Ritalin and Irritability: What Users Say

• Bjh...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 7, 2023

For ADHD "I took my first dose around 8 a.m. on May 8th, 2023, and I’m calling my doctor in the morning. I absolutely hate this feeling. For hours, I have just been angry, irritated, and I have a headache that will not go away. I have not been able to get any tasks done. I feel like all I can focus on is the fact that I feel irritable. Also, my stomach has been in knots since taking it. I’m praying it just wears off soon so I feel semi-normal again."

• FIR...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 18, 2019

For ADHD "Went on Ritalin for the first time today, and I hated it. Took 5 mg at 8:30 a.m. and then another 5 mg at 12:30 p.m. Within an hour of taking both times, I was falling asleep at my desk and had to follow up with a coffee to stay awake. I didn’t feel as though it made me any more alert or focused. The second pill I took after an hour and a half, I felt hot and my heart rate increased. I did notice it suppressed my appetite for 3 hours. In the afternoon, I suffered severe irritability, to the point where I was yelling at colleagues, then suffered what I believe was a panic attack. Felt not in control, was crying uncontrollably. I forced myself to work out so I could work the Ritalin out of my system. Horrible :("

• Dee...
• November 25, 2015

For ADHD "I've been on and off this medication for a few years now. I have mixed feelings toward it. The first 30 minutes to an hour of taking it, I feel a rush and a feeling of I can do anything. That rush motivates me to go to the gym, actually. After the rush is gone, I feel more focused and alert. After the alertness has worn off, I feel moody and irritable. I'm very aware it's the medication making me on edge and try to control it. I get a bit headachy sometimes, and it bothers my stomach from time to time. Always hungry? Not on this medication. Appetite gone, at least for a while until the next pill. Make sure to eat! I would say this medication is addictive and would not recommend it to anyone that has an addiction problem."

• Pat...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• August 12, 2013

For ADHD "Have to say wow! It helps low energy, depression, and works well with most SSRIs and some low-dose SNRIs. Life feels exciting again, and it offsets SSRI sexual side effects. Works fast and well. The main problem is that it wears off in a few hours, so you need to dose multiple times a day. It causes you to sweat a little more and be a little more irritable than usual, but it is really a great med to help depression. It is much different and better than Wellbutrin for sure, even though both are NDRIs. Check out the research on stimulants for depression and bipolar depression. Going to try Provigil now for a more even energy/mood boost. But I may be back to this."

• Sky...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 19, 2022

For ADHD "Just got diagnosed with ADHD and prescribed Ritalin (10 mg 3 times a day, starting with 1 and increasing it every few days). It’s my 6th day taking it, and it feels like it’s doing the complete opposite of what it should be doing. It’s worsened my anxiety and depression, I feel robotic and numb, my moods fluctuate more than usual, I can’t focus, I feel tired and lethargic, irritable, nauseous, dizzy, racing heart, and none of my usual coping mechanisms that I had before I started meds are helping at all. It’s helped so little and made me feel so much worse. I've started dreading having to take them. I called my doctor today and am waiting for him to call back so I can speak to him about it."

• kco...
• March 11, 2011

For ADHD "Ritalin made me able to block out everything and focus on reading my boring, tedious nursing books. Take it at least 12 hours before you go to sleep, or else it will keep you up at night with thoughts racing. It suppresses appetite and makes most people lose weight, I actually gained weight because I would be starving and binge eat at the end of the night. I did like Ritalin, but it made me too irritable, so I switched to Adderall. That is much more pleasant and even more effective. Focalin 10 mg is good for people with mild ADHD symptoms."

• Fef...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 24, 2024

For ADHD "I am 30 years old and during all this time they told me that I had depression and anxiety. I couldn't hold a conversation, it was difficult for me to face daily life even with antidepressants. I set goals for myself, but they almost always fell apart, I couldn't maintain them over time. I started a career at the university and left after a month. I thought I had serious problems, that I was a person with the inability to face professional and social life. By chance, a psychiatrist prescribed me Ritalin... I can't explain the miracle it created for me. I could enjoy conversations, be witty, make friends. I could sustain work over time, have a routine at the gym... The truth is that it saved me from many years of frustration. Unfortunately, I had never been diagnosed with ADHD when I was a child. I love this feeling it generates in me since it takes away my anxiety, and I am 100% in the present. I am currently considering looking for another brand since when I take it long term it makes me ir."

• And...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 22, 2021

For ADHD "I had a horrible experience with Ritalin. At first, it was fine when it was initially prescribed. I only took it during the weekdays or on some weekends when I had grad or teacher work to do. I was prescribed 5 mg. After a few months of taking it, I noticed my heart was racing; I would initially ignore it. But then it started to get worse, and I would get a little more concerned. I also noticed I was super irritable and would get frustrated easily. Finally, after taking it 3 days in a row, coupled with being super stressed about being quarantined and teaching from home, my heart raced super fast. My anxiety was also worse because I was freaking out about my heart rate. I ended up calling 911, and the paramedics wanted to take me to the ER to get further testing done. After a few tests, the cardiology team wanted me to stay overnight. They wanted to check if I had a heart attack at the age of 32; it was negative. I am a healthy female and always have been. That was scary and not worth it."

• Nol...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 15, 2022

For ADHD "I suspect I've had ADHD since childhood. Wasn't formally diagnosed until 5 years ago at 43. Was given 18 mg Concerta and, while it did help, it lasted far too long and made me irritable. I switched to 10 mg Ritalin and it's different. I have no idea why, as they're the same drug, but I feel calm and alert. Just as I feel I should be. I can read books again, complete tasks, and my depression has lifted for the first time in over a decade. I was diagnosed with a panic disorder, and my doctor was concerned that it might trigger it, but I feel very much the opposite of anxious when taking this. I LOVE LIFE AGAIN. The past 2 decades have been a downward spiral for me mentally. More and more antidepressants and mood stabilizers. I'd feel okay for a month or 2, but then slip right back into depression. I haven't experienced any negative effects, though it has decreased my appetite quite a bit, so I'll have to keep an eye on that. (ADHD often makes me forget to eat and stay hydrated). Other than that, I'm happy again!"

• Har...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 26, 2022

For ADHD "The 5 mg tablets are okay. The first month on it, it wasn’t bad at all, very productive, a few side effects like hunger and sadness. I would say a 6/10 for the 5 mg tablets. The XR/LA was absolutely the worst experience, though. Headaches, stomach aches, constantly frantic feeling, gassy, bathroom trips every time I ate, bloating, anxiety, extremely irritated, I always felt on the verge of a mental breakdown, poor digestion, poor sleep. I would sleep for 10 hours on XR and wake up feeling like I never slept. This should be used to torture people. I have a month supply, and I will be throwing away the medication, I actually can’t take these. I normally run 3x a week and work out 5x a week for my job. I have barely done any physical activity on XR. My life has gone very downhill, very fast. They really aren't addictive, at least the XR isn’t."

• dar...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 24, 2023

For ADHD "I'm 23. Was put on Ritalin SR 20 mg to treat ADHD every morning around 8 or 9 a.m. I had adverse reactions. I was shaky, anxious, irritable. Around 2 p.m. every day, I'd be crying and having a panic attack. Around day 3 or 4, I started having suicidal and self-harming thoughts I've never had before. I only took this med for 5 days because it made my mental health worse rather than better. Would not recommend."

• LHJ...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 13, 2022

For ADHD "Ritalin helped me with doing my homework but also gave me side effects like sweating, increased irritability, and I had come downs. It also affects my appetite, where I will feel extremely hungry but also have no appetite and do not want to eat despite being super hungry. This was all on the lowest dose. I would give this a shot if recommended by your psychiatrist, but this medication is not for me."

• Jul...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 20, 2022

For ADHD "49-year-old female. Just started Ritalin 4 days ago. 5 mg twice daily for 3 days, and today was 10 mg twice daily. I feel great all day at work. I'm very focused, not at all stressed at my job. I feel really good. I've been on medication for depression and anxiety since I was in my late teens. Ritalin has made a huge difference already, however, when it wears off, I crash and do not like the effects. I get irritable, headaches, nauseous, and very fatigued. I'm not sure this is the one for me."

• ano...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• October 20, 2021

For ADHD "20-year-old male. Diagnosed with ADHD between my sophomore and junior years of high school. Freshman and sophomore years were terrible, I was depressed and anxious and had horrible grades. Got on Ritalin during junior year, and my grades went up. I was getting straight A's, and homework didn't feel like a chore anymore. Ritalin does exactly what it is supposed to do. However, I started to notice after a couple of months that the downfalls of the medication made me very irritable and just ticked off and wouldn't want to be near anybody. I feel like that is a very normal feeling with this medication, though. I also had a very hard time overcoming the mental barrier of having to take this medication just to be like a normal student and felt it was very unfair that other kids didn't have to go through this, but those were my own issues. In the end, there are negatives to every medication, and I just want others to be aware of what I went through and to see if anyone else had similar experiences."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• February 26, 2022

For ADHD "I've been taking Ritalin 20 mg three times a day. I feel like I can't remember things, I have issues with teeth clenching, agitation, and I feel like I want to jump out of my skin. I have a new doctor who prescribed me Ritalin. I used to take Adderall, but this doctor didn't prescribe it because of my high blood pressure. I had no side effects with Adderall. I'm going to be requesting a change."

• Use...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 26, 2022

"I suffer from persistent depression (dysthymia), and my worst symptoms are fatigue, poor concentration, and apathy. At the time my doctor prescribed it, I hadn't had a clear diagnosis. When I took it, I felt very focused, awake, and calm, but when the effect wore off (it only lasted 3 hours for Ritalin LA), I felt EXTREMELY IRRITABLE to the point I couldn’t stand anyone talking to me, it was terrible."

• sap...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 9, 2014

For ADHD "It helps, but not for very long. But it definitely doesn't make me as irritable as other ADHD medications."