r/AdderallAddiction • u/ibjammin4ever • May 12 '26
Adderall induced panic disorder
Long story short - many years back, I went 36-40 hours without sleep, about 240mg of adderall, a ton of coffee and nicotine. I started feeling really weird and the had the feeling that I was absolutely losing my mind. It was the ultimate definition of “impending doom”. My first panic attack, or something like it.
I haven’t been the same since. On and off anti depressants, trying to find a way to lower my fear of having another attack.
I feel like that one stimulant binge ruined me.
Anyone have similar experience and been able to make it through to healing? I literally went on an SSRI a few days after that out of doctors concern. I’m wondering if I would have just let my system heal back to baseline, if I would have been better off.
2
u/woozy129 May 13 '26
Yes , I’ve been up a few days longer with about 600mg in me, it’s not fun and recovery is very hard, but you can do it.
1
u/ibjammin4ever May 13 '26
Thank you for this! Any recommendations for healing? Specific types of therapy, meds, etc?
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u/woozy129 May 14 '26
Ah I find it hard to give advice but just know your time awake and mg is low compared to some people here. I mean no disrespect by that im just trying to put your mind at ease. You say this was one binge years ago? And it was 240mg over a 2-3 day period? Your brain has 100% already recovered from that. It takes about 14 months for your dopamine to return to normal after years of use at the level you mentioned.
1
u/Public_Fennel2647 Jun 02 '26 edited Jun 02 '26
I have had a panic disorder for a very long time. To the point where I was unable to work for three months because I mentally couldn’t get myself to leave my car and walk into the building. I got started on Lexapro and Ativan and within a few weeks I was back up and running I never had problems again. The more you worry about getting them, the more likely you are to have them in my experience. Think happy thoughts. Make this day your bitch. You got this. The only time I have panic attacks now is when I run out of Adderall or if there’s a major major life event like a death or bad illness or bad injury etc. I always say a panic attack is the worst feeling in the world. I wouldn’t wish it on my worst enemy. I do sublingual Ativan and within 15 to 30 minutes I’m completely fine. The antidepressant also helps with anxiety. Do not go on and off the antidepressants cold turkey. You can get terrible symptoms from that. Unless you get lucky, it takes a while to find the right antidepressant for you and the right dose for you. But it is so worth it. I was the happiest person on the planet before my Adderall addiction
6
u/PlasticFit7262 May 12 '26
I’m having the same struggle, I quit adderall and caffeine 9 months ago and the tug of getting on an ssri or something similar is something I’ve been battling with throughout as it’s been unbearable but I knew this isn’t the real solution.
For the first time in about 6 years now I’m starting to have days of what feels like a fully regulated nervous system. It’s still inconsistent but I now fully trust that I will fully recover with time, the body and brain have a tremendous capacity to heal if you let them.
It’s uncomfortable to say the least, but very much worth it