Why Use Adderall?

Prescription drugs such as Adderall are designed to help people with physical and mental health problems. But when misused or abused, these medicines might hurt you.

But what are the precise medical purposes of Adderall? What if you take Adderall for a longer period? Is there a difference between misuse and abuse of Adderall? Read further to find out how Adderall should and shouldn’t be used. Then, we invite your questions in the comments section at the end.
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Medical Use Of Adderall

Adderall is a medicine that is useful in helping people diagnosed with ADHD or narcolepsy. Doctors prescribe Adderall to improve concentration and focus as well as lower down bouts of hyperactivity in children and adults with ADHD. And because Adderall is a stimulant, it helps relieve sleepiness in people diagnosed with narcolepsy.

For medical purposes, doctors usually begin a dosing schedule by prescribing the smallest effective dose of Adderall possible. Since each individual manifests different responses to Adderall, doses may differ in patients. Furthermore, doctors schedule frequent checkups to patients using Adderall and often make changes on the prescribed dosage, as necessary. This is to ensure that the patient gets the most benefit from Adderall while lessening the risk of dependency or abuse.

Because Adderall is derived from amphetamines, it still has potential for abuse. This is why physicians only prescribe Adderall using ‘hard’ prescriptions; prescription cannot be made on the phone, email, or sent by fax. Prescriptions for Adderall also cannot be refilled – a new one must be made each month.

Recreational Use Of Adderall

Adderall is used recreationally to help improved focus or for euphoric effect. The increased alertness and invigoration caused by Adderall can trigger new sensations and meaning in activities such as talking, playing games, partying and listening to music or reading. Adderall can also cause euphoria and some users say that it can also improve sensations during sex. However, because it increases blood pressure, Adderall actually causes lowered libido and impotence in men over time.

Risks of Using Adderall Recreationally

In truth, recreational use of Adderall can be dangerous and can lead to death. Adderall stimulates the heart and increases blood pressure and heart rate, which can cause dangerous palpitations and result in heart attack, cardiomyopathy (problems in the heart muscle), or sudden death.

Adderall can also cause overstimulation of the brain and result in restlessness, problems in body coordination, tremors, hallucinations, and paranoid delusions. Further, individuals who abuse Adderall may suffer from short-term psychosis (loss of contact with reality) and chronic problems such as depression, insomnia, worsening tics and seizures.

Recreational use of Adderall usually occurs when administered orally or by insufflations (snorting). Risks you can encounter when using Adderall recreationally include:

By mouth – Adderall taken orally causes slow onset but long-lasting effects. Oral route seems the safest, though it may still result to diarrhea or constipation.

Sniffing – Some users take Adderall by snorting the powder. Adderall can constrict the tiny blood vessels in the nose, which can cause reduced ability to smell.

Long Term Adderall Use

Long term Adderall use may be safe in people who are using the drug for medical purposes and when supervised periodically by a doctor. However, there has been minimal study of the long term effects of Adderall in clinical trials. What is known is that abusing Adderall for a long period of time can cause addiction and dependence.

Because Adderall is basically made from amphetamines, when you take Adderall regularly for more than a few weeks, you can experience physical dependence on Adderall. Remember that Adderall is a stimulant, and in an effort to prevent overstimulation, our body makes significant changes in the brain chemistry in order to compensate for the effects of the drug. Thus, a person dependent on the medication may need to take the drug in order just to feel normal. Additionally, when dependent, users who stop or significantly lower doses of Adderall will experience withdrawal symptoms.

Long term users of Adderall may experience the following health problems:

• Bouts of psychosis
• Depressed mood
• Elevated blood pressure
• Insomnia
• Irregular heart beats
• Occurrence of convulsions
• Slowed or stunted growth

Prolonged Use Of Adderall

Prolonged use of Adderall can have significant effect on health, whether it is used medically or recreationally. As mentioned earlier, using Adderall for long periods of time causes significant changes in the chemistry of the brain. When Adderall leaves the system suddenly, the central nervous system reacts and compensates for this loss, causing withdrawal symptoms. The withdrawal symptoms of Adderall is similar those seen in amphetamine users and usually last for 3 to 4 weeks.

The commonly observed symptoms of Adderall withdrawal include:

• aches and pains in different parts of the body
• depression
• fatigue
• irritability
• problems in socializing and interacting with others
• vivid unpleasant dreams

Withdrawal makes stopping Adderall more difficult even when you really want to quit…prompting many users to go back to use just to relieve the adverse and uncomfortable experience. This is why it is highly recommended to see your doctor before attempting to detox from Adderall and perhaps even seek help from a detox clinic, at least until the worst has passed.

Adderall Misuse

The term misuse refers to the act of using a medication for purposes it is not intended for. The reason why people start misusing any prescription medication including Adderall is because they believe that it will make them “feel better”. People who misuse Adderall do not follow their doctor’s instructions or directions listed in the medical guide. For example, if one pill does not produce the desired effect, a person may reach for another believing that two pills might work.

Though Adderall covers a wide variety of symptoms, there is no guarantee that it can cure everything. It’s important to note that Adderall can produce side effects and the risks associated with its use should be managed by a health care professional. A person missuses Adderall if he/she manifests the following behavior:

1. Accepting Adderall from a friend without being prescribed on it.
2. Forgetting to take a dose.
3. Stopping Adderall too soon.
4. Taking a dose at the wrong time.
5. Taking Adderall for reasons other than what it is prescribed for.

Adderall Abuse

People who abuse Adderall usually do not have a prescription. Not only do they use Adderall in a way other than it is prescribed, but they also use it to experience the feelings associated with the drug. Performance enhancement is the main reason why people usually abuse Adderall. The abuse of Adderall frequently leads to unavoidable side effects, including dependency and addiction. These are some of the signs that indicate abuse:

1. Chronic or repeated Adderall abuse.
2. Developed tolerance to Adderall.
3. Exceeding a recommended dose.
4. Using Adderall to “get high”.
5. Using Adderall without a prescription.

Adderall Abuse Vs Misuse: What’s The Difference?

According to the FDA, the key difference between drug abuse and drug misuse is the individual’s intentions when taking the drug. Both misuse and abuse of Adderall are harmful and dangerous. This is so because taking a medicine other than the way it is prescribed can lead to dangerous outcomes that the person may not be aware of.

It is important to recognize the difference, but also to be aware of the consequences of misuse and abuse. Though medical professionals may feel that the difference between these two terms is clarified, clarification by outlining the signs is needed. The definition that using any prescription drug outside of its intended use and dose is prohibited is not enough for people to understand the distinction between these two terms.

Those who misuse or abuse Adderall expose themselves to the risk of significant increases in blood pressure. The misuse of Adderall, even on a single occasion, that might feel as one time charm may lead you to seek out the drug more often. Drug abuse and drug dependence are the most common risks of misusing prescription drugs such as Adderall.

Adderall Use Questions

Adderall is a medication which should be used in accordance with your prescription. However your decision to use Adderall is a personal one. Keep in mind that any use of Adderall outside of the medical guide is considered high risk abuse and can result in a number of physical and psychological side effects that are potentially dangerous or may lead to Adderall addiction.

To close, we invite your questions or comments now. Please leave your questions about the use of Adderall in the section below. We do our best to respond to all legitimate comments personally and promptly.

Reference sources: FDA: ADDERALL

FDA: MEDICATION GUIDE