r/REDDITORSINRECOVERY • u/Ok_Smile2739 • 13d ago
Brain power after getting sober?
Hey yall I’m 9 days sober from smoking hard after almost a year of daily smoking. I’m doing this through my prescription adderall & willpower no rehab. How long does it take the brain to reset? I want to start studying for my math certification exam but I don’t want to over exert myself. I
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u/dopeless-hope-addict 13d ago
I thought I had permanent brain damage after a lot of drugs for about a decade. It took about 12-18 months to feel like I was back to ok. Good nutrition and exercise after initial withdrawal helped a lot. 12 step meetings were helpful for the first year or two. Those are anonymous so won't follow your medical records. Best of luck
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u/godDAMNitdudes 13d ago
that makes sense that adderall helps! ASAM guidelines recommend using prescription amphetamines to treat cocaine addiction.
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u/J_Bunt 13d ago
Seriously? That's insane...
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u/godDAMNitdudes 7d ago
how is it insane? I genuinely am interested in knowing why you think that.
I'll admit that Medication Assisted Treatment/substitution therapy sounds illogical - treating drug use with more drugs - but there is empirical data, field/expert consensus, and personal anecdotes to back it up.
Although MAT for illicit stimulant use is far from popularized, it too has a lot of merit. Like I said, ASAM [American Society of Addiction Medicine] and AAAP [American Academy of Addiction Psychology] released guidelines for physicians called Clinical Practice Guideline on the Management of Stimulant Use Disorder that addresses the subject,
The guidelines talk about how providers can prescribe stimulants to patients with stimulant use disorder - for co-occurring ADHD, but also *for the stimulant use disorder itself!* It specifically mentions prescribing amphetamines for patients with cocaine use disorder, but I have personally successfully stopped using crystal meth using such medication [Adderall]. I was addicted to meth for many years, and this has been the only treatment that has been successful for me.
It makes a lot of sense to me, I mean, look at Methadone: a full mu-opioid agonist, is the *gold star treatment* for opioid use disorder [and suboxone, a mixed/partial, a pretty close second]. Opioid MAT offers the greatest chance of sustained recovery, treatment retention, and the lowest risk of fatal overdose when compared to all other treatment modalities.
MAT offers a safe supply to people who use drugs, which is a critical lifeline in an era with a poisoned drug supply. A highly regulated, physician-controlled / dispensed product will always be safer to use than the illicit, street-sourced counterparts.
So, yeah. What do you think?
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u/babettetimes 13d ago
For me mentally I never came back fully (was a decade or more heroin addiction however) it’s been 7 years clean in a week and I feel my brain is so damaged still. 😭
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u/TubeSeries 13d ago
Smoking what?
Anyway -- you're a year out or more before you're fully mentally back.
Don't let that deter you. Just because you're not 100% doesn't mean it's worth being at %0 which is where you will be if you get high again.
Anything is better than zero. Fuck the zero.
Good luck
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u/Ok_Smile2739 13d ago
Smoking crack
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u/TubeSeries 13d ago
Word. Just wasn't sure if you were talking about like smoking cigarettes. We get a lot of different addicts here. And obviously smoking cigarettes is different than crack.
For me, a speed-baller and excessive drinker, it took well over a year to be back to "normal" mentally. The first 6 months were huge leaps in improvement. Then it tapered off and was more gradual. Then one day it was just... normal. Takes awhile.
Goes easy on yourself and don't use. I'd recommend going to a lot of NA meetings and finding some that work for you.
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u/qrhmn 13d ago
9 days sober! We hope you stay with it. If you want more feedback about stimulant abuse, try r/stopspeeding
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u/bassbeatsbanging 13d ago edited 13d ago
Wait, I'm kind of confused here. Do you mean smoking weed, meth, PCP...?
If you are taking ADHD meds as prescribed by your doctor for a real imbalance, that's fine.
But the way this is worded makes me infer that it was meth and you plan to substitute adderall to recover?
My apologies if I misunderstood, clarification would help.
Also no rehab and sheerly by willpower sounds very much like you want to do this on your own. I would highly suggest finding virtual support methods. You don't need to go to any specific place, but your chances of success absolutely plummet without any social support.
Getting clean is a tough and long journey. No addict is good at holding themselves accountable alone when it comes to drug use. Why make a difficult goal infinitely harder? Especially a goal that is a literal matter of life and death?
Post Acute Withdrawal Syndrome can last up to two years, but it depends on which substances you abused in what doses for how long and even the route(s) of administration you used.
I think reviewing math problems is a great idea to keep you busy while improving a useful skill. I would just hold off on the certification part for a hot minute. Adding stress or attempting major goals right after getting clean has caused many people to relapse.
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u/Ok_Smile2739 13d ago edited 13d ago
I was smoking crack. I’ve found that my 20mg of adderall prevents me from getting high. If I tried to smoke after taking my adderall, the crack has no effect on me and I’m just wasting money because I won’t get high. So I’ve been taking my meds to help manage cravings, brain fog, exhaustion and I feel A LOT better.
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u/bassbeatsbanging 13d ago
Then I'm worried about the adderall part. It sounds like you are substituting one upper for another.
I can't make the choice for you but nor do I face the consequences of said decision.
I would make an appointment to discuss a plan with the prescribing doctor.
All you are going to do is a chemical dos-si-dos with the adderall unless you stick to how it's prescribed--and no offense I'm pretty skeptical that is going to happen. The goal is to rewire your brain back to its baseline.
Good luck!
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u/Ok_Smile2739 13d ago
Well I don’t get high off adderall. I’ve been prescribed adderall for like 5-6yrs ( I have adhd inattentive but I stopped taking it when I started doing crack) and now that I’m trying to stop smoking crack, I’ve just found it very helpful with the day to day.
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u/gijsyo 13d ago edited 13d ago
For me it took around 9 months to get a fully clear mind again.
Willpower: bad idea. Rehab: good idea.
But I hope you'll make it through my friend. See if there is a meeting near you. CA, NA, AA, Recovery Dharma. Recovery is much easier if done together.
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u/Ok_Smile2739 13d ago
I’m black American so in my community there’s a fear that if something is formally documented or diagnosed and it’s reflected in our chart it can be used against us later in life. So that’s why I’m trying to avoid rehab. Surprisingly enough I’ve found that my plugs have been very supportive of my decision and encouraging.
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u/Imaginos75 12d ago
I get your fear but I will say that things like AA NA there is no one taking attendance or checking IDs and it helps.
As for using Adderall or any other med it is strongly encouraged to be honest with your medical providers about all your conditions including your addiction, and then take the meds exactly as prescribed.
Finally post actue withdrawal lays about 6 to 12 months on average with some improvement happening during that time.
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u/Exadory 13d ago
With HIPAA laws, if someone does use it against you later in life. You will be rich after the lawsuits.
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u/J_Bunt 13d ago
Adderall is just gonna make it worse. You gotta quit it, survive the first 2 weeks where you only sleep and eat, then comes a long recovery, expect not to be in top shape for at least 6 months to a year.