Even though Adderall is a medication used to treat ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder), one survey found that 24% of students use the drug. Though it’s often associated with studying, the reality is that many people use Adderall recreationally. In particular, it’s often combined with weed to cancel out some of the negative side effects.
But exactly what happens in your body when you combine Adderall and weed? And is the practice safe for the average user? In this article, we’ll provide you with everything you need to know about using Adderall and weed together. And, if you decide you need treatment, we’ll also give you some resources to find help. Let’s get started!
Side Effects of Adderall and Weed
To understand what happens when you combine Adderall and weed, it’s important to understand their individual side effects. This will help show the interaction between the two drugs. So, to start, we’ll show you what usually occurs when you take these two substances separately.
Adderall
Adderall is a stimulant that affects the central nervous system. It’s composed of four different kinds of amphetamine salts, including:
- Dextroamphetamine saccharate
- Amphetamine aspartate
- Dextroamphetamine sulfate
- Amphetamine sulfate.
Adderall increases the dopamine and norepinephrine levels inside the brain. Typically, the drug is used to make people with ADHD more focused. However, it’s often used as a stimulant by non-ADHD people to improve performance or pleasure. Here are some of the minor side effects that can come from Adderall usage:
- Dry mouth
- Depression on the comedown
- Anxiety
- Insomnia
- Headaches
- Weight loss
- A change in sex drive
- Diarrhea
More serious side effects of Adderall can include:
- Significant elevation in blood pressure
- Severe muscle pain or weakness
- Painful or prolonged erection
- Altered sensation or discoloration in your fingertips or toes
- Slurred speech
- Feelings of dizziness
- Occurrence of seizures
- Development of verbal or physical tics
- Habitual teeth grinding
- Appearance of rash or hives
- Skin that begins to peel or blister
- Swelling of the face, tongue, eyes, or throat
Marijuana (Weed)
Weed, or cannabis, is a psychoactive drug that’s often smoked or consumed. Weed is often thought of as innocuous. However, the reality is that it can come with some serious side effects that make it unsafe for many users. The main psychoactive component in the drug is known as THC. This provides users with a euphoric head high.
However, it can come with some negative feelings as well. These negative feelings can be amplified by the potency of the weed or the user’s tolerance levels. The side effects include:
- Heightened sensory perception (such as more vivid colors)
- Distorted sense of time
- Mood fluctuations
- Hindered motor skills
- Challenges in thinking and problem-solving
- Memory impairment
- Hallucinations (when consumed in large quantities)
- Delusions (with high doses)
- Increased risk of psychosis, especially with frequent use of potent marijuana
Because of marijuana’s historical status as an illegal drug, studies into its long-term effects have only recently begun to explore these issues. However, some studies have been published that theorize that there are other harmful side effects of prolonged usage or habitual use by adolescents.
- IQ Decline in Adolescents: A study from New Zealand, partly conducted by Duke University, revealed that heavy marijuana users who started in their teens lost an average of 8 IQ points between ages 13 and 38. The cognitive decline was not fully reversible, even after ceasing marijuana use as adults.
- Adult Usage Impact: The same study noted that adults who began using marijuana did not experience notable IQ declines, suggesting the impact is more significant when use begins at a younger age.
- Twin Study Observations: Another study on twins indicated a significant decline in general knowledge and verbal ability (equivalent to 4 IQ points) from preteen years to early adulthood among marijuana users. However, no predictable differences were observed between twins when only one used marijuana, pointing to possible non-marijuana-related factors like genetics or family environment affecting IQ.
- Ongoing Research: The National Institute on Drug Abuse’s (NIDA) Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) study is a major longitudinal study tracking young Americans from late childhood to early adulthood. It aims to clarify how substances like marijuana influence adolescent brain development.
Is It Safe to Combine Adderall and Weed?
Part of the problem here is that individual experience varies widely when people take Adderall and weed together. On top of that, there is very little research that studies the effect that the two substances have on each other. However, there have been some noticeable side effects when the two substances are taken together.
One of these is increased stimulation. Both of these substances will cause your heart rate to spike. While this might be fine for some people, it can be dangerous to those with heart conditions. In addition to this, users reported elevated levels of euphoria and less anxiety associated with their Adderall high.
This is thanks to the sedative qualities provided by cannabis. Weed also stimulates the appetite. As such, this can cancel out the appetite suppression that comes with Adderall. In this way, weed can help people on Adderall avoid weight loss. Unfortunately, this can lead to some messy long-term consequences.
As we mentioned, weed can cancel out some of the negative side effects associated with Adderall. While this might sound nice, it can lead addictive individuals to take more of the substance as a result. This digs the user into an even deeper hole. If left unchecked, then it is a combination of drugs that can quickly turn into an Adderall addiction.
How to Tell If You’re Dependent on Marijuana
Addiction is incredibly complicated. This makes it difficult for potential addicts to identify their disease. Often, it’s difficult for addicts to admit they have an addiction. This is especially true for addicts taking Adderall or marijuana. These days, it’s easy for addicts to have access to these drugs legally.
However, just because you have a prescription doesn’t mean that you can’t abuse it. Often, we only associate addiction with hard drugs like opiates or cocaine. But there are plenty of legal drugs that can be abused. Alcohol is just one example. So, how can you tell if you’re an addict? Here are twelve signs:
- Difficulty stopping use or taking breaks
- Increasing the dosage to feel the way it originally did
- Craving the substance throughout the day
- Thinking about ways to acquire more of the substance
- Prioritizing the substance over activities you once enjoyed
- Using the substance in hazardous situations multiple times
- Continuing to use the substance despite it negatively affecting your health
- Using the substance even when it negatively affects those close to you
- Forgetting important responsibilities because of the substance
- Greater tolerance to the substance
- Withdrawal symptoms present when you stop taking the substance
If you answered yes to any of these questions, then don’t panic. Instead, take this addiction self-test. It will help you answer some potentially difficult questions. From there, you can begin seeking the help that you need.
Addiction Treatment in San Diego with Healthy Life
We hope this article helped teach you more about the long-term consequences of combining Adderall and weed. If you suspect that you have a drug problem, then finding a rehab center should be a priority. However, finding the right rehab center isn’t always easy. Unfortunately, many programs center exclusively around detox.
While this is fine for the short term, it’s setting up patients for failure in the long term. Instead, look for a rehab program like Health Life Recovery. We are a drug and alcohol rehab center located in San Diego, California, that provides medically-supervised detox and outpatient care to men and women struggling with addiction and mental health issues.
Every addict is unique. That’s why we tailor our program individually to fit their specific needs. So, if you’re ready to begin the first step of your recovery journey, then get in touch with us today.
