Ritalin, or methylphenidate hydrochloride, is a mild stimulant that affects the central nervous system. This drug treats patients with attention deficit hyperactive disorder, or ADHD. Ritalin may be taken orally, and is available in 5, 10, and 20 milligram tablets. The medication takes a little under five hours to reach therapeutic levels in the patient. Ritalin affects behavior by stimulating the brain stem and the central nervous system, according to Novartis.
Beneficial Effects
Ritalin can alleviate ADHD symptoms when taken at a dosage appropriate to the patient. The medication stabilizes overall emotional state, and regulates hyperactivity and impulsive behavior, according to Novartis.
Adverse Psychological Effects
Ritalin has a mood-altering effect on patients, making them experience highs when the medication is administered and lows when the medication wears off, according to Drug News. Ritalin can also cause depression, as well as psychotic thought patterns and even delusions, according to Drugs.com. The medication may also heighten aggressive behavior. Ritalin may also cause hallucinations, according to HealthyPlace.
Adverse Physiological Effects
Insomnia is a common effect of Ritalin. Patients taking Ritalin may experience difficulty either falling asleep or sustaining sleep. In addition, Ritalin can impair vision. As such, it is not advisable for patients with glaucoma, according to Drugs.com.
Loss of appetite and stomach pain are also side effects of Ritalin. It is quite common for weight loss to result because of Ritalin use. Ritalin can also slow growth rates in children aged 7 to 10 who take it everyday for a year, according to Novartis.
Ritalin may also increase the likelihood of seizures among patients with a history of seizures. Ritalin can also increase blood pressure, according to Novartis. HealthyPlace says that Ritalin also causes palpitations and arrhythmia. It also causes, dizziness, nausea and vomiting.
Ritalin can also trigger an allergic reaction in some patients causing skin irritation, itching, and difficulty breathing, according to Drugs.com. Ritalin can cause various parts of the body to swell such as the extremities and face. Although Ritalin can also cause the skin to become hypersensitive increasing the likelihood of developing skin irritation. Long term Ritalin use can also damage the liver.
Addiction and Withdrawal
Patients who take Ritalin eventually build-up a tolerance for the medication, thus requiring gradually increasing the dosage necessary for Ritalin to remain effective. Long term Ritalin use often results in addiction, according to Drug News. Gradually increasing doses of Ritalin creates both physiological and psychological dependencies. As such, patients eventually need Ritalin in order to function. The resulting addiction also causes patients to experience withdrawal should Ritalin treatment cease, according to Drug News.
