Doctors most often prescribe Adderall for attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Some people don’t realize they have ADHD, or another mental illness and self-medicate with Adderall. ADHD and mental illness play a significant role in an Adderall addiction. An effective Adderall addiction treatment program addresses both conditions. Our goal is to help our patients achieve overall recovery. Therefore, we treat multiple mental health conditions simultaneously.
Amphetamines
Doctors occasionally use Adderall to treat narcolepsy. But its main use is to treat ADHD. ADHD is a breakdown in the brain that causes hyperactivity, shorter attention spans, and impulsive behaviors.
Adderall is addictive. Therefore, doctors use the lowest possible dose for efficacy. If the patient takes the drug as directed by a doctor, it can be a significant aid in managing ADHD symptoms.
On the other hand, if the patient misuses Adderall, they can develop an addiction. In that case, the patient displays standard addiction symptoms. The most prominent of these are cravings and withdrawals in between doses.
During a period of withdrawal, the patient displays a distressed mood, insomnia, nightmares, increased appetite, and/or fatigue. According to the Australian Government Department of Health, “Participants [in the Cantwell and McBride 1998 study] reported that symptoms persisted for between five days and three weeks.
Withdrawals are often agonizing. In fact, they’re one of the main causes for relapse. This specifically creates a difficult challenge for self-detoxification of the drug. A medical supervision of withdrawals is available during Adderall addiction treatment. It ensures your safety and comfort while going through this process. It also reduces the likelihood that you’ll relapse during this time.
Adderall Addiction vs Mental Illness
Adderall-addicted people frequently have another mental illness. “Multiple national population surveys have found that about half of those who experience a mental illness during their lives will also experience a substance use disorder and vice versa,” says the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA).
That begs the question: which came first? The chicken or the egg? Rather, the mental health condition or the addiction? Everyone’s experiences with addiction and mental illness are different. Some develop an addiction first, while others develop a mental illness first.
Furthermore, each one may cause the other. NIDA explains why another mental illness is often accompanied by an Adderall addiction. “Three main pathways can contribute to the comorbidity between substance use disorders and mental illnesses:
- Common risk factors can contribute to both mental illness and substance use and addiction.
- Mental illness may contribute to substance use and addiction.
- Substance use and addiction can contribute to the development of mental illness.”
Studies have shown that simultaneous treatment for every present disorder is the most effective. For that reason, our Adderall addiction treatment programs addresses every mental health condition the patient has.
Adderall Addiction Treatment Programs
Recovery in Motion offers treatment programs for all our patients’ needs. Our partial hospitalization and intensive outpatient programs heal the whole person. Not only do we address mental health issues, but also physical, spiritual, and legal ones.
Treatment begins with an immersive, unique program designed just for you. Partial hospitalization is a high level of care. Patients spend most of their days in treatment. Then they go home to sleep at night. Intensive outpatient programs are also immersive. However, the patient spends less time in treatment and more time at home.
The amount of time you spend in treatment depends on the severity of your addiction. After an overall evaluation of your health, your addiction specialist will determine which program is right for you.
During treatment, multiple psychotherapy approaches make up most of the treatment program. Researchers have discovered many effective forms of psychotherapy for mental health. Cognitive behavioral therapy is the foundation of addiction treatment.
Other types of psychotherapy include motivational incentives, group therapy, family therapy, and more. We value the use of family therapy in addiction programs. Research indicates that addiction treatment programs that include family therapy are more effective than programs that do not.
The Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Administration’s published Treatment Improvement Protocols, which cites multiple studies on family therapy. “Changing the family’s maladaptive patterns of interaction may help to correct psychosocial problems among all family members.” We specialize in family therapy because it’s such an important component of a successful treatment program.
Paxton House Sober Living
After completing a treatment program, recovering people are free from the rigor of an Adderall addiction treatment program. Instead of going home, many find comfort in the structured environment of a sober living residence. This is especially true in early recovery.
For that reason, we’ve partnered with Paxton House Sober Living. Paxton House residences are conveniently located in Tucson, Arizona near bus routes. With laundry, phone, and internet onsite, it has everything you need.
The pathway to recovery is within your reach. We invite you to contact us today. Take your life back from your Adderall addiction.
Sources
[1] Cafasso, Jacquelyn. “Adderall Addiction: What You Should Know.” Healthline, 4 Feb. 2019, www.healthline.com/health/adderall-addiction.
[2] Department of Health. “The Amphetamine Withdrawal Syndrome.” Department of Health, Apr. 2004, www1.health.gov.au/internet/publications/publishing.nsf/Content/drugtreat-pubs-modpsy-toc~drugtreat-pubs-modpsy-3~drugtreat-pubs-modpsy-3-7~drugtreat-pubs-modpsy-3-7-aws.
[3] National Institute on Drug Abuse. “Part 1: The Connection Between Substance Use Disorders and Mental Illness.” National Institute on Drug Abuse, 28 May 2020, www.drugabuse.gov/publications/research-reports/common-comorbidities-substance-use-disorders/part-1-connection-between-substance-use-disorders-mental-illness.
[4] National Institute on Drug Abuse. “Why Is There Comorbidity Between Substance Use Disorders and Mental Illnesses?” National Institute on Drug Abuse, 25 June 2020, www.drugabuse.gov/publications/research-reports/common-comorbidities-substance-use-disorders/why-there-comorbidity-between-substance-use-disorders-mental-illnesses.
[5] Treatment, Center for Substance Abuse. “Chapter 1 Substance Abuse Treatment and Family Therapy.” Substance Abuse Treatment and Family Therapy., U.S. National Library of Medicine, 1 Jan. 1970, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK64269/.