Posted by Viridis on August 9, 2003, at 17:40:10
In reply to Stimulant help??, posted by The Shadow on August 9, 2003, at 0:51:58
I'm not sure which is "most addictive" -- I doubt any would be, if you're just using them appropriately to treat a medical condition. Addiction means that you become obsessed with a substance, keep taking more and more of it despite negative consequences, it disrupts your life, etc.
Medical dependency is a more likely consequence -- that means that your system becomes accustomed to a medication, and sudden discontinuation can cause withdrawal. This can occur with stimulants, benzodiazepines, antidepressants, over-the-counter painkillers, caffeine, some blood pressure drugs etc. Certain antidepressants appear to be most risky in this respect.
I've taken Adderall (an amphetamine mix) for a couple of years now on a daily basis, and skip it for a day or two here and there to help avoid building tolerance (the need for a higher dose to achieve the same effect). My pdoc encourages this, and I haven't noticed any withdrawal, cravings, etc. Of course, responses are highly individual, and you really need to work with a good psychiatrist to figure out what's best for you.
poster:Viridis
thread:249453
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20030807/msgs/249620.html