“What are the symptoms of Ritalin addiction?”
I'm worried that I'm becoming addicted to Ritalin. I'm 32 and I've been on a Ritalin prescription for 2 years. This month I began taking it sooner than I was supposed to because I feel crazy without it. I can't imagine stopping. Is this addiction?
5 Answers
Maybe. Or you may be under dosed.
It certainly sounds like an early addiction. Hopefully you can head it off before you begin to require an ever increasing dose. Consult with your prescriber and an addiction specialist before it gets worse.
RITALIN ADDI CTION
Let me begin by describing research studies on Ritalin and Adderall. There have been thousands of studies about the effectiveness of Ritalin and Adderall. Perhaps the most respected study is the NIMH MTA study, which began in 1999. MTA is short for Multimodal treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
The MTA study showed that after 14 months on medications there were some benefits to ADHD target symptoms. But after 3 years treatment with Ritalin or Adderall there was deterioration caused by the medications.
The MTA study showed that after 6 years on ADHD medication, including Ritalin and Adderall, ADHD symptoms were worse than before treatment had started. There was increased functional impairment, an increase in ADHD symptoms, and the development of oppositional behavior. These kids had a decreased curiosity in their environment, and decreased socializing. They were worse than kids who had not taken ADHD meds.
Signs of Ritalin Addiction
1. Insomnia
2. Severe Fatigue
3. Nutritional deficiencies due to appetite suppresssion
4. Heart Damage
Many people swear by these drugs and state that they feel better when taking Ritalin or Adderall. Why is that in contrast to what scientific research has found? 1) A research study involving thousands of subjects has much more science behind it that individual reports. 2) Research shows that Ritalin increases dopamine up to 3 years, but after that there is a permanent decrease in brain dopamine levels.
If you are used to taking Ritalin, then stop, your brain will be operating with deficient dopamine. You will crave Ritalin, which is structurally similar to cocaine, in the same way an alcoholic will crave alcohol. Ritalin, which affects fight-or-flight biochemistry, may help you “feel” back to normal, but in the long run your brain on Ritalin is deficient in dopamine. My YouTube video "Natural Treatments for ADHD: A Complete Picture" goes further in answering your question.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WDjmY9Fhue8&index=1&t=12s&list=PL-yBN4nFUi5Ca_OkVomfPSdrKNO7F4XGv
Let me begin by describing research studies on Ritalin and Adderall. There have been thousands of studies about the effectiveness of Ritalin and Adderall. Perhaps the most respected study is the NIMH MTA study, which began in 1999. MTA is short for Multimodal treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
The MTA study showed that after 14 months on medications there were some benefits to ADHD target symptoms. But after 3 years treatment with Ritalin or Adderall there was deterioration caused by the medications.
The MTA study showed that after 6 years on ADHD medication, including Ritalin and Adderall, ADHD symptoms were worse than before treatment had started. There was increased functional impairment, an increase in ADHD symptoms, and the development of oppositional behavior. These kids had a decreased curiosity in their environment, and decreased socializing. They were worse than kids who had not taken ADHD meds.
Signs of Ritalin Addiction
1. Insomnia
2. Severe Fatigue
3. Nutritional deficiencies due to appetite suppresssion
4. Heart Damage
Many people swear by these drugs and state that they feel better when taking Ritalin or Adderall. Why is that in contrast to what scientific research has found? 1) A research study involving thousands of subjects has much more science behind it that individual reports. 2) Research shows that Ritalin increases dopamine up to 3 years, but after that there is a permanent decrease in brain dopamine levels.
If you are used to taking Ritalin, then stop, your brain will be operating with deficient dopamine. You will crave Ritalin, which is structurally similar to cocaine, in the same way an alcoholic will crave alcohol. Ritalin, which affects fight-or-flight biochemistry, may help you “feel” back to normal, but in the long run your brain on Ritalin is deficient in dopamine. My YouTube video "Natural Treatments for ADHD: A Complete Picture" goes further in answering your question.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WDjmY9Fhue8&index=1&t=12s&list=PL-yBN4nFUi5Ca_OkVomfPSdrKNO7F4XGv
I am not an expert regarding Ritalin, but you began at a rather late age. Were you diagnosed with ADHD? Your symptoms sound like habituation. I recommend you consult with your physician
From the information available in the question, it is difficult to say if this is addiction. It is important that you speak to the person prescribing the medication to try to decide what to do. It is problematic that you are not taking it as prescribed but there may be several reasons you are responding to it differently and some changes that may help you manage your symptoms.
