Hi guys, I’m a 2nd year cybersecurity student on 15mg ritalin (1pill in the morning, 1/2 pill at 1pm) prescribed by my psychiatrist since 2024(diagnosed lvl 2 Autism, Innatentive ADHD). Ritalin has helped me as I have an easier time starting tasks and not sleeping involuntarily during the day.
However, I noticed that when evening comes, I am lethargic and I can’t think even when I force myself to sit in front of the computer and code. I sleep by 9pm like a 70 year old grandma. Sure, you can say that I have a healthy sleep pattern, but, I can’t afford to have one😭😭😭😭😭 The courses I am taking require 3 assignments + 1 mid term exam along with a final exam, and with classes during the day, I only have a few hours of ritalin to focus on my assignments. The first year wasn’t this bad as each subject only required 1 assignment, 1 midterm and finals. The 3 assignments per subject is really wrecking me. Heck I even managed to get dean’s list for both previous semesters (did have to apply extensions with access plans because I am disabled).
Not to mention, for the past month of April, things have been happening to me the entire month. I developed De Quervains in both wrists, then my cat died, afterwards I contracted a fever and it developed into partial hearing loss with occasional nosebleeds. I have communicated with my lecturers about this and am slowly trying to pick up after myself (still sick btw) but it really sucks to have 0 braincells at night. I am weeks behind my assignments and I feel ashamed of myself for not being able to complete them on time like my other non ADHD friends in this course.
Any suggestions would be mad helpful. Should I ask for a change in meds?