Adderall Symptoms and Warning Signs

Adderall Abuse

Adderall is a brain stimulant, and it is hard to recognize its abuse. People abuse Adderall to increase alertness, productivity, and focus. Adderall abusers are mostly students and young professionals who do not look like stereotypical drug users.

Adderall helps focus better. It is famous as a “study drug” among school and college students. Young and ambitious people value the effects of Adderall. These people are potential addicts even though they do not look so.

Signs of Adderall Abuse

Common symptoms of Adderall abuse include:

• Unusual excitability
• Loss of appetite
• Being over-talkative
• Aggression
• Social withdrawal
• Financial troubles
• Exhaustion
• Secretive behavior
• Sleeping for long periods
• Memory loss
• Excessive weight loss
• Relationship issues
• Incomplete thoughts
• Reduced personal hygiene
• Overconcentration
• Overworking
• Frequently taking pills
• Mania
• Disorientation
• Impulsive behavior

Dangers of Adderall

People abusing Adderall assumes that it is safe as it’s a prescription medication. Adderall is a prescription for ADHD helpful for both adults and children. As it is a prescription for children, people often think it is safe. But in reality, Adderall is stimulant that can lead to severe and sometimes life-threatening side effects.

The side effect of Adderall abuse is a drug overdose. It leads to liver failure, heart attack, or stroke. Taking Adderall with other drugs, such as alcohol, increases the risk of lethal side effects.

Canadian government banned Adderall XR due to 20 deaths in a year associated with the drug.

Adderall also causes physical changes in the neurocircuitry of the brain. It results in altered behaviors and mental disorders like depression and aggression. Addicts taking Adderall for more extended periods become suicidal.

Abusers even inject Adderall to achieve a better “high” by directly delivering a drug into the bloodstream. It may provide an intense high, but it also increases the risk of life-threatening overdose. There are incidences of athletes dying after taking Adderall due to increased blood pressure. International Olympics Committee banned Adderall in 1968, due to its dangerous effects.

Side Effects of Adderall Abuse

Some common side effects of Adderall abuse include:

• Paranoia
• Convulsions
• Nausea
• Insomnia
• Loss of appetite
• Irregular heart rate
• Hallucinations
• Depression
• Anxiety
• Sexual dysfunction
• Loss of strength
• Dry mouth
• Weight loss
• Constipation
• Delusive sense of well-being
• Frequent urination
• Dizziness
• Headache
• Side pain or lower back pain
• Twitching
• Skin peeling

Snorting Adderall

Users looking for immediate effects prefer to snort Adderall. Snorting Adderall means crushing the pills into fine powder form, then sniffing it into the sinus cavity. It leads to intense high.

Snorting has its side effects. It destroys the nasal and sinus cavities. It also amplifies other side effects of Adderall, such as irregular heart rate. Snorting Adderall has a higher risk of overdose.

Adderall Addiction

Adderall prescriptions increased almost five folds from 2002 to 2012. This makes it easy for people to get the drug from family, friends, or loved ones. Abuse of other drugs can be noticeable, while Adderall abuse is tough to notice. People don’t recognize that their loved ones are abusing the drug. People addicted to Adderall often fake symptoms of ADHD to get it on a prescription.

It is a fact that not everyone abusing Adderall is not an addict. Although there is a very line between the two, using Adderall from time to time to stay focused and increase productivity is different from craving the drug for functioning.

Spotting specific behavioral symptoms can tell Adderall addiction. People addicted to Adderall cannot function without it and prioritize getting and using the drug above all. Addicted people have no control over the amount of medicine they are taking.

Withdrawal and Treatment of Adderall Addiction

Adderall withdrawal symptoms make it difficult for users to quit the drug on their own. People addicted to Adderall cannot stop it cold turkey due to the symptoms of withdrawal such as loss of concentration, fatigue, and unusually slow heart rate. Take help from a doctor while stopping the medication.

There are various treatment options available for Adderall addicts. The best choice for patients with a long history of Adderall abuse is inpatient rehabilitation because the treatment holds in a temptation-free setting.

12-step meetings and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) can also help. To find an affordable treatment option for Adderall Addiction, contact addiction specialists through in-person meetings or online chats.