News / Education
Adderall, Ritalin Prescription Drug Abuse Leads to Drug Addiction
Prescription Stimulants Becoming Growing Problem in High Schools, Colleges
Stimulants such as amphetamines (Adderal, Dexedrine) and methylphenidate (Concerta, Ritalin) have chemical structures that are similar to key brain neurotransmitters called monoamines, which include dopamine and norepinephrine—stimulants increase the levels of these chemicals in the brain and body. This, in turn, increases blood pressure and heart rate, constricts blood vessels, increases blood glucose, and opens up the pathways of the respiratory system.
Stimulants increase alertness, attention, and energy; they can produce a sense of euphoria.
Historically, stimulants were used to treat asthma and other respiratory problems, obesity, neurological disorders, and a variety of other ailments.
However, what many people don’t realize is that these drugs can be habit forming, if not addictive.
“Drug addiction takes many guises,” comments Mary Rieser, Executive Director for the Atlanta Recovery Center. “Whether a student who legally takes Adderall to help them stay awake at night to study, and find themselves hooked, to the housewife trying to lose a few pounds- stimulants are addictive and drug addiction can strike the wealthy, the poor, all social levels and classes. Stories of children trading their Ritalin for other drugs are common. Illegal drugs such as cocaine and methamphetamine are also stimulants and are also highly addictive.
“Don’t let someone you know become addicted to prescription stimulants- know the facts.”
Stimulants may be taken orally, but some abusers crush the tablets, dissolve them in water, and inject the mixture; complications can arise from this because insoluble fillers in the tablets can block small blood vessels. Stimulants have been abused for both “performance enhancement” and recreational purposes (i.e., to get high).
The consequences of stimulant abuse can be extremely dangerous. Taking high doses of a stimulant can result in an irregular heartbeat, dangerously high body temperatures, and/or the potential for cardiovascular failure or seizures. Taking high doses of some stimulants repeatedly over a short period of time can lead to hostility or feelings of paranoia in some individuals.
Stimulants should not be mixed with antidepressants, which may enhance the effects of a stimulant, or OTC cold medicines containing decongestants, which may cause blood pressure to become dangerously high or lead to irregular heart rhythms.
While most people who take prescription medications use them responsibly, when abused—that is, taken by someone other than the patient for whom the medication was prescribed, or taken in a manner or dosage other than what was prescribed—prescription medications can produce serious adverse health effects and can lead to drug addiction.
Patients, healthcare professionals, and pharmacists all have roles in preventing the abuse1 of and addiction to prescription medications. For example, patients should follow the directions for use carefully, learn what effects and side effects the medication could have, and inform their doctor/pharmacist whether they are taking other medications [including over-the-counter (OTC) medications or health supplements], since these could potentially interact with the prescribed medication.
The patient should read all information provided by the pharmacist. Physicians and other healthcare providers should screen for past or current substance abuse in the patient during routine examination, including asking questions about what other medications the patient is taking and why. Providers should note any rapid increases in the amount of a medication needed or frequent requests for refills before the quantity prescribed should have been finished, as these may be indicators of abuse.
Source: NIDA
