Yes. You can overdose from Adderall use. That doesn’t mean that everyone who overdoses on Adderall will die, but Adderall overdoses are more common than most people would think. Anytime someone overdoses from drugs, it is a serious event that can have life-long consequences for someone’s physical and mental health.

What Is Adderall

Adderall is a brand-name amphetamine that is prescribed to treat Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). More than 25 million people use amphetamine to address a range of diseases and disorders, such as obesity and narcolepsy. Besides those, millions more people abuse and misuse Adderall for its perceived ability to increase focus and help students and athletes focus, even though its cognitive benefits are mostly a myth.

Adderall works by increasing stimulation to the central nervous system. Most people with ADHD actually have lower levels of naturally produced dopamine, the neurochemical that is largely responsible for the pleasure-reward processes. Lacking dopamine, people are continually searching for stimulation. When a stimulant like amphetamine is introduced to the brain, it causes more dopamine to be released in the brain and to attach to the brain’s neuroreceptors that are craving stimulation.

While the health benefits for people with ADHD or narcolepsy are well documented, Adderall has become a dangerous study and party drug for high school and college students. Abusing Adderall without a prescription is dangerous, and cross addictions are extremely common. According to research published in BMC Pharmacology, more than 90% of people who abuse Adderall or other stimulants also have addictions to nicotine and alcohol.

Overdose and Adderall

It is often misunderstood that overdosing on a drug means death, but there are many other symptoms from a drug overdose. According to the U. S. National Library of Medicine, an overdose occurs when someone takes or ingests more than a standard or prescribed amount of a drug, usually resulting in harmful symptoms or even death.

Taking too much, or taking it without a prescription for diagnosed ADHD, can cause several side effects of Adderal. Besides the euphoric rush that includes an increase in energy and overall wellbeing, Adderall has several physical side effects. These side effects are signs of overdose. They include:

Increased blood pressure and heart rate
Elevated breathing
Irregular heartbeat
Dangerously high body temperature
Heart failure
Seizures

Stimulant abuse can have additional psychological effects, especially in the short term. Addiction to Adderall can cause psychosis, anger, and paranoia.

People who overdose on Adderall experience symptoms that include:

Restlessness
Tremors
Confusion
Hallucinations (from sleep deprivation)
Aggression
Panic attacks or anxiety
Painful and fatigued muscles

Addiction to Adderall

Addiction to Adderall and other prescription stimulants can occur after repeated misuse. While it may be difficult to know if someone is addicted to Adderall, some behaviors can be observed:

Being more talkative than usual
Loss of appetite
Unusual or highly excitable
Withdrawing from social events and opportunities
Financial problems
Sleeping at strange hours of the day
Finding loose pills in their room or car
Memory loss
Overconcentrating or overworking
Frenzied and incomplete thoughts

If you are concerned with a loved one’s possible Adderall addiction, Boardwalk Recovery is here to help. For information on how our treatment center can partner with you and the loved one to treat Adderall addiction, call us today to discuss treatment options.

Alcohol and Adderall – An Overdose Perfect Storm

With the risks in college students to binge drink and overdose on alcohol, Adderall use is particularly dangerous because the drug can make someone feel like they are not as drunk as they really are. When someone drinks on Adderall, they can stay conscious longer. This leads to someone drinking far more alcohol than they would typically be able to. Alcohol overdose deaths account for more than six deaths each day in the United States.

Addiction to drugs is often a symptom of other underlying mental health issues. Abusing drugs can be a sign that someone is self-treating for depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, PTSD or other psychological diseases. Dual Diagnosis services are treated with a combination of therapy, drug detoxification, and clinical treatment to help you or a loved one live a fulfilling life without the harmful consequences of addiction.