Drug warnings discourage people from taking alcohol and medications simultaneously — Adderall is no exception. Pharmaceutical reports show that mixing Adderall and alcohol triggers devastating side effects and complications. It is essential to understand how these substances interact together and how the effects can cause damage to the user.
Despite the adverse effects, some people may have trouble stopping Adderall or alcohol use. In these cases, it may be a good idea to consider seeking support to manage medication and alcohol consumption. Inland Detox can help people struggling with alcohol and Adderall use.
Can You Drink on Adderall?
Adderall users can take alcohol without an issue. However, the individuals must use the two substances within appropriate time intervals. Otherwise, they experience the complications associated with mixing alcohol and Adderall.
As a depressant, alcohol slows down the relay of messages from the brain to the body. Users experience reduced anxiety, enhanced mood, slowed reaction, and impaired reaction times.
Adderall, on the other hand, stimulates the production of reward hormones like norepinephrine and dopamine. As a result, users experience improved focus, enhanced memory, raised attention spans, and reduced impulsivity.
There is an apparent effect when Adderall and alcohol are used together. Instead of the two substances canceling each other, they send mixed reactions (stimulating and depressing) to the brain. This interaction between the two substances can trigger not-so-pleasant effects.
How Long After Taking Adderall Can I Drink Alcohol?
People taking Adderall should pay close attention to medical advice before drinking alcohol. Doctors suggest taking alcohol 4-6 hours after the regular release of Adderall and 8 hours after taking extended-release Adderall. By such a time, the levels of Adderall in blood should have dropped to the minimum.
That means the brain won’t battle to balance off the mixed reactions from a depressant and a stimulant.
However, asking a pharmacist to recommend the ideal time to drink alcohol after taking Adderall matters for ADHD patients. Adderall users will not compromise their ADHD treatment course with accurate information from a doctor.
Side Effects of Adderall & Alcohol
When taken together, Adderall stimulates the brain while alcohol depresses it. The mixed reactions trigger unpleasant side effects that compromise the user’s mental function. The alcohol-Adderall combination affects people differently. However, typical side effects are associated with mixing these two substances.
A majority of the people mixing up alcohol and the ADHD treatment present with the following side effects:
- Aggression
- Increased blood pressure
- Loss of self-control
- Restlessness
- Hallucinogens
- Depression
- Elevated temperature
- Mood swings
- Irrational thinking
- Distraction
Risks of Adderall & Alcohol
The prolonged intake of Adderall mixed with alcohol causes catastrophic mental, cardiovascular, and behavioral complications. For instance, users who mix up the alcoholic drink and medication experience an inability to make rational decisions. Some of these decisions and behaviors can complicate their day-to-day life. Other common risks associated with mixing up alcohol and ADHD medications include:
Alcohol Poisoning
Being a stimulant, Adderall suppresses the depressant effect of alcohol. As a result, users keep taking several alcoholic pints, unaware they are exposing themselves to alcohol poisoning. Alcohol poisoning is a grievous complication that can even result in death.
Alcohol poisoning occurs when one drinks more alcohol within a short time. Affected people experience symptoms like unconsciousness, reduced body temperature, vomiting, seizures, difficulty breathing, pale skin, and seizures.
When left unmanaged, alcohol poisoning results in death due to depressed gag reflex, asphyxiation, severe dehydration, and low blood sugar. Furthermore, death from alcohol poisoning can result from hypothermia and brain damage.
Cardiovascular Complications
Even when taken in moderation, Adderall and alcohol exert excessive pressure on the cardiovascular system. They trigger high blood pressure, irregular heartbeats, and faster heart rates in the short term.
In the long term, Adderall and alcohol deteriorate the user’s cardiovascular function. Paving the way for chronic conditions like hypertension, heart disease, heart attack, blood clots, heart failure, and stroke.
Ideally, alcohol and Adderall stress the cardiovascular system even when used independently. But, the risk increases when people mix the stimulating ADHD drug with alcohol.
Behavioral Problems
The prolonged use of Adderall and alcohol impairs the brain’s ability to reason, process information, and make rational judgments. As a result, patients who mix up alcohol and Adderall end up experiencing behavioral issues, including impulsivity, defiance, and hyperactivity.
Furthermore, the prolonged use of these two substances leads to other behavioral issues. These issues may include confusion, slow response times, and the inability to make better plans. With behavioral problems, victims find it hard to maintain good relationships with peers.
Impaired Life Support Reflexes
Long-term use of alcohol and Adderall can impair a person’s life support reflexes. Without observing the correct time intervals, these substances interfere with the neurons that relay important life support messages from the brain. As a result, the affected people face dulled responses, including difficulty breathing, lack of gag reflex, low body temperatures, and slow heart rates.
Individuals with such complications might be at risk of choking, experiencing hypothermia, or suffering asphyxiation, amongst other complications.
Malnutrition
Mixing alcohol and Adderall can cause malnutrition in a couple of ways. One, the substances cause loss of appetite, making users eat less food than the body requires. In return, they end up getting fewer nutrients than their body needs.
Using alcohol and Adderall can increase nausea or vomiting. These conditions eliminate much of the food eaten before the body absorbs it. Besides vomiting and decreased appetite, mixing alcohol and Adderall can increase the secretion of nutrients and impair digestion.
When left unmanaged, malnutrition leads to mineral deficiencies, unexplained weight loss, weakness, and diminished immunity. Furthermore, Adderall-alcohol-related malnutrition can lead to declined muscle function and deteriorated cardiac function.
Impaired Motor Coordination
Long-term mixing of alcohol and Adderall has deleterious consequences on an individual’s motor control and balance. For instance, the uncontrolled mix-up of the two substances damages the cerebellum, a part that coordinates movement.
Affected individuals present with staggering or swaying movements. Muscle weakness and loss of balance. With impaired motor coordination, affected individuals have an increased risk of fall injuries. They may also have difficulties handling some tasks that need serious coordination.
Detox with Inland Detox in Riverside, CA
Taking alcohol and Adderall can be dangerous to one’s overall wellness. The stimulant-depressant combination can lead to restlessness, increased heartbeat, unmanageable mood swings, and loss of self-control.
Long-term, the habit can lead to deteriorated heart health, poor coordination, malnutrition, behavioral problems, alcohol poisoning, and death. Mixing Adderall and alcohol can also lead to impaired life support reflexes.
Fortunately, doctors can counteract the effects of Adderall and alcohol through supervised detoxification. The process flushes the harmful contents of alcohol and Adderall to restore the integrity of your mental, cardiovascular, and respiratory function. Contact Inland Detox to learn how to safely detox from alcohol and Adderall.