Adderall Tolerance: Can You Decrease It?

What Is Adderall?

Adderall is a medication that is frequently prescribed to young children, teens, and young adults with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). This stimulant is a combination of dextroamphetamine and amphetamine. It helps those suffering with ADHD to control their movements and increases their ability to stay focused. Children with ADHD may have a very tough time getting along in school. Simple tasks like sitting down at their desk, listening, focusing, and completing an assigned task can be enormous challenges for ADHD kids. To help them regain some control over their academic life, doctors often prescribe them drugs like Adderall or Ritalin.Unfortunately, when misused, Adderall is especially addictive among young people. Because their brains are still developing, it is much easier for children under the age of 18 to form an addiction to it. You may also know Adderall as the “study drug.” That means teens and young adults are actively searching for pills they do not have a prescription for to help them study and get better grades.Adderall has been popular since about the 1990s. It has been helpful for ADHD, but it has also been addictive for many users. People who are not even medically cleared to take Adderall may consume it by purchasing it illegally. This can be very damaging and cause a serious addiction. If you take Adderall without the consent of a medical professional, you may begin an unhealthy relationship with it.

How Do You Build Tolerance to Adderall?

The body can develop Adderall tolerance. If you are using it for medical reasons, you may feel as though it has stopped working or become less effective after a period of time. This is perfectly normal. Usually, your doctor will evaluate the efficacy of your current dose and prescribe a tiny increase in dose if needed. Incremental increases in dosage are important to prevent the misuse of Adderall.Patients just starting out with Adderall may also need dosage adjustments as they and their doctor try to find the right balance. If users take Adderall in greater quantities, their bodies will eventually adjust and become tolerant. The efficacy of the medication may no longer be the same.The trouble lies with how much of a dosage increase patients give themselves. Your doctor will take care to adjust your dosage properly. If you take matters into your own hands, you may take too much and further your tolerance level even more.The more you take, the more you will eventually need to experience the same results. This is why dosage is so important. Misuse is very common. Another problem occurs when users buy Adderall from patients who need it and take it. If a doctor has not allowed you to take Adderall, you should not take it.If you continue to abuse Adderall, you will continually increase your dose. Eventually, the high doses will still only have very minimal effects on you. High Adderall tolerance can be very problematic and will eventually lead to a serious problem. Plus, if you are taking Adderall because you need it for ADHD, you will find yourself unable to enjoy the benefits of the medication unless you take it in dangerously high quantities.

Is Adderall Addiction Dangerous?

Yes, it is. Substance abuse disorder is a very dangerous disease. Addiction to Adderall does not differ from an addiction to illicit street drugs like cocaine, heroin, or meth. Adderall addiction can cause headaches, worsened depression or anxiety, trouble sleeping, and stimulant-induced psychosis. These potential side effects can affect different users to different degrees.It is also dangerous because users may easily turn to the black market if they cannot get Adderall prescribed to them as they crave it. Dealers can combine black market drugs with several other illegal drugs that increase dependency. It is unsafe to purchase Adderall on the street. It is also unsafe to take it if you do not have a prescription for it.Adderall tolerance and addiction can open up the door to other addictions, as well. When the dopamine high eventually maxes out, users may experiment with other drugs to recreate the high they crave. Adderall addiction can also cause neurotoxicity. This occurs when the increased levels of dopamine and serotonin cause permanent damage to nerve endings in the brain.This damage can cause problems in the central nervous system. It can affect your brain’s ability to control your mood, think, learn, or remember information. This damage is irreversible. Although the initial dopamine rush may be over in a few minutes, it remains in the bloodstream much longer and can continue to affect neurotransmitters in the brain long after the high has dissipated.

Can You Decrease Tolerance to Adderall?

Misusing Adderall can lead to a tolerance to the medication. This means if you really need Adderall to manage ADHD at the right dose, you cannot enjoy the benefits anymore. Your tolerance level may be much higher than the recommended dose and now, the medication no longer helps you manage the symptoms of ADHD.The best way to lower your tolerance to Adderall safely is to quit by slowly reducing your intake. After several months of Adderall detox, your tolerance level may lessen.Your doctor may also recommend you take a different stimulant during the time you are detoxing from Adderall so you can continue to control your ADHD and manage the symptoms. You may want to try natural remedies to restore your level of tolerance, but before you do this, consult with your doctor. Only a qualified healthcare professional can help you manage your symptoms and still detox safely from Adderall.Your Adderall tolerance level will decrease a little, but it is possible you may not reduce it to what it once was. That means you may not successfully take Adderall again for ADHD or other health reasons. If you become addicted to Adderall but do not have a reason to be taking it, then you can simply detox from the medication and not take any stimulants in its place.Quitting your addiction is easier said than done, but there are plenty of services and treatment therapies available at Windward Way Recovery to help you manage your addiction and break free from it.

How Do You Know if You’re Abusing Adderall?

Here are some signs that you may be developing an addiction to Adderall:

• You are shopping around for doctors and pharmacies because no one health professional will give you the dose you want.
• You are increasing your dosage without consulting a doctor or pharmacist.
• You are experiencing frequent headaches because of your Adderall usage.
• You cannot stop taking Adderall on your own.
• You are having difficulty sleeping because of your Adderall consumption.
• You are experiencing a sudden loss of appetite.
• You are uncontrollably talkative.
• You find yourself with excess energy at all times or very often.
• You crash with fatigue when your Adderall wears off.

Adderall abuse is like the abuse of other substances. An addict cannot quit taking the substance, even if they really want to. The uncontrollable urge to use is a key element of substance abuse disorder. If you are considering whether you have a problem, you probably do.

What Are the Side Effects of Adderall Abuse?

Adderall can have many short-term and long-term effects. In the short-term, you may have an easier time focusing with the correct dosage. However, the side effects can quickly turn disastrous if you are consuming too much. Here are some of the minor and major side effects of Adderall use:

• Loss of appetite
• Sudden weight loss
• Fatigue
• Headaches
• Light-headedness
• Fever
• Anxiety or nervousness
• Onset or worsening of depression
• Difficulty sleeping
• Neurological disorders
• Permanent brain damage that causes memory loss
• Inability to think clearly or learn
• Reduced inhibition control

These side effects may occur to a limited degree in patients who are adjusting to their new dose of ADHD medication. However, overuse of this drug can lead to a greater severity of these symptoms. If you are experiencing shortness of breath or worsening symptoms, report to your local ER as quickly as possible.

How Do You Quit Adderall?

Quitting Adderall isn’t as easy as it sounds. Once your body has developed Adderall tolerance, it can be very difficult to quit. In fact, quitting cold turkey may even cause some withdrawal symptoms. The safest and easiest way to quit is to wean off the Adderall medication and slowly reduce your intake.Again, changing the dosage is a decision that only a qualified healthcare practitioner can make. They can help you figure out how to reduce your intake slowly and minimize the effects of withdrawal. You can expect some minor withdrawal symptoms, even if you wean slowly. Symptoms should subside after the first couple of weeks. If symptoms worsen, see your doctor or ER physician. To make sure you quit successfully, follow up your reduced intake with a recovery rehab program. Rehab programs can help you resolve the emotional and mental issues that arise from substance abuse disorder. Therapy programs can help you understand your addiction and maintain a drug-free life after recovery.You can choose from group therapy, individual therapy, art therapy, nature therapy, and other therapy programs to find the best one for your individual needs.Discovering your own individual path to recovery can help keep substance abuse out of your or your loved one’s life for good. If you or a loved one are suffering from Adderall abuse, reach out to Windward Way Recovery today to find your path to recovery.

How Do You Start Your Journey to Recovery?

You can reduce your Adderall tolerance and reduce the side effects of too much Adderall in recovery. Recovery is a long, complex, and very individual process. Learning to live without the crutch of addiction is difficult. Starting your journey begins with acceptance. Once you accept that you have a problem and accept that you need help, you are ready to begin the journey to recovery.You don’t have to face this alone. You can come to therapy with a support system, or you can come to find a support system. No matter what happens, know you are not alone. We can help you reduce your tolerance to Adderall and break free from your prescription drug abuse problem.Millions of Americans battle substance abuse every year. Millions of Americans battle prescription drug abuse every year. But millions of Americans also find recovery every year, and you can be one of them. If you are looking for a way to quit your addiction to Adderall and get control of your life, now is the time. Call us today. We can help.