| ADHD Directory |
| ADHD Printables |
| ADHD Webinars |
| ADHD Guides |
| Expert Answers |
| ADHD News |
| Tools and Checklists |
| ADHD Topics A-Z |
| Book Reviews |
 |
| ADHD Groups |
| ADHD Discussions |
| ADHD Blogs |
| Share Your Story |
| E-Newsletters |
| ADHD Events |
| ADHD Videos |
|
| Subscribe |
| Give a Gift |
| Current Issue |
| Digital |
| Archives |
| Buy Back Issues |
| Buy Booklets |
| Customer Service |
| Contact Us |
| Advertise |
Fear of AddictionFiled Under: ADHD Stimulant Medications, Substance Abuse and Addiction
Q:
"I used to be addicted to opiates and painkillers, and my doctor has prescribed a stimulant medication for ADHD. Should I be worried?" 
A:
Be candid with the physician about your past drug dependency. Taken correctly, ADHD medications are not physiologically addicting. They do not alter your feelings or perceptions, so you need not be worried about feeling "high." Just be sure to stick to the dose and time prescribed. If you find that you frequently need higher doses, alert your physician. You should be watchful, but I do not expect that you will have a problem.
Larry Silver, M.D., is the author of Dr. Larry Silver's Advice to Parents on AD/HD and The Misunderstood Child: Understanding and Coping with Your Child's Learning Disabilities. He is also a clinical professor of psychiatry at Georgetown Medical Center in Washington, D.C.
|
|
Print
