Author: Chandru

Adderall can be a life-changing medication for people who have ADHD and certain other conditions. But those who take too much of the drug may be at risk for an array of severe side effects, including psychosis and paranoia.

What Is Paranoia?

Before we address the question of what is Adderall paranoia, it can be helpful to review what the term “paranoia” means from a mental health perspective.

Paranoia is an unhealthy mindset that involves maladaptive thoughts such as misplaced suspicion, inability to trust, and unjustified fear that someone is plotting to harm you. This is a type of delusion, or a rigid belief that you cling to even in the absence of any credible evidence. 

Paranoia is sometimes (but by no means always) a symptom of a mental illness. Examples of mental health disorders that can cause paranoia include:

• Schizophrenia
• Schizoaffective disorder
• Borderline personality disorder (BPD)
• Delusional disorder
• Paranoid personality disorder (PPD)

Other risk for factors for paranoia include:

• Family history of mental illness
• Personal history of untreated trauma
• Exposure to overwhelming stress
• Being bullied or harassed
• Certain types of substance abuse

What to Know About Adderall 

Adderall is the brand name of a prescription medication that contains equal parts racemic amphetamine and dextroamphetamine. Both of these ingredients are stimulants, which means that they increase activity throughout the central nervous system (CNS).

When a person takes Adderall, the drug boosts the amount of two neurotransmitters, or chemical messengers, in their system:

• Dopamine, which is involved with functions such as mood, attention, arousal, learning, and memory
• Norepinephrine, which plays a key role in the body’s “fight or flight” response and sleep/wake cycle

Adderall also causes smaller increases in serotonin, a neurotransmitter that influences mood, appetite, sexual desire, and sleep.

For someone with ADHD, increases in these neurotransmitters can have a calming effect, improving their ability to focus and concentrate while minimizing symptoms such as restlessness and distractibility.

Unfortunately, these effects have prompted many people – primarily college students and young professionals – to abuse the drug in an attempt to improve their cognitive performance. 

Can Adderall Cause Paranoia?

Even when a person uses Adderall as directed by their physician, they may experience certain adverse effects. When someone uses the drug without a prescription, their risk of unpleasant outcomes may be even greater. 

Common physical side effects of Adderall include:

• Elevated heart rate
• Pan in lower back
• Headache
• Loss of appetite
• Flu-like symptoms

Common psychological side effects include:

• Anxiety
• Irritability
• Depression

From a mental health perspective, one of the drug’s more concerning (but thankfully less common) side effects is psychosis, which can include a condition called Adderall paranoia.

Recently, researchers from McLean Hospital in Belmont, MA, reported that people who regularly take large amounts of Adderall have a particularly high risk of developing psychosis and paranoia. 

The McLean study, which appeared in The American Journal of Psychiatry in September 2024, determined that a person’s risk of psychosis may increase by 400% if they take at least 40mg of Adderall per day. 

Symptoms of Adderall Paranoia

Someone who has developed Adderall paranoia may exhibit signs such as:

• Being overly sensitive, defensive, and/or argumentative 
• Taking offense at even the slightest perceived criticism
• Inability to compromise
• Holding long-term grudges
• Finding it difficult or impossible to relax
• Indecisiveness due to fear of making the wrong choice
• Hypervigilance, or a heightened sense of alertness due to the mistaken belief of being constantly in danger
• Social withdrawal and isolation

Paranoia is just one of three types of symptoms that a person may experience when they develop Adderall psychosis. The other two are:

• Hallucinations, which can include seeing, hearing, or otherwise perceiving things that do not actually exist
• Delusions, which are rigidly held beliefs that are easily disproven or that have no basis in reality, such as claiming they have magical powers or are being unfairly persecuted

What to Do If a Loved One is Experiencing Adderall Paranoia

Understanding the answer to the question, “What is Adderall paranoia?” can help you identify when someone that you care about is in crisis. Recognizing the problem is an important step, but it’s just one part of what could be a long process. 

If you’re not a mental health expert, what can you realistically do to help a friend or family member? First, you need to acknowledge that you cannot cure your loved one – but you can play a vital role in connecting them with the care they need. 

Other steps you can take include:

• Educate yourself about Adderall paranoia (which, if you’re reading this post, you’ve already begun to do). The more you know about what your loved one is experiencing, the better prepared you’ll be to offer meaningful support.
• Explore treatment options. There’s no single “perfect” way to treat Adderall paranoia, so you’ll want to focus on finding the programs and services that best align with your loved one’s needs and goals.
• Talk to your loved one. Perhaps most importantly, listen to them. This conversation should be an actual discussion, not a lecture or an ultimatum. Express your concerns, reiterate your support, and talk about treatment. 
• Keep the lines of communication open. It may take multiple conversations before your loved one is ready to get help.
• Don’t go it alone. Recruit a small group of close friends or trusted family members to help you. You don’t want your loved one to feel like you’re ganging up on them, but you do want to demonstrate that you’re not the only one who truly cares about them.
• Get help for yourself. If you are close to someone who has been exhibiting signs of Adderall paranoia, you’ve been affected, too. Talking to a therapist or counselor can help you process your experiences and ensure that you’re not neglecting your own needs.

Treating Adderall Paranoia

As alluded to in the previous section, effective treatment for Adderall paranoia can look quite different from one person to the next. Factors that can influence which type of treatment is ideal for a specific person can include:

• Their age and gender
• Their treatment history
• The nature and severity of their symptoms
• If they have any co-occurring mental or behavioral health concerns
• The effectiveness of their personal support network

With these caveats in mind, the range of options for treating Adderall paranoia includes:

• Detoxification (detox)
• Inpatient rehab
• Outpatient programming
• Medication management services
• Individual, group, and family therapy
• Cognitive behavioral therapy
• Dialectical behavior therapy
• Psychoeducation sessions
• EMDR and other trauma-focused services
• Holistic therapies

Contact Sanctuary Treatment Center for Help

Sanctuary Treatment Center offers comprehensive, personalized care for adults who have been exhibiting symptoms of Adderall paranoia and other mental health challenges. We also provide dual diagnosis programming for those who have both a mental health condition and a substance use disorder (addiction).

Our treatment center in Los Angeles, CA, is a safe and supportive place where you will be cared for by a team of skilled and compassionate professionals. With our help and a concerted effort on your part, you can take substantial strides toward a much healthier and more hopeful future.

To learn more or to schedule a free assessment, please visit our Contact page or call us today. 

Published: 4/4/2025

Crack cocaine Addiction doesn’t dominate the headlines the way it did in the 1980s, but the drug continues to inflict substantial harm on individuals and families throughout the United States.

History of Crack Cocaine

Humans have been using cocoa leaves for their stimulating properties since at least the 1400s, though scientists did not isolate the primary psychoactive substance in these leaves (cocaine) until the 1860s. 

Following this development, cocaine began to be used for many purposes, including as a painkiller/headache reliever, as a medication to treat tuberculosis, and even as an ingredient in the original recipe for Coca-Cola soft drink.

Cocaine became illegal in the U.S. in 1914, though some people continued to use it illicitly for recreational purposes. The drug saw a significant resurgence in the 1970s, which was followed by the “crack epidemic” in the 1980s.

Crack could be manufactured more cheaply than powder cocaine, which meant that it could be sold for a much lower price on the street. The affordability of the drug, combined with the intense high it produced, soon made it an extremely popular substance in major cities throughout the nation.

Signs of Crack Cocaine Addiction

One of the reasons why crack is such a dangerous substance is that a person can become addicted to it after only using the drug a few times. 

If you suspect that someone in your life has been using crack, being able to recognize the signs may allow you to intervene before this self-defeating behavior turns into an addiction. 

Common signs of crack use include:

• Dilated (expanded) pupils
• Rapid breathing
• Significant boost in energy
• Restlessness
• Agitation and irritability
• Erratic behaviors
• Dramatic mood swings
• Burns on lips and fingers

When a person’s crack use progresses to an addiction, they may exhibit symptoms such as:

• Spending significant amounts of time seeking, using, and recovering from the effects of crack cocaine
• Being unable to stop using crack once they have begun
• Becoming agitated or otherwise upset when unable to acquire and use crack
• Unintentionally losing a significant amount of weight
• Failing to meet their personal or work-related responsibilities
• Lying to loved ones about how they have been spending their time
• Continuing to use crack cocaine even after they have experienced physical, psychological, social, or legal problems as a result of their prior use of the drug
• Having unexplained financial issues
• Undergoing a dramatic change in personality and behaviors
• Ignoring their appearance, grooming, and hygiene

Crack Cocaine Side Effects

Smoking crack can expose a person to substantial physical and psychological harm. People who use the drug on a regular basis have the greatest risk of these negative outcomes, but using crack even once can be extremely dangerous, and potentially fatal.

The side effects of using crack cocaine can include:

• High blood pressure 
• Abnormal heart rate
• Heart failure
• Stroke
• Seizure
• Liver damage
• Kidney failure
• Malnutrition
• Respiratory problems
• Extreme tooth decay
• Paranoia
• Psychosis
• Overdose
• Death

Is Crack More Addictive Than Cocaine?

Crack cocaine and powder cocaine are both highly addictive substances. Is one more dangerous or more addictive than the other?

While many sources identify crack as the more addictive substance, the truth is that there’s no substantial difference between the two.

Why, then, is crack so commonly cited as being more dangerous? This has less to do with any differences between the drugs themselves, and more to do with how they are consumed.

Why Is Crack So Addictive?

The most common way to use powder cocaine is to inhale it through your nose. Crack cocaine is typically used by heating the rocks and inhaling the flames.

When a person snorts powder cocaine, the drug must pass through several membranes before it is absorbed into the bloodstream and transported to the brain. When someone smokes crack, the drug can quickly pass from the lungs to the bloodstream to the brain. This causes a more intense high, a larger buildup of dopamine throughout the central nervous system, and a greater likelihood of becoming addicted.

Again, it is the method of ingestion (smoking vs. snorting) and not the chemical makeup of the drugs that cause these differences. If someone smokes or freebases powder cocaine – or dissolves it in a solution and injects it directly into their bloodstream – their risk of addiction would be the same as if they were smoking crack.

Crack Cocaine Overdose

Overdose occurs when a person ingests more of a substance than their body can safely metabolize. In 2022 alone, more than 27,000 people in the U.S. died from overdoses involving powder or crack cocaine.

Signs of a Crack Cocaine Overdose

Someone who exhibits the following signs after using crack cocaine may have overdosed and should receive immediate medical attention:

• Confusion and disorientation
• Hallucinations
• Impaired coordination and muscle control
• Extreme rise in body temperature
• Excessive perspiration
• Difficulty breathing
• Chest pain
• Nausea and vomiting
• Seizure
• Loss of consciousness

If you are with someone who has overdosed on crack cocaine, call 911 immediately, then stay with them until help arrives.

Crack Cocaine Addiction Treatment

Treatment for crack cocaine addiction may involve one or more of the following levels of care:

• Detox: If intense withdrawal symptoms have been preventing you from ending your use of crack cocaine, detox may be the ideal place to begin treatment. Detox is a short-term program that offers medical and therapeutic support to help you get through withdrawal safely and as comfortably as possible.
• Inpatient rehab: When you are in an inpatient rehab program, you will live at the center where you are receiving treatment. Common features of inpatient rehab for crack cocaine addiction include personalized daily schedules, multiple forms of psychotherapy. It also includes relapse prevention education and round-the-clock supervision.
• Outpatient treatment: In an outpatient program, you will only need to be at the center when treatment is in session. This provides you with a structured connection to personalized clinical care. It also gives you the opportunity to put your developing recovery skills into practice in real-world situations during non-treatment hours.

Customized Treatment Elements for Crack Cocaine Addiction Recovery

Depending on your unique needs and the parameters of the program you’re in, your customized care for addiction to crack cocaine may include elements such as:

• Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT): This form of therapy can help you adapt your thoughts and behaviors to align with your values and goals. ACT can also help you eliminate negative thoughts, accept your emotions, and focus more fully on the present moment.
• Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT): CBT is based on the view that addictions and other psychological challenges are caused in part by negative thought patterns and maladaptive behaviors. During CBT sessions, you can begin to identify how these concerns have affected your life. You can then adopt healthier ways of thinking and acting.
• Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT): This approach focuses on developing and enhancing your skills in the areas of mindfulness, distress tolerance. It also helps with emotion regulation and interpersonal effectiveness.
• Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy: EMDR can help you overcome psychological distress that is related to traumatic memories. If your struggles with addiction are related to untreated trauma, EMDR can be an essential component of your treatment plan.

Contact Sanctuary Treatment Center for help with Crack Cocaine Addiction

Sanctuary Treatment Center offers a full continuum of customized care for adults who have become addicted to crack cocaine and other dangerous substances. 

Our drug rehab facility in Los Angeles, California, also serves patients whose struggles with addiction are accompanied by anxiety, depression, and other mental health concerns.

When you choose Sanctuary Treatment Center, a team of compassionate experts will work closely with you to identify the full scope of your needs. They will then develop a plan to help you build a healthier and more hopeful life in recovery.

To learn more about our programs and services, or to schedule a free assessment, please visit our Contact page or call us today.

Published: 3/20/2025