There is a drug that is rapidly in demand as the University Scholastic Ability Test approaches. This is methylphenidate, which is considered a ‘medicine for studying well’ among the parents of test takers. According to the report of the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service, between 2011 and 2016, 2.28 million people were prescribed methylphenidate drugs.
SAT exams are near ㅣ Source: Getty Image Bank
It should be noted that the total number of prescriptions is decreasing year by year, but the prescription amount of methylphenidate drugs for the age of 18-year-old examinees continues to increase. The total amount of methylphenidate drugs prescribed for 18-year-olds was 478 million won in 2011, but in 2015, it increased by more than 300 million won to 799 million won. Demand also increases from October and tends to decrease once more in November and December following the entrance exam.
A treatment for ADHD that has nothing to do with school
Methylphenidate is a drug commonly used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). At the time of its release, it was also used as a treatment for depression, chronic fatigue, and narcolepsy, but as it was proven to be effective in treating ADHD in the 1960s, it has been widely used as a primary treatment for ADHD until now. In particular, it is known that when used in ADHD patients due to brain structure abnormalities, it helps to improve the function of the basal ganglia, a part of the brain that plays a large role in the regulation of cognition, perception and language functions, as well as emotions and behaviors.
The problem is that people with ADHD who took methylphenidate began to misuse methylphenidate to improve their concentration following seeing their calm and improved concentration. In the United States, the so-called ‘study-drug’ and abuse was very severe. In 2013, prescriptions increased by 66% compared to the previous year. In Korea, it is also popular as a ‘medicine for studying’ in Gangnam and Mok-dong school districts, and misuse is taking place.
Methylphenidate is a DNRI antipsychotic that simultaneously inhibits the reuptake of dopamine, a neurotransmitter, and norepinephrine, which stimulates the sympathetic nervous system to increase concentration. It does not directly affect dopamine secretion like amphetamines such as methamphetamine, but it means that it should be used very carefully. Even though it is designed to act on the frontal lobe of the brain, it is known to act on the frontal lobe as well as other parts of the brain, so misuse can cause serious side effects.
Good study medicine? A drug with many side effects!
“The misuse of methylphenidate drugs can cause serious mental health problems,” said Joo Jun-kyung, a pharmacist at Hidak. Side effects such as hallucinations, delusions, and suicide attempts may occur.” He added, “It can also cause a big problem in the growth of students. When using methylphenidate drugs for ADHD patients in the growing stage, it is used while monitoring the physical development with a drug holiday,” he said. The dangerous part is that there are too many drugs.”
In addition, if methylphenidate is misused without consulting or help from a specialist, there is a 20% chance of causing side effects such as decreased appetite, weight loss, headache, and insomnia. Considering the fact that medically, if the probability of occurrence of side effects is more than 10%, it is expressed as ‘commonly’, which means that side effects occur frequently. In addition, side effects such as dry mouth and nausea are also common in more than 10% of cases, and if a person with heart health problems takes methylphenidate, ‘sudden death’, ‘stroke’, ‘myocardial infarction’, etc. may occur this is big
As the entrance exam nears, the condition of the students becomes more important than anything else. If you use the wrong drug and ruin your health and condition, you will not be able to perform well in the exam, no matter how well you study before the exam. It’s time to not lose the most important thing for a moment’s concentration.
Help = Hidak medication consultation pharmacist Joo Joon-kyung
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