Increasing Amounts Of Workers Are Misusing Stimulants To Enhance Work Productivity

In the hopes of enhancing work productivity, some adults are turning to ADHD medications as stimulants. But abusing this type of drug can be particularly dangerous, even when it may be to make successful strides in a competitive work environment. 

The drug Adderall, an amphetamine stimulant, appears to be most abused as several reports have recently emerged regarding use that's been allegedly propelled by black market dealers who obtain drugs through excess purchases with a prescription. Though the product is most often times prescribed for children dealing with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), many believe it can boost work hours to much higher levels of functioning.

"You'd see addiction in students, but it was pretty rare to see it in an adult," said Dr. Kimberly Dennis, the medical director of Timberline Knolls, a substance-abuse treatment facility for women outside Chicago, via the SFGate. "We are definitely seeing more than one year ago, more than two years ago, especially in the age range of 25 to 45,"

Furthermore, it's been reported that the supply of stimulants like Adderall, Vyvanse and Concerta have increased sharply in nearly 2.6 million adults who've received ADHD medication in 2012 at a 53 percent rise in four years, according to a recent article published in the New York Times. 

Furthermore, a 2013 report by the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration found that emergency room visits related to non-medical use of prescription stimulants among adults 18 to 34 tripled from 2005 to 2011, to almost 23,000.

To keep the added effect, many users who would not normally take the medications may also begin taking more doses than the recommended amount, in which they could experience an increased risk of heart palpitations or heightened levels of anxiety accompanied by insomnia.