The Effects & Dangers of Snorting Adderall®

Adderall® is a prescription drug that combines the stimulants amphetamine and dextroamphetamine.1 Designated a Schedule II controlled substance by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), it is commonly prescribed to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and narcolepsy. Unfortunately, Adderall has a high potential for misuse, abuse, and dependence. One especially dangerous form of misuse is snorting Adderall. This method of misuse bypasses the body’s natural filtering systems to rapidly deliver an intense yet short-lived “high.” 

Snorting Adderall is not only illegal, it can lead to serious physical and psychological side effects, including heart problems, mood swings, and addiction.1 If you or someone you love is struggling with Adderall addiction, our drug and alcohol rehab in Atlanta can guide you through a safe recovery process.

Why Do People Abuse Adderall?  

Snorting or otherwise misusing Adderall produces a rapid and intense “high” due to a surge in the feel-good neurotransmitter dopamine that takes place in the user’s brain. Used in this way, Adderall is comparable to illegal and addictive central nervous system stimulants in potency, making its misuse increasingly common among young adults.  

Along with its recreational use, Adderall is frequently used as a “study drug” among high school and college students. By increasing their powers of focus and concentration, the drug helps them study for extended periods and enables them to achieve more academically. However, studies show that unless a person has a genuine ADHD, Adderall does not aid in cognition and can in some cases even hinder one’s mental capacity.2 

Misusing Adderall as a “crash diet drug” for weight loss is also common since people tend to feel less hungry while on Adderall. Others take Adderall as a “party drug” that allows them to stay up later and feel less sensitive to the depressive effects of alcohol. However, while the short-term effects of snorting Adderall might feel pleasant, misusing the drug in this way can have harmful effects.

How Do You Take Adderall?  

When prescribed by a doctor, Adderall is taken to treat ADHD and narcolepsy, defined as the uncontrollable desire for sleep or sudden attacks of deep sleep.3 The drug is taken orally in tablet form or as a time-release capsule, usually in the morning so as to avoid disrupting the user’s sleep patterns. 

When used outside of a medical context, Adderall may be crushed, mixed with water and injected, mixed with tobacco and smoked, mixed with alcohol and other drugs, or snorted like cocaine. Snorting Adderall is currently popular among high school and college students, second only to taking it orally as prescribed. 

Snorting Adderall Side Effects  

Snorting Adderall comes with a unique set of unpleasant side effects. These include:4 

• Headache 
• Insomnia 
• Nausea 
• Increase in body temperature 
• High blood pressure 
• Seizures or tremors 
• Aggressiveness 
• Paranoia 

Taking Adderall as prescribed also comes with a variety of side effects. These side effects may go away during treatment as the user’s body adjusts to the medicine. While some side effects are not serious, others could require medical attention. The more general or immediate side effects of taking Adderall as prescribed include:3 

• Anxiety 
• Dry mouth 
• Loss of strength 
• Stomach pain 
• Weight loss 
• Constipation 
• Bladder pain 
• Irregular heartbeat or pulse 
• Frequent urge to urinate 
• Lower back or side pain

Overdoses From Snorting Adderall  

Adderall overdose can occur with any method of use, including orally, if more is taken than prescribed. One should therefore avoid ever taking more Adderall than prescribed. 

Of course, the risk of overdose is heightened when one snorts it, since the effects are felt more quickly and intensely. 

The risk of Adderall overdose increases exponentially when it is mixed with illicit stimulants like cocaine or illicit opioids like heroin. Counterfeit Adderall can also be laced with another dangerous substance, fentanyl, which can increase the risk of overdose as well. The signs of overdose from snorting Adderall include:5,6 

• Dizziness 
• Blurred vision 
• Tremors 
• Confusion 
• Mood swings 
• Nausea or vomiting 
• Rapid breathing 
• Rapid heartbeat 
• Excessive sweating 
• Chest pains or chest tightness 
• Anxiety or panic 
• Auditory or visual hallucinations 
• Loss of consciousness

Long-Term Effects of Snorting Adderall 

Abusing prescription stimulants like Adderall by snorting them has been found more likely to cause adverse health effects than when taken as prescribed.7 The longer-term effects of snorting Adderall include:1,8,

• Slowed weight gain 
• Slowed physical growth 
• Hypertension (high blood pressure) 
• Adverse cardiac effects (heart problems) 
• Psychosis 
• Addiction or stimulant use disorder (SUD)

Nasal Septum Damage from Snorting Adderall 

Snorting Adderall can also severely damage the nose. The side effects of snorting Adderall are similar to those of snorting cocaine, including:10

• Impaired sense of smell 
• Recurring nosebleeds 
• Congestion and runny nose 
• Difficulty swallowing 
• Chronic sinusitis or sinus infections 
• Nasal septum damage 
• Nasal tissue necrosis, or the death of tissue in the nasal passages

Consequences of Sustained Adderall Abuse 

While Adderall has potentially harmful side effects when taken under medical supervision, the risks of snorting Adderall are the most potentially problematic. Among the long-term effects of snorting Adderall:4,8 

• Withdrawal symptoms, wherein stopping or even decreasing the use of Adderall becomes difficult due to numerous unpleasant symptoms of withdrawal  
• Physical tolerance, or the body growing so used to processing the drug that it needs more to achieve the desired effect 
• Physical dependence, or the body becoming so accustomed to the drug that it can no longer perform cognitively or physiologically without it 
• Addiction

Quitting Adderall: Withdrawal & Treatment  

Quitting Adderall after long-term misuse can result in uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms. These symptoms include:11,12 

• Cravings for Adderall  
• Fatigue 
• Agitation and irritability 
• Depression 
• Increased sleeping and appetite 
• Muscle aches 
• Anhedonia (reduced ability to experience pleasure) 

While everyone who has developed a dependence or addiction to snorting Adderall must face the discomfort of withdrawal for themselves, a medically supervised detox process can help patients safely navigate the withdrawal process and avoid relapse. An addiction treatment center like Empowered Recovery Center can help people safely quit Adderall and provide the support they need to stay sober.

Adderall Addiction Treatment in Atlanta  

If you’re ready to break free from Adderall addiction, Empowered Recovery Center in Atlanta can help. We know that recovery starts with the willingness to work toward a brighter future and the inner strength to ask for help. 

We offer many levels of care and customized addiction treatment programs in Atlanta. Whether you’re looking for partial hospitalization (PHP), intensive outpatient (IOP), or outpatient (OP) care, we can tailor a comprehensive treatment plan to meet your needs. And once you’ve finished treatment, we will stay with you with one full year of free recovery coaching. 

Our rehab admissions coordinators can answer any questions you might have about treatment as well as provide information on accepted insurance plans and paying for rehab. We can even verify your benefits and assist you with out-of-network coverage plans. Reach out to us today!

References 

1. National Institute on Drug Abuse (2025). Amphetamines. National Institutes of Health. Retrieved June 23, 2025, from https://nida.nih.gov/research-topics/drugs-a-to-z 
2. Brown University News (2018). Pilot study suggests ADHD drugs do not improve cognition in healthy college students. Brown University. Retrieved June 23, 2025, from https://www.brown.edu/news/2018-07-20/adhd 
3. Mayo Clinic (2025). Dextroamphetamine and amphetamine (oral route). Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. Retrieved June 23, 2025, from https://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements/dextroamphetamine-and-amphetamine-oral-route/description/drg-20071758 
4. Mayo Clinic (2022). Prescription Drug Abuse. Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. Retrieved June 23, 2025, from https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/prescription-drug-abuse/symptoms-causes/syc-20376813 
5. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Division of Overdose Prevention. (n.d.) Stimulant Guide. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved June 24, 2025, from https://www.cdc.gov/overdose-prevention/media/pdfs/2024/03/CDC-Stimulant-Guide.pdf 
6. MedLine Plus (2024). Dextroamphetamine and Amphetamine. National Library of Medicine. Retrieved June 24, 2025, from https://medlineplus.gov/druginfo/meds/a601234.html 
7. U.S. National Library of Medicine (2017). Prescription Stimulant Medication Misuse: Where Are We and Where Do We Go from Here? National Institutes of Health. Retrieved June 24, 2025, from https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5113141/ 
8. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (2021). Prescription Stimulant Misuse and Prevention Among Youth and Young Adults. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Retrieved June 25, 2025, from https://library.samhsa.gov/sites/default/files/pep21-06-01-003.pdf 
9. U.S. National Library of Medicine (2009). Potential Adverse Effects of Amphetamine Treatment on Brain and Behavior: A Review. National Institutes of Health. Retrieved June 25, 2025, from https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2670101/#S9 
10. American Society of Addiction Medicine and the American Academy of Addiction Psychiatry (2023). Clinical Practice Guideline on the Management of Stimulant Use Disorder. American Society of Addiction Medicine and the American Academy of Addiction Psychiatry. Retrieved June 25, 2025, from https://downloads.asam.org/sitefinity-production-blobs/docs/default-source/quality-science/stud_guideline_document_final.pdf 
11. U.S. National Library of Medicine (2021). Treatment for Stimulant Use Disorders, Chapter 3—Medical Aspects of Stimulant Use Disorders. National Institutes of Health. Retrieved June 25, 2025, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK576550/
12. U.S. National Library of Medicine (2009). Clinical Guidelines for Withdrawal Management and Treatment of Drug Dependence in Closed Settings—Withdrawal Management. National Institutes of Health. Retrieved June 25, 2025, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK310652/