Amphetamine (Adderall) Addiction
Amphetamine (Adderall) is one of the most concerning of all prescription drugs in the United States. This is because many people - including teens and college students - abuse this medication in high rates. If you are among these people, you may start exhibiting unusual behavior, such as rambling and excitability. You may also suffer some health effects. The only way to deal with your growing addiction would be by enrolling for professional drug rehabilitation services. Read on to find out more:
About The Amphetamine (Adderall)
Adderall is classified as a prescription medication. It contains two drugs - dextroamphetamine and amphetamine. As such, it is one of the most common stimulants available on the market today.
Doctors often prescribe Adderall for the treatment of ADHD or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and narcolepsy - which is a type of sleep disorder that is increasingly affecting many people in the United States.
Often, this medication is considered to be the first choice treatment option among patients struggling with ADHD. This is because various research studies have shown that it can be improve focus and attention while also reducing impulsive behaviors. - The drug is also effective in increasing daytime wakefulness especially if you take it after having diagnosed with narcolepsy.
Often, Adderall is sold under two forms - an oral tablet and an extended release oral capsule known as Adderall. Both forms of the drug have been classified as schedule II medications by the DEA (Drug Enforcement Authority) under the Controlled Substances Act passed by the federal government. This effectively means that they have medical uses but also come with a high potential for abuse and addiction. For this reason, Adderall is only legally available for people who have a valid prescription from a licensed doctor.
Other Names for Amphetamine (Adderall)
Even though Adderall is a brand name drug for amphetamine, it is also known by various other names among people who traffic, sell, and abuse it. If you start using these names, you may do so to avoid detection by law enforcement officials and other authorities. These street names include:
- Addy
- Addys
- Beans
- Bennies
- Black Beauties
- Chalk
- Copilots
- Crank
- Dexies
- Pep Pills
- Smart Pills
- Speed
- Study Buddies
- Uppers
- Wake Ups
- Zip
Signs and Symptoms of Amphetamine (Adderall) Addiction
Although abusing Adderall might not always lead to addiction, you can be sure that you would be treading a slippery slope if you start doing so. When you develop a substance use disorder due to your continued Adderall use, there is a high risk that you could end up struggling with the following signs and symptoms of addiction:
- Aggressive behavior
- Anxiety
- Chest pain
- Constipation
- Decline in your personal hygiene
- Depression
- Disorientation
- Dizziness
- Dry mouth
- Excessive weight loss
- Exhaustion
- Extremely slowed or fast speech
- Fatigue
- Fever
- Financial difficulties
- Frequently taking pills
- Hallucinations
- Headaches
- Heart attack
- Heart disease
- Hiding Adderall
- High blood pressure
- Impulsive behaviors
- Inability to concentrate
- Incomplete thoughts
- Insomnia
- Irregular heartbeat
- Irritability
- Lack of appetite
- Lack of motivation
- Lethargy
- Loss of appetite
- Malnutrition
- Mania
- Memory loss
- Missing school and/or work
- Mood swings
- Nausea
- Needing larger doses of the drug before you can feel its effects
- Neglecting other activities so that you can use this drug
- Over concentrating
- Overworking
- Panic attacks
- Paranoia
- Peeling skin
- Pounding heartbeat
- Reduced sex drive
- Relationship problems
- Restlessness
- Risk taking
- Running out of your prescriptions earlier than you should have
- Secretive behavior
- Seizures
- Shortness of breath
- Sleeping for longer than usual
- Sneaking Adderall pills
- Social withdrawal
- Spending a great deal of your money, time, energy, and other resources looking for, acquiring, and abusing Adderall
- Stroke
- Suffering withdrawal symptoms every time you stop using Adderall
- Taking Adderall even when you know that it is harming you
- Thoughts of suicide
- Tremors
- Unusual excitability
- Upset stomach
- Violent outbursts
- Wanting to cut down on your Adderall use but finding that you are no longer able to
- Weight loss
However, you need to understand that Adderall addiction might not always happen intentionally. It might start out because a doctor wrote you a prescription for the drug and you soon found yourself abusing it.
Irrespective of how your addiction developed, it is essential that you seek help before it is too late. This is because the drug can lead to a wide variety of other adverse effects that could cause you problems down the road.
Short and Long-Term Effects of Amphetamine (Adderall) Abuse
Irrespective of the route of administration you use to take Adderall, there is a high likelihood that you could end up experiencing a wide variety of effects. Although some of these effects could be pleasurable and desirable in the short term, they may turn out to be adverse or even life-threatening in the long term. They include but are not always limited to:
- Abdominal pain
- Ability to function with certain clarity
- Agitation
- Anxiety
- Back pain
- Being on edge
- Cardiac arrest
- Cardiac dysrhythmias
- Cardiomyopathy
- Circulatory issues
- Constipation
- Convulsions
- Decreased exhaustion
- Depression
- Destruction of the sinus and nasal cavities
- Dizziness
- Drug overdose
- Dry mouth
- Euphoria
- False sense of apparent well-being
- Feeling jittery
- Finger discoloration and numbness
- Flu-like symptoms
- Frequent urges to urinate
- Hallucinations
- Headaches
- Hearing voices
- Heart attack
- Heart disease
- Heart palpitations
- High blood pressure
- Hyperactivity
- Hypertension
- Improved cognitive function
- Increased alertness
- Increased blood pressure
- Increased concentration
- Increased focus
- Increased heart rate
- Increased mood level
- Insomnia
- Irregular heartbeat
- Jitteriness
- Loss of appetite
- Loss or lack of strength
- Lower back pain
- Mania
- Mood swings
- Nausea
- Necrotizing vasculitis
- Nervousness
- Paranoia
- Peeling skin
- Psychosis
- Rapid heartbeat
- Reduction of hyperactivity
- Seizures
- Sexual dysfunction
- Side pain
- Sleeping difficulties
- Slowed growth (in children)
- Stoke
- Stomach ache
- Sudden death
- Tachycardia
- Tremors
- Trouble breathing
- Twitching
- Weight loss
Amphetamine (Adderall) Overdose
Continued Adderall abuse could lead to a wide variety of health related issues, including a drug overdose that could potentially turn out to be lethal. When this happens, you may experience the following symptoms of an amphetamine overdose:
- Chest pain
- Fainting
- Fast breathing
- Fever
- Mood changes
- Nausea
- Seizures
- Severe and persistent headache
- Severe mental changes
- Severe restlessness
- Uncontrollable shaking
- Vomiting
If you have suffered a drug overdose, it is recommended that you reach out to 911 as soon as possible. You should also call this number if you notice someone who is displaying any of the above symptoms of an Adderall overdose - such as trouble breathing and passing out. Alternatively, you can get in touch with the local poisons control center.
Amphetamine (Adderall) Withdrawal Symptoms
It might be difficult for you to stop abusing Adderall because doing so could cause you to suffer some adverse withdrawal symptoms. These symptoms arise because your body would have developed tolerance and gotten used to the effects of the drug in your system.
Abruptly reducing your regular dose of the drug or suddenly stopping taking it could lead to various symptoms, most of which are a reversal of the effects of the medication. They include:
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Fatigue
- Insomnia
- Intense hunger
- Irritability
- Loss of concentration
- Panic attacks
- Phobias
- Sleeping too much
- Unusually slow heartbeat
You may also experience a strong desire to start taking Adderall again. This is another one of the common signs and symptoms of drug withdrawal. The only way you can deal with this condition is by seeking medical assistance.
The Best Options for Amphetamine (Adderall) Addiction Treatment
To overcome your Adderall abuse, tolerance, dependence, and addiction, it is recommended that you check into a professional addiction treatment and rehabilitation center.
Often, you may be asked to go for inpatient addiction treatment especially if you have been diagnosed with a long-standing or severe Adderall use disorder. This would also be the case if you received a dual diagnosis for multiple addictions and/or co-occurring mental health and medical disorders.
Outpatient drug rehab would be ideal if you have been abusing Adderall for a relatively short period of time or if you do not have a severe addiction that requires inpatient treatment. It might also be suitable if you do not need additional residential services to overcome your amphetamine (Adderall) abuse and addiction.
The important thing is that you enroll for addiction recovery services as soon as you realize that you have been abusing Adderall more than you should have been doing in the first place.
CITATIONS
addiction.lovetoknow.com/drug-addiction/marijuana-adderall
adf.org.au/drug-facts/amphetamines/
drugabuse.com/library/adderall-overdose/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4251965/
www.archive.samhsa.gov/samhsaNewsletter/Volume_17_Number_3/Adderall.aspx
www.attn.com/stories/2000/history-amphetamines-united-states
www.cesar.umd.edu/cesar/drugs/amphetamines.asp
www.cesar.umd.edu/cesar/drugs/amphetamines.pdf
www.cvs.com/drug/amphetamine-salts/oral-tablet
www.dea.gov/druginfo/drug_data_sheets/Amphetamines.pdf
www.dea.gov/druginfo/ds.shtml. Accessed 10 Jan. 2017
www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/stimulant-adhd-medications-methylphenidate-amphetamines
www.drugs.com/adderall.html
www.drugscience.org.uk/drugs/stimulants/amphetamine
www.elle.com/beauty/health-fitness/news/a14921/the-truth-about-my-adderall-addiction/
www.healthline.com/health/adhd/combining-adderall-xanax#Introduction1
www.huffingtonpost.com/high-times/adderall-amphetamine_b_4174297.html
www.intheknowzone.com/substance-abuse-topics/amphetamines/statistics.html
www.jhsph.edu/news/news-releases/2016/adderall-misuse-rising-among-young-adults.html
www.psychotropical.com/maois-cns-stimulants
www.TheRecoveryVillage.com/resources/study-drugs-epidemic/
www.webmd.com/add-adhd/features/alcohol-adhd-medications#1
www.who.int/substance_abuse/facts/psychoactives/en/