86: Adderall Alert: From Prescription to Addiction

When you think of an addict, most of us visualize a homeless person or someone in a crack house, not a housewife, a wealthy exec, or successful CEO.

Our guest today, software developer and business owner, Dave Ford, had never smoked a cigarette or taken illegal drugs growing up. But when his wife suggested he see a doctor for ADHD (attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder), he NEVER suspected that he’d be spending the next 10 years as a raging addict to Adderall. Adderall is a stimulant medication of mixed amphetamine salts that contains two active drugs: amphetamine and dextroamphetamine. 

Dave’s doctor never mentioned that Adderall has the potential to be addictive and potentially habit-forming. In Dave’s case, it was. According to Dave, ‘No one ever told me that the really dangerous shit doesn’t come from the drug dealer. It comes from your family doctor.’

In March 2023, the U.S. CDC reported an unprecedented spike in stimulant prescriptions between 2020 and 2021; the sharpest increase happening in women between the ages of 20 and 49 during the pandemic.

 

KEY TAKEAWAYS

1.    Some of the ways the Adderall addiction wrecked Dave’s life, relationships, and livelihood.

2.    Dave’s message for doctors who prescribe drugs like Phentermine and Adderall.

3.    Signs can parents, spouses, friends, or co-workers can look for to determine if a loved one may be suffering from an Adderall addiction.

4.    What the term Dopesick means.

5.    Dave’s rock bottom moment and detoxification experience.

6.    The biggest misconceptions when it comes to prescription pill addiction.

7.    Advice on where someone can begin to seek help and get on the road to recovery.

Free help is available. If high-priced, luxury recovery centers are not an option or you don’t have insurance, look for a local 12-step program or reach out to your local church. Mariner’s Church offers services at marinerschurch.org/care-recovery/ with locations throughout southern California.

We’ll have the links in the show notes at https://ronandlisa.com/podcasts/86-adderall-alert-from-prescription-to-addiction/ DISCLAIMER: The contents of this site are for informational purposes only. The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.