Stimulant medication does not have to be tapered. You can just stop. Nonstimulants should be tapered gradually to avoid rebound side effects. Each week during the discontinuation trial, all observers should share their follow-up ratings with the prescriber.
Signs of withdrawal usually show up a day or two after you stop taking it. They may last a few days to several weeks -- it's different for everyone. If you've taken the drug for a long time, your body and brain may have started to depend on it. The more often you took it, the harder it can be to stop.
Since Ritalin primarily works by influencing dopamine in the brain, withdrawal symptoms will be related to reward, emotion, and energy levels. You may feel apathetic, depressed, anxious, irritable, and tired. You may also feel rebounding symptoms if you took the drug as a prescription to treat narcolepsy or ADHD.
A weekend off can provide individuals with a break from these ADHD medication side effects. It can also provide a person with clarity on the efficacy of the drug; if you take time off of it, you can decipher whether or not it is working as intended.
Some people do need to take medication for ADHD throughout their lives. Others might stop taking it for a while, then find they need to restart. It's common for people to change the way they treat ADHD over time.
The most commonly endorsed reasons for stopping medication related to 1) medicine not needed/helping, 2) side effects, 3) logistical barriers of getting/taking medication, and 4) social concerns/stigma. Seventeen percent (64/372) reported restarting medicine after stopping for a month or longer.
ADHD medication can be taken for months, years, or even a lifetime. Research shows that long-term use of ADHD meds is safe.
When the dosage is too high, stimulants can cause children or even adults to seem “spacey” or “zombie-like,” or to be uncharacteristically tearful or irritable (a condition known as emotional lability). In general, the best way to rein in these side effects is simply to lower the dosage.
No increased risk from medication
A study done at UCLA in 2013 found that for kids with ADHD, taking stimulant medication as children neither increases nor decreases their risk of becoming addicted later. The study analyzed 15 long-term studies following thousands of children from a mean age of 8 to 20.
Moreover, misuse of stimulants is associated with dangers including psychosis, myocardial infarction, cardiomyopathy, and even sudden death. As ADHD medications are prescribed for long-term treatment, there is a need for long-term safety studies and education on the health risks associated with misuse is imperative.
ADHD brains have low levels of a neurotransmitter called norepinephrine. Norepinephrine is linked arm-in-arm with dopamine. Dopamine is the thing that helps control the brain's reward and pleasure center. The ADHD brain has impaired activity in four functional regions of the brain.
Take Medication According to Symptoms
Although some people need medication all day, every day, others need coverage only for certain activities. Adults are likely to need coverage at the office and children are likely to benefit during the school day.
No, researchers have not found any adverse long-term effects of taking ADHD medication.
While the stimulating effects of many ADHD medications normally suppress appetite and may initially cause weight loss in children and adolescents, these drugs are also linked to the possibility of significant weight gain later in life.
ADHD medicines improve attention by helping normal brain chemicals work better. The medicines target two brain chemicals, dopamine and norepinephrine. These chemicals affect a person's attention and concentration.
The symptoms may peak in severity when the child is seven to eight years of age, after which they often begin to decline. By the adolescent years, the hyperactive symptoms may be less noticeable, although ADHD can continue to be present.
Barkley, PhD. “Children diagnosed with ADHD are not likely to grow out of it. And while some children may recover fully from their disorder by age 21 or 27, the full disorder or at least significant symptoms and impairment persist in 50-86 percent of cases diagnosed in childhood.
Causes of ADHD
In addition to genetics, scientists are studying other possible causes and risk factors including: Brain injury. Exposure to environmental risks (e.g., lead) during pregnancy or at a young age. Alcohol and tobacco use during pregnancy.
Adults with ADHD may find it difficult to focus and prioritize, leading to missed deadlines and forgotten meetings or social plans. The inability to control impulses can range from impatience waiting in line or driving in traffic to mood swings and outbursts of anger. Adult ADHD symptoms may include: Impulsiveness.
Getting enough sleep, exercising, listening to music, meditating, and spending time in the sun can all boost dopamine levels. Overall, a balanced diet and lifestyle can go a long way in increasing your body's natural production of dopamine and helping your brain function at its best.
Answer: Using caffeine, either in a drink or in an over-the-counter preparation, is not recommended by medical experts as a treatment for ADHD. Although some studies have shown that caffeine may improve concentration in adults with ADHD, it is not as effective as medication.
In people who don't have ADHD, because Adderall produces an excess amount of dopamine, users may experience feelings of euphoria and increased energy levels, as well as possible dangerous physical and emotional side effects.