Ritalin addiction may sound a little strange to you. You might even wonder if that is really possible since so many children take this drug every day. But once you take a closer look at the actual drug and its closest relatives, the possibility of Ritalin addiction becomes very apparent. This widely prescribed drug definitely has benefits for those who need it, but it has also become one of the more easily obtained and abused drug around the world. Don’t let your initial thoughts about Ritalin fool you. Learn more about the dangers of Ritalin addiction by reading more.
Ritalin’s Chemical Cousins
First, you need to know about Ritalin’s chemical cousins. It is a stimulant drug in the amphetamine family. Yes, that means it’s related to methamphetamine, a hard-core street drug that devastates lives every day. Cocaine is not exactly a chemical cousin, but it affects the body and mind in similar ways as a dopamine-acting stimulant. That means dopamine is the main body chemical that each of these drugs manipulates as works through a person’s body.
Next, you need to know that the dopamine-acting properties are what make Ritalin such an effective drug for people with significant attention disorders. For these folks, the closely managed small dose of stimulant doesn’t make them high or more distracted (like you might think). Instead, it prods the dopamine to do its job managing the process of keeping focus when needed. Ritalin steps in where something is functionally missing, making it much easier for the person to hold their attention and stay on task. When Ritalin is carefully prescribed in the lowest dose necessary, closely managed, and used along with therapy and behavior changes, the drug can truly help a person manage ADD and ADHD symptoms.
How Ritalin Is Abused
When abused, Ritalin is usually crushed up and snorted or injected for the strongest effect. At that point, the exact name of the pill doesn’t matter so much as how it changes that person’s life. Ritalin may be only one of several stimulants an addicted person may seek out. Rehab professionals will help with the withdrawal symptoms, which for stimulants are mostly psychological and emotional. Just because a person isn’t physically dependent doesn’t mean they aren’t going to struggle with sobriety. That strong psychological pull can sabotage a person right back into their addiction unless they have built a strong foundation for sobriety.
Ritalin Addiction Treatment Help
When a person starts taking Ritalin for the stimulating effect, they put themselves directly at risk for addiction. Since stimulant amphetamine drugs are so easily addictive, Ritalin abuse isn’t something to scoff at. A teen or adult who starts playing around with their pills could find themselves quickly in need of help with Ritalin addiction.
Fortunately, hundreds of quality drug rehab centers around the United States and the world are trained to deal with all sorts of stimulants. Stimulants aren’t new drugs to the addiction scene. Some form of addictive stimulant drug has been around for a very long time. So if someone in your life (even yourself) seems to have an growing dangerous problem with Ritalin addiction, help is close by. Make a call today to 760.548.4032 and find out more.