PSA for Drug Users

This isn’t a post to criticize or shame you- just to make that clear. Regardless of how I feel about using illegal drugs, what’s more important is that people are still going to do them. And if you are going to use illicit substances, it is extremely and critically important that you take the proper precautions. Mitigating safety risks can be potentially life-saving, so please take the time to read and share this.

General Safety Measures:

• Don’t use anything while alone, even if you’re experienced with it.
  
• NEVER share injection equipment of any kind.
• Don’t mix two depressants together. (ex:// Heroin, Opioids, and Alcohol)
• If something goes wrong, get to the hospital or call an ambulance ASAP. In 40 of the 50 states in the US, you cannot be arrested for seeking medical help for a drug overdose. Even if you live elsewhere, getting help and facing the consequences is far better than dying.
• Always have at least one sober person present.
• Do your research before trying a drug.
• If you suspect an overdose, do not eat or drink anything, and do not try to induce vomiting.

Depressants (Heroin, Opioids, Alcohol, Benzodiazepines):

• Do not take anything else with it- especially not more depressants.
  
• ALWAYS carry Naloxone with you, no matter what. This drug can revive someone from an opioid overdose. It is accessible at most pharmacies in the United States for a relatively low cost.

Stimulants (Cocaine, Amphetamines, and MDMA (Ecstasy):

• Do not take depressants with it.
  
• If you mix stimulants, go very slowly with both of them.
• ALWAYS test your drugs before using them. People who think they’re buying something like pure MDMA often are sold a mix of drugs. Test kits can be bought online and used many, many times. They detect the presence of other drugs so you know exactly what you’re taking.

Hallucinogens (LSD, Mushrooms, Ayahuasca):

• Moreso than with other drugs, it is important to always have a “tripsitter”- a sober person who will stay with you during the entire trip and ensure your safety.
  
• Only use in an aesthetically pleasing and comfortable environment.
• If you become anxious, your tripsitter needs to give strong emotional support and reassurance
• If you cannot be calmed with reassurance, your tripsitter needs to give you 10mg of Valium.
• Have your tripsitter occasionally ask how you’re doing and verbally check in.
• After the trip, debrief your experience to someone who will listen and allow yourself to mentally process everything that happened.

This is by no means a comprehensive list, but it’s a lot of information worth knowing. Certain text is hyperlinked to relevant resources, so if you want to know more, just click the links.

I would appreciate if this gets reblogged and shared; this information needs to be common knowledge.

What Adderall ACTUALLY Does

Posting this because misinformation about Adderall can make people more likely to misuse it or not take it when they need it ((plus it raises the stigma of ‘tweaky kids’ on Ritalin and Adderall’)).

Disclaimer: Adderall will affect everyone uniquely, though there are predominant effects that can generally be expected. I will be describing my experience, as it seems to be along the lines of the general expectations of what it should do.

Okay, so I took Adderall for almost a year- now I take Vyvanse, which is a long-acting Adderall ((more on that later, folks)). I take it for narcolepsy and ADHD symptoms, as narcolepsy causes excessive daytime sleepiness and I need it to be awake and function like a person.

What the fuck is Adderall? Well, it’s a stimulant drug ((yes, it’s in the same family as meth but no, it’s not like meth)) that increases the productivity of the dopamine ((the hormone that makes you happy and satisfied and is linked to depression and other mental disorders)) and norepinephrine ((the hormone that makes you stressed and is linked to schizo-type disorders)) in order to treat ADHD and narcolepsy ((among other things)).

It starts at 10 mg doses and goes up from there to 70 mg or 80 mg, if I recall. I went up to 60 mg before switching to Vyvanse. Vyvanse is the same drug as Adderall ((dextroamphetamine)), except it’s bonded to an amino acid which causes it to be long-acting. I find this type more effective, as it prevents a huge crash once the drug wears off since it absorbs more slowly. I currently take 60 mg.

What DOES it do?

The Good:

• Improves memory related functions ((which is good as memory loss and issues is common for people with narcolepsy)).
  
• Increases wakefulness ((also critical for narcoleptic people)).
• Improves reaction time.
• Reduces fatigue.
• Increases self-confidence and sociability.

The Bad:

• Loss of appetite.
  
• Very high or very low blood pressure.
• Dry mouth ((not everyone experiences this but I do and it seems like a considerable number of people do)).
• Causes excessive talkativeness ((both myself and my friend who takes it experience this, where we know we’re talking too much but it is uncontrollable)).
• Tics ((repetitive movements)).
• Overall “jittery” feeling.

These aren’t all the effects, but it’s a general picture of what to potentially expect.

What it DOESN’T do:

• It doesn’t make you smarter or learn faster; it helps you concentrate, not become more skilled in academics.
  
• They are dangerous for people who take them that don’t need them. If you take stimulant drugs without have a medical condition to warrant it, it can and will fuck up how your brain communicates with itself. Once the effectiveness wears off, you are prone to mood swings, loss of sleep, increased blood pressure fainting… the list goes on, but taking Adderall without needing can potentially cause a heart attack or stroke.
• It does not act like caffeine does. Some people think this, and it is not at all like caffeine in how it works.
• Just because doctors prescribe it doesn’t mean it’s totally safe. Adderall is a Schedule II drug, which I will explain. Normally, I go to the pharmacy and my doctor has digitally sent in the prescription with refills. Because Adderall is a highly controlled substance, I need to get a paper prescription, and it can only be for a 30-day supply and there are no refills on it so I need to go back and get a paper prescription every time. It’s not safe for people who don’t need it, but people do anyways so it has to be very controlled.
• It doesn’t make you super-mega-hyper. It typically just keeps you awake and helps your concentration, which can actually make you more quiet and still than usual. Some people ((myself include)) experience a jittery feeling and have motor tics, though they’re minor and don’t interfere with my functioning too much.

So now you know the truth about Adderall. I’d appreciate if people spread this to help drown out misinformation. I can only hope this helps people get educated, as it’s a wonderful medicine for people who need it.