Adderall is a central nervous system (CNS) stimulant composed of the chemicals amphetamine and dextroamphetamine. Providing concentration and focus, Adderall is used to treat those who have attention deficit disorders such as ADD and ADHD. Additionally, Adderall treats narcolepsy by providing energy to maintain alertness.
Despite being a commonly prescribed medication, Adderall use runs the risk of abuse and addiction. As a Schedule II drug, Adderall has a high potential for habit-forming behaviors and physical dependence. Those using Adderall for reasons other than the prescribed purpose abuse the substance. Similarly, taking Adderall in ways that deviate from the directions is also substance abuse.
Taking Adderall for weight loss is a form of substance abuse that results in mental and physical harm.
Abusing Stimulants For Weight Loss
A common side effect of Adderall is a lack of hunger— as Adderall increases your energy, it boosts your metabolism and decreases your appetite. As a result, people abuse Adderall abuse to lose weight. Abusing Adderall for its appetite suppressant effects can result in severe health risks that damage both mental and physical health.
An unfortunate consequence of Adderall abuse for weight loss is the development of an eating disorder. Additionally, those with a predisposition for eating disorders are more likely to abuse Adderall for weight loss. Keep in mind, people who use Adderall for other reasons can still develop eating disorders without exhibiting the behavior prior to drug use.
Eating Disorders and Adderall Abuse
Abusing Adderall with the intent of weight loss can be an indicator of an eating disorder. Anorexia nervosa, typically shortened to anorexia, is an eating disorder the presents as the culmination of physical and psychological traits that surround body image in regards to weight loss. A person suffering from anorexia will fixate on their body, obsessively exercising and dieting to lose weight. On the opposite side of the eating disorder spectrum is binge eating disorder. Binge eating presents as the need to eat past the point of satiation out of compulsion, not hunger.
Those who suffer from anorexia use Adderall as a way to further the restriction of calories. People who struggle with binge eating disorder take Adderall to prevent binge episodes for extended periods of time. Additionally, those who abuse Adderall in an attempt to lose weight often develop a cyclical pattern of anorexia nervose during drug use and binge eating disorder between periods of use. This is because Adderall suppresses the feeling of hunger while in the system, but once the drug effects wear off, the body craves food and causes a binging episode. If the person abusing Adderall follows their binging episode with purging their body of food, they have developed the eating disorder call bulimia nervosa.
Indicators of Adderall Fueled Eating Disorders:
- Strict eating schedules tied to Adderall doses
- Obsessive exercise
- Starvation/ restrict diets
- Binging/purging episodes without Adderall
- Requiring Adderall to start the day
- Excessive worry regarding access to Adderall
Unfortunately, it is common practice for those who suffer from an eating disorder to use Adderall’s effects for weight loss. People who restrict their diets to minimize their food intake use Adderall to enabled self-starvation. Additionally, people use the extra energy provided by Adderall to fuel obsessive exercise regimens to further their daily calorie deficit.
Treatment For Substance Abuse
Societal pressures and poor self-image can turn Adderall use into Adderall abuse, often resulting in the development of addiction and an eating disorder. Adderall addiction can lead to debilitating and potentially permanent health conditions. In order to heal from Adderall addiction and any associated disorders, it is important to seek Adderall addiction treatment. Here at Royal Life Centers, we offer a full continuum of care to help you recover from your addiction to Adderall.
