Depression is a Long-Term Side Effect of Stimulants
May 12th, 2005After doing some internet research of my own on the long-term effects of Ritalin and other stimulants, I’m a bit nervous about taking Ritalin and even about drinking coffee as often as I tend to do.
The main long-term side effect that I’ve been finding information about is depression. It seems that if you have been taking a stimulant for a long period of time, you are likely to experience depression and/or depressive symptoms.
How long is a “long period of time”? No one seems to have any hard numbers. I can say, though, that I took stimulants daily for a few years, and after deciding to take them only when absolutely necessary, I experienced depression that seemed to be clearly related to the lack of Ritalin.
I don’t know if I was just experiencing temporary withdrawal symptoms, or if the feelings were permanent. They seem more temporary in my case. I am lucky that I didn’t take stimulants as a child, because I could imagine myself having severe depression due to the long-term side effects.
It seems like such strong psychiatric medications inevitably have long-term side effects on the brain. More research on the long-term effects is desperately needed, as the diagnosis of ADHD becomes older and there are people who have been on stimulants for longer and longer periods.