Ritalin is the most commonly prescribed drug for ADHD, but it is also a stimulant similar to cocaine. While it helps many with ADHD by increasing dopamine levels and improving focus, it also has abuse potential and long term undesirable brain changes are possible. There is also debate around whether ADHD is sometimes misdiagnosed, leading to unnecessary Ritalin treatment that could increase risk of depression or change brain development. Due to their similarities, some are also concerned that Ritalin could act as a gateway drug to cocaine use.

1. THE CONNECTION AND THE CONTROVERSY Ritalin is the most commonly prescribed medication for adhd(attention deficit hyperactivity disorder).This treatment has helped thousands of people control their symptoms. But due to its being a stimulant like cocaine, it may cause undesirable changes in the brain over time .it also has potential for abuse. Ritalin is currently prescribed to approximately six million people in the us.75% of these are children with boys receiving Ritalin about four times more than girls. RITALIN VS COCAINE

2. ADHD: THE BENEFITS OF RITALIN INDIVIDUALS WITH ADHD HAVE DIFFICULTY CONCENTRATING AND CAN BE HYPERACTIVE AND IMPULSIVE .THEY ALSO HAVE LOWER LEVELS OF A BRAIN CHEMICAL CALLED DOPAMINE.DOPAMINE HELPS PEOPLE CONTROL THEIR BEHAVIOR SO HAVING THE RIGHT LEVEL OF DOPAMIN IN THE BRAIN IS IMPORTANT. RITALIN INCREASES DOPAMINE LEVELS, ENABLING ADHD KIDS TO FOCUS FILTER OUT DISTRACTIONS AND MAKE DECISIONS BASED ON REASON RATHER THAN EMOTION.

3. RITALIN IS SIMILAR TO COCAINE

4. CHEMICAL STRUCTURE

5. SIMILARITY LIKE COCAINE, RITALIN IS A POWERFUL STIMULANT THAT INCREASE ALERTNESS AND PRODUCTIVITY . RITALIN AND COCAINE ALSO LOOK AND ACT SAME.BOTH HAVE SIMILAR CHEMICAL STRUCTURE , AND BOTH INCREASE DOPAMINE LEVELS IN THE BRAIN. THEY DO THIS BY BLOCKING A DOPAMINE TRANSPORTER PROTEIN RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REUPTAKE OF DOPAMINE AT THE SYNAPSE.

6. CONSEQUENCES OF MISDIAGNOSIS MISDIAGNOSIS OF ADHD IS A COMMON PROBLEM THAT COMPLICATES RITALIN CONTROVERSY. SOME SAY THAT RITALIN IS OVER PRESRIBED NOW AND THAT UNDESIREABLE CHANGES IN THE BRAIN MAY RESULT OVERTIME. CHILDREN WHO ARE MISTAKENLY DIAGNOSED WITH ADHD AND TREATED WITH RITALIN MAY BE MORE LIKELY TO DEVOLP DEPRESSION AS ADULTS. WE KNOW RITALIN INCREASES DOPAMINE LEVELS OF THE BRAIN BUT UNNECCSSARY INCREASE IN DOPAMINE DURING CHILDHOOD MAY CHANGE HOW THE BRAIN DEVOLPS .THE BRAIN MAY BECOME DESENSETIZED TO NATURAL REWARDS LIKE FOOD,ROMANCE & SOCIAL INTERACTIONS LEADING TO DEPRESSION.

7. REPLACING RITALIN WITH COCAINE ADHD CHILDREN ARE TYPECALLY TAKEN OFF A RITALIN WHEN THEY REACH ADULTHOOD.INTERESTINGLY THESE INDIVIDUALS SEEM TO BE MORE PRONE TO COCAINE ADDICTION. WHEY IS THAT? BECAUSE BOTH ARE SIMILAR DRUGS THEIR MIGHT BE A POSSIBILITY THAT ADHD ADULTS ARE UNKNOWINGLY USING COCAINE AS A REPLACEMENT FOR RITALIN.IT MAY BE A ATTEMPT TO SELF-MEDICATE.

8. PROTECTIVE FACTOR OR GATEWAY DRUG BECAUSE OF THE SIMILARITY OF BOTH THESE DRUGS SOME BELIEVE RITALIN COULD BE A GATEWAY DRUG.A GATEWAY DRUG IS DEFINED AS A DRUG THAT MAY LEAD TO THE USE OF OTHER MORE ADDICTIVE DRUGS.BUT STUDIES SHOW THAT RITALIN TAKERS ARE ACTUALLY FAR LESS LIKELY TO EXPERIMENT WITH OTHER DRUGS UNLIKE THOSE WITH ADHD WHO ARE NOT MEDICATED.

9. TRUTH INTRODUCED IN 1955 RITALIN HAS LONG BEEN TOUTED AS SAFE FOR USE ON CHILDREN. FACT: BY 1971 RITALIN AND OTHER STIMULANTS WERE SHEDULED IN THE SAME ABUSE CATEGORY AS MORPHINE, COCAINE AND OPIUM.MORE POTENT THAN COCAINE IT CAUSES STUNTED GROWTH, WEIGHT LOSS AND PSYCHOSIS SUICIDE IS A MAJOR COMPLICATION DURING WITHDRAWL.IT CAN ALSO CAUSE STROKES AND CARDIAC ARREST.