What is a drug that people snort to boost their energy but also produces frightening crashes and addiction? One answer is cocaine. But another correct answer is Ritalin.
Doctors commonly prescribe Ritalin to treat patients with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and attention deficit disorder (ADD) to help them focus. Doctors also prescribe to treat narcolepsy, a condition that can cause extreme sleepiness and uncontrollable bouts of sleep.
Known by the nicknames smart drug, diet coke, vitamin R, and poor man’s cocaine, Ritalin is a brand name for the drug methylphenidate hydrochloride (methylphenidate Hcl). People abuse Ritalin to help them focus, study longer, or feel more comfortable in social situations. Ritalin abuse can be dangerous, even deadly, but Ritalin addiction treatment in California can prevent these consequences.
Ritalin Overdose
Ritalin addiction in California could create drug tolerance. If people become tolerant to Ritalin and take increasing amounts of it, they run the risk of overdose. Symptoms of a Ritalin overdose include:
- seizures
- hallucinations that could create violent behavior
- muscle twitching, tics, or pain
- numbness in fingers and toes
- vision changes
- weight loss or malnutrition
- respiratory problems (if snorted)
These symptoms are severe and indicate serious, life-threatening problems. Seek emergency medical assistance if people display such symptoms.
Detox of Ritalin
If Ritalin addiction in California has caused people to overdose, or if they are sick and tired of being sick and tired from their Ritalin abuse, they should consider detoxing and withdrawing from Ritalin.
Detox removes Ritalin, a toxin, from a person’s body. Ritalin addiction treatment in California can effectively provide detox services. Rehab treatment facilities with rehab centers assess the different needs of different patients.
This is important: just as patients are different, detox is different for everyone. The treatment and length for a person’s detox from Ritalin depends on various factors:
- how much Ritalin people have been using
- how long they have been using Ritalin
- whether they have other physical or mental conditions.
Ritalin addiction treatment in California can study these factors, and their general patient health, in order to establish the most effective kind of treatment plan.
Withdrawal of Ritalin
Seeking Ritalin addiction treatment in California is a good idea for another reason. Those undergoing detox at inpatient centers might have an easier time during Ritalin withdrawal. Withdrawal from Ritalin, or any drug, can be tough. People experiencing a withdrawal of Ritalin might experience different side effects:
- depression
- panic attacks
- irritability
- nightmares
- fatigue
- intense hunger
Professionals at inpatient rehab centers such as Monarch Shores can help monitor those symptoms. They might be able to provide medication or other treatment to ease the pain of withdrawal. They might also provide different kinds of therapy to help people with any psychological issues.
Spotting and Admitting Ritalin Addiction in California
While parents might not want to believe that their kids are abusing Ritalin, they can typically sense this abuse. They know their kids well and they can suspect when something is not quite right:
- They are behaving differently from usual.
- They are often experiencing different health problems.
- They are not going to school or work.
- They are not seeing their usual friends or are spending time with new friends.
- They are having financial problems.
If teenagers exhibit several of these behaviors, there is a good chance that they are struggling with Ritalin abuse. As frightening as this might be to them and their families, there are ways to help.
Interventions are one way to help. The users’ loved ones use interventions to explain how the abuse affects the entire family. They could discuss what they have learned about treatment options for Ritalin abuse. They could also try to convince the Ritalin abusers to take advantage of this treatment.
Treating Ritalin Abuse
Therapy is often an important component of Ritalin addiction treatment in California. It is important to find therapy that addresses the specific concerns of patients. Teens struggling with Ritalin addiction in California, for example, might receive treatment that deals with matters that might include anorexia or bulimia, risky sex, self-esteem issues, bullying, problems with parents, or problems with significant others.
Ritalin addiction treatment in California often offers therapy and programs to address these issues and others. If the treatments sound like they could help your teen, but you are worried how you are going to pay for them, consider calling Monarch Shores. Our counselors can work with your insurance provider to arrange treatment that can help your teen and the rest of your family heal and even thrive.
