Adderall Addiction Treatment & Rehab

Adderall is a commonly prescribed medication to help treat conditions like ADD and ADHD, primarily in teens and young adults. Unfortunately it is also one of the most abused prescription drugs on the market, which is why it is important to be aware that there is Adderall addiction treatment and rehab help available to those who need it. Keep reading to find out more about what can cause an Adderall addiction and how it is treated.

What is Adderall?

Adderall is a combination drug (amphetamine and dextroamphetamine) used to help treat patients dealing with the symptoms of conditions like ADD, ADHD and some cases of narcolepsy to help the patient develop better focusing skills, increase long-term concentration abilities and has been known to be used as a combination therapy with some types of depression and anxiety.

Because amphetamines are highly addictive, Adderall is found to be one of the most addictive prescription drugs on the market particularly among the high school and college age group. Known as a “study drug” students may abuse the drug to help them achieve better focus to study for exams, stay awake for extended hours and achieve more work done in a given period. However, those who do not actually suffer from brain imbalances that cause conditions like ADD and ADHD might find that prolonged use or abuse of high doses of Adderall are more likely to become addicted to the drug and can face long-term health consequences.

When to Seek Adderall Addiction Treatment

Whether you have been prescribed the drug Adderall to help cope with medical conditions, or if you have obtained the drug through illegal means, there are important signs to watch out for if you have developed an addiction or may need see Adderall addiction treatment including:

• Increased irritability and mood changes. Those who are on Adderall for an extended period of time might notice their mood changing in a negative direction.
• Trouble sleeping. Sleep issues can cause a myriad of health problems. If prolonged use of Adderall or abuse of the drug is causing issues with insomnia, extreme fatigue during the day and high levels of feeling tired even after a full night’s sleep, it might be time to consider weaning off the drug with the help of your medical professional.
• Appetite loss. Feeling a loss in appetite for an extended period of time means that the Adderall could be affecting your central nervous system as amphetamines are known to do. This can cause severe weight loss to unhealthy levels and can contribute to organ failure.
• Chronic aches and pains. The use of Adderall can disrupt the central nervous system processes, which can cause pain signals between nerve cells to begin misfiring with long-term drug use.
• Poor physical coordination. Another repercussion of long-term Adderall use can result in poor physical coordination for the patient, which is another example of the deterioration of the central nervous system and its connection to the brain. This can cause tremors or cause the extremities to shake making routine tasks difficult to accomplish.
• Aggression. As the Adderall continues to “fry” certain brain functions, it can decrease a person’s ability to control aggressive tendencies.
• Extreme drug cravings. Like with other amphetamines, the abuse of such a drug can increase the chemical dependency for more drug use. Once this occurs, it is important to get professional medical treatment immediately.

Adderall Addiction Treatment and Rehab Options:

Unlike with some types of drug abuse and addiction, there are currently no known medications to help a person wean off of Adderall and help with the Adderall addiction treatment. However, inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation might be a better option combined with a well-regulated tapering program to help the user wean off the drug and make it through the withdrawal period, which typically takes around three months for most reported users.

Therapy, whether it be private practice or in a rehab facility, can be a helpful treatment method for those struggling with Adderall addiction. Many abuse the drug out of response to internal mental struggles like depression and anxiety.

By treating the underlying issues that led to the drug abuse in the first place, there are higher success rates with keeping the patient from falling back into the addiction pattern following treatment.

With 7.5 percent of high school students reportedly abusing Adderall in 2013, a statistic that continues to climb, many students in high school and college report feeling high levels of pressure to achieve academic success. The pressure comes not only from parents and professors, but society and the desire to get a well-paying job post graduation. With these pressures, students report feeling depressed and anxious and resort to using drugs like Adderall – known as the study drug – to help them focus for longer periods of time, stay awake for prolonged hours if necessary and study harder for tests and homework projects.

Adderall Addiction treatment and rehab options are a great way to help those who struggle with some of these issues to get the professional help they need to overcome the Adderall addiction and find success.

Sources:

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
www.webmd.com
www.drugfree.org
amphetamines.com