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Research Paper on Current Medications Used to Treat ADHD
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Adderall is a combination of amphetamine and dextroamphetamine, which work on the central nervous system as stimulants. A stimulant is a drug that produces a temporary increase of function activity by affecting the chemicals in the brain. There are 4 salts the combine to for the active ingredients, dextroamphetamine saccharate, dextroamphetamine sulfate, amphetamine aspartate monohydrate, and amphetamine. Inactive ingredients are also present, but they do not play a role in Adderall’s function. Adderall is a drug that is approved to treat Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) along with narcolepsy. Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is the most common neurobehavioral disorder of childhood as it affects an estimated 5% to 7% of school-age children. Adderall has a structural and action resemblance to other recreation drugs methamphetamine, which is commonly known as crystal meth, and ecstasy. Adderall is taken in two main ways, orally and snorted. If taken orally, there are two different pill types that can be taken: instant release and extended release. Instant Release comes in tablets which size from 5 mg, 7.5 mg, 10 mg, 12.5 mg, 15 mg, 20 mg, and 30 mg. They are taken 2-3 times a day, with around 4-6 hours in between. Extended release comes in 5 mg, 10 mg, 15 mg, 20 mg, 25 mg, or 30 mg capsules. Extended release is taken only once a day, in the morning. While it should be taken whole, extended release capsule can be broken and the inside contents can be mixed with applesauce. When using this method, the applesauce must be swallowed whole, without being chewed. This will allow all of the Adderall to be ingested and the effects to be highest. The second method of taking Adderall is by snor... ... middle of paper ... ...gical or physical dependence. Once injested, Adderall inhibits the function of monamine transporters by lodging into the transmitter and blocking it off. The main function of these monamine transporters is the re-uptake and recycling of catecholamine neurotransmitters. If these transporters are blocked, dopamine is unable to leave the synaptic cleft and becomes trapped. This prolonged presence of dopamine in the cleft causes the emotional and physical effects to become long term. Having these affects long term will cause the patient to become tolerant to Adderall. Tolerance is dangerous because a higher dosage will be needed in order for the effects to be felt. This is also dangerous for addiction because by having these effects long term, a person will get use to feeling a certain way and they will believe that they cannot function without taking Adderall.
ADHD is believed to be caused by abnormalities in the dopamine neurotransmitters in the brain (Berne 4). The symptoms of ADHD include inattention, impulsiveness and hyperactivity that are inappropriate for a person's age level. In other words, the patient’s brain is like a light constantly going off and on at the worst possible times. Although there is no cure for ADHD, treatment can help control symptoms. Stimulant therapy is the most commonly used type of treatment. These drugs improve ADHD symptoms in 70 percent of adults and 70-80 percent of children shortly after starting treatment (ADHD 3). Adderall RX, or its formal name of Methylphenidate, is the most common form of treatment for ADHD. In an article by Dr. Phillip W. Long, he states that, “The mode of action in man is not completely understood, but meth...
The need for Ritalin and other CNS stimulants arises from a decreased amount of dopamine—a hormone closely linked to the motivational process((3)). A deficiency of this hormone can lead to difficulty in focusing and agitated behavior, among other traits1 ((1)). Methylphenidate, serving as a stimulant, augments the release of this hormone. The resulting state is similar to that after caffeine, on a milder scale, or amphetamines1 ((1)). This attribute can lead to the somewhat addictive nature of the drug.
Within my group’s pro-Adderall campaign, we promoted adderall use among high school students who were struggling with a relatively poor attention span, inability to focus, and were thus unproductive in their schoolwork. We created a video commercial that follows the same tactics pharmaceutical advertisements used, described in Dumit’s Drugs for Life. Dumit emphasized how ambiguous pharmaceutical ads were in order to reach a broader audience, and reinforced that all people experienced the stated symptoms to some extent. The companies only needed a small fraction of the viewers to self-diagnose themselves and purchase the product. Likewise, we targeted students that were experiencing heavier workloads coming into high school, and understood that the majority would struggle in maintaining attention throughout long hours of lectures and worksheets. We used this strategy and targeted all students, both a male and female, in the video since in this period in history it would be offensive if we directed the ad specifically towards males, following the stereotype of the “problematic boy”.
Tired and overworked students will try anything to get that extra edge to stay up all night and study. Students, specifically college students, find solace in a little pill called Adderall. Adderall is a drug used for treatment and control of neurological disorders that affect adults and kids, specifically those with attention deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD) and narcolepsy. Formerly known as Obetrol, it was first approved on February 21st, 1996 by the FDA and was in the warehouses by March 11th, 1996. However, Adderall was used as a substitute to caffeine, speed, or to even reach a natural high by students at high pressure college and prep schools before it was a drug known to aid people with ADHD (Kent 2013).
Like Jason, more and more children are being diagnosed with ADHD or its less hyperactive cousin, attention deficit disorder (ADD). And, correspondingly, during the past decade the production of stimulants used to treat ADD has risen dramatically, (see Graph 1.). However, an increasing number of parents, doctors, and public health officials are becoming alarmed about the jump in the use of Ritalin and amphetamines to treat ADD. In the last year, at least three prestigious medical journals published articles examining whether the condition is being overdiagnosed and American children are being drugged unnecessarily, (N...
Ritalin has become the most prescribed drug for people with attention deficit disorder (ADD) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). An abundance of media coverage brought Ritalin to the attention of parents, educat...
College can be a challenge with endless papers, tests, and other tasks. A pill that allows extreme focus helps accomplish necessary tasks. Adderall is a prescription medication given to patients with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (Jaffe). However, this drug has become known as a “smart drug” around college campuses (“Daily News & Analysis”). About 6.4 percent of college students have taken Adderall without a prescription (Carver). At more competitive schools, about twenty-five percent of students have taken Adderall (Pantovich). Students take the drug with hope to improve a grade. However, in the long run, the student only hurts himself or herself.
The point at which a person comes to the level of desperation to risk the rest of their lives for a decent grade in secondary and postsecondary education occurs all too often. Many college students around the largest universities of the United States have experienced this feeling of desperation, so naturally they tried to find a solution. The solution falls into the hands of Amphetamine or Dextroamphetamine, known better as Adderall, a staggering amount of the time. Students obtain Adderall illegally, as it is a prescription drug, for the common belief around United States college campuses that it improves students’ focus and attention span, while also prolonging the time students can go without sleep. Adderall can be better understood through the explanations of its legal and illegal uses along with the success of both, the side effects and legal consequences of its illegal use, and with how the illegal uses of Adderall and the drug itself will continue into the future.
the left of a pair of crystals that are a mirror image of each other.
The medical use of amphetamines was common in the 1950/60's when they were used to help cure depression and to help the user lose weight. An amphetamine is a drug that is a stimulant to the central nervous system. Amphetamines are colorless and may be inhaled, injected, or swallowed. Amphetamines are also used non-medically to avoid sleep, improve athletic performance, or to counter the effects of depressant drugs. Amphetamines are addictive. Because of this, when the user discontinues use or reduces the amount that they use, withdrawal symptoms may occur. Some withdrawal symptoms are as follows: severe exhaustion, deep sleep lasting from 24 to 48 hours, psychotic reaction, extreme hunger, deep depression, anxiety reactions, and long but disturbed sleep. Although someone using amphetamines may experience withdrawal symptoms for a short period of time, the benefits to a person who stops using the drug greatly outweigh an addiction to amphetamines. Because amphetamines suppress appetite and give the user feelings of energy, they are sometimes abused by people who are trying to lose weight. But, because appetite is suppressed and decreased, malnutrition occurs. The user will not be getting enough vitamins or minerals and will become ill more often. They may also lose a dangerous amount of weight. Abuse of amphetamines is not a safe nor effective way to lose weight.
Robinson, L., Smith, M. S., Segal, J., & Ramsey , D. (2014 ). Add/adhd medications:are adhd
Prescription amphetamines such as, Adderall are listed as Schedule II drugs by the DEA. These drugs are considered dangerous as they have a high potential for abuse and their use can potentially leading to severe psychological or physical dependence (Inaba & Cohen, 2007). But for parents with hyperactive children, soldiers in combat, and college students cramming for exams these amphetamines work miracles by temporarily increasing the user’s ability to pay attention, remain focus, alertness, and increase self-empowerment.
Since the production of Ritalin (brand name for Methylphenidate Hydrochloride) during the mid-1940s, it has been enhanced and formulated to treat various disorders such as fatigue and depression but it was not until the 1960s when it was discovered to be effective in treating Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). It has also since been used to treat Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD). (Unknown, Ritalin, 2013)
Amphetamines are typically used to provide the same effect that pure adrenaline does. The drug is specified for people with attention deficit disorder with hyperactivity as well as narcolepsy, although if you decide to abuse the drug and use it for recreational purposes, you may start to feel paranoia and nervousness. Using amphetamines can also put a strain on the circulatory system by causing the user's blood pressure to increase suddenly. (Amphetamine) Long term psychological effects of the drug can cause something called amphetamine psychosis, which is much like paranoid schizophrenia.