I recently took a 3 day self-imposed break from Ritalin to assess the impact it was having on my life. Has anyone else ever done this?
I found that the effects of Ritalin tend to be felt more in terms of how I function without it. I never noticed before how easily distracted I was, how I had the attention span of a three-year old, etc. All I knew was that I was forever starting projects and never finishing and that I would literally walk away from my wife when she was talking to me and not realize it, or not be aware she was talking to me in the first place.
FYI, I'm in my 30's and was only recently diagnosed with ADHD. About a year and half ago I started seeking treatment for what I thought was chronic low-grade depression and occassional panic attacks.
Now that I've spent 3 days off Ritalin, I'm wondering about going back on it. It helps, but I have to take a lot of it, and I don't like the "up and down" efect on my moods. Any thoughts?
Have you talked to your doc about changing meds? If Ritalin works but you find the dosage way too high then perhaps try adderall or dexedrine? Many people find that alternating meds helps to keep your body from becoming overly accustomed.
I take med holidays about every 2 months. I take one week off. It helps as I've been able to keep my dosage down for over a year and still going quite well.
Check with your doc - there are options!