Why Am I Not Addicted to Adderall?

Question by Peter: Why am I not addicted to Adderall?
I have been prescribed 45mg a day of Adderall to treat adult ADHD, and I woke up late 2 days (worked a lot of OT last week (Thursday and Friday only for 13 hours) and weekend (15 hours of work a day) and did not sleep a lot, I had this week off). I had off starting Monday (memorial day) Tuesday, Weds, and today (Thursday): I did not take my Adderall on Monday, because I slept until 12 PM, and I was just going to relax that day. I just felt excessively tired which may be caused from working too much. When I thought about it, I thought I should try to take that week off (from taking my Adderall), because all I knew about Amphetamines before I was prescribed them was that they were extremely addictive and dangerous. It seems that Monday and Tuesday I just felt a bit irritable, nothing too bad and slept a quite a bit more than I usually do (12 hours). By Weds, I was sleeping 7 hours a night, my usual sleep if I’m not working overtime. I did not crave taking my medication, I had absolutely no withdrawal symptoms (I smoke cigarettes, so boy do I know withdrawal). I was just wondering…why did I not get addicted to it? After a month of smoking, I found myself addicted to cigarettes (quite a while ago) yet after a month (and a bit more, about 5-6 weeks now) of taking Adderall daily, I do not feel withdrawal AT ALL from it? The only side effects I get when it wears off (generally goes away 3-4 hours after it wears off) are slight anxiety and muscle tension and I did not experience those at all now.
I did also notice a rebound in symptoms, but I assume that’d be obvious.

Best answer:

Answer by Mathieu
Amphetamines such as Adderall (mixed amphetamine salts) have, according to the official prescribing information, “A HIGH POTENTIAL FOR ABUSE. ADMINISTRATION OF AMPHETAMINES FOR PROLONGED PERIODS OF TIME MAY LEAD TO DRUG DEPENDENCE.”

The key word is POTENTIAL. The simple reality is that only a small percent of people prescribed a controlled substance (eg., amphetamines, opioids, benzodiazepines, barbiturates) will develop a substance abuse problem. So it is normal that you are not addicted, it would be uncommon for you to become addicted. Amphetamines are also somewhat unique in the fact that oral use of amphetamines rarely leads to addiction however if amphetamines are smoked, snorted, or injected the risk of addiction drastically increases.

Also withdrawal, which results from physical dependence, is not addiction. Addiction is a loss of control over substance use with craving and/or compulsive use which is continued despite harm. Physical dependence is a state of adaptation resulting in drug classspecific withdrawal symptoms upon abrupt dose reduction, decreasing drug levels or antagonist administration.

Amphetamines also don’t typically cause significant physical dependence or withdrawal issues. Drugs like opioids, benzodiazepines, barbiturates, and alcohol are well known for their physical withdrawal effects. But keep in mind that people taking a prescription medications for a legitimate use may experience withdrawal but that alone does not indicate an addiction. For example nearly all people who take opioids chronically are physically dependent and will go into withdrawal if the medication is abruptly discontinued yet very few are addicted.