Amphetamine vs Adderall: What’s The Real Difference? Prescription Use vs Misuse Explained

Did the doctor ever prescribe Adderall and then hear the word “amphetamine” and wonder if they’re the same? Well, they are similar but not the exact same. In short, Amphetamine is a family, and Adderall is a member of that family. You might also wonder, what do amphetamines do? What are the indications for prescription by doctors? Why are they considered risky? Is using them against the law, and are they addictive? And if they are, what can be the Amphetamine addiction treatments? Let’s do a legitimate Amphetamine vs Adderall and answer all your queries.

What Really Are Amphetamines?

Amphetamines are stimulant drugs. You may think of caffeine when you hear the word “stimulants”, something that wakes you up and gets you going for the day. Amphetamine does something similar but on a much stronger and targeted scale. Means they speed things up, especially how fast the brain’s message reaches the body. Amphetamine works by increasing the activity of two key brain chemicals – dopamine and norepinephrine, which play a major role in attention and alertness. There are numerous things in which Amphetamines can help. It can help you focus more, it gives you a lot of energy, keeps you more alert, and aslo make you way more confident. And all of these things can be misused, and you can get addicted to the high.

What Is Adderall, To Be Exact?

Adderall is a CNS (Central Nervous System) stimulant often prescribed by doctors to treat ADHD and Narcolepsy. Adderall is a fine blend of four different amphetamine salts (dextroamphetamine saccharate, amphetamine aspartate, dextroamphetamine sulfate, and amphetamine sulfate). Its job is to increase dopamine and norepinephrine levels in your brain. It makes you more alert, builds concentration and energy, and reduces your impulsivity. This isn’t one of those medicines that you can just go and get your hands on easily. You would need a prescription.

Is Amphetamine And Adderall The Same Thing?

The difference between Amphetamine and Adderall is much simpler than you may have initially thought. Amphetamine is a whole category of drugs, while Adderall is only one specific medicine from the exact category. Other than that, they work in similar ways, treat similar conditions, and have similar effects/side effects. But that isn’t all, there are some other differences and similarities that are worth mentioning. Let’s check them one by one.

Amphetamine Vs Adderall: Table Comparison

Here is a side-by-side table comparison of both for your better understanding:

Feature	Amphetamine	Adderall
What is it	A stimulant drug class	Named prescription medication
Composition	Single compound (amphetamine-type drugs)	Mixture of 4 amphetamine salts
Type	Generic drug class	Formulated pharmaceutical product
Main ingredients	Amphetamine (d- and/or l- isomers)	Dextroamphetamine saccharate, amphetamine aspartate, dextroamphetamine sulfate, amphetamine sulfate
Medical usage	ADHD, narcolepsy	ADHD, narcolepsy
Availability	Exists in multiple medications and formulations	Available only as Adderall / Adderall XR
Regulation	Controlled substance	Schedule II controlled substance
Addictiveness	less adictive than Adderall	highly addictive than Amphetamine

Side effects of using Amphetamines and Adderall

Much like any other controlled substance, Amphetamine, like Adderall, also comes with some side effects.
Side effects of taking Amphetamines. taking Amphetamine can sometimes show some side effects, Such as:

Side Effects of Taking Amphetamines

Taking Amphetamine can sometimes show some side effects, Such as:

• Insomnia (trouble falling asleep)
• Feeling restless
• Mouth dryness
• Headache
• increased blood pressure
• A fast heart rate
• Irritability

The doctor may want to keep an eye on you if you are someone who has been taking amphetamines for a long time because it affects both your brain and your heart health.

Side Effects of Taking Adderall

You can still face some adverse effects even if you are taking the medicine correctly and as prescribed. Effects like:

• Gastrointestinal problems
• Insomnia
• Dry mouth
• Headach
• Appetite loss
• Dizziness
• Anxiety
• Palpitations & Blood pressure

As you can already tell by now, almost all of their side effects are similar. Only a handful can be called different. As both of these medicines are controlled substances and are prone to dependence and abuse, it is very easy to get addicted and overdose.

Amphetamine vs Adderall: Misuse

The important thing to know is that amphetamines and Adderall are Schedule II controlled substances and have legitimate medical use, but they also carry a stupidly high risk of dependence. In the past, people used amphetamines to lose weight fast because it makes you feel less hungry, but this is not as prevalent in today’s contemporary society. A CNS stimulant drug being misused is very easy, and unfortunately, people do misuse them.

Misuse of Amphetamines and Adderall

Some take amphetamines without a prescription to:

• Study or work harder
• Stay awake for long hours
• Lose weight fast
• Enhance athletic prowess
• Feel a temporary high

People use both of them to get a similar kind of stimulation and to get high. This is more common in youngsters these days.

Overdose risks of Amphetamine & Adderall

Overdosing on any of the two can be life-threateningly serious and dangerous. If you have by chance overdosed on either of the two, you need to rush yourself to the hospital as soon as possible in order to save your life or to avoid going into a much more serious state, such as a coma. But how do you know if you have overdosed? For that, you should know the symptoms. Symptoms like:

• A heartbeat that’s quicker than usual
• Extremely high or low BP
• Facing difficulty breathing
• An excessively high body temperature
• Throwing up, and bad diarrhea
• Shaking uncontrollably
• severe anxiety or panic episodes
• Hallucinations & paranoia
• Blurred vision

If you have or you see a close one having any of these symptoms, do not take it lightly and rush to the doctor as soon as feasible. An early diagnosis can prevent worst-case scenarios like coma and save lives. Amphetamines like adderall are very addictive and very commonly misused and even sold on the streets. So, it is also important to know how to treat the addiction. Amphetamine addiction isn’t something new, and we also have multiple ways to treat it. Therapy is something every doctor would recommend. Therapies like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy, and Holistic therapy.

Final Thoughts

Amphetamine can be of a lot of help to you if you use it wisely. But they’re not casual medications, and of course, they come with some serious misuse problems. If you’re prescribed Adderall or another amphetamine medication, the safest approach is to simply listen to your doctor.