Adderall

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Adderall is medication that is prescribed to people with deficit hyperactivity disorder and narcolepsy. Deficit hyperactivity is also known as ADHD, which can affect children and adults. People with ADHD struggle with focusing on certain tasks as well as sitting without having to move around. Doctors say that symptoms must interfere with everyday activities such as school in order for someone to be diagnosed with ADHD. Adderall helps control hyperactivity by affecting chemicals and nerves in the brain. Adderall helps those with ADHD to focus better and helps with normal, everyday activities. Narcolepsy is when someone will fall asleep at random times without warning. Someone with narcolepsy will usually take a higher dosage of Adderall than someone with[ADHD, and when on Adderall will experience less symptoms of narcolepsy. [1]

Important Information

Adderall is a prescription medication that consists of amphetamine and dextroamphetamine. These two ingredients affect hyperactivity and impulse control in the brain. There are several precautions that should be followed before someone should be prescribed Adderall. People that have glaucoma or deal with anxiety problems should not take Adderall. Also, people with muscle twitches should not take Adderall because of how it affects impulse control in the brain. Adderall can become addictive and should not be shared with someone else. Adderall can be very dangerous if not taken correctly and the right steps need to be taken in order to be sure that it is used correctly. If someone is prescribed Adderall, the instructions on the prescription label should be followed exactly. Adderall is taken in the form of a pill and should be swallowed whole. If someone accidentally skips a dose, someone should just wait for the next dose. More medicine should not be taken to make up for the missed dose. An overdose of Adderall could lead to very negative consequences, and medical help is necessary. Adderall is a name brand medication. [2] Rarely, doctors will prescribe Adderall for weight-loss. The FDA has not approved Adderall to be taken for weight loss, but Adderall can cause a loss of appetite and weight loss. In patients without ADHD that are taking Adderall for weight loss, Adderall can cause many negative side effects that can outweigh the positives. [3]

Before Taking Adderall

ADHD in the United States

There are several reasons that would prevent one from being prescribed Adderall. People that have heart issues should not be prescribed Adderall by their doctors. Also, Adderall can be bought illegally, and people with certain condition that take Adderall could face deadly consequences. If there is a history of heart problems in a person’s family or that person has had a heart attack in the past, Adderall could lead to death. Also, there are several more conditions that a doctor should know about before someone is prescribed Adderall. Someone that has a mental illness or has struggled with something similar in the past should not take Adderall. Some of the other conditions in which Adderall should not be taken is if someone has epilepsy or a history of substance abuse. Pregnant woman should consult their doctor’s about taking it while pregnant. At this time, doctors do not know if Adderall affects the unborn baby. However, doctors think that it might affect birth weight, premature birth, as well as some other issues. Some of the ingredients in Adderall can infect breast milk and affect a baby in that fashion. Mothers using Adderall should not breast-feed while on Adderall. [4]

Side Effects and Other Dangers

Counterfeit Adderall which look close to the real product

There is a whole host of possible side effects of taking Adderall. Some of them might go away as someone’s body acclimates itself with the medicine. Most of the side effects are not very serious; however, some of them are very dangerous. Some of the most common side effects include pain in the bladder, changing of one’s heartbeat, lower back pain, or trouble urinating. Because one of the most common side effects of taking Adderall is the changing of the heartbeat, people with existing heart problems should absolutely not take Adderall. Several of the less common side effects resemble flu or cold symptoms, rashes,headache, troubled breathing, or dizziness. Adderall has also been known to cause weight loss and trouble sleeping if taken too late in the day. There are many other possible side effects that someone prescribe Adderall should know about so they can watch out for them. [5]

Adderall in Professional Sports

Adderall is becoming very popular as a performance enhancer in professional sports. Some athletes take Adderall for the correct reasons as prescribed by a doctor, but some athletes use the drug to increase focus. Adderall is banned in the NFL, MLB, NBA, NCAA, and the NHL. Adderall become a very important point in the NFL several years ago when a kicker tested positive for taking Adderall. The kicker says he took Adderall because he had a long drive from Dallas to New Orleans and needed to stay awake. Ever since this incident in the NFL, Adderall has become very relevant issue in the NFL. [6]

Adderall in Colleges

Adderall has become a problem on college campuses around the United States.

Adderall is becoming a major problem on college campuses. Students are taking the drug so that they can have enough energy and focus for long nights of studying. Most of the college students that take Adderall receive the drug from a friend, which is obviously illegal. One must have a prescription to take Adderall. However, this brings up another issue. Prescriptions for Adderall are easy to obtain. Tests for ADHD are basically self-evaluations and checklists, which can easily be undermined. The students who obtain prescriptions in this manner can easily search the internet for ADHD symptoms and use them on the tests. Adderall can be very dangerous if taken with other drugs and alcohol. These combinations can land someone in the hospital and lead to a vast array of other symptoms. Another issue arising over Adderall is the students are beginning to take them at an earlier age. Adderall use among high school students is rising even while other drug numbers are beginning to decrease. [7]


There is one common response to why college students are taking Adderall. The most common reason is to be able to stay up all night intently focused on finishing assignments. Adderall allows students to be able to sit down and concentrate on finishing homework, while giving the student false sense of motivation. The student may feel like they are more motivated, however, Adderall artificially increases the need to stay busy. Some students say they used Adderall because it did not give them the same side effects as caffeine; however, Adderall can become addictive. On college campuses, the cost of Adderall ranges from anywhere from five dollars to twenty-five dollars, depending on the time of year. During finals week, the price increases on college campuses because more students buy the drug in order to cram for important tests. One of the main sources of illegal Adderall on college campuses is from people with prescriptions. People with prescriptions can obtain the drug legally; however, they do not use all their pills. Some will then sell the drug for some extra money or give the rest away. Ironically, one student that has spoken out about giving out Adderall to his friends says he does not use his entire prescriptions because of the side effects he experiences.


The problem with this drug on college campuses is that it is very appealing. It increased motivation and focus. However, the drug causes the brain to produce more dopamine, which affects the brain’s reward system. This can be very dangerous for the user because it can lead to many negative side effects and addiction. Addiction can be very dangerous for several reasons. Not only does it cause health problems, it can also be very expensive. There are also several side effects not commonly associated with Adderall. Adderall produces a feeling of motivation and focus, but this wears off after the drug empties from one’s system. Using Adderall does not allow someone to grow their own work ethic or studying skills. Taking Adderall for studying may work for short term success, but will not help build a work ethic for a future career. It is an easy route instead of hard-work through self-determination. [8]

Video

Basic Description of Adderall

References

  1. Harding, Sarah. Reasons Adderall Is Prescribed. Livestrong.com. Web. August 16, 2013 (Updated).
  2. Adderall. Drugs.com. Web. May 13, 2014 (Accessed). Author Unknown
  3. Wada, Jane. Reasons Adderall Is Prescribed. eHow. Web. August 6, 2013 (Updated).
  4. Adderall. Drugs.com. Web. May 13, 2014 (Accessed). Author Unknown
  5. Adderall Side Effects. Drugs.com. Web. May 13, 2014 (Accessed). Author Unknown
  6. Morre, David and Jim Corbett. Do pro sports have an Adderall problem. USAToday. Web. November 28, 2012 (Created).
  7. Zadrozny, Brandy. 7 Things You Need to Know About Adderall. The Daily Beast. Web. December 12, 2013 (Created).
  8. Trudeau, Michelle. More Students Turning Illegally To ‘Smart’ Drugs. NPR. Web. February 5, 2009 (Created).