First off there are multiple types of ADHD drugs. I presume you are referring to stimulant drugs which are the most commonly prescribed for ADHD, but there are many non-stimulant drugs available for ADHD particular in the USA.
Second stimulants are only party drugs if you abuse them. At prescribed doses they're very safe long term, so long as you've no heart issues. You often get a mild euphoria when you first start or increase a dose but it stops after a few days of use. The same applies to a lot of medications, they can get you high when abused but that's no reason not to use them at the prescribed doses.
Third there's plenty of evidence to suggest that the end effect of stimulants is different for many with ADHD and that they're less likely to abuse them due to this. The drugs do the same thing to everyone but due to lower levels of dopamine and/or higher sensitivity to dopamine many people with ADHD don't get high the same way if they abuse their meds.
Fourth there are lots of long last slow release meds which are difficult to abuse. Vyvanse in particular is almost impossible to abuse as it metabolizes into amphetamines after you take it and there's no way to speed up the reaction enough to abuse it.
Fifth to get diagnosed with ADHD your symptoms have to be having a severe negative effect on you life in multiple areas. I can't find the stats atm but life expectancy for undiagnosed and untreated ADHD sufferers is significantly lower than average mostly due to risky behaviour, mental health and bad consumption habits (food and self medicating with other far more dangerous substances). So the risk of any stimulant medication (which is extremely low for most people) has to be weighed against the risks of being untreated.
That's not to say there aren't any potential issues with ADHD meds. Everyone reacts differently so you should be careful and only take them under the supervision of a trained Psychologist. They're also not sufficient on their own. But they're well studied, extremely safe when used correctly and statistically the most effective individual treatment by far for a very serious condition. So please don't post misleading things like this and put people off of seeking potentially life changing treatment.
Anecdotally, green tea or just L-theanine extracted from it helps. Even mild euphoria is unwelcome as it can reposition dopamine (and possibly serotonin) baseline and lower effects from following doses.
> plenty of evidence to suggest that the end effect of stimulants is different for many with ADHD and that they're less likely to abuse them due to this.
Unmedicated ADHD person is even more likely to seek dopamine hits and get addicted. We are commenting a post titled "I'm an addict" which seems to be written by someone undiagnosed (I'm not a specialist).
2) Drugs work differently on ADHD brains than on “normal” brains.
The mind is not the only thing being affected here. This shit is horrible for the body. Aren't there herbs that can help? Do doctors even care?
My partners life was literally changed by taking medication. Do you think that’s a bad thing?
I strongly doubt that ‘herbs’ are more effective than decades of scientific research. I presume that you’re hearing amphetamines and thinking of the extremes; as the parent said, the medical doses are far lower than that of recreational users.
Drinking coffee is a stimulant, and yet in moderation it’s not harmful to the used. Do you feel similarly about any sort of caffenation?
I've noticed this is mainly a US thing. If you all think it's great, there must be something to it. Like a big marketing campaign going back years. Nope, too wild! It's more probable I need a lecture on the benefits of being hooked on amphetamines in the name of mental health.
How long do you think such treatment can last? Have you checked? Do it for your partner. Do you honestly think using this stuff for decades does not come with major drawbacks?
I know people who have been on ADHD medication for 30 years. I'm assuming the people I know aren't the only ones. So do you have any evidence that these treatments can't last, or are you just making things up?
Edit: Also one of them has a doctorate and it would have been impossible for him to obtain it without medication.
To say life with mental illness/disorders comes with its own major drawbacks is really an understatement. Amphetamines may well have harmful effects, but untreated mental illness/disorders can cause an incredible amount of damage, not just to the person affected but to those around them.
Many people, such as myself, seek treatment with medication after they've exhausted all other known options. There's only so long you can keep running on empty. I'm just happy to have something that works.
Again, does coffee sit in that same boat?
Looking at your past posts it appears you aren't a discriminatory bag of shit, but you could have fooled me with this comment.
You don't know people's situation and you don't know how medicines affect them.