[Secretum]

My younger brother has ADHD-inattentive type, for which he takes Concerta. He has been suffering from mood symptoms for quite some time. He claims that he feels "blah", his appetite is severely decreased, he doesn't find pleasure in anything but his video games, he is plagued with unnecessary guilt...

Whenever I express my concern, he tells me that these mood issues are side effects of his medication. Indeed, on the days when he doesn't take the Concerta, he definitely seems happier, more energetic, and not at all depressed.

So, my question is, has anyone here experienced depressive symptoms as a consequence of your Concerta (or other ADHD medication?) Also, how did you deal with such a disturbing side effect? I am not sure if he should try another medication or decrease his dose, because Concerta controls his attentional issues really well. At the same time, I'm equally concerned that therapy alone would not be enough to combat his secondary mood issues.

I have bipolar II, so he has a family history of mood disorders (which perhaps made him more susceptible to Concerta-induced depression).
Recurrent depression, in addition to being painful, made normal high school life very difficult for me. I have many regrets, especially concerning all of the social connections I failed to form. I do not want my brother suffer from a similar problem if he can avoid it.
Thanks!

[cmlwtcos]

I regularly take Concerta for my ADHD and I get that too. I don't eat, I don't want to do anything except watch television shows by myself, I don't want to talk to anyone, and I don't even want to listen to music. I feel an unsettling level of uncertainty, apathy, and self loathing all at once. I'm depressed as it is but I know it's worse when I take it.

I mainly wanted to let you know that your brother is not alone in these feelings. As for the dealing with it, I haven't found any way to properly deal with it.

[Jiys]

Originally Posted by cmlwtcos

I regularly take Concerta for my ADHD and I get that too. I don't eat, I don't want to do anything except watch television shows by myself, I don't want to talk to anyone, and I don't even want to listen to music. I feel an unsettling level of uncertainty, apathy, and self loathing all at once. I'm depressed as it is but I know it's worse when I take it.

I mainly wanted to let you know that your brother is not alone in these feelings. As for the dealing with it, I haven't found any way to properly deal with it.

This is how I feel too. They have me on 108 mg. The main thing with concerta that bothers me the most is the loss of appetite. I literally can't stand food when I take concerta, it's like I can't even taste anything at all, but my mind feels so free. It's an amazing feeling when you can actually think about things and take them in instead of losing it as soon as you hear it. When I take it I'm very attentive, but very antisocial as well. I don't know why but it's just like you don't want to be bothered. It makes me feel even more depressed and sad than I am reguraly am as well. I don't know if this will help at all, but Last year I was tired of how it made me feel so I started taking less and less until I didn't take any at all. A few months later I decided to take my medicine again for a day because I had a very important test to take at school. Bad idea. It made me very.. I don't know how to explain it, I guess it was a kind of high. I did well on the test and everything but I was completely out of it :\ it took me a fair amount of time to understand what people were saying to me; for me to take in what they were saying. I remember sitting in one of my classes, and I was freezing cold. I put my hand on my friends face beside me (yes I know this was weird x) and he noticed it, too, even though it was a very hot day. This lasted for another thirty minutes or so then I was feeling back to my self.
Sorry for the lengthy post and if it's sortta scattered I'm very tired haha

[katheryn]

my son is on concerta, he too has depression issues and likes his own company a lot, he is now 19 and will be 20 soon, not sure if its a side affect or not but his moods are at the lowest when he feels not wanted (say a gf splits with him) he will threaten suicide and has got attention from doing stuff at times of low, alcohol doesn't help it makes him worse but all his friends drink so he feels he needs to as well but doesn't drink to excess. his need to be in a relationship is the one we are struggling with daily, he thinks he is in love with every girl after a few days

[cmlwtcos]

Originally Posted by Jiys

This is how I feel too. They have me on 108 mg. The main thing with concerta that bothers me the most is the loss of appetite. I literally can't stand food when I take concerta, it's like I can't even taste anything at all, but my mind feels so free. It's an amazing feeling when you can actually think about things and take them in instead of losing it as soon as you hear it. When I take it I'm very attentive, but very antisocial as well. I don't know why but it's just like you don't want to be bothered. It makes me feel even more depressed and sad than I am reguraly am as well. I don't know if this will help at all, but Last year I was tired of how it made me feel so I started taking less and less until I didn't take any at all. A few months later I decided to take my medicine again for a day because I had a very important test to take at school. Bad idea. It made me very.. I don't know how to explain it, I guess it was a kind of high. I did well on the test and everything but I was completely out of it :\ it took me a fair amount of time to understand what people were saying to me; for me to take in what they were saying. I remember sitting in one of my classes, and I was freezing cold. I put my hand on my friends face beside me (yes I know this was weird x) and he noticed it, too, even though it was a very hot day. This lasted for another thirty minutes or so then I was feeling back to my self.
Sorry for the lengthy post and if it's sortta scattered I'm very tired haha

I also get cold. Do you break out in cold sweat and are your hands clammy and do you get like jitters?

If it wasn't for the loss of appetite I wouldn't take Concerta at all!

[Jiys]

sometimes I do. I remember randomly becoming very hot and sweating one day out of no where but I don't know if I took my medicine that day or not.