Concerta Addiction, Abuse, and Symptoms

How Concerta affects the brain

The active ingredient in Concerta, methylphenidate, blocks the activity of dopamine transporters in the brain. This causes dopamine levels to increase significantly, according to Dr. Scott Gottlieb, former director of the U.S. Food & Drug Administration. When dopamine levels increase, the individual may experience a sense of euphoria.

Dopamine is involved in the reward circuit of the brain, which plays an important role in human survival. This reward circuit is programmed to produce a sense of pleasure when people eat, have sex, and perform other activities that are necessary for the survival of the species. When an individual takes Concerta, the brain interprets the rush of dopamine as something pleasurable. Thus, the brain encourages the individual to continue taking Concerta.

Behavioral signs of Concerta usage and abuse

Many behavioral changes may indicate that someone is misusing Concerta. These changes are especially noticeable in people who take high doses of Concerta, as well as in people who combine Concerta with other substances. An individual who misuses Concerta may suddenly start spending more time alone; this isolation makes it easier to conceal substance use from other people. Concerta users may also start hanging out with new friends or take less of an interest in their long-term relationships.

According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, individuals who misuse Concerta and other substances may also neglect their responsibilities. An employed adult may suddenly start calling in sick, asking for time off, or neglecting important work duties; as a result, some users may have difficulty maintaining employment. Adolescent users may struggle to complete assignments, fail classes, or stop showing up for sports practices.

Financial problems are another potential sign of Concerta misuse. An individual who used to be financially stable might suddenly start borrowing money from friends, taking out payday loans, or selling personal items for quick cash. In severe cases, the user might write bad checks or max out his or her credit cards to ensure enough money is available to buy Concerta and continue using it.

How Concerta affects the body

Concerta and other prescription stimulants tend to speed up many of the body’s functions. When an individual takes a dose of Concerta, his or her heart rate increases. The blood vessels constrict, reducing blood flow from the heart to other parts of the body; as a result, the individual’s blood pressure increases. Other physical effects include an increased breathing rate and an increased amount of glucose in the bloodstream. At high doses, Concerta may even cause seizures, increased body temperature, heart failure, or irregular heartbeat.

Early physical effects of Concerta

Concerta typically produces physical effects within 30 to 60 minutes. Some of these effects can be life-threatening, especially for users with preexisting heart conditions.

Severe and long-term physical effects of Concerta

Individuals who develop a tolerance to, or dependence on, Concerta often take the substance more often than recommended or in higher doses than recommended. As a result, they have a heightened risk of experiencing severe physical effects. Because Concerta results in an increased heart rate and higher blood pressure, misuse of this substance may even lead to heart attack, stroke, or other cardiovascular complications.

Some individuals combine Concerta with alcohol or other depressants to reduce the stimulant effects of the substance. This increases the risk of serious physical side effects. Combining Concerta with alcohol may increase the risk of alcohol poisoning, Concerta overdose, or life-threatening cardiovascular complications.

Concerta is especially dangerous when combined with other stimulants, as the stimulant effects are even more pronounced. Combining two or more stimulants can result in irregular heartbeat, stroke, heart attack, or dangerously high blood pressure. Because cocaine and other stimulants also have a high addictive potential, combining them with Concerta may also increase an individual’s risk of developing a dependence on stimulants.

Further Resources

Both the National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIDA) and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) offer in-depth information on both the symptoms and treatment of prescription stimulant addiction.

Stimulant usage has increased significantly over the past 20 years

According to a study published in The Lancet Psychiatry, the use of prescription stimulants to treat ADHD has increased in 13 countries across four continents. The authors of the study report that approximately 1.95% of all citizens in these 13 countries use some type of prescription stimulant.

One of the main reasons the use of Concerta and other prescription stimulants has increased is because many nonmedical users are looking for a way to increase their productivity and enhance their focus at work or school. According to the International Journal of Drug Policy, 6.6% of the individuals surveyed in 2017 reported that they had used a prescription stimulant for cognitive enhancement within the previous year. These individuals were nonmedical users of prescription stimulants.

Based on data collected in several research studies, nonmedical users of prescription stimulants tend to be younger than nonmedical users of other substances. For example, the prevalence of prescription stimulant usage in adults aged 19 and older was only 0.39%, according to the study published in The Lancet Psychiatry. The rate of stimulant use in this age group was much higher in the United States than it was in countries like Japan.

The United States has a higher rate of prescription stimulant misuse than any other country

According to the 2016 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, more than 1.7 million Americans aged 12 and older had misused prescription stimulants within the previous 12 months. This represents approximately 0.6% of the population. One reason for the rising rate of prescription stimulant use is the increased rate of ADHD diagnoses.

For Americans between the ages of 12 and 25, prescription stimulant misuse is most common among individuals between the ages of 18 and 25; approximately 2.2% of this demographic has engaged in the nonmedical use of prescription stimulants. In contrast, only 0.4% of adolescents aged 12 to 17 had engaged in the misuse of prescription stimulants.

Prescription stimulant misuse is also increasing among students in elementary school, high school, and college. For example, according to a study published in the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, anywhere from 5% to 9% of grade school and high school students surveyed reported that they had engaged in the misuse of these substances. The prevalence of prescription stimulant misuse among college students ranges from 5% to 35%.