Facts about Methylphenidate

Methylphenidate - central nervous system stimulant, commonly sold as ritalin. It is used for treatment of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, ADHD. Methylphenidate may also be used in addition to an antidepressant for treatment of refractory major depressive disorder. It can also improve depression and cognitive functions in several groups including stroke, cancer, and HIV-positive patients.

Methylphenidate has shown some benefits as a replacement therapy for individuals dependent on methamphetamine and, it has been investigated as a chemical replacement for the treatment of cocaine dependence , in the same way that methadone is used as a replacement for heroin.

Patients who have been prescribed Ritalin have been known to sell their tablets, and Methylphenidate is sometimes used by students to enhance their mental abilities, improving their concentration and helping them to study, but the drug has high potential for abuse and addiction due to its similarity to cocaine and amphetamines.
In the USA it is one of the top ten stolen prescription drugs and is known as "kiddie coke", "Vitamin R" and "The R Ball".

Recreational users may crush the tablets and either snort the powder, or dissolve the powder in water, filter it through cotton wool into a syringe to remove the inactive ingredients and other particles and inject the drug. Both of these methods produce a much more rapid onset of effects.

The most common side effects are: nervousness,insomnia, or drowsiness.
but it may also cause: Abdominal pain, Headaches, Dizziness,Appetite loss, nausia, anxiety and, panic attacks.

An overdose manifests in agitation, hallucinations, psychosis, lethargy, seizures, tachycardia, dysrhythmias, hypertension, and hyperthermia.