Are Stimulant Drugs for ADHD Addictive?
Parents sometimes worry whether the stimulant drugs their children are taking to treat ADHD (such as Ritalin) are themselves addictive. Stimulant medications work by raising levels of a chemical messenger called dopamine in the brain, which helps improve focus and attention — skills that people with ADHD often find difficult to master. Dopamine also affects emotion and the feeling of pleasure, creating a “high” that makes people want more. Because cocaine and other street drugs also raise dopamine levels, there has been concern that ADHD stimulants might be similarly addictive. Ritalin’s ability to increase energy and focus has even led some people to refer to it as the “poor man’s cocaine.” There have been reports of people using ADHD stimulants that weren’t prescribed for them. People have crushed and snorted Ritalin tablets, or dissolved the drug in water and taken it intravenously. Studies show that abusing Ritalin can lead to dependence on the drug. When taken as prescribed, thou
