Adderall stays in your system as your body gradually metabolizes it. However, this rate can vary depending on factors like age, weight, gender, and overall health. Adderall typically leaves the bloodstream within several hours, it can still be detected in the body for days after the initial consumption.
Feel that you may be struggling with Adderall addiction? Cypress Lake Recovery provides compassionate, evidence-based treatment to help you regain control and build a healthier future. Our expert team offers personalized care, combining therapeutic treatments, holistic healing, and relapse prevention strategies to support lasting recovery.
How Adderall Affects the Body and Brain
Adderall affects both the brain and body, especially with long-term use. It’s frequently prescribed for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in both adults and children, as well as narcolepsy.
Physically, Adderall is absorbed into the bloodstream. Once it is absorbed, it passes through the blood-brain barrier and works on the central nervous system of the body. A brain with ADHD can be very different from a brain without ADHD, but Adderall specifically can address deficiencies in norepinephrine and dopamine. These chemicals are associated with attention regulation, reactivity, response to stress, and experiencing the feeling of reward.
Adderall can affect the body in the following ways:
- Increased attention span
- Decreased hunger
- Increased physical energy
- Insomnia or disturbed sleep patterns
- Thirst and/or dry mouth
- Increased anxiety, fixation, and/or paranoia
- Increased heart rate and blood pressure
- Mood swings
These symptoms may show up for someone who’s using Adderall as part of a health regimen to treat ADHD, but they usually go away with time. They may also appear more severely in someone who doesn’t use Adderall for health reasons. If these symptoms linger for a long time after Adderall use, seek medical attention.
Factors That Affect How Long Adderall Stays in the Body
Several factors influence how long Adderall stays in the body. Larger amounts of Adderall naturally take more time to metabolize, and may in fact affect the body differently as a whole.
If someone is prescribed Adderall by a doctor, they have two options for treatment: Standard and extended release. Standard dosage requires the person to take two pills at different times of day (typically once in the morning and once in the evening). Extended release Adderall is taken just once in the morning and is metabolized at a slower rate.
Adderall works fundamentally differently in the body of someone with ADHD, and it will typically create a very different experience in the course of being metabolized in their body. The experience is usually much more mild and can even feel calming. Someone without ADHD may feel a surge of energy that fades within a few hours, and so may take additional Adderall (or more addictive substances) to keep the high going.
The more Adderall a person consumes, the longer it takes to fully leave their system. This is true regardless of the person’s experience of the high. Taking 30mg of Adderall will take about three times as long for the body to metabolize than 10mg of Adderall (for most people).
Women and individuals with smaller body sizes tend to process stimulants (and other addictive substances) more slowly. This is due to differences in body composition, metabolism, and enzyme levels.
Adderall works directly on the central nervous system, the same system that is affected by taking opioids and drinking alcohol. Any interactions between the Adderall and other substances may affect its rate of metabolization.
Many people who are prescribed medication for ADHD also suffer from a co-occurring disorder like anxiety or clinical depression. These conditions can fundamentally affect the chemistry of a person’s brain. If someone has a condition that affects dopamine levels, or is taking medications that affect neurotransmitter levels, this may affect the rate at which that person metabolizes Adderall.
Does Adderall Show up on Drug Tests?
Yes. Adderall is a stimulant that acts on the central nervous system (CNS), so it will be detected by most conventional drug tests done for employment requirements.
Adderall can be detected in the body using various testing methods, and the detection window depends on the type of test, the amount consumed, individual metabolism, and other factors of general health. Different bodily fluids and tissues may retain traces of Adderall for different lengths of time.
Blood testing is often used in medical settings or legal cases because of its precision, but it is less convenient and more invasive than other testing methods. Adderall may not have any presence on a blood test (even if it’s been ingested) until up to 24 hours after the initial consumption.
Adderall will generally show up within 24 hours of ingestion before being metabolized. But consistent Adderall use can extend the time required to completely detoxify the body of Adderall.
Urine tests detect the presence of Adderall indirectly by testing for the presence of stimulants. This is why it’s incredibly important to accurately disclose what medications a person is taking in anticipation of these tests.
Traditional urine tests can detect Adderall for up to four days after ingesting, but most Adderall is cleansed from the body 70 hours after the last dose. This is highly dependent on other physical factors and how the user’s body reacts to Adderall in particular.
Hair tests provide the longest detection window for Adderall and other substances. They are commonly used in legal or forensic contexts to detect chronic drug use over time.
Hair testing is not typically used for routine screening due to its cost and the fact that it doesn’t indicate recent use. However, it is extremely useful for identifying ongoing patterns of substance use. Adderall can be detected in hair for up to 90 days or longer, but it may not show up on the test itself until seven days after the initial use.
Symptoms of Stimulant Addiction
Adderall addiction is a form of stimulant addiction, which also includes addictions to substances like caffeine, all forms of cocaine, crack, and methamphetamine (meth). Stimulant addiction can manifest through a range of physical, emotional, and behavioral symptoms. Recognizing these signs early can help individuals seek support and begin recovery before the condition worsens.
Common symptoms of stimulant addiction include:
- Restlessness
- Insomnia
- Rapid weight loss
- Dilated pupils
- Hyperactivity
- Euphoria
- Excessive talkativeness
- Increased sense of self-confidence
- Mood swings
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Increased heart rate
- High blood pressure
- Seizures (in extreme cases)
It is possible to heal from stimulant addiction. But doing it alone or “cold turkey” is much more likely to end in relapse than if the person undergoes medical detox and enlists the help of supportive people (and treatment centers) to overcome their addiction to stimulants.
Is it Possible to Get Addicted to Something a Doctor Prescribes?
In a word, yes. Prescription drug addiction can happen to anyone, even if the medication was prescribed to them by a doctor and they took the drug as directed.
It’s not a sign of bad morals or an inclination toward addiction if someone becomes addicted to a prescription drug. It’s up to medical professionals to communicate the dangers of taking a drug that carries a risk of addiction.
If a person suspects that they may be becoming physically dependent (or psychologically addicted) to a drug they have been prescribed, they should reach out to their medical care team and voice their concerns as soon as possible. It may be possible to change medications without any need for medical detox if done early in the treatment process.
Recover from Adderall Addiction at Cypress Lake Recovery
Recovering from Adderall addiction is a personal journey. At Cypress Lake Recovery, individuals receive the compassionate care and expert guidance needed to achieve lasting sobriety. Located in a peaceful, natural lakeside setting, Cypress Lake offers a supportive environment designed to foster healing, self-discovery, and long-term recovery.
Our multidisciplinary team of professionals is experienced in treating substance use disorder and co-occurring mental health conditions. We provide individualized treatment plans that meet each client’s unique needs, ensuring a well-rounded approach to care. From medical detox to aftercare planning, clients receive support at every stage of recovery.
At Cypress Lake Recovery, we utilize a range of evidence-based therapies and treatment modalities including cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), group and individual therapy, trauma-informed care, and holistic practices like meditation, art therapy, and writing therapy. These diverse approaches help clients build emotional resilience and healthier coping skills.
If you or a loved one is struggling with Adderall addiction, we invite you to contact us today. Our admissions team is available to answer your questions and help you begin the path to recovery. With the right support, healing is possible. Cypress Lake Recovery is here to walk with you every step of the way.
