What is Adderall?
Adderall is a brand-name pharmaceutical psychostimulant used primarily to treat attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder and narcolepsy. Adderall has been commonly prescribed for many years as a treatment for children and adults with attention deficit/hyperactive disorder (ADHD), a disorder that prevents children and adults from being able to focus on tasks for extended periods of time, a particularly detrimental condition for school performance. There are also other reasons for taking Adderall aside from just alleviating the symptoms of ADHD. Adderall is also licensed for narcolepsy treatment. Narcolepsy is a condition that involves falling asleep uncontrollably and at unusual times.
How is Adderall Used?
There are many ways that Adderall is abused. While some people abuse Adderall by taking it the way it was designed to be taken (orally), others may inject, smoke, or snort Adderall.
What are it's Effects?
There are many reasons why Adderall is abused that are the same as other stimulants. One reason Adderall is abused is to get "high." Stimulants such as Adderall can increase alertness, attention, and energy, which are accompanied by increases in blood pressure, heart rate, and breathing.
Another reason Adderall is abused is for weight loss . Weight loss is a common side effect of Adderall. Adderall is also sometimes abused by students who do not have ADHD, but feel that it helps them perform better in school. Because Adderall is composed of amphetamine and dextroamphetamine, there is a very high risk of addiction and dependence that can lead to illegal behaviours, such as, doctor hopping, other crimes, and even theft in order to get more, however, since Adderall is so commonly prescribed, it is usually not difficult to find ways to obtain Adderall illegally and many people often turn to the Internet to get Adderall illegally.
Side Effects and Addiction
The consequences of Adderall abuse can be extremely dangerous. Taking high doses of a stimulant can result in an irregular heartbeat, dangerously high body temperatures, and/or the potential for cardiovascular failure or seizures. Taking high doses of some stimulants repeatedly over a short period of time can lead to hostility or feelings of paranoia in some individuals. Adderall should not be mixed with antidepressants or over-the-counter common cold medicine containing decongestants. Antidepressants may enhance the effects of Adderall and taking Adderall with decongestants may cause blood pressure to become dangerously high or lead to irregular heart rhythms.
Amphetamines, including Adderall, can cause withdrawal symptoms in people who stop taking them too quickly. However, Adderall withdrawal is more likely to happen when people take higher doses of Adderall than recommended. People who take Adderall as prescribed for a legitimate medical purpose do not usually have withdrawal symptoms when stopping Adderall. Some withdrawal symptoms of Adderall can include extreme fatigue, depression, and changes in heart rhythm others include:
* Symptoms of tourettism
* Seizures or abnormal EEGs
* High blood pressure
* Tachycardia
* Swelling of hands/feet/ankles (for example, numbing of the fingertips)
* Delusions
* Hallucinations
* Sweating
* Vomiting
* Intense Dehydration
* Muscle Pain
* Lower abdominal pain
Tolerance, extreme psychological dependence, and severe social disability can occur when amphetamines like Adderall are abused. The manufacturer warns against exceeding the prescribed dosage, injecting the drug, or insufflation of the drug. Prolonged high doses of amphetamines followed by an abrupt cessation can result in extreme fatigue and mental depression. Chronic abuse of amphetamines can manifest itself as psychosis, often indistinguishable from schizophrenia.
Users going "cold turkey" (withdrawal without using counteractive drugs or symptom-reducing), are more likely to experience the negative effects of withdrawal in a more pronounced manner.
From the medical effects of Adderall to social problems, SouthCoast Recovery’s Adderall addiction treatment brings solutions to the clients in a way that is tangible and easy to apply. Taking this into consideration we have put together to program that takes the mind body spirit approach to the client’s lives. We think that this is the best way to bring the clients all of the Adderall treatment opportunities that we have.
