There are more factors that go into addiction than the drug itself.
For example, some people become alcoholics and some don't, even
though many people drink alcohol.

Regarding Ritalin and other ADHD drugs, I think it is okay for us to
take them and others to not. Speed normally doesn't make us feel
speedy--it calms us down and enables us to focus because we
supposedly do have a physiological (hope I spelled that right)
difference from non-ADHD folks.

I have taken Ritalin/Methyphenidate for a few years now, but I
definitely don't feel addicted. I don't take it on the weekends
because I'm trying to use that time to focus on helping myself
without it, but I do still need it to help me focus at my job.

Just my two cents...

-Rockstariana

--- In Chicago-ADHD-Adults@yahoogroups.com, UBROC@a... wrote:
> I've been taking Ritalin LA 40mg on the advice of a new psy for
two months.
> The couple of Psy's Ive talked to over the last couple of months
(I'm looking
> for a new one and have talked to a few) all seem to think is
really great (my
> insurance company thinks it's really expensive).
>
> But I don't really like it because about two hours into it I begin
to feel
> really speedy and wierd and jumpy and nervous and hyper and if
anyone calls me
> on the phone and breaks into my perfect moment of flow I freak out
if I am in
> the middle of doing something. It's not a great feeling and not
conductive to
> working or concentrating or to relationships. With the concerta I
didn't really
> notice that it was there at all unless I wasn't taking it. And the
drymouth
> is noticeable and more pronounced and uncomfortable. On the good
side since it
> gives me a queesy stomach I have no appetite and have lost ten
pounds and look
> great and quit drinking coffee.
>
> About the "addictive" issue I wonder about the BS I've been told
that if you
> have ADD then speed doesn't make you feel speedy so it's OK to
take speed.
> Some logic. Who are they kidding, it's just someones
ratonalization for making us
> feel less scared about taking it a very powerful drug, every day.
And if
> anyone thinks this isn't one scary drug then they have never taken
it or faced the
> prospect of taking it everyday for the rest of their lives. (see
> http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/metropolitan/3056557 )
>
> If its OK for ADD people to take speed then why isn't it OK for
anyone to
> take speed. Is there some miracle in our psyiology that makes us
immune to the
> negative aspects of this drug or is it just that the trade off is
supposed to be
> worth it. A drug is addictive or it isn't. People get addicted to
pain
> killers all the time (ask Rush Limbauh) because they began taking
them for legit
> medical reasons, why would speed be any different, and this is
speed.
>
> To Lew the "doctor" who wrote that
>
> I don't know what "feeling addicted" means. If it is just that you
> take something consistently, it is probably not a big problem,
right?
> If you take B vitamins everyday, are you addicted to those?
>
> are you serious, if you take crystal meth everyday are you
adddicted to that?
> What feeling addicted means is that you feel like if you can't
take your
> pill, if you don't have your pill because you forgot to send in
the script, or
> seen your doc, or whatever, that you are afraid. Afraid because
you believe that
> can't get through the day or worse you really can't get through
the day
> without your little pills because if you don't have one then
you're going to turn
> into one of those pathetic creatures in the Straterra commercials.
A very scary
> feeling if you have ever had to confront it for real, which am
sure from your
> not very well thought out comment you haven't Mr. PHD LMFT.
>
> And don't even get me started with Straterra, just that I would
like to put
> out a contract on the Bozo's who have been making these
commercials and playing
> them every five minutes. Maybe I'll start a collection and buy
them a one way
> ticket to Falluja. Isn't that just what we all want our bosses to
think we
> are like. suprised they didn't run them during the superbowl. We
could have seen
> a Tom Brady commercial where he tries to run the offence but ran
out of his
> Ritalin, oops missed that tight end coming in from the blind side,
crunch!!!! I
> was distracted by the cheerleaders. Just take one Straterra and
I'll be as
> good as Joe Montana. Anyone think that the NFL or the Olympics
doens't think
> ritalin is a performance enhancing drug?
>
> ubroc