Why Happens When You Mix Adderall and Alcohol?

Adderall can assist those with ADHD or bipolar disorder manage their symptoms. However, there is a higher risk of health complications if you combine Adderall with alcohol. Before using Adderall, you should speak with your doctor about the potential side effects.

Adderall is a stimulant, while alcohol is a depressant. Therefore, they work against one another in your body. This can result in various negative side effects and lead to more severe health problems in the future. Overdosing on either substance can worsen your health.

Why Do People Mix Alcohol and Adderall?

Adderall is a member of the class of drugs known as prescription stimulants (PS). These drugs stimulate the brain to boost energy and concentration. Adderall is commonly used to treat ADHD and narcolepsy.

Alcohol, on the other hand, is a depressant, so it has the opposite effect of Adderall, leading you to feel relaxed and less concentrated. However, these two substances have one thing in common: they both increase your dopamine levels.

Dopamine has several functions, but is best recognized for its ability to make us feel happy. Your brain creates dopamine spontaneously whenever you engage in enjoyable activities, such as laughing or kissing.

Therefore, when you combine Adderall with alcohol, you receive a twofold dose of dopamine, which indicates that the combination might lift your mood even more than either drug alone. In addition, being a stimulant, Adderall might postpone the sleepiness you would typically experience while you continue to consume alcohol.

If this seems like a good time, there is something important to consider: These euphoric effects of combining Adderall and alcohol might make it more difficult to determine when you have had enough.

Who is Most Likely to Mix Alcohol and Adderall?

College students are among the most at-risk populations for excessive alcohol consumption and Adderall usage. According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), college students between the ages of 18 to 24 are more likely to drink excessively than their non-college peers. The commonness of alcohol in college social life leads many students to link the positive outcomes of meeting new friends and feeling less anxious with alcohol consumption. When the burden of managing academics and social life becomes too heavy, many students turn to Adderall to thrive in both. Some students believe that Adderall is a “study drug” after learning that it can improve their concentration and academic performance. Others consider it a recreational drug and deliberately mix it with alcohol to prolong parties and consume more booze.

According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, a staggering 90 percent of nonmedical Adderall users also reported excessive drinking. According to a study, one-third of college students who use prescription stimulants do so to “stay awake to party.” The majority of teenagers and young people mistakenly believe that because Adderall is prescribed by a physician, it is safe, and they cannot become addicted to it.

What Happens When Alcohol and Adderall are Taken Together?

Alcohol and Adderall do not go well together. Alcohol is a depressant, whereas Adderall is a stimulant. Although it may appear that the two substances would balance each other out, this is not the case; the substances might exacerbate each other’s detrimental effects.

Alcohol and Adderall are both extremely addictive substances. Both decrease inhibitions and can result in injury, accidents, and increased risk-taking behavior. Adderall might make someone feel less intoxicated than they actually are. Adderall also alters how alcohol is metabolized in the body, which can result in increased blood alcohol levels. When people combine alcohol with Adderall, they may not realize how much alcohol they’ve consumed. This might cause the user to consume far more alcohol than their body can tolerate, leading to intoxication risks, risky behaviors, and overdose.

Alcohol poisoning is a severe condition of combining Adderall with alcohol. Alcohol poisoning is the rapid intake of excessive amounts of alcohol. Changes in body temperature, seizures, confusion, an irregular heartbeat, gag reflex problems, and slowed breathing are some signs of alcohol poisoning. Additionally, it has the potential to cause a coma or even death. If a person is experiencing alcohol poisoning, they must get emergency medical attention.

Some people who mix alcohol and Adderall exhibit behavioral issues. Because the combination reduces the capacity to filter thoughts and behaviors, many users are often more aggressive and illogical and less attentive and aware of the consequences of their actions.

Adderall raises the risk of cardiac issues in its users, and non-prescribed usage poses an even greater threat. When a substance is used with alcohol, the risk gets amplified. Some other issues users may experience when they mix Adderall and alcohol are heart rate, irregular heartbeat, and extremely high body temperature.

Treatment of Adderall and Alcohol Addiction

There are several resources available for you or a loved one who is afflicted with addiction. Attending therapy once a week or joining a support group may seem sufficient, but recovery takes more than a small amount of assistance.

The Recovery Team can help you recover from your addiction problem and live a happy, sober life by offering: