Can it cause depression? We've taken my 7 year old dd off Focalin for the summer b/c she's lost weight and really needs to put it back on. Months and months ago, her doctor suggested taking her off of it on weekends and over the summer to allow her gain weight back, but we didn't talk about any actual procedure for titrating her down. I assumed we'd just take her off of it since that's what we do on Sat/Sun w/no problems - except excessive absentmindedness and distractedness, of course.
Last night, dd told me that she sometimes feels like crying and doesn't know why. She also said that sometimes she feels like she misses somebody, but nobody she loves is gone, so she doesn't know who she's missing.
I suspect that more than anything, it's anxiety over my 2 weeks away (caring for my sick mother) and a cold that she has, but I'm also wondering if withdrawal from the Focalin could be causing actual depression.
She's in group therapy for social skills and can have individual therapy sessions if she needs them. But I'm wondering if this is more medical than emotional, if that makes sense.
I would not think it would casue depression from withdrawal, but she may be anxious with how she is feeling now that her ADHD symptoms are coming back and not under control. How long has she been off? Her thoughts have been slowed down and in her control on the stimulant, without that she cant do this nor can she focus or probably follow conversations , etc, etc, it may be upsetting to her, but she cant vocalize that.