Hello,
Who here takes stimulants such as ritalin or concerta and how does it affect you? does it make Psychosis worse or would it be fine to take it in conjunction with an AP?
let me know 
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I was taking Ginseng a while ago and my pdoc said it’s not good for me. About other stimulant idk
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They work against the APs. I wouldn’t take them. They can make psychosis worse.
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I take vyvanse without any effect on voices or psychosis been on it for months now. But strangely adderall made it horrible- I was unmediated at the time tho.
Stimulants can make non Schizophrenics psychotic.
Just imagine how damaging they would be to a schizophrenic.
Bad idea brother.
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I have been on dexadrine, ritalin, and concerta in the past. (maybe more can’t think)
Ritalin most recently. It helped me immensely with my lack of motivation and my problems sleeping in. I was also happier since I was able to complete daunting tasks such as cleaning that I wasn’t able to do before stimulants. I was also able to study for the first time in years, I started learning a language.
HOWEVER. My psychosis wasn’t great. I was hallucinating lots and I also had higher anxiety and panic attacks. To be honest though I would personally try to get back on them. Since I still have anxiety and hallucinate everyday, I might as well be motivated and up on time.
I was prescribed stimulants at a youngish age (15) and I was also taking them with AP’s since that age.
(I had an awful time with concentration and had problems with psychosis)
The reason why I was on the stimulants was I had a diagnoses of ADHD (which later turned into ASD) Also I literally could not go to school and learn. I had chronic suicidal ideation and I couldn’t focus whatsoever on school. I was going to drop out, so they put me on concerta to start.
Then dex, a few years later. Then Ritalin. To be quite honest in my experience I was able to see a positive change from taking those meds, but never with ADs, ACs or APs. I later learned (on here) that my medication could be making me more psychotic, so I asked my doctor to take me off them for a while to see how I do. (I’m doing badly, lol)
I have only heard bad things on here to do with stimulants, but I can’t complain. I also have a good reason to be on them though (ADHD, treatment resistant depression, ect)
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Ritalin and adderall are generally considered to make psychosis worse and are not recommended for those w psychosis. Modafinil is supposed to be the safest which is what I’m on. There’s also always good ole caffeine lol.
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Everyone seems to advise people not to take stimulants, they say with absolute certainty that its bad, state it like a fact that can’t be disputed. however I am psychotic and my actual doctor prescribed me with that medication. And I found it was helpful… sooooo. 
These people are not doctors. Neither am I for that matter. If you are interested in trying it and think it could help, ask your doctor. Only they know what’s best for you.
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I take both Concerta and Ritalin with no apparent adverse effects (except for sleep and appetite disturbances). My psychiatrist agreed to prescribe them, as long as I take an antipsychotic.
When I was newly diagnosed, I had to temporarily discontinue the stimulant I was on at the time (Dexedrine Spansules).
It is perhaps the case that some psychiatrists are more comfortable with prescribing stimulants than others, since mental illness is not necessarily black and white, but there are a lot of grey areas.
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I’ve never been on stimulant meds but consider that smoking is almost ubiquitous in sz and nicotine is a powerful stimulant yet most would say it calms them down. Caffeine, too, is pretty prevalent among the mentally I’ll…
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Yesterday I took a therapeutic, but relatively high dose of Adderall. Top 10 worst experiences of my life. Like 15 mg is my max before things go down hill, and I still have a tolerance from before my diagnosis times, so 15mg does little, totally can take a nap on that dose.
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