Methadone And Adderall
Methadone is a semi-synthetic opioid used in treating opioid addiction. When taken as prescribed, methadone works to lessen uncomfortable opioid withdrawal symptoms and block cravings for the addictive opioid drug. Abusing methadone can result in a high sensation caused by other opioids.
The methadone dose needed to achieve this effect is different from person to person. If someone has no tolerance to opioids, abusing methadone can be dangerous because it can more easily result in an overdose.
Adderall is a combination of the stimulants dextroamphetamine and amphetamine. It produces a chemical reaction in the brain which causes a flood of hormones. This increase in hormones causing changes in the communication pathways in the brain, allowing for increased focus and alertness.
Taking Adderall as prescribed does not result in a high sensation. Adderall use, on the other hand, can produce a high effect. When used, Adderall has the potential to be highly addictive and should be taken with caution.
Dangers Of Mixing Methadone And Adderall
Perhaps the greatest danger of mixing methadone with Adderall is that the effects of the drugs combined are capable of masking symptoms of potential overdose. Adderall, for example, can reduce drowsiness and lack of concentration symptoms caused by opioid overdose.
Methadone is an opioid medication that works to suppress the functions within the central nervous system, while Adderall is a stimulant medication designed to speed up brain function. Sometimes this combination of opposing effects can lead to unpredictable and dangerous side effects.
The result of mixing Adderall and methadone can be severe, and may cause the following:
- slowed, depressed, or stopped breathing
- coma
- overdose
- cardiac arrest, heart attack, or heart failure
- death
Abusing a stimulant after abusing opioids can make some people feel confident they are able to consume more opioids. This can be dangerous because Adderall is processed more quickly by the body than methadone.
When the Adderall wears off, and there is still an abundance of methadone in the body, it can lead to opioid overdose. Even after the effects of methadone wear off, the active ingredients remain in the body for much longer, and taking more methadone can result in an overdose.
The effects of mixing methadone and Adderall will vary from person to person. They will even vary in the same individual, depending on how much of each drug is used. This increases the risk of unpredictable side effects.
Effects of combining drugs may include:
- increased intoxication (feeling more high)
- worsened withdrawal symptoms
- increased likelihood of risky behavior and accidents
- violent behavior
- becoming physically and/or mentally dependent on one or more drugs
- decreased social life
- depression and anxiety
- increased risk of medical problems (liver disease or heart problems)
- overdose
What Happens When Opioids And Stimulants Are Mixed?
Mixing Adderall and methadone puts a lot of stress on the body. On their own, these drugs affect the heart, lungs, and brain. When mixed, the effects on these systems are intensified. Depending on the amount of each drug, body systems can speed up or slow down, and these effects also change as the amount of drug in the body changes.
When taken as prescribed, in therapeutic amounts, these two drugs do not produce any notable negative reactions. However, when used and taken in higher than recommended amounts, negative reactions can occur.
The combination of methadone and Adderall is a much less potent version of a more widely-known opioid and stimulant mixture, heroin and cocaine. Although methadone is used to treat heroin addiction, when used methadone can produce a similar, but less potent high. And while Adderall is not cocaine, it does interact with the brain in a similar way, especially when taken in abusive amounts.
Why Do People Mix Methadone And Adderall?
Methadone and Adderall are mixed to produce a more potent high than taking just one of the drugs would produce. Drug use is a disease that greatly affects a person’s health. Polydrug use or, abusing more than one drug at once, can be even more serious.
Both methadone and Adderall are prescription medications, and only under rare circumstances are prescribed at the same time. Some may believe taking Adderall with methadone helps with relieving chronic pain, however, this extra relief is only temporary. Most doctors agree that the risks of mixing these two drugs outweigh any possible benefit.
Finding Treatment For Polydrug Addiction
Treating drug addiction may be a difficult process, but with the right help, it can be done. When someone is addicted to more than one substance, it can further complicate the Adderall treatment process or methadone treatment process. It is easy to build a tolerance to both methadone and Adderall, even when used as directed.
When used, tolerance to these drugs increases to a greater extent and this can make the detox process longer and more difficult. However, medical support and professional aid can assist addicted individuals in successfully completing detox so they can move on to treatment.
Both methadone and Adderall are often used over long time periods. The body becomes used to operating with these drugs in its system over this time. Because of this, tapering off each medication is the safest way to quit these drugs. Inpatient drug rehab may be the best option for treating polydrug addiction because it provides more structure and support.
To find out more about treatment for multiple drug addictions, reach out.
