I am new, and I don't know where else to turn

[smoore6579]

Well, my name is Shari and I came across this sight while serching online. First let me say that I do not have ADHD, but my best friend of 12 years does.

A little background: he is 25. he has a twin brother, and two other siblings. he and his twin both have adhd and have had it for as long as i can remember. although brandon's (my friend) symtoms are much more pronounced than his twin's (randal). they had an average childhood materially, but an emotionally unavailable mother. she refused to get them any treatment, not even counseling. at 18 they both tried riddlin (please excuse the spelling). it seemed to work for a short time, but then they both stopped using it. this is where my problem comes in.

this is extreamly hard, but here goes.......i am very concerned for brandon. he has become addicted to cocain. it is not so much a physical addiction, but a mental addiction. where non ADHD people speed up on this drug, he says it makes him feel more normal. this scares the ever loving daylights out of me. honestly the few times he has been around me right after doing it, he is a different person. he is very calm, focused, and pretty quiet. but his drug use is pretty bad. we have had a long talk and he thinks that maybe ADHD drugs will help. i have done some research on a few drugs. i am very scared of any stimmulant of any kind. if i am not mistaken, stimmulants are narcotics and i dont think he needs to be around anything like that. i have read alot about strattera. it seems like a good alternative.


i dont know if anyone on this forum has ever had to deal with anything like this, but i am so desperate for help i would welcome any advice. if anyone has ever experienced anything similar, please help.

thanks for just listening

shari

[driftwood2]

Hi Shari, I'm sorrry I didn't come across this before, BUT your friend has the idea what is behind stim meds. It does help people.

I know that you are worried about him being additcted to thing, BUT one of the best thing to help him is coffee, coffee is a stimulant.......BUT in it's form, can help people.

Shari, seek medical help about the drugs. Street drugs can be dangerous and other ailmenbts could be added to it.

I hope everything is getting better

[colleen]

Hi Shari,
I totally understand where your coming from, My husband had the same problem with the cocaine addiction. He is now on Adderall and life is much better without the cocaine in his life. Since he was put on the adderall he has had no craving for the cocaine since the adderall basically gives him the same feeling of normal that the cocaine was giving him. Please urge your friend to seek help. I know what this is like for you and hope you get everything worked out. Colleen

[T.]

Yowza. Hm. Been there and done that.
ADD as an excuse for cocaine addiction is pretty lame I think. No, wait, I like to use it as an excuse for my own nicotine and caffeine (current) and alcohol and any-drugs-available addictions.............chocolate too. :-)
Gotta quit the coke. No other excuse or path to take. He needs to stop it and blaming ADD for it is a BS excuse. Stratterra is a walk in the country on a mild day while cocaine is a joyride on a powerful dirt motorcycle at high speed on dangerous mountain trails. Not a substitue but, overall, it could help post-coke.