Myths about ADHD Stimulant Medications

00:00 Introduction
00:48 Addiction
02:14 Aggression
03:08 Seizures
04:10 Tics and Tourette's Syndrome
06:02 Suicide
06:44 Academic achievement
08:21 Substance abuse
09:16 Brain damage
10:43 Over-prescribed
12:46 Kids being over-dosed
13:26 Drugs are used to cover up real source of the disorder (e.g. parenting, etc.)
13:59 Drugs are just used as chemical straight jackets to quell disruptive children into submission and have no other benefits

[n.c.kupfermann]

01:10 it is literal meme in the adhd community that it is so addicting that people with adhd forget taking them...and need reminders to take it

[tarahuddleston]

I cried at 39 when my psychiatrist said, “3 to 5 percent of females with ADHD are OCD, it is the only thing that has ever saved you.” I always knew something was wrong but had so many doctors say I could not have it because I was too accomplished . I always wanted to attend medical school but knew something was missing. I asked her how long it would take for the medication to work, and she said that I would know immediately. I remember thinking this is what a level playing field is like. Adderall has been a game changer for me. Thank you for getting this information out.

[HowndsOfDoom]

The stigma surrounding ADHD is jaw dropping.
From experience of stimulant medication I can say my substance misuse has plummeted, in fact if I use cannabis with stimulants it's a negative effect. Its also "fixed" my brain, I'm calmer, thoughts are more organised, memory is improving, highly recommended using them while driving. Zero withdrawal while stopping due to shortages lately. Way too many benefits to warrant the stigma.
Of course, this also includes life style management and the good old paper and pen....at all times if you can.
Cheers Doc.

[jamiejohnson]

I'm an adult who started stimulants recently - almost 4 months ago. Here's my subjective experience and opinion on addiction and dependence on medication:

- the stimulant medication I'm on is not addictive. In my personal feeling, my habitual coffee consumption was ACTUALLY an addiction, even if it's not as bad for you as alcohol or other drug addictions. I'd get headaches without my morning coffee or sometimes I'd be grumpy without coffee. Simulants aren't like that. Sometimes I can even forget to take it or misplace my pill in the morning - my body doesn't crave stimulants at all if I don't take them, there's no compulsion to take them. I recently had a cold, and decided that I needed to sleep to get over the cold faster. Stimulants prevent me from napping, and they do increase your blood pressure a bit, and I thought both of those things were not ideal when getting over a cold. The choice not to take medication on those days was very easy - no withdrawal, physically or psychologically. That said, one thing that I noticed on stimulant medication is that my coffee and energy drink cravings completely disappeared, plus I achieved a more significant level of alertness earlier on in the morning. I was worried that I would get addicted to stimulants, but the reality is they inadvertently, instantaneously cured me of a caffeine addiction. I'm saving so much money on coffee, diet pop/soda drinks, and energy drinks. Healthier too!Just going by my subjective experience, I can very easily see how simulants PREVENT self medication in people with ADHD, and actually prevent addiction. It's counter intuitive if your perception of stimulants is that they're drugs and all drugs are equally bad. But if taken as directed, orally, as Dr. Barkley said, I've never experienced anything remotely close to addiction.

- dependence. I'm referring to dependence in the following sense - once I start the medication, even if I'm not addicted to it, maybe I come to learn that I need to be on these pills for the rest of my life. Before I started taking them, I was scared of that possibility. The reality for me is that the stimulants are so helpful for basic tasks that I struggled with, that yes, I now believe that I need to be on some kind of ADHD medication for the rest of my life. That might sound scary to people, but once you're going through it, it's not scary. Once I saw the difference in my ability to "just do it" (basically follow through on my intentions), I have the opposite concern - I realized how much I need ADHD medication, and now I'm concerned about making sure I have access to medication for the rest of my life. Is this "dependence"? Philosophically maybe you could make the case that it is. But it's dependence like a diabetic is dependent on insulin or how someone with back pain needs a cane. I wouldn't judge them for using insulin or a cane; so why judge myself? I need medication to achieve the equivalent follow through and productivity as others. Stimulants help me do things like set up appointments, return emails, and keep calendars. I was living my life on hard-mode for so long without meds. It's nice to be able to function normally, I have so much catching up to do lol.

I had several family members and friends who encouraged me to try the medication. Here are some encouraging sentences that helped me.

- There's no evidence that it's addictive, so you can try it safely; if you don't like it you don't have to keep taking it.

- Stimulants are one of the best studied and most effective psychiatric medications. If you believe in drugs for depression, anxiety, or bipolar disorder, you should probably believe even more in the efficacy of ADHD meds.

- Ultimately words like addiction and dependency are just words since I'm not already struggling with addiction. What matters is the results, and there's lots of evidence that proves ADHD meds work. That's what matters.

[meaghanswitzer]

Hello, thank you for being out there on YouTube .❤️
I am a 64 year old female who has unknowingly survived life with undiagnosed ADHD.
PTSD was the diagnosis by a psychiatrist 4 years ago. I was given Sertaline, which i titrated down and discontinued after one year. There was no relief from the overwhelming symptoms.
After consulting with my psychologist, i followed up with my GP, i was told by them that testing is expensive and its a long wait list here. So i was given a low dose of methylphenidate to try for one week. What a difference one little pill has made in my everyday life! I am astounded at the focus and calm i am experiencing. Its been 3 weeks now, I am simply joyful .
Our lives are a journey and i am grateful to be able to live it more authentically.❤

[Deus]

I've been taking my ADHD meds (both atomoxetine and methylphenidate) for over a year now and only just recently I've noticed a big improvement in my life.

If you've just started taking meds - don't give up!

[zhuyourong]

Dear Dr. Barkley,

I want to write a simple thank you message here to you, thank you so much for opening this channel and sharing your knowledge and new development around ADHD. All your videos are insightful and valuable for me personally as a ADHD person, though I didn't watch these videos all.

I want to let you know I wrote this with tears in my eyes. Thank you from bottom of my heart for helping me improve my life, lives of my parents and my future children, it was lucky for me to get to know you and your work.

I wish you all the best!

[robvantour]

I'd say the biggest issue is prescribing too high a dose. Often, parents see a big difference at a certain dose. When the parents see the big change, it should be backed off a bit, and the proper dose should be more subtle to the parents. I have been off and on stimulants my whole life, and I was 35 before I figured this out. Often going on to high a dose and saying the problem is the stimulants, not the dosage. Also, I regret all the years I went off stimulants as they were all wasted years where I accomplished nothing and had more drug and alcohol dependency.

[territhetankedupterrapin]

I agree! Since being back on Amphetaminge based medication I feel far less pleasure seeking behavioural tendencies than when I had a desperation for Dopaminge.
Also if my mum had of let me be put on Amphetaminge when I was younger I know I would've done so much better at school because I absolutely love learning and since I've been back on it I have written an incredible amount of information and my subjects of interest considering previously I couldn't bare up a pen for 5 or 10inutes, let alone the 14 hours I've been known to be sat writing for! ADHD meds makes me feel like I've got my own hands on the wheel instead of being driven around by some maniac who learned to drive by playing Grand Theft Auto! Would still be nice to have a support worker again who has their own tools for incase I find myself driving onto the pavement, but at 32 years old I finally feel like I've got some level of control over my life instead of being dictated by the variety of symptoms that would turn this comment into a stupidly long essay.

[jimwilliams]

Thank you for this. You have previously noted that ADHD meds are generally safer than other psychoactive meds, and based on my own experience I would be inclined to agree. What I have found is that certain medical professionals seem quite concerned about ADHD med safety, but can be almost cavalier about other meds. I do have a formal (and expensive) ADHD diagnosis, and lately have been trying to deal with a new prescriber who has repeatedly spoken in disparaging terms about a non stimulant ADHD med i take low doses of, yet pushed me to try an anticonvulsant med used mostly for epilepsy and bipolar. The drug in question did have siezure risks, but she seemed unconcerned about that.

[MysteryGrey]

I've thought about the risks. Of course, this was about an hour after I took my vyvanse. I'd rather be able to live a little before I do die. I wouldn't be able to even think about that without the vyvanse. Thank you Dr. B!

[Mr.Hydradude]

I put off getting my son medicated for years because I was worried it would make his tourettes worse. Fortunately, his tics have decreased since starting his medication. What a relief. Wish I had started him sooner

[aybikeanacali]

I'm on Ritalin for 3 years now, 30 mg a day. To be honest I was afraid I developed some sort of addiction, because I feel that I struggle more on med-free days. I asked my psychiatrist about it and she said it is because I notice it more now, like when you need glasses and once you start using them, you feel like your sight is worse when you took them off.

[kl-uezl]

Dr. Barkley thank you for continuing to bring forth facts about the realities of ADHD and treatments for it. For those that still think it's "fake", what you are saying very much describes my life. I'm a 51 year old female with 4 grown children that within the last several years finally decided to try the medication method for myself, and I did not realize how badly I acted and paid attention until now looking back. I wish I had started medication when I was in 1st grade, or at least 2nd grade when I was first diagnosed. Again thank you for validation that I'm not just crazy.

[jonathanberry]

🎯 Key Takeaways for quick navigation:

00:00 🧠 *Introduction to ADHD Medication Myths*
- ADHD stimulant medications are often misunderstood.
- Addressing common misconceptions about stimulant medications.
- The need for a nuanced understanding of ADHD medication.
01:08 🚫 *Addiction Misconception*
- ADHD stimulant drugs are not addictive when taken orally as prescribed.
- Potential for abuse and misuse leading to addiction explained.
- Distinguishing between addiction and dependency on medication.
03:08 ⚔️ *Dispelling Aggression Claims*
- Contrary to popular belief, stimulants reduce aggressive behavior.
- Scientific evidence shows a decrease in criminal behavior.
- Addressing the misconception linking stimulants to aggression.
04:10 🧠 *Seizure Risk Clarification*
- Stimulants' seizure risk requires extremely high doses, not at prescribed levels.
- Studies demonstrate safe use with individuals having pre-existing seizure disorders.
- Clarifying the misconception about stimulants increasing seizure risk.
05:00 🤖 *Tics and Tourette's Syndrome*
- Stimulants may influence tick frequency, but not the development of Tourette's Syndrome.
- Recommending a cautious approach for individuals with tick disorders.
- Exploring the nuanced relationship between stimulants and tic disorders.
06:05 ☠️ *Suicide Risk Attribution*
- ADHD stimulants are not linked to an increased risk of suicide.
- Emphasizing that ADHD itself is associated with a higher likelihood of suicide attempts.
- Dispelling the misconception of stimulants causing suicide.
07:41 🎓 *Academic Achievement Improvement*
- Overcoming the misconception that stimulants don't improve academic learning.
- Longer-term studies show improvements in reading test scores and academic achievement.
- Highlighting the positive impact of stimulant medications on academic performance.
08:32 🚭 *Substance Abuse Risk Evaluation*
- More than 20 studies refute the claim that stimulant medication increases the risk of substance abuse.
- No evidence supporting the notion that stimulants lead to later substance abuse.
- Addressing and dismissing the misconception about stimulants and substance abuse.
09:25 🧠 *Long-term Use and Brain Damage*
- Oral use of prescribed stimulants does not show evidence of causing brain damage.
- Contrasting oral administration with studies involving direct injection into the brain.
- Positive findings indicating potential neuroenhancement with long-term stimulant use.
11:29 📈 *Prescription Rates and Overprescribing*
- Examining prescription rates nationally and debunking claims of overprescribing.
- Analyzing prevalence rates of ADHD and stimulant medication use.
- Considering variations in prescription rates across different regions.
13:03 💊 *Pediatric Dosing Misconception*
- Contrary to claims, evidence suggests pediatricians often use lower doses than experts recommend.
- Dispelling misconceptions about kids being overdosed on stimulant medications.
- Highlighting the importance of appropriate dosage for effective treatment.
14:14 🤯 *Medication as a Positive Intervention*
- Rejecting the notion that stimulants act as a "chemical straightjacket" or merely sedate individuals.
- Numerous studies demonstrate positive benefits, reducing various risks associated with ADHD.
- Emphasizing that stimulants contribute positively to individuals' well-being.

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[AnnieandCC]

Thanks again, Dr. B. I was JUST having a conversation with a friend about this very topic. I plan to send this to her to reinforce what I had shared with her. I am not a professional but a mom that has struggled for over 7 years with so much misinformation. I deeply appreciate the resources you provide. Grateful!

[CJBintheHouse]

Your work does so much more than any credit we or you or us could ever give you

[Hest]

I LOVE that someone is finally addressing ADHD myths! I would be really excited to see your take on Huberman’s episode on ADHD. I feel there were several inaccuracies in that episode.

[pseudovisiblecharity]

Could you please make a video about the scientific literature on tics and its connection to stimulant medication and ADHD?

[HolaMindy]

Atomoxetine has made a significant impact in my ability to complete household care tasks, such as doing the dishes and managing laundry. These are tasks that are necessary but not stimulating, and so it was so hard to get myself to do them. Now they are no big deal. Also my anxious energy around holiday planning is gone, such as for menu planning, gift buying, decorating. I can just enjoy the task in front of me without my brain spinning out on all that is left yet to do. These feel like small but significant quality of life improvements.

I don't notice a lot of differences in my work, but I suspect there are improvements that I am blind to.