What is Ritalin used to treat other then ADHD?

Question

Is Ritalin used to treat other things then ADHD?

What is it used to treat?

If you have a prescription to Ritalin but don't have ADHD, what's the side effects?

Is it true that Ritalin is like speed for people who don't actually have ADHD?

If so is it okay for the body?

Is there withdrawal problems from Ritalin?

Answer 1

They used to use it in our intensive care unit for people who were brain damaged and on a ventilator, I think to stimulate the brainstem, the primitive reptillian brain in man that coordintes things like breathing etc. On this basis, I guess they might try it in things like sleep apnoea ....anything like that wrong with you ? Sure you pharmacist isn't misreading your prescription. I also read about it being used to improve some aspects of psychosis

Answer 2

Has been prescribed in the past for narcolepsy and weight control.  It's a member of the amphetamine family so withdrawal symptoms would be comparable to Dexedrine, Methedrine, Benzedrine or other stimulants.

Answer 3

CHILDREN who use Ritalin for a long period of time could be more at risk of delinquency and substance abuse, a study has found.

Doctors are suggesting children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) should take a break from medication after three years of use.

An American study - published in the Medical Observer _ has found that while drugs such as Ritalin can initially help sufferers, the benefit of prolonged use is in doubt.

Some children stay on medication until they reach 18, but researchers believe it may not protect them from all the symptoms.

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The US Multimodal Treatment Study of Children revealed the more days of prescribed medication, the more serious delinquency became.

In a cohort of 500 children with ADHD - followed for 36 months until they were 12 - researchers found 27 per cent were at a greater risk of committing crime, compared with 7 per cent among "normative" children.

Substance use also increased to 17 per cent in ADHD children - almost double the normal rate.

More than 30,000 children in Australia take Ritalin or a similar drug.

Jill Sewell, Associate Professor of the Royal Australian College of Physicians, said evidence suggested a break from medication was beneficial.

"Evidence shows that there is very clear benefit of taking medication for 12-18 months, but after three years it is not so clear," she said.

"Often in medications you do have to stop for a period of time to see if it is still effective."