More mothers turning to ADHD meds
Jun 28, 2012, 6:44 AM | Updated: 7:29 am
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Between 2002 and 2010, the number of women ages 26-39 who had a prescription for the medication Adderall grew by 750 percent.
The drug for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is typically prescribed for children. However, many moms are using the pill to help them through long, extremely busy days.
“When you’re a mom, you don’t sleep for years and years through the entire night,” said Dr. Martha Grout with the Arizona Center for Advanced Medicine.
“I can imagine that it would be extremely tempting to take one of your kids’ Adderall.”
For kids with ADHD, Adderall increases the activity of neurons in the brain, allowing them to focus. In someone without ADHD, the pill speeds things up, and while it does increase focus, it can be dangerous.
“It’s like whipping a horse,” said Grout. “When you whip a tired horse it will speed up, but it wear down faster.”
Heavy use of Adderall is also addictive.