Treating addiction to
prescription stimulants
Treatment of addiction toprescription stimulants, such
as Adderall and Concerta, is
based on behavioral therapies
used in treating cocaine and
methamphetamine addiction. At
this time, there are no medications
that are FDA-approved for treating
stimulant addiction. Thus, NIDA
is supporting research in this area.
Depending on the patient’s
situation, the first steps in treating
prescription stimulant addiction
may be to taper the drug dosage
and attempt to ease withdrawal
symptoms. The detoxification
process could then be followed by
behavioral therapy. Contingency
management, for example, uses a
system that enables patients to earn
vouchers for drug-free urine tests.
(These vouchers can be exchanged
for items that promote healthy
living.) Cognitive-behavioral
therapy also may be an effective
treatment for addressing stimulant
addiction. Finally, recovery
support groups may be helpful
in conjunction with behavioral
therapy.
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