Re: Working memory (short term memory) and medication

[Anonymous]

I was the one who posted the initial thread so i’ll follow-up on my initial question after haven taken the meds for about a month.

After first taking ritalin and then concerta i have to say the meds make a huge difference.

Word hunting is not a problem as it once was and access to short term memory is much better. I can put thoughts and what I hear on hold until I need it.

The meds of course meds don’t make you a genious over night but they give you the capability if they work of accessing these faculties which are used by normal people.

Its funny because when the meds start to wear off, you can see the difference very clearly.

A funny example is that my exercise regimen consists in boxing training which is the same training boxers go through without the sparring and getting hit usually 2-3 times a week.

One of the exercises is hitting the mitts where the coach gives you a series of combination of punches (usually jab, right, hook) which you have to reproduce on the mitts.

I realized that by being on the meds, the reaction time between me seeing the mitts (the coach positions the mitts so you know which shot to use) and me hitting the mitts is slightly reduced. Same thing goes of course when he actually says verbally which short he wants. Its really significant how much quicker I am going from one shot to another. I can also remember 6-7 consecutive shots and reproduce them on the mitts without pausing or giving the wrong shot.

When I train later on in the day where my concerta usually wears off in around 7h00 I really struggle giving out 4-5 consecutive shots without screwing up and my reaction time is also considerably slower.

I also find that I can usually push myself a bit harder and a bit longer while on the meds as I focus much better on the task at hand.

It really makes a difference on many levels

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