If you have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), your doctor may have prescribed you Adderall.1 Even if you don’t need the drug, many people sell and use it illegally, and the extent of Adderall addiction is often underestimated.
What Is Adderall?
Adderall is a synthetic amphetamine, and it is the brand name given to the drug amphetamine-dextroamphetamine. Amphetamines like Adderall act as central nervous system (CNS) stimulants. CNS stimulants are highly addictive and can significantly affect your mood as they trigger a release of dopamine.
The effects of using Adderall include a temporary:
- Increase in energy
- Increase in focus and concentration
- Decrease in appetite
Once these effects wear off, you may experience withdrawal symptoms and need to take another dose.
Why Is Adderall So Addictive?
Adderall is a legal amphetamine prescribed to thousands of people each year. Unfortunately, you can still get addicted to the drug even if you use it exactly as prescribed. This is because your body develops a physical dependence on the drug.
Physical dependence occurs when you can no longer function normally without regularly taking Adderall. You may feel like you need the drug to focus or get work done and may experience a range of other withdrawal symptoms if you stop taking it.
Adderall is a highly addictive drug, and addiction is widespread because many people think it can’t be that dangerous to experiment with due to its legality.
Adderall Withdrawal Symptoms
Whether you try reducing your dose or think of quitting Adderall cold turkey, it is likely you will experience a variety of effects of Adderall withdrawal, including:2
- Insomnia
- Increased appetite
- Depression
- Irritability
- Anxiety
- Suicidal thoughts
- Headaches
- Difficulty concentrating
- Body aches
- Chronic fatigue
The duration and severity of withdrawal depend on how much of and for how long you were using the drug. For some, withdrawal may be over within five days, while it may take up to a month for others.
Adderall XR is a slow-releasing version of regular Adderall. If you’ve abused Adderall XR, your withdrawal may be much longer than expected.
Post-Acute Withdrawal Symptoms
The effects of Adderall withdrawal may be further-reaching, especially if you’ve used the drug for a long time.
These extended effects may include:
- Short-term memory impairment
- Intense cravings
- Nightmares
- Inability to focus
- Depression
Adderall Rehab and Medical Adderall Detox
One of the first steps in Adderall treatment is a detox from drugs, including any you may have been using alongside the amphetamine. Detoxing from Adderall involves your body ridding itself of all traces of the drug. This process will trigger withdrawal.
Due to the intense nature of Adderall withdrawal symptoms, like experiencing suicidal thoughts and depression, relapsing is very likely if you don’t undergo withdrawal under medical supervision. In many cases, your Adderall use can be tapered off to reduce the effects of withdrawal. However, if you choose to quit cold turkey, some rehab facilities may even offer Adderall withdrawal drugs to help ease the effects of the detox and withdrawal.
To learn more about the signs of Adderall addiction, you can click here. If you or a loved one suffers from addiction, contact our team at (833) 489-5577 to get the help you need.
Sources:
