In 2017, more than 116,000 people will suffer from Adderall addiction, according to addictioncenter.com.

Adderall, Adderall XR and Mydayis are prescription narcotics containing chemicals like sodium chloride. Adderall and other generic amphetamines are used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), attention deficit disorder (ADD) and narcolepsy.

Adderall has the ability to negatively impact one’s behavior, causing bad behavior at school, and at home. Adderall is also an appetite suppressant, and causes unhealthy weight loss. Many teenagers struggling with body confidence abuse Adderall and use it as a weight loss pill.

Addiction can cause separation between families and cause financial strain. Not only can it cause a divide between families, but it can also be a detriment to a teenagers schooling. Because of the stress caused by school, impressionable teenagers feel the need to turn to medications like Adderall.

“I feel like prescription medicine is given for anything and everything,” nurse Bridget Thomason said. “Today’s society is kind of like, ‘If you don’t have a prescription, or if you have something wrong, you expect a prescription.’” 

The struggle to keep up with the addiction is very difficult, because physical appearance is not affected when abusing the substance. An individual struggling with a meth addiction is obvious based on appearance, but an individual abusing Adderall behaves like a hyper-focused functional human.

The problem isn’t diagnosing the addiction, however, the problem is knowing when to stop. Come down crashes are unpredictable and sporadic, the abuser may not know when it’s going to happen, and this is incredibly dangerous. What makes Adderall and other amphetamines like it so intriguing is the idea of having immense amounts of energy. Someone abusing Adderall can stay awake with an intense focus for days on end, but eventually the individual will “crash”.

“Crashing” is when the body tries to overpower the drugs. The drug user may find themselves falling asleep mid-conversation or having minor memory loss. Those who reach the crash point may find themselves falling asleep for extended amounts of time, 12-24 hours or more, the crash point is the body’s way of replenishing chemicals like dopamine in the body, and other natural chemicals needed for the body to function.

“Amphetamines like Adderall are designed to help individuals struggling with ADHD/ADD feel more in control of the things going on around them. Some individuals feel that controlling their ADHD is impossible without the help of drugs, but they don’t know the cost that comes with it,” nurse Melissa Smith of the Mercy Clinic, said.