Can Adderall Cause Anxiety? Serious Risks And Its Alternatives
If you are struggling with ADHD, then your doctor must have surely prescribed you Adderall. Today, it is one of the leading medications in the world and has always been debated in the medical world. This is because Adderall is highly addictive and carries a lot of side effects with it. One of those side effects of Adderall is anxiety. Anxiety normally is a neurological disorder, but one induced by Adderall can be very serious. Patients keep wondering can Adderall cause anxiety and if it does, how it happens. In this blog, we will see how does Adderall cause anxiety, how we can avoid all its risks, and what alternatives we can consider for ADHD.
Can Adderall Cause Anxiety? A Complete Guide to Understand the Causes, Risks, and Alternatives
What Is Adderall?
Adderall, a mixture of two salts, amphetamine and dextroamphetamine, is a stimulant medication used for Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). It is also used for treating a sleeping disorder called Narcolepsy. Patients can find it by other names like Dynavel XR, Adderall XR, and Mydaysis. Adderall is available in the market as immediate-release and extended-release tablets. The mechanism of Adderall is to bind with norepinephrine and dopamine receptors, which will trigger their neurotransmitters. These neurotransmitters will reach the brain and alter some of its chemicals. This process slows down the brain and relaxes the patient effectively. As a Schedule II drug, it his highly addictive.
What Is Anxiety?
Anxiety is a normal mental health disorder that can happen to a person due to stress, discomfort, or trauma. Though a normal phenomenon, it can turn serious when it starts showing other symptoms besides stress. These can include a faster heart rate and pulse, sweating profusely, restlessness, and procrastination. Anxiety can make a person feel that they are in extreme danger, they are not doing enough, they are not brave enough to face a situation, and many more presumptions. This causes the person with anxiety look for coping mechanisms, triggers, and in the worst case, for drugs on their own without a doctor’s consultation.
Can Adderall Cause Anxiety In People with ADHD?
When Adderall is administered to ADHD patients, they make sure the dosage is given according to the intensity of the disorder in the patient and factors like age. But Adderall is easily addictive, and it is very natural for the patient to start overdosing on it. This overdose leads to amplified stimulant effects of the medication on the nervous system, which further leads to the excessive release of noradrenaline (or norepinephrine). The uncontrolled release of noradrenaline mimics all the symptoms of anxiety, like rapid thoughts, faster heartbeats, inpatient behaviour, overthinking, and it can also increase hyperactivity, which is already an underlying issue of ADHD.
Does Adderall Worsen Anxiety?
Those who are already dealing with anxiety might be taking up Adderall due to its relation to ADHD. Doctors do not prescribe Adderall for anxiety because it is neither approved for it nor can it help with it because of its stimulant effects, which are discussed above. But if you are taking it, Adderall is going to worsen your anxiety and propel it into a major disorder. It might make one feel good, as Adderall improves our focus and concentration, something that is lacking in ADHD. On top of that, Adderall also releases and boosts dopamine in our brain, which might make a patient feel relieved from anxiety, but it is just a temporary high of a drug.
Risks When Adderall Causes Anxiety
When Adderall causes anxiety or worsens pre-existing anxiety, it can bring up problems one might not be aware of. From common side effects like racing thoughts and a faster heart rate, to severe risks like panic attacks and dependence, Adderall can cause and exacerbate anxiety effortlessly. Here are some of the side effects.
- Racing and Rapid Thoughts
- Jitters
- Restlessness
- Dizziness
- Troubled Concentration
- Mood Swings
- Feeling lonely and endangered
- Insomnia
- Increased Heart Rate
- High Blood Pressure
- Tremors
- Nervousness
- Paranoia
- Panic Attacks
- Dependence and Tolerance
Can Adderall Cause Anxiety When It Wears Off?
Even after Adderall wears off from your body and your dose is complete, it can cause symptoms that lead to anxiety. A condition named “crash” occurs in our body after the medication wears off. Here, the patient might feel the effects of anxiety, that is, feeling on edge and anxiety attacks happening occasionally after taking Adderall. This is because of the noradrenaline levels suddenly dropping after the medication. This can also happen due to the overall drop in the level of medications that can cause the rebound effects. This phenomenon should not occur in normal dosage, and this is when you must consult a doctor and make changes to your dosage.
Alternative Medications for ADHD If Adderall causes Anxiety
Switching to alternatives to Adderall to reduce anxiety is the best option after understanding what risks it might carry. These alternatives definitely include non-stimulant drugs, but at the same time it can have few stimulant drugs too. There are some natural remedies, but they may not be as effective as dedicated drugs.
Stimulant Alternatives
Non-Stimulant Alternatives
- Strattera
- Kapvay
- Intuniv
- Wellbutrin
- Qelbree
Natural Alternatives
- Gingko Biloba
- Caffeine
- L-theanine
- Omega-3 fatty acids
Conclusion
Adderall does cause anxiety, and it’s an issue that must be avoided at all costs. Anxiety itself is a very troublesome condition where one tends to lose touch with what is real. But it being caused due to overdosing on Adderall is not good. The side effects of Adderall causing anxiety, are very dangerous, and taking up alternatives for ADHD might be the best option.