Adderall Addiction and Abuse: Signs, Symptoms & Treatment

In the face of rising college tuition costs and competition for scholarships, many students turn to prescription stimulants likeAdderallto help them focus, or to ease pressure. They often believe that stimulants improve academic performance and secure a spot at their dream college.

Adderall and other amphetamines are known as “brain boosters” and “study drugs” because some students believe that these drugs help improve cognition. Adderall doesn’t make a person smarter, but it can increase the perception and feeling of being smarter by improving motivation. Also, It can cause side effects like hallucinations, epilepsy, psychosis and malnutrition.

The prolonged use of Adderall can lead to addiction and its associated risks. Contrary to what many teens — and even some parents — believe about abusing Adderall, amphetamine is a highly addictive drug.

Prescription stimulants are usually safe for those they are prescribed, but even people under the supervision of a doctor are at risk of developing an addiction. Those who use Adderall without medical assistance to get high or fuel all-night study sessions are at risk of developing an addiction. Due to the likelihood of Adderall addiction, the U.S. government designated Adderall to the same drug classification ascocaineandmethamphetamine.

What is Adderall?

Adderall is the brand-name prescription of amphetamine. Adderall stimulates the brain to overproduce certain chemicals likedopamine, which affects a person’s mood, motor activity and alertness.

Adderall abuse incollege and high schoolis common because many believe that taking thesestudy drugsleads to achieving higher grades.

The story of amphetamine abuse began in 1887 when Romanian chemist Lazar Edeleanu first synthesized the drug. In the 1930s, American biochemist Gordon Alles discovered the stimulant effects of the drug and created Benzedrine, a decongestant inhaler. In the years following Benzedrine’s creation, doctors also prescribed Benzedrine to treat depression, narcolepsy and nausea caused by pregnancy.

People usually abuse Adderall by taking it orally, but the tablets may also be chewed or crushed and snorted to quickly achieve an Adderall high.

Although Adderall is the brand name for amphetamine, colloquially, the drug is known by many other names. Drug dealers, teenagers and other individuals who abuse the drug may use slang for Adderall to avoid suspicion.

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) considers Adderall to have a high potential for abuse and addiction. They classify it as a Schedule II controlled substance.

Other Schedule II drugs includeVicodin,cocaine,OxyContinand Ritalin. According to the DEA, Schedule II drugs have a recognized medical use, along with the potential for abuse and addiction. Because Adderall has medical legitimacy, it is only legal for individuals with a prescription.

Common Adderall Combinations

Adderall can be dangerous to a person’s health on its own, and when it is combined with other drugs, the side effects can be compounded and unpredictable. Some common combinations include Adderall with: alcohol, marijuana, and Xanax.

Combiningalcohol and Adderallcan be dangerous because the stimulating effects of amphetamine delay the symptoms of alcohol, including drowsiness and a lack of coordination.Without recognizing these signs, a person risks alcohol poisoning or an accident related to their drinking.

There is limited scientific data on the combined effects of marijuana and Adderall. However, some reports claim that the combination causes symptoms similar to combining Adderall with alcohol. The combination can be dangerous because it increases a person’s tolerance for marijuana and masks the side effects of an overdose.

It’s dangerous to take Adderall and Xanax together because both are controlled substances with a high potential for addiction. Combining these two substances increases the likelihood of developing an addiction. The combination is also dangerous because the effects of one could overpower the other, causing the person to take too much of Adderall or Xanax and risking the possibility of an overdose.

Alcohol poisoning can be fatal. If you suspect someone is experiencing alcohol poisoning, call911immediately. Do NOT be afraid to seek help.If you do not have access to a phone contactWeb Poison Control Servicesfor online assistance.

Adderall Addiction & Abuse Statistics

Adderall is a relatively common drug amongst students in high school and college. In2017, about 6% of high school seniors reported nonmedical use of Adderall. However, the good news is that this number is declining.

Between 2009 and 2013, the nonmedical use of Adderall increased, but usage has been decreasing through 2017.

Of those who abused Adderall, sixty percent of teens and young adults report that they bought or received Adderall through a friend or relative.

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