Focalin Addiction!! (Page 2) (Top voted first)

My first semester in college was a disaster as I began at the age of 25 and only 3 months after leaving an all together different environment in the military where I served 4 tours in the Middle East. I never missed a class and yet my GPA at the end was a 1.75. I literally couldn’t absorb anything in class, fought off falling asleep more often than not, and couldn’t seem to apply my discipline to making myself sit and read. So, in the Fall of ’05 I began taking Focalin 10mg and the difference was night and day. Not only did I retain information from class, but I was able to sit down and read without losing focus, I actually enjoyed it, and my second semester GPA was a 3.63! Now it is the beginning of Fall 2008, I graduated in May, and have started an already successful career at a law firm. I know, what’s the problem right? Well, if you notice I’ve been on Focalin for 3 years now and to say I’m hooked on the drug would be an understatement. I’ve taken enough before to exhibit at least 3 of the listed signs of overdose such as, sweating, dizziness, jittery, etc… What’s worse is that my job requires me to sit at a desk all day…..ALL DAY and without Focalin that’s just not possible for me and I know that about myself, but I don’t just take it at work. I get urges to take it afterwards and have even stayed up for 3 and 4 days taking one pill after another every couple of hours and browsing the net, reading books, writing out goals, plans, what have you and I can’t seem to stop. Focalin used to make me so sociable and I’d love talking about a variety of things with different friends, people from my classes, and even strangers, but now I’m the opposite. I’m anti-social, and I’ll be as awake and as focused as you can imagine and yet I don’t want to do a thing. I won’t eat, but I’ll maybe write for a while, browse the net a bit, read some, but nothing sticks anymore like it used to. One task, one pill is a thing of the long gone past. If I stop using the drug my performance at work will drop considerably, making me the 1.75 GPA guy all over again, but if I keep on like this I fear my performance in life will drop drastically. I’m stuck between a rock and a hard place and any advice will be greatly appreciated. I need to find a way to taper off the amount because the 10mg twice a day I’m prescribed doesn’t even touch the tolerance I have built for Focalin over the last 3 years. Help!!

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Make sure you never try snorting it.. Worst idea ever tried it and now every day I blow over 100 mg lines. And it depends cause I can't save it if I have them in my possession my addictive side always wins. I had some on me last night huge mistake I blew 90 mg at 1230 and was speeding all night. So please never try you will regret it I know I do.

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Hey I have been there and I have answer for you,but you have to listen. all you need is to switech from Adderall to Vyvanse, now vyvanse is amphetamines still but you can't abuse it, pill has to be taken by mouth it has to go through liver to activate the amphetamines. in other words until you take it, it is inactive, can't abuse, or do any of the crazy stuff. but this is way so your doctor doesn't have to know you are addicted to Adderall, and vyvanselast longer up too 14 hours.just tell your doc you read about vyvanse and heard it last and works better and want to try it. now here is part you probably don't want to hear. you only take one a day it last all day into night,you need someone you can trust to give you one every day,if you don't you will run out fast,only give you 30 ,and that's only way of abuse taking more than one. Now I'm 37 my mom brings mine by every morning,I'm on 60mg which is equivalent to I'm strength to 40mg Adderall,but last longer.so it's make a change and still get treatment or one day having heart attack,psychotic break,or death. really I was addict 11 years,I don't know you but I know what u are feeling,so please give this a try

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I am a recovering drug addict, and was addicted to Focalin, and Ativan. I was using around 100-200mg of focalin a day. I detoxed at home using large amounts of motion sickness pills or benedryl. any antihistamine works well. as for physical withdrawl. but of course afterwards, it is hell as is any sort of addiction. I suggest a 12 step program. I went to NA and it gave me my life back.

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Hey guys,

well Mark and Nicole, i sorta have the same problems. I'm 14 and in middle school, i have a 3.00ishGPA, but if i were to try, i could get a 4.00+. Thats not the point. I do not have ADD or ADHD, but my shrink perscribed me Focalin xr 10mg. After a lil it stopped working, so i asked for a small raise in dosage. I'm now taking 15mg pills.
However, i have bi-polar disorder and the fact that I'm going through puberty doesn't help my emotions. Starting the other day, i took my Focalin then perscribe. I'm perscribed 1 15mg pill in the morning. But in an attempt to buy me a little time from being really depressed... over a girl (go figure), i started taking MUCH more then prescribed. Yesterday, my first day, i took 6 Focalin, 80mg more then i'm supose to have. Today, the second day, i've already taken 4 pills, and the school day isn't over yet. I took 2 in the morning, 1 at lunch, and one after a test... cuz why not?
I jitter, i have sweat beginning to come out, but a little moisture on my forehead.
But it does the job i wanted. It relieved the depression. But now, no matter how long ago i took the pill, when i think about it i crave it. My tounge wants it, my stomach feels empty, and i want more. I get depressed when i don't have it.
I carry around the pills in my pocket so when i need a hit, i can get it.

It's been two days, and I'm addicted to my Focalin xr.

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Mark, I know its been like three years since you made this post, but I was wondering:
(a) if you still feel the same way now about Focalin, and
(b) has anything changed since (i.e. still take it but feel better about it / taking something else now / not taking anything /etc)

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Hi Susan. I just read your posts and can't quit crying....my situation is almost identical to yours. No one knows at this point, but I don't think I can hide it much longer. I wish I could talk to you....I don't want to stop, but I know I have to or there will be dire consequences. Even though I'm in a bad place right now, I feel like a weight has been lifted after reading about your story...

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Dear Sara,
Oh how I wish I would’ve seen this sooner! I would’ve reached out if for nothing more but to lend an ear. How are you doing? Have you reached out to anyone? PLEASE Sara, if and when you receive this update and notice that I replied, let me know. My husband had a heart attack just a couple days before you posted so I wasn’t paying attention to the replies from this site! That’s the only reason I missed it because every time I get notification of a new reply I look! I’m still struggling although I’ve not taken anymore of my sons meds. But you know what they say “where there’s a will, there’s a way.†Life is just toooo hard to try to fight this right now! But it’s also hard living with the guilt and the “disgusting†feeling I have about myself! - Susan

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I'm also addicted to the focalin I'm precribed. I first heard about focalin from a friend and instead of just swallowing them, we would empty the beads into a folded up dollar and crush the beads with a lighter or chapstick and then snort the powder. The effect given by snorting it was the greatest feeling I've ever had. SO much euphoria. After doing it with him I got prescribed 10mg then it moved up to 20mg and then 30mgs then back down to 20 because insurance wouldn't pay for the 30mgs. Having said that I get 2 focalin a day, once in the morning and once in the afternoon. I am addicted to snorting them just because the effect are similar to those of cocaine. My parents used to give me 2 20mg focalin in a little baggy to take to school every day. When I got to school I snorted one...ten minutes later I wanted another and so snorted that. I did this for a year and for the start it was amazing. Walking in to my first class and wanting to talk to every and I was very social and I always knew what to say after I snorted one and it made me feel like a god. A couple months went by of me snorting them every day and some times I would grab a couple more from the bottle and snort up to 80mgs and basically my life is run by focalin. I have gone on 24 hour benges where over the coarse of that 24 hours I snorted 260mgs of focalin and the next day I felt like I wanted to die.(don't do that) Snorting focalin is a huge problem for me and I accept that I'm addicted to it but it has ruined relationships with girls be cause of the amount of irrigation that focalin gives and after awhile my motivation to want to do school work, dropped dramatically becaus when I'm all focalined out after snorting 40mgs, all i wanna do is what sounds fun and I'll do anything just so that I can go home and drum focalined out or play video games or start texting 8 or 9 different girls because after snorting a focalin, your brain processes things quicker and so flirting with. girls is one of the best things ever because focalin gives me the ability to always know what the right thing is to say to a girl...I get many girls while I'm on focalin haha Even, though I am addicted, it has its benefits being that my brain processes things quicker and it let's me step back and analyze what the situation is and it gives me the aweness to know what another person is thinking and how there thinking process works and by knowing all that information, it gives me complete control over any situation just knowing that you know more than whoever you're talking to. You realize why people are the way they are and how they will react to a situation. Having the ability to understand how another human thinks and how they process things is wonderful so thanks focalin. Also after I snort a focalin I look at everything analytically and will literally process new ways to do something or how to take a smarter approach in an argument and how to manipulate the thinking of the other person and once again that give me complete control over the situation. I'm still struggling with this but I'm doing well and thank you for hearing my addiction situation.

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Is it your prescription? It makes you feel good for awhile, but you always want more. Don't disregard me or laugh too hard, I've been there. You have to PRAY when you crave it. Please try this, and try to not be around it. If you are taking away from someone who needs it, until they can control it, because you can have more self control as an adult. You can do it, just make sure it is not available to you. Believe or not, you can do ALL things through Christ which strenghtens you!!! :>

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Addiction is not a disease. It is habit that turns into an addiction and eventually physical dependence. Calling it a disease is simply covering up the truth that your a drug addict. Cancer is caused by Body cells naturally undergoing a process called mitosis, in which the cell divides into two identical cells for the purposes of growth and repair. Cancer cells divide at a much more rapid rate than normal healthy cells. The result of this accelerated cell division is a mass of tissue known as a tumor. With that being said please explain to me how drug addiction is anywhere close to a disease? I'm only offended because many people in family have died from cancer and your saying that its similar to being a drug addict. Don't get me wrong I used to be addicted alcohol and stimulants. My advice is just to seek help, find a good support base. Talk to your doctor he is there to help you. The more honest you are with him/her the better they can help you. Good Luck! It may be hard in this uphill struggle, but just imagine the view from the top!

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Hi Susan...sorry it took me so long to reply. If you get this, I'd really like to talk to you. Not a lot has changed on this end. Still struggling...not really up for typing much right now, just wanted to try to touch base with you. Hope to hear from you soon!

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Hi Sara! I was afraid I'd never hear from you again! When you feel up to it, why don't you email me? I'm at xxxxxx@xxxxxxx [1].

[1] Editor's note - In order to protect privacy, we do not allow individuals to post their personal contact information on our discussion threads (except in some very rare cases).

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Hi Susan! Your e-mail in not viewable? There is a note stating individuals can't post personal information in order to protect privacy, except in rare cases. Hummm....I'd really like to try to make contact. Maybe if we both let "them" know we want to contact one another, they would allow it. I'm going to look in to it....

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I just e-mailed the administrators asking them to allow us to exchange information. If you e-mail them as well, maybe they will help us out? I'll let you know if I hear back from anyone.

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Are you people blind? Focalin, Ritalin and Adderal is all basically Crystal Meth/Ice that is legal. Yes, it's very addictive. It will make you feel like Superman when your on it and a loser when your off of it.

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I'm Leon and I'm addicted to my focalin. I feel a little better after glancing at this thread-The highest I've done in one day is 64mgs. Maybe there is hope for me?
It started out 10mg once a day, then 10 mg twice, now 15mg three times a day, but that only lasts me from 6AM to 11AM. I break into my parents' room and grab extra pills sometimes.
I'm hoping I can stop before it's too late.

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It's been a while since my last reply was posted. I'm sure it'll be the same with this one. I had been doing a little better, but yesterday I broke down and stole some more extra pills.
It's so funny because, the high is so useless. All I get is anxious and jittery and end up with a panic attack. It's purely psychological, and I need to break it. I have myself convinced that without it, life is as dull as can be.

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To me it seemed like everyone has become addicted after taking large quantities. Has anyone become addicted while just taking their prescribed dose? I am perscribed to take 30 mg Xr in the morning a 10 at lunch and more later depending on work load. I don't get why people like the feeling of focalin, 30 is about as much as I can take without just feeling like crap (just FYI I have ADHD). I don't see the point in abusing it, it just sucks to take more, and if anything I am happy to not take it, and just have to smoke weed to get rid of that "ugh" feeling I have when on it. Without focalin I can't do work, I just can't bring myself to do it, so I take just enough to bring my grades up without ruining my day. Again I'm just wondering does it only feel good when you take a lot? Or also when it's a low dosage ( like 30 is for me)? And has anyone gotten addicted on their perscribed dose?

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I got addicted on my prescribed dose. I refuse to take any higher than the 15mg I was prescribed at a time. Like you, I have ADHD. Unlike some of the other replies, I don't just love it for the high.
I feel like I can't function properly without it. I feel normal on it. THAT is addicting.

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Hi, well.. My names Sydney, 13 years old. I was diagnosed with ADHD somewhere around 3rd grade, and was prescribed adderall. It helped very much and in 5th grade I made the desicion to stop taking it. Earlier this year (8th grade) I doing terrible in school. So I was given the adderall again. I complained I my doctor about a few annoying side effects of adderall such as loss of appetite and dizziness. He then gave me 2 full bottles of focalin. I tried them for a day and had my first anxiety attack. So I decided it wasn't a good idea to take them ever again. After after a couple extremely difficult weeks I had actually planned a suicide of overdosing the focalin. I took around 12 pills. After surviving I made a secret pledge to myself to never do it again. Another week had passed I was fighting with a few good friends and my boyfriend. (We had been together for around 4 months during this time) I used to tell him everything. So fighting was horrible. A few teachers had noticed me acting a bit depressed and "in my own world" so they had several meetings about me and arranged for me to see the school therapist. At first I never told her much. Even though it felt like my life was falling apart. One day I checked my grades and I was failing 3 important classes. Immediately I thought to myself I should overdose. And I did that night. I remember one day a girl I was fighting with called me a "whore and a "b****". Once again I overdosed. I became very dependent on the drug. It took over so much of my life and no one ever knew what I was going through. I used to stay up a night shaking and crying because of overdosing. Anytime any challenge came into my life I would instantly pick up the bottle. After I ran out I asked for more, and more.. Unfortunately they gave it to me. I wouldn't eat for days. I would never get out of bed. I would never leave the house. I would cry for days. One day after a terrible dosage of 16 I reached out to the school counselor. I told her I had a problem. I told her everything. I remember crying in front of her. She was amazing though, she always had a smile on her face. She knew I needed more help, outside of school. A different therapist was recommended to me and even though I was against therapy she talked me into it. One day I was feeling so anxious and my heart rate was above 170 (sitting down) I was rushed into the ER. the doctors had tol me this was caused my one two many pills. But I didnt overdose that week at all. after that I begged my mom to dispose of ALL adhd medication. I've been talking to the recomended therapist for 2 1/2 months now. I really like him, but he suggested I tell my mom. I don't want her to know because she is very different from me, she handles things differently and I'm scared of her reaction. I now suffer from horrible anxiety and occasional rapid heart beat. I have been in the hospital a few times and I show no symptoms of any kind of heart problems or any problems at all. I feel very lucky. Although I have noticed my resting heart is normal (60) as soon as I run or even walk up a few stairs my heart rate jumps up. My last recorded running heart rate was 230 (I had ran 2 blocks) with this in mind know that I am a very healthy weight an I am not at risk for any diabetes at all. I'm just confused on how my heart rate jumps around so much if there is nothing wrong. Since I no longer take the medication my grades have dropped horribly. I might not pass 8th grade. With 4 F's and 1 D. I'm questioning the medication again. It has been a little bit over 2 months since I have taken anything. But I feel it's to risky, with the meds I'm risking addiction again but without I'm risking not entering high school. The only person who knows is my best friend. Should I tell my mom? Please, I need help.

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