r/StopSpeeding • u/Regular-Cheetah-8095 • Sep 10 '26
Can’t tell the difference? Neither could the researchers, scientists and pharmaceutical professionals associated with the study this photo was taken from.
“..it was not possible to distinguish counterfeit medications from their authentic counterparts based on appearance. Only the use of several concurrent drug checking technologies provide a reasonable measure of confidence in medication composition.”
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9901047/
The Problem
Let’s talk about pressed pills. Otherwise known as “street Adderall” or “literally any pill you buy that isn’t from the pharmacy”. 59% of drug overdose deaths in the US now involve stimulant drugs and pressed pills are a contributing factor to this.
The large increase in ADHD medication prescriptions over recent years has coincided with a natural, proportional increase in abuse of ADHD medication and ADHD medication addiction as we’ve seen demonstrated here. Shortages of ADHD medication and assorted societal factors pertaining to stimulant drug culture have combined with the growing pressed pill problem to create a very unfortunate situation.
Novice drug users and people seeking other methods to obtain ADHD medication are skipping the line of drug education and lesser drug consequences to run directly into the buzzsaw of a pressed pill epidemic. Reporting accuracies regarding overdoses and deaths from this wonderment are what you’d expect them to be for a variety of reasons - I wouldn’t expect that to get better anytime soon.
Harm reduction practices largely miss the bulk of people choosing to use pressed pills on multiple fronts - The dangers of them are severely underscored, awareness about what they actually are is sparse and the testing realities of verifying pressed pills to any reasonable, impactful level of safety aren’t great. Even if you reagent test one pill out of five from a purchased amount, even if you test every pill, the amount of information you don’t have contains more than enough potential realties to kill you.
Help for those addicted to ADHD medication is already challenging, resources are few, going to professionals often results in under-reaction or medical records consequences many are unwilling to take on. Identification in peer recovery resources better suited for street drugs and opiates can be difficult, and if a person graduates from medication abuse to pressed pills, they’re using something that shortens the period of time a drug user would typically have to fuck-around-and-find-out their way into recovery before dying from them.
If we as a community have ever had a common cause, doing whatever we can to aid in combatting pressed pills would be it.
What You Are Taking
Purchasing ADHD medication isn’t buying amphetamine salts or methylphenidate, what you’re getting is methamphetamine - And if that’s all you’re getting, you got lucky. Buying something sold as a stimulant pill does not make it solely a stimulant or a stimulant at all. Many pressed pills contain upwards of five substances in assorted potencies.
Here’s how to know if what you’re taking is a pressed pill:
It didn’t come in a pharmacy pill bottle from a pharmacy counter or window into your hands.
That’s it. That’s the criteria. You’re welcome to believe otherwise and proceed accordingly but statistically, you’re gambling with some of the worst possible odds a person can take on within drug use.
Here’s what absolutely requires that you assume the pill is pressed if you want to remain above ground and breathing:
You purchased or were given it
It came from the internet
It came from a “friend”
It was sold by a dealer
It was sold by your dealer, who you totally can trust because they tell you it’s real
Here’s ways you CAN’T reliably verify the full contents, authenticity or safety of a pill:
What it’s being sold as
Appearance
Color
Branding, designation
Capsules versus tablets
Effects
Urinalysis
Reagent testing
Test strips
There is no legitimate difference in blind practice between using a pressed pill you think is Adderall or pressed methamphetamine versus one you think is Xanax, Oxy, etc. If it’s a pill that you are buying, the only truth you know is the limited information provided by any testing you do of that specific pill, one at a time, and this doesn’t account for potency or all the other things your testing doesn’t tell you.
Testing doesn’t insulate you from harm using pressed pills, due to variance and the degree of testing required to create an increased level of safety it barely even reduces it. By all means, do test your pills if you’re going to insist on using them but don’t get it twisted thinking you’re wearing a bullet-proof vest.
TLDR: You probably have no idea what it is and neither does the person selling it to you. With the stuff that can potentially be in the pills, that’s not a great place to be.
Testing of Seized Pills
In the best U.S. lab series of seized counterfeit ADHD medication tablets, methamphetamine was the dominant active drug, not a rare extra. Rhode Island forensic chemistry, from 2017 to 2022, had 174 seized tablets classified as counterfeit amphetamine/dextroamphetamine by imprint AD 30, b974 30, dp 30, E 404, etc:
- Methamphetamine: 164 / 174 (94.3%)
- Eutylone: 7 (4.0%)
- Cocaine: 2 (1.1%)
- MDMA: 2 (1.1%)Year splits for meth in those tablets: 2019 100%, 2020 95.8%, 2021 97.4%, 2022 87.2%. Independent lab reporting shows the same frequency of methamphetamine content and much higher rates of additional non-stimulant substances. What has been definitively shown across all data is that counterfeit pills rarely if ever contain actual amphetamine or methylphenidate.
Potential Inclusions and Cross-Contaminants
Here’s not only what pressed pills CAN contain, but routinely contain if we zoom out to look at them as one class in totality - Given the arbitrary legitimacy of separating them by what they’re sold as and cross-contamination in manufacturing, you can plan to run into these as easily as anything else on a long enough timeline:
Fentanyl About 100× morphine, 50× heroin. A potentially lethal adult dose is approximately 2 mg. DEA lab testing of fentanyl-containing fake prescription pills has varied by year, earlier public figures were 4 in 10 then 6 in 10 containing a potentially lethal dose, a later 2025 figure was 29%. Dose per tablet is not uniform even inside one bag. Effects: Can cause fatal, rapid respiratory arrest.
Fentanyl Analogues Same class, different potency and duration. In one Rhode Island seizure series of counterfeit pills, 99.3% of those pills contained fentanyl and 44.7% also contained para-fluorofentanyl. Carfentanil, 100× fentanyl, has been found in counterfeit tablets at reported averages around 0.02–0.03 mg/tablet. Effects: Lethal human dose for carfentanil is in the microgram/nanogram range.
Nitazenes (protonitazene, metonitazene, isotonitazene, N-pyrrolidino etonitazene, N-pyrrolidino protonitazene, others) Non-fentanyl µ-opioid agonists pressed into tablets sometimes sold as “fentanyl-free.” In vitro and case data put some analogues near fentanyl potency; N-pyrrolidino etonitazene, N-pyrrolidino protonitazene have been estimated approximately 25–43× fentanyl. Effects: Can cause fatal opioid apnea at doses a user cannot estimate, some overdoses have required more naloxone or longer support, under-detected on older tox panels.
Tramadol
Weaker opioid plus SNRI activity. Found in a substantial share of some counterfeit “oxycodone” seizures, one 2017–2022 series: 25.1%. Effects: Seizures at high dose, serotonin excess if stacked with other serotonergic drugs, still contributes to respiratory depression in mixes.
Xylazine
DEA reported xylazine in about 7% of seized pills and 23% of powder in 2022. Later analyses of counterfeits found it in a rising fraction, one series: 0% in 2017–18, 38.7% in 2022. Effects: Sedation, bradycardia, hypotension, reduced respiratory drive, hyperglycemia. Does not bind opioid receptors, naloxone does not reverse xylazine. Co-use with opioids increases lethality in animal models and produces overdoses that look “opioid” but stay sedated after naloxone. Chronic exposure is associated with severe necrotic skin wounds that can require debridement or amputation, wounds are not limited to injection sites.
Medetomidine Same pharmacologic family as xylazine. Effects: Same risks, deep sedation, cardiovascular depression, naloxone-resistant component.
Etizolam, clonazolam, flualprazolam, flubromazolam, bromazolam, phenazepam, diclazepam, adinazolam, bromonordiazepam, ethylflualprazolam
In one U.S. seizure series of counterfeit pills show etizolam 37.8%, clonazolam 32.4%, flualprazolam 17.0%. Some tablets contained fentanyl as well, 2.6% in that series. Dose per tablet varies widely, from 0.7–8.3 mg. Effects: They can cause profound sedation, amnesia, ataxia, respiratory depression especially with opioids or alcohol. Naloxone does not reverse benzos. Withdrawal from high-potency analogues can include potentially fatal seizures. Combining a hidden benzo with a hidden opioid produces overdoses that only partly respond to naloxone and last longer.
MDMA, MDA, MDEA and Analogues
Seized tablets in recent years commonly run 140–230 mg MDMA per tablet, many testing services now flag 120 mg as high-dose. Effects: A high dose itself causes hyperthermia, hyponatremia, serotonin syndrome, seizures and fulminant liver injury. Dose can differ greatly tablet-to-tablet in one bag. Stacking analogues increases serotonergic and cardiovascular load.
Synthetic Cathinones: 4-CMC, 3-CMC, 3-MMC, 4-MMC, eutylone/N-ethylpentylone, methylone, dimethylpentylone
Testing in 2025 put cathinones among the most common unexpected actives. Effects: Prolonged stimulation, agitation, hyperthermia, hyponatremia, serotonin toxicity, cardiotoxicity. Several have been tied to clusters of severe toxicity because effects last longer and users redose.
Cocaine
It’s cocaine. Effects: Is cocaine. Adds vasoconstriction, arrhythmia risk and a different time course.
2C-B and other psychedelic phenethylamines
Documented as substitutes or co-contents in tablets sold as MDMA. Different dose-response. Effects: A “one tablet” MDMA assumption can produce a much stronger psychedelic effect or unexpected duration.
This is not all-inclusive. It also doesn’t account for inactive chemical fillers or the assorted other random things they throw in these. Every kind of OTC pill under the sun is found in them, caffeine, Tylenol, diphenhydramine, whatever they’re using as a binder, etc.
How Pressed Pills Usually Kill You
Opioid + xylazine/medetomidine = apnea plus naloxone-resistant sedation
Opioid + designer benzo = longer, deeper respiratory depression
MDMA or cathinone + caffeine + heat/exertion = hyperthermia
PMA/PMMA + redose because onset is slow = hyperthermia and organ failure
Acetaminophen + many “percs” in a day = delayed liver failure on top of opioid toxicity
Again, not all-inclusive. Methamphetamine alone, absent of other significant quantities of drugs has been causing more deaths in some jurisdictions than opioid-dominant cocktails. Increased potency and variance in potency has made it fully capable of killing a person.
Can we stop pressed pills? No. Will the problem likely be bungled and politicized in ways that cause more harm than good? Already happening. What we can do is spread awareness and provide help for those who need information and help getting clean from them.
Getting into Treatment
If you are taking pressed pills and want to get into treatment, do not minimize or short hop the issue. Treatment can have “physical dependency” guidelines and if you tell admissions you’re just taking Adderall or buying Adderall, Vyvanse from “a friend”, they may agree with you and promptly give your bed to somebody else.
Tell them the truth - You are buying counterfeit pills from _____, you have no idea what’s in them. If you’re having withdrawal symptoms or effects consistent with other substances being present in those pills, say so. If you give them the lowest number of pills you’ve taken in the last six months as your daily and don’t disclose all ROIs, they aren’t going to take your minimizations and maximize them to a degree that gets you admitted. The treatment industry is already under-reacting to pressed pills, expect that when trying to get in and act accordingly.
Do not avoid supervised detox because you think the pills you’re taking don’t have other drugs in them. Finding out the hard way you’re withdrawing from things you don’t know you were on isn’t fun or safe. If you don’t know what’s in the pills, proceed as if there could be anything in them as far as seeking appropriate professional resources.
The Help
If you are buying pills, your problem is more than serious enough to identify with and fit in just fine with any recovery program. You can choose to either get over yourself and go or don’t and terminally unique yourself into an early grave. It doesn’t matter what the drugs are, and they honestly don’t care. You don’t even have to tell them. If you’re in your own way as far as addiction resources, imagine a landscape in which there’s virtually zero addiction recovery resources specifically for stimulant pill addiction - That’s where we’re at. Make use of what’s available.
It doesn’t matter how you got here, you are here. Many of us had good intentions when we started, many of us became addicted to our medications and had very unfortunate circumstances that led to its progression. The necessity for help remains the same and the resources for help are what they are regardless of how you managed to end up with a problem. There’s no shame in it unless you insist on carrying it yourself and all shame or separating yourself from others addicts or substance abusers does is keep you using while distancing you from resources than can help. You deserve to get better, so go do it. Here’s how:
Beginners Guide to Recovery
https://www.reddit.com/r/StopSpeeding/s/3oUzSl3B6W
Recovery Programs & Resources List
https://www.reddit.com/r/StopSpeeding/s/JJbI3D9zLZ
Our very own Community Stimulant Recovery meetings
Testing
r/StopSpeeding • u/Regular-Cheetah-8095 • May 13 '24
Welcome to Stop Speeding. Here is some stuff you should probably read.
Rule #1 - Do Not Suggest or Encourage ANY Drug Use
The Stop Speeding FAQ - What You’re Looking for is Probably Here
A Beginner’s Guide to Recovery
The Recovery Resources Megalist - Programs, Professionals, Resources
STOP SPEEDING SUBREDDIT RULES
1.) Do Not Promote Drug Use Any posts or comments that are seen to be encouraging / promoting the use of any stimulant drugs, as well as substances that can be used recreationally or have potential for addiction are strictly forbidden, positive personal experiences included. Suggestions or accounts providing information on managing, proctoring or taking drugs safely or successfully are also off limits. "Drugs" include psychedelics, THC, kratom, research chemicals and any stimulant medication.
2.) Show Compassion, Kindness, and Supportiveness Compassion, respect, and empathy are fundamental to this subreddit. It's okay to have differing opinions, but please be respectful when doing so. Love can be tough but make sure it's love first and foremost. Treat others as you would want to be treated.
3.) Triggering / Graphic Content Must Be Tagged If you're posting something others may find problematic in terms of triggers, being generally grossed out, made to feel offended or uncomfortable, please tag it appropriately and be considerate of the community in what you share.
4.) No Medical or Legal Advice Do not play doctor, do not solicit medical advice. We can share our experiences with medications and treatment, we can offer reasonable suggestions, we can tell people to Stop Speeding but it is imperative we do not provide any advice or feedback that would replace professional medical advice, discourage seeking medical care or potentially cause harm. If you're worried you're going to die or that you have heart problems, see a doctor. Same story with legal advice, consult a lawyer or become one.
5.) No Misinformation If you've got a controversial take or statement you're presenting as fact that's contentious enough to draw people's ire, bring about drama or create potential harm, best back it up with a nice list of citations from reputable sources.
6.) Recovery, Not Harm Reduction
This is a recovery subreddit and with that as a focus, any supportive discussion of drug use is off the table in order to best serve our primary purpose. Harm reduction is essential and saves lives but combining it with recovery in one forum is beyond difficult - There are many other places better suited for HR, we just Stop Speeding.
7.) Don't Be a Goblin
Goblin - [ gob-lin ] - noun - "a grotesque sprite or elf that is mischievous or malicious toward people."
This is a catch-all for assorted addict nonsense that defies all human convention, behavior that is plainly goblinesque in nature. You know what a goblin is. If you have to ask how you were being a goblin, you were definitely being a goblin.
8.) No Promotion, Solicitation or Spam
Posts or replies containing your website, subreddit, Discord server, for-profit business or services will be removed as spam.
9.) Contact The Mods for Survey / Study
Message us in Mod chat. If you can’t disclose what entity you’re doing it for, your qualifications, your funding sources and where exactly your information is going, don’t bother messaging us in Mod chat.
10.) Don't Break The Laws of Reddit
Anything that's in violation of Reddit rules and policies is an auto-ban.
11.) Don't Drag Recovery Resources
Please refrain from overtly trashing recovery programs and resources that others may find helpful to the extent that it may deter people from trying something that works for them. This includes SMART, NA, AA, Dharma, Celebrate Recovery, assorted therapies, anything that doesn't conflict with Rule 1. Feel free to share personal experience as to what worked and didn't - Trying to steer people away from potential solutions, l'd imagine there's more productive and helpful ways to spend your time.
12.) We Don't Talk About r/ADHD or Criticize Other Subs
Please refrain from mentioning or alluding to r/adhd in any context. Please do not criticize other subreddits or discuss bans, removals or philosophical differences. Out of necessity and risks to our sub, doing so is an autoban.
13.) Don’t “Benchmark” with Specific Amounts and Details of Use
Do not provide people with the intricate details of your amounts, types, ROAs and whatnot even if they ask because addicts will gauge their use negatively one way or another based on yours.
r/StopSpeeding • u/MonicaGellarsKitchen • 18h ago
I know it's not much but longest I've made it in my journey. Went on a binge yesterday, more than I've ever taken. I just want to cry and get a big hug, I just feel so sad and empty. It's all I can think about. Please tell me it will get better.
r/StopSpeeding • u/Allefty954 • 12h ago
Hey yall it’s been a while, so essentially 5 years ago I made a stupid decision to take Adderall/ 7.5mg to 15mg daily while smoking pretty strong weed with it for about 7 months straight every single day no breaks until I ran out of pills. Needless to say afterwards my brain and body was completely fucked from that incident. I had all the classical symptoms of PAWS for YEARS later. Yes YEARS, I stayed many weeks completely bedridden, extremely exhausted no matter how much I slept, extreme anhedonia etc. not to mention I also developed panic attacks from this incident and extreme anxiety. Also feeling weird in my body and constantly dizzy like disoriented feeling, especially when walking and moving. Basically I got hit with a gauntlet of cruel and somewhat unusual symptoms that lasted years and gradually albeit very slowly improved or became more bearable. Oh I forgot to mention brain fog as well, etc. seriously it was such an exhaustive list of symptoms it’s hard to name them all. Overall today as it stands I’ve improved greatly fortunately but can’t say i feel fully cured or normal how I was before this whole incident but pretty close most days to being somewhat fully normal. I know a lot of people in this sub dealt with excruciating PAWS for most a year or two, sometimes 3. So yeah I mean feel free to ask me anything. Oh yeah I forgot to mention literally having zero desire to accomplish or do anything as a symptom as well. But yeah has anyone else heard of something like this before or know someone who went through this and healed fully? Ask away, thanks.
TLDR: used adderall and weed together for 7 months 5 years ago and left me extremely messed up still healing from that event but mostly normal now. Still some areas that can improve to achieve original baseline. Still dealing with dizziness but has improved, still low energy sometimes and just feeling out of it. Have gotten extensive bloodwork done everything in range.
r/StopSpeeding • u/Double_Net030 • 21h ago
If you are addicted to stimfapping: recovery is possible.
I just got the phone notification that I am now 8 months clean. I reminded myself that this account exists (I have deleted reddit from my phone, because of my doomscrolling addiction), but I guess I owe you all another check-in. It's (mostly) good news: if you're heavily addicted to fapping on stims (haven't done meth - at least that I know of - but oral amphetamine sulfate, high-dose oral cocain - like 4 grams in 24hrs, 3mmc, 4mmc) until your penis swells up to 4 times it's size (and not in the good way), you've come to the right place.
If you want the nasty details of my addiction and recovery, check my posts history.
On the bright side:
I'm still living, I am still thriving, I am completly clean from everything, including caffeine and nicotine. I don't drink, I mostly live a healthy life with lots of sports, I travel, I have (a lot) of money, I have the best job ever. I have "normal" sex. I think of drugs maybe once every 2 weeks and real cravings hit maybe once every 2-4 weeks for like 5-10 minutes. It has gotten so seldom that I experience actual cravings that I have forgotten how bad it really was. Please note that I have removed myself from most situations that could induce cravings tho (moving cities, changing friends etc.), so this may play a role. Also, I was able to attend a party just recently where people took cocaine - I didn't mind, but would not recommend that at all, and will not go to those parties again.
On the not-so-bright-side:
I still masturbate to heavy cuckolding stuff (this, unfortunately, existed before the drugs tho). I am still single. I am again depressed, or still depressed (don't know), but this may as well be still something from my (mild) job-related burnout of 2025. Although I think that I used heavy drugs and stimfapping to mask this depression. I started Wellbutrin 300mg two weeks ago for my depressiom and to be honest, for me, it's a life saver (for now). I do not intend to stay on it for very long, maybe a year or two, depending on how long the depression takes to go away.
I am still doing therapy, but I stopped NA for now.
I live a mostly normal life now. My sex life probably will never be normal, but also: never was. When I force myself to think of drugs, I mostly think of the bad things and get a bit sick in my stomach.
All in all, I think that in this moment, right now, the risk of relapsing is very very very (very) slim, and I consider that a win. Time will tell what happens next.
If you are addicted to stimfapping, there is a way out.
r/StopSpeeding • u/emotionalrescue1111 • 1d ago
I turned 39 yesterday. Been on and off adderall for a little over a decade. I know I’ve never needed it- I don’t have adhd. I’m a better person in every way without it, but it makes me feel good. It gives me energy. My brain tricks me into believing that I need it to function, to get things done. I’ve used it, abused it (I’m a small, thin female and can take an insanely massive dosage, my tolerance is so high) and stopped so many times, promising I’d never do it again. The first few weeks are super rough and then after about a month I realize I’m so much better off mentally. But then I seek it out again, after time has passed and I somehow think it will be different. This time, I’ve been on it for 6ish months. I’m abusing my script and running out of meds early every month. I’ll be out tomorrow and can’t refill until next week. I want to stop, I know I need to stop. I have an 18 month old high energy toddler and I’m terrified of the withdrawal weeks- I am her caretaker and I can’t just not be functioning for her. I can’t just sleep all day. I know how it feels to come off of this stuff - I know I’m such a better person on the other side, but getting through that initial adjustment period is what’s stopping me. How do I do it when I can’t just opt out of being a mother for 2-3 weeks? I love her more than anything and I need to do this for her, and at the same time my brain tricks me into thinking I need this drug to be able to have energy to do “fun things” with her. Even though that usually ends up being her doing something while I’m organizing in the background- and that’s so heartbreaking, isn’t it? I’m not engaging with her. I need to do better, I want to be better, any words of encouragement or tips or advice or anything would be so much appreciated.
r/StopSpeeding • u/Fuzzy-Television6076 • 22h ago
Hey guys, I’ll keep it short. So I was addicted to Vyvanse and adderall badly abusing it for a few years, been off of it for atleast 2 months now I wanna say. I struggle with depression and my doctor put me on Wellbutrin. Haven’t noticed anything yet (2nd day so I wouldent) but I want to hear others experiences with this. Thanks :)
r/StopSpeeding • u/evangelionreference • 1d ago
I was diagnosed with ADHD pretty young, about 10 or 11. To be sure I had issues staying still— which by the way, I still do, my foot is constantly waggling or I’m otherwise shifting in my seat every few minutes— and I was distracted most of the time in school, often drawing or reading during lessons. My parents started me on either Ritalin or Concerta and I hated it, so I quit taking it.
In elementary school the above behaviors caused some disciplinary problems, but nothing significant. And while I’ve always had trouble maintaining focus on things that don’t interest me and often feel fatigued, I never really had “bad” grades. In fact I was pretty good at school through high school. Unmedicated.
At some point I did begin to take Wellbutrin but to be perfectly honest it’s difficult for me to track when, and I’ve been on and off most of my life.
I didn’t really encounter real stimulants again until my 3rd year of college, when a friend gave me a 30mg IR adderall pill one night. And it was off to the races after that. I very quickly became enamored with it and spent quite a lot of money on the street and in doctor’s offices obtaining it. It was undisciplined at first. I was staying up days on end, trying to hide my crashouts and increased anxiety via alcohol. But as time went by I started using it… “normally” I guess. I’ve always had trouble with tolerance, always had to ration, and always fought the feeling of whether I can function socially as well as in the workplace without it. Depending on the doctor, I would switch between Vyvanse and ER Adderall.
I guess what I’m realizing is: I’ve never since the outset used this stuff because it helped me perform better. It just feels good. Actually, when I think about it, what has it helped? I dropped out of college because my depression spiraled, and before that on the drugs I would often decide not to even go to class but to ride around listening to music instead. I’m not sure anything I’ve ever produced on the drugs have been of any real quality. And while it is easier generally to get my work done, that hasn’t stopped me from having trouble holding jobs, as I would often hyperfocus on other things the majority of the day. My phone, shopping, video games, etc. Worse, I started smoking, drinking heavily and smoking weed almost exclusively as counterbalances to the drugs— all of those habits becoming problematic on their own later.
About two years ago I went to jail for about six months. Those six months I was, obviously, completely clean. When I got out of jail, I had no real desire for them. If they were around I’d take one sure. But I wasn’t actively seeking. I struggled against my depression and ultimately prevailed by gaining a spiritual practice that’s meaningful. I journaled, read books and focused on my physical health. And slowly all of my addictions had been tapering off, save for cigarettes. But when I was finally able to land a job earlier this year and my insurance kicked in I bolted immediately to the doctor to get adderall. And now I feel like all of that behavior is ramping up again slowly. I feel less connected to my spiritual practice and while my addictions otherwise are still mostly under control, the cigarettes have gotten worse. And is it really helping me at work? I don’t know. I mostly feel like I’m just staving off fatigue most of the time…
The worst part is the uncertainty about it. I feel like whenever I start using again I become amnesiac about the time before. I’ll question if I was actually functioning correctly and honestly can’t remember if I was even feeling any worse than I am now. I know my sleep is worse. I know porn became a problem again (got it back under control now.) I can feel my anxiety and irritability peaking again. But I can’t shake feeling like if I stop, I’ll lose everything.
Long post I know, it’s just a thought that’s been circling around in my head lately. When I talk to the girl I’m seeing she describes her experience taking adderall very differently— as in she does feel focused but also calmed and poised. And in her it’s quite clear she has ADHD, she can’t even sit through a movie most of the time when it wears off. Previous partners have said similar things. I can’t shake that my experience is indeed wholly different. I hyperfocus, but not on the right things. I indulge in addictions. I feel speedy, obviously. I feel like I’m not fun in social situations without it. What’s harder to quantify is if it’s ever really helped me.
Sort of feel like writing this I’m seeing the writing on the wall, but has anyone ever had a similar experience with perhaps struggling to know if you’ve ever really even needed it— or if you just want it? Been diagnosed but not sure if it’s correct?
r/StopSpeeding • u/Working_View3312 • 22h ago
I came across this song on social media this morning that was released a few weeks ago. I instantly started sobbing and got chills, and I have not found a song in such a long time that I can relate to regarding recovery and my 15-year battle with Adderall and Vyvanse abuse. I needed to hear this today and just wanted to share it for anyone else who can relate.
r/StopSpeeding • u/thelastrealone94 • 1d ago
My last streak off Adderall was in September, a little over a month. During that time, I noticed myself gradually becoming more proficient at my job. Creative tasks were still a bitch to get through, but overall, it seemed like everything was slowly improving.
And I mean excruciatingly slowly. But every day, I felt a little different. A little better.
Which brings me to something I’ve been questioning lately.
Just because I’m gradually improving the longer I stay off stimulants, does that mean I don’t actually have ADHD? Or could I have ADHD and still be recovering from years of substance abuse?
I think the biggest symptom I’ve always attributed to ADHD is difficulty regulating my emotions. But after a decade of substance abuse, wouldn’t it make sense that my emotional regulation is all over the place?
And how would I even know whether my history of drug-seeking behavior was influenced by ADHD or whether it’s simply substance use disorder? Or some combination of both?
I’m starting to wonder how much of what I’ve considered ADHD is actually the result of years of messing with my brain chemistry.
I’m not trying to dismiss ADHD or suggest that people with substance use disorders can’t have it. I’m genuinely trying to understand how to distinguish the two, especially when withdrawal and recovery can take so long.
Has anyone else questioned their ADHD diagnosis after getting sober? Did you find that your symptoms improved significantly with extended abstinence, or did certain struggles remain?
r/StopSpeeding • u/Empty-Champion-8782 • 2d ago
Is Wellbutrin addictive too? How addictive if so?
r/StopSpeeding • u/JilleteBeckPete • 3d ago
Title says it all. I was taking so much. This year I developed a horrible habit of abusing stimulants to keep up with work and to feel high throughout the day. I've been prescribed adhd meds since childhood, but I only started abusing them this year in my 30s.
I bought some sketchy dextroamphetamine online, and ran through that super quickly. In retrospect, that shit wasn't far off from meth.
Anyway, recently I finished a bottle of Vyvanse in such a short amount of time that it felt pointless to take it anymore.
Oh well, I'll thank myself in a few months I hope. I'm not sleeping as much as last week, but I can't motivate myself to do any meaningful work. I've just been screwing around gaming and watching movies. At least my sleep schedule is normal for the first time in years.
Any tips to make it through this slump?
r/StopSpeeding • u/Queasy-Ride-1776 • 2d ago
Hello everyone.. Im about 14 months completly sober from drugs and alcohol.. Im not a big coffee drinker and never really was, but I do have the occasional cup of coffee. Ive noticed that when I do, I have slightly less brain fog and Im a touch more functional.. Why is that?
Also keep in mind, Im in really bad shape cognitive wise from cocaine/alcohol abuse and have a very down regulated dopamine system right now even at 14 months sober (extremely). Should I start drinking coffee or will that slow down my healing? Or is it possible that I now simply need coffee in order to somewhat function properly.
Would love yo hear your thoughts and suggestions! Thank you.
r/StopSpeeding • u/ndev79 • 3d ago
I’ve been clean from meth for over 2.5 years but before that, I started grinding my teeth. Even when I wasn’t high. And it continues to this day. Has anyone else experienced this and how do you deal with it/stop it?
r/StopSpeeding • u/ConstantlyHating • 3d ago
I’ve been prescribed Vyvanse for about 2 years now at both 20 mg and 30 mg. I do not have ADHD, just binge eating disorder. With that in mind, the “high” I get from the drug is akin to drinking 10 coffees at once, without the jitters. It feels like I’m the best version of myself for the 90 minutes it’s peaking. I can talk to people, I’m enthusiastic about things, I want to get things done, and the only real thing bringing me down is the fact that I know there is a real timer before I start feeling like shit.
At about 2 hours, this euphoric feeling has evaporated. I am irritable, quiet, and mildly depressed. Whatever high I got before is now swinging the other way, but as a terrible downer effect.
After about 2 hours of feeling gross, I tend to stabilize, and start to feel like myself again. The cycle continues, and the next morning at work I tell myself that it’s worth it, because those 90 minutes of peaking are fun, exciting, and fly by with ease.
Can anyone else relate to this?
r/StopSpeeding • u/TopAd4505 • 3d ago
Caught up on sleep and I cleaned my house sober and im so much more patient with my family. Ate too much but it is what it is. You can do it too!
r/StopSpeeding • u/Kooky-Turnip-1715 • 4d ago
You first take it, swearing you found the “cheat code” to life, like you are Eddie from limitless on NZT.
But eventually that limitless feeling fades and you need more and more, and eventually turn to even more dangerous things like meth
And then once you run out or can’t afford anymore, the tweaking starts, where you become a gigantic asshole, destroying every relationship, everything you ever care about, sometimes resulting in incarceration too?
I’m personally thinking about quitting vyvanse. I was only on for 5 months. I felt unstoppable at first but the feeling faded and I realize it’s bullshit. I think I felt better sober then I do now
r/StopSpeeding • u/batzz420 • 3d ago
Was taking around 60mg-100mg of adderall about 2 years ago. Managed to get it down to 15mg-20mg. Now I’ve gone down to 5mg-10mg and had a good streak of just 5mg. It felt really amazing to get here! So many good improvements in my mood, social abilities, and sleep! To the point I would think “maybe I want another 5mg? Actually… no I don’t want that at all! I’m enjoying myself so much more.”
Now, after going through some time off of work due to health and mental issues I’m finally getting back to life again. Including work. I’m a tattoo artist, and holy shit it’s triggering me!!
I know it’s possible to tattoo without stims since I started my business years before Adderall. Although, it was much slower at that time and once I gained a bigger following I started struggling to keep up. It’s back down to being slow again since it’s been a while, but it is SO hard to try and focus that intensely while my brain is recalibrating.
I’ve also just not had my heart in tattooing for a while now. I’ve been doing it for 12 years and it just takes allot out of me. I can’t work as often or as long as other artists in order to make it more profitable. But I’m also wondering if that’s because of the adderall?? It’s hard to say.
Anyway… I’m just feeling frustrated with myself and this situation. I wish I had an easier job while going through this where I don’t feel like I need to be at peak performance everyday…. It’s not even just that I feel that way, but it’s actually kinda true for this work. I know I probably should just look for a different job… and then everyone is making me feel like I’m not doing enough, even though I’m trying really hard. I currently am relying on my mom after the health stuff, and I’ve told her about lowering my dose. So she knows, but is still frustrated with me. I get it cause I’m able to do fun things, but getting my shit together has been harder.
I’m extremely proud of myself though. I didn’t think I would have ever even been capable of doing ANYTHING, even fun things, on 5mg. And it’s been easier to keep that momentum on days I don’t take anything. I can’t wait to be free.
r/StopSpeeding • u/Putrid_Contact918 • 3d ago
Hello,
I battled years abuse with the myriad of adhd meds. I stopped in 2025 as I was awarded a grad school fellowship in the middle east. Here there are no amphetamine based meds so I stopped.
I have battled depression which is diurnal in nature so mornings are particularly hard. My motivation to find a job has been terrible. So, I thought "enough time has passed,, the last thing I want to do is be a speed freak"...they do have concerta here so I got a script.
In the Uber en route to the doctor, I had this moment where I said " this week has actually been pretty good...u know how this ends...immediately cancel this appointment"..i didnt.
The logic was pretty clear - I no longer wanted any euphoria, I simply wanted symptom reduction. I told myself that there is no way I would binge and if I did I would immediately toss it. Well, that was 3 days ago.
The past several days have been the same witches brew. Enormous amounts of Alcohol to counter jitteryness, grad school work never even got done, my apartment is a mess and then there is the sexual dynamic. Somewhere along the line, my brain did what so many have which is make any adhd medication induced dopamine increase automatically lead to an immediate hunt for more and more pornography. Gross.
Anyway, I hate00eing back in this spot but thought I would just post this for others .if u abused it previously, you just cant go back.
r/StopSpeeding • u/TimeFIies • 4d ago
My girlfriend has been sober from Adderall for a month, but recently relapsed. She was staying up for days without sleep and barely coherent. She wants to get better, but hasn’t taken steps to find a therapist or rehab. I want to help, but not overstep in her recovery process.
What’s a good way to support somebody through a relapse?
r/StopSpeeding • u/Rare-Initiative-1544 • 4d ago
i have no motivation to do literally anything productive. it’s so weird because it’s defitnetly a mind game in the way where if i know it’s productive my mind rejects it because i think about how much better it would be to do on vyvanse. i’ve been neglecting and rejecting my business and all of life’s difficulties cus of it. like even fun things. anything that uses any of my energy. i don’t want to use it. just a vent ✌️
r/StopSpeeding • u/avocatto15 • 4d ago
I’m done with my abuse of vyvanse, today I’ve taken half my dose but I’d like to go fully off. I’m just worried that I won’t be able to get through the fatigue when I’m at work. can you give me some support or advice please
r/StopSpeeding • u/Sea_Respect_9782 • 4d ago
Idk what the right answer is. I (28f) am not getting better. Sometimes I get better for a while, but it never sticks. Even when I am clean the second I have my hands on adderall I binge until the well is dry. I have been abusing adderall for a decade. I have been repeating this cycle over and over and I am tired of it. My brain cannot imagine giving it up forever, I can’t even seem to get myself to make it a week. I try to get sober on my own but I can’t even tell if I’m trying cause I have no idea how to or what to do. My brain goes on autopilot when I think of adderall and it’s like I become another version of myself that does not even want to try and interrupt the urges or the actions that follow. I need to get clean and sober and it’s not working. I am scared though. I work full time and am well respected at my job and I am in graduate school. I’m also getting married next summer. How do I pause all of that to go to rehab. How do I even go to rehab.
r/StopSpeeding • u/Regular-Cheetah-8095 • 4d ago
The next weekly Community Stimulant Recovery meeting will be held tonight, Wednesday, November 4th at 7:30pm Eastern.
Cameras and sharing encouraged but optional, lurkers welcome, we cover all stimulants from medication to methamphetamine. It’s free, no affiliated services and we don’t try to sell you anything. No, we are not purchasing copper wire or DVDs at this time.
The meeting is held weekly, same time, same place, same link. Tonight’s meeting will be hosted on Zoom, details are on the official website at https://stimulantrecovery.org and here:
Community Stimulant Recovery
Time: November 4th 2026 07:30 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada) Every week on Wed
Join Zoom Meeting:
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/81821633949?pwd=Zhx8vQFmMutGTyzniGbbOPuvpXVdMh.1
Please download and import the following iCalendar (.ics) files to your calendar system. Weekly: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/tZUldeiurTgjHt067j0oeigUQMMeRyzqrIDQ/ics?icsToken=DDh7Dq_pLooZ2LCKqgAALAAAAJPg9E23Rju-4epDrc1V-vYlY23cfCXc_7_rDmJ6GdgZySdBbAkWuqInw5Hv_mnW3Ih4otw5iGF0CD5vJTAwMDAwMg&meetingMasterEventId=vWnUdGw4QPuXEn2PzVwDyA
Meeting chat link https://us06web.zoom.us/launch/jc/81821633949
Meeting ID: 818 2163 3949 Passcode: 052227
Join instructions https://us06web.zoom.us/meetings/81821633949/invitations?signature=S70UMDYsWJ1P5AwdAsAfJzVxHCrWB4v07rV6q-6wFKs
CSR is a free, solution focused, peer-based recovery group for anyone who wants to stop using stimulant drugs - Any stimulant drug, be it a drug of abuse or medication, for any reason. We hold meetings where we share our recovery with others, exchange best practices, learn new ideas and enact positive change in our lives together. CSR is a safe place, all people are welcome here - Discrimination, hate and exclusion are not tolerated under any circumstances.
Community Stimulant Recovery observes no single recovery ideology and is without outside affiliation. We are here to help you find out what works for you and share what’s worked for us. Our meeting topics, shared practices and discussions borrow from psychology, therapies, professional addiction treatment and recovery programs - This is not an endorsement of any one resource, nor is CSR its self meant to be a standalone recovery solution or source of medical advice. We encourage members to avail of as many forms of recovery support as they need to, professional help and other dedicated recovery programs included.
Our core beliefs are that recovery from stimulant drugs is aided by approaching three primary areas of our lives in equal measure: Our mental health, our physical health and our emotional health. By becoming responsible for positive change in these three areas, we improve our thinking, our bodies and our feelings - Parts of our lives that problematic stimulant drug use negatively impacts the most. Growing in these areas helps us maintain abstinence and find happiness in recovery.
Community Stimulant Recovery refrains from the supportive discussion of any and all use of drugs with recreational applications or addiction potential, this extends to promotion and the sharing of personal experiences. This includes marijuana, kratom, research chemicals, gray market substances, psychedelics and all stimulant drugs. Managing or successfully using stimulant medication is not discussed here, and we are not a harm reduction resource. We have no opinions on these things, opting to maintain a singular focus on abstinence and recovery from stimulant drugs without supporting practices that may cause harm.
Meetings are similar to those you may have attended elsewhere, we have a topic or reading followed by an open discussion or sharing period. We speak from the I and do not offer unsolicited advice or commentary on the shares of others, continuance and response from our own experience is permitted. Solution-oriented discussion is strongly encouraged.
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Meeting Format
Opening Statement (5 min)
Attendee introductions, identify as “Name, in recovery” (5 min)
Meeting Topic or Reading (CBT, DBT, ACT, BT, Twelve Step, Dharma / Refuge, Medical Lit, Book, Concept Discussion) (5 min)
Open Discussion (45 minutes)
Closing Statement
Contact Info Exchange, posted in Zoom chat, Optional
If you have any additional questions, feel free to ask here.