Does Adderall Help With Anxiety? Uses and Alternatives

• Lack of attention
• Difficulty concentrating
• Disorganization
• Forgetfulness
• Regularly losing things

How Does Adderall Work?

As a drug used to treat ADHD, how Adderall works is by acting as a central nervous system (CNS) stimulant that increases the production and concentration of the norepinephrine and dopamine neurotransmitters in your brain. 

Dopamine plays an essential role in feelings of pleasure, while norepinephrine is an excitatory hormone and neurotransmitter responsible for boosting brain function. 

Adderall Side Effects

As with all stimulant drugs, the side effects of Adderall vary from person to person and could range from mild jitters to severe sleeping issues. 

Adverse symptoms caused by Adderall use include: 

• High blood pressure
• Trouble sleeping
• Weight loss
• Loss of appetite
• Dizziness
• Nervous behavior
• Increased heart rate

Since Adderall can elevate your heart rate, severe side effects of Adderall use could include events like a heart attack or stroke [2].

Adderall Contraindications

As with all potent drugs, Adderall has several contraindications, such as [3]: 

• Monoamine oxidase inhibitor treatment for depression or other mental illnesses as this could raise their blood pressure to dangerous levels 
• Cardiovascular disease
• Arteriosclerosis
• Glaucoma
• Hyperthyroidism
• Severe hypertension
• People with a history of drug abuse
• People with co-occurring conditions like depression or bipolar disorder

Before taking any drug, especially Adderall, you should always consult with a medical professional to discuss possible side effects and risks considering your medical history. 

Does Adderall Help Anxiety?

No, Adderall does not help with anxiety or similar mental health disorders like panic attacks or depression. Using Adderall to treat anxiety could worsen your symptoms as the effects of the drug could enhance your feelings of agitation, nervousness, and paranoia. 

Can You Get Prescribed Adderall for Anxiety?

Although some people may be prescribed Adderall to treat an anxiety disorder that exists alongside attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, stimulant drugs like Adderall and Ritalin are rarely prescribed as a treatment for anxiety on their own.

Should I Take Adderall If I Have Anxiety?

If you have a mental health condition or one of the many types of anxiety disorders diagnosed in Americans each year, you should not use Adderall as a treatment, whether prescribed by a doctor or not. 

Not only can Adderall worsen the symptoms of anxiety, but it has a high potential for abuse and subsequent addiction. 

Co-Occurring Anxiety with ADHD and Narcolepsy

Anxiety disorder usually doesn’t occur on its own. Many people who suffer from the condition also have co-occurring disorders like depression, ADHD, panic disorders, or even narcolepsy. 

Around 25% of people with ADHD also have anxiety [4], and another 35% of people with narcolepsy show anxiety symptoms, too [5]. This means people who use Adderall for their ADHD could also be experiencing the negative impact the drug has on their anxiety.

Does Adderall Cause Anxiety?

Not necessarily, since Adderall is often prescribed for ADHD patients to help them calm down and focus. Despite Adderall not directly causing an anxiety disorder, it could make pre-existing anxiety symptoms worse [6]. 

Since one of the neurotransmitters triggered by using Adderall is an excitatory hormone, using the drug could not only get you more worked up and make your anxiety worse, it could contribute to the development of a panic disorder and related panic attacks when used to treat anxiety symptoms. 

Adderall and ADHD Anxiety

According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, nearly half of the population of American adults diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) also have some type or form of anxiety [7].

Does Adderall Help With ADHD Anxiety?

In many ways taking Adderall can help with anxiety symptoms if they are related to your ADHD. Struggling with ADHD means you might feel like you have no ownership over your brain, and you are constantly subject to the thoughts and impulses that pop into your head. 

Although Adderall and anxiety aren’t a good mix on their own, using the drug to deal with your ADHD could help your mind feel clear enough to reduce many of the symptoms of anxiety you would previously have had no control over. 

Which ADHD Medication Causes The Least Anxiety?

The stimulant with the least side effects is methylphenidate or Ritalin, most often prescribed for children and teenagers and least likely to cause anxiety.

Managing Adderall Related Anxiety

The mood disturbances caused by using or abusing Adderall can vary in severity but are often quite challenging to cope with. Thankfully there are several ways to deal with Adderall-related anxiety, the best of which are discussed below. 

Anti-Anxiety Medications

Anti-anxiety medication is often the first choice when managing anxiety caused by Adderall use, dealing with anxiety-related mental health issues, or simply when people feel anxious for no apparent reason. 

The most commonly prescribed drugs for quick treatment of anxiety symptoms are called benzodiazepines and include: