Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) medications play a big role in treating the symptoms of those suffering with this condition. However, more and more people—especially teenagers—are abusing these drugs. In fact, a study by the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center showed that poison control centers have seen a 76 percent increase in cases of teens abusing ADHD and Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) drugs.

ADHD medications like Adderall and Ritalin can give a “performance-enhancing high” to those who take it but who do not have the disorder. Many high school and college students have begun buying these medications from their friends or on the streets to help them stay up for various reasons (such as all-night cram sessions, for example).

Because these are drugs that have been prescribed by a doctor, many abusers commonly mistakenly assume that to mean they are safe. However, the truth is, these medications are only safe when taken by the person for whom they were specifically prescribed. If you take these drugs without a physician’s supervision, you may experience extremely negative side effects. For example, ADHD drugs may interact with other prescriptions you are taking. Taking a dose of these drugs that is too high, or taking too many in a given timeframe, may cause rapid heartbeat and extremely high blood pressure. There is no way to know what dosage is right for you unless you take them under a doctor’s care.

Another way some teenagers (and even adults) are abusing these drugs is taking them to lose weight. Stimulant ADHD medications often cause a decrease in appetite and a boost in metabolism. However, these effects are only temporary and of course can be very dangerous when not under the appropriate care of a doctor. A longer-term negative effect is that such abuse can perpetuate unhealthy habits associated with eating disorders.

If you or anyone you know is abusing ADHD drugs, please seek help. At Solace Counseling, we offer treatment for drug abuse and eating disorders, as well as for those who legitimately suffer with ADHD. Besides our website, you can also find us on Facebook and Twitter.