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Adderall is a stimulant drug formulated from amphetamine and dextroamphetamine, typically prescribed to treat ADHD and narcolepsy. However, the drug is commonly misused—and obtained through spurious prescriptions or black-market channels—in attempts to increase overall energy and work performance. Some people also take the drug as an appetite suppressant and weight-loss aid, or simply to induce a euphoric “high.”
Those who misuse Adderall (or any drug) as a quicker route to personal goals are at greater risk of both addiction and overdose. It’s a red flag if someone is taking Adderall:
And, of course, it’s a scarlet-red flag to have taken Adderall to the point of overdose. The rest of this article looks at Adderall overdose signs, what to do in case of overdose and how to manage the aftermath.
Even though Adderall is a Schedule II controlled substance (recognized as having high potential for abuse and addiction), there are still people who doubt it can cause overdose. The truth is, thousands of people are treated each year for overdoses involving Adderall and other prescription stimulants. Since not all overdoses are life-threatening or obviously serious, tens of thousands more likely “wear off” on their own and go unreported.
Common physical symptoms of Adderall overdose include:
There are also common mental/emotional symptoms:
The good news is that the majority of Adderall overdoses are nonfatal. This does not mean, however, that symptoms should be ignored or brushed off. Even if symptoms are relatively mild and seem to go away by themselves, overdose is a potential sign of addiction that may lead to a future, much worse, overdose. Or an overdose may do invisible damage to the heart, kidneys or other vital organs.
If you or someone else develop any of the above symptoms after taking Adderall (even according to prescription instructions), don’t wait to see what happens. Call 911 immediately and ask for emergency medical treatment services. Give your location and describe the situation in detail. Stay on the phone unless the dispatcher advises you to hang up.
(If, as sometimes happens, the person seems coherent and insists he or she doesn’t need a doctor, call anyway. Don’t worry about whether someone will “get mad.” Better to lose an evening or even a friend than to risk losing a life.)
While waiting for professional help:
When emergency medical services arrive, be prepared to provide further details on the situation:
While it may prove painful to be honest about the details of Adderall use—especially if illegal activities were involved—it’s important to give medical staff an accurate picture so they can provide effective treatment. Usually, treatment involves:
Once physical dangers related to an overdose are past, the person will likely be evaluated for addiction. If an addiction disorder is diagnosed, the next step is to get medical treatment and therapy so the patient can detox completely from Adderall and plan for a long-term future without it. Even if the overdose wasn’t connected to an actual addiction, if it was due to any form of misuse they should see a therapist to deal with the root causes.
(If you suspect someone has an Adderall addiction that hasn’t been diagnosed—if they’ve suffered an overdose they recovered from without medical treatment, or if they show other addiction symptoms as noted above—check here for ideas on convincing them to get help before they have another, perhaps fatal, overdose.)
Anyone with an addiction of any kind always needs professional help. “Just quitting” can have life-threatening physical effects, trigger dangerous behavior and/or increase the risk of overdose if someone gives up when partly detoxed. Even if they ride out withdrawal with no serious repercussions, they’ll deprive themselves of professional medical care that could find hidden health damage done by the drug use. And in the more immediate term, they’ll be without access to important support resources that make it easier to stay clean. Because addiction is considered a chronic condition (the brain retains certain programming that makes return to drug use feel natural under certain circumstances), the danger of relapse is high, and reducing risk is an important part of recovery.
Basic rules for staying clean from a chemical addiction are:
Since Adderall misuse is typically linked to competitive environments and the striving to achieve, readjusting after being treated for Adderall overdose or addiction may require additional techniques for reducing stress and pressure:
Sources:
For related information on recognizing and responding to overdose, see the following articles:
How Long Does an Overdose Last?
How to Cope with the Emotional Effects after a Drug Overdose
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