Adderall XR and Anxiety: What Users Say

• The...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 18, 2020

For ADHD "Adderall is very useful, but recently I was ignorant and thought it would be okay to take a little extra at night to help clean my house. I took a bigger extra dose than I should have, and a few hours later, I felt pretty awful. I am very productive and more positive on the right dose of this med, so I recommend trying it or Desoxyn because it is said to have fewer side effects like anxiety, panic, and irritability post-dose. Like all meds, Adderall is a blessing when dosed right and a curse when dosed incorrectly. I noticed that I paced around a bit when on it, but I didn’t feel that anxious. It isn’t fun and enjoyable to take a big dose, don’t do it. God made everything to be used in moderation, and it is much better for the whole society when we obey the wise instructions of our doctors and leaders. Be careful, obey your doctor, and may God bless you all to succeed in your treatment plans and in your lives. Amen"

• Anonymous
• Taken for 10 years or more
• January 31, 2024

For ADHD "Life-changing, paradigm-shifting drug for ADHD, combined type. I started with Ritalin, minimal improvement. My quality of life improved in all areas with Adderall XR, brand name is effective, smooth, and a miracle-wonder drug. Not the generic XR, avoid it at all costs! The generic gave me intense, bad side effects with minimal or no benefit. With the generic, I felt as if I took street drugs (haven’t ever, so I don’t really know), clenched my teeth, tensed my muscles, massive insomnia, generally tense and anxious both socially and professionally. I was diagnosed with ADHD in college at age 32, 18 years ago. After Adderall and only Adderall XR, I could drive safely, focus/concentrate, complete tasks before moving on to another task, and respond instead of react. No insomnia with the brand, I even nap on it sometimes! Helps with depression too."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 10 years or more
• January 31, 2024

For ADHD "Life-changing, paradigm-shifting drug for ADHD, combined type. I started with Ritalin, minimal improvement. My quality of life improved in all areas with Adderall XR, brand name is effective, smooth, and a miracle-wonder drug. Not the generic XR, avoid it at all costs! The generic gave me intense, bad side effects with minimal or no benefit. With the generic, I felt as if I took street drugs (haven’t ever, so I don’t really know), clenched my teeth, tensed my muscles, massive insomnia, generally tense and anxious both socially and professionally. I was diagnosed with ADHD in college at age 32, 18 years ago. After Adderall and only Adderall XR, I could drive safely, focus/concentrate, complete tasks before moving on to another task, and respond instead of react. No insomnia with the brand, I even nap on it sometimes! Helps with depression too."

• Was...
• August 4, 2019

For Narcolepsy "I had severe fatigue for my 20s, 30s, and most of my 40s, and OCD, depression, anxiety, and ADHD. I started Adderall XR 20 mg and it was beautiful. I asked my doctor to crank up the dose to 50 then 60 mg and ran into problems: fatigue, blurry vision, depression, anxiety, and insomnia. This is a wonderful but strong med. Just take enough to do the trick and vacation once a week. I'm back on 30 XR Adderall and better than ever."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• March 16, 2023

For ADHD "Adderall XR is the only thing that has helped me be normal. The very first day on this medication, my anxiety was gone, the crushing pressure on my chest and racing thoughts were gone. I focused the majority of the day at work, was able to comprehend what people were saying to me, I did well on all my testing for nursing school. This medication has changed every aspect of my life. Now, after being on it for months, my insurance has taken it off the covered list. The generic version of the medication is not good. I am now paying out of pocket after 2 med trials because it made me feel hopeless, and the Adderall brand XR is the only thing thus far that’s worked for me for my ADHD."

• Mis...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• April 15, 2018

For ADHD "25-year-old female with ADHD and MDD and am currently taking 30 mg of Adderall XR twice daily along with Celexa 20 mg. My new psychiatrist switched me to XR after my GP had me on IR, which caused raised BP and anxiety. Adderall XR has given me back control over my life. I am no longer struggling to complete tasks, have endless patience, have become more naturally social, and less avoidant of people. I no longer get overwhelmed at the thought of having to do something. I am much less impulsive, especially financially, as I got into $17k of debt and am finally organizing my life to pay it off. The only negative is that it is addictive. Before adding Celexa, I had a difficult time weaning off and taking tolerance breaks. I would go through severe withdrawals and depression. Celexa has helped me lower my dose and allows me to take breaks without feeling like I am going to die. Overall, a good medication when responsibly monitored and taken. Really changed my life."

• CPD...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• June 28, 2015

For ADHD "Wellbutrin did nothing for me, and Strattera caused erectile dysfunction and significant sleep disorders. My doctor slowly increased my Adderall XR dosage until I hit the 'sweet spot,' which was 30 mg for me. 40 mg made me a little jittery and anxious. In the correct dosage, Adderall has improved my quality of life with no side effects. I should note that if I miss a day, I am fine, but any longer without it and I become lethargic - so remember to refill your prescription as soon as you can, so you don't run out. I take the generic of this drug, and it works great."

• CPD...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• June 28, 2015

For ADHD "Wellbutrin did nothing for me, and Strattera caused erectile dysfunction and significant sleep disorders. My doctor slowly increased my Adderall XR dosage until I hit the 'sweet spot,' which was 30 mg for me. 40 mg made me a little jittery and anxious. In the correct dosage, Adderall has improved my quality of life with no side effects. I should note that if I miss a day, I am fine, but any longer without it and I become lethargic - so remember to refill your prescription as soon as you can, so you don't run out. I take the generic of this drug, and it works great."

• Mor...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 19, 2015

For ADHD "This medication is to my brain like glasses are to a pair of eyes with poor, blurry vision. Personally, this medication is what works best for me. It isn't perfect, but it is better than nothing. I have ADHD inattentive type, and I also have social anxiety. I understand, this is a stimulant, so of course, it will make my anxiety worse. But I feel more motivated and more confident in myself and my abilities. I resent taking this every day, but I make sure to take this prior to school or work or any day I need to deal with responsibilities. Also, take it after you eat breakfast if you can. For me, the benefits outshine the negatives."

• Amy...
• July 4, 2013

For Narcolepsy "I have taken Adderall XR for years now. I have MS, and as a result, I have hypersomnia, which is very similar to narcolepsy. For years, I took Provigil alone for this, and it was great. But eventually, Provigil was no longer enough to keep me awake. My doctor tried me on Adderall XR, and it was amazing. I was able to stay awake all day long and felt great. I never had any real jitteriness. It does make me have almost no appetite at all, ever. Mostly, I just don't think about eating, it doesn't really occur to me, and when I do eat, I can't eat much. But having been obese most of my life, this hasn't exactly been a problem!"

• Hol...
• September 15, 2016

For ADHD "I was diagnosed with ADHD when I was in 3rd grade and went through just about every medication. I have anxiety, and some medications really made it worse. Now 18 and in college, I've been on Adderall 20 mg extended release for 3 years, and every once in a while, I take a 'tolerance break.' Taking a break from it really does help when you go back to using it. Take it early in the day, or else you will most likely be awake until late hours of the night."

• Kno...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 15, 2021

For ADHD "I have suffered with ADHD since I was a young kid. I got diagnosed at the youngest age possible, and I never got any help for it from my old doctor. With my new doctor, he gave me Adderall XR to start out with 10 and then upped it to 20 within a week if not effective. I am on 20 mg now, and it has changed my life. I failed school and life because I couldn't pay attention, and now not only can I pay attention, but this has also helped as my ADHD had caused depression, anxiety, and also OCD."

• KNW...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 2, 2016

For ADHD "The first month I took this was perfect. Better focus, better moods, more productive, and was able to process info better. Then I got my refill, and things got bad. Those particular ones messed with my breathing, made my mind race, so focusing was even harder than before I ever took meds for focus, horrible anxiety, and paranoia. I know these two prescriptions were technically supposed to be the same, but they certainly were not the same! This stuff felt like either completely different medicine or it was made from some dirty, dirt cheap ingredients. They were both Actavis, but something just wasn't right with that refill. I didn't even go a full week taking those. I felt heartbroken because the first one worked so well."

• Jak...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• February 26, 2018

For ADHD "I am 18 years old, and I'm here to share my experience. Like many people say, this medication works miracles at first. I was now doing everything ADHD/mild depression and social anxiety stopped me from doing. Once I progressed towards the sixth month, problems slowly started coming up, and day by day, you fall back into where you started. If you keep going, you'll get even worse. The feelings of depression, anger, and anxiety are almost unreal, and it causes me to take the medication and do nothing but lay in bed instead of being energized, although it could be the 6 hours of sleep every night adding up. Tips for beginners: take weekends off, eat, drink, and sleep."

• Anonymous
• October 14, 2011

For ADHD "I have always known I was intelligent and a doer, but I could never finish a project or classwork without starting another (2-3 really!) projects. Therefore, I would always get depressed and feel worthless. I couldn't handle small talk and had extreme anxiety when I had to go to church because I couldn't sit still for more than 20-30 minutes without wanting to burst. My mom always found ways to teach me to calm myself down in different situations, but she didn't understand how bad it was. She also didn't believe in medicating her children. I wish I could describe what my first five employers said about me when I left their companies. I will just say this: Adderall XR 20 mg once in the morning has seriously made the difference in my life."

• Amp...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 17, 2023

For ADHD "I have struggled with ADHD throughout my entire life, and even simple tasks like cleaning my room have been challenging for me. I was initially prescribed Concerta in 1st grade, and I continued taking medication until I finished high school. However, I decided to take a break from medication during that time. Now that ADHD is affecting my adult life, I wanted to get back on medication. In 2021, I was prescribed Adderall IR, and it worked like a miracle. All of my problems seemed to be resolved, and every day felt like a blessing. However, my general doctor was no longer able to prescribe Adderall, so I had to find a psychiatrist who accepted my insurance. It took months to find one, but eventually, I got prescribed 20 mg of Adderall XR. On the first day of taking it, I experienced its effects, but they only lasted for about 3 hours. I found this to be strange but didn't think much of it. In the following days, I noticed very little to no change in my symptoms. Instead, I started experiencing a rapid heart rate, stomach pains, and anxiety, which I had never felt before. During the two-month supply of Adderall prescribed by my general doctor, it seems that there may have been a substitution of ingredients. These new symptoms have left me concerned and uncertain about the medication's effectiveness. I believe it's important to discuss these issues with my psychiatrist and explore other options that may better suit my needs."

• ggg...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 11, 2015

For ADHD "Worked perfectly for the first week (10 mg), my mind was completely clear, and I felt almost no anxiety whatsoever. Second week (20 mg), started feeling suicidal, worst I've ever felt in my entire life. Parents thought it was out of character, I couldn't stop crying-worst emotional pain I've ever felt (I've never felt like that before). Was convinced it wasn't the medication, but felt better as soon as I stopped taking it. If you're feeling this way while being on it, it's probably the medication... I was convinced that it wasn't until I started seeing that a couple of other people had similar reactions. 19/female"

• NHe...
• May 12, 2009

For ADHD "I was diagnosed with ADHD 6 years ago by my family physician. She put me on Effexor, which seemed to help at first, but over the next year, the side effects were not worth the results. Another doctor recently prescribed Adderall, and when that worked well, he gave Adderall XR. I am so much more centered, can concentrate, and my quality of life is so much better. I hate that it is thought of as a 'street drug,' and I hate that the price is so high. The generic did nothing for me except to make me agitated/jittery for a few hours, then crashed and had a headache."

• Anonymous
• October 28, 2011

For ADHD "I've been on Adderall since I was in high school, so about 5 years. It works well for my concentration and allows me to focus for an extended period of time, such as when studying. This medicine has definitely helped me, but it has a lot of side effects. For me, loss of appetite, euphoria, and dry mouth are the most common. Headaches are frequent, but nothing ibuprofen can't fix. I've been on and off antidepressants that affected the Adderall. When I was on Lexapro, taking Adderall would make me irritable, anxious, and paranoid, sometimes to a full-blown panic attack. Now I'm on Prozac, and the Adderall combination is fine. But I still get anxious and mildly irritable when the 'high' of the Adderall decreases."

• Anonymous
• October 28, 2011

For ADHD "I've been on Adderall since I was in high school, so about 5 years. It works well for my concentration and allows me to focus for an extended period of time, such as when studying. This medicine has definitely helped me, but it has a lot of side effects. For me, loss of appetite, euphoria, and dry mouth are the most common. Headaches are frequent, but nothing ibuprofen can't fix. I've been on and off antidepressants that affected the Adderall. When I was on Lexapro, taking Adderall would make me irritable, anxious, and paranoid, sometimes to a full-blown panic attack. Now I'm on Prozac, and the Adderall combination is fine. But I still get anxious and mildly irritable when the 'high' of the Adderall decreases."

• Wib...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 16, 2016

For ADHD "I have MDD, GAD, and ADHD. The worse trifecta in my opinion. The reason why is because when I start treating one disorder, the others get worse. Well, I had gotten my MDD and GAD in check and on to treat my ADHD, so I was given a very low dose of Adderall XR (10 mg). It was way too over-stimulating for me. I had so much anxiety that I couldn't even focus, which is what Adderall is supposed to help you do. So, I switched over to 5 mg Adderall XR, and while my anxiety didn't shoot up like the last dosage, it still was ineffective."

• Mel...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 22, 2015

For ADHD "This medicine is great for ADHD, but does not work for everyone. In fact, it made me feel angry, increased anxiety I've been dealing with, and can kind of depress you. I recommend Adderall XR (even though I stopped it) because ADHD is challenging, and this medication made me very focused, like robot focused. It was great! But I had to switch to Prozac cause it gave me worse anxiety. If you have a problem with anxiety, I don't recommend it, there are plenty your doctor can prescribe that don't have as much side effects. But all in all, this medicine is great for treating ADHD. Good luck!"

• Mel...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 22, 2015

For ADHD "This medicine is great for ADHD, but does not work for everyone. In fact, it made me feel angry, increased anxiety I've been dealing with, and can kind of depress you. I recommend Adderall XR (even though I stopped it) because ADHD is challenging, and this medication made me very focused, like robot focused. It was great! But I had to switch to Prozac cause it gave me worse anxiety. If you have a problem with anxiety, I don't recommend it, there are plenty your doctor can prescribe that don't have as much side effects. But all in all, this medicine is great for treating ADHD. Good luck!"

• Alp...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• January 11, 2018

For ADHD "I was off and on Adderall for a year. I had a psychotic episode a few times with this medication. I went back on it in October of 2017, and I was on 15 mg. When I went on 15 mg, my anxiety was more severe than before, I was really depressed too, and I sometimes lost feeling in my legs. I also lost feeling in my lips if I licked it a few times. I won’t recommend this medication if you have bad anxiety or depression because it can make it like x2."

• PWi...
• March 30, 2012

"It took a while to find the right problems, then the right medicines, then the right dosage, but once we did, even my husband could tell the difference, and I could too. It was an immediate difference, the next day with the Clonazepam, I felt an instant calmness and togetherness that I had not felt before. I take 40 mg (2 x 20 mg XR) in the morning with Clonazepam 1 - 1 mg tab because I have panic attacks and anxiety sometimes. Then 2 - 1 mg Clonazepam at night, which relaxes me and I am able to not have nightmares and can sleep. Without the medicines, including the Lexapro 20 mg, I have terrible depression, nightmares, cannot concentrate, the post-traumatic stress disorder takes over, and the hypervigilance is awful. The drugs have made such a positive difference, and my husband agrees."