Symptoms of Adderall Addiction
Study-drugs, otherwise known as performance enhancing drugs, include prescription stimulants that are typically used for ADHD patients to help them focus and concentrate. College students, highly competitive business leaders, and people trying to get an edge on their careers, choose these types of drugs.
They need to work longer hours, make the most of their work time with better focus and concentration, and students find they can pull all night study sessions and still be alert to take their exams.
Some people are able to limit taking Adderall and other similar prescriptions to work time, or just for important challenges, like exam week in college. Unfortunately, many users of all ages and economic levels lose their edge, slide into constant use and their behavior, health, lifestyle, and relationships deteriorate.
Active Ingredients
The active ingredients in prescription drugs like Adderall are extremely similar to ingredients found in street drugs like methamphetamines, carrying the same high risks of dependency and strong physical and mental addiction.
Stimulants interrupt the healthy sleep cycles our brains need to perform maintenance functions, like physical healing, cell regeneration, memory processes, and mental cognition functions. Many users will self-medicate to calm down, find a mental balance, or try to get sleep at night.
Often the drug of choice to even out the effects of stimulants is smoking pot and drinking alcohol. Adderall has no “off switch” so these methods may work at first, but it isn’t long before long nights of pounding hearts and tossing and turning throughout the night leave the performance enhancer drug user in an exhausted state of mind.
The Addict is the Last to Know
A critical symptom that identifies when a user is no longer maintaining the proper dosages is prominent impaired judgment. As the brain continues to be desensitized to the stimulant with continued use over time, the user has been increasing daily dosage, trying to get the same effect of higher concentration, optimal functioning, and enhanced performance.
Users do not see what people close to them see. One of the methods successful treatment facilities use to help users gain insight is to have the user choose one or two people they trust, that they agree to listen to, who will help them when their decision-making processes are off.
They are not allowed to pick a fellow stimulant user as a mentor, obviously, as they tend to assist each other in denial and reinforce their impaired judgment in decision-making.
For a while, users try to manage by taking drug holidays, some people see that they can still perform without having to use the drugs. Others try, but fail to stop taking high dosages, drinking alcohol, smoking pot, and other ways of self-medicating.
Those who have convinced themselves that they are incapable of being successful, without the assistance of their drugs of choice, are in serious danger physically, mentally and they will lose everything they have already gained.
Intense focus, over-work, and the inability to sleep deplete the body and brain. No longer is the user getting any benefit from the drug use. Investing 120 percent day after day has robbed other parts of the brain by at least 20 percent of the power it needs to manage other functions. The users’ body is crying out for detoxification.
Ways to Fit Treatment into a Busy Lifestyle
It is time to consider beneficial changes that will remove the reliance on brain doping1. There are many forms of treatment and rehab available; this is when it is wise to contact the advisers in your life to help find the best treatment match for you.
These days, employers are familiar with laws that protect employees who seek rehabilitation. Do not fool yourself into thinking that they do not know your behavior has been really off lately. Employers also recognize that after rehab, employees return to their previous abilities and reliability. Some treatment centers will help with short-term disability or health insurance applications to help pay for inpatient treatment.
Outpatient
If the user is too fearful of losing their job from an extended absence, and starting a different career after treatment is not a viable goal, a combination of short-term detox under medical care treatment, outpatient treatment with therapy, and regular meetings of NA or AA, is an effective secondary plan.
Once the user sees that there are workable benefits to acting on these solutions, family, friends, and co-workers can help by supporting and forgiving their loved one during the recovery process.
For more information on treatment options, call the Blu by the Sea Addiction Treatment Program at (850) 547-6428.
Resources:
- http://www.forbes.com/sites/toddessig/2013/02/10/when-study-drugs-kill-part-2-reducing-the-risks-from-brain-doping/2/
- http://www.drugabuse.gov/drugs-abuse/methamphetamine
- http://devblubythesea.wpengine.com/success-stories/