Stories of an ADD Adult

I am tired of reading news stories about college kids staying up all night on ADHD drugs. I am sick of hearing about it on TV as well.

There is so much attention given to the abuse of stimulant medication. The media just loves these types of stories. They love scandals, and they love being the heroes who expose the wrongs of our society.

Unfortunately, most people listen to these types of news stories without really understanding the full issue. People think of medications such as Ritalin and Adderall as overprescribed drugs that are abused by college students, rather than as real medications that actually do help so many college students pay attention in lectures and maintain good enough grades to graduate.

Strattera is one medication that I have never taken. It really does sound promising, because I’ve always worried about the fact that Ritalin is a stimulant.

I guess it just would feel better not to be taking a medication that has so much stigma. I am trying to think of other reasons, but I can’t really come up with any right now.

I always feel like I have to hide my Ritalin when I take it. I take it in the bathroom, where no one’s looking, or at home in private, but I do everything to hide the prescription bottle in my purse when I’m in public. I don’t want anyone to know. I’m also scared because people use Ritalin as a drug, and if others knew I had it, they might try to steal tablets or something.

Maybe that’s just paranoia. I don’t know.

I think I would probably do the same with Strattera, but I wouldn’t feel so worried about carrying it around with me. As far as I know, people don’t use it as a drug. My guess about this is that since it often takes 4-6 weeks to feel the resulting effects, people who want to use it actually get a prescription the honest way and actually do need it for real reasons.

People looking to get high probably wouldn’t get anything out of Strattera, I would imagine.

I am starting to see ads all over the web about buying Ritalin online. Sometimes I even see those ads here!

It really confuses me. I didn’t think you could buy Ritalin without a prescription. Is it not highly controlled and regulated?

I do wish that Ritalin was a normal, over-the-counter medication. I wish it was potent enough to help people with ADD and ADHD, but not so potent that kids could consume it in large quantities to get high. Having it available over the counter without a prescription would probably reduce the stigma of using it.

After all, cough syrup can be bought without a prescription, and it is abusable, but buying it at the pharmacy does not raise any eyebrows.