Ritalin is a prescription medication most commonly used to treat the psychological symptoms associated with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Ritalin is the brand name for the drug methylphenidate, a stimulant prescription that is effective in treating both adults and children who struggle with ADHD. This medication works by increasing the norepinephrine and dopamine present in the brain and therefore improving one’s ability to pay attention and focus for an extended period.
How does Ritalin Affect Your Body?
Ritalin can produce a euphoric feeling and can make people who don’t have ADHD feel more productive when taking Ritalin and more capable of taking on day-to-day tasks. This can lead to psychological dependence in a short matter of days or weeks.
Many people consider this drug a “study drug”, along with other drugs that are used to treat ADHD like Adderall or Concerta. This is because high school and college students tend to take these medications before big exams or while completing term papers. After all, they increase their alertness and make them more capable of working for long hours.
If a person has been struggling with a substance abuse disorder and is diagnosed with an attention-related issue, he or she will generally not be prescribed a drug like Ritalin because of its high propensity for abuse. While this medication is significantly stronger than caffeine, it is not as strong as amphetamine – but this does not mean that it doesn’t show up on drug tests.
Does Ritalin Show Up On Amphetamine Drug Tests?
Depending on the type of drug test and what they’re looking for, methylphenidate may show up and cause a positive result for Amphetamine. For that reason, it may be necessary to inform testers that you’re taking a methylphenidate prescription. If you’re taking it illegally, you’ll need to stop before taking the test.
Ritalin is detectable on drug tests for a relatively short amount of time, but the actual length of time depends on the drug test that is being administered and the severity of the Ritalin abuse disorder.
People who are consuming a higher dose of Ritalin daily would have the medication in their bloodstream for longer. Studies show that some people excrete up to 97 percent of the drug in between 24 and 48 hours, whereas other people only excrete 78 percent of the drug throughout the same two-day time period. Methylphenidate may be detectable in urine up to two days after use.
The severity of the substance abuse disorder is not the only contributing factor when it comes to how quickly the body processes Ritalin and other similar medications. A person’s body weight, metabolism, and age affect how quickly drugs are processed, as well as what state the kidneys are currently in (all drugs filter through the kidneys, which is why kidney disease is such a common side effect of substance abuse).
Recreate Life Counseling and Prescription Drug Addiction Recovery
At Recreate Life Counseling, we offer comprehensive prescription drug addiction recovery services, geared towards helping men and women who have been struggling with prescription drug addiction go on to lead the healthy and substance-free lives they deserve. We understand how difficult it can be to come to terms with the prescription drug addiction because in many instances the person who ends up abusing the drug was originally prescribed the medication for a legitimate medical reason.
However, because so many people take Ritalin and other similar medications, it is also not uncommon for a person to find an unused or forgotten prescription in the medicine cabinet of a family member or close friend. Regardless of how you started down the path of substance abuse, we are available to help.
Our admissions process is simple and uncomplicated and is geared towards taking as much stress off of you and your loved ones as possible. Simply give us a call to get started or to learn more about our program of prescription drug addiction recovery.