ADD/ADHD Drugs and Teens

Over the last couple of years, the number of teens and pre-teens diagnosed with ADD/ADHD has increased. With this increase in diagnosis, comes an increase in the prescription of drugs like Ritalin and Adderall, which are designed to treat the symptoms of ADD/ADHD. These drugs are meant to help people diagnosed with ADD/ADHD to focus and stay on task. However, when these drugs are taken by teens who don’t have ADD/ADHD, they can stimulate the user’s brain and create a euphoric high. These drugs seem awesome because not only do they sometimes produce a high, but they can also help your academic performance. So what could be bad about that?

As a general rule of thumb, it’s not a good idea to take drugs that aren’t prescribed to you, and it’s an even worse idea to take prescription drugs in a way that is not dictated by the doctor. Just because something is prescribed by a doctor doesn’t mean that you can take as much of it as you want, whenever you want.

Basically, don’t abuse prescription drugs—it’s just a bad idea. ADD/ADHD medications are no exception. Teen abuse of ADD/ADHD medication like Adderall or Ritalin are putting themselves at risk for side effects that include insomnia, digestive problems, psychotic episodes, blood clots, overdose, heart and lung problems, and addiction.

Teens who don’t have ADD/ADHD abuse drugs like Ritalin and Adderall to help them study, stay awake all night, or to do better on a test. The pressure to do well in high school and college can be overwhelming, and it seems like taking prescription pills to help you get better grades is an easy and harmless solution. Unfortunately, this decision to use prescription drugs in a way other than prescribed can lead to some serious problems.

For teens, abuse of Ritalin and Adderall might seem like a good idea in the moment. If they can help you get an A on a paper or test, who cares what the side effects are? Well, it might not matter if you get an A on a paper if you are in the hospital for an overdose or are experiencing psychotic episodes. These drugs may seem like a great way to improve focus and academic performance, but by abusing these drugs, you are putting yourself at risk for some serious consequences.

Labels: prescription-drug-abuse, teen-addiction, teen-drug help, teen-drug-abuse, teen-rehab, teen-substance-abuse

posted by beth @ 3:41 PM