Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder or ADHD is a sometimes debilitating condition that is mistakenly perceived as a behavioral anomaly that only afflicts children. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there were 6.1 million kids in the US diagnosed with ADHD in 2016.

We all know that one person who constantly interrupts a conversation, fidgety even when they are just staying put, or somebody who loses focus every time. But there’s a huge gap between being hyperactive and having ADHD. The latter will really dominate your life and impairs your ability to function normally.

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Managing ADHD will involve some form of medication. There are five major types of medications that are given to persons suffering from this condition.

These are:

• Dexamfetamine
• Methylphenidate
• Atomoxetine
• Lisdexamfetamine
• Guanfacine

However, perhaps the most recognizable are Ritalin and Adderall. While they have been proven to help individuals manage the disorder, they also bring with them the risk of abuse. What makes it more dangerous is that people don’t really associate these two drugs with addiction. When you say prescription drug abuse, the first names that come to mind are Valium, Vicodin, and Xanax.

But what may surprise you is that Ritalin and Adderall are the drug of choice for college students.

What Causes ADHD?

While the formal name has only been coined recently, the condition has been mentioned in various articles and clinical studies in the last 200 years. The first time ADHD was mentioned was in 1798 by Scottish doctor Sir Alexander Crichton. The field has made advanced progress since then. The recent studies proposed that the condition may be the result of the interface between genes and environmental factors.

There are a number of causes that may factor into the ADHD diagnosis including:

1. Genes
2. Pollution
3. Environmental toxins
4. Exposure to heavy metals at a young age
5. Brain injury
6. Low birth weight
7. Alcohol use, drug use or smoking while pregnant

In diagnosis ADHD, psychiatrists first need to look at four major factors:

1. Most of the symptoms should be apparent before the child is 12 years old
2. The symptoms are negatively affecting the child’s ability to function
3. The symptoms are also seen and experienced by his peers and others at home, school, and social settings
4. The symptoms don’t match with all the other conditions

These symptoms may continue on in adulthood, and without the correct diagnosis, they will continue to have problems in their everyday life. By then they would have developed complexes that severely hamper normal functions. For instance, 8 in 10 adults with ADHD are also suffering from anxiety and depression.

Medicating ADHD

When it comes to ADHD, stimulants are the default medication because they address the problem quickly and efficiently. For instance, the success rate is about 80% and the patients are able to live their lives normally.

This is a recent development. For instance, about 30 years ago, 600,000 kids were prescribed with stimulants to manage their conditions. By 2013, that number increased six-fold to about 3.5 million.

Stimulants are amphetamine-based and easily abused. Oftentimes called uppers, they work by normalizing the impairment in the neurotransmitter systems found in patients with ADHD. They also target hormones in the brain like the dopamine, histamine, epinephrine, serotonin, and norepinephrine. This function of stimulating the reward system of the brain, however, is the reason why amphetamines are commonly abused.

However, people with ADHD have a low likelihood of developing substance use disorder disorder as long as they stick with the prescription.

What is Adderall?

Adderall is an amphetamine that is the default prescription for adult ADHD. This is also the favored drug of choice among college students. In 2016, the John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health warned about the misuse of the drug as consumption rose 67% from 2006 and 2011. Its composition is 75% dextroamphetamine and 25% levoamphetamine.

The reason why it’s popular among students is that—aside from the euphoric feeling—it’s said to enhance sexual pleasure. Athletes also use it to enhance performance in sports, while students use it to aid in their study as it supposed to boost the memory.

Is Adderall Addictive?

Adderall is classified as a Schedule II Controlled Substance by the US Drug Enforcement Agency, which means that it has a high potential for abuse. Abusing the drug will also lead to physical and psychological dependence, the DEA said.

But why is it not taken off the shelves if it’s addictive? This is due to the medical uses of Adderall. In fact, the risk of a person with ADHD developing an addiction to this drug is very low as long as he follows the prescribed dosage. It doesn’t even matter if you use this all your life. However, going beyond your prescription will likely end up in the person developing a substance use disorder disorder; in fact, the act of taking more than necessary is a symptom of dependence.

For Adderall dependents, the withdrawal symptoms will manifest themselves within a few hours after the last ingestion. The symptoms can last for four weeks, and medical detox is recommended to effectively manage the symptoms while keeping the patient safe.

People who developed a tolerance for the drug will increase the dosage in order to achieve the same kind of high they experienced during the initial use. In fact, taking up to 100 times than the recommended dosage is not uncommon for long-time abusers.

What is Ritalin?

Ritalin, also methylphenidate, has been prescribed to patients with hyperactivity syndrome since 1955. In the last 60 years, the volume of prescriptions for the drug has grown significantly. For instance, in 2015, there were 14.5 million prescriptions for methylphenidate, which was second only to amphetamine at 15.8 million.

According to estimates, the US is the top producer and consumption of Ritalin and methylphenidate-based drugs. The number is somewhere around 85%, which is a highly disturbing figure.

In terms of ranking, New Hampshire topped the list of most number of prescriptions at 5,525 grams for every 100,000 people. This is followed by Vermont, Michigan, Iowa, and Delaware. Meanwhile, Hawaii was the lowest ranking state in 1999 when the survey was conducted at just 1,208 grams per 100,000 people. California, surprisingly, is also at the bottom of the list with 1,748 grams per 100,000 population.

Is Ritalin Addictive?

Ritalin is classified as a Schedule II drug, which means that it has a high potential for abuse but also has medical uses.

The drug has been known to “normalize” the functions of the children with ADHD, which allow them to naturally develop skills and traits, along with their peers. However, going over the prescribed dose will almost certainly lead to tolerance, dependence, and addiction.

Ritalin Vs. Adderall

In terms of effectiveness, Ritalin is more fast-acting compared to Adderall. However, the latter stays in your system far longer than Ritalin does. For instance, when you take methylphenidate, you will feel the effects for about two or three hours; compare that to Adderall which stays in your system for up to six hours.

The side effects for the two ADHD drugs are just about similar. You can expect to feel:

1. Nausea
2. Difficulty sleeping
3. Loss of appetite
4. Cottonmouth
5. Increased heart rate
6. Dizziness
7. Headache
8. Sexual dysfunction
9. Paranoia
10. Anxiety
11. Mood swings
12. Digestive issues
13. Seizures
14. Overdose

Adderall is considered to be more potent compared to Ritalin, so extra care should be taken when prescribed with this drug. However, that’s just semantics. The bottom line is that both ADHD drugs are considered high-risk for abuse.

What are the warning signs of ADHD Drug Addiction?

If you know someone who is abusing Ritalin or Adderall, or if you are doing this yourself, it’s important to seek professional help before the situation spirals out of control. But how do you spot somebody high on ADHD drugs?

They are likely to exhibit the following symptoms:

1. They are extremely talkative and sociable, especially if this is not their personality
2. They develop foot-in-mouth disease because they think faster than they can verbalize
3. They have the feeling of invincibility
4. They develop a sense of grandeur
5. They have nervous tics
6. They become anxious and panicky
7. They are looking to score more Adderall or Ritalin after their supply dries up
8. They have dry mouth
9. They crush or snort the drug instead of ingesting it by mouth

Get Help Today!

For Adderall or Ritalin addiction, it’s important that you get help today. You can enroll yourself at a luxury rehab center like Chapters Capistrano, and start your path toward recovery. If you feel like your life is spiraling out of control, submit yourself to the very capable hands of the luxury rehab center, which has helped thousands of patients within and outside Orange County, CA. Call now so we can verify your insurance for free!