Adderall addiction

Stimulants (amphetamines [Adderall, Dexedrine] and methylphenidate [Concerta, Ritalin]) increase alertness, attention, and energy. They also increase blood pressure and heart rate, constrict blood vessels, increase blood glucose, and open up the pathways of the respiratory system. Historically, stimulants were prescribed to treat asthma and other respiratory problems, obesity, neurological disorders, and a variety of other ailments. As their potential for abuse and addiction became apparent, the prescribing of stimulants by physicians began to wane. Now, stimulants are prescribed for treating only a few health conditions, most notably ADHD, narcolepsy, and, in some instances, depression that has not responded to other treatments. 

All of the DEA s observations run contrary to the Ritalin label as found in the Physicians Desk Reference (2007), which continues to identify this potent, highly addictive drug as a mild central nervous system (CNS) stimulant (p. 2269), misleading doctors and consumers alike. Although the DEA and all responsible pharmacologists view Ritalin as essentially similar to amphetamine, the dependence warnings on the Ritalin label remain extremely weak in comparison to those on the Dexedrine and Adderall (amphetamine) labels. 

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