I am currently taking ritalin, it helps with concentration, however it leaves me feeling sort of flat(dysphoric). Is adderall better in this department, or will it cause a similar effect? Which medicine causes more anxiety? Also, what are the general differences between Ritalin and Adderall, besides duration the medicine works, etc?:)

Sorry if these questions have been asked numerous times already.:eyebrow:

Amphetamines/adderall/dexedrine would probably cause worse anxiety and they're a bit more potent.

I also believe that amphetamines (Adderall, Dexedrine) have a longer half-life than methylphenidate (Ritalin, Concerta). The effects of an instant-release dose of an amphetamine will last longer than a roughly equal dose of instant-release Ritalin. Once you start getting into the extended-release versions such as Adderall XR and Concerta, however, this may change, as those versions have mechanisms built in which alter the rate at which the medication is released and absorbed. This alters what a chemist would call the "pharmacokinetics" of the medication, which is just a fancy word for how the medication is absorbed and excreted.

I have never taken methylphenidate, so I do not know how the subjective effects compare. However, given that the subjective effects of these medications can differ greatly from individual to individual, and especially given how the subjective effects of these medications differ between those of us with ADHD and those without (for instance, I have not heard non-ADHD persons describe Adderall as "moderately sedating, with mood-stabilizing properties"), I would be careful about assuming that just because someone else has one reaction, that yours might be similar.

From my experience, methylphenidate always caused more anxiety than any of the amphetamines.

I also believe that amphetamines (Adderall, Dexedrine) have a longer half-life than methylphenidate (Ritalin, Concerta). The effects of an instant-release dose of an amphetamine will last longer than a roughly equal dose of instant-release Ritalin. Once you start getting into the extended-release versions such as Adderall XR and Concerta, however, this may change, as those versions have mechanisms built in which alter the rate at which the medication is released and absorbed. This alters what a chemist would call the "pharmacokinetics" of the medication, which is just a fancy word for how the medication is absorbed and excreted.

I have never taken methylphenidate, so I do not know how the subjective effects compare. However, given that the subjective effects of these medications can differ greatly from individual to individual, and especially given how the subjective effects of these medications differ between those of us with ADHD and those without (for instance, I have not heard non-ADHD persons describe Adderall as "moderately sedating, with mood-stabilizing properties"), I would be careful about assuming that just because someone else has one reaction, that yours might be similar.Good answer.

Thanks for the replies, anyone want to add, don't hesitate, thanks. I think I am going to ask my doctor for a change to adderall, something just doesn't feel right about the methylphenidate.:)