In this episode of the Addy Free Podcast, I share a short but powerful message with the community as I celebrate 4 years sober from Adderall and stimulant medication. This episode isn’t about everything I’ve learned in recovery—there’s far too much for one conversation—but about one foundational truth in Adderall addiction recovery: the power of keeping a promise to yourself.

Whether you’re 4 years, 4 months, 4 days, or 4 hours off Adderall or Vyvanse, every moment you choose not to take a stimulant matters. Each choice builds self-trust, confidence, and momentum—and that momentum is what makes long-term recovery possible.

If you’re struggling with ADHD medication dependency, stimulant addiction, or life after Adderall, this episode is a reminder that recovery doesn’t happen all at once. It starts with one promise—and by continuing to show up, you’ll one day look back and realize just how far you’ve come.

Keep going. Living Addy Free is possible—and you are not alone.

This month on the Addy Free Podcast, I’m joined by Jesse, a moderator of Stop Speeding, one of the largest online communities focused on stimulant addiction recovery, with over 42,000 members navigating life beyond Adderall, Vyvanse, and other stimulant drugs.

Stop Speeding is a recovery-centered, judgment-free space for anyone impacted by stimulant use—regardless of the type of drug, how it was prescribed, or how long it was used. The community is not anti-psychiatry or anti-ADHD medication; it’s pro-recovery, harm awareness, and honest conversation. Members share real-life experiences, peer support, and resources for those struggling with Adderall dependency, stimulant misuse, withdrawal, and rebuilding life after stimulants.

In this episode, we explore who Jesse is, how Stop Speeding began, and how this grassroots Reddit forum grew into one of the most trusted online stimulant recovery communities. If you’re searching for support, connection, or hope while living without stimulants, this conversation is for you.

In this powerful episode of the Addy Free Podcast, we sit down with Vitale Buford, author of Addicted to Perfect, to explore her 10-year struggle with Adderall addiction, perfectionism, and the path to lasting recovery.

Vitale shares how ADHD stimulant medication—often labeled a “study drug”—slowly became a source of dependency, burnout, and emotional disconnection. What began as a tool for productivity eventually cost her mental health, physical well-being, and sense of self-worth.

In this episode, we discuss:

• How perfectionism and Adderall addiction became deeply intertwined

• Early warning signs of stimulant dependency

• The hidden mental and emotional toll of chasing productivity and external success

• The moment Vitale knew she had to stop taking Adderall—and what recovery looked like next

• Her 11-year journey living Addy Free

• Practical tools for healing perfectionism during stimulant recovery

• How to stop tying your self-worth to performance and achievement

• Why authenticity—not productivity—is the real measure of success

• How Vitale now helps others through coaching, leadership development, and speaking

This episode is a must-listen for anyone struggling with Adderall or stimulant addiction, perfectionism, burnout, or the pressure to perform. If you’re questioning your relationship with ADHD medication or searching for freedom beyond productivity, this conversation offers honesty, hope, and real tools for healing.

We've got a lot going on in the Addy Free world... listen if you want to find out!

Here is the instagram post for your reel!

when I get the opportunity to interview an Addy Free community member, I prioritize that more than any specialized doctor—because we’ve lived it, and we know what it’s like. That’s why I’m SO excited to have on Hayley Carver, who is officially 11 months Addy Free (we recorded this a month ago). WELCOME 🩵

When I first realized I had a problem with Addy, all I wanted was to find someone else who felt like I did.

Was I crazy for thinking I was addicted?

Was it normal to take this much just to function?

Why did no one else seem as obsessed as me?

I just wanted to feel:

✨ Seen

✨ Heard

✨ Validated

That’s why I started the Addy Free community—and now, a year and a half later, there are 11 of us, all in different stages of the journey, showing up weekly to support each other.

Hayley was one of the first to find this podcast and join the Monday Zooms. Her story is real, relatable, and a powerful reminder that the first year is full of growth—and of facing that inner voice telling you to go back. But you can handle life without Addy. That’s why you’re here.

Want to join the weekly Zooms? Mondays @ 8PM EST. DM me @addyfree or visit addyfree.com

I hope you love this convo with Hayley

If you’ve ever found yourself scrolling Amazon at 2am with a cart full of impulse buys—whether it’s washi tape, fitness equipment, or something truly unhinged—this episode is for you.

In today’s episode of the Addy Free Podcast, I unpack a habit that was intensified by Adderall use and that I continue to work through in my Adderall addiction recovery: impulsive shopping and impulse control issues.

But this conversation goes far deeper than spending money. We explore how stimulant medication impacts impulse control, emotional regulation, and brain development, and how trauma and early coping patterns can be amplified by Adderall and other ADHD stimulant medications.

In this episode, I break down:

• How Adderall worsened my impulse control

• The connection between childhood trauma, ADHD, and impulsive behaviors

• Practical tools I use now in recovery (including the 24-hour rule, movement-based regulation, and pause practices)

• How to stop shaming yourself and start practicing self-compassion in recovery

This episode isn’t just about breaking bad habits—it’s about healing the nervous system, developing coping skills that couldn’t form while on a numbing substance, and learning how to live Addy Free with awareness, grace, and intention.

Resource links:

https://boardwalkrecoverycenter.com/how-addiction-stunts-emotional-growth/

https://lakesidemilam.com/blog/emotional-maturity/

https://recovery.com/resources/addiction-and-arrested-development/

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3260977/

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0925492724000830

https://brcrecovery.com/makana-path/

In this month's episode, I sit down with R.L. Kramer, author of Hocus Focus, to explore his raw, eye-opening journey of being prescribed Adderall and Dexedrine from age seven—and how what began as treatment for ADD turned into a decades-long struggle with stimulant addiction, identity loss, and mental health challenges.

Kramer opens up about:

• The real benefits and long-term risks of ADHD stimulant medications

• How Adderall and Dexedrine dependency impacts the brain, body, and sense of self

• The mental and physical realities of stimulant withdrawal

• How childhood trauma and an unconventional upbringing shaped his relationship with medication

• Holistic alternatives for focus and regulation, including diet, exercise, meditation, and plant-based tools

• His path toward healing, self-acceptance, and sustainable focus without stimulants

This conversation goes beyond a personal recovery story—it’s a powerful discussion on pharmaceutical dependence, mental health, and reclaiming clarity without relying on stimulants.

If you’re navigating ADHD, ADD, Adderall addiction, stimulant withdrawal, or searching for natural ways to improve focus and mental clarity, this episode offers insight, validation, and hope.

In this solo episode, I dive deep into the moment I truly realized Adderall no longer worked for me—and how that revelation became the key to my recovery. I share how shifting my identity from someone who needed Adderall to someone who simply doesn’t take it rewired my mindset and freed me from the cycle of dependency.

This concept, known as identity-based habits, is backed by neuroscience and psychology, and it was the game-changer I didn’t even know I was using. If you’re struggling to quit, this episode will help you rethink your approach and give you a new way to break free.

In this episode, we explore how chiropractic care can support Adderall and Vyvanse recovery by helping regulate the nervous system after stimulant use.

Dr. Liv and Dr. Devin explain how nervous system imbalance contributes to anxiety, depression, brain fog, focus issues, digestion problems, and chronic stress—common symptoms during stimulant withdrawal and long-term ADHD medication recovery.

If you’re learning how to heal after Adderall, this episode introduces a drug-free nervous system regulation tool to support your Addy Free recovery journey.

In this parent-focused episode of the Addy Free Podcast, I speak with Dr. Kimberly Bell, child psychologist and Director of the Hanna Perkins Center for Child Development, about why so many parents feel pressured to medicate their children when school becomes challenging.

Dr. Bell explains how today’s education system often turns to ADHD medication and behavioral labels before fully understanding a child’s emotional development, family dynamics, and individual needs. She shares how labels can unintentionally shape a child’s identity and lead to self-limiting beliefs that follow them into adolescence and adulthood.

In this episode, parents will learn:

• Why schools often recommend ADHD medication first

• What parents should consider before medicating their child

• How emotional development impacts behavior and learning

• Why every child needs an individualized approach, not a one-size-fits-all diagnosis

• How strengthening the parent-child relationship supports resilience, confidence, and long-term mental health

• The Hanna Perkins model and its focus on child-centered, relationship-based education

This conversation is especially helpful for parents navigating ADHD diagnoses, school behavior concerns, learning challenges, or questions about medication alternatives—and for those seeking a more compassionate, developmentally informed path forward.