Adderall is a prescription drug designed to help patients dealing with the symptoms of attention deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD). People struggling with this disorder go through cycles of hyperactivity and inattention – they have a marked inability to stop themselves from acting out, jumping from task to task, lacking persistence and having difficulty staying organized. While the applications of the medication are good for those suffering form ADHD, Adderall dependence is possible when abused.
ADHD is more severe in some cases than others, but can be considered a disorder if the symptoms become unmanageable through will alone and result in a diminished ability (or total disability) to adequately perform school work and other responsibilities.
ADHD is by reputation mostly a childhood disorder, but exists in many adults as well. An estimated 5% of children in the US is affected by it in one form or another.
Adderall (amphetamine) treats this disease by improving a person’s drive by increasing the amount of dopamine in the system, which is inherently tied to motivation. Other prescription drugs used to combat ADHD include Ritalin and Dexedrine. However, aside from being effective in diminishing the symptoms of a serious hindrance like ADHD, these prescription stimulants are also highly addictive and can lead to Adderall dependence.
Adderall has a notorious history of misuse as a recreational amphetamine, or as a study drug used in excess by students to increase their ability to focus on school work, or be motivated to finish their projects and make it through the night without sleep. It can be described as hit with “10 cups of coffee”.
Because of this, it is commonly misused and overused in universities and colleges. To understand why Adderall has become so popular, and why Adderall dependence have been on the rise, it is important to understand how the drug works and why many students are convinced to give it a try.
How Adderall Works
Amphetamines affect the brain’s neurotransmitters, specifically increasing the amount of dopamine in your nervous system. The result is a surge in motivation and a euphoric feeling. How exactly this affects your behavior largely depends upon your mental state.
Overuse of amphetamine can lead to heart problems – as a stimulant, one of the side effects of using amphetamines is an increased heart rate and a loss of appetite. Blurry vision, fatigue and dizziness are not uncommon. Aside from increasing the availability of dopamine in the brain, amphetamines also kickstart the body’s fight-or-flight system with the release of norepinephrine (noradrenaline).
In other words, amphetamines (or in this case Adderall) both excites your system, and vastly increases motivation. As a result, the reported benefits of Adderall include better reaction times and alertness. In schools where the pressure of examination can get very intense, using an Adderall to spend a few extra hours of sleep studying for the exam the next day or popping a pill before the exam itself can give some that second wind they need after weeks of preparation to get through their finals or pass that all-important project.
Performance and cognitive improvements are not guaranteed with Adderall. The drug does not actually improve your intelligence or make your thinking clearer – it simply motivates you and keeps you awake. However, that and its addictive qualities have made it a massive hit in campuses today. The dangers of developing an Adderall dependence for the study drug don’t just revolve around being caught with an amphetamine – Adderall dependence can be hard to beat, and migrating from a competitive school environment to a competitive workplace can mean more reasons to keep the habit up throughout an early career.
Why Adderall Dependence And Usage Is Rising
The main risk behind Adderall is that it isn’t marketed as an amphetamine with a high potential for misuse. Many college kids do not realize that they’re taking an addictive stimulant with the same chemical composition as Speed. They get a dosage from their friends, or their friend tells them about it and gets them hooked up with a supplier, they try it and after having a few productive nights, it becomes a habit that sometimes ends in Adderall dependence and addiction.
This is part of a series of issues with the nootropic movement. Nootropics are drugs used to improve cognitive function, typically taken not as medication but to enhance performance. Caffeine and L-theanine are common examples of nootropics, taken not only in natural form (coffee and tea) but as chemical extracts added to water or some other drink. Aside from more harmless stimulants, some people also use more dangerous stimulants such as Adderall, and numerous dietary supplements including ginseng and Ginkgo leaf.
On its own and at low dosages, Adderall does improve motivation and can be extremely helpful to people struggling with the inattentive symptoms of ADHD. However, overuse leads to drug tolerance and increases both the risk of overdose and Adderall dependence. Unless you are diagnosed with a legitimate mental disorder and require Adderall to function, it only poses a significant risk to you.
It’s important to frame Adderall as what it is – a prescription drug used for the treatment of legitimate cases of ADHD and narcolepsy, not a designer drug to be used for studying or self-improvement.
Adderall has its pros and cons, particularly for people struggling with mental disorders. But for the general population, amphetamines shouldn’t be part of someone’s morning routine. If you’re struggling with adderall in Houston, consider seeking help and advice from our Houston sober living programs.