Is Mixing Adderall and Weed Dangerous?
Is Mixing Adderall and Weed Dangerous?
Table of Contents
What is Adderall?
Adderall is an amphetamine and dextroamphetamine. Adderall works by changing the levels of natural chemicals/substances inside of the brain, and it is a stimulant.1
Adderall is used to treat multiple issues, but it is primarily used to treat Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD). Doctors will also prescribe Adderall to treat narcolepsy.
The drug helps control behavior issues, improves attention span/ability to pay attention, helps someone stay focused on a specific activity, improves organization, and improves listening skills.1
Adderall Side Effects
There are multiple side effects of Adderall. Some of these include, but are not limited to:2- Anxiety
- Nervousness
- Restlessness
- Troubles sleeping
- Headache
- Stomach pains
- Nausea/vomiting
- Dry mouth
- Diarrhea/constipation
- Loss of appetite
- Gaining weight
- Uncontrollable shaking
- Changes in sex drive
- Irregular heartbeat
- Shortness of breath/breathing problems
- Difficult/slow speech
- Dizziness/faintness
- Seizures
- Weakness/numbness in a limb
- Chest pains
- Excessive exhaustion/tiredness
- Seizures
- Motor and verbal tics
- Paranoia
- Hallucinations
- Mania
- Aggressive/hostile behavior
- Blurred vision
- Swelling of the face
- Hoarseness
- Fever
- Blistering skin
- Rash/hives/itching
How Long Does Adderall Last?
Adderall normally takes about half an hour to kick in. It stays in a person’s system for about four hours, and Adderall XR lasts up to twelve hours.3
Is Adderall Addictive?
When monitored and used under the care of a physician, the risk of Adderall abuse is low. However, Adderall addiction is most likely to occur when someone takes more than the prescribed dose, uses it for longer periods of time than prescribed, or takes it more frequently than prescribed by their doctor.4
Adderall can also become more addictive when taken with other medications. People at the highest risk of Adderall addiction are students, athletes, those are struggling with anorexia or bulimia, people who work in stressful environments, or individuals that struggle with substance abuse disorder.4
The Effects of Marijuana
Side Effects
There are several potential short-term effects of marijuana use:5
- Altered senses
- Altered sense of time
- Mood changes
- Impaired movement and memory
- Troubles with thinking
- Risk of psychosis
- Hallucinations
- Delusional
- Issues with brain development
- A decline in general knowledge
- A decline in verbal ability
- Troubles breathing
- Increased heart rate
- Issues with child development for pregnant women
- Extreme nausea and vomiting
Is Weed Addictive?
Weed can lead to substance abuse disorder. Between 9-30% of people that use marijuana will develop substance abuse disorder. Marijuana is also more addictive for people who start using it under the age of 18.5
What Happens When You Mix Adderall and Weed?
It is difficult to tell what can happen when someone mixes Adderall and marijuana because of marijuana’s varying effects. Adderall is a stimulant, but marijuana is a stimulant, depressant, and hallucinogen. That means that mixing Adderall and weed could have a balancing effect due to the stimulant/depressant combination, but it can also have an enhancing effect due to mixing a stimulant and depressant.6
The Effects of this Combination
People that mix Adderall and weed experience heightened feelings of euphoria, increased stimulation, and reduced anxiety.6 People will also experience the different side effects of using both Adderall and marijuana.
Why Do People Mix These Substances?
Many times, people will mix Adderall and weed because they can have offsetting effects. Specifically, they can negate the negative effects people experience when taking both independently of one another. However, this is not always the case. Whenever a person mixes a stimulant and a depressant, there can be unpredictable effects that can lead to long-term damage.
People who are most likely to mix Adderall and weed are young adults who are either students or in a stressful work environment. There is also an increased likelihood of people who have struggled with substance abuse disorder previously using both drugs. If anyone has struggled with Adderall abuse in the past, their chances might increase of using this combination.
Is It Dangerous to Mix Adderall and Weed?
There are many dangers when it comes to mixing Adderall and marijuana. First, there is the risk of developing marijuana or Adderall abuse disorder. Both drugs can have chronic issues if a user continuously combines the two.
Adderall addiction can lead to arrhythmia as well as an increased or irregular heart rate. This symptom can be amplified by using marijuana. Because of the depressant effects of weed, mixing the two substances can greatly increase a person’s chance of overdose. Although it takes a significant amount of Adderall to overdose, mixing Adderall and weed makes it much more likely for someone to accidentally do it.
People might also experience a significant increase in nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, numbness, and mental health issues. For people that struggle with specific mental health illnesses, like schizophrenia, this mixture can trigger hallucinations, paranoia, and delusions.
Professional Treatment for Substance Abuse
Detox
Normally, a doctor will refer someone to an inpatient or outpatient rehab facility to help with Adderall addiction. Many times, doctors will taper a person’s usage of Adderall because the withdrawal effects can be severely uncomfortable. A medical professional may gradually lower the dose until a person can live without the drug.
Therapies
After going through withdrawal, the next step is to go through psychotherapy or behavioral therapy. These programs help people learn how to change their behaviors during everyday life. Patients will learn new coping mechanisms to help them get through stressful situations. Therapy is also important to help people to transition from a life with Adderall to a life without it.Resources
- https://www.webmd.com/drugs/2/drug-63163/adderall-oral/details
- https://www.livescience.com/41013-adderall.html#:~:text=III%20%2F%20Creative%20Commons)-,Adderall%20is%20a%20prescription%20medication%20used%20to%20treat%20attention%20deficit,are%20central%20nervous%20system%20stimulants
- https://www.verywellmind.com/how-long-does-it-take-for-adhd-medication-to-work-4140394
- https://www.healthline.com/health/adderall-addiction#causes
- https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/marijuana
- https://rbsrehab.com/adderall-and-weed/
