Can Lindsay's Problems Be Blamed On A Single Prescription Drug?

By Anna North | August 20, 2010 | 4:31pm

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Doctors apparently claim Lindsay Lohan isn’t really an addict — she was just driven crazy by Adderall. And the thing is, it could actually be true.

According to TMZ, doctors at UCLA, where Lohan is in rehab, say she’s not experiencing the withdrawal symptoms they’d expect from a true addict. They also think she was misdiagnosed with ADHD, and shouldn’t be taking Adderall. Addiction specialist Dr. Joe Haraszti (who, we should note, doesn’t appear to treat Lohan) says that “people who take Adderall when they don’t need it can experience similar effects as people who use cocaine or methamphetamine.” He adds that the drug can produce “manic symptoms,” including “driving around until all hours of the morning … smoking heavily … tweeting … and texting all night long.” Sounds like LiLo!

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At first, though, we were skeptical. Another thing that mimics the effects of cocaine use is actual cocaine, which Lohan was caught with in 2007. And did Adderall really cause Lohan’s two DUIs?

If you believe addiction expert Dr. Marc Kern, maybe. Kern tells TMZ that people taking Adderall have a tendency to abuse alcohol, and adds, “The Adderall counteracts the sedative side effects of alcohol use … making these people often drink more than someone who does not take the drug.” Obviously no drug can make you choose to get wasted, but some psychoactive meds can have unintended results. Ambien can make users sleep-eat, and some antidepressants can cause mania in bipolar patients. And while it’s important to note that Adderall can be a godsend for some with ADHD, it can also in some cases cause mania, hallucinations, paranoia, and “believing things that are not true.”

Plenty of things in Lohan’s life could have contributed to her problems — it’s not easy growing up in the public eye, especially if Michael Lohan is your dad. Some sources also tell TMZ she has a “personality disorder.” Given all this, it’s unlikely that Adderall was the sole cause of her substance abuse and legal infractions. But could it have contributed? We buy it.

Adderall May Have Unhinged Lindsay Lohan [TMZ]
Lindsay Lohan — Victim Of Bad Diagnosis [TMZ]