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How to smoke Adderall – a brief overview on the drug

Ottawalife Contributor

Googling how to smoke Adderall might leave you with some mixed information. Adderall is a psychostimulant drug that is known to activate the central nervous system and increase the levels of concentration and alertness in those who take it. It's included in the amphetamine drug class and is used for various conditions such as ADHD and narcolepsy. Like all drugs out there, the questions that sometimes pop up are if you can become addicted to it, which people are at the highest risk of becoming addicted to it, and what kind of withdrawal symptoms can be expected when you stop taking it. Weed dispensary Woodbridge.

Adderall Explained

Adderall is a stimulant that can only be accessed with a prescription. It's mainly used to treat those dealing with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), as well as narcolepsy. Adderall increases levels of norepinephrine and dopamine levels in the brain, and, as a result, people who take it experience heightened levels of alertness, attention, and concentration.

Adderall has a bunch of other effects, too. It's known to be a long-lasting stimulant, and many people begin to develop a reliance on the drug. It's known to be a very difficult medication to stop taking. Back in 2017, Adderall was in the top 30 medications that are more widely prescribed to people. Just in the U.S. alone, there were 24 million Adderall prescriptions administered in 2017.

Does Adderall Fit In The Narcotic Category?

Narcotics are prescribed to people that experience ongoing pain on a daily basis. Because Adderall isn't used to reduce pain levels, it wouldn't be considered a narcotic. There are some people that do use Adderall as a detox medication if they are addicted to another substance. Cocaine would be an example of a substance that people might use Adderall for, in an attempt to detox from it.

Adderall elevates blood pressure levels, increases heart rate, raises your energy levels, boosts alertness, and helps you stay awake. Because of these effects, it is categorized as a stimulant. On the flip side, because of the scheduled class of Adderall, it can still be considered a narcotic. It is a class II substance according to the food and drug administration in the United States. What this means, is that access to it is restricted and you'll require a prescription to be able to use it legally.

History Of Adderall

Amphetamines have existed throughout the world since around 1930, but Adderall wasn't produced until around 1995. A mixture of a bunch of different amphetamine salts was used to create it. Many resorted to Adderall to relieve their ADHD, and through the 1990s, the number of Adderall prescriptions increased dramatically. At the same time, various lawsuits and legal issues also arose. In around 2000, the food and drug administration gave a warning to the Adderall manufacturers for not advertising truthfully, and that started opening doors for people beginning to use it recreationally.

Once 2015 rolled around, the amphetamine drug class was known to be the most widely used and abused drug among students in high school. Many individuals started using Adderall to help them with balancing work and school at the same time. Many of them obtained the Adderall illegally.

Potency And Dosage Of Adderall

At the root, Adderall is composed of amphetamine and dextroamphetamine salts. The drug comes in capsule and tablet form, and, depending on their potency, they will be in a wide range of various colors and shapes.

The capsules typically come in blue, yellow, and orange colors:

If your Adderall pill is white, circular, and flat, then that will be the 5mg one.

Here are some other tablet descriptions:

Adderall XR and IR Differences Explained

Adderall XR and IR contain the same active ingredients of dextroamphetamine and levoamphetamine with a 3:1 ratio. The XR formulation of Adderall is a longer-lasting one and the effects of it will last up to half a day. The IR formulation is an instant release one that will last up to 6 hours in total. This means that people need to take it multiple times a day. The IR version makes things a little trickier for kids that have ADHD because they constantly need supervision on when they are to take their medication. Although the XR formulation is a little more expensive than the IR ones, the side effects will be the same, as will the chances of physical dependence on the drug.

Does Adderall Ever Expire?

Adderall can still be effective years after the expiry date listed on the medication. As years go on, the actual effectiveness of the drug may begin to gradually go down.

What About Addiction To Adderall?

The chemical composition of Adderall is a mix of amphetamine and dextroamphetamine. This leads to a stimulant medication that will raise your dopamine levels, norepinephrine levels, and serotonin levels. These are three neurotransmitters that will cause you to feel an increased sense of motivation, pleasure, and a prolonged attention span.

The drug also helps you sleep better and gives you a better appetite. Adderall is a controlled substance and can be found in the same drug category as OxyContin, methadone, and cocaine. All of the drugs listed in that category have high chances of causing psychological and physical dependence. Because of these changes being so high, the drug can only be given by a physician. Every subsequent prescription will be at the discretion of the physician and the pharmacy dispensing the drug.

If addiction to Adderall begins to creep up on you or someone you know, coping with everyday issues can seem to pose a real hurdle. A lot of the time, dependency on the drug can be ignored until it starts to take over someone's life. It's even easier to ignore the early stages of dependency. When you see someone that's active and driven in their life, you don't usually connect that to someone being addicted to drugs. The person that's taking the Adderall usually won't know they are addicted, either. There are some signs to look out for to tell if someone is becoming or is already addicted to Adderall. One thing to note is that anyone taking Adderall should always be aware of what other drugs it can interact with. Sometimes if you're on certain antidepressants such as MAOIs, issues could arise if they interact with the amphetamines in Adderall.

Adderall Addiction Signs

Most of the time, Adderall addiction can be an extremely hard one to recognize. Those addicted to Adderall don't typically look like someone that you would classify as a drug addict or drug user. Sometimes these people are young professionals depending on the drug to help get them through school or work. One of the best-known methods to figure out if someone is abusing Adderall is to have them get an Adderall urine test. Even though this method is the best one, it isn't always the simplest. The person you might think has an Adderall addiction can easily just decline the test. If they do decline, there are some other signs to keep an eye on.

Physical Signs Of Adderall Addiction

There are numerous physical signs to keep an eye on if you suspect someone might be dealing with Adderall addiction:

There are a few signs to look out for that indicate a more serious problem:

Behavioral Signs To Look Out For:

Even though people can get a prescription for Adderall, a dependency can still begin to occur if:

Risk Groups For Developing Adderall Addiction

There's a couple of groups of people that are at high risk for developing Adderall addiction. Many students in college resort to this medication to help them focus on getting through their classes successfully. A lot of athletes and working-class people also begin taking Adderall.

Individuals Attending College

The number of students in college taking Adderall is seen to be on the rise. If you look at the street market prices of Adderall when exam week rolls around, the prices rise by about $10 a pill. Not only do people use it to help with exams, but they also use it to help calm their anxiety, help them interact with people, increase confidence levels, and boost energy.

A survey was conducted by the Bloomberg School of Public Health in 2016 that wanted to see the number of students who took Adderall to help them with studying. Over 60% of the users were between the ages of 18 and 25.

Working Class Adderall Users

In the same way that college students use Adderall to give them an advantage for school, working-class individuals use them, as well. Between the years 2013 and 2018, Adderall use doubled, based on the results from Quest Diagnostics Drug Testing Index.

Athletes Addicted To Adderall

Because Adderall can give a competitive advantage in lowering fatigue and battle lethargy, many athletes become addicted to the drug. A lot of high-class athletes have had a positive test for Adderall when being drug tested. This has resulted in a suspension in a few of the athletes out there.

Adderall Use Among People With Eating Disorders

Because Adderall is known to suppress the appetite, a lot of people that have eating disorders resort to the drug in an abusive way. The dependency on the drug will begin to occur when people take it for that purpose. Adderall isn't currently approved by the FDA for use in eating disorders, but another drug called Vyvanse is, and it contains a different amphetamine structure than Adderall.

Helping Someone You Think Has Adderall Addiction Symptoms

The first step in helping someone that you think might be addicted to Adderall is approaching the entire situation with an attitude of non-judgment. One of the first things you might notice in someone that might have an Adderall abuse problem is new changes in their behavior that you haven't noticed before. You might see them start to become paranoid about things they wouldn't be paranoid about. They might become aggressive or secretive about their daily activities. You might notice them having violent mood swings and are up all hours of the night. They might develop brutal depression while still trying to maintain their performance at work or at school.

If you do notice someone that has an Adderall addiction, the best approach is to also get a therapist involved that's skilled in a drug intervention. Therapists and other professionals are specifically training to approach these people in a gentle and understanding manner. They'll know the right way to communicate with them in a way that won't sound like they're judging or accusing them of anything. They'll also be able to give you and the rest of your family some advice on the best ways to deal with the stress that can come with living alongside someone that's addicted to drugs.

A lot of the time, people addicted to Adderall are those that strive to achieve in their professional lives. They look for any possible way to get that extra edge, and when they find that Adderall can help them with that, they start to abuse it. Approaching someone you think might have an Adderall addiction should be done in an understanding and supportive way while listening to their concerns and fears about how they'll perform without the drug.

Tips To Help With Someone Addicted To Adderall:

Do These Things:

Don't Do These Things:

Things To Do If You Think You Might Have Adderall Addiction

If you're beginning to think you might have an issue with Adderall, it's best to get a healthcare professional involved in the situation. Dealing with any drug addiction can be a complicated process that takes time and patience. Immediately stopping the medication isn't a recommended approach to quitting because withdrawal can cause some unpleasant symptoms. Tapering off the drug should be a slow and methodical process that remains comfortable all the way through. Detoxing off Adderall under healthcare supervision is the best way to do it.

Find a good detox center where you'll feel safe, secure, and comfortable to help you break the addiction. If you start to notice Adderall addiction, a recovery center can provide ongoing support that will not only help you break free from the addiction but also help you afterward. Coping strategies will be developed that will help you become drug-free for the long-term and not just a few weeks into the future. Most health insurance will be able to cover you for drug rehabilitation programs.

What Does Drug Rehabilitation Involve?

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