Can Adderall Cause Depression? All You Need To Know 2024
Updated on
- Written by Jennifer Olejarz, Nutritionist & Health Coach
Medically reviewed by
Melissa Mitri, MS, RD
If you’re a student having a hard time concentrating and keeping up with a heavy workload, you might be tempted to take something like Adderall to help you study. But what about all the side effects — can Adderall cause depression and make things worse?
In 2020, an estimated 5.1 million people[1] in the United States aged 12 or older misused prescription stimulants like Adderall. Young adults from 18 to 25 misused it the most, accounting for 1.6 million.
Taking Adderall recreationally is becoming more common, and the negative effects on your mental and physical health should not be overlooked. Read on to find out what exactly it does to your body and mind and how you can avoid its negative side effects, like anxiety and depression.
Does Adderall Really Cause Depression?
Yes, Adderall can cause depression. It’s more likely to occur in people that take it recreationally or with overly high dosages. Tolerance and addiction are also common, which can exacerbate depression.
Key Takeaways
- Adderall is a stimulant used to help people with ADHD.
- Over 5.1 million people misuse it over the age of 12 in the U.S.A.
- It’s more likely to cause depression in those that take it illegally or misuse their dosages.
- There are many negative side effects to consider, both physiological and psychological.
- It’s easy to become addicted to Adderall, which can worsen depression.
What Is Adderall?
Adderall is a stimulant medication with amphetamine[2] and dextroamphetamine.[3] It’s most commonly used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, ADHD, since it controls the central nervous system, reducing symptoms of ADHD.
Stimulants[4] typically raise physiological or nervous system activity. That means it can make you feel more alert, awake, and energetic. It can also increase levels of dopamine,[5] the pleasure chemical, and norepinephrine,[6] which plays a role in your fight, flight, or freeze response.
These two neurotransmitters also work as hormones and play a big part in how you feel rewarded and respond to stress.
People with ADHD[7] are typically hyperactive and impulsive, with quick mood swings since they feel everything more intensely. Adderall can help individuals suffering from ADHD symptoms by focusing their thoughts and helping them ignore distractions. With medication, they may be able to pay better attention at school or work and control their behavior more easily.
Some people also use it to treat depression. Those with ADHD are more likely to take Adderall for depression as an off-label treatment. It’s not an antidepressant, but since it increases alertness and energy, it can feel like a mood booster.[8]
Why Adderall Makes You Depressed
There are several theories as to why Adderall can make you depressed. Here are some of the most common physiological and psychological reasons:
Neurochemical Disruptions
Since Adderall works to increase the levels of certain chemicals in the brain, it can also disrupt your brain’s ability to use its natural mood-regulating neurochemicals, including dopamine and norepinephrine. These chemicals can improve focus, attention, and motivation, but if they become dysregulated, you can begin to feel sad and hopeless.
High Dosages And Crashes
If you’re taking higher doses, you’ll likely notice more negative side effects or experience a harder crash once the drug wears off. Large doses can also cause over-stimulation, making you feel anxious, panicked, aggressive, or paranoid.
This is especially the case for those who use it illegally. They often take overly high doses and can easily develop[9] withdrawal symptoms, such as depression, fatigue, sleep problems, and suicidal thoughts.
They might also feel exhausted, irritable, and unmotivated afterward, creating a craving to take more to avoid the negative after-effects.
High Expectations
Adderall might also be taken by people who feel extreme pressure to perform well. Whether at school or work, society has become so go-go-go and focused on materialistic achievements that it’s become all too easy to ignore our true needs. People might take Adderall simply to attain some predetermined idea of success, and this pressure can easily become overwhelming.
In general, taking Adderall, along with managing the natural stress and anxiety of living in an achievement-based environment, can exacerbate feelings of stress, anxiety, and depression.
Addiction
It’s easy to develop an Adderall addiction, which can create or worsen depression as you become dependent on it to survive day to day. You might enjoy the initial high feeling or rewards that come with super-productivity, but if you don’t take Adderall exactly as prescribed, you’re more likely to develop negative withdrawal[10] symptoms afterward, leading to more cravings.
So, if you’re already suffering from depression and wondering — can Adderall make depression worse? All signs point to yes.
Other Side Effects Of Adderall
There’s a long list of possible side effects[11] to consider when contemplating taking Adderall. While depression might be more popularly known as one possible outcome, there’s a wide variety of both physical and mental negative effects. Here’s what to keep in mind:
Expected Side Effects
These are the side effects more commonly experienced. They may dissipate with time, but if they become severe or don’t go away, call your doctor immediately. These include:
- Nausea.
- Dry mouth.
- Weight loss.
- Headaches.
- Constipation.
- Painful menstrual cramps.
- Changes in sex drive or ability.
- Anxiety, nervousness, or restlessness.
These effects may vary in severity or length depending on the individual. Either way, they’re not to be taken lightly. Be sure to observe your reactions and report back to your doctor.
Serious Side Effects
If you experience any of these symptoms, you must call your doctor immediately or get emergency medical treatment:
- Seizures.
- Flushed skin.
- Dilated pupils.
- Stomach pain.
- Hallucinations.
- Teeth grinding.
- Loss of appetite.
- Difficulty sleeping.
- Changes in vision.
- Motor or verbal tics.
- Loss of coordination.
- Slow or difficult speech.
- Abnormally excited mood.
- Pale or blue fingers or toes.
- Fast, pounding, or irregular heartbeat.
- Weakness or numbness of an arm or leg.
- Rash, hives, itching, blistering, peeling skin.
- Swelling in the throat, tongue, face, or eyes.
- Vomiting, nausea, diarrhea, fever, shivering.
- Thoughts of harm, both for oneself and others.
It’s not uncommon to experience one of these side effects, so pay attention when beginning treatment or upping your dosage.
Mental Health Side Effects
While Adderall is used to help with ADHD, such as feeling intense emotions, out of control, or an inability to pay attention, taking ADHD medication can worsen depression symptoms or introduce new mental health disorders and issues, such as:
- Mania.
- Anxiety.
- Paranoia.
- Irritability.
- Depression.
- Hallucinations.
- Hostility or aggression.
- Believing things that aren’t true.
- Thoughts of suicide or self-harm.
It’s not a miracle drug to help those suffering from ADHD. These mental health issues can seriously interfere with your daily life. You might develop these symptoms over time or after increasing dosages, so watch out for any new issues developing.
High Risk Of Addiction
One of the biggest issues of Adderall is its high risk of addiction — especially for people not experiencing negative side effects. They may focus solely on its positive rewards, such as increased concentration and physical energy. Tolerance can also develop, making it necessary to use more to feel its original effects.
How To Avoid Risks While Taking Adderall
The first step is to ensure you get a full medical checkup and have a doctor’s prescription for Adderall. There are many preexisting conditions and medications that make Adderall risky to use, so any symptom you’re experiencing should be reported to your doctor, including mental health problems.
Even with a prescription, people may be tempted to take more whenever they’re tired or need to concentrate. Here are steps to follow to make sure you reduce the risks associated with Adderall:[12]
- Only take the amount prescribed by your doctor.
- Immediately report any physical or mental side effects, whether mild or severe.
- Discontinue if negative side effects persist.
- Avoid cold or allergy medicines with decongestants or stomach acid medicines.
- Keep it hidden from children and those at-risk.
Recreational users should be aware that if they have high blood pressure, hyperthyroidism, glaucoma, heart disease, a history of substance abuse, or past negative experiences with stimulants, they should not take Adderall.
Those with mental health issues, such as depression, mania, bipolar disorder, or psychosis, should also be hesitant to take Adderall and consult with their doctor.
Adderall Abuse
Adderall abuse is widespread, especially among youth.[1] It’s often used illegally with a pattern of binge use — randomly consuming large doses over a short period of time.
Tolerance can also develop rapidly and cause psychological dependence. If you were to suddenly stop, you’d likely feel depressed, anxious, exhausted, and get extreme cravings. If you were to take too much, it could even result in cardiovascular collapse and death.
There’s also a higher risk of accidental death because of its stimulating effects on the body’s temperature and cardiovascular regulating systems.
Avoiding the high risk of abuse requires following the steps above and, being vigilant about reporting negative side effects or noticing an increase in tolerance, disclosing everything to your doctor.
Summary
Adderall is a stimulant drug that affects your central nervous system through neurochemicals like dopamine and norepinephrine. It’s mostly used to help treat ADHD, but many people, especially youth, take it recreationally to study better. It’s supposed to help with concentration and allow people to focus on tasks at hand more easily.
Adderall and depression go hand in hand for people who take it illegally or not according to their prescription. If the dosage taken is too high, it can cause various negative side effects, such as depression, anxiety, paranoia, and hallucinations.
Physically, you might get headaches, stomach aches, sleep problems, and an increased heart rate. You might also crave more to avoid the negative effects when going through Adderall withdrawal. This might lead to addiction, which can further exacerbate feelings of anxiety or severe depression.
The best way to avoid the negative effects of Adderall is to take only the amount prescribed and immediately report any negative side effects to your doctor.
While it might seem appealing to take it recreationally to get better grades or work more productively, you should know the negative side effects are far-reaching and can severely affect your well-being.
Unless taking prescribed Adderall, it’s more helpful to see a performance coach or therapist to learn better self-management and concentration techniques. You can learn how to reward yourself and improve your productivity naturally. Drugs aren’t the only answer, and there may be safer and more effective ways out there to improve your concentration.
If you’re struggling with concentration or suspect you have ADHD, consult your doctor for guidance.
+ 12 sources
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- SAMHSA. (2020). Key Substance Use and Mental Health Indicators in the United States: Results from the 2020 National Survey on Drug Use and Health. [online] Available at: https://www.samhsa.gov/data/sites/default/files/reports/rpt35325/NSDUHFFRPDFWHTMLFiles2020/2020NSDUHFFR1PDFW102121.pdf
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- Cleveland Clinic. (2022). Dopamine: What It Is, Function & Symptoms. [online] Available at: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/22581-dopamine
- Cleveland Clinic. (2022). Norepinephrine: What It Is, Function, Deficiency & Side Effects. [online] Available at: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/22610-norepinephrine-noradrenaline
- Cleveland Clinic. (2022). ADHD Medications: How They Work & Side Effects. [online] Available at: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/11766-adhd-medication
- Pary, R., Scarff, J.R., Jijakli, A., Tobias, C. and Lippmann, S. (2015). A Review of Psychostimulants for Adults With Depression. Federal practitioner : for the health care professionals of the VA, DoD, and PHS, [online] 32(Suppl 3), pp.30S37S. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6375494/
- on, I. (2018). Prescription Stimulants DrugFacts | National Institute on Drug Abuse. [online] National Institute on Drug Abuse. Available at: https://nida.nih.gov/publications/drugfacts/prescription-stimulants
- Kerna, N.A., Flores, J., Holets, H.M. and Kadivi, K. (2020). Adderall: On the Razor’s Edge of ADHD Treatment, Enhanced Academic and Physical Performance, Addiction,… [online] ResearchGate. Available at: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/346784016_Adderall_On_the_Razor%27s_Edge_of_ADHD_Treatment_Enhanced_Academic_and_Physical_Performance_Addiction_Psychosis_and_Death?enrichId=rgreq-5d8401a7752db73a795f1ee581c8a001-XXX&enrichSource=Y292ZXJQYWdlOzM0Njc4NDAxNjtBUzo5NjY3NjgyODE1Mzg1NjJAMTYwNzUwNjkyODk5OA%3D%3D&el=1_x_2&_esc=publicationCoverPdf
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Written by:
Jennifer Olejarz, Nutritionist & Health Coach
Medically reviewed by:
Medically reviewed by:
