Is Adderall Addictive?

My son is 11 years old and he is prescribed on adderall. He has been taking it for 1.5 year now and I am worried that he may be addicted on it. He is under constant doc supervision…anyway, can you tell me Is Adderall Addictive? I am worried about him, what will happen after he finishes therapy.

Adderall is a prescription drug classified as a stimulant. Adderall increases the amount of certain chemicals in the brain and peripheral nervous system and it is considered safe when used to treat ADHD under a physician's supervision. I don't want to worry you but I read that The US Drug Enforcement Administration has found that Adderall can cause physical dependence, but it has a higher risk of causing psychological dependence.

cheri wrote:

My son is 11 years old and he is prescribed on adderall. He has been taking it for 1.5 year now and I am worried that he may be addicted on it. He is under constant doc supervision…anyway, can you tell me Is Adderall Addictive? I am worried about him, what will happen after he finishes therapy.

Adderall is amphetamine salts, so yes, it /can/ be addictive. But it sounds like you're doing the right thing by keeping your son under the doc's supervision. Next time you visit, ask your doc what the symptoms of physical addiction are so you'll know what to look for when he is eventually taken off the meds.

Adderall XR is not addictive in the same way caffeine or nicotine is. Your son may find he performs better on Adderall XR at school, home or with friends and so remains compliant becasue there is an obvious benefit.
He may at some point develop a tolerance which may require an increase in dose or change in medication (methylphenidate based product).
If your son is performing to his ability I would not worry about addiction as he is 6X more likely to get involved with illegal substances when off is meds. Ask your doc.