Adderall and Ritalin Addiction in College Students
Stimulant Abuse to Adderall and Ritalin in College Students
Research has found that Adderall, Ritalin, and other stimulant drugs are most commonly abused by college students. They use them to improve their academic performance and give them an extra boost to stay up later studying. Unfortunately, this practice can have negative effects on the student’s grades and GPA in the long run. Plus, it can also have dangerous physical side effects like addiction. Stimulant abuse in college students can have some serious consequences. Read on for tips on how to recognize it and prevent it from happening to you or someone else you know.
Which Stimulants Do College Students Most Commonly Abuse?
Adderall and Ritalin are the most commonly abused stimulants among college students. Methamphetamines are also abused by students as they can often be easier to acquire and cost less than prescription-based Adderall and Ritalin. The problem is that methamphetamines are even more addictive and physically destructive.
Symptoms to look out for when someone is abusing Adderall, Ritalin, methamphetamines, or other stimulants: Side effects of these drugs can include irritability, restlessness, insomnia, dizziness, headaches, and heart palpitations. Withdrawal symptoms can include depression, lethargy, and insomnia. A person with a full-blown addiction to Adderall or Ritalin will actually be LESS focused on their academics and have difficulty concentrating due to their addiction. They may have a lower GPA than those who don’t abuse these drugs due to withdrawal from them which lowers productivity.
People with Adderall or Ritalin addiction usually go through periods where they stop taking the drug to keep up with school work, but then relapse back into stimulant use when they feel stressed or pressured. Studies have found that people with Ritalin addiction generally had only a marginally higher GPA than people without stimulant use. But, they had a statistically significant increase in mental health issues including depression, anxiety, and poor socialization with college peers.
How Do College Students Abuse Adderall and Ritalin?
College students abuse stimulants by taking large doses over a short period of time. Crushing pills to snort or inject the powder, and mixing stimulants with other drugs. The most common combination is Adderall and alcohol which can make you feel drunker and more awake than usual. Stimulant abuse can lead to stimulant addiction. Which affects the brain’s ability to produce dopamine, a neurotransmitter associated with pleasure and motivation. Adderall and Ritalin are addictive drugs. That have been linked to an increase in depression, anxiety, panic attacks, hallucinations, paranoia, and delusions.
If you think that your son or daughter may be abusing these drugs, consider reaching out to an addiction psychiatrist for evaluation and treatment.
Untreated, stimulant addiction can rapidly get out of control. It can also lead to mental health problems such as addiction withdrawal symptoms (irritability, depression), and unbearable cravings to continue to use the substances — even at inappropriate times. When college students stop using this drug, they go through acute withdrawal symptoms that include feeling intense exhaustion, prolonged periods of depression, suicidal thoughts, paranoia, and agitation. These are all reasons why people addicted to this drug need professional help from an addiction psychiatrist who specializes in Adderall and Ritalin addiction.
Begin Working With a Drug Addiction Therapist in New York, NYC
College students face many challenges in overcoming stimulant addiction, and I would be honored to offer support in helping you overcome them. I would be honored to offer support from my NYC, Manhattan-based therapy practice. I offer support both in person and online. To start your therapy journey, please follow these simple steps:
- Contact Stephen Gilman, MD
- Learn more about me and my approach to drug addiction treatment
- Start managing addiction and substance abuse in a healthy way
Other Services Offered with Stephen Gilman, MD – Addiction Psychiatrist in NYC, Manhattan
Prescription drug addiction treatment isn’t the only service I offer. I understand addiction can cover a wide range of topics. This is why I’m happy to also offer mental health support in a variety of other services. Other services offered include opioid addiction treatment, general psychiatry, adult psychiatry, and meth addiction treatment. I’m also happy to offer young adult psychiatry and cocaine addiction. In addition, I also offer behavioral addiction treatment, PTSD treatment, drug addiction treatment, and marijuana addiction treatment. Learn more about me or visit my blog for more helpful info.
