I read an about the damage meth does to you and how it takes way too long to recover from it. How is Ritalin different even tho chemically they are cousins?
In: 417
Ok this first part is a little technical but i will do my best to keep it as simple as possible.
https://ohrn.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Ontario-Hep-C-Teams-Effectively-Supporting-People-Who-Use-Crystal-Meth.pdf — if you look at page 2, it compares ritalin, adderall and methamphetamine structures.
Compare the structures of Ritalin (methylphenidate), Adderall (amphetamine) and Crystal Meth (methamphetamine).
i wouldnt call cousins. Maybe distant relatives.
Adderall (non-methylated amphetamine) and methamphetamine are more like siblings. the compound “methane” is CH4 (a carbon with 4 hydrogens) and a “methyl” group is CH3 (leaving one spot open to connect to a larger structure, like with legos or tinkertoys)
“Methylation” means adding a “methyl group” onto a compound. In this case, one of the hydrogens (H) in the “amino” group (NH2) is replaced with a “methyl” group (CH3) changing it from R-NH2 to R-NH-CH3.
In this case, the way the drug acts in your system is very different! This is why Crystal methamphetamine is more addictive and harmful and is an illegal drug, and adderall (amphetamine) is a drug that is legal but requires extra effort to get.
People like me have brains that dont do “paying attention” very well similar to how some people have brains that dont do “feeling happy” very well. The drugs adderall and ritalin (and a few others) are helpful in rebalancing this so that i can have a little more control over how my brain works.
The confusion around these three drugs, as well as people using them for fun or without approval from their doctor , is one of the reasons it is challenging for people like me to have access to them.
Latest Answers