Because I Am Addicted to Adderall

Because I am addicted to Adderall...

Signs Someone is Addicted to Adderall

Some of the common signs that one has an addiction to Adderall include dry mouth, difficulty sleeping, severe headaches, stomach pain, high blood pressure, unexplained fevers, sudden or unexplained weight loss, mood swings, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, feeling weak or tired, racing heart rate, heartburn and chest pains.

Those who use the drug for an extended period of time may experience severe withdrawal symptoms and periods of depression. With extreme abuse Adderall can cause temporary or long term psychosis. Other amphetamines can cause similar symptoms.

Warnings

The FDA issues a "black box" warning on all amphetamines. This means that results from medical studies have indicated that serious and sometimes life threatening adverse reactions have been present. Misuse of Adderall or any other amphetamine can lead to sudden death.

Overview

Amphetamines are stimulants that speed up the body's system. Many are legally prescribed and used to treat attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and attention deficit disorder (ADD).

Street Names

College Crack, Cognitive Steroid, Speed, Uppers

Adderall Looks Like

Amphetamines can look like pills or powder. Common prescription amphetamines include Adderall® and Dexedrine®.

Methods of Adderall Abuse

Adderall is taken orally.

Affect of Adderall on the Mind

The effects of amphetamines and methamphetamine are similar to cocaine, but their onset is slower and their duration is longer. In contrast to cocaine, which is quickly removed from the brain and is almost completely metabolized, methamphetamine remains in the central nervous system longer, and a larger percentage of the drug remains unchanged in the body, producing prolonged stimulant effects.

Chronic abuse produces a psychosis that resembles schizophrenia and is characterized by paranoia, picking at the skin, preoccupation with one's own thoughts, and auditory and visual hallucinations. Violent and erratic behavior is frequently seen among chronic abusers of amphetamines and methamphetamine.

Affect of Adderall on the Body

Physical effects of amphetamine use include increased blood pressure and pulse rates, insomnia, loss of appetite, and physical exhaustion.

Drugs Causing Similar Effects

Methylphenidate and dexmethylphendiate, phentermine, benzphetamine, phendimetrazine, cocaine, crack, methamphetamine, khat

Adderall Overdose Effects

Overdose effects include agitation, increased body temperature, hallucinations, convulsions, and possible death.

Adderall's Legal Status in the United States

Amphetamines are schedule II stimulants, which means that they have a high potential for abuse and limited medical uses. Pharmaceutical products are available only through a prescription that cannot be refilled.

Common Places of Origin

Amphetamine was first marketed in the 1930s as Benzedrine® in an over-the-counter inhaler to treat nasal congestion. By 1937 amphetamine was available by prescription in tablet form and was used in the treatment of the sleeping disorder, narcolepsy, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

Over the years, the use and abuse of clandestinely produced amphetamines have spread. Today, clandestine laboratory production of amphetamines has mushroomed.