Alright so I am hoping to get some answers here about Ritalin, more specifically Concerta.

I am currently taking Concerta as prescribed to my by a doctor and I am interested in how it works. I have very mild ADHD and I describe the drug as changing the way my brain focuses. I find it helps me when I am trying to do things like read or do math, but when it comes to doing creative things I find it limits me in some ways because I can’t focus on multiple things at once.

I also have a friend who is not diagnosed with ADHD or any other mental disorder who also takes this drug and it helps him too. I was surprised how easily he was able to get a prescription from his family doctor.

I’ll try to make my questions short and simple:

1. Taking Concerta with coffee and/or caffeine. Is this wise to do?

2. Side effects of Ritalin/Concerta? I know in the short term it causes me to loose apatite and keeps me awake, I can cope with that as part of how the drug helps me focus. But what are the long term effects of taking Ritalin/Concerta? I have read a few studies but have never seen anything certain besides possible liver damage.

3. Concerta and alcohol. Probably straight forward, I never combine alcohol and Concerta but sometimes at the end of the day I want a beer but don’t drink because I still have the long release Concerta in my system. What happens when alcohol is mixed with Ritalin/Concerta?

So I hope I can get some answers here. They have been shoving this stuff down my throat since grade 2 or 3, I never really knew any of the side effects or how it works.