Facts About Ritalin

Ritalin was developed and produced by a Swiss drug company called Ciba Geigy which has since changed it's name to Novartis in 1956. Novartis had close business ties at one time with IG Farben which was known for conducting inhuman experiments during World War I.

The drug was found to be effective for controlling certain behaviors in children including ADHD and aggression and is now commonly used on children over six years of age in a prescribed dose of 5, 10 or 20 mg up to three times daily. This drug is one of the most commonly overprescribed drugs on the market, as society tries to dumb down children and try to make them "well-behaved" and calm in schools. If a child exhibits any kind of "behavior issues", their parents may be referred to a pediatrician for a prescription.

If a child is not very good at taking pills, the drug is also available in patch form which negates the need to continually chase the child around and ensure that they are taking their pill. Most of the doses of this drug are available in long acting, medium acting or short acting forms and have many different names, including Metadate, Methylin, Ritalin and Concerta. Some parents will actually take a pill apart and sprinkle it over the contents of a child's dinner or snack, but it is also available in liquid or chewable form for easy ingestion.

Ritalin can cause a lot of adverse effects in children, but some adults do not see those effects as bad. If people can get their hands on this drug, they use it for many other different purposes other than what it was designed for. Since it is a stimulant, students tend to use it to stay up late and resist the urge to sleep. It also causes a serious loss of appetite, making it a desirable solution for those who wish to lose weight.

Teens often use this drug by crushing it up and snorting it to get an instant rush that lasts up to three hours, during which time the effects are similar to that of cocaine. During this time, a person can experience increased heart rate, elevated blood pressure and an increased body temperature. The effect of Ritalin is similar to many amphetamines which were formerly widely available over the counter in drug stores, but have been slowly removed from public access as they have proved to cause many serious issues and can lead to accidental death.

Long term use can cause serious and permanent lung tissue damage which is irreversible. This is due, in part, to many additives that are added to the drug in tablet form that are meant to increase the size of the pill to make it easier to ingest. These ingredients can include, but are not limited to: starch, magnesium, sucrose, talc, mineral oil, dyes, polyethelene glycol, cellulose and sterate. When these items are taken by mouth, they have no adverse effects on the body. When they are snorted, smoked or inject, though, they can cause a lot of serious health problems.

Addiction to Ritalin is on the rise and seems to be common amongst parents or siblings of children who have a legitimate prescription to the drug. What will routinely happen is that that person will take one or two pills from the bottle and stretch out the interior of the pill by snorting or injecting it.

When any drug is prepared for injection by a drug user, many contaminants can be introduced into the liquid and cause a reaction. Injection increases the chances of overdose, toxic reactions, blood clots, scars in the skin and lung issues. Many times the skin and the lungs can be telltale signs of an addict because they will have many obvious scars and adhesions.

Some of the most common side effects of Ritalin abuse include loss of appetite, weight loss, psychotic episodes, digestive issues, headaches, dizziness, nervousness and insomnia, anxiety, hallucinations, delusions, excessive tics or repetition of movements or meaningless tasks. Overdose can have some serious symptoms too, including delirium, sweating, vomiting, tremors, headaches, and convulsions. Ritalin is highly addictive, so if anyone is taking it for recreational purposes, they can end up becoming hooked in just a few uses.