Can You Inject Ritalin? | Effects & Dangers

You can inject Ritalin to feel strong stimulant effects, such as improved mood, improved focus, and increased blood pressure and heart rate. However, injecting Ritalin is not an approved form of prescription drug use in Ohio.

Approved prescription drug use of Ritalin involves taking Ritalin tablets as directed by mouth to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Taking Ritalin or methylphenidate as directed by your Ohio healthcare provider can help you avoid high-risk substance use habits.

If you inject the drug may be a sign that you are abusing Ritalin to feel strong stimulant effects. Injecting Ritalin, a Schedule II controlled substance, increases your risk of serious side effects like collapsed veins, high blood pressure, and overdose.

Effects Of Ritalin Injection

Injecting Ritalin can cause intense euphoria and focus as well as side effects such as:

• dry mouth
• increased blood pressure
• increased heart rate
• loss of appetite

Injecting Ritalin involves crushing Ritalin tablets obtained from a healthcare provider. The tablets can then be dissolved in water and injected.

Intravenous injection of methylphenidate can cause side effects similar to or stronger than taking high doses of Ritalin by mouth.

Dangers Of Ritalin Injection

Injecting Ritalin can lead to stronger side effects than taking the drug as directed. Drugs that are injected directly enter your bloodstream instead of going through the digestive process.

While injecting Ritalin can cause strong euphoria and focus, it can also be dangerous to your health. The long-term health risks likely outweigh the short-term benefits of injection drug use.

Physical Side Effects

Injecting Ritalin can strain your skin, muscles, and veins, which can increase your risk of side effects such as:

• collapsed veins
• infections and abscesses at the injection site
• HIV, hepatitis, and other diseases from sharing needles

Ohio harm reduction programs offer needle disposal programs, which can reduce your risk of injecting Ritalin with contaminated syringes.

Drug Overdose

A drug overdose can occur when you take high doses of Ritalin at once. High doses of central nervous system stimulants such as Ritalin can strain your cardiovascular and digestive systems, which can be fatal.

Injecting or snorting Ritalin increases your risk of overdose, as your doses may not be regulated by an Ohio doctor. Signs of a life-threatening Ritalin overdose may include:

• seizures
• abnormally strong or weak pulse
• vomiting
• diarrhea
• stomach cramps

In 2021, there were over 1,300 Ohio drug overdose deaths involving prescription stimulant drugs, such as methylphenidate, methamphetamine, and amphetamine. These drugs can be life-threatening if taken in high doses and without direction from an Ohio doctor.

Ritalin Addiction

Ritalin addiction is a mental health problem where you cannot stop taking Ritalin, even if it is harmful to your health. If you inject Ritalin to improve your mood or focus, your risk of needing Ritalin to function may increase.

Some case studies have linked Ritalin injection to psychosis, hallucinations, and other mental health symptoms similar to schizophrenia. Patients in these case studies also showed signs of a substance use disorder involving Ritalin.

Ritalin addiction may also include worsening mental health and withdrawal symptoms, which can make quitting difficult. 

If you or a loved one struggle with stimulant drug abuse in Ohio, please contact Ohio Recovery Center today.