Adderall and Alcohol: A Dangerous Combination

Why Mixing Adderall and Alcohol Puts Your Health and Recovery at Risk

When someone engages in drug abuse, they put themselves at risk for harm. Mixing drugs can result in overdose or even death. Adderall and alcohol are two drugs that are commonly taken together, especially in young college-age students. Why a person chooses to mix these two drugs varies, but the result of abusing these drugs can be severe.

Infinite Recovery is here to help those struggling with Adderall and alcohol addiction. Our addiction treatment centers specialize in helping anyone overcome addiction, substance use disorder (SUD), or dual diagnosis. Understanding why these substances are so dangerous can be the driving spark in seeking help for you or a loved one.

What Is Adderall?

Adderall is a Schedule II stimulant medication, specifically an amphetamine and dextroamphetamine, used to treat a variety of disorders. It’s most well-known as a treatment for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and narcolepsy. This is because Adderall is a stimulant medication that targets the central nervous system, increasing the levels of the neurotransmitters dopamine and norepinephrine in the brain. The result of this is improved concentration and reduced impulsivity and hyperactivity.

Understanding This Common Prescription Stimulant

Despite Aderall being a controlled substance, it’s one of the most commonly abused prescription stimulants. The stimulant effects of this drug can cause people to concentrate better and stay awake, which is highly desired among students or people in high-stress work environments.

Adderall can and does have side effects and long-term use damage. Some side effects of Adderall include:

• Anxiety
• Stomachache
• Weight loss
• Twitching
• Headaches
• Seizures
• Increased blood pressure
• Rash or hives
• Paranoia

By far, heart problems are the most common long-term effects of Adderall use and abuse.

Adderall’s Effect on Heart Health

A stimulant works by stimulating parts of your body. Adderall is designed mainly to affect your central nervous system. Drugs, though, can and do affect different parts of the body as well. The cardiovascular system, especially, is sensitive to the effects of stimulants.

Using Adderall can cause heart issues such as increased heart rate and a rise in blood pressure. This can eventually lead to more serious cardiovascular problems such as chest pain, heart palpitations, or even heart attacks. Long-term use or abuse of Adderall can cause a person to develop heart conditions, such as cardiomyopathy.

Because of this, doctors usually don’t prescribe Adderall to patients with existing heart problems or high blood pressure.

How Alcohol Affects the Body and Brain

Alcohol is a depressant that slows down the brain and central nervous system. It works by affecting gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) neurotransmitter, which slows down brain activity. This is why people who use alcohol may experience symptoms such as drowsiness, slurred speech, and trouble with motor coordination.

How alcohol affects a person is determined by several factors, such as gender, weight, and genetics. Adolescents and young adults are more at risk for serious adverse effects, as they are more likely to overdrink. It is by far one of the most abused drugs in the United States, especially among college students.

The Short- and Long-Term Impact of Alcohol Use

Alcohol use and abuse can leave a lasting impact on the body. Some short-term effects are temporary and will eventually go away. Repeated alcohol use and abuse, however, can have a permanent effect on the brain and body.

Some short-term effects of alcohol are:

• Low blood pressure
• Slurred speech
• Blurred vision
• Headache
• Reduced reaction time
• Nausea and vomiting
• Dizziness
• Impaired mental and physical functioning
• Slow breathing
• Loss of consciousness

Some long-term effects of alcohol are:

• Liver disease
• Cardiovascular disease
• Injury
• Depression
• Anxiety

Abuse of alcohol and drinking too much can lead to serious and sometimes fatal conditions, such as alcohol poisoning, coma, respiratory failure, and death. Perhaps the most dangerous aspect of alcohol is that it impairs functioning. Drunk driving kills thousands of people each year, and deaths from drowning or accidents while impaired are sadly common too.

What Happens When You Mix Adderall and Alcohol?

Adderall can mask certain indicators of depressant intoxication, making you more likely to drink more, which can contribute to alcohol poisoning. Alcohol poisoning is deadly and includes symptoms such as confusion, pale or blue skin, hypothermia, nausea, vomiting, and slow or irregular breathing.

Mixing these two drugs can also result in an increased risk of heart attack or stroke, even if the individual has no underlying cardiovascular issues.

The Hidden Dangers of Polysubstance Use

Polysubstance drug use can have severe adverse effects on a person’s body. In cases of prescription drugs, a doctor must be careful about what they prescribe and what dosage to use to prevent harm to their patient. Mixing drugs of any type puts people at higher risk of overdose or death.

Why People Mix Adderall and Alcohol

Mixing Adderall and alcohol is common on college campuses. It’s often used as part of the party and binge drinking culture. Young adults will use Adderall to help them drink more, as this drug suppresses the body’s ability to know when it has had too much to drink.

Some people may be simply unaware of the dangers of polysubstance use and are taking Adderall as prescribed by a doctor to treat ADHD. They then go on to have a drink, assuming that everything is fine. This is especially true in a college setting, when medicated college students socialize in spaces where drinking is encouraged.

Others may simply be experimenting, looking for new ways to experience a euphoric high. Several factors can contribute to this desire, such as escapism, peer pressure, trauma, or simply being bored.

Common Motives and Misconceptions

Some people may mix Adderall and alcohol to enhance their performance at work or school. This includes using them to stay awake, help with concentration, lose weight, or study more effectively in school. Indeed, Adderall does help with some of these issues for people living with conditions like ADHD and narcolepsy. However, mixing prescription medications and alcohol will negate these desired effects and instead make it very hard to focus or study.

Short-Term and Long-Term Side Effects of Mixing Adderall and Alcohol

Being aware of the dangers of stimulant and alcohol consumption is essential to preventing death and identifying the presence of an addiction.

Understanding the Health Impact Over Time

Mixing a depressant and a stimulant drug is highly dangerous, even in short-term use. The risk of alcohol poisoning is present even when mixing these drugs for the first time. Over time, a user will become unwell and face significant cognitive and physical decline.

Short-Term Effects: Drowsiness, Confusion, Nausea, Agitation

Both Adderall and alcohol have side effects that interfere with the body’s ability to regulate heart rate, blood pressure, and body temperature. This fluctuation can result in an irregular heart rate and an overall feeling of unwellness. Confusion and drowsiness are common, as alcohol is a depressant and impairs brain function.

Stimulants can cause one to become twitchy and restless, leading to agitation. As both drugs are consumed by mouth, nausea and vomiting can be a persistent side effect.

Long-Term Effects: Heart Problems, Sleep Disorders, Cognitive Impairment

Using stimulants and depressants long-term can have a severe effect on the vital organs of the body. Liver damage is perhaps the most commonly associated disease related to regular alcohol consumption. Stimulants damage the cardiovascular system over time, which makes individuals more susceptible to chest pain and heart attack.

The psychological effects of mixing these two drugs can also be severe, resulting in sleep problems such as insomnia. Impulsivity is increased, which can lead to injuries resulting from engaging in risky behaviors. Though rare, psychosis can also occur with long-term use.

The longer a person engages in substance abuse, the higher the likelihood they will experience an overdose or other medical emergencies.

Risk of Addiction, Withdrawal Symptoms, and Emergency Medical Events

The dangers of mixing Adderall and alcohol come from how highly addictive both substances are. Once a person has developed a dependence or addiction, they can experience withdrawal symptoms that range from uncomfortable to life-threatening should they try to quit by themselves. Some of these symptoms can include:

• Depression
• Insomnia
• Fatigue
• Nausea and vomiting
• Anxiety
• Irritability and agitation
• Nightmares
• Tremors
• Seizures
• Increased heart rate
• Delirium tremens

It’s always important to seek medically supervised detoxification when attempting to detox from these drugs to prevent unnecessary pain and medical emergencies.

Tolerance, Dependence, and Escalation to Other Substance Use

Regularly abusing Adderall and alcohol can lead to a tolerance, forcing the individual to need more and more to feel the same effects as before. This will eventually become a dependence after a person’s body and brain chemistry is changed as a result of substance use. If allowed to escalate, this can become a substance use disorder or addiction.

Sometimes this can lead to other forms of substance use, especially when the original substances stop being as potent as before, due to tolerance. Individuals may push into experimentation, especially if they have yet to experience any serious adverse effects on their physical, mental, or social health. It’s not guaranteed that someone will develop another addiction, but the risk is very high.

The Link Between Adderall Misuse, Alcohol Abuse, and Mental Health

Alcohol and adderall addiction rarely come about on their own. Usually, it’s a result of pain, either mental or physical. Trauma, peer pressure, performance pressure, and more can influence someone to abuse Adderall and/or alcohol. Undiagnosed or untreated mental health disorders also play a significant role in addiction, as many will attempt to reduce or mask symptoms by abusing substances.

Repeated drug abuse, especially when young, can contribute to the development of mental health disorders. Anxiety, depression, and psychotic disorders can occur after repeated long-term drug use.

Why Dual Diagnosis Care Matters

Polysubstance addictions can only be treated with the assistance of dual diagnosis treatment programs. These programs are specially designed to help treat and address multiple addictions and co-occurring disorders. Without these treatments, it’s difficult for clients to recover. Receiving dual diagnosis care at an accredited treatment center provides clients with the best chance of achieving a successful and lasting recovery.

Treatment Options for Adderall and Alcohol Use

Treating Adderall and alcohol addiction starts with medically supervised detox. Once a client is stable, they move into dual diagnosis inpatient or outpatient treatment, depending on their healthcare needs. This can range from residential treatment to a partial hospitalization program (PHP) to eventual outpatient treatment. What treatments a client will experience varies depending on their treatment plan. It typically involves a combination of psychiatry, behavioral therapy, medical support as needed, and relapse prevention training.

A Holistic Path to Long-Term Recovery

Infinite Recovery takes a holistic approach to drug rehab and includes several modalities designed to improve overall wellness in clients. Examples include nutritional therapy, movement-based therapy, and mindfulness activities.

The idea of blending holistic treatments with clinical modalities is to provide clients with a means to maintain their health after completing treatment. Such activities go a long way in reducing pain, building resilience, and improving self-esteem. Once clients have these skills, they can utilize them to resist peer pressure, improve their lives, and reduce the risk of relapse.

How to Help a Loved One Mixing Adderall and Alcohol

If you notice a loved one is mixing adderall and alcohol, it’s important to get help right away. A doctor can be very convincing, and asking for medical advice can help your loved one understand how dangerous polysubstance use is. Infinite Recovery can also help with our intervention services, which lay out how you can best convince your loved one to seek help.

Supportive, Nonjudgmental Steps You Can Take

It’s vital to understand that drug addiction can happen to anyone at any time. Addiction is not a moral disease, but instead a chemical dependence. So, do not approach your loved one with judgment. Instead, approach them from a place of love and understanding. Let them know that you love them and want them to seek help.

You can also contact Infinite Recovery to ask questions about how best to talk to your loved one. We will work with you to help your loved one get the assistance they need.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Can you drink alcohol while taking Adderall as prescribed?

No, you should never drink alcohol when taking prescription medication. Always speak to your doctor about what is safe and unsafe to consume when prescribed medication.

What are the symptoms of Adderall and alcohol overdose?

Overdosing on Adderall and alcohol usually results in alcohol poisoning, as Adderall can cause someone to overdrink. Symptoms of alcohol poisoning include:

• Trouble staying conscious or awake
• Confusion
• Vomiting
• Seizures
• Slow breathing or irregular breathing
• Blue, gray, or pale skin
• Low body temperature, AKA hypothermia

Overdosing on Adderall results in amphetamine toxicity. These symptoms can include:

• Tremors or convulsions
• Hypertension
• Confusion
• Extreme changes in behavior, such as aggression or paranoia
• Hallucinations
• Elevated body temperature
• Fast breathing
• Irregular heartbeat
• Chest pain.
• Abdominal cramps
• Nausea and vomiting
• Coma

Experiencing any of these symptoms after mixing Adderall and alcohol indicates a need for immediate medical intervention to prevent death.

Can ADHD medication increase the risk of substance abuse?

A 2023 study found that people who take ADHD medication are no more likely to engage in substance abuse compared to people who don’t. People who are not being treated for their ADHD, however, may engage in substance abuse as a form of self-medication. This is especially the case if they don’t know they have ADHD and are using substances to mask or soothe the symptoms they feel.

What’s the best way to treat co-occurring ADHD and alcohol use disorder?

People who struggle with both alcohol use disorder (AUD) and ADHD require specialized dual diagnosis treatment. This requires detox, treatment, and aftercare services. Working with a psychiatrist and other medical and mental health care professionals can help you find the specific treatments you need for recovery. These professionals can be found at any accredited addiction treatment center, including Infinite Recovery.

Does detox for Adderall and alcohol require medical supervision?

Yes, both substances are highly addictive and require medical supervision during detoxification.

What are the long-term effects of mixing alcohol and stimulants?

Long-term use of Adderall and alcohol can result in severe damage to psychological and physical health. Some examples include:

• Impacted cardiac functioning
• Problems sleeping
• Cognitive impairment
• Impaired judgment, such as driving under the influence
• Risk of injury
• Increased drug-seeking and substance abuse behaviors
• Overdose
• Death

If you or a loved one is addicted to Adderall and alcohol, it’s important to seek help right away to prevent lasting damage or death.

Mixing Adderall and alcohol is dangerous and can result in overdose or death. Getting help immediately for yourself or your loved one can save your life. Infinite Recovery is here to help by making quality and compassionate addiction treatment easy to find. Located in Texas, we strive to help families struggling with Adderall and alcohol addiction find long-lasting healing and recovery. Our small enrollment sizes guarantee that you or your loved one will get the individualized care needed to successfully recover from addiction and its co-occurring disorders. If you or a loved one is struggling, don’t wait. Call Infinite Recovery today at (844) 928-1502 to take the first step in your recovery journey.