How effective is Ritalin and Adderall?

[dina78]

Hi I live in the UK and have been very depressed and unmotivated for months. I am in the depths of despair TBH..I heard about Ritalin and asked at the GP's today. He said you cant get it on the NHS and would have to see a psychiatrist and I should just try the anti anxiety that he pescribed me as that would help me focus.
OK I am also trying to move away from coke and thought this would be a good way of dodoctors do I have to see to be on it. How effective is Ritalin and do I really have to go to a psych to get it? I understand that they pescribe it to children allot so I didnt think it was so hard to obtain. I am wanting it to generally make me hyper, happy or more focused and functional.
Feedback on which is better and why ?
Thank you!

 

[xxxyyy]

i don't know how it is in the UK but in germany it falls into the same category of drugs as hard, strongly addictive opiates, e.g. morphine or hydromorphone. not easy to get at all. also, i binged through the 100 pills prescribed in a few days whereas i've never been too inclined to go on upper binges. the compulsion to keep going is certainly reminiscent of cocaine.
if the legislation in britain is similar to here regarding medical drugs with a high abuse potential, then you can pretty much forget getting it if any doctor has even a fragment of a clue that you abused drugs in the past you wont get as much as half a valium during a seizure (hyperbole here but the point stands regardless). also MPH made me neither hyper, happy, nor more focused on the things i wanted to be. a bit more functional before the 100mg dosages multiple times a day set in.
i still jones for it and it's honestly not worth it. stay away, especially if you have a history with upper abuse.

 

[manicmama]

Hi I'm also UK and I have bipolar 1 - fluctuate between suicidal depression and severe mania.
I've also battled alcohol and cocaine addictions, and am currently addicted to speed/base.
Adderall is a mix of 2 amphetamines. Ritalin produces similar effects.
I've been under NHS psychiatric care for over 10 years. First off you need a psychiatric assessment, then a short term carer - a person you see on a regular basis to chat about your issues and offer coping strategies. If they deem necessary you will be referred to a psychiatrist who you will see a few times for them to evaluate you and make a diagnosis. Depending on the diagnosis you may receive talking therapy with either a counsellor or psychologist as a 1st stop, and then medication and regular sessions with a care co-ordinator. Depending on diagnosis you may be advised to start medication immediately. Medication's trial and error until you find 1 or combination that suits you. Generally medication is a last resort, and you're highly unlikely to get a prescription for something that you just go in and ask for. Especially something abuseable.
Of course, this is my experience with NHS mental health services, not private. But if amphetamines were easy to obtain on prescription do you think I'd be taking street speed everyday?
As for commonly prescribed to children, it is prescribed to kids (and adults) with ADHD/ADD, when other treatments haven't worked. On people with ADHD/ADD it affects them differently to the average Joe. I have heard of it being prescribed short term to people suspected of ADHD, and their reaction to it helping to confirm or dismiss the diagnosis.
If you are genuinely depressed, and psychiatric assessment confirms this, your first port of call would, I imagine, be talking therapy alone or in conjuction with anti-depressants. I know this as originally mis-diagnosed chronic depression. It's not an over night cure either, my current diagnosis and a hell of a lot of different meds over 10 years has occurred before I'm in a stable condition - and no doubt a lot further to go to get off illegal drugs and manage my condition. Be open to your psychiatrists suggestions, and don't lie, it only holds your recovery back.
Hope you get to a good place.

 

[dina78]

Hi Can I just clarify that you were pescribed Ritalin in Gerany and went through 100 pills in a few days? You say they didnt effect you in a positive way? i have read that could be because you have ADD and it doesnt give the same high as with someone who doesnt. It sounds like you may have had quite a high toerance to drugs...?
I have read very positive things about it. I'm angry that the doctor treated me so offhandedly as I thought it was a positive thing to consider but now I have to go through a phsychiatrist privately? Im sick of constatntly seeing doctors here its very hard work to get help. I really do believe this drug could transform me and get me off my reliance socially on coke and being sooooooo depressed.
Why so negative about it?

 

[xxxyyy]

i don't know how it is in the UK but in germany it falls into the same category of drugs as hard, strongly addictive opiates, e.g. morphine or hydromorphone. not easy to get at all. also, i binged through the 100 pills prescribed in a few days whereas i've never been too inclined to go on upper binges. the compulsion to keep going is certainly reminiscent of cocaine.
if the legislation in britain is similar to here regarding medical drugs with a high abuse potential, then you can pretty much forget getting it if any doctor has even a fragment of a clue that you abused drugs in the past you wont get as much as half a valium during a seizure (hyperbole here but the point stands regardless). also MPH made me neither hyper, happy, nor more focused on the things i wanted to be. a bit more functional before the 100mg dosages multiple times a day set in.
i still jones for it and it's honestly not worth it. stay away, especially if you have a history with upper abuse.

Hi Can I just clarify that you were pescribed Ritalin in Gerany and went through 100 pills in a few days? You say they didnt effect you in a positive way? i have read that could be because you have ADD and it doesnt give the same high as with someone who doesnt. It sounds like you may have had quite a high toerance to drugs...?
I have read very positive things about it. I'm angry that the doctor treated me so offhandedly as I thought it was a positive thing to consider but now I have to go through a phsychiatrist privately? Im sick of constatntly seeing doctors here its very hard work to get help. I really do believe this drug could transform me and get me off my reliance socially on coke and being sooooooo depressed.
Why so negative about it?

i'm not sure if i have add or not, both are possible. the first few days, when took as directed it definitely lessened the mirthless, anhedonic feeling depression brings out sometimes. however once i started using it as a drug and not a medication i went through insane amounts insanely fast, at least 250-300mg on my last day, either insufflated or plugged. i'm not saying that it cannot be a useful medication, that once you realize you can get really high on the stuff, and you have a tendency to do that kinda shit anyway, it was for me nearly impossible to resist to use it like this.
my point being that downers and opiates are my drugs of choice and prior to that experience never thought i would get that bad a craving to something like MPH. so it might be wise to stay away, especially if you have similar tendencies.

edit to clarify a few things: i was prescribed the MPH on my neurologist's suspicion that i have a mild case of adult ADD not diagnosed during childhood. based on my experience this may very well be the case, as it did clarify my thought process when taken as directed. the MPH was a 20mg time-release formulation. it had a positive impact on my depression until i started abusing it, knowing full well that MPH could produce an amphetamine-like high. it may be useful conjunctive with an antidepressant that works for you regardless of ADD, but it is no substitute for an antidepressant, nor was it ever meant to be.

 

[manicmama]

If you think you have ADD, surely your doctor can refer you to your local mental health service for assessment and psyhiatrist referral?
I mean you should get a referral for ANY mental health issue - as they are specially trained and GPs are not. If I were you I would ask for the referral, you're not requesting drugs, you're requesting specialist help that is there for those who need it so your GP has no grounds to refuse.
You will be on a waiting list, but once you're through the door you're moved along pretty quick - at least that's the case where I am.
You can then accept you're diagnosis and treatment offered, or accept diagnosis and pay private for non NHS treatment, or go private for 2nd opinion on diagnosis.
Personally I'd go with NHS diagnosis and treatment and give it some time and see if it works, then if you feel NHS aren't listening or treating you effectively then go private - just bear in mind, you may be paying, but are still law bound, and cannot prescribe if they believe you are seeking certain drugs to get off your tits. They're going to prescribe what they believa may work for you. Yes, they don't know everything and are falliable, but if we could all self diagnose and self medicate then the pharmacies would not keep up with demand for benzo's, opiates and stimulants.
IMO the NHS mental services are pretty good, the mis-diagnosis was due to me trying to bullshit there was nothing wrong with me. And a lot of the post correct diagnosis meds HAVE worked, but I didn't like the side effects.
Adderall or Ritalin MAY be what you need, but why set your heart on something you've only read and heard about for an illness that's not been fully diagnosed?
Get your diagnosis, be open to treatment options, yes discuss your own ideas with your psych and have input in your treatment, but ultimately trust the judgement of those who've spent years at medical school specializing in mental health.

 

[NeighborhoodThreat]

^This.

Adderall is an amphetamine and a dopamine/norepi releaser. Ritalin (methylphenidate) is a reuptake inhibitor. They work in different ways but produce the same result. Different people react differently to certain drugs. For a lot of people, methylphenidate's short duration makes it ineffective as an ADD/ADHD medication. For others, amphetamines cause unacceptable side effects.

They are both effective for sure. How effective they are depends on many factors.

 

[xxxyyy]

in germany we don't have the luxury to decide between amphetamines and MPH... all amphetamines are red-listed meaning they are only legally acquirable for medical research. i've used adderall in past when overseas, and found it to be superior in almost every regard to MPH personally, both as a 'study aid'/ADD medication and a recreational drug. and even though i had similar amounts on hand back then that i had of MPH shortly ago, it did not induce this compulsion to use and use and use....