Adderall and Alcohol

Because of the increase of individuals taking the drug Adderall, many have been asking the question about drinking alcohol while taking this medication. Parents are especially concerned as many teenagers are using this medication.

Adderall is the combination of amphetamine and dextroamphetamine and is frequently used to control the symptoms of “Attention Deficit Hyperactivity” disorder or ADHD in both adults as well as children. It is also used in treating a sleep disorder known as narcolepsy which causes excessive daytime sleepiness. Adderall is in a classification of drugs known as “central nervous system stimulants”.

Drinking alcohol while taking Adderall can have consequences that are deadly. There are some individuals who are using this combination as a new party drug cocktail due to the fact that it allows them to extend their partying by hours. Alcohol and Adderall is being coined as a “safe” substitute for alcohol and cocaine. Since Adderall acts as a stimulant for individuals not suffering from ADHD disorders, it can often counteract the depressive effects felt from the drinking of alcohol. And using one drug or substance in order to balance the side effects of another is a really bad idea.

When alcohol and Adderall are combined, numerous things occur. Combined these substances can cause serious side effects as well as frequent usage points to addiction problems. Since the stimulation is combined with the depressive feelings created by alcohol, many individuals will not pay attention to any warning signs of physical harm, it only covers them up.

When drinking while on Adderall, your blood alcohol will still continue to increase at the identical rate and the identical levels whether you are using Adderall or not. All the harmful effects of alcohol will still occur at the identical rate but the individual will not notice them as clearly or as quickly. Passing out or falling asleep might be the body’s lone way to stop an individual from drinking more and getting into really deep problems.

Use of this cocktail of drugs for a prolonged time can lead to several health issues. It also can cause psychological issues for instance:

• Paranoia
• Severe depression
• Anxiety

Physically, this combination can cause the following side effects:

• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Heart palpitations
• Weight loss
• Headaches

When used over a prolonged period of time, these side effects can turn chronic. When this occurs, individuals can experience:

• Convulsions
• Irregular heartbeats
• Fevers
• Tremors
• Muscle twitching
• Malnutrition

If Adderall is prescribed for an individual, they need to discuss with their primary care physician the advisability of drinking alcohol. Your physician will advise whether or not it is safe for you or if you should not drink at all when on this medication.

Taking a prescription that is for another person needs to be avoided in all situations. Taking another person’s Schedule II medication is not only unsafe, it is not illegal. Taking it for recreation or so as to be able to party longer is especially unsafe as well as being illegal.

If an individual is snorting Adderall, he/she are at much greater risk for troublesome effects. The speed and the potency of the inception of Adderall are each increased greatly when snorted instead of taken orally and digested. There are also greater potential for the following risks:

• Respiratory problems
• Paranoid or psychotic reactions
• Cardiac arrhythmias

Individuals who get caught will usually be arrested and probably be charged with possession of drugs that are illegal. This means that being stopped by police or security for “only” drinking can end up with an arrest on possession charges if you are caught with someone else’s Adderall. So, one problem can quickly escalate into two problems – both very serious.

If any individual is combining Adderall with alcohol in order to party longer, this is not the tactic to follow. It is much better to just pace yourself by drinking slower or alternating juice or water between each alcoholic drink or eating food before as well as while drinking. Or even better, drink at a rate that is safe – one drink per hour or only 4 or 5 for the whole night depending on what you are drinking.

So, the answer to mixing alcohol with Adderall and is it safe is “NO” to both questions. There is even a recent article in “The Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine” that associated myocardial infraction with the use of Adderall XR and alcohol in a young man.