Adderall Abuse
Adderall is a drug that is composed of Dextroamphetamine and Amphetamine salts. Its active ingredients are Dextroamphetamine Sulphate, Dextroamphetamine Saccharide, Racemic Amphetamine Sulphate and Racemic Amphetamine Aspartate Monohydrate. Amphetamine salts have a high potential for causing physical addiction, which makes Adderall highly addictive.
Adderall is used to treat Narcolepsy and ADHD. Its main effect is on the brain where it causes the release of Norepinephrine and Dopamine. These two chemicals in the brain are neurotransmitters. Dopamine is responsible for the strong behavioral and stimulant effects that are associated with the drug. In the body, Amphetamine bonds to another substance known as DAT, which is a Dopamine transporter. It also inhibits this transporter from removing Dopamine from the synaptic spaces in the brain’s neurons.
Amphetamine also inhibits the enzyme known as Monoamine Oxidize. Monoamine Oxidize is used in the breakdown of Norepinephrine, Epinephrine, Dopamine and Serotonin. Therefore, net effect of taking Adderall is an increase in the levels of Dopamine and Norepinephrine in the brain. This results in the user experiencing a very high level of alertness and concentration. It is quite common for students who are using this drug or other Amphetamines to stay awake may study for 14 hours.
The after effects can be very drastic and undesirable. If the person stays awake for long after taking the drug, once the body eliminates the drug from the body, they are likely to suffer from unconsciousness because for some, the body tries to recover from brain fatigue, which is reached during the period of extended wakefulness.
Adderall addiction is very likely to happen for users who use this drug for an extended period because Amphetamines are highly physically addictive. The extended release version of Adderall has resulted in death in several documented cases. Young persons with ADHD often use this drug for treatment and management of their condition.
The drug causes a slowing down of the growth rate for young people. It is also particularly risky for people with congenital heart defects, especially in those that do not know it, and it is known to cause sudden death in such patients. This is mainly due to heart failure, which can occur because of an increase in cardiac activity during the use of Adderall. This drug causes torn heart vessels due to the heart contracting too forcefully, and this usually results in immediate death.
Adderall, when used as a short-term solution, causes an increase in libido. However, it’s a different story altogether when used for extended periods. Long-term male users often experience erectile dysfunction. Adderall addiction occurs when the person uses the drug for a period of time and reaches a point where their bodies cannot function normally without it.
The person experiences acute cravings for the drug and can suffer from withdrawal symptoms including extreme hunger, crankiness, panic attacks, tiredness, nightmares and depression.
