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Ritalin Addiction

In this Article:
Ritalin Addiction
Ritalin Symptoms
Ritalin Withdrawal
Ritalin Treatment
Ritalin Addiction Forum

ritalin addiction Methylphenidate, better known by the trade name Ritalin, is a central nervous system stimulant typically prescribed for such disorders as ADHD, ADD and narcolepsy, among others and is generally one aspect of a wider treatment plan involving therapy and education. Over the last twenty years Ritalin has become the drug of choice for treating ADHD in young patients, in large part because, when taken properly under a physician’s care, it has proven to be both effective and safe .

Ritalin is dispensed in 5, 10 and 20 mg tablets and it is habit-forming. In the US, the FDA lists it as a Schedule II controlled substance, meaning physicians must use a special prescription, one that does not permit refills. Its abuse leads to thousands of emergency department visits each year, whether through non-medical use, adverse reactions or even suicide attempts, with the majority of those patients being between ages 12 and 17 .

Brand names containing methylphenidate include:

Regular tablets: Ritalin, Methylin
Regular or chewable tablets, or solution: Methylin
Intermediate-acting extended release tablets: Ritalin SR, Metadate ER, Methylin ER.
Long-acting extended release: Concerta (tablet), Metadate, Ritalin LA (capsules)

While the concern is often on Ritalin or stimulant abuse among teens, it is not isolated to that age group. According to a 2008 piece in Newsweek , since the steroids scandal in Major League Baseball erupted, the league has seen a spike in players getting diagnosed with Attention-Deficit Disorder (ADD). Thanks to the league’s "therapeutic use exemption" players being prescribed amphetamines such as Ritalin shot up in a single year from 28 to 103.

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More than 100,000 U.S. deaths are caused by excessive alcohol consumption each year. Direct and indirect causes of death include drunk driving, cirrhosis of the liver, falls, cancer, and stroke.

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