In 2015, there were around 1.7 million people in the U.S. ages 12 years and older who misused prescription stimulants like Concerta and Ritalin. It is hard for these individuals to tell if they are already addicted to the drug since their minds and behaviors are clouded already.
The best way for you to know if you or any of your family members are abusing this drug is to consult a doctor or addiction specialist. They have the experience and skills to accurately assess your dependence on methylphenidate.
To add to your knowledge, here are some ideas and concepts you can use to tell if you or anyone is addicted to this stimulant.
How To Recognize Concerta Addiction?
This drug is used to treat people with ADHD and can be used for long-term medication as long as you abide by your doctor’s prescription. However, if you do self-medication or abuse this stimulant to get high scores in exams or for pleasure, you are prone to addiction.
Will it be easy to tell if you’re addicted to methylphenidate? A doctor or an addiction specialist is the right professional to consult if you are addicted to this stimulant.
Here are some obvious signs to tell if you’ve developed dependence or addiction for this substance:
You get multiple prescriptions from different doctors- Uncontrolled spending to get supplies of the drug
- You failed many times from cutting your usage of the drug
- You get used to using the medicine to have a focus or to be more energetic
- You miss the euphoric feeling upon taking the drug that’s you keep using it
- You have that secretive behavior of storing and using the substance
Can You Take Concerta As Needed?
This medicine is a Schedule II Controlled Substance, meaning it is highly addictive and dangerous when abused or used along with other illicit substances. To avoid overdose and addiction, you need to abide by your prescription.
The standard dose for adults (18 to 65 years) is one pill (18-36 mg per pill) every morning with or without food. Doctors won’t advise you to take it in the evening since it can cause sleeping problems.
The increase in your dosage can happen every week and that depends on your doctor’s assessment and recommendation. The maximum dose for adults is 72 mg daily taken every morning.
What Happens If You Take Concerta and Don’t Have ADHD?
If you take methylphenidate when you don’t have ADHD, you will suffer from hyperactivity and sleeping disorders. This is the opposite for those people who are taking this drug to treat their ADHD.
Most people abusing this stimulant take it by crushing and snorting this drug to get faster results. The adrenaline rush of this substance can last up to 12 hours, and then you suddenly experience a crash afterward.
What Will You Do If You Miss A Dose of Concerta?
If you accidentally miss your pill this morning, don’t even think of taking a double dose the next morning for you will surely have an overdose. The best solution is to skip your missed pill and take one pill the next morning.
To avoid missing a dose, it’s best to have a reminder on your smartphone. This helps you promptly take your medicine on time.
What Will You Feel If You Suddenly Cut Back from Concerta?
If you quickly cut off from taking this stimulant, you will experience strong withdrawal symptoms, which can be life-threatening. For you to avoid painful withdrawals, you need to gradually decrease your dose before completely stopping from taking the drug.
Here are its common withdrawal symptoms:
- Feeling irritable
- Losing a few pounds of weight
- Substance-induced anxiety and depression
- Shooting pain in the head
- Loss of enthusiasm for work and school
- Nausea and vomiting
You will start feeling these signs one to two days after you stopped taking the stimulant.
What Is a Concerta Crash and How To Prevent It?
Concerta crash happens when the drug’s effects wear off after twelve hours from your last intake. You start feeling depressed, tired, and weary. If you have ADHD, then the signs of this disorder will be back again after the medicine’s effect wears off.
To prevent this stimulant crash, some doctors give you a booster medication to up your mood, so you don’t feel sad and anxious. Another way is for parents and families to educate their children about why they are feeling that way after medication.
Can Concerta Worsen Anger Management Problems?
Irritability and anxiety are two of the common side effects when you take this medicine. If you have anger management issues, your increased irritability because of the drug might be a problem. However, if you undergo anger management counseling, that can help you resolve this concern.
Can You Drink Coffee on Concerta?
Methylphenidate is a stimulant so you need to avoid consuming drinks, medicines, and food with high caffeine contents. When you have excess caffeine in your system, that can increase your risk of palpitations, nervousness, anxiety, and insomnia.
Additionally, you must also avoid drinking alcohol since that can further depress your brain and heart. Methylphenidate helps calm your mind and body if you have ADHD, so taking more depressants might lead to intensely slow breathing patterns and heartbeat.
How Do You Overcome Concerta Addiction?
Quickly cutting off from this stimulant can lead to serious side effects which can be life-threatening. For you to avoid this, you need to taper from using methylphenidate. Your doctor will give you a prescription at a decreasing dose of this drug before you finally stop using it.
However, if you are addicted to it, your best solution is to undergo a medically assisted detoxification process to eliminate toxins from your body. Afterward, you need to consult a doctor or addiction specialist to get a personalized rehab treatment procedure.
You need to meticulously choose a reliable rehab center equipped with the personnel and facilities to cater to your need to recover from substance use disorder. They must be able to provide either inpatient or outpatient treatment programs for substance abuse.
Start your treatment as early as today!