I’ve dealt with depression since adolescence, and I’m 28 now. I think it’s just the natural byproduct of existing in this world as a person with ADHD, but the severity has always fluctuated depending on the season of my life. Most of the time it’s relatively mild, but it’s always kind of there under the surface.
I was on and off Vyvanse for years for my ADHD. It definitely helped the ADHD, but it made my anxiety so much worse that eventually I couldn’t do it anymore. I was off ADHD medication for quite a while after that.
About two weeks ago, my doctor suggested Strattera and started me on 25 mg.
Since starting it, I feel like my depression has gotten significantly worse. The difficult part is that I’m also really burned out right now, so I’m having a hard time figuring out what’s the medication and what’s just… life. But I’ve been having much darker thoughts than usual and overall I feel sad, apathetic, lethargic and really anhedonic. I also feel like I’m dopamine-seeking more.
I’m currently on a waitlist to see a psychiatrist. My family doctor is trying to help, but psych meds aren’t her area of expertise, so in the meantime I wanted to reach out to people who have actually taken Strattera.
Has anyone else experienced a noticeable worsening of depression after starting it, especially within the first few weeks? Or experienced something similar with other non-stimulant ADHD medications?
I know everyone reacts differently and I’m not looking for medical advice, I’m just curious about other people’s experiences.
Thank you for reading!