Never stop taking Adderall suddenly. Withdrawal should be done gradually, under a doctor’s supervision.
You should not stop taking Adderall unless your doctor advises you to. Furthermore, you shouldn’t take Adderall or similar drugs recreationally. If you have been taking Adderall regularly and suddenly stop, you can experience an emotional “crash” as well as physical withdrawal symptoms. Abusing Adderall is more likely to result in an emotional crash than taking it as directed by a doctor. Suddenly stopping Adderall can cause depression, panic attacks, irritability, and even suicidal thoughts. You definitely want to come off Adderall under the supervision of a physician.
In some men, simply understanding why the use of Adderall can lead to erectile dysfunction can help them let go of enough anxiety to be able to function sexually. If you’re a man taking Adderall or another stimulant, and you believe it is causing you to have erection problems, you need to broach the subject with your doctor. You might be able to lower the dose, enjoy the benefits of it, and reduce anxiety-producing effects enough to help with erection problems. Some men may successfully change from taking an extended release version of their ADHD medication to traditional, fast-acting medication, which gets out of the body faster and can allow a degree of “recovery” to where sex is possible.
Your doctor can help you determine if your erection problems are being caused by your ADHD medication, and if so, what to do about it. He or she may want to explore other possible causes of erectile dysfunction, like hormonal imbalances, heart disease, diabetes, or other medications (including antidepressants). And as with men in general alcohol and nicotine consumption can contribute to erection problems, whether they’re caused by circulatory problems or loss of libido.
Adderall is one of many drugs that can interfere with a man’s ability to have a strong erection and satisfying sex. But it doesn’t affect circulation to the penis – its effects are more roundabout, though no less real. Abusing Adderall can not only negatively affect your sex life, but many other aspects of life, so there’s good reason for it being a controlled substance. Whatever you think may be causing your erection difficulties, the place to begin addressing them is in conversation with a physician.
Is Adderall use associated with erectile dysfunction?
Adderall and Adderall XR are associated with erectile dysfunction, and though it does so in an indirect manner, it can nonetheless be stressful for men who take the medications. Adderall in some people has the effect of dampening libido, and this is what leads to erection problems. Most erectile dysfunction is caused by a physical condition that limits the amount of blood flowing into the penis during sexual stimulation. Adderall and drugs like it don’t affect blood circulation in the penis, but they can produce anxiety and quash sex drive, and when this happens, sexual functioning can suffer.
This is not to say that every man who takes Adderall will have erection problems. It’s only when the drug is abused, or taken regularly for a very long the time that the possibility of erectile dysfunction increases.