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Does Adderall really help Teens without ADHD focus?

  • Anonymous
  • Aug 15
  • 5 min read

 What are the effects of Adderall for neurotypical people and is it worth the risk?


I first discovered the use of Adderall from my sister, who takes it every day for her ADHD. I had always thought it was strictly for people with ADHD and would cause my imaginative eight year old brain to stop working. However, as I began looking on social media, I was shocked to see neurotypical teens preaching about how Adderall is a life changer, using it to focus and stay awake. I learned that these prescriptions of Adderall were often misused and resulted in an Adderall shortage. I wanted to know if Adderall really did benefit people without ADHD, and how we got here.


What is Adderall and its intended purpose?


Adderall is a stimulant containing extraamphetamine and amphetamine that is used to control symptoms of ADHD and narcolepsy. For its target audience, Adderall helps people focus, function at a calmer pace, and limits hyperactivity. It is able to treat 90 percent of symptoms in ADHD, as cited by a VeryWellHealth article about the effectiveness of Adderall. This is particularly helpful for people with ADHD to navigate their day, especially for teens in a school environment.



 How Are People Getting Adderall?


Adderall is available by prescription only and requires a diagnosis of either ADHD or narcolepsy. The FDA strictly enforces the control of Adderall and classifies it as a Schedule II controlled substance. During the COVID-19 pandemic, online prescriptions were allowed for people to receive Adderall from home, though this will stop by the end of 2025. 


Considering these regulations, it is extremely difficult for people with ADHD to receive Adderall, having to go through long evaluations and a diagnosis. Even more, less than 20 percent of people with ADHD in the U.S are correctly diagnosed.  


With this knowledge, it's no surprise that other ways to get Adderall were on the rise. Drug dealers started offering Adderall, but with the high expense, it’s likely to be cut with other drugs and potentially lead to a lethal situation. 



The Rise of Misuse


This is also when the benefits of Adderall started to appeal to normal teens. Teens would get Adderall from their friends diagnosed with ADHD. About two-thirds of teens using Adderall receive it from friends or family according to a 2016 National Drug and Use survey.  


People loved the effects Adderall had on them and it became the go-to drug for all-nighters and studying. For non-ADHD users, it has the same effects of increased focus and a spike in energy as it does in people with ADHD. However, the short-term tradeoff of productivity does not result in increased cognitive abilities for non-ADHD users. 


The Negative Effects 


Adderall adds the amount of dopamine and norepinephrine in the brain. This creates an excess of these chemicals in the brain of non-ADHD users while it balances the amount in ADHD users. Non-ADHD users will experience obsessive thoughts and a racing mind, contrasting what it is intended to fix.


A study published by science.org demonstrated that neurotypical people who received Adderall solved problems with a lack of precision and quality and with an obsessive and hesitant approach. Although it was shown to increase motivation, Adderall will not help you in the long run to create thoughtful and thorough work. 


Other physical effects will show in non-ADHD users. Its short term effects include dizziness, insomnia, nausea, and an overall decrease in health. In the long run, people can experience damage to nerve cells, strokes, abnormal heart rhythms, and more irreversible effects.


Another big effect of Adderall is a decrease in appetite. This is especially prevalent in teens who need a healthy diet and enough food to sustain their growth. However, some teens see this effect as a benefit as they will have the same limited appetite drugs such as Ozempic cause, resulting in weight loss. Teens on Adderall will already have an unstable flux of dopamine and mood changes. To then add weight-consciousness and weight loss will just create negative mental health.  



Addiction and Overdose 


If the list of side effects did not already outweigh the benefits of taking Adderall as a neurotypical person, then the addictive properties of it will. When the motivational high of Adderall wears off, some withdrawal effects happen, and people can quickly become dependent on it to do normal workloads. Teens can become unable to focus without it and take heavier dosages, increasing the risk of overdosing. 


Although overdosing on Adderall alone is not considered lethal, it can still lead to serious health issues, especially when taken with other drugs such as cocaine and alcohol. 



Not The Student’s Fault


Although it is common for teenagers to take energy booster drugs like Adderall, it cannot be entirely blamed on themselves. The pressure on students to excel in school is the most that it has ever been. Students now need to be the top one percent in their class, taking dozens of AP classes and extracurricular activities, and still be worried about getting into a decent college. Some students feel like they cannot make it without the focus of Adderall. To help mitigate the misuse of Adderall, we first need to make the academic space less competitive and unattainable. 


So Does Adderall Really Help Normal People To Focus and Should You Take It? 


In conclusion, yes, Adderall does cause an increase in focus and energy in non-ADHD users, but it is a very unhealthy and unsustainable way to do it. Adderall has many risks when taking it and not only are teens especially vulnerable to them, but also to the exposure and addiction. So, Adderall should strictly be for ADHD or narcolepsy use and should never be tried by others.


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