When Ritalin Doesn't Work

There was a time when Ritalin was a great help to my son M. Just 60mg per day made it easier for him to focus and retain information. He was tuning out and daydreaming a lot less. He was able to begin a task and see it through til the end. He no longer procrastinated and procrastinated to get things done. This was a major break through for M.

However, a few months after being on Ritalin, he noticed that he was frustrated often and falling asleep was difficult.

Here is a description of how M's days at school, grade 12, became while he was on Ritalin:
In the morning, he was able to focus in on what the teacher was teaching.
By 2pm he was feeling a lot of anxiety and just wanted to go home and be alone. Everything and everyone around him became annoying.
By evening, he was feeling depressed.
He went to see a counsellor twice. She wasn't helpful. I suspect she didn't know how to help people with ADD. Many counsellors will admit that they don't know a lot about ADD and how it affects people.
So my son was only on Ritalin for about six months when he decided to stop taking it. I believe that for him, this was a wise choice.

Shortly after, his old problems came back. He couldn't focus and he couldn't get things started. He would lose himself in his distraction and not look after his responsibilities. He knew what he should be doing to make his life easier, yet he just couldn't get started.
He gave me the example of his homework. He was very much aware that he needed to do his homework for his grades to be high enough to stay in the program he's specializing in. He said he would get home from school around 4pm very frustrated. He would turn to his distraction for awhile to calm down. He would eat supper and plan to do his homework in a little while. Three hours would go by and he knew he should get into his homework but he couldn't. Eventually, five hours would go by, bed time would come and the homework never got done. He really wanted to do the homework. It was like something was stopping him from getting up and starting it. His grades were being affected.

We decided to see our general practitioner and ask for M to see the ADD specialist that I saw. It takes two months to see the specialist. Meanwhile, I asked if M could be put on Stattera. It is not in the amphetamine family like Ritalin. It is a blocker. Our doctor didn't know much about this but he was willing to comply.
Strattera is only about three years old and from what I read, it is supposed to be the best drug for ADD on the market. (I'm sure I'll have a future article on this as I learn about it.)It is said that it takes more than 2 weeks of taking Strattera every day for it to have any effect. M says he saw an effect within the first week. M has been taking Strattera for about five weeks and is satisfied with his progress so far, however he is not yet on the full dose. A small dose of Strattera is taken for ten days, then increased about every three weeks until you reach the maximum dosage for your size. Some side effects are nausea and sleeplessness. M. has not had side effects.

M is choosing to use drugs to help him with his ADD. Please understand that drugs are not a cure. From my research and my experience, drugs can help tremendously when used in conjunction with a vigorous exercise program - at least 30 minutes a day, though an hour is better; and a well thought out daily schedule to put order in your life. I would also recommend taking up to 5000mg a day of Omega 3s. You can buy this oil at a health food store. I like to make sure it is certified because of the mercury found in some fish. I also recommend a support group of whatever is most difficult in your life. If you have a specific addiction, find a program in your area that deals with that addiction. You may want to call around and find a counsellor who knows about ADDs or call the Mental Health Center in your area. I have been to a few counsellors in my life time. Some were better than others. Don't be afraid to ask questions. Some churches may be able to help you. My program of choice now is Celebrate Recovery. There may be one in your area.
Don't give up. You're worth fighting for! It does get better!
Diane F.