20 Signs of Adderall Addiction That You May Not Notice

As an ADHD treatment medication, Adderall works well at treating many of the symptoms associated with ADHD disorder. When taken as prescribed, there’s little to no risk of abuse or addiction.

As someone unaffected by ADHD has a different brain chemistry than someone who is, using or abusing Adderall on a regular basis can quickly lead to addiction, according to the University of California School of Medicine. This drug’s classification as an amphetamine-based substance places users at high risk of developing signs of Adderall addiction, with some signs more noticeable than others.

Here are 20 often-overlooked signs of Adderall addiction to watch out for:

adderall addiction

Adderall can have harmful effects for those who use it who do not have ADHD.

  1. According to the U. S. Food & Drug Administration, signs of Adderall addiction can impact the body’s cardiovascular functions causing an increase in overall heart rate.
  2. Adderall’s effects on brain chemistry create an overall state of chemical imbalance. Over time, users start to display aggressive behaviors that are uncharacteristic of their normal demeanors.
  3. Chronic Adderall use greatly disrupts a person’s sleep cycles that eventually make it difficult to sleep through the night.
  4. Over time, the effects of Adderall will leave users in a fatigued, exhausted state for much of the time.
  5. Adderall works by altering central nervous functions. Over time, users may experience numbness in the fingers and toes as chemical imbalances become more pronounced.
  6. With ongoing use, signs of Adderall addiction will show up within a person’s decision-making abilities as the drug’s effects cause damage to the brain’s cognitive centers.
  7. People struggling with pre-existing seizure disorders may start to experience seizure episodes on a more frequent basis when abusing Adderall.
  8. Once addiction takes hold, continued drug use may cause users to exhibit psychotic like behaviors, some of which include:
    • Delusional thinking
    • Hallucinations
    • Paranoia
  9. The cumulative effects of Adderall drive users to an extreme state of fatigue. As a result, a person may sleep nonstop for two or more days at a time on a frequent basis.
  10. Signs of Adderall addiction can bring about a state of overall agitation and restlessness in a person’s demeanor.
  11. Much like the hallucinations that occur when addiction takes hold, users may start to experience vivid, disturbing dreams on an ongoing basis.
  12. Someone who’s taking larger and larger doses of the drug is exhibiting a sure sign of Adderall addiction.
  13. As addiction sets in, a person will likely run into problems at the workplace as his or her work performance starts to decline.
  14. Relationship problems soon develop as Adderall’s effects impair a person’s ability to relate with others.
  15. People addicted to Adderall experience ongoing decline in their overall health.
  16. Over time, signs of Adderall addiction show up as poor grooming and hygiene habits.
  17. After a while, the money spent on Adderall will cause serious financial problems to develop.
  18. Maintaining needed supplies of Adderall can drive users to engage in criminal activities.
  19. As drug-using behaviors gradually take over a person’s like, he or she will lose interest in activities once enjoyed.
  20. The most telltale sign of Adderall addiction takes the form of persistent drug cravings.