During that period I was in AA and later NA. I took absolutely no mind altering drugs and those recovery programs really helped to keep me on solid ground. I had a great work career that I retired from at age 55 in 2001. I blew my back out a few years ago, took opiates and was back out using in no time. I agree with you on the effect opiates have with our disorder. And I also agree with you on the eventual dead end the opiates render. Opiate addiction = jails, institutions and eventual death unless the addiction is treated.

In conclusion, I rose above my ADHD by discovering what I'm good at and what I'm not good at and then simply concentrated on working on the good. I had no other choice. As you and I both know, with our disorder we can't be forced into something were not really interested in. I feel there is always a place in the world for us and it really doesn't need to involve a total dependency on mind altering drugs.

[motye51]

I'm up!  Of course I'm up it's 4:00 a.m.!  B/C I can't sleep and believe you me if your looking for help, this forum is the place to be. I really don't think I'd have made It this far w/o the people in this forum. You are in the right place if your looking to become clean! Word of advice though, don't abuse the Sub's b/c I am now finding that after being on them for over 6 yrs we were NEVER meant to take sub's that long. Get your doctor to start weaning you down off of them so when your ready to quit the w/d won't be so bad!  Please hear this! I'm not joking and I'm not exaggerating. Sub's are a God send but then there just like every other drug we take, a substitute!

[desp_needsupport]

Not an expert on adhd but it very well could have played a big part.  How long have you been on suboxone?  What strength are you on?  This is a great place to get support!  keep posting!  in the morning I'm sure you'll get more responses.  Take care!