Methylphenidate and Depression: What Users Say (Page 2)

• law...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• June 16, 2015

Methylphenidate for ADHD "Ritalin has changed my life for the better. Family and friends could see how happy I was. I was able to finish what I started instead of 20 projects. A fill-in doctor said he would not prescribe me my Ritalin because I was 61 years old, that I was too old. My regular doctor is out of town. I am withdrawing and very tired and depressed, and I want to die, or I will if. These thoughts of the afterlife will be painless, live alone, and no one will find me for days."

• The...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 28, 2013

Methylphenidate for ADHD "Okay, I wanted to comment on this in case people are looking to put their kids on it. I am 18 years old, diagnosed with ADD in 4th grade. I didn't take my meds until 10th grade when I wasn't going to make it through high school. The first meds they put me on were 36 mg Concerta. Yes, it worked and made me focus, BUT! I have never been more ANGRY AND MAD AND DEPRESSED in my life, it was absolutely horrible. I am now on Vyvanse 50 mg and graduated high school and got a 4.0 GPA in my first semester of college."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• October 29, 2013

Methylphenidate for ADHD "I am 15 and have been on Concerta since 6th grade. I have never really felt any side effects besides loss of appetite in the afternoon. But just last year, I started getting muscle spasms, and I began to zone out often at school. Even more recently, I have begun to have trouble with sleep and slight depression. I have tried getting the Concerta switched for something else, but it's the only medicine that helps me focus in school and helps me get good grades. I mean, don't get me wrong, it helps a lot, but I'm not sure why I'm just getting these side effects."

• Rey...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 10, 2019

Methylphenidate for ADHD "(18 M) I recently got diagnosed with ADD and was given Ritalin. 5 mg per day as a start-up dose. I have dabbled with other drugs in the past, like cannabis, LSD, mushrooms, and morphine. I took Ritalin for two days before deciding to quit. Never in my entire life have I ever felt this level of addiction, nor have I ever crashed this bad on any drug. I have suffered with severe depression, OCD, and anxiety for some years. The crash gave me a rebound to my past psychosis."

• Dan...
• September 22, 2015

Methylphenidate for ADHD "I've been taking Concerta for close to 15 years now since I was diagnosed at age 3. Around 8th grade, I had started getting pain in my chest, which was similar to costochondritis. The pain got increasingly worse up through high school and the beginning of college around age 18 when it stopped affecting me as much. Now I'm 21 years old (as of the 12th this month), and for the past years, I've been noticing that I've been getting increasingly anxious and worrying more than usual. In the past 5 years, on a daily 63 mg dose, I've been dealing with depression, anxiety, nightmares, insomnia, loss of appetite, and I've lost 30 lbs due to that. It's effective, but at a price, sometimes one you can't afford."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 27, 2018

Methylphenidate for ADHD "I've been on Concerta for ADHD for almost 2 months and feel better than in 25 years. I also suffered with depression and anxiety. My depression and anxiety are better, I feel alive and myself for the first time in decades. I can get things done. I forgot to take citalopram 20 mg/Celexa last week and now haven't taken citalopram for 6 days and feel great. I am concerned as when I tried to stop citalopram in the past, I felt crazy and could not do it, and that was using the step-down method - this is cold turkey. It seems somehow the Concerta is offsetting weaning off symptoms, so I hope this all lasts. It is a lifesaver. I was so tired of being depressed, overwhelmed, pretty lethargic, overweight. It is great to feel excited and not have food cravings."

• Ean...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 31, 2019

Methylphenidate for ADHD "When I was first diagnosed with ADHD, I was put on a similar methylphenidate known as Matoride XL, which is a generic of Concerta, though I had some issues with this drug: anxiety, depression, lack of appetite, etc. After a while, it stopped working so well. I was put on Concerta 27 mg, and it’s been amazing. I am happier, and I am able to concentrate and contain myself while doing university tasks. I’m hoping the effects won’t wear off, only time will tell."

• kat...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• April 30, 2014

Methylphenidate for ADHD "I found this medication helped me the most through high school. Right through my senior year, I found I didn't need to even study my notes much because, when I took Concerta, I was so focused that I remembered everything said in class on my own. The main downside of taking this as a student is that it wears off by the time you get home, so doing homework seems impossible -- same with studying. After I graduated high school, though, I noticed Concerta started giving me symptoms of depression and worsening my anxiety to an awful point. Ultimately, my doctor cut me off Concerta due to those emotional side effects."

• fru...
• February 11, 2008

Methylphenidate for ADHD "My 6-year-old son was diagnosed with ADHD and is on the Daytrana patch. Although it has helped him tremendously in school, he is having difficulty when we remove the patch. I have watched my happy, sweet, funny little boy turn into an angry, crying, depressed person. About 2 hours after the meds have worn off, we cannot do anything social because he just cannot handle the interaction."

• Ari...
• November 29, 2010

Methylphenidate for ADHD "I've been taking stimulants for ADD almost all of my life. Except for high school-man, did I fall apart then. Parents, never take your children off these medicines if they're on them for a reason and doing well. I'd continue the route. This medicine is alright, but I do not like the 'come down' of it at all. Makes me very irritable and angry, then extremely depressed. It does give me a burst of energy, which gets me motivated to start doing things and whatnot-which I like, but just the come down is brutal. I don't like methylphenidate. I want to try Adderall, as I heard it is less intense. Anyway, make sure you drink a lot of water on this medication and try to eat something."

• Bri...
• September 8, 2015

Methylphenidate for ADHD "I was diagnosed with ADHD a little less than a year ago at the age of 12. At first, I loved it because it helped me get so much work done, and I stopped getting in trouble and annoying people. After about one month, I started realizing that I wasn't eating because the medicine was destroying my appetite, and I liked it. I started using the drug more for weight loss than anything, and I went from a happy, bubbly 115 lbs to a lifeless 95 lbs. At 5 ft 8 in, that's severely underweight and unhealthy. I kept taking the medicine, but I became increasingly more depressed and anxious. I was an outcast, but I was too obsessed with losing weight to care. After the school year finished, I took a break from the medicine, and I am now a happy, healthy 13 yr old."

• 34F...
• August 9, 2022

Methylphenidate for ADHD "Made me feel so horrible, even at its lowest dose. Didn't help, just made everything weird, and then when it starts wearing off, depressive and anxious. I have all symptoms of ADD, but I have anxiety under control through diet and exercise, and I've never struggled with depression, but Ritalin literally made me ADD PLUS anxiety and depression. No thanks."

• Luc...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 25, 2019

Methylphenidate for ADHD "After trying Dexedrine and having a few unpleasant side effects, my doctor had me try Ritalin. I was on it for about 2 weeks before I decided I wasn't going to take it anymore. Severe depression, increased anxiety, and worsened general ADHD symptoms were the norm on this drug for me."

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

Methylphenidate 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."

• Bar...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 6, 2019

For Depression "Supposed to be improved Concerta. I took Concerta and it lasted 4 hours, and then I crashed with terrible depression. This gives initial and minor uplift for a couple of hours, and then depression sets in. Haven't found articles on why it doesn't work on certain people, but I really don't like it. Want to go back to Vyvanse."

• jew...
• June 13, 2010

Methylphenidate for ADHD "I've been taking Concerta for over 5 years now. At first, it helped me focus and get my mind together. It also kickstarted a great social life and got me A's through high school. After the first year, though, I took a downturn. I became almost emotionless and robotic-like, that eventful social life degraded, and I felt like a complete loser. It's a terrible feeling. After 3 years of use, I worked to get my social life back and slowly found it once again. Even though I was lacking feelings, I learned how I could access my emotions through certain mental triggers. Now, five years later, my social life is spiraling once again, and I'm still getting A's, but instead of feeling robotic-like, I now get intense rushes and euphorias followed by depression."

• jew...
• June 13, 2010

Methylphenidate for ADHD "I've been taking Concerta for over 5 years now. At first, it helped me focus and get my mind together. It also kickstarted a great social life and got me A's through high school. After the first year, though, I took a downturn. I became almost emotionless and robotic-like, that eventful social life degraded, and I felt like a complete loser. It's a terrible feeling. After 3 years of use, I worked to get my social life back and slowly found it once again. Even though I was lacking feelings, I learned how I could access my emotions through certain mental triggers. Now, five years later, my social life is spiraling once again, and I'm still getting A's, but instead of feeling robotic-like, I now get intense rushes and euphorias followed by depression."

• ap0...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 18, 2016

Methylphenidate for ADHD "I'm 17 and have been taking 18 mg Concerta every day for a week and a half. This is the second medication I've tried after being diagnosed with ADHD (I was also diagnosed with major depression). First, I tried Adderall, and while it made me feel very alert and productive, I could not handle the severe depressed feelings from the comedown. So far, Concerta has made me feel productive and positive for about 3 hours, and then depression slowly creeps in and gets progressively worse for about 8 more hours. It's not as intense as the depression from Adderall (which even led to suicidal thoughts), but it lasts longer. I also become irritable, anxious, and tired. I've also lost weight because trying to eat makes me feel queasy."

• ap0...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 18, 2016

Methylphenidate for ADHD "I'm 17 and have been taking 18 mg Concerta every day for a week and a half. This is the second medication I've tried after being diagnosed with ADHD (I was also diagnosed with major depression). First, I tried Adderall, and while it made me feel very alert and productive, I could not handle the severe depressed feelings from the comedown. So far, Concerta has made me feel productive and positive for about 3 hours, and then depression slowly creeps in and gets progressively worse for about 8 more hours. It's not as intense as the depression from Adderall (which even led to suicidal thoughts), but it lasts longer. I also become irritable, anxious, and tired. I've also lost weight because trying to eat makes me feel queasy."

• Ash...
• November 15, 2016

Methylphenidate for ADHD "I wanted to update about my medication. I am now 20 mg of Ritalin twice daily and 50 mg of Zoloft generic once daily. Having suffered bipolar depression, PTSD, ADD/ADHD throughout different periods in my life. I also have Borderline/Mild General Learning Disability, a labeling in terms that is least offensive to Mild Mental Retardation or Borderline/Mild Intellectual Disability. In my case, the GLD is extremely least severe in the slightest degree. Ritalin actually works very well for me, while Zoloft treats the anxiety, depression, and some mild obsessive-compulsive behavioral thoughts, but nothing extreme, severe, or serious. In some people, depending on DNA and how generics affect medication, the effects might be very different, etc."

• Kat...
• October 27, 2013

Methylphenidate for ADHD "Took this halfway through 10th grade to summer. First experience after being diagnosed with ADD, so inattention without being hyper. No motivation from this almost made me feel worse with severe exhaustion and depression. I felt like every day was a chore, and I wasn't as happy as I used to be. My friends said I wasn't as free-spirited or fun. Gave me social anxiety also, and shaking. I would highly recommend Adderall XR. I switched to it and got none of the side effects but all of the results. I feel like I can function and am more social than ever without medication, and I also can plan out my thoughts and lists of what I have to do and homework. Concerta sucks, take Adderall instead."

• Kat...
• October 27, 2013

Methylphenidate for ADHD "Took this halfway through 10th grade to summer. First experience after being diagnosed with ADD, so inattention without being hyper. No motivation from this almost made me feel worse with severe exhaustion and depression. I felt like every day was a chore, and I wasn't as happy as I used to be. My friends said I wasn't as free-spirited or fun. Gave me social anxiety also, and shaking. I would highly recommend Adderall XR. I switched to it and got none of the side effects but all of the results. I feel like I can function and am more social than ever without medication, and I also can plan out my thoughts and lists of what I have to do and homework. Concerta sucks, take Adderall instead."

• Ros...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• January 15, 2021

Methylphenidate for ADHD "I am a 20-year-old woman, 145 pounds, and have been diagnosed with ADD since I was 8. I had tried numerous medications to try and help over the last 12 years, but it always seemed the side effects outweighed the good it was doing. I wouldn’t eat and felt depressed/zombie-like on other medications. I take Ritalin 10 mg twice daily. It usually lasts around 3-4 hours. I have to stop and tell myself to eat something sometimes, and my heart rate becomes faster, but other than that, those are my only side effects. I feel great at the end of the day and am very productive during those hours. Ritalin is the first one that works for me, and the side effects don’t outweigh the good it’s doing for me."

• Bri...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• November 19, 2019

Methylphenidate for ADHD "I started taking Concerta when I was around 5 due to my severe ADHD, which would cause me to get into trouble a lot at school and not be able to pay attention. Over the years, it helped a lot with school, and I had good grades and excelled in high-level sports, and the medication worked well for me. Over the last summer, I didn’t take my medication, and things were great, and I was enjoying life. Fast forward to now, and I’m on a 47 mg dose (27 mg and 18 mg pill taken at the same time) and have felt like I am a robot and have no emotions, and it has affected my social life so much that my friends said that it’s like they don’t even know me. I’ve become depressed and started pushing myself away from people that I care about the most. This medication did help me but has now flipped my life upside down. I just had my medication switched to Vyvanse, and I’m hoping that things go better than they did with Concerta."

• Bri...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• November 19, 2019

Methylphenidate for ADHD "I started taking Concerta when I was around 5 due to my severe ADHD, which would cause me to get into trouble a lot at school and not be able to pay attention. Over the years, it helped a lot with school, and I had good grades and excelled in high-level sports, and the medication worked well for me. Over the last summer, I didn’t take my medication, and things were great, and I was enjoying life. Fast forward to now, and I’m on a 47 mg dose (27 mg and 18 mg pill taken at the same time) and have felt like I am a robot and have no emotions, and it has affected my social life so much that my friends said that it’s like they don’t even know me. I’ve become depressed and started pushing myself away from people that I care about the most. This medication did help me but has now flipped my life upside down. I just had my medication switched to Vyvanse, and I’m hoping that things go better than they did with Concerta."