Like other prescription drugs, Adderall may become addictive to users who are in dire need of its healing effects. For those who do not need to use it as a medicine, it could be especially dangerous. Adderall was created primarily to treat patients with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), but addiction to this drug is common.
Adderall is very easy to obtain. Some users who take it for recreational purposes obtain it from family and friends. The internet is another place where illegal sales of this prescription pill is rampant. Other users buy it on the street and take this drug in large doses. For ADHD patients, this drug relaxes their brains, giving them the chance to achieve greater focus.
To users who are not suffering from ADHD, the prescription medicine serves as a stimulant. Adderall lessens the body’s need for eating or sleeping while enhancing concentration and focus. Its effects are similar to the effects of cocaine. Regular use of this prescription drug without a prescription (or beyond the instructions of a prescription) may lead to addiction.
A powerful drug that stimulates the central nervous system (CNS), Adderall is the brand name for a combination two potent stimulants, dextroamphetamine and amphetamine. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) classifies Adderall as a schedule II drug, stating that using it can create “a high potential for abuse which may lead to severe psychological or physical dependence.”
Doctors prescribe Adderall to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). They also prescribe it for narcolepsy, a disorder that may cause sudden tiredness or sleep. Patients with narcolepsy feel less fatigued after taking the drug. For people with ADHD, the prescription pill increases the level of dopamine in the brain and provides a relaxing effect.
People who use Adderall for legitimate purposes take the tablet orally (by mouth). The tablet comes in various dosages. Other users misuse the drug by crushing it and snorting the powdered form. This misuse produces faster effects. Nicknames for Adderall include black beauties, pep pills, uppers, Addys, and speed.
Adderall is a controlled prescription and is considered a positive therapeutic medication for users with ADHD and narcolepsy. Abusing the drug may produce negative effects. The drug triggers the release of dopamine in the user’s brain. While dopamine naturally occurs in our systems, the use of Adderall may trigger the release of the chemical in the brain.
If people regularly use this prescription medication, they may develop tolerance to it. They may realize that they cannot function normally without taking the drug. The feeling of calmness and euphoria Adderall may create could prompt people to use the prescription drug more frequently and in larger doses. Signs and symptoms of Adderall addiction include:
- Cravings for higher doses of the drug to feel its effects.
- Continued use in spite of the dangers.
- Inability to stay alert without using the drug.
- Financial problems because of prolonged use.
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While no one wants to develop an addiction to the drug, it is easy to see how such problems start. People may take the drug to increase their productivity during hectic times or to concentrate on studying for upcoming exams. If they are pleased with the results, people might develop an addiction and find it hard to live their lives without the prescription drug.
Users who want to experience the effects of Adderall more quickly sometimes snort the prescription drug. This process delivers a potent dose of the drug into the bloodstream. Snorting Adderall may produce several devastating effects.
Amphetamines may be fatal in any form. Snorting Adderall may create problems in the throat and respiratory system. It may damage the nasal cavity, so people who misuse the drug could require surgery to fix their sinuses, nasal cavities, and nasal passages. Large doses of amphetamine may also cause irregular heart rates, cardiac arrests, and even overdoses.
The longer users snort the drug, the more debilitating brain and body damage may occur.
Prescription amphetamine drugs such as Adderall and other medications used to treat ADHD may enhance focus and productivity in school and at work. Adderall may simplify things and make them easier to comprehend. Students who have used the prescription drug claim that it is more effective than energy drinks or alcohol in terms of enhancing their cognitive functioning.
If people have ADHD, research has shown that that they may respond to this prescribed drug. It may be tricky to take prescription amphetamines in effective and safe doses for prolonged periods. Their bodies may develop tolerance to the medication’s effectiveness over time, so people might take more of it. Before they know it, they might be dependent on the drug.
These prescription amphetamines do not cure narcolepsy or ADHD. Antibiotic drugs cure disease because they kill bacteria that cause infections.
Adderall is more like wearing eyeglasses for vision problems. People only feel effects when they use Adderall or wear eyeglasses. Drugs such as Adderall ease the symptoms of the conditions during the times the drugs present and active in the users’ systems.
The effects of Adderall depend on the dosage and how people consume it. Adderall increases levels of dopamine in the brain. Dopamine triggers the nucleus accumbens, an area of the brain that activates the reward circuit and creates pleasurable sensations.
This stimulant pill also affects the part of the brain that heightens thinking, concentration, and alertness. Lower doses of the prescription drug may be effective for treating ADHD and narcolepsy. Higher doses may lead to a number of side effects:
- Euphoria
- Feelings of limitless energy
- Intense impulsiveness
- Fast and sprinting thoughts
- Hallucinations
- Headaches
- Tremors
- Decreased sexual drive
If people use high doses of Adderall for extended periods of time, or if they use it outside of doctors’ prescriptions, they could be abusing it and develop a dependency or addiction to it. Long-term use can create:
- Episodes of over excitement
- Depression
- Heart attacks
- Strokes
Adderall is a powerful stimulant and it may be difficult to identify people abusing the prescription drug. The primary reason for Adderall abuse is to increase productivity, alertness, and focus.
People who abuse this drug are often achievers who are very motivated to accomplish their goals. They often do not look like the classic stereotype of a drug user. Many of these abusers are students and young professionals.
Signs and symptoms of Adderall abuse include:
- Extreme talkativeness
- Inexplicable hyperactivity or excitement
- Diminished appetite
- Financial problems
- Aggressive tendencies
- Irregular sleeping patterns, such as sleeping for unusually long periods
- Social withdrawal
Behavioral changes in people addicted to the prescription amphetamine may include:
- Consuming the drug in non-prescribed doses and methods, such as snorting or injecting the drug dissolved in water
- Taking the drug to be alert for a particular period of time
- Stealing the drug or purchasing it from illegal sources
- Continuing to use drug despite its negative effects
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There are numerous studies stating the dangers and side effects of taking the prescription drug Adderall. Even if the user takes the medicine as prescribed by a doctor for a short period of time, the drug still may produce negative side effects, including:
- Appetite suppression and unhealthy weight loss
- Irritability and restlessness
- Altered sleep patterns
- Heart problems
Abuse of this drug may give users a feeling of increased energy and a sense of euphoria. But, when this energy and euphoria fade, users may experience:
- Tiredness, even exhaustion
- Problems with focusing or concentrating
- Irritability
- Laziness
- Depression
Because Adderall is an amphetamine, users might form tolerances to it easily. Another risk posed by addiction to this prescription drug is withdrawal.
Withdrawal may occur when users becomes dependent on the drug and suffer from symptoms when they stop using it or decrease their dosages. It may produce psychological and physical signs and symptoms, including:
- Anxiety or panic attacks
- Decreased confidence
- Depression
- Withdrawal from social activities
- Desire to take the drug
Despite the ill effects that Adderall and other prescription amphetamines may produce on their own, some users combine the drugs with other substances. Some do it to increase the effects of the various substances.
If Adderall interferes with their sleep, others take additional substances with Adderall to relax and sleep. Regardless of the reasons, combining this prescription drug with other substances may lead users to overdose and produce other health complications such as heart failure, comas, and even death.
Using Adderall with other substances might eliminate or intensify the effects of the other substance. Drugs and substances frequently combined with Adderall include marijuana, alcohol, and cocaine.
People who combine Adderall and alcohol increase their risks of developing alcohol poisoning. The sense of alertness triggered by the drug may conceal the effects of extreme intoxication from alcohol. People using stimulant prescription drugs may not realize the amount of alcohol they have consumed and experience alcohol poisoning.
Adderall is a popular prescription amphetamine. In the United States alone, doctors issued 18 million prescriptions for Adderall in 2010. This is part of a larger trend. From 2002 to 2010, the number of prescriptions for childhood ADHD jumped 45 percent.
Many people also use Adderall without a prescription. One study found that from 2006 to 2011, “non-prescribed use of Adderall by young adults went up by 67 percent and associated emergency room visits rose by 156 percent.
Who Abuses Adderall?
People using Adderall may be susceptible to tolerance and addiction. Users taking the prescription drug to treat ADHD may be at risk of forming an addiction. The sad thing is, if users take the drug to treat their medical conditions, medical professionals might not acknowledge such dependence if they feel that the drug is producing therapeutic effects. Nevertheless, people with ADHD who are taking the prescription amphetamine may potentially abuse the drug.
Other people who have access to the prescription pill may also abuse it. The people include family members or friends of people taking the drug for medical conditions. People who are working or studying and feel that they need an energy boost may also abuse Adderall.
If you have a mental condition such as depression, anxiety, or bipolar disorder and are using the drug, you may also have a tendency to abuse the prescription drug. Groups of people who may be susceptible to Adderall use include:
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Treating an Addition to Adderall (Prescription Amphetamines)
Treating prescription amphetamine addiction requires learning how to live without the presence of the drug. A crucial step to recovery from dependence, abuse, or addiction to the drug is handling withdrawal without setbacks or relapses.
Users might find it hard to quit because of withdrawal symptoms such as depression, exhaustion, and an inability to focus. To manage such symptoms of withdrawal, people should seek help at qualified treatment and rehabilitation centers.
People who are addicted to Adderall often undergo detoxification (detox). The detox process removes the drug from their systems. Medical professionals may use medication and therapy to lessen the effects of withdrawal such as fatigue and depression. When Adderall is flushed from the body, people undergo therapy and seek support from family and loved ones.
Such support is very important to prevent relapses and to maintain sobriety. It is also crucial to understand the main causes behind users’ addictions. Knowing the causes may increase people’s chances of achieving successful recoveries.
In addition, many treatment centers offer counseling. Counseling may be vital in tracing the academic, social, and professional sources of stress that may lead the user to abuse Adderall and other prescription drugs.
Rehabilitation and treatment centers have licensed therapists that help people address their emotions. Such centers help their clients find intensive outpatient programs (IOPs) that may provide additional support from people who have experienced many of the same things.
Treatments Offered in Rehab
Various rehabilitation and treatment facilities have their own ways of helping people overcome their addiction to Adderall. Each treatment center has its own strengths and specialties. That is why it is crucial to find a center that meets the needs of each individual client.
Inpatient rehabilitation centers provide a controlled environment free from factors that may trigger clients to use Adderall and other drugs. During rehab, clients often follow a strict daily regimen. The schedule often consists of meal times, support groups, therapy, free time, family visits, group activities, and exercise. All of this activity is focused on the welfare and recovery of the client.
From a medical standpoint, treatment facilities aid clients by slowly decreasing the dosage of drugs such as Adderall. This tapering process may lessen the effects of withdrawal.
Centers that provide detoxification are equipped with physicians and licensed staff members who work to avoid complications during the detoxification process. Other treatments in rehab facilities may include cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), 12-step programs, and other treatment options.