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Treatment for addiction takes many forms and depends on the needs of the
individual. In accordance with the American Society of Addiction Medicine, we offer
information on outcome-oriented treatment that adheres to an established continuum of
care. In this section, you will find information and resources related to evidence-based
treatment models, counseling and therapy and payment and insurance options.
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More adults are abusing Adderall and ending up in the emergency department, according to a new study published by The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry.
The nonmedical use of the prescription stimulant by adults grew by 61.7 percent from 2006 to 2011, and the number of adults going to the emergency room after using Adderall (dextroamphetamine-amphetamine) grew by 155.9 percent.
“The number of prescriptions for Adderall has fallen and yet we are seeing more medical problems from its use,” the study’s lead author Dr. Lian-Yu Chen said in a press release. “This suggests that the main driver of misuse and emergency room visits related to the drug is the result of diversion, people taking medication that is legitimately prescribed to someone else.”
Researchers at Johns Hopkins University set out to investigate three trends involving prescription stimulants:
How has the number of treatment admissions changed?
How has the number of people who abuse the drugs changed?
How has the number emergency department visits changed?
The researchers used 2006 – 2011 data from the National Disease and Therapeutic Index, the National Survey on Drug Use and Health and the Drug Abuse Warning Network. They did not find proof that the rise in abuse and emergency department admission rates were associated with doctors writing more prescriptions for the drugs.
“Trends in prescriptions for stimulants do not correspond to trends in reports of nonmedical use and emergency department visits,” the authors concluded. “Increased nonmedical stimulant use may not be simply attributed to increased prescribing trends.”
Young Adults Among Top Adderall Abusers
The researchers compared trends among teens with those among adults. They did not find the same drug abuse trends among teens. Treatment admissions for Adderall among adolescents decreased and nonmedical use and emergency department visits remained about the same.
The researchers also compared the trends of Adderall abuse to trends of Ritalin (methylphenidate) abuse. For teens, treatment admissions decreased, nonmedical use remained about the same and emergency department visits decreased by 54.4 percent from 2006 to 2011.
In adults, Ritalin trends in treatment admissions, nonmedical use and emergency department visits remained about the same.
Adults ages 18 to 25 were the top Adderall abusers, accounting for 60 percent of all nonmedical use of Adderall among people ages 12 and older.
“The growing problem is among young adults,” Dr. Ramin Mojtabai, one of the study’s senior authors, said in a press release. “In college, especially, these drugs are used as study-aid medication to help students stay up all night and cram.
“Our sense is that a sizeable proportion of those who use them believe these medications make them smarter and more capable of studying. We need to educate this group that there could be serious adverse effects from taking these drugs and we don’t know much at all about their long-term health effects.”
Combatting the Problem
The researchers at Johns Hopkins determined the majority of people who abused attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder medications received them from friends or family. About two thirds of friends or relatives who gave someone prescription stimulants originally received them from a health care provider.
These individuals may be giving away or selling the drugs because they don’t want to use them themselves.
In January, researchers from Ameritox — a drug monitoring and reporting service for doctors — presented data on ADHD patients at the American Professional Society of ADHD and Related Disorders annual meeting.
The data indicated about one-third of patients prescribed prescription stimulants did not have the drugs in their blood stream when tested.
Patients who did not take the drugs were more likely to have traces of illicit drugs like marijuana or cocaine in their system. Adults ages 20 to 29 were the least likely to take ADHD medications as prescribed by their doctors, with about 40 percent of all adults in that age group failing to comply with their doctor’s prescription.
“Even in the best case scenarios the potential for diversion or illicit drug use is alarmingly high,” Ameritox Chief Medical Officer Tom Smith said, according to Healio.
Dr. Mojtabai thinks databases — similar to new databases that monitor prescriptions for opioids — should be developed to monitor stimulant prescriptions.
“Many of these college students think stimulants like Adderall are harmless study aids,” Mojtabai said. “But there can be serious health risks and they need to be more aware.”
Medical Disclaimer: DrugRehab.com aims to improve the quality of life for people struggling with a substance use or mental health disorder with fact-based content about the nature of behavioral health conditions, treatment options and their related outcomes. We publish material that is researched, cited, edited and reviewed by licensed medical professionals. The information we provide is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. It should not be used in place of the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare provider.
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Aubrey, A. (2016, February 17). Misuse Of ADHD Drugs By Young Adults Drives Rise In ER Visits. Retrieved from http://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2016/02/16/466947829/of-adhd-drugs-linked-to-increased-er-hospital-visits-study-finds
Chen, L. et al. (2016). Prescriptions, Nonmedical Use, and Emergency Department Visits Involving Prescription Stimulants. Retrieved from http://www.psychiatrist.com/jcp/article/Pages/2016/aheadofprint/14m09291.aspx
Healio. (2016, January 21). Treatment nonadherence, illicit drug use may be common in ADHD patients. Retrieved from http://www.healio.com/psychiatry/add-adhd/news/online/%7B6cd81ce8-5159-48f5-8de2-01c17f223fe0%7D/treatment-nonadherence-illicit-drug-use-may-be-common-in-adhd-patients
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