Teens

---

Ritalin: it isn't being taken just by those with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder anymore. Ritalin, a prescription drug to treat Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) symptoms, is classified as a Schedule II drug, the same class as cocaine and other stimulants because of potential abuse.

The Drug Enforcement Administration reported that in 1997, almost seven percent of high school students said they used Ritalin recreationally at least once in the past year. Two and a half percent have used it at least monthly. There was about 2,000 caes of methylphenidate theft from January 1990 to May 1995, making Ritalin among the top ten controlled pharmaceuticals most frequently reported stolen.

When the Federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration scrutinized the emergency room admissions records in 1995 and 1996, they found that patients aged 10 to 14, were just as likely to mention Ritalin as cocaine in a drug-related emergency room episode. Seventy-five percent told the doctor they used the drug for psychic effects or recreation.

Around the country, on high school and college campuses, students have been using Ritalin to help them study better for tests and to focus their concentration when taking exams. According to the Student.Com website (http://www.student.com), "black markets" for obtaining Ritalin without a prescription have popped up on some campuses. Students are willing to pay $1 to $6 a pill. They are usually able to bum some from their friends. Some students crush Ritalin pills, sniffing the drinking like cocaine. The street names for Ritilan include "Vitamin R," "R-Ball" and the "Smart Drug."

HOW DOES RITALIN AFFECT YOUR BODY?

Ritalin has a low addictive rate for people who have ADD and are using it as prescribed.

For people who take it who don't have ADD, large doses can cause an increased heart rate and blood pressure. It may also cause a potential stroke or heart attack.

According to the "Note to Non-ADD People: Ritilan Can Kill You" on the About.Com website, a preliminary study from Wisconsin has found that one in five college students has used Ritalin, Dexedrine or Adderall without a doctor's prescription. Josh Doroff, a student at Trinity College, died after taking a combination of Xanax, Valium and other prescription medications, including Ritalin.

WHAT ARE THE SIDE EFFECTS OF RITALIN?

"The Essential Guide to Psychiatric Drugs" and "Physician's Desk Reference" states that Ritalin should be given cautiously to emotionally unstable patients, especially those with a history of drug or alcohol addiction. People with that type of history tend to increase the dosage on their own initiative. Abusing Ritilan on a regular basis can lead to varying degrees of abnormal behaviors, psychotic episodes, chronic overactive, severe depression and even death.

Ritalin is derived from the same family as cocaine. It lasts only four hours, which leaves its user looking for more, and only treats some of the ADD symptoms. Ritalin does not treat the root of the problem. Its side effects are appetite loos, anxiety, insomnia, tics, headaches and stomach aches.

In the New York Post article (May 28, 2000), "Tired? Pop Your Pal's Ritalin," it was reported that a study done by the University of California at Berkeley's Dr. Nadine Lambert, a developmental psychologist, found that child on Ritalin are three times more likely to develop a taste for cocaine.

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY ABOUT RITILAN ABUSE?

It is true that the Bible doesn't come out and say drugs are wrong, but it does give us some specific guidelines to follow.

I Corinthians 3:16 asks "Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple?" What does being God's temple mean? It means that when you become born-again, the Spirit of God comes to reside on the inside of you. That means that wherever you go, the Spirit of God goes, whatever you watch the Spirit of God watches, whatever you say, the Spirit of God hears.

Each of us were created special in God's sight with unique talents, abilities and gifts. If we apply ourselves, we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us. We are created to be smart. It is people, such as our teachers, brothers, sisters, parents and friends, who label us as smart or dumb. When we accept what those people say, we give up on learning. Although Ritilan may help you focus more on studying, you are polluting your body with a foreign substance. Over a long period of time, that substance will start to control your life. You will crave more, and after awhile, it won't have the same kick for you that it once did. You'll mix it with other drugs, like cocaine or heroin. What if you get a bad batch of drugs? What if you have an adverse reaction to a certain combination? What if you become addicted?

"Christ has set us free. He wants us to enjoy freedom. So stand firm. Don't let the chains of slavery hold you again" (Galatians 5:1).

The chains of slavery refer to anything that you are addicted to. The substance you are addicted to makes you itself slave. You have to keep doing it to get the kick you crave. You have to get the drug anyway you can, even if it means stealing money from your parents or robbing a bank.

God says in III John 2 "Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health even as your soul prospereth." He wants you to be free from addictions and in good health. If you are doing drugs, you cannot be in good health.

WHAT TO DO IF YOU ALREADY ARE ADDICTED?

1. Stop using the drug. If you have trouble quitting the drug, talk to your parents and then see a doctor. It is important when you become addicted to a substance to get off of it, especially if it is endangering your health.

2. Try a rehabilitation center. It may become necessary to look into rehabilitation centers if you are too addicted to stop on your own. You should look for one that has been in business for many years, who is state certified and has high success rate.

Remember always to put God first in your life. Inform Him of all your plans, your struggles, and let Him help you to overcome them. With His help, you can be the person He wants you to be.

---

I am not in the Private Messenger. Please contact me at [email protected]

---

PLEASE ENCOURAGE AUTHOR BELOW LEAVE COMMENT ON ARTICLE