If you take Adderall to treat attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), are considering taking it, or have an Adderall addiction, you may wonder what the withdrawal process is like. Unfortunately, it’s not easy. Adderall withdrawal typically involves a collection of unpleasant symptoms, which you will need to manage for several weeks.
So what can we expect, and how do we make the withdrawal process smoother?
Key Takeaways: Adderall Withdrawal
- Adderall is effectively used for the behavioral health conditions of ADHD but has side effects including trouble sleeping and anxiety.
- Coming off the drug safely will likely require medical care, as some psychological symptoms such as suicidal thoughts can be life-threatening.
- Adderall withdrawal has no specific drugs to treat it, and symptoms commonly last for a few weeks.
- Managing withdrawal symptoms may only require rest, diet, and lifestyle changes; or a medical detox program in an addiction treatment center.
- Supplements that may help with Adderall withdrawal symptoms include tyrosine and phosphatidylserine, which support dopamine production.
What Is Adderall?
Adderall is a prescription stimulant, made from a combination of D-amphetamine and L-amphetamine. The D and L forms are, in chemistry terms, mirror images of each other. They are not the same as the more dangerous methamphetamines that you hear about being used as recreational drugs.
The actions of Adderall center around increasing dopamine and noradrenaline levels in the brain. Taking the drug slows both the breakdown of these neurotransmitters and their reuptake into brain cells [1]. Neurotransmitters enable communication from one brain cell to the next, so they are only active when inside the spaces between them.
How Is Adderall Used?
Adderall is prescribed to treat ADHD and narcolepsy. This is because both conditions lack stimulating neurotransmitters, namely dopamine, and noradrenaline. Unmedicated ADHD, where these neurotransmitters are not restored, is linked to a smaller brain volume. For long-term health, it is, therefore, necessary to seek treatment [2].
About 62% of kids aged two to 17 take ADHD medication
Drug abuse with Adderall is an unfortunately common issue. The effects that dopamine has on motivation, focus, and learning make it seem like an appealing study pill.
Adderall Side Effects
Typical side effects of Adderall include overstimulation, anxiety, insomnia, and poor appetite. High doses can lead to muscle damage, panic attacks, psychosis, and even heart attack. Other mental disorders such as bipolar conditions can be worsened by taking the drug, too [3].
If you’re taking Adderall to enhance your mental performance or go on the occasional Adderall binge, you may be considering quitting because of these side effects.
Is Adderall Addictive?
Adderall addiction is so common that the FDA has listed the drug as a controlled substance [3]. Over time, your body becomes physically dependent on the drug to keep your dopamine and noradrenaline levels in the healthy range. Symptoms of withdrawal also make it harder to stay away from Adderall, as they can be debilitating.
It was found that more men than women in college misuse Adderall (14.6% and 8.8%)
How Does Adderall Addiction Affect Your Life?
The signs of Adderall addiction can creep up on you but are often dangerous. When you’re dependent on the drug to feel alert and productive, without it, you feel mentally foggy and tired.
If you are wondering whether or not you have fallen into Adderall dependence, consider the following [4]:
- Did you start taking Adderall for a specific purpose, such as an exam period, but found yourself unable to think about stopping?
- Are you taking higher or more frequent doses?
- Are you aware of the health, social, and legal risks of stimulant drugs, but still cannot see withdrawal from Adderall as worthwhile?
- Are you injecting, snorting, or smoking the pills?
- Are you experimenting with other drugs?
If you answered yes to any of the above, you are misusing Adderall and could be addicted.
Adderall Withdrawal Timeline
A general Adderall withdrawal timeline of what to expect during the medical detox features a sudden onset of symptoms, followed by gradual relief [5] [6]:
- Within 13 hours: Half of your last dose has been detoxified from your body [3].
- Days 1–7: The Adderall crash phase. This is the worst part of your withdrawal period, where you can expect light, unrefreshing, and broken sleep, intense depression, and fatigue that may feel like complete exhaustion.
- Days 7–10: Relief begins, but you are still likely to have insomnia, poor or overactive appetite, an inability to focus, mood swings, headaches, and body aches. You may still have paranoia, too.
- Up to day 21: Common withdrawal symptoms up to the three-week point are increased appetite and disturbed sleep. You may be sleeping too much or too little during this time.
- Day 90: By three months, you can expect to return to your old self.
How Long After Quitting Adderall Do You Go Into Withdrawal?
Within 24 hours of quitting Adderall cold turkey, withdrawal symptoms appear. This is because of the time it takes for your liver to detoxify Adderall from your bloodstream, and this time is measured in half-lives. The half-life of L-amphetamine is 11–13 hours and 9–11 hours for D-amphetamine [3].
Therefore, roughly half of your last dose will be gone in 12 hours, and 75% will be removed in 24 hours.
Adderall Withdrawal Symptoms
Symptoms of withdrawal from Adderall are predominantly psychological symptoms and are close to other types of amphetamine withdrawal. Here are the most common [5]:
- Sleep disturbances, where you sleep too much or too little.
- Emotional symptoms, which are typically depression or anxiety.
- Increased appetite.
- Adderall cravings.
- Fatigue.
- Poor coordination.
How Long Does Adderall Withdrawal Last?
As written above, the worst symptoms of Adderall withdrawal typically pass within a week or two, depending how long Adderall stays in your system. Unfortunately, some symptoms may still linger for up to three months.
How Can I Ease Adderall Withdrawal Symptoms at Home?
Unfortunately, there are no drugs that can ease withdrawal symptoms. Only two antidepressants have been tested in amphetamine withdrawal, but their effects are mild and one is not available in the USA [5]. There are some diet and lifestyle changes you can follow at home to make the transition to an Adderall-free life easier, however.
These changes can relieve symptoms by reducing cortisol, as well as giving your brain much-needed antioxidant and anti-inflammatory support:
- Resist the temptation to scroll through social media or jump down the Youtube rabbit hole as a way to distract yourself from intense withdrawal symptoms. Light exposure at night suppresses the antioxidant hormone melatonin while keeping cortisol levels high [7].
- Gentle exercise at no more than half of your maximum aerobic capacity is a healthy distraction that reduces cortisol [8].
- Rely on water for hydration instead of endless coffee. Your cortisol concentrations are higher when you are dehydrated, and your cognitive function suffers [9].
- It is recommended that you drink 2 to 3 liters of water every day when going through stimulant withdrawal. Combining this with vitamin C and B-group vitamin supplementation is also advised [10].
- A healthy diet low in sugar, fat, and processed foods may help to restore dopamine levels, too. Lab research suggests that insulin dysregulation, such as that triggered by high-fat diets, could reduce dopamine [11].
Getting Treatment for Adderall Addiction
Adderall addiction may be too difficult to beat on your own. Thankfully, medical support is available to help you ease off the drug safely and address the cause of addiction.
Don’t wait around if you develop psychotic symptoms or suicidal thoughts either, as they can be life-threatening. Seek immediate medical support in either of these situations.
Adderall Detox
To minimize intense withdrawal symptoms, a tapering program can sometimes be used as an Adderall detox. One example of this is a 10-milligram decrease in your daily dose every three days if you are abusing Adderall at high doses. This has been used in a case study to assist a man with multiple psychiatric disorders to quit Adderall without causing more problems [12].
At lower doses, an Adderall detox taper may even look like cutting your pills into quarters, to gradually wean your brain off taking the drug. It is, however, an individualized process and must be done under medical supervision.
Rehabilitation Program
Rehabilitation for substance abuse, Adderall included, may involve a drug rehab treatment center, personal support from a mental health professional, or group therapy.
It takes more than just quitting Adderall and using other drugs or supplements to relieve withdrawal symptoms for a successful recovery. You may learn techniques such as progressive muscle relaxation for short-term stress relief, for example.
Cognitive-behavioral interventions can help to pick up negative thoughts and emotions that may have pushed you into abusing Adderall. It involves “thinking about thinking,” first and foremost. If you feel that you are “never good enough,” for example, a mental health professional can show you how to challenge these thoughts and replace them with more constructive, realistic ones.
Other methods you may learn from licensed medical professionals include healthy problem solving and ways to avoid cues that once triggered Adderall misuse [13].
Aftercare Services
Once you no longer experience withdrawal symptoms or cravings for Adderall, you may still be at risk of relapsing back into drug abuse. You may also feel the need to be surrounded by those who understand your past experiences. In this case, you could benefit from support groups.
Adderall Alternatives
Withdrawal from Adderall may be made easier by knowing there are natural, effective substitutes that can safely give you a motivation and focus boost, but without the harmful side effects. The best nootropics include ingredients that may enhance dopamine levels in a more supportive manner as opposed to a more forceful way. In a sense, they’re like an over-the-counter Adderall.
Mind Lab Pro
Mind Lab Pro is a nootropic supplement that may not only increase dopamine, but also other neurotransmitters such as noradrenaline and serotonin. For example, tyrosine is the direct precursor to dopamine and the top ingredient of Mind Lab Pro [14].
Another ingredient, phosphatidylserine, has been specifically tested in ADHD. Through acting on dopamine, noradrenaline, acetylcholine, and serotonin, it can significantly improve inattention, impulsivity, and memory [15].
Read the full Mind Lab Pro review here for more information.
Performance Lab Nootropics
Performance Lab Nootropics not only contains tyrosine and phosphatidylserine but also citicoline and maritime pine bark.
Maritime pine bark is a powerful antioxidant, which may benefit people with ADHD as the condition features increased oxidative stress as a contributing factor [16]. While directly taking choline can result in toxic by-products, citicoline is a safe supplemental form. Once converted back to choline, it makes the stimulant neurotransmitter, acetylcholine [17].
Interested? Read the complete Performance Lab review here.
FAQs
How long can we expect to have Adderall stick around in our lives once we decide to kick the habit?
How Long Does It Take To Come Off Adderall?
Professional medical advice is the best way to determine how long you will need to taper off Adderall rather than stopping cold tukey. For example, you may spend a week or two taking half of your usual dose, or gradually reduce the dose over two to three weeks. After your last dose, it can take up to three months to see the end of your withdrawal symptoms.
What Happens if I Skip My Adderall?
If you leave your next dose for too long, symptoms of Adderall crash can appear in 24 hours.
What Is Considered Long-Term Use of Adderall?
The average treatment period among adults with ADHD was 128 days (four months), in a study of over 4500 people. How long is too long depends on medical professionals’ personalized advice to you [2].
What Does Adderall Do to a Normal Person?
Research on normal, healthy college students found that Adderall may not be all it’s cracked up to be. Although there were subjective benefits on emotional state, there was only a minor improvement in cognitive performance [18]. This is likely because they are already producing enough dopamine.
How Do You Know if Someone Is on Adderall?
Just as many disabilities are invisible, including ADHD and narcolepsy, the medications used to treat them aren’t always clear. It is the same situation with Adderall abuse. You may just see the person as having a laser-like focus, full of energy, and motivated to get everything done.
Conclusion
Adderall withdrawal is a process that may require anything from lifestyle changes to specialized drug addiction treatment in a rehab center. Although the anxiety, trouble sleeping, and other symptoms can be difficult to deal with, nootropic supplements, psychotherapy, and other interventions can support a successful recovery.
References:
- Easton, Neil et al. “Effects of amphetamine isomers, methylphenidate and atomoxetine on synaptosomal and synaptic vesicle accumulation and release of dopamine and noradrenaline in vitro in the rat brain.” Neuropharmacology vol. 52,2 (2007): 405-14. doi:10.1016/j.neuropharm.2006.07.035
- Berman, S M et al. “Potential adverse effects of amphetamine treatment on brain and behavior: a review.” Molecular psychiatry vol. 14,2 (2009): 123-42. doi:10.1038/mp.2008.90
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration. “Adderall.” (2017) https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2017/011522s043lbl.pdf
- Everitt, Barry J. “Neural and psychological mechanisms underlying compulsive drug seeking habits and drug memories–indications for novel treatments of addiction.” The European journal of neuroscience vol. 40,1 (2014): 2163-82. doi:10.1111/ejn.12644
- Shoptaw, Steven J et al. “Treatment for amphetamine withdrawal.” The Cochrane database of systematic reviews vol. 2009,2 CD003021. 15 Apr. 2009, doi:10.1002/14651858.CD003021.pub2
- Pasic, J. “Amphetamine Withdrawal.” In: Nordstrom K., Wilson M. (eds) Quick Guide to Psychiatric Emergencies. Springer, Cham. 2018, doi:10.1007/978-3-319-58260-3_39
- Rahman, Shadab A et al. “Characterizing the temporal Dynamics of Melatonin and Cortisol Changes in Response to Nocturnal Light Exposure.” Scientific reports vol. 9,1 19720. 23 Dec. 2019, doi:10.1038/s41598-019-54806-7
- Hill, E E et al. “Exercise and circulating cortisol levels: the intensity threshold effect.” Journal of endocrinological investigation vol. 31,7 (2008): 587-91. doi:10.1007/BF03345606
- Zaplatosch, Mitchell E, and William M Adams. “The Effect of Acute Hypohydration on Indicators of Glycemic Regulation, Appetite, Metabolism and Stress: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.” Nutrients vol. 12,9 2526. 20 Aug. 2020, doi:10.3390/nu12092526
- Clinical Guidelines for Withdrawal Management and Treatment of Drug Dependence in Closed Settings. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2009. 4, Withdrawal Management. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK310652/
- Fordahl, Steve C, and Sara R Jones. “High-Fat-Diet-Induced Deficits in Dopamine Terminal Function Are Reversed by Restoring Insulin Signaling.” ACS chemical neuroscience vol. 8,2 (2017): 290-299. doi:10.1021/acschemneuro.6b00308
- Chu, Robert Karoly, et al. “ Adult ADHD: Questioning Diagnosis and Treatment in a Patient with Multiple Psychiatric Comorbidities.” Case Reports in Psychiatry, (2017): 1–7. doi:10.1155/2017/1364894
- Clinical Guidelines for Withdrawal Management and Treatment of Drug Dependence in Closed Settings. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2009. 5, Psychosocial interventions. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK310657/
- van de Rest, Ondine et al. “Dose-Dependent Effects of Oral Tyrosine Administration on Plasma Tyrosine Levels and Cognition in Aging.” Nutrients vol. 9,12 1279. 23 Nov. 2017, doi:10.3390/nu9121279
- Hirayama, S et al. “The effect of phosphatidylserine administration on memory and symptoms of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder: a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial.” Journal of human nutrition and dietetics : the official journal of the British Dietetic Association vol. 27 Suppl 2 (2014): 284-91. doi:10.1111/jhn.12090
- Verlaet, Annelies A J et al. “Oxidative stress and immune aberrancies in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD): a case-control comparison.” European child & adolescent psychiatry vol. 28,5 (2019): 719-729. doi:10.1007/s00787-018-1239-4
- McGlade, Erin et al. “The Effect of Citicoline Supplementation on Motor Speed and Attention in Adolescent Males.” Journal of attention disorders vol. 23,2 (2019): 121-134. doi:10.1177/1087054715593633
- Weyandt, Lisa L et al. “Neurocognitive, Autonomic, and Mood Effects of Adderall: A Pilot Study of Healthy College Students.” Pharmacy (Basel, Switzerland) vol. 6,3 58. 27 Jun. 2018, doi:10.3390/pharmacy6030058