a prescription medication consisting of racemic (levo- and dextro- isomers both included)
amphetamine salts. (the dextro- isomers are reported to be more
recreationally useful than the levo- isomers, as it is said the levo- isomers cause little psychological effects and the dextro-
isomer is even preferred in a medical use setting). they're prescribed by doctors for ADHD but are widely abused. the
extended release get you high for HOURS and have a really intense but edgy high. Effects include increased motivation, increased concentration, extreme euphoria, loads of energy, and your brain works in a more logical, calculating way in general. A very distinctive high. Side-effects include tension in the jaw, inability or feeling like you don't need to eat, and I personally get a very noticeable 'tick' that pretty much announces to everyone I'm on speed .I tend to bite and lick my lips really fast when I speed, and it tends to look like I'm flicking my tongue at people or something. Effects like this can go completely subconscious and the user will not even realize he is doing things such as this (if side-effects like this are experienced). One of the bad things about adderall is the harsh
comedown (when you take a decent amount). Speed hangovers can include unsettling of the stomach, fatigue, inability to sleep, feeling just generally depressed or down, and if taken for extended periods the hangover can turn into a full-blown crash, which can be almost UNBEARABLE.
Adderall's chemically active component
amphetamine acts on your brain by causing the release of a chemical called
dopamine, which is your
brain's 'reward' chemical. I.E. when you eat good food, have sex, or do something else pleasurable, your brain normally releases small amounts of dopamine. With adderall, large amounts of dopamine are released into the brain, and by pharmacological action of amphetamine, a process occurs called dopamine
reuptake antagonism, which is basically a science term to describe that the dopamine is stuck floating in your brain instead of being metabolized or taken back up, which occurs normally within minutes. With adderall, however, dopamine, your "FUCK YEAH LET'S DO THIS!!!" chemical is stuck floating around in your brain for hours on end causing the strongly reported euphoria and other recreational effects.
Chemically,
adderall's psychoactive chemical amphetamine is closely related to several other drugs. These include methamphetamine, or "meth, ice," etc, which is just an amphetamine
molecule with a methyl group (CH3, one carbon atom stuck with 3 hydrogen atoms) stuck on the end, which basically causes the effects of the drug to be amplified, which is why meth is so much more addictive. Other related compounds include MDMA, aka ecstasy, which is the methamphetamine compound with 2 oxygens stuck to the other end of the molecule with a carbon and 2 hydrogens in between them. There are numerous other related compounds, but I'm really getting tired of typing at this point.