Substance Use

Adderall Tolerance: Can You Decrease It?

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What Is Adderall Tolerance? Can It Be Decreased?

If you are developing a tolerance to Adderall, you may find it is becoming less effective. If this is the case, you will need to decrease your tolerance so the medication will be effective for your needs. Is there a way to reduce Adderall tolerance? Yes, there is.

Learn how to decrease your tolerance to Adderall and how to seek help if you are addicted to this drug.

Prescription drug abuse is a tremendous problem in America. But your path to recovery can start today. Call Zinnia Health at (855) 430-9439.

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How Do You Build a Tolerance to Adderall?

If you are using Adderall for medical reasons, you may feel as though it has stopped working or become less effective after some time. This is perfectly normal. Usually, your doctor will evaluate the efficacy of your current dose and prescribe a tiny increase in amount if needed. Incremental increases in dosage are essential to prevent the misuse of Adderall.

Patients just starting with Adderall may also need dosage adjustments as they and their doctor try to find the right balance. If users take Adderall in greater quantities, their bodies will eventually adjust and become tolerant. The efficacy of the medication may no longer be the same.

The trouble lies with how much of a dosage increase patients give themselves. Your doctor will take care to adjust your dosage properly. If you take matters into your own hands, you may take too much and further your tolerance level.

The more you take, the more you will eventually need to experience the same results. This is why dosage is so important. Misuse is very common.

Another problem occurs when users buy Adderall from patients who need it and take it. If a doctor has not allowed you to take Adderall, you shouldn’t take it.

If you continue to abuse Adderall, you will continually increase your dose. Eventually, the high doses will only have very minimal effects on you. High Adderall tolerance can be problematic and ultimately lead to a serious problem.

If you take Adderall because you need it for ADHD, you will find yourself unable to enjoy the benefits of the medication unless you take it in dangerously high quantities.

Is Adderall Addiction Dangerous?

Substance abuse disorder is a very dangerous disease. Addiction to Adderall does not differ from an addiction to illicit street drugs like cocaine, heroin, or meth.

Adderall addiction can cause headaches, worsened depression or anxiety, trouble sleeping, and stimulant-induced psychosis. These potential side effects can affect different users to different degrees.

It is also dangerous because users may easily turn to the black market if they cannot get Adderall prescribed to them when they crave it. Dealers can combine black market drugs with several other illegal drugs that increase dependency.

It is unsafe to purchase Adderall on the street. It is also unsafe to take it if you do not have a prescription.

Adderall tolerance and addiction can also open up the door to other addictions. When the dopamine high eventually maxes out, users may experiment with other drugs to recreate the high they crave. Adderall addiction can also cause neurotoxicity.

This occurs when the increased levels of dopamine and serotonin cause permanent damage to nerve endings in the brain.

This damage can cause problems in the central nervous system. It can affect your brain’s ability to control your mood, think, learn, or remember information. This damage is irreversible. Although the initial dopamine rush may be over in a few minutes, it remains in the bloodstream much longer.

Adderall can continue to affect neurotransmitters in the brain long after the high dissipates.

Can You Decrease Tolerance to Adderall?

Misusing Adderall can lead to a tolerance to the medication. This means if you really need Adderall to manage ADHD at the correct dose, you cannot enjoy the benefits anymore. Your tolerance level may be much higher than the recommended dose, and now the medication no longer helps you manage the symptoms of ADHD.

The best way to lower your tolerance to Adderall safely is to quit by slowly reducing your intake. After several months of Adderall detox, your tolerance level may lessen.

Your doctor may also recommend you take a different stimulant during the time you are detoxing from Adderall so you can continue to control your ADHD and manage the symptoms.

You may want to try natural remedies to restore your tolerance level, but before you do this, consult with your doctor. Only a qualified healthcare professional can help you manage your symptoms and still detox safely from Adderall.

Your Adderall tolerance level will decrease a little, but it is possible you may not reduce it to what it once was. That means you may not successfully retake Adderall for ADHD or other health reasons. If you become addicted to Adderall but do not have a reason to take it, you can simply detox from the medication and not take any stimulants in its place.

How Do You Know if You’re Abusing Adderall?

Here are some signs that you may be developing an addiction to Adderall:

  • You shop around for doctors and pharmacies because no one health professional will give you the dose you want.
  • You increase your dosage without consulting a doctor or pharmacist.
  • You experience frequent headaches because of your Adderall usage.
  • You cannot stop taking Adderall on your own.
  • You have difficulty sleeping because of your Adderall consumption.
  • You experience a sudden loss of appetite.
  • You are uncontrollably talkative.
  • You find yourself with excess energy at all times or very often.
  • You crash with fatigue when your Adderall wears off.

Adderall abuse is like the abuse of other substances. An addict cannot quit taking the substance, even if they really want to. The uncontrollable urge to use is a key element of substance abuse disorder. If you are considering whether you have a problem, you probably do.

What Are the Side Effects of Adderall Abuse?

Adderall can have many short-term and long-term effects. In the short term, you may have an easier time focusing with the correct dosage. However, the side effects can quickly turn disastrous if you consume too much.

Here are some of the minor and major side effects of Adderall use:

  • Loss of appetite
  • Sudden weight loss
  • Fatigue
  • Headaches
  • Light-headedness
  • Fever
  • Anxiety or nervousness
  • Onset or worsening of depression
  • Difficulty sleeping
  • Neurological disorders
  • Permanent brain damage that causes memory loss
  • Inability to think clearly or learn
  • Reduced inhibition control

These side effects may occur to a limited degree in patients who are adjusting to their new dose of ADHD medication. However, overuse of this drug can lead to greater severity of these symptoms. If you are experiencing shortness of breath or worsening symptoms, report to your local ER as quickly as possible.

How Do You Quit Adderall?

Quitting Adderall isn’t as easy as it sounds. Once your body has developed Adderall tolerance, quitting can be challenging. In fact, quitting cold turkey may even cause some withdrawal symptoms. The safest and easiest way to stop is to wean off the Adderall medication and slowly reduce your intake.

Again, changing the dosage is a decision only a qualified healthcare practitioner can make. They can help you figure out how to reduce your intake slowly and minimize withdrawal effects.

You can expect some minor withdrawal symptoms, even if you wean slowly. Symptoms should subside after the first couple of weeks. If symptoms worsen, see your doctor or ER physician.

To make sure you quit successfully, follow up your reduced intake with a recovery rehab program. Rehab programs can help you resolve the emotional and mental issues that arise from substance abuse disorder. Therapy programs can help you understand your addiction and maintain a drug-free life after recovery.

You can choose from group therapy, individual therapy, art therapy, nature therapy, and other therapy programs to find the best one for your individual needs.

Discovering your own individual path to recovery can help keep substance abuse out of your or your loved one’s life for good. If you or a loved one are suffering from Adderall abuse, reach out to Zinnia Health today to find your path to recovery.

How Do You Start Your Journey to Recovery From Adderall Addiction?

You can reduce your Adderall tolerance and the associated side effects in recovery. Recovery is a long, complex, and very individual process. Learning to live without the crutch of addiction is difficult. Starting your journey begins with acceptance. Once you accept that you have a problem and need help, you are ready to start the journey to recovery from Adderall addiction.

No matter what happens, know you are not alone. We can help you reduce your tolerance to Adderall and break free from your prescription drug abuse problem.

Millions of Americans battle Adderall and stimulant substance abuse every year. But millions of Americans also find recovery every year, and you can be one of them.

If you are looking for a way to quit your addiction to Adderall and get control of your life, call us today at (855) 430-9439. We can help.

Call us
Ready to get help?
(855) 430-9439
Why call us? Why call us
VIEW OUR TREATMENT CENTERS