If you’re asking yourself what is adderall, how long does adderall last, is it an effective ADD medication, or is there an adderall high you’re in the right place.
What is Adderall? The Commonly Prescribed ADD Medication
Adderall is a central nervous system stimulant in the phenethylamine class of drugs. It contains various amphetamine salts which increase norepinephrine and dopamine in the brain. This can cause feelings of euphoria with an increased ability to concentrate with heightened awareness. It’s commonly prescribed as an ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder) medication and can be effective when taken at low doses. At high doses the user will experience an adderall high. This high will cause frontal cortex damage. This will deplete the brains natural ability to produce dopamine and norepinephrine which can cause long-term consequences. The drug is commonly prescribed between 10 and 30mg in the United States, though far lower doses are necessary for treatment of ADD. Doses as low as 5mg can be effective for treating ADD without causing excessive frontal cortex damage that will cause the patient to be even more dependent on the medication over time.
How Long Does Adderall Last?
Now that we’ve disclosed what is adderall, a lot maybe wondering how long does adderall last. The half-life of adderall varies dependent on urine pH levels. At normal levels the two primary active amphetamine salts have a half-life of 9-11 hours. Acidic urine can reduce the half-life to 7 hours. Adderall XR is an extended release version which is designed to replace the initial dose with a second dose 4 hours after taking the medication. The user will typically experience an adderall high for roughly 4-6 hours with instant release and 8-12 hours with extended release. Following the adderall high, the user will feel a comedown period that can last 24-48 hours after the effects have subsided. An adderall comedown is where the user feels the depletion of neurotransmitters in the brain. This can have various symptoms including restlessness, depression, anxiety, and a lack of an appetite.
The Adderall High
Using adderall even at prescribed dosages can cause a high that is very similar to methamphetamine. Often times the user will feel an immense sense of well being from the release of dopamine and above average ability to perform task from norepinephrine. Often times this boost in confidence and ability will make the user feel “fixed” even if there wasn’t a problem to begin with. They’ll often set out and make a massive list of goals, study for hours on end without feeling bored, become more social with little feelings of social anxiety. They feel born again which contributes to intense psychological addiction.
I hope this article gave you insight into what is adderall, how long does adderall last, what’s the adderall high like, and is it an effective ADD medication. Below is a video from the author of this article, subscribe to his channel for video content!
Philip Markoff (Associate of Science) is an online influencer and thought leader on addiction education; he is known as his alias “CG Kid” who’s obtained a large audience primarily on YouTube as a vlogger and journalist. His current sobriety date from polysubstance chemical dependency is June 9th, 2013.