When an estimated 11.4% of U.S. children between the ages of 3 and 17 have an ADHD diagnosis, there’s a critical need for effective support systems and treatments. Those children grow up into adults who need to be able to function efficiently in society, and for many of them, medication provides much-needed help with focus and attention.
If you happen to fall into this category, you likely know the struggle of trying to focus or function. Symptoms like an inability to focus, hyperactivity, and impulsivity can seriously hinder your ability to get through your day. Thankfully, treatment options like Ritalin can provide the assistance your brain needs to help regulate your behavior.
You need to know what to expect when starting Ritalin before you’re prescribed it, and your doctor will play a key role in this process. They can help you weigh the pros and cons of taking Ritalin, as well as understand necessary precautions to take to help ensure positive results.
Remember, there’s no shame in seeking care for mental health disorders. It’s no different than pursuing medical attention for diabetes or other physical conditions. If you have concerns about ADHD, be open and honest with your doctor. They’re there to help you manage your overall well-being and can recommend courses of treatment, such as Ritalin or therapies to help you function better.
Understanding Ritalin
Ritalin is a name brand for methylphenidate, a stimulant commonly prescribed to people with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). This medication can be a critical component in helping people with ADHD focus and function normally. However, there’s a lot to consider before choosing to try this method of treatment.
Uses and Benefits
Ritalin is typically prescribed for ADHD and narcolepsy. As a stimulant, it can help keep people with narcolepsy alert and focused throughout the day.
For people with ADHD, it works by increasing dopamine levels in the brain, especially in the striatum, which regulates motivation, action, and cognition. It’s theorized that the increased dopamine in this region alters how the brain processes completing tasks. More specifically, the brain focuses on the benefits of getting things done rather than focusing on the cost and energy necessary to complete them.
Ritalin helps improve focus while decreasing impulsivity and hyperactivity. Essentially, it addresses three of the most prevalent symptoms of ADHD.
Risks and Side Effects
One of the biggest risks of using Ritalin is misuse. This drug can be addictive and people can overdose on it. If you’ve been prescribed this medication, your doctor has weighed the benefits you may gain with the potential risks and side effects. If they recommend this treatment regimen, it may be worthwhile to try it.
Beyond addiction, you should be aware of other risks and side effects, however. The most serious of them include:
- New or worsening psychosis or unusual thoughts or behavior. It’s especially prevalent in those with a history of mental illness or depression.
- Heart attack, stroke, or death in people with heart defects, high blood pressure, or heart disease.
- Serotonin syndrome. This serious condition is a reaction to medications that cause a higher-than-normal level of serotonin to build up in the body. People who take increased doses of drugs that increase serotonin levels or take an additional medication that affects serotonin levels on top of Ritalin are more likely to experience this condition.
- Allergic reactions. While it’s extremely rare to have an allergic reaction to Ritalin, it can happen. Anaphylaxis symptoms, including swelling of the mouth, throat, tongue, or lips, feeling like your throat is tight, struggling to breathe, fainting, or suddenly experiencing extreme dizziness, warrant an immediate call to your emergency services.
While serious and life-threatening, the chances of these occurring are low, and your doctor should screen you for potential risk factors before suggesting Ritalin.
Other serious side effects that warrant immediately contacting your doctor include:
- Mood changes
- Personality changes
- Thoughts of self-harm or harming others
- Heart palpitations
- Hallucinations
- Facial tics (quick movements or twitches you can’t control)
Some people may experience common side effects while using Ritalin, including:
- Headaches
- Feeling agitated, anxious, irritable, or depressed
- Insomnia
- Losing your appetite and losing weight as a result
- Nausea
- General malaise
- Dry mouth
Precautions and Considerations
Before prescribing Ritalin, your doctor should screen you for risk factors that could make taking the medication dangerous. Ritalin isn’t recommended for people who:
- Have glaucoma
- Have heart problems or high blood pressure
- Have a history of tics or Tourette’s syndrome (personal or family)
- Have severe anxiety
- Take MAO inhibitors and other specific medications
Tell your doctor if you are currently pregnant or plan to become pregnant in the near future, as Ritalin can cause dependency in you, as well as your child. Ritalin has not been proven either safe or harmful during pregnancy and your doctor can help you decide if this should factor into you taking it.
Likewise, disclose a complete medical history, including information about mental health, your circulatory system, and any history of substance abuse or addiction. In particular, mention problems with your digestive tract or a history of epilepsy, seizures, or other abnormal brain waves.
Dosage and Administration
Always follow the exact instructions given by your doctor when taking this medication, including the dosage, how to take it, and how frequently you need it. This means you shouldn’t take Ritalin as needed. Your dose may change over time or as your doctor tries to find the right therapeutic dosage for you.
How long Ritalin works depends in part on how you take it. It’s often prescribed as either an immediate release tablet, which takes effect sooner but for a shorter period of time, or as an extended release tablet that creates longer-lasting effects.
Generally speaking, Ritalin can be prescribed as an immediate release tablet, which is taken 2 to 3 times per day about half an hour before eating a meal. The average dose for adults with ADHD is between 20 and 30 mg spread throughout the day, with a maximum dosage of 60 mg per day. The effects of short-acting Ritalin last for between 3 and 6 hours and usually start working within 30 minutes after taking it.
Extended release tablets are typically prescribed once per day in the morning. They tend to work for around 12 hours. Like immediate-release tablets, the dosage should not exceed 60 mg per day in adults.
Treatment Duration and Withdrawal
ADHD isn’t a condition that goes away forever if you take medication for a set period of time. Because of that, some people take medication for years, or even an entire lifetime once they start. This medication doesn’t usually pose a risk for long-term users when taken as prescribed. However, some people may choose to wean themselves from the medication, especially if they’ve gone long periods without experiencing symptoms or find that they have developed new coping mechanisms that help them remain focused even after missing a dose.
When you stop taking Ritalin, you may experience withdrawal symptoms, though they can range pretty dramatically based on how you took them, your dosage, and whether you taper off slowly or immediately quit taking it completely.
Withdrawal symptoms usually subside within four weeks, though some people experience them long term, especially if they took large amounts of the medication.
As your last dose wears off, you’ll start to experience symptoms such as fatigue, agitation, mood swings, nausea, and cravings. These tend to last the first three days, worsening during the first few weeks. Over the course of the first week, you may experience an increased appetite, issues sleeping, extreme levels of fatigue, or depression. Throughout the second week, these symptoms continue, and in some cases worsen. However, by the third week, they start to taper off, and by week four, most people feel better.
By following a physician-prescribed taper schedule, in which you slowly take less of the medication each day, you may be able to avoid most or all severe withdrawal symptoms. Doctors often recommend this method, and you shouldn’t try to detox yourself from Ritalin without physician guidance.
Take Control of Your Mental Health
Ultimately, the decision of whether to take Ritalin is yours and yours alone. However, you should seek professional guidance from your doctor as you make your decision. They can help you understand the risks and determine whether Ritalin is right for you.
For more support as you manage your ADHD, we’re here to help. Contact us any time. We’re ready to guide and support you on the journey to a better tomorrow.
