CHADD
Aug 7, 2025
Misuse of stimulant medications by adults has declined “significantly” in the last two years, according to a new study. The largest drop is among young adults, reflecting a similar drop in misuse from when they would have been in high school.
The study reports that misuse of medication among adults under age thirty dropped to 3.7 percent from a previous 7.8 percent. The majority of adult medication misuse is among those younger than thirty. The most common reasons were to increase concentration or to stay awake and alert, followed by believing it would improve their ability to study or to lose weight. Some people misused the medications to either counter the effects of another medication or to see how the medication might affect them.