‘I Was Snorting The Drug’: Maltese Teenagers Talk About ADHD Medication Abuse Risk
Two teenagers anonymously hit up Lovin Malta explaining their horrific stories related to ADHD medication and how it spiraled them into addiction.
ADHD is a common attention-deficit condition that is mostly diagnosed at a young age.
According to adhdmalta.org.mt, symptoms of such conditions are – having trouble holding concentration, organising tasks, and remembering everyday things followed by a couple of others.
A number of individuals who reached out to Lovin Malta have been prescribed Ritalin. Also known as methylphenidate, it is a stimulant medication that allows people with ADHD to focus on everyday tasks and be more organised.
Withdrawal symptoms of Ritalin, as reported by WebMD, include feelings of depression and even suicidal thoughts.
George* told Lovin Malta that he started illegally buying the medication from a guy who had the prescription – until he managed to acquire his own.
‘‘At first, it was basically just something that I took every day to keep me going.’’
The patient claims the drug changed his life for a couple of months. He said that the first time he tried it, it was ‘‘revolutionary”, and also the only reason he graduated from school.
‘‘Studied my ass off and took an interest in school for the first time in my life.’’
However, that quickly took a wild turn as George would later start snorting the medication with the aim to get intoxicated.
‘‘In the latter stages when I had finished school I was taking a lot more than three pills a day and often would snort.’’
The prescribed medication which was supposed to help George go on with his day whilst battling ADHD had become a fully-fledged source of pleasure.
‘‘I would mix lines of coke and Ritalin to just like get me through the day.’’
When asked about the similarities between inhaling the medication and inhaling cocaine, George told Lovin Malta that the medication gave him a very similar rush.
‘‘I would say the effects of Ritalin for me were 50% the strength of cocaine. So it was more maintainable to be on all the time’.’
Another individual, Maria*, reached out to Lovin Malta explaining her horrific story related to Ritalin.
Maria had issues concentrating in class and was later prescribed Ritalin. However, after trying the medication, she was left with severe anxiety that abolished her from being able to go to school at all.
‘‘After a bit, it made me extremely anxious to the point where I didn’t go to school for two months. I was too nervous to go to sixth form’’
Claiming she was too paranoid to leave her house or to text people, Maria began to slip into a ball full of anxiety and self-hatred.
‘‘Before taking Ritalin, I never suffered from panic attacks but it made me really anxious and I still get slight anxiety but nothing near what I was experiencing last year.’’
Asked what message she has to other individuals facing similar circumstances, Maria told Lovin Malta that after the terrific setbacks the medication has presented, ‘‘it isn’t always the answer and it definitely isn’t a solution because there is always going to be side effects.’’
With an estimated 1% of Maltese children diagnosed with severe ADHD, there is clearly a significant demand for Ritalin, and a black market for the legal drug exists.
Should we become more cautious of how the medication is prescribed and provided to young local teenagers – taking into consideration the potential of abuse it withholds?
*Names have been amended to safeguard their anonymity
Have you experienced negative side effects after taking Ritalin or a similar drug? Feel free to reach out to us in confidence at [email protected].