I was diagnosed about 6 weeks ago and have been taking Ritalin for about 4 weeks now. I’m also struggling with what to expect (I’m still not sure if this medicine is everything I could expect) but things have been getting more clear now. I’m also doing cognitive behavioral therapy.
The effects I’ve noticed so far:
– I feel more calm (not all of the time but my ‘base stress level’ is much lower than before)
– My blood pressure is perfect for the first time in years (it used to be high, the Ritalin probably takes away a lot of stress)
– I can actually see clearer. I see more depth (driving feels safer)
– My mind is not running all the time anymore
– I have more focus doing my tasks and sticking to them
– I sleep much better
– I am a little more patient
– Much less need for alcohol to relax
– Less need to microfocus (on facebook, tv series)
But:
– I’m still dealing with severe procrastination (severe!)
– I still feel a lot of stress when I try to make myself do a chore
– Microfocus is still a problem
Overall I feel like Ritalin is giving me some peace and quiet in my mind. And focus. My life seems more overseeable. Things are more clear to me so it’s easier to see what I need to work on (procrastination, microfocus, stress). Therapy seems to be helping me slowly on those things.
Reading about AD/HD is also helping me a lot. Finally, after 36 years I’m getting a better understanding of myself and it’s getting easier to accept my flaws…
Jbolduc, I hope this helps you and if you ever find anything that helps you stop procrastinating please let me know 