I was diagnosed with ADD two years ago.

I think about my "disorder" a lot. Is it really a chemical imbalance in the brain? Or is it simply an undisciplined mind; a lack of discipline? Maybe I'm just being too hard on myself. Maybe I should cut myself more slack. But for some reason, I keep questioning the legitimacy of ADD.

On the flipside:

I was prescribed Ritalin (20mg) a few days ago and took my first dose last night (I slept most of the day yesterday, and knew I would be up all night anyway). I am in my first semester of college. About 30 minutes after taking my first dose, I was drawn to a room down the hall by guitar playing (I live in a dorm). I first met the guys that live in this room last week. Any time I tried making conversation with them, I would have difficulty holding eye contact and focusing on what they were saying to me (as is the case with most people I talk to, including close friends and some family). But after taking this first dose of Ritalin, I had no trouble at all maintaining eye contact and focusing on what the person was saying to me. Before tonight, my mind would have been jumping all over the place. I felt really confident, like I could handle anything that was thrown at me. Before tonight, I was very unsure of myself. I also felt myself smiling a lot more, and I was in a generally happier mood (euphoria?) But the Ritalin started wearing off after 2+ hours, and I started "coming down". At first I thought the "coming down" process was making me feel bad or depressed, but I soon realized that I was just starting to feel "normal" again.

My questions are: Will I get the same results when I take my next dose? Will the effectiveness of this drug last, or will I develop a tolerance to it?

I haven't tried studying or anything while on the medication yet. Usually whenever I think about studying, it seems like an insurmountable task. I can see where the increased confidence from the Ritalin might make studying easier to tackle. Of course, Ritalin IS a derivative of cocaine.

What can I expect? Anyone had similar experiences? I would appreciate it if some of you veterans could give me some advice/opinions. thanks!

That's a common line of thought.

There are many posts in here addressing that issue.

One of those is "Here's the Proof," which I did a while back in response to someone with a hidden agenda.

Russell Barkley is one of many distinguished researchers on ADHD.

His website.. www.russellbarkley.org has a link one of the most definitive journal article ever written on the existence of ADHD.

It's entitled INTERNATIONAL CONSENSUS 2002.

It's signed off on by over 80 of the world's leading scientists , confirming the existence; and then backing it up with 19 pages of referernces.

Hope you get a chance to check it out .

Good luck and welcome to the Forum.

mctavish23 (Robert)

Welcome to the forums!:) Your question is pretty common -- it's real easy to doubt an "invisible disability". I'd encourage you to do some reading on the subject. You might start with Driven to Distraction by Hallowell and Ratey; You Mean I'm Not Lazy, Stupid or Crazy? by Ramundo and Kelly; or Adult AD/HD by Novotni and Whiteman.

For me the proof to the question came when I went off my meds after having been on them a good while and ran myself aground in no time. I felt more confident and relaxed when I was in social situations once I started meds. From what I've read it seems that over time while folks may not "feel" their meds as much, the medication generally is still effective for most in helping manage their executive function problems. Any specific questions about your response are best answered by your doctor.

Take care,
Scattered