When talking about drugs like Adderall, it’s not uncommon to hear: “a doctor wouldn’t prescribe something that was bad for me,” or “I’m not buying it on the street corner.” This why prescription drugs like Adderall are so dangerous. People assume that because a doctor prescribes it, or because it is beneficial to some, that it poses no risks to others. This is far from the truth.
It is true that drugs like Adderall have drastically improved the lives of children and others correctly diagnosed with disorders like A.D.H.D. However, because of the extreme focus and alertness it provides, it has also become a popular drug among teenagers and young adults who use it as a study aid, party drug, and weight-loss drug. What many aren’t aware of is that drugs like Adderall are highly addictive and can have serious psychological side effects for those who don’t need them. This is alarming when The New York Times recently reported that almost 14 million monthly prescriptions for A.D.H.D were written for Americans ages 20 to 39 in 2011 (up from 5.6 million in 2007).
Why are so many prescriptions being written? Some of it may be due to the recent increase in recognition of adult A.D.H.D., but it may also be from a rise in teenagers and young adults faking symptoms to get prescriptions. As well as, doctors who “skip established diagnostic procedures, renew prescriptions reflexively, and spend too little time with patients to accurately monitor side effects.” (NYTimes: “Concerns About A.D.H.D. Practices and Amphetamine Addiction”)
Some warning signs of Adderall abuse:
- nervousness or restlessness
- uncontrollable shaking of a part of the body
- headaches
- sleep disturbances
- weight loss
- paranoia
