[Encore] America’s Next "Opioid" Crisis? Adderall And Other Stimulants

The Dr. Phil Podcast

Dr. Phil McGraw

Mental Health, Self-improvement, Society & Culture, Education, Health & Fitness

4.4 • 13.2K Ratings

🗓️ 19 March 2025

⏱️ 43 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

America is facing a silent AND growing epidemic: the Adderall crisis. The use of this stimulant (and its generics) has exploded from 35.5 million prescriptions in 2019 to 45 million in 2022. But these numbers only scratch the surface. The DEA warns we're on the brink of our next drug crisis.
America is facing a silent AND growing epidemic: the Adderall crisis. The use of this stimulant (and its generics), known by street names like A-Train, Addy, Amps, Christmas Trees, Co-Pilots, Lid Poppers, Smarties, Study Buddies, and Study Skittles has exploded from 35.5 million prescriptions in 2019 to 45 million in 2022. But these numbers only scratch the surface. A dangerous black market has emerged, flooding streets with counterfeit pills indistinguishable from the real thing. Users, often unaware, risk their lives with every dose. Even legitimate prescriptions carry significant dangers. The DEA warns we're on the brink of our next drug crisis. With 5-6 million Americans using Adderall without proper diagnosis and one in four teens in some schools abusing prescription stimulants, we're watching a new generation spiral into un-prescribed/unneeded use and addiction.
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Transcript

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0:00.0	We are on the brink of our next drug crisis.
0:04.0	Their son started taking Adderall to study, but a full-blown addiction led him to die by suicide.
0:11.0	He did not feel a doctor would give him anything that would be bad for him.
0:15.0	For the right brain, these medications are so helpful.
0:18.0	And for the wrong brains, we've seen suicide attempts and psychosis.
0:23.7	In my experience, this is the worst drug crisis in the history of America.
0:36.3	A-train, Adie, Christmas Trees,
0:38.8	co-pilots, Smarties, and Study Skittles,
0:42.4	all street names for Adderall,
0:44.3	the ADHD treatment drug.
0:46.7	In just three years,
0:48.9	Adderall prescriptions exploded
0:51.6	from 35.5 million to 45 million. But those numbers only scratched the surface because
0:58.6	the illicit market is growing every single day. In fact, things have gotten so bad that the
1:05.6	DEA recently warned, we are on the brink of our next drug crisis.
1:11.6	With 5 to 6 million Americans using Adderall
1:15.6	without proper diagnosis, and one in four teens,
1:20.6	in some schools abusing prescription stimulates,
1:24.6	we're watching a new generation spiral into overuse, addiction,
1:30.3	and in some cases death.
1:32.3	Ricky and his wife Kathy know about this all too well.
1:36.3	Their son Richard started taking Adderall to study, but descended into a full-blown addiction that led him to die by suicide.
	...

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