Adderall is an incredibly addictive substance when abused and can cause a person to go through strong withdrawal symptoms if they suddenly stop taking the drug after long-time use. Adderall detox is the act of stopping an Adderall regimen suddenly and it can occur both in those who abuse the drug and those who do not.
Detoxing from Adderall can be frustrating, difficult, and even scary. Finding help during this time may be necessary for you, especially if you have been abusing the drug. In Adderall detox, you will be able to receive different treatments for your withdrawal symptoms, cravings, and any other issues you might experience.
What is Adderall Detox Really Like?
According to SAMHSA, “The most effective means of treating stimulant withdrawal involves establishing a period of abstinence from these agents.” Adderall is made up of two stimulant drugs: dextroamphetamine and amphetamine which are both very powerful substances. It is easy for a person to become addicted to Adderall if they are abusing it. And, when the individual is taken off of them, this is the first step toward recovery from addiction.
Adderall detox, like detox from all stimulants, can be very different from person to person. When someone detoxes from a stimulant, they could experience cravings and mild depression issues, or they could deal with severe psychosis and much more intense withdrawal symptoms. There is really no way of knowing what an individual person’s experience will be before they start to withdraw from the drug.
Adderall detox requires an abstinence from the drug.
Adderall detox is an intense treatment, usually in either an inpatient or an outpatient clinic, that is meant to help people stop abusing and being dependent on the drug. It leads into Adderall addiction treatment and helps many people with the issues of Adderall abuse and addiction by introducing them to this program. Meanwhile, the certain facility you visit may be different from others, but the treatments will be largely similar.
In the Beginning
When you first choose a detox facility, you will want to make sure it is the right one. If you have a strong support system at home filled with loved ones and your addiction to Adderall is not too severe, you should consider attending outpatient treatment, which is common for Adderall abusers, many of whom are college students (and especially those who are enrolled full time and will not want to leave school for treatment) (SAMHSA). If, however, you are experiencing the signs of stimulant-induced psychosis, extreme paranoia, severe depression, or other such issues, you will want to check into an inpatient center.
Either way, your first day in detox treatment will deal with multiple tests to find out your needs, your health issues, and any other pieces of information that will make it easier for your doctor to give you a specialized treatment plan. Decisions will be made about how best to treat you and your withdrawal symptoms: according to the NIDA, “If stimulants are abused chronically, withdrawal symptoms––including fatigue, depression, and disturbed sleep patterns––can result when a person stops taking them.”
Withdrawal Symptoms from Adderall
The withdrawal symptoms from Adderall can range from uncomfortable to dangerous, especially if the individual is experiencing stimulant-induced psychosis. The common withdrawal symptoms you will likely experience, according to the ADF, are:
- Increased appetite
- Vivid, unpleasant dreams
- Psychomotor agitation or retardation
- Fatigue
- Insomnia or sometimes hypersomnia
- Depression
- Restlessness
- Agitation
These are all fairly common and can usually be dealt with through the help of Adderall detox clinics. There is a possibility that the individual may become very depressed and consider suicide, but detox clinics also have therapy which can help with this issue as well. However, symptoms of psychosis are a bit more intense and include:
- Paranoia
- Hallucinations
- Delusions
- Compulsive behavior
- Aggression
- Violence
According to the CHCE, “Psychosis is induced more commonly by amphetamine than by cocaine, perhaps because it is difficult to maintain high chronic levels of cocaine in the body.” If this issue does occur, patients will receive other treatments as well.
Medication
Medication is a very common and successful treatment for Adderall withdrawal. Though there “are no medications proved to treat stimulant withdrawal,” certain prescription drugs can be very helpful toward getting a patient through their most intense withdrawal cycles and help them during a trying time.
- Neuroleptics can be used in Adderall withdrawal to control the psychosis and delirium in patients who are severely affected by this issue. Some patients are even restrained if they become too dangerous to themselves or others.
- Anticraving agents “with a fast onset of action may be helpful during the early withdrawal period” (CHCE).
- The patients who become very depressed during Adderall withdrawal are often prescribed antidepressants to help them deal with their feelings while allowing them to focus more easily on their eventual recovery.
Many people who detox from Adderall are hesitant about taking more drugs, but these medications, when used correctly, do help those dependent on Adderall become calmer and able to better focus on themselves, their treatments, and their recoveries.
Therapy
One of the most popular therapy types for stimulant withdrawal is contingency management. As stated by the NIDA, it is a therapy plan where issues in the brain’s reward system are slowly remedied through the use of vouchers. A patient who stays sober for a certain period of time will receive these vouchers. “The voucher has monetary value that can be exchanged for food items, movie passes, or other goods or services that are consistent with a drug free lifestyle.” Vouchers make patients want to stay sober and the therapy involved helps open their eyes to the many issues caused by abusing stimulants.
The other common Adderall detox therapy approaches are:
- Cognitive-behavioral management
- Community reinforcement approach plus vouchers.
- The matrix model
- 12-Step
Patients who attend detox will likely also attend therapy in addition to taking meds. The withdrawal symptoms from stimulants are mostly psychological and a good counselor can help you very much during this time.
Adderall detox certainly isn’t easy to go through and can even be quite dangerous and severe, depending on your situation. Know that you can always check into a detox clinic if you are dealing with intense issues as a result of discontinued Adderall use or abuse.
