Adderall

Adderall is a prescription stimulant containing a mix of amphetamine salts (amphetamine and dextroamphetamine), approved to treat attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and narcolepsy. Taken as prescribed it improves focus and reduces impulsivity in people with ADHD. It is also widely misused, for studying, staying awake, weight loss or recreation, often by people to whom it was not prescribed. As a potent central nervous system stimulant it carries meaningful cardiovascular, psychiatric and dependence risks.

Amphetamines increase the activity of the neurotransmitters dopamine and norepinephrine, chiefly by triggering their release and blocking their reuptake, which raises their levels in the brain. This heightened signaling produces increased alertness, focus, energy and, in ADHD, improved impulse control, while also driving up heart rate and blood pressure. The strong dopamine effect is central to both the drug's reinforcing, potentially addictive quality and its capacity to cause psychiatric side effects at high or non-medical doses.

Effects include increased alertness, energy, focus, talkativeness and reduced appetite, sometimes with euphoria at higher exposures. Physical effects include faster heart rate, raised blood pressure, dilated pupils and difficulty sleeping. As the effect wears off, a crash with fatigue, low mood and irritability is common. Higher or repeated non-medical use can produce anxiety, agitation and restlessness.

Amphetamines strain the cardiovascular system, raising heart rate and blood pressure; the labeling warns of the potential for serious cardiac events, including sudden death, especially in people with underlying heart problems and in those who misuse the drug or take high doses. Psychiatric risks include anxiety, agitation, insomnia and, at high doses or with heavy use, paranoia, hallucinations and stimulant psychosis. Regular use leads to tolerance and can produce psychological dependence and a difficult crash-and-craving cycle; withdrawal brings fatigue, depression and disturbed sleep. Overheating and dangerously high blood pressure are risks with heavy use, particularly during intense physical exertion. Combining amphetamines with other stimulants, or with certain antidepressants known as MAO inhibitors, can be dangerous. A critical contamination hazard applies to any pills bought outside a pharmacy: counterfeit tablets pressed to resemble genuine Adderall have been found to contain methamphetamine or illicitly manufactured fentanyl, and fentanyl can cause fatal respiratory depression in someone who believed they were taking only a stimulant. Naloxone, sold as Narcan, should be given if an opioid such as fentanyl may be involved. If someone has chest pain, a very high temperature, seizures, or collapses, call 911 immediately. This page has not yet been medically reviewed.