Increase in Patients or Overuse? ADHD Medication Prescriptions Surge Among Teenagers

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The number of patients prescribed methylphenidate, a treatment ingredient for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), in the first half of this year has nearly reached the total number of patients prescribed the drug last year. While improved awareness of mental health among patients and their families is a factor, there are also concerns that it is being misused due to its mistaken reputation as a "study-enhancing drug."

On the 1st, Yonhap News cited the September issue of the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety's "Monthly Trends of Medical Narcotics," reporting that "the number of patients prescribed methylphenidate in the first half of this year was 256,848." This figure corresponds to about 90% of the 280,663 patients who were prescribed methylphenidate throughout last year.

Methylphenidate is a medical narcotic that stimulates the central nervous system and increases alertness. It is used to treat psychiatric disorders such as ADHD, which manifests symptoms like attention deficit and hyperactivity in children and adolescents aged six and older. However, misuse can cause side effects such as headaches and insomnia, and in severe cases, hallucinations, delusions, and suicide attempts may occur, so special caution is required for adolescents taking the drug.

The problem is that the number of patients aged 10 and under prescribed methylphenidate is increasing significantly. When the patients prescribed methylphenidate in the first half of this year were divided by gender and age, males aged 10 and under were the largest group with 85,106 patients. Last year, the total number of males aged 10 and under prescribed this ingredient was 90,851.

Among females, the number of patients aged 10 and under prescribed the drug in the first half of this year was 32,780, the second highest after females in their 20s (35,773). This is also close to the numbers recorded last year for females aged 10 and under and those in their 20s, which were 34,888 and 39,201 respectively.

Additionally, in the first half of this year, 28,508 males in their 20s and 20,630 males in their 30s were prescribed methylphenidate, while females in their 30s accounted for 23,816, highlighting a notable proportion of patients aged 30 and under.

The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety stated that the significant increase in patients prescribed methylphenidate is thought to be due to "improved accessibility to psychiatric clinics," but added that "the exact cause is still being analyzed."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.