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Adderall: What you need to know

Adderall- What You Need to Know

Adderall is an interesting and enigmatic drug. It can cure a lot of health issues. It was originally designed to treat ADHD. However, since it is a stimulant, people have found many other usages of Adderall including insomnia and narcolepsy. You can also use it for weight loss and sexual performance enhancers.

In this category, we discuss all its aspects.

Adderall Description

Adderall is a multi-purpose CNS (Central Nervous System) Stimulant. It is a combination of two salts- Amphetamine and Dextroamphetamine. It was originally introduced in 1996 by Richmond Pharmaceuticals as a stimulant for the US Airforce pilots who went on long recon missions. This stimulant helped them stay awake and stay focused. Later on, more usages were discovered.

It was very successful in treating patients with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). Mothers would also mix it with children’s drinks to enhance performances at school.

How Adderall Works

This medication works by helping the body release two Neurotransmitters- Norepinephrine and Dopamine. These two hormones have some distinct functions in the brain.

Adderall Chemical Structure

  • Norepinephrine: It is a stress hormone. Norepinephrine is Adrenalin and when released, it tells the brain that it requires additional energy. When that happens, the brain orders the body to burn stored calories and increase the energy level of the body.
  • Dopamine: This is the reward hormone that helps the body to relax. Dopamine is naturally released after sex. It tells the brain that there is nothing to worry about. Without Dopamine, people would probably freak out after taking Adderall. Dopamine balances the situation.

The combination of the two hormones creates a situation where the patient has the energy to do things and yet relaxed, which in turn, means FOCUS.

Adderall Dosages and Use

ADHD is pretty common in children so the dosages start from 8 mg and can be up to 30 mg. An average adult can take two 30 mg tablets a day. There are also two versions of Adderall:

Adderall IR: This is the original version in tablet form. IR means ‘Instant Release’. Adderall IR can take effect in 20 minutes and stay active for up to 4 hours.

Adderall XR: This version came later in 2001 in capsule form. XR means ‘Extended Release’. Adderall XR takes effect in 1 hour after taking and can stay active for 6-8 hours depending on what the person is doing throughout the day.

How to Use Adderall

It depends on what you are taking it for. It is a performance enhancer so the usages are varied. Adderall is used to treat several health issues such as ADHD, Narcolepsy, Insomnia, and weight loss. We’ll discuss the additional use later.

ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder)

It is a type of condition where a person has a very little span of attention. ADHD patients are often forgetful. They start doing one thing and start to do another thing without finishing the first job. Then they start another and another. At the end of the day, they start doing multiple things and finish nothing. Adderall provides the focus that they need. Generally, an ADHD patient takes 2 pills a day. If children, it is always a good idea to consult a doctor before starting a course.

Narcolepsy

Narcolepsy patients generally don’t sleep well at night. Therefore, during the day, they suddenly fall asleep for a short time. This happens over and over again. It can be very dangerous and life-threatening especially for a person who is driving or operating complicated machinery.

Adderall provides the energy and focus they need during the day. It is a stimulant so it keeps the patient from falling asleep. Narcolepsy patients can also take 2 Adderall 30 mg a day.

Insomnia

Like Narcolepsy, Insomnia patients have a hard time falling asleep. a stimulant is not a common prescription for insomniacs. Most of the time, Insomnia is treated with sleeping pills such as Ambien. Yet, Adderall can be used as a reverse therapy.

Adderall keeps patients awake. Therefore, doctors prescribe it at a heavy dose for several days (Ideally 3 days) and keep the patient awake until they get really tired and finally fall asleep. This works pretty well and adjusts the body clock for insomnia patients. Insomnia patients take a 3-day course of Adderall at 2-3 hour intervals. They may consume 30-45 pills in 3 days.

Adderall for Weight Loss

adderall for weight loss

Adderall can be used for weight loss for obvious reasons. First, it generates energy, which means that it burns fat. Also, when energetic, our body does not require food. That leads to loss of appetite. Therefore, this medication is very successful in helping people lose weight. Yet, FDA doesn’t approve. For weight loss, there is a much weaker stimulant- Phentermine. You can read our Adderall FAQ and Phentermine FAQ for a much better understanding.

Other Uses

As a performance enhancer, the use of Adderall is versatile. Military personnel uses it during long missions. Athletes use it before a serious workout. Using it during the games is illegal. Students use before exams and outside the military, the most professional users of Adderall are long-distance truck drivers.

Addiction Issues

Adderall is Amphetamine based and can be addictive if someone uses it for a long time. However, for short-term use, there is no evidence of addiction. There is a reason why people would want to use it again and again even when they don’t need it, and that is ‘Adderall makes you feel good’. However, it not that big a deal. Even when you use it for 3 months continuously, there is no evidence of physical dependencies. That means that you can stop at any time.

Much longer use, on the other hand, like 6 months and more can create physical dependencies. That means that the patient can’t suddenly stop. It’ll have physical repercussions. At that time, a recovery program that may involve going to rehab will be required and the patient can’t suddenly stop.

Adderall Side-effects

Adderall side effects are minimal if used properly. Some of these side effects are the direct result of its stimulating nature. Under the influence, you may experience the following:

  • Dry mouth
  • Perspiration
  • Loss of Appetite
  • Nausea
  • Dry Eyes
  • Slightly blur vision
  • Headache
  • Sleeplessness
  • Lightheadedness

To learn more, please read our Adderall FAQ page. If you are looking to buy Adderall online, check out our article “Order Adderall Online from USA and UK“.