I am desperately needing some help.

My son (13 yrs old) has been taking Adderall RX since the day he was diagnoised. Now he takes 30mg.

During the past year, he has become more withdrawn. He choses not to spend time with friends, afterschool activities or interact with the family.

He is completly focused every free moment on video or computer games. He even gets made if his friends "im" him and want to chat while he is on the computer. I mean...completely focused! When we take them a way or limit them in anyway, he becomes angry, verbally demanding and even cries. Immediately, after eating out, a soccer game, church, or family function, he is in a complete fit until we get home, so he can play the games. Of course, we stick to our guns and refuse to back down. But get this...he does not want his friends to know how much time he spends playing these games. His sisters have been instructed not to tell other people. What gives?

This can't be normal can it? I mean I know a 13 year old distances himself from family more and more but he has cut out all contact unless it is at school. And this obsession has to way out of line.

Could this be a side effect of Adderall? ADHD? I talk to other parents with kids this age and they say that this is not normal.

Help!

Depression and moodiness can be caused by stimulants, yes.

beach4me,

Jennita is correct, stimulants can be the source of moodiness and depression but more often than not something else is to blame.

My ADHD comes down to I have trouble controlling my own thoughts. Stimulants restore my ability to control my thoughts but do not provide the motivation to use that resource correctly. For instance, after I take my Adderall I can just as easily play around with a computer game as I can work. It is up to me. But if I make the wrong choice, I do get depressed. Scheduling, organization, prioritizing tasks, unmastered academic skills, goal setting, etc. have to be learned or improved upon after meds are initiated. Otherwise there is little benefit derived from the meds.

It boils down to ADHDers whether young or old need structure much more so than non ADHDers. In my best estimation, the more structure you can provide for your child the better he'll do with the meds.

ADHD is more complex than anything I've attempted to understand. There is no easy fix. Please don't interprete what I said as a slight on your parenting skills. I have a close friend with 3 (no kidding) ADHD boys. The dad is also ADHD. He and his wife do their absolute best and those kids still have trouble. Even with myself I've found that "reducing expectations" is the only solution.

Bob