I was searching the internet this morning for anything new on Depression. Through my tears I saw a lead for a comment on adderall being used to treat treatment resistant Depression. Funny but it eventually circled back to this site.
My faithful psychiatrist of many years eventually prescribed adderall for me as nothing else seemed to work - at least not very well.
I have been taking adderall for over 15 years with absolutely NO ill side effects and it is a wonder drug.
The BIGGEST problem is the reaction I have gotten from persons who , though having no expertise in psychiatric illness, have looked askance, eyed me with suspicion, outrightly accused me of being a drug addict, my employer ignoring the medical reasons for anyone being on adderall for any reason, etc etc ad nauseum. I no longer work as the depression has taken such a toll I can no longer do it.
That being said, I found that adderall is prescribed, and is effective, even though it is an "off label" treatment. I think that if a drug that is legal and is legally prescribed and is EFFECTIVE it should be used without the world having fits about it. In all these years I have not increased the dosage I take, I have not built up a resistance, in fact I would rather not take it- but it is (so far) the only thing that has really helped.
I am not advocating the use of amphetamine for all cases of Depression, however the anti drug hysteria in this country has caused enough grief for those of us who suffer with mental challenges already staggering with the burden of this disease. The best thing is now I know I am not alone.