Is Adderall Keeping Teens Up at Night?

Adderall for teens

Yes, it is an absolute truth that Adderall is keeping teens up at night. A lot of kids these days take Adderall for recreational purposes and as a result they begin to get addicted to the med. The usage of this drug has seen a significant growth in recent years and a large number of high school seniors were known to abuse the drug. Adderall, comprising of amphetamine is typically prescribed for treating attention deficit hyperactivity disorder or narcolepsy. The drug has the ability to stimulate the central nervous system. The reputation of this drug to be used as a study aid as it helps in promoting concentration levels and increases the ability to focus at work is what draws more and more teens to use the drug. They use the medicine to finish their project or to do their research work at night by staying awake. Many also take the med for recreational purposes.

Adderall, ADHD, and sleep issues

Many kids having ADHD have sleep issues. These sleep problems either tends to be overlooked or viewed as co-existing relationship to ADHD. The sleep disturbances are sometimes incorrectly attributed to stimulant class drugs which are often taken to treat ADHD. Based on a research conducted, it was found that on an average, children who took Adderall got about 20 minutes less sleep during the night than those kids who were on placebo. Therefore, it is important for the parents to recognize the sleep issues with their teens and take them to qualified doctors to receive appropriate treatment. The doctor might either change the drug or would alter the dosage levels. The research also established that more often a teenager takes Adderall during the day, the longer it takes for them to sleep at night.

Though this medicine does not carry the risks as that of other opioids, there are chances that the pill can still be addictive and could lead to psychosis. Those who misuse the drug can develop the tendency to become paranoid, aggressive or anxious. There are cases which tend to become severe wherein abusing the drug could result in heart attacks or even to death.

Research on Adderall

One study shows that those who abuse the med procure Adderall from friends or relatives or acquaintances. The study also portrayed that only about 20% of teenagers were found to get the medicine in a legal way by getting it prescribed form qualified doctors. Many even have the thought that amphetamine is quite easy to obtain.

There is a serious misconception that Adderall can make one smarter. But the truth is that the drug can actually deteriorate cognitive functioning for certain tasks. People actually tend to harm themselves by taking this drug on a regular basis. Therefore, it is important to communicate these people that using Adderall is not considered safe. Though it is a known fact the side effects of a drug have to be overweighed by its benefits, it is yet equally important that the drug does not deteriorate the health of the user.