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There are plenty of tactics out there to lose weight quickly. And while some of them may even work, they often come with some potentially dangerous side effects.
One particularly hazardous weight loss approach is abusing Adderall. This prescription drug can suppress your appetite, resulting in weight loss, but it’s also a highly addictive substance. Adderall for weight loss isn’t a healthy or long-term solution.
Recently, pop singer Lily Allen spoke out about her experience with turning to Adderall for weight loss. Her story is one that many can learn from.
Lily Allen: A Background
Lily Allen is a British singer who rose to international success at the young age of 21. Born in 1985, Lily always wanted to be a singer and left school at age 15 to focus on music. In 2005, she started uploading some of her musical recordings to MySpace, and by 2006, she had her first single, “Smile,” playing on the radio.
Allen has continued to see success in her career throughout the years. Unfortunately, as is the case with many female pop stars, there were times when the media and people focused more on Lily Allen’s looks than her talent.
Throughout her time in the spotlight, Allen’s weight has fluctuated. And in 2021, the singer admitted that she became addicted to Adderall in 2014 after turning to the drug as a quick weight loss solution.
Lily Allen Admits Adderall Addiction
When Lily Allen first came onto the scene, she wasn’t the “size zero” body type many pop stars are. However, she exuded a sense of self-acceptance and openly discussed that she was comfortable with her body.
On her MySpace blog, the singer once wrote, “I used to pride myself on being strong-minded and not being some stupid girl obsessed with the way I look. I felt like it didn’t matter if I was a bit chubby ’cause I’m not a model, I’m a singer.”
However, the public scrutiny clearly got to her, because she eventually stirred fan concern when she called herself “fat and ugly” in the same MySpace blog.
It’s not entirely surprising that Lily Allen was driven down this path. Not only did she face remarks from the media and online trolls, but even fellow celebrities came after her. For example, pop singer Katy Perry once stated in an interview, when asked about herself, “I’m like a skinnier version of Lily Allen.”
All of this happened before 2010, and as Lily Allen’s career continued, she slimmed down and maintained her skinny physique. But fans were shocked when, in 2021, Allen admitted in a candid interview that she used to have an Adderall addiction.
Adderall and Weight Loss
Adderall is a type of amphetamine used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The drug helps people focus and gives them intense energy. However, a common side effect of the drug is appetite suppression, which can lead to weight loss.
As this side effect became more well-known, many individuals started to misuse Adderall solely as a weight loss solution. Some doctors may even prescribe Adderall for weight loss in adults, but the Food & Drug Association (FDA) hasn’t approved this as an appropriate use for the drug.
Adderall isn’t an ideal weight loss solution for two reasons. First, it’s a highly addictive drug. Not only is Adderall addictive, but it’s also challenging to quit. While there aren’t concrete statistics on the rate of addiction, many addiction specialists are reporting seeing more and more people coming in for Adderall treatment every year.
Secondly, Adderall isn’t a long-term solution for weight loss. If you lose weight on the drug, you’re almost guaranteed to put the weight back on as soon as you stop using it. This creates a dangerous cycle of dependency, which only feeds the addiction.
Setting an Example
Lily Allen’s Adderall weight loss journey isn’t exactly unique — thousands of people around the world have been down this path. Still, the singer opened up about her experience as a cautionary tale for others.
When she was planning to go on a “hyper-sexualized” tour with Miley Cyrus, she felt that her heavier body simply wasn’t going to work. Allen had given birth to two children in three years and wasn’t at her ideal body shape.
During an interview on The Recovery podcast Allen said, “I was like 14 stone and just did not feel like a pop star at all, so I started taking this drug called Adderall, which is like speed, to lose the weight. And I got addicted to this drug because it made me invincible, and I could work really long hours and be all the people I was required to be.”
Ultimately, Adderall was the start of a downward spiral for Allen. She started cheating on her husband and drinking in the mornings, and at one point even considered taking heroin.
And this is exactly what mental health professionals highlight as the issue when experimenting with an addictive substance. It can quickly turn into a severe situation where the person makes bad decisions, tries out other harmful substances, and possibly changes their life forever. The benefits of losing a few pounds by taking Adderall simply don’t outweigh all the risks involved.
Lily Allen’s story is a warning for others who are tempted to try Adderall. As a person in the spotlight, Allen can share what went wrong so others don’t have to make the same mistakes. She can also encourage those who are going through a similar situation to seek help.
Highly addictive substances like Adderall can be hard to quit on your own. People who’ve used Adderall talk about severe withdrawal symptoms every time they try to cut back. Luckily, a substance abuse facility can help a person kick their addiction and move forward with recovery.
Lily Allen states that she’s sober now, married to a new husband and happier than ever. The singer has addressed drug addiction problems in society in her song “Everyone’s At It.” The lyrics state, “How can we start to tackle the problem if you don’t put our hands up and admit that you’re on them?”
Lily is pleading with anyone who has a problem to face it head-on and get the help they need.
FHE Health
At FHE Health, we have caring counselors on staff to help you 24/7. You don’t need to allow Adderall to control your life anymore. Contact us today at (833) 596-3502 to get started on your recovery journey.
