Psychiatrists Ask: When to Discontinue ADHD Medication?

An article published in the September issue of the Journal of Psychopharmacology studies the same questions many attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) patients ask as they enter adulthood: What are the long-term effects of using psychostimulants like Ritalin? Should medication use continue for the rest of their lives? And if not, what sort of guidelines should be followed to stop taking medication?

Psychologists at Britain's University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne reviewing literature published on these topics noted a great overall need for more research, stating that "although psychostimulants are generally efficacious in ADHD, the risks of withdrawal reactions and of possible long-term effects such as drug addiction, psychosis and depression, or effects in pregnancy, have not been adequately investigated."

However, while some studies noted an increased risk of drug abuse in adolescents who take these medications, they found that untreated ADHD suffers faced twice the drug abuse rates of treated patients. Some studies also showed that medication use in childhood may protect from drug abuse later in life.

While doctors and patients alike worry that patients may develop a tolerance to medication, making it difficult to stop taking them, researchers also noted that withdrawal is rarely reported.

Read more: When to Stop ADHD Meds? Search Is On for Answers

ABSTRACT: The adult psychiatrist's dilemma: psychostimulant use in attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder