<p>Hi yall, i'm a 20 year old college junior, been taking focalin/ritalin almost everyday of the academic calendar since 9th grade, just wandering if anyone can provide insight as to the possibility of long-term brain damage/infraction from constant exposure to Focalin/Ritalin/Adderall, etc .</p>
<p>Thanks to all who reply!</p>
<p>This is a really good question and I'm happy to bump this up for you. I have heard of a book called "Talking Back to Ritalin" by Breggin. That might be a good starting point for you.</p>
<p>anyone with any thoughts on this? I tend to get pretty introspective about the subject because I'm more or less a product of the ADD diagnosis boom and ADD medications have been with me every step of my education since 9th grade...So it makes me curious what other people's ideas are...I know it'd be more practical to just research this on the web, but I don't have the attention span for that sort of thing</p>
<p>I suggest you be seen by a neurologist if you have concerns</p>
<p>This is an interesting subject. Some recent research indicates no genetic damage:
ADHD</a> Medications Do Not Cause Genetic Damage In Children, Study Shows
But this is only one piece of research. I personally only recently started on ADHD meds and they so far have helped me once I got all the minute details about them right. Anyways this is something on the back of my mind that hoefully research in the future will prove the effect of methylphenidate or amphetamine or atomoxetine (Strattera) on the frontal-lobe of the brain and the differences it makes in those of us that are ADHD.</p>
<p>My nephew was on Ritalin at about age 4, never got a break from it in the summers, yeah, he's slower in his thought processes today at age 22. Certainly no longer hyperactive, in fact, sluggish is more like it.</p>
<p>Caution to adults thinking to try out Ritalin: it can cause extra heart beats. Happened to my brother who thought he'd try it out in his 40's. He's now permanently plagued with extra heart beats. Annoying and nothing he can do about it. Caused by about 3 or 4 doses of Ritalin.</p>
<p>What I can tell you is to go to your General Doctor first, then he'll most likely refer you to a neurologist.</p>
<p>He shall know what to do</p>
<p>I am on focalin and I asked my psychiatrist this question because I was also concerned. He said that there are people who have been taking Ritalin for 50 years and have had no long term brain damage. He told me there is nothing to worry about.</p>
<p>Ritalin is one of the most intensely studied medications ever. It leaves one’s system every day, so I doubt it could cause brain damage.</p>
<p>I too was a part of the ADD diagnosis generation. I took medication on and off through elementary school, never during middle school, and started again in 9th grade, stopping in my second year of college. </p>
<p>During elementary school I took Ritalin, and Concerta during the later years. I almost resent being put on it as a kid, although perhaps “resent” is too strong a word. I hardly think a 3rd grader who’d rather goof off in class than do math worksheets should be medicated. And there were some kids who were clearly having extreme difficulty in the classroom setting - I only occaisionally had trouble concentrating, and was never disruptive or physically hyperactive. </p>
<p>When I decided to go back on Concerta in high school, that was a lot more motivated by my wanting to use it as a weight-loss aid than thinking I had ADD. I will never forget the last time I took Concerta in my second year of college. I had a design project due the next day, and so I used it to pull an all-nighter. My thoughts raced in a very unproductive way, my heart was pounding the whole night. Mentally, I was in hell…I really can’t describe the sensation too well. All I did was pace back and forth outside, chainsmoking, for several hours. I was too strung-out to work, and I had only taken the standard dose. </p>
<p>Concerta will turn you into an anxious, emotional wreck with prolonged use. The active ingredient, methylphenidate, is very chemically similar to the methamphetamine molecule. </p>
<p>It also dosen’t matter whether methylphenidate leaves your system on a daily basis (which I doubt anyhow), it can still cause damage during the time it’s in your body. I don’t know anything about its potential to cause brain damage, although I wouldn’t be surprised in the least if it did. All I know is that the psychological side effects can be devastating - it is essentially a small dose of medical-grade methamphetamine, and it’s a dangerous drug.</p>
<p>I know of one young man who went into a full blown clinical depression when his Concerta dosage was doubled, due to a growth spurt. He was crying and sobbing like a toddler, and self medicating with other medications in the home. The turn around to his normal behavior was very quick, once he went off all medications completely. He decided he would rather deal with his inattentiveness than a deep depression.</p>
<p>And don’t forget about cognitive dulling. A pair of five year old twins I know have been on Prozac since age three. Ones IQ dropped from 122 to 97 in a two year time frame.</p>
<p>Most of these drugs have not been tested adequately (or at all) on children, and no one is sure of long term effects. Whether Ritalin, Prozac or Depacote, there have been minimal longitudinal studies. Sometimes, parents have no choice, but it is always best to proceed with caution.</p>