The Pros And Cons Of Ritalin

In this day and age, drugs are being prescribed without hesitation. In fact, many of these drugs are being prescribed for children with various disorders. One of these disorders is called Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). An estimated five to ten percent of children are diagnosed with this syndrome (Taylor 11). One of the methods to treat this disorder is to use stimulants, specifically Ritalin. This method is controversial because it has many side effects and its long-term effects are unknown. It can also lead to addiction. Approximately two to three percent of elementary school children are taking some kind of stimulant to treat ADHD (Taylor 64). Since so many children are taking this medication, new problems have arisen.

Garber, Stephen W., Ph.D, Marianne Daniels Garber, Ph.D, and Robyn Freedman Spizman. Beyond Ritalin. New York: Villard, 1996. p 56-59.

This article provides background information about ADHD and lists the ADHD medication that most children consume. It also discusses why these types of medications are prescribed to children and potential side effects that are associated it with the consumption of these medications. I used information from this article mainly to help support my argument toward children consuming these medications because they can lead to many side effects in the long run.

There are two groups of stimulants: methylphenidate-based medications, which include Ritalin, Concerta, and Metadate, and dextroamphetamine-based medications, which include Adderall, Vyvanse, and Dexedrine (Boorady 2). The two most popular of these groups, Ritalin and Adderall, have these similar side effects: loss of appetite, insomnia, dizziness, nervousness, and prone to raising blood pressure (Ogbru 1). Both of these medications are also similar in short-acting and long-acting formulations, but, according to Susan York Morris, Ritalin is highly preferred over Adderall because it reaches its performance peak much more quickly, and prevents cells from reabsorbing norepinephrines, a precursor of adrenaline (Marcovitch 476), and dopamine, a precursor of norepinephrines that conveys inhibitory in the neurological system (Marcovitch 197), keeping them active in the brain.. (Morris 2). As a child, my parents began the process of testing different medications to treat my ADHD, and they began with Ritalin because it received the majority of positive results. Unfortunately, after random spurts of aggression, irritability, and unrest, they had to try a different medication. Next, they tested Adderall, but the same results occurred, but at greater rates than the

Miele, and her roommates quickly got into the habit of “bumping” or snorting Ritalin to get a quicker buzz. Some students used it to help assist them

Most Americans have heard of Ritalin and Adderall, either being used to calm hyperactive children or used illegally across every college campus for the purpose of studying. These are two completely different circumstances, which may be confusing to some. The reason that these two different groups of people get two vastly different results from the same drug is that these belong to the drug class of central nervous system (CNS) stimulants. CNS stimulants increase alertness mentally and physically, but do the opposite for those with hyperactivity disorders. This is because these drugs release dopamine levels in the brain. Dopamine is a chemical in the brain that is related with motivation (Healthline Editorial Team).

This academic journal is written by Shaheen E. Lakhan. (source and author) The point of this segment was to test how people react to prescriptive stimulants. Those who have ADHD and those who do not. (summary) This source is helpful to my research because it compares the effects on students that take adderall, prescribed to them or not. (relevance)

Ritalin is currently prescribed to approximately six million people in the US. Of those six million, 75% of these are children, with boys receiving Ritalin about four times more often than girls. Ritalin is a drug that stimulates the central nervous system. It interacts with chemicals in the brain and nerves that give way to hyperactivity and impulse control. Not only is Ritalin used to treat ADD and ADHD, it is also used to treat a sleeping disorder called Narcolepsy, which is an uncontrollable desire to sleep, but there is another drug that given just as Ritalin, and it is called Adderall. Adderall is almost the exact same as Ritalin except it actually enters the cell and helps it produce more dopamine.

Many drugs have been developed to treat ADD and ADHD. One of these drugs is Methylphenidate otherwise known as Ritalin. It is one of the most commonly prescribed drugs for treatment of ADD and ADHD. Use of Ritalin is up 700 percent since 1990 (ABC News). Other drugs also used in treatment of ADD and ADHD include Zoloft, Praxil, and Cylert. Ritalin is a drug that is used to restore neurotransmitters in those that lack or have malfunctioning nerve impulses in the

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a psychiatric disorder that causes children to have problems with paying attention, trouble with following instructions, have impulsive behaviors and become easily distracted. Medications, such as Adderall and Ritalin, are used to treat the symptoms of this disorder by helping the patient to focus and pay attention while also curbing their impulsive behavior and hyperactivity. Side effects of these medications are, but not limited to, anxiety, addiction and in some cases psychosis. Proponents of giving ADHD medication to children argue that ADHD is a real disorder in children and the medication does improve the symptoms of the disorder by a large margin as well as being cost effective.

Random controlled studies have been conducted regarding one of the main concerns which is substance abuse, increase of blood pressure and heart problems. There is a new debate for people who take the drugs extended periods of symptoms of chest paid, heart attacks, and strokes (Harvard Health Publications, 2017). The stimulants used to treat ADHD is considered to have potential for recreational abuse for teens, and grows into substance abuse as an adult (Harvard Health Publications, 2017). In August of 2003 through December of 2005 there were 64 hospital records that involved ADHD medications caused by intentional ingestion, or of an overdose (Harvard Health Publications, 2017). The diagnoses and medication has a higher rate in the United States than in the UK due to prescription guidelines being more relaxed and being prescribed to children under the age of six ( Steer, 2014). With the wide criteria used to diagnose children, the number of prescriptions for ADHD medications are increasing to large numbers to treat ADHD (Steer, 2014). Due to the increasing misdiagnoses and surrounding issues of medications provided to children, before considering medications it is also important to research other alternative treatments that can be beneficial as

Ritalin is another example of a prescription ADHD stimulant that is misused frequently with a high mortality rate from overdose. Ritalin, which is more prevalent with high school age students, is primarily misused for weight loss and a feeling being high. The majority of children misusing prescription drugs such a Ritalin are under the impression that it is safer then illegal street drugs (CCHR, 2013). Ritalin is the most common stimulant drug prescribed to children with ADHD, but is also prescribed for other disorders, such as cancer, brain injury and pain management (Morton & Stockton, 2000). According to Morton & Stockton (2000) the effects of Ritalin are similar to the feeling of using cocaine, which may be one of the reasons that the ADHD drug is misused. According to research done by Musser et al. (1998) most school aged children using Ritalin did not think that Ritalin or any other prescription medication for ADHD could be abused. This ignorance may be part of the overwhelming reason that drugs such as Ritalin are becoming more widely

To add to that, the research that has been conducted on the disorder has led to a variety of effective treatments. According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) (2014) the most widely used medication is a stimulant. There is a wide variety of stimulants available for ADHD subjects. Although, with these stimulants come side effects including sleep problems, decreased appetite, anxiety and other diverse uncommon side effects (NIMH, 2014). Stimulants tend to calm children with ADHD. However, these medications can be detrimental to the patient in many ways. Certain medications have been subject to abuse, including Adderall and Ritalin. These medications are in some cases abused by patients who are over diagnosed. Since these patients do not have the disorder they can feel the side effects and use the drug to achieve a certain kind of high. When using these drugs for non-medical purposes they can seem to replicate the effects of cocaine

It is determined ADHD, is caused by an imbalance of chemicals affecting certain parts of the human brain that work with attention, impulses and concentration Mall & Holland, (2013). Some of the symptoms include daydreaming, forgetting or losing items, and having difficulty resisting temptation. Some of the medication that is provided to patients with ADHD is Ritalin and Concerta. There are some concerns that ADHD medication may led to substance abuse Brown University, (2013). According to Brown University, (2013), the increase in the diagnosis of ADHD may have resulted from over – diagnoses of ADHD or inaccurate information reported from the parents that were surveyed by the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC). This report has raised questions about the increase in ADHD

Those children that are diagnosed with ADHD are usually prescribed psycho-stimulant medications, such as ‘methylphenidate’, otherwise known as ‘Ritalin’, as the primary method of treatment. (Chandler, 2010).