What Is Metadate (Methylphenidate)?
Metadate CD is a controlled-release prescription central nervous system stimulant that is prescribed to treat ADHD and narcolepsy. Part of the medicine in Metadate is immediate-release and part is extended-release. This combination allows Metadate to be taken once daily and remain effective throughout the day. Metadate can be prescribed to children aged six years and older, and adults. The active ingredient in Metadate CD is methylphenidate, which is also the active ingredient in stimulant ADHD treatments like Ritalin. Metadate is classified as a Schedule II controlled substance in the U.S. As a Schedule II drug, the DEA has determined that there is a high potential for abuse and severe psychological and physical dependence associated with Metadate CD.
Metadate CD is believed to affect brain neurotransmitters, including dopamine and norepinephrine. For people with ADHD, this can help improve things like focus and self-control. When Metadate is recreationally abused at high doses, it can cause people to feel euphoria or a high. When abused, Metadate can increase alertness, energy, and motivation, and feel more social. Metadate can also suppress appetite, so some people abuse it as a weight loss aid. Due to how commonly prescription stimulants are prescribed, they are more accessible and it’s not uncommon for people to abuse drugs like Metadate. Abuse is especially prevalent among high school and college students, who feel that these drugs can give them a cognitive or performance advantage.
Mixing Alcohol and Metadate
When someone is recreationally abusing Metadate, or even using it as prescribed, they may have questions as to whether or not it would negatively interact with alcohol. Unlike Metadate, alcohol is a central nervous system (CNS) depressant. The effects of a stimulant and a depressant don’t cancel one another out when they are mixed. Instead, using alcohol and Metadate can heighten the side effects of each substance. Mixing alcohol and Metadate can increase the effects of alcohol; however, the individual is less likely to feel intoxicated or notice those effects. Someone can experience negative effects from alcohol or even alcohol poisoning without realizing how much they’ve had to drink.
Alcohol poisoning can be fatal. If you suspect someone is experiencing alcohol poisoning, call 911 immediately. Do NOT be afraid to seek help. If you do not have access to a phone contact Web Poison Control Services for online assistance.
There are other side effects of stimulants that can be mild, such as dizziness or having a headache, or severe, such as high blood pressure, cardiac problems or stroke. All of these side effects, including the serious ones, can be heightened when Metadate is mixed with alcohol. Alcohol increases the drug’s concentration in the bloodstream, making all of the risks associated with the drug that much more likely. Metadate and other CNS stimulants can cause psychological symptoms as well, and this is especially true when they’re abused. For example, Metadate can cause anxiety, irritation, irritability, erratic behaviors, depression or even psychosis. Alcohol can also change one’s thinking, mood and behavior, so when it’s mixed with Metadate, the individual is more likely to experience negative psychological symptoms. Alcohol and Metadate, used together, makes a drug overdose more likely as well. Signs of a methylphenidate overdose can include shaking, sweating, rapid heartbeat, muscle twitches, vomiting or seizures.
Summing Up Side Effects and Interactions of Mixing Alcohol and Metadate
Prescription stimulant drugs like Metadate CD should never be mixed with alcohol. Something a lot of people don’t think about when mixing alcohol and Metadate or other stimulants is the fact that both substances are addictive and can cause dependency as well. When they’re combined, the individual is at risk of developing an addiction and dependence to both substances, rather than just one. This can complicate addiction treatment and also make for more severe withdrawal symptoms.
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Metadate Signs, Symptoms, & Side Effects
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