Introduction
Stimulant medications are often used as the treatment method for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. You may be wondering how do stimulant medications treat Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. This article will describe how stimulant medications are used and how they affect the brain.
How Are Stimulant Medications Used?
How are stimulant medications used? According to drugabuse.gov, the following can be noted about the treatment of stimulant medications for the treatment of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder:
Prescription stimulants have a calming and “focusing” effect on individuals with ADHD. They are prescribed to patients for daily use, and come in the form of tablets or capsules of varying dosages. Treatment of ADHD with stimulants, often in conjunction with psychotherapy, helps to improve ADHD symptoms along with the patient’s self-esteem, thinking ability, and social and family interactions.
How Do Stimulant Medications Affect The Brain?
How do stimulant medications affect the brain? According to drugabuse.gov, the following can be noted about how stimulant medications affect the brain:
All stimulants work by increasing dopamine levels in the brain—dopamine is a neurotransmitter associated with pleasure, movement, and attention. The therapeutic effect of stimulants is achieved by slow and steady increases of dopamine, which are similar to the way dopamine is naturally produced in the brain. The doses prescribed by physicians start low and increase gradually until a therapeutic effect is reached.
When taken in doses and via routes other than those prescribed, prescription stimulants can increase brain dopamine in a rapid and highly amplified manner (similar to other drugs of abuse such as methamphetamine), thereby disrupting normal communication between brain cells and producing euphoria and, as a result, increasing the risk of addiction.
Conclusion
According to drugabuse.gov, it is important to remember the following:
Prescription stimulants are sometimes abused however—that is, taken in higher quantities or in a different manner than prescribed, or taken by those without a prescription. Because they suppress appetite, increase wakefulness, and increase focus and attention, they are frequently abused for purposes of weight loss or performance enhancement (e.g., to help study or boost grades in school; see box). Because they may produce euphoria, these drugs are also frequently abused for recreational purposes (i.e., to get high). Euphoria from stimulants is generally produced when pills are crushed and then snorted or mixed with water and injected.
With that stated, use stimulant medications properly and only when prescribed by a psychiatrist or licensed provider.
Photo by Rob Ireton 