Adderall is one of the drugs that is commonly used to treat the signs and symptoms of ADHD. Although it is a stimulant, the effects of the medication can help to tame even severe cases. Generally safe and effective, it provides a way to control the issue as children grow and slowly outgrow their ADHD. There are some benefits and some disadvantages to taking Adderall, however, so here are the key points to consider.
What Are the Pros of Adderall?
1. It has the ability to relieve chronic symptoms.
Many researchers believe that the issue with ADHD lies in the fact that messenger information to create dopamine is disrupted within the body someone. Adderall helps to stop the roadblocks that are in place that prevent dopamine being released, which eases the symptoms of the disorder. In return, enhancements in problem solving, reasoning, and planning are often achieved.
2. It can improve a person’s overall performance.
A writer named Stephen Petrow wrote about taking Adderall before work in 2013. He describes the fact that he knows when he takes half a tablet of Adderall that he’ll wind up having a good work day. In an environment where people must be competitive 100% of the time to maintain their employment, those with attention issues can quickly benefit from the increased focus this drug can provide.
3. The effects are long-lasting.
Adderall isn’t like taking a caffeine boost for 30 minutes of superior productivity. It’s something that can help you stay focused for several hours at a time so that the jobs that need to get done are able to get done. With that being said, it is still quite possible to become distracted when taking Adderall and put your focus onto something like your Twitter account instead of the work that needs to be completed.
4. It has also been proven effective in the treatment of narcolepsy.
Some people have a medical issue which causes them to randomly fall asleep at different times during the day. It isn’t like falling asleep in class because of boredom or for an afternoon nap while watching a movie. Someone with narcolepsy could fall asleep while taking a walk, eating a bowl of soup, or in the middle of a conversation. High dosage Adderall is known to counter this issue.
What Are the Cons of Adderall?
1. The effects of long-term stimulant use have not been studied.
As with any stimulant, there is always the risk of having an irregular heart beat and higher blood pressure than normal. Other issues, such as insomnia, muscle tremors, and a loss of appetite are also common. The bottom line is this: every time Adderall is taken, it is one step toward a dependency issue that requires you to take it in order to stay focused.
2. Adderall is highly addictive.
Whether it is being taken for ADHD or for other purposes, the problem with the drug is that it is an amphetamine. This makes it a highly addictive drug to take because it creates good feelings through the combination of cortisol and adrenaline that people want to replicate after they experience it. Adderall also increases dopamine levels in the brain. When people see themselves losing weight, the dopamine levels go even higher and that further enhances the addictive qualities of the drug.
3. Many people tend to self-diagnose themselves as having ADHD.
It’s a popular diagnosis because it tends to provide some popular drug choices. It is common for students and adults to believe they’ve got this disorder because they notice a symptom of it here and there. ADHD can only be diagnosed by a medical professional, however, so convincing oneself about the disorder being present does no one any good.
4. Certain preexisting conditions can make Adderall deadly.
People who have heart disease should avoid Adderall whenever possible. This is especially true for the extended release variety of the drug that is slowly released to the body throughout the day. In Canada, more than a dozen people had sudden strokes occur because of the medication.
The pros and cons of Adderall must be carefully balanced for it to be used successfully. This is why any recreational use of the drug is strongly discouraged. Most people who are taking it for personal reasons often won’t know that there is a problem until it is too late and one already exists. If there is a potential medical issue that needs to be addressed, however, this drug as the potential to lessen the symptoms dramatically.