With a doctor’s supervision and monitoring, you can take Suboxone (buprenorphine/naloxone) and Adderall (amphetamine/dextroamphetamine) together. Taking both may be helpful and necessary if you have co-occurring opioid use disorder (OUD) and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
But if you’re misusing one or the other without a doctor’s knowledge or support, you could experience many harmful consequences and effects.
No, Suboxone does not block Adderall, which is a prescription stimulant used to treat ADHD. Suboxone is a medication used to treat OUD. The naloxone component in it is used to deter misuse, and it only blocks opioids like heroin, fentanyl, oxycodone and hydrocodone. As such, your Adderall should be effective in managing your ADHD symptoms even if you are taking Suboxone for OUD.
If your doctor supervises your prescriptions and recovery, you can take Adderall and Suboxone together. In some cases, it’s wise to do so, and can help you maintain long-term sobriety.
Many people with an opioid use disorder (OUD) also have co-occurring ADHD).[1]
An underlying mental health issue can make addressing an OUD more difficult. Untreated ADHD can increase the risk of relapse. Simultaneously, untreated OUD can worsen symptoms of ADHD.
Treating your ADHD and your OUD at the same time may therefore be essential. This may mean taking Adderall or other stimulant medications at the same time as taking a buprenorphine medication like Suboxone.
Suboxone and Adderall are both prescription medications with many benefits and risks.
Adderall is a prescription stimulant medication containing dextroamphetamine and amphetamine salts.[2] The medication is structurally similar to street drugs like methamphetamine, which is another example of a potent stimulant.
Stimulant medications like Adderall boost the release of two key brain chemicals:[3] dopamine and norepinephrine. These neurotransmitters give us energy and produce feelings of pleasure and reward. In this way, stimulant drugs can be addictive and have the potential for misuse, which is why they are tightly controlled and require a prescription.
In people with ADHD, the stimulant causes the release of neurotransmitters that can help people feel more awake and “focused” when they often otherwise feel chronically distracted. For individuals with ADHD, when taken properly as prescribed, the medication should not cause a “high.” Instead, patients feel more focused and able to concentrate.
Some people with ADHD do misuse their medications. In fact, in a study of college students, about 25% of those with ADHD admitted they took their medications in higher quantities or more frequently than prescribed. [4]
People without ADHD may also misuse Adderall because they think it will make them smarter or more easily able to study or perform academically. Some parents may even be willing to give ADHD drugs to their healthy kids in an effort to make them perform better in school.[5] This can be dangerous for many reasons as stimulant medications can have dangerous or even life-threatening side effects.
Suboxone is a prescription medication used to treat OUD. It contains two ingredients:
Suboxone is proven effective in people with OUD. In one study, 75% of people using buprenorphine products like Suboxone avoided relapse one year later. [6]
Because Suboxone contains buprenorphine, an opioid medication, it is a central nervous system (CNS) depressant, which means it slows brain activity, breathing rate and heart rate. Meanwhile, Adderall is a CNS stimulant, which means it speeds up these functions.
Researchers say combining opioids and stimulants can mask an opioid overdose.[12] People may not notice that they’re breathing slower or feeling overly sedated, and bystanders may not intervene with life-saving medications, as they don’t notice the changes either.
Researchers also say one possible reason the combination is so dangerous is that stimulants like Adderall cause blood vessels to dilate, so tissues require more oxygen. At the same time, opioids like Suboxone slow breathing rates, making it harder for the body to supply excess oxygen. The result is brain tissue death.[11]
While you can take Suboxone and Adderall together with your doctor’s recommendation, risks are involved.
The dangers include the following:
Conversely, people using Adderall to properly address their ADHD are also more likely to stay in OUD treatment. The benefits of taking both medications in individuals who have both ADHD and OUD may therefore outweigh the risks.[7]
Pullquote: “People using Adderall for ADHD are more likely to stay in OUD treatment. The benefits of taking Suboxone and Adderall in individuals who have both ADHD and OUD may therefore outweigh the risks.”
If you have a diagnosis of co-occurring ADHD and OUD, you may need to take Adderall and Suboxone together. While there are some risks to taking both a stimulant medication (Adderall) and an opioid medication (Suboxone) together, it can be done safely with proper medical supervision.
Ask your doctor the following questions:
Ask yourself the following questions:
Talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits of combining these medications. Together, you can create a plan that works for you.
If your doctor says you can use Adderall and Suboxone at the same time, you can take these medications together.
There are of course always risks, but working with your doctor ensures you can take both medications safely and minimize any complications.
Talk openly with your doctor and the rest of your treatment team about which medications, including stimulants, you are taking while on Suboxone.
Peter Manza, PhD received his BA in Psychology and Biology from the University of Rochester and his PhD in Integrative Neuroscience at Stony Brook University. He is currently working as a research scientist in Washington, DC. His research focuses on the role of the brain dopamine system in substance use disorders and in aging. He also studies brain function in obesity and eating disorders.
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