It’s important to take Adderall as prescribed, under the supervision of a qualified medical professional. Your prescribing doctor should carefully consider the risks of combining Adderall with alcohol8 or other substances. People who have a higher risk of misuse and those with a history of substance use might benefit from considering alternative treatment options. Kayla holds over 6 years of experience in the rehab space, including in-house content management at a leading dangers of mixing adderall and alcohol: short and long term risks treatment center.
What are the Side Effects of Mixing Alcohol and Adderall?
Some individuals engage in self-medication, using alcohol to counteract Adderall’s stimulant effects and induce relaxation or sleep. In an attempt to manage ADHD symptoms, some people may turn to alcohol as another way of medicating uncontrolled symptoms. While alcohol can temporarily increase dopamine levels in the brain—providing short-lived relief—it ultimately reduces dopamine over time. Additionally, frequent mixing of alcohol and ADHD medications increases the risk of developing alcohol abuse or dependence.
Adverse Reactions/Side Effects
Ten milligrams of Adderall XR is a typical dose for children between the ages of 6 and 17, according to the drug’s manufacturer. For an adult, a typical dose of Adderall XR is 20 milligrams, given once per day. Many children and teens with ADHD just take Adderall on school days and take a break on the weekend to lessen some of the side effects such as insomnia. If you’re an adult with ADHD, it may be safe to take it every day but that depends on several factors. There aren’t any medications to treat Adderall withdrawal, though you may be given an antidepressant if your depression is long-lasting.
Dependence
This can increase your risk of alcohol overdose, which causes symptoms like confusion, vomiting, slowed breathing, or even unconsciousness. On the flip side, alcohol can make you feel like the Adderall isn’t working, leading to an overdose of the medication. When you take prescription stimulants such as Adderall, it can mask the effect of alcohol, making it harder to tell how intoxicated you are.
- Some Adderall side effects, such as dry mouth, don’t need medical treatment.
- Chlorpromazine blocks dopamine and norepinephrine receptors, thus inhibiting the central stimulant effects of amphetamines, and can be used to treat amphetamine poisoning.
- The loss of control over decisions can have lasting consequences.
- Some seek euphoria from the use, while others may hope for increased energy, improved mental performance, or enhanced athletic performance.
Bipolar Disorder and Addiction
This may cause people to drink more than they would do otherwise. Stimulant drugs like Adderall are the first-line treatment for people with ADHD. Adderall is one of the most commonly prescribed ADHD medications. ADHD is also linked with lower levels of dopamine and norepinephrine in your brain. This can include falling in love, getting a promotion, or winning a prize. So people who use Adderall and alcohol together are often not aware of how much alcohol they’ve consumed.
Adderall and Alcohol: Effects, Risks, and Safety Considerations
We know that the first day of treatment can be overwhelming for anyone. We work with you to ensure you ease yourself into the treatment process. During intake you will be asked some more questions about your background & medical history. Our caring treatment navigators are standing by 24 hours a day, 7 days a week ready to help you or your loved one.
Misusing Adderall, especially in combination with other substances like alcohol, can lead to serious health risks. Adderall is a prescription medication primarily used to treat ADHD and narcolepsy. It belongs to a class of drugs called central nervous system (CNS) stimulants, which increase brain activity and speed up certain bodily functions, such as heart rate. For individuals diagnosed with ADHD, Adderall can enhance focus and improve cognitive functioning, helping to manage symptoms like inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity.
This can lead to serious health risks, including alcohol poisoning and heart problems. Whether you take Adderall with a prescription or use it recreationally, understanding how these two drugs interact can help you make safer decisions about your health. For example, Adderall can delay the sedative effects of alcohol, making a person feel more alert while drinking. This may lead to overconsumption of alcohol, increasing the risk of alcohol poisoning. Additionally, the masking effect—where one substance hides or alters the impact of the other—makes it harder to gauge how much has been consumed.
Because Adderall makes you less aware of the effects of alcohol, you’re less likely to realize how drunk you actually are. For many people, this causes them to drink much more than they intend to—which means you can reach dangerous blood alcohol levels before you notice the warning signs. Adderall works by increasing certain brain chemicals,1 particularly dopamine and norepinephrine. These chemicals help regulate attention, movement, and pleasure.
Many people also find motivational interviewing (MI) helpful, as it strengthens your motivation for change while helping you envision a different future for yourself. These mental health effects can persist even after the substances wear off. Studies show that while Adderall can make you feel more capable of driving after drinking alcohol,4 it doesn’t actually make you less drunk. In other words, even though you might feel more alert and think you can drive safely, your coordination and judgment are still seriously impaired by the alcohol. The bottom line is, mixing Adderall and alcohol puts a dangerous strain on your heart, even if you’re young and healthy.
The combined effects of these withdrawal signs can increase pain and distress. This makes it harder to stop using these addictive substances and raises the chances of relapse. The combination of Adderall and alcohol can lead to several long-term risks. This condition is marked by memory loss and other thinking problems. While these effects wear off quickly, long-term alcohol use may cause permanent brain changes, which can lead to impaired mental function.
- Mixing Adderall with alcohol strains the cardiovascular system.
- Contact us today to discuss your personalized treatment plan toward sobriety.
- The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration classifies Adderall as a Schedule II drug, meaning it carries a high risk of abuse and severe physical and psychological addiction.
- The brain’s neurotransmitter balance can also be disrupted, potentially leading to memory loss, cognitive decline, and higher levels of dependence on both substances.
However, this combination is risky and can lead to serious health problems, including impaired judgment and increased chances of overdose. In the short term, this combination can mask the effects of alcohol, leading to overconsumption and increased risk of alcohol poisoning. In the long term, it can strain your heart, liver, and mental health, potentially causing lasting damage to your body.