When we talk about substance abuse and addiction, what is our common perception?
One, that it is the drugs sold by the peddlers on the street. Secondly, these are cooked up by a Walter White (Breaking Bad) kind of guy. A good guy gone bad. Sadly, that’s not the complete truth.
The truth is that prescription drug abuse is the commonest form of substance abuse. Our kids could be stealing our meds or passing on their meds to classmates and friends. Or a family member could be concocting stories to get prescription meds on the sly. That’s the sad story that we would not like to hear.
Medication abuse – a sorry state of affairs!
The prescription drugs that are commonly abused include:
- Opioids like OxyContin and Vicodin,
- Depressants like Valium,
- And shocker! Even ADHD prescription medications like Ritalin and Adderall.
- ADHD medications are stimulants. These are prepared by mixing compounds like methylphenidate and amphetamine/dextroamphetamine.
All the three categories of drugs have resulted in episodes of overdosing, addiction and sometimes even death. While ADHD drugs are undoubtedly safe. These are said to have a profound impact on the lives of young children who have ADHD. However, these must be safely administered by capable and licensed medical professionals.
No medication is safe
That not being the case, these otherwise safe medications could result in addiction, overdose and sometimes even death. These could be equally catastrophic if combined with other drugs and medications and alcohol.
In this blog, our focus would be on ADHD medication. What are the common medications for ADHD? We will examine the reasons behind the rising instances of abuse and addiction? There will also be a brief takeaway about how ADHD medication addiction can be tackled.
But before that what is ADHD?
What is ADHD?
ADHD is Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder.
If your child cannot pay attention, if they are unruly, if they are irrational to the point of being disruptive – they could have ADHD.
ADHD or Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder can exist in both children and adults. It is a common neurodevelopmental disorder of childhood. Though ADHD begins in childhood it lasts a lifetime.
It is relatively easy to diagnose children with ADHD. However, more often than not due to multiple reasons it goes undiagnosed. Considering the ramifications and the seriousness of ADHD, it is necessary to ensure timely diagnosis.
Typical signs of ADHD
Some of the tell-tale signs of ADHD are predominant in early childhood. The following are some of the telltale signs of ADHD:
Your child daydreams a lot. They are rarely in the real world. Children with ADHD have the tendency to forget and lose sense of things. You will find your child losing things at school.
They also have a harder time finishing tasks at hand or focusing on things. This symptom could be misdiagnosed as most children are inattentive. However, a child with ADHD will exhibit some visible tics. They will fidget a lot, will not remain seated for long, and will need diversions consistently.
ADHD children are also more prone to injuries. They have a problem following verbal cues. Overall, they are more impulsive and take hasty decisions unlike regular youngsters.
ADHD is common in America and Europe
According to the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), ADHD is among the most common mental conditions in children, with an estimated 6 million children in the age group of 3 to 17 years having been diagnosed with the disorder. Advancements in science and in the understanding of the neurological and behavioural factors has had an impact on the treatments for ADHD with medication and therapy often having a transformative impact.
The ADHD meds paradox!
There are three classes of ADHD medication – stimulants and non-stimulants and antidepressants. Of the three stimulants are more likely to be abused. These work on the brain and release feel good hormones that help in concentrating, reduce impulsive behavior, control thinking, etc.
ADHD medication presents a paradox for the medical community. While avoiding the medication can deteriorate the quality of life and make it impossible for any child and young adult to integrate within society. Abuse of ADHD medication is just as toxic.
Unfortunately, ADHD medication addiction is way more dangerous than what most people make it out to be. It is not just one simple pill that will not make an impact, there are plenty of consequences such as please mention impacts
ADHD meds abuse for adults: Examining the reasons
However, despite the advancement in medicine the lack of timely diagnosis still constitutes a major challenge. Furthermore, there is another implication of ADHD medication that comes when it is used in excess or in a manner that is not directed by the medical authorities – that is of ADHD medication addiction.
There could be many reasons why ADHD medications are misused.
More pills are not always better:
The biggest concern here is that many could fall into the trap that if one is good, more could be better. But that is not the case. Abuse of medication can have a damaging impact. Also, users once they are older could resort to means such as crushing the tablets or snorting ADHD drugs to get quicker relief and thereby fall into a vicious cycle of use and abuse.
Using pills to cope with teen woes:
Timely diagnosis is imperative for proper treatment of ADHD. Say a child grows into an adult without diagnosis. He/she has an existing problem that they are unaware of. As adults, parental control is lax but peer pressure is sky high. Everyone wants to look good. Thin is always in. Also, there is the pressure to achieve. Do better in studies. Adderall is the magical pill – it helps one concentrate. And before long, one has fallen into the ADHD medication addiction trap.
Young brains are more prone to abuse:
There is also an untested hypothesis that the impact of stimulants on young adults can be damaging. For example, abuse of ADHD medication in childhood can have adverse impact in later years so much so that it leads to substance abuse and addiction problems.
So medical personnel suggest that medication like Adderall and other stimulants are taken with caution and under the guidance of a counsellor so that the chances of abuse are curbed.
When ADHD drugs must be taken cautiously
Comorbid conditions:
ADHD medication must be used cautiously. But the nature of the disorder is such that the risks of overuse and addiction are high. People with ADHD could live with other pre-existing conditions such as depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder and even exhibit symptoms of aggression and are often have a high risk of suicide. Because of these pre-existing conditions, the chances of addiction are higher.
Family history:
Another risk associated with ADHD is that medications for ADHD are associated with a worsening of symptoms. For example, certain stimulants can induce aggression, anxiety, and hostility. Further, if there is a family history of mental health disorders, the likelihood of substance abuse and addiction is higher.
Hence, if there is any such indication of co-existing disorder, or family history of mental health condition within the family, it makes sense that they be in touch with their doctor and follow the doctor’s advice when it comes to taking stimulants.
Addiction problems:
Another concern is the abuse of medications by teens in colleges for reasons such as losing weight or concentrating for studies. 6 in 10 children in America are living with ADHD or some mental health condition. These conditions require mediation.
Considering the high numbers, the number of youngsters who could have an ADHD drug addiction is high. Whether the teen uses it for self use or shares it with fellow students, continued use of ADHD medication makes them liable for addiction.
So, it is not enough to pursue therapy and medication but also to ensure that it is done right. Parents have a major role here in ensuring that children are not sharing or selling their medications to classmates which could contribute to the growing numbers of ADHD medication addiction.
Over-the counter use:
While ADHD meds are normally safe if administered under the counsel of a doctor, these can have dangerous side effects if taken otherwise. Even young children who display traits of ADHD can take Ritalin safely, if an adult takes it to get a high, or concentrate better, or even lose weight and snort or inject themselves with the drug, there could be consequences. No medication is safe and certainly not ADHD medication, which when misused can be addictive.
Personality disorders:
There are also some studies that suggest that stimulant medications can have an impact on the personality and make the patient more aggressive or depressive, it can also heighten the risks of anxiety attacks. All of these lead to a vicious cycle where the young adult is prompted to take the medication in higher dose as compared to what is acceptable to medical standards. As a result, the chances of addiction are increased. Also, in case there is a family history of psychological problems, the risks of ADHD addiction are again increased.
Conclusion
ADHD medication addiction is way more dangerous than you think. It is not a simple pill; there are consequences. These could include heart health, gut health, and nervous system afflictions. Overuse of stimulants like Adderall and Ritalin is also associated with sleeping problems and paranoia. Then there is also the case of overdose. In either instance, timely intervention is necessary.
While medications are indeed a key factor in ADHD treatment, ADHD medication addiction is a rising concern. Hence, use these under the guided counsel of a doctor. Else what is could be a solution soon becomes a a problem.
