Rise in hospitalisations for drug-induced psychosis as teenagers deal ADHD drugs in schoolyards
Students are snorting ADHD drugs in school bathrooms to cope with rising academic pressures, as hospitals report a surge in teens being brought to emergency departments in a drug-induced psychosis.
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High school students are dealing ADHD drugs in the schoolyard for as little as $2 a pill, with experts warning of a rise in teenagers being hospitalised for misusing the prescription medication.
In some shocking cases, students are snorting Ritalin – the ‘smart’ drug prescribed to people with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) – in school bathrooms in a desperate bid to cope with rising academic pressures.
Health experts have also reported cases of teenagers presenting with drug-induced psychosis to emergency departments.
The Herald Sun has spoken to current and former students across the state who have lifted the lid on the dangerous trend, including buying and selling prescription pills and the increasing use of self-medicating during exam periods.
A 2023 graduate from a private school in Geelong said they first bought the medication after they were told it would help them concentrate and remember their notes.
“I saw a classmate in year 12 crushing up his Ritalin pills and snorting them in the school bathroom,” another recent graduate said.
A Melbourne student who completed year 12 last year told the Herald Sun they were initially paying $2 per pill before it became more popular.
“We then paid $5 for one, or $8 for two – it felt like proper drug dealing,” they said.
The recent rise in ADHD diagnoses means more people have access to the prescription drug, increasing the risks of misuse in schoolyards and university campuses, experts have warned.
Health professionals have also sounded the alarm about the dangers associated with non-prescription Ritalin misuse, specifically in adolescents and young adults without ADHD.
Clinical Psychologist, Rachel Dao from Aviara Health said it was seriously worrying that students were self-medicating at school without the support and monitoring of health professionals.
She said she was aware of instances where some had gone to hospital because of misuse.
“Ritalin misuse can cause damaging long term effects, particularly for young people whose brains are still developing,” she said.
“Kids not knowing their unique side effects and risks, or kids who misuse the medication have presented to emergency departments for what health professionals suspect are medication induced psychosis.”
A director of an emergency department at a major public hospital in Melbourne said he has seen some cases of high school students presenting with Ritalin-related psychosis.
“We do see cases from time-to-time,” he said.
It is understood there is limited data on Ritalin-based psychosis due to how the information is recorded.
Ritalin-related hospitalisations could instead be recorded as another “pressing issue” meaning the full extent of the problem could remain unknown.
“There are specific rules on how we assign codes. The most pressing issue is assigned as the primary, so if it was an overdose resulting in kidney failure, it’s likely the kidney failure would be coded first,” one emergency department worker said.
Psychologist Vanessa Karagiannis said some of her clients admitted to using stimulant medication to cope with academic workloads.
“These disclosures highlight a troubling trend, the willingness to bypass legal and medical safeguards to achieve short-term performance gains,” the CEO at The Psych Haus said.
“The pressure to excel academically often drives students to misuse stimulants as a quick fix … it perpetuates a culture where health and integrity are compromised in pursuit of academic success,” Ms Karagiannis said.
Ms Karagiannis said for non-ADHD people, Ritalin could result in temporary focus and wakefulness due to the heightened stimulation of neurotransmitters, providing a false sense of productivity.
“The short term benefits are overshadowed by significant side effects including potential dependency, reduced appetite and long-term cardiovascular,” she said.
With Ritalin finding its way back into schoolyards and beyond this school year, experts are urging parents and schools to be vigilant about the risks of prescription drug misuse.
The Department of Education said: “Students should not be using any prescribed medication except under direction from a medical professional.”
Originally published as Rise in hospitalisations for drug-induced psychosis as teenagers deal ADHD drugs in schoolyards
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