Dependence on Adderall
Adderall has become an increasingly popular drug lately. Unfortunately, there are been a huge increase in peeople dependent on the drug adderall.
Consequences of Adderall Dependence
Adderall dependence and abuse has a variety of physical and mental consequences, such as addiction and increased risk of heart problems. While further research may be needed to fully understand this phenomenon, Adderall Dependence has already been shown to have an negative impact on psychiatric health and society today.
`Tolerance and Dependency
The human body has a natural tendency to develop a tolerance over time to just about any foreign substance it is introduced to. This is especially true of substances that are psychoactive (affect brain chemicals).
Because Adderall is a psychoactive substance, the brain develop a tolerance to it over time. As higher amounts of dopamine (and other neurotransmitters), are released, these chemicals will be depleted the next day if the medication is not taken to trigger their release in such high amounts again.
Eventually, more Adderall is needed to produce the chemicals and therefore achieve the same high/effectiveness. This can lead to dependency and the need to increase dosage.
Why Do People Abuse/Become Dependent on Adderall?
Adderall has a very high potential for abuse. Patients who develop a tolerance to and dependency upon their medication may start to need to take higher dosages to achieve the same results. If they are not prescribed the higher dosages that they need, they may begin to self-medicate, abusing their medication and increasing the dosage of their own accord.
The number of individuals who are not prescribed this medication but still use it illegally is staggering. Because of the euphoria caused by the release of the dopamine in a person with a normal brain, a certain high is produced when the medication is ingested, especially in higher dosages. It produces similar effects to the highly addictive street drug methamphetamine, and it also can be injected, insufflated, or smoked.
Also, an incredibly large number of students--of various levels of education, but especially college students--use the drug to increase their focus, alertness, and productivity. Whereas it creates a normal level of focus in ADD/ADHD, Adderall creates a hyper focused, above-average student when non-ADHD person consumes the drug. This widely prescribed and entirely too easy to obtain medication is quickly replacing caffeine during all-nighters.
Yet another reason for abuse is weight loss. Due to Adderall's strong appetite suppressing qualities, many dieters will take it so that they do not feel the need to eat. It is also quite popular among those who are eating disordered for this same reason.