What are the side effects of Ritalin?
• drug addiction • nervousness and insomnia • loss of appetite • nausea and vomiting • dizziness • headaches • changes in heart rate and blood pressure (usually elevation of both, but occasionally depression) • skin rashes and itching • abdominal pain • weight loss • digestive problems • toxic psychosis • psychotic episodes • severe depression upon withdrawal High doses of stimulants produce a predictable set of symptoms that include: • loss of appetite (may cause serious malnutrition) • tremors and muscle twitching • fevers, convulsions, and headaches (may be severe) • irregular heartbeat and respiration (may be profound and life threatening) • anxiety, restlessness • paranoia, hallucinations, and delusions • excessive repetition of movements and meaningless tasks • formicaton (sensation of bugs or worms crawling under the skin) While death due to non-medical use of Ritalin is not common, it has been known to occur.
