Drug addiction is a major problem in the United States. With the frequent diagnosis of ADD and ADHD drugs like Adderall and Ritalin are prescribed just as much. Unfortunately these drugs are abused by both those who have the prescription for the pills and those who do not have prescriptions and go about getting pills in a different way.
When taken responsibly, these medicines can help people who are in need to be less overactive and to have improved focus. However, when these medicines are abused they can have serious problems and lead to lasting effects. A common side effect of taking Adderall and Ritalin is a decrease in appetite which can cause severe malnutrition when a person is abusing these medicines. Since both are stimulants long term abuse can also lead to increased hostility and paranoia. There is also a risk for cardiovascular problems such as stroke.
There is also an increase trend among those who are abusing these stimulants which includes crushing the pills and mixing them with water and then injecting them into the body. This puts the person at risk because there are insoluble fillers that can cause blockages in small blood vessels.
There are way too many risks associated with drugs like Adderall and Ritalin to be available to the general public. Even among those who are in need of the drugs they need to be monitored to insure that they are not abusing these medications. Long term abuse of stimulants such as those commonly prescribed for ADD and ADHD patients can have drastic consequences on the body.
Reference:
Stimulant ADHD Medications: Methylphenidate and Amphetamines. (2017). Drugabuse.gov. Retrieved 26
November 2017, from https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/stimulant-adhd-medications-methylphenidate-amphetamines
Reading what you wrote on Adderall and Ritalin were very interesting to me especially considering that my brother who suffers from ADHD and dyslexia takes Adderall everyday before school. He has recently asked my parents to take him off of the medicine and put him on another because he has lost a lot of weight from not eating while being on it and also he does not like the way he feels on the medicine. I also know people who take both medications before finals or big tests and they have ended up addicted to it which has sparked a huge debate about taking these medications if you do not have ADD or ADHD because it is considered cheating. This is a huge problem in colleges and even competitive high schools and is so interesting to read up on and try to help in solving the problem some way.
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