What happens to your soul when you’ve been chemically "regulated" since the age of seven? Coming off Adderall isn't just about surviving the physical withdrawal; it is a high-stakes reclamation of the self that requires a total rewrite of what you consider "normal."

In this raw and deeply personal conversation, Ricki Friedman shares her journey of stopping a 28-year prescription of stimulants to find a version of herself she never knew existed. She and Charles dive into the biological reality of dopamine deficiency, the link between complex PTSD and concentration, and why true success requires honoring your natural rhythm rather than forcing a medicated societal norm. 

Stopping a long-term stimulant prescription requires a fundamental mindset shift from "I can't concentrate" to "I have a dopamine and regulation issue." Success off-medication is found by creating natural dopamine through movement, environment, and honoring the "momentum" of your ADHD rather than fighting it.

Stimulants can often blur the lines between intuition and a chemically-induced "loop," making it difficult to feel the body's natural signals. Understanding the difference—where intuition is calm and grounded while fear is loud and full of excuses—is the key to making expansive life decisions.

The first 30 days of going "cold turkey" from a high dose can involve extreme physical exhaustion and sleeping up to 17 hours a day as the body attempts to find homeostasis. Recovery is a long-term process that requires giving yourself at least a full year to redefine who you are as a human being without a substance. 

• Ricki Friedman
• Charles Turtz
• TURTZED
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Disclaimer: The TURTZED Podcast reflects the opinions of Charles Turtz and his guests. Content is for educational and entertainment purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider for advice tailored to your individual needs. For the full disclaimer, visit our website.

• 00:00 – The trio of connections: Self, Success, and Brand
• 02:22 – Being prescribed stimulants at seven years old
• 04:13 – The "Three-Week Sleep" and the reality of cold turkey
• 06:01 – Why life gets "infinitely worse" before it gets better
• 08:14 – Rewriting the story of what is "normal"
• 10:17 – Honoring your natural rhythm vs. the corporate machine
• 12:06 – The realization that changed everything: "It’s like meth"
• 15:34 – Why stimulants dysregulate the nervous system they claim to fix
• 18:05 – The grief of a childhood without access to your own body
• 21:05 – The difference between concentration and dopamine issues
• 25:54 – The top two life-transforming decisions Ricki ever made
• 30:07 – Losing (and finding) your personality on autopilot
• 35:06 – Transitioning from "Dark Ricky" to "Light Ricky"
• 41:59 – The 4-step system for authentic dopamine
• 45:35 – The "Expansive Decision" trap
• 50:44 – Why the medication is no longer serving its purpose