Health Care's Archives

Having an extra drink at lunch beyond what’s recommended? Then having something else in the evening as a late nightcap? Feeling like you need something to help balance you out and help you make it through the day? How much is too much? These questions are hard enough to answer for ourselves, let alone when we are looking at someone who is important to us and around us. When buzzed driving goes from just getting home to the second DUI, or that original pain pill prescription becomes your once a month script fix, these are reasons for additional concern. When we crossover that plane where just a little bit of partying or a little bit of pain management becomes too much of a good thing, then it is time to …

Prescription stimulants can improve the lives of people with conditions like attention deficit disorder and narcolepsy, but they are also one of the most commonly misused medications. If you are not taking your medication exactly as prescribed, if you are using it to get high, or if you are taking pills that are not prescribed, you are at increased risk of becoming addicted. Around 16 million adults use stimulants each year, and five million of those abuse them. Surveys show that people with coexisting conditions like substance abuse disorders, depression, or suicidal ideation are more likely to abuse both legal and illicit stimulants. The most commonly prescribed stimulants are methylphenidate (Concerta or Ritalin); dextroamphetamine (Dexedrine); and a combination of the two (Adderall). Five Signs of Stimulant Abuse If your doctor …