Adderall: What's It Doing to Your Brain?

Science Vs

Spotify Studios

Education, Science, Health & Fitness

4.4 • 12.4K Ratings

🗓️ 9 December 2022

⏱️ 32 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

There’s an Adderall shortage across the U.S., and it’s causing huge problems for people with ADHD. But on the flip side, we hear people saying that we shouldn’t be giving this drug out anyway. So we wanted to know: What is Adderall, exactly? What is it doing in people’s brains? And is there any truth to this idea that Adderall is like meth — could it be dangerous? We talk to psychiatrist Prof. Rachel Fargason, neuroscientist Prof. Habibeh Khoshbouei, and actor Kai Liu. If you or someone you love is struggling with addiction, in the US you can call the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s National Helpline: 1-800-662-HELP or visit their website. Find our transcript here: https://bit.ly/sciencevsadderall This episode was produced by Rose Rimler, with help from Meryl Horn, Michelle Dang, and Disha Bhagat. We’re edited by Blythe Terrell. Editing help from Caitlin Kenney. Wendy Zukerman is our Executive Producer. Fact checking by Diane Kelly. Mix and sound design by Bumi Hidaka. Music written by Bumi Hidaka, Emma Munger, Bobby Lord, SoWylie, and Peter Leonard. And a big thanks to the researchers we spoke to including Dr. Kenny Handelman, Prof. Gail Tripp, Prof. Lily Hechtman, Dr. Nora Volkow, Dr. Joshua Gordon, Prof. Stephen Faraone, Dr. Zheng Chang, and Prof. Carl Hart. A big thanks to Annette Heist, Anya Schultz, and Thom Dunn. And this is our last episode of the season! So an extra special thanks to everyone who helped us out this season, including Jack Weinstein, and Hunter, Chris Suter and Elise, and Presha Bhagat. We’ll see you next year! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0	Hi, I'm Rose Rimler, fill again for Wendy Zookerman this week because she's busy competing
0:04.2	in a 24-hour dance marathon.
0:06.0	She'll be back next season.
0:08.6	This is Science vs. From Gimlet, the show that pits facts against focus.
0:12.8	Today on the show, Adderall.
0:22.5	That's a drug that is often used to treat attention deficit, hyperactivity disorder, or
0:27.4	ADHD.
0:28.8	You may have heard that this drug is in short supply right now in the US.
0:32.3	The Food and Drug Administration is now confirming a nationwide shortage of Adderall.
0:38.0	More than six in ten pharmacies are reporting difficulties obtaining Adderall medication.
0:43.2	I just had to call ten different pharmacies to find one that had my ADHD medicine stock.
0:49.4	There are several different companies that make versions of Adderall.
0:52.8	One company has said the shortage is basically caused by a combination of not enough workers
0:57.4	and too much demand.
0:59.4	It became easier to get prescriptions during the pandemic because you could do it online
1:03.3	from some telehealth companies.
1:05.9	But even before the pandemic, demand was going way up, so more and more people are on this
1:10.7	stuff.
1:14.8	And this has been freaking some people out because of claims about what Adderall is.
1:20.0	A derivative of meth, a highly addictive drug.
1:23.3	The scary part, it's made of emphetamine.
1:25.2	They give you Adderall, which is f***ing speed.
	...

Please login to see the full transcript.

Previous episode | Next episode

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from Spotify Studios, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of Spotify Studios and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.