LOS ANGELES - Marylandian -- Taking a high dose of drugs to treat Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is linked to more than five times greater risk of developing psychosis or mania, according to a new study published in the American Journal of Psychiatry. The research is among the first to find a relationship between escalating doses of the drugs—amphetamines, in particular—and a greater likelihood of psychotic symptoms.[1] Lead researcher, Dr. Lauren Moran stresses the need for a warning label to raise awareness of this serious risk.[2] The Citizens Commission on Human Rights International supports that call, but given other documented findings that stimulants are linked to acts of senseless violence, including school shootings, strongly recommends them being removed as a treatment for children and adolescents.

The ADHD drugs referenced in the study include amphetamine-like drugs, such as dextroamphetamine and lisdexamfetamine. Prescriptions for one in the U.S. soared 27% from 2019 to 2022, according to IQVia, a clinical analytics company.[3] IQVia also reports that 3.15 million 0-17-year-olds took ADHD stimulants in 2020.

Moran found no increased risk of psychosis or mania in prescriptions for methylphenidate (Ritalin).[4] However, there are drug regulatory agency warnings about the drug causing mania or psychosis. A 2023 study published in Cureus advised every medical practitioner prescribing psychostimulants to inform the patient and caregiver about psychosis as a threatening side effect.[5]

The Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) Medication Guides for several brand-name ADHD drugs list side effects such as new or worse aggressive behavior or hostility for all patients. For children and teens, they say new psychotic or manic symptoms.

Moran found a nearly 63% increased risk of psychosis or mania if patients took any prescription amphetamine but those on heavy doses were at greater peril of a psychotic episode, with an 81% increased risk.

The psychosis could explain why some mass shootings and acts of violence have occurred. According to a Public Library of Science ONE study, researchers reviewed the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System and found 31 prescription drugs disproportionately associated with violence, of which 25 were psychotropic drugs. Of these, three were for treatment of ADHD, including amphetamines, which were 9.6 times more likely to be linked to violent side effects.[6]

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A sample of cases CCHR has documented includes:

• April 2024: Västerås, Sweden, a man who attacked and injured three people, along with a woman who burned down the Ica Haga food store, were both prescribed the ADHD drug lisdexamfetamine. The woman had previously expressed concerns about experiencing psychotic symptoms after starting the drug in 2023 and had even sought emergency care. Medical records indicated that the medication may have triggered her psychosis.[7] She was released from a psychiatric hospital just 30 minutes before she went on her attack.[8]
• August 4, 2019: Dayton, Ohio, a 24-year-old killed nine people. He had cocaine, a sedative-hypnotic and alcohol in his system at the time but also used ADHD to stay high for days.[9]
• February 14, 2018: A 19-year-old went on a shooting spree at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, killing 17 people and injuring 17 others.[10] From the age of 6 he'd been labeled with ADHD and prescribed drugs to treat it, with antipsychotics added between 2008 and 2017. Then three days before the shooting, he looked into his cellphone camera and declared, "I'm going to be the next school shooter of 2018."[11]
• November 20, 2014: Tallahassee, Florida, an adult male went to Florida State University's Strozier Library, randomly opened fire and wounded three. He had been prescribed lisdexamfetamine and an antidepressant, a combination which can cause paranoia.[12]
• April 25. 2014: Milford, Connecticut, a 16-year-old boy, while taking ADHD drugs, stabbed a 16-year-old student to death in a stairwell at Jonathan Law High School after she turned down his prom invitation.[13]

CCHR says the removal from the market of these drugs for treatment in children and adolescents is warranted.

CCHR was established in 1969 by the Church of Scientology and professor of psychiatry, Dr. Thomas Szasz, and has helped secure hundreds of protections for mental health patients. It urges reading its report, Psychotropic Drugs Create Violence and Suicide.

Sources:

[1] Akshay Syal, M.D., "High doses of ADHD drugs linked to a greater risk of psychosis," Yahoo! News, 12 Sept. 2024, www.yahoo.com/news/high-doses-adhd-drugs-linked-110000596.html?fr=yhssrp_catchall

[2] "A new warning about common ADHD meds from Boston-area psychiatrist," NBC Boston, 12 Sept. 2024, www.nbcboston.com/news/local/adhd-medication-warning/3485513/

[3] Allison Gatlin, "The Byzantine Adderall Shortage Puts Teva And Others In The Hot Seat" Investor's Business Daily, 4 May 2023, www.investors.com/news/technology/teva-stock-what-we-know-and-do-not-about-the-adderall-shortage/

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[4] Dennis Thompson, "High doses of ADHD meds might trigger psychosis," UPI, 12 Sept. 2024, www.upi.com/Health_News/2024/09/12/high-doses-ADHD-meds-psychosis/8841726154262/

[5] Khadija Pasha, et al., "Psychosis Induced by Methylphenidate in Children and Young Patients With Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder," Cureus, Jan 2023, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9970721/

[6] Psychotropic Drugs Create Violence and Suicide, www.cchrint.org/pdfs/violence-report.pdf, citing Thomas J. Moore, Joseph Glenmullen, Curt D. Furbert, "Prescription Drugs Associated with Reports of Violence Towards Others," PLoS ONE, Dec. 2010

[7] "Vanlig adhd-medicin kan ge psykos – våldsdåd och mordbrand i Västerås kopplas till adhd-medicinen Elvanse," SVT Nyheter, 28 May, 2024, www.svt.se/nyheter/lokalt/vastmanland/vanlig-adhd-medicin-kan-ge-psykos-valdsdad-och-mordbrand-i-vasteras-kopplas-till-adhd-medicinen-elvanse; www.malaymail.com/news/world/2024/04/19/swedish-police-shoot-arrest-man-after-three-women-attacked/129784#google_vignette)

[8] ground.news/article/woman-discharged-from-her-psyche-30-minutes-later-she-started-the-fire-at-ica-haga-in-vasteras

[9] Pritha Paul, "Dayton shooter was obsessed with drugs, mental illness and Lucifer, wrote about 'hunting' down students," MEAWW.com, 9 Aug. 2019, meaww.com/dayton-shooter-connor-betts-journal-recorded-thoughts-on-satanism-drugs-murder-and-mental-illness

[10] www.cchrint.org/florida-school-shooter-timeline/; www.buzzfeed.com/briannasacks/authorities-were-called-to-alleged-florida-school-shooter?utm_term=.oa47mByJm#.psKga1rXa; www.history.com/this-day-in-history/parkland-marjory-stoneman-douglas-school-shooting

[11] "Family Say Florida School Shooter Was On Big Pharma Antidepressants," News Punch, 17 Feb. 2018, newspunch.com/florida-school-shooter-antidepressants/

[12] Michael Laforgia, "FSU shooter's friends tried to get help for him months before the shooting," Miami Herald, 22 Nov 2014, www.miamiherald.com/news/state/florida/article4064977.html; Jordan Culver, et al., "Shooter identified as Florida State alum Myron May," Tallahassee Democrat, 21 Nov 2014, www.tallahassee.com/story/news/local/fsu-news/2014/11/20/shooter-identified-fsu-alum-myron-may/70007494/; "Family of Myron May say the suspected FSU shooter planned on cooking Thanksgiving dinner," ABC Action News, 20 Nov 2014

[13] Michael Zennie, "EXCLUSIVE: Boy, 16, who stabbed girl to death after she refused to go to prom because she was dating his friend 'was depressed and on heavy meds', devastated classmates reveal," Daily Mail, 26 Apr 2014, www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2613894/Pictured-The-boy-16-stabbed-friend-death-refused-prom-going-boyfriend.html; Vivian Yee and Nate Schweber, "Suspect in School Attack Once Turned to Victim for Help, Friends Say," The New York Times, 27 Apr 2014, www.nytimes.com/2014/04/28/nyregion/suspect-in-school-attack-had-sought-help-from-victim-friends-say.html?hpw&rref=nyregion&_r=1