Has a large dose of Ritalin made you depressed?

[Fox Grove]

I have recently been using more than my prescribed dose of Ritalin. I am prescribed 20mg twice a day but have been using over 80mg recently. It helps me work! I do design work and it has helped me meet deadlines late at night. I am starting to get depression kind of like when I would do cocaine years ago. Has anyone else experienced this?

 

[effie]

I haven't experienced it personally as we don't have much methylphenidate (Ritalin) in the UK (or decent cocaine) but pharmacologically the two are pretty similar (they both inhibit the reuptake of neurotransmitters) so it isn't hugely surprising that taking large doses is causing a cocaine-like crash.. I understand that it helps you work, but it is important to weigh up the risks vs the benefits. Staying up late and not sleeping properly can make you feel low as well so make sure you get plenty of rest and are eating/drinking properly. I would definitely consider going back to your prescribed dose or even considering if you need the drug at all - stimulants can help in the short term but cause a lot of problems long-term. Good luck

 

[Pjkt2501]

Personally (and this is a blanket statement), any substance taken in that produces a high, has an equal and opposite action later on (aka rebounding effect - a valley to oppose a peak).

I have definitely noticed such effects from all stims I've taken, however not from a single use.

 

[doIhavePotential]

define "recently" when you started increasing your dose. how long ago has the depression started? are you sleeping less because of your binges? are you eating less as well? when you do eat what do you eat?

there are a lot of factors and more information would be helpful I find that taking breaks every now and then can help to clear your mind while letting you lower your tolerance so to get more positive effects and less negative effects with a lower dose. You may want to use Ritalin to help develop a healthy routine so that if your supply runs out, you still have a work ethic that allows you to work without medication as a crutch.

There is nothing wrong with using drugs, but we should try to use and not abuse when possible so that we can enjoy the positives without creating a negative image for future generations so that they are inclined to practice harm reduction and safe drug use.

hope it works out, stay safe op

 

[Alex000]

Methylphenidate (Ritalin) is one of the more "original" drugs used to treat "ADD"/"ADHD". As effie indicated, it is quite cocaine-like in structure. It does have a longer half-life than cocaine, but still not a long one. The first dose of the day is likely the one that gets you feeling the best, would I be correct in saying this? When you re-dose, the methylphenidate works, but you are also in the throws of a comedown from your first dose. When you constantly dose throughout the day, there will be sort of a "general" comedown, that the later doses of methylphenidate will not be able to reverse as well. You are left with a series of methylphenidate comedowns, as well as the negative effects of the later doses of methylphenidate such as anxiety, nervousness, uneasiness etc.

If I were you I might suggest taking fewer number of doses, even if you want to keep at around 80 mg, which I still would not really recommend. Stimulants, like methylphenidate, will cause issues at some point. They are neurotoxic and don't encourage the healthiest eating and sleeping habits. They can be of great use when needed, but taking them daily is not something I would do for any length of time. It may be time for you to re-evalute your relationship with the methylphenidate, and perhaps elect another stimulant in its place, or stop taking stimulants on a daily basis altogether. Dexmethylphenidate (Focalin) is quite like methylphenidate, but might be better for you and cause less depressive symptoms. If you really are stuck on staying on stims, maybe an amphetamine would be superior, but that might just dig you deeper into stimulant use/dependence/addiction and what not.

 

[gman7104]

I used ritalin recreationally many times, it used to be my number 1 drug because I got it basically for free, it provided a decent rush, it didnt have a long lasting comedown like amphetamine does, and is not significantly damaging.

the comedown off ritalin will make you experience once of the most depressing and hopeless feeling ever. No other drug, besides amphetamines, has ever made me cry over nothing.

However, the day after the comedown is awesome, I feel fully energized, confident, and happy.

 

[Fox Grove]

recently being in the past couple weeks, I have taken ritalin and adderal for years, because of the shortage, I am flopping from one to another, more ritalin here lately. No problems sleeping or eating, like you say maybe I need some breaks at times.

 

[aBurningFire]

hell yeah it has.... but large doses of ritalin taken continuously over a period of days without sleep increase that depression/ anxiety/paranoia tenfold. Every time i take a large enough dose of ritalin to give me a zing and feelin real good and sped up..... it doesnt really last too long. like i'll feel great and smart and quick and just fucking amazing for a little bit. but sooner than you would expect, all of a sudden youre left with a pounding heart, sweating, paranoia, body pain, and all sorts of negative effects that make you regret ever taking it in the first place.... me being the addict that i am. when i feel the shitty feeling coming on i always take a bunch more and that cycle continues til i run out.... I know that people would say that this is a toxic level, but i used to get 120 ten mg ritalin a month and from the moment i got the bottle i wouldnt stop taking them til i ran out. i'm not tryin to sound cool becuz this was stupid and definitely not worth it but i would consume (intranasally mostly) all 120 pills in 3-4 days. and by the time i ran out my body would be sooo thankful that i stopped poisoning myself like that.