How Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Prescription Drug Abuse Affects You?

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a highly publicized childhood disorder that affects approximately 5 percent to 7 percent of all children. Millions of individuals receive prescription drugs for ADHD every year and various central nervous system (CNS) stimulants like Ritalin and Adderall are frequently prescribed by physicians for ADHD as they have a notably calming and "focusing" effect on those with ADHD, particularly children.

Ritalin, chemically known as Methylphenidate, is a stimulant that produces pharmacological effects similar to those of cocaine and amphetamines. As a result, a growing number of incidents of ADHD prescription medicine abuse have been associated with teens and young adults nowadays. Many teens are using it for weight reduction since it is a powerful appetite suppressant while others are using it for wakefulness, increased attentiveness, increased focus, and euphoria.

When abused, the tablets are either taken orally or crushed and snorted. Some abusers dissolve the tablets in water and inject the mixture into the veins. Common neurological effects of drug abuse includes impaired memory and learning ability, poor concentration, confusion, panic attacks, flashbacks, impaired motor function, and seizures to name a few. Various common physical effects of drug abuse may include changes in heart rate and blood pressure, nausea and vomiting, loss of appetite, abnormal weight loss, and increased body temperature, danger to heart, liver, kidneys, chest pain, stomach cramps, and hormonal changes.

Short-term effects can include nervousness and insomnia, loss of appetite, nausea and vomiting, dizziness, palpitations, headaches, changes in heart rate and blood pressure, skin rashes and itching, abdominal pain, weight loss, and digestive problems, toxic psychosis, psychotic episodes, drug dependence syndrome, and severe depression upon withdrawal while long-term effects may include tremors, muscle twitching, fevers, convulsions, headaches, irregular heartbeat, anxiety, hallucinations, and delusions, excessive repetition of movements and meaningless tasks, and sensation of bugs or worms crawling under the skin.

Users who inject drugs intravenously are at a higher risk of contracting viruses such as HIV and hepatitis, and often suffer from abscesses and collapsed veins as insoluble fillers in the tablets can block the small blood vessels. Moreover, excessive doses of Ritalin over a long period of time can produce addiction and may lead to development of tolerance so that larger doses are needed to produce the desired effect.

When a child's performance and behavior improve soon after starting medication, the child, parents, and teachers tend to applaud the drug for causing the sudden changes. Unfortunately, when people see such immediate improvement, they often think medication is all that's needed. But medications don't cure ADHD; they only control the symptoms on the day they are taken. Although the medications help the child pay better attention and complete school work, they can't increase knowledge or improve academic skills. The medications help the child to use those skills he or she already possesses. So, behavioral therapy, emotional counseling, and practical support must be given to ADHD children so that they can cope with everyday problems and feel better about themselves.

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