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FDA approves new ADHD drug for children

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Re: FDA approves new ADHD drug for children

#131

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Statistically, if you are diagnosed with ADHD, treatment actually significantly increases your life expectancy.

If I'm understanding this correctly, are you saying that untreated ADHD is more likely to result in suicide?

No, not suicide. Alcoholism, addiction to other drugs, car crashes, etc... Are all much more likely for untreated ADHD patients.

Re: FDA approves new ADHD drug for children

#132

Seems that lots of people only think ADHD people have a hard time paying attention. If it was that simple I would be so happy. Here are just a few of the things I struggle with. - Will power. People with ADHD struggle sooooo much with will power. It’s a constant struggle with everything in life and really wears you down. - Constantly putting on a fake front pretending you don’t have ADHD. - Rejection sensitivity - Fe…

How do you reconcile this with the observation that seemingly every single child in the United States is diagnosed with this condition and prescribed drugs to treat it? Watching from Europe, where roughly nobody is diagnosed with it nor prescribed drugs to treat it, I’m always baffled, fascinated and horrified watching Americans talk about it.

I suspect that by:

>People thinking it’s not a real condition.

the person you're responding to meant statements like yours:

>Frankly, the symptoms you describe apply to pretty much everybody, and are just the things one deals with in life.

According to the NIH, prevalence of severe ADHD in children is around 4% [1]. This differs by degree from "the things one deals with in life" for most people - it's an extreme version that can be debilitating without treatment.

[1] https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/statistics/attention-deficit...

Re: FDA approves new ADHD drug for children

#133

Seems that lots of people only think ADHD people have a hard time paying attention. If it was that simple I would be so happy. Here are just a few of the things I struggle with. - Will power. People with ADHD struggle sooooo much with will power. It’s a constant struggle with everything in life and really wears you down. - Constantly putting on a fake front pretending you don’t have ADHD. - Rejection sensitivity - Fe…

How do you reconcile this with the observation that seemingly every single child in the United States is diagnosed with this condition and prescribed drugs to treat it? Watching from Europe, where roughly nobody is diagnosed with it nor prescribed drugs to treat it, I’m always baffled, fascinated and horrified watching Americans talk about it.

I heavily suspect that it's overdiagnosed in the US, but heavily underdiagnosed in the EU.

I have adult ADHD, and even though I tried to get help when I was turning 20 and started to fail university (I had an average of 1.3 for the classes that I did finnish, I just couldn't commit to anything) it took me 3 years until I got a diagnosis (due to ridiculously long waiting times for doctors appointments).

In the end I only got a doctors appointment because I got diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, and my neurologist, who is also a psychyatrist was like "btw I also think you have ADHD, ever tried to get help for that?".

Re: FDA approves new ADHD drug for children

#134

Seems that lots of people only think ADHD people have a hard time paying attention. If it was that simple I would be so happy. Here are just a few of the things I struggle with. - Will power. People with ADHD struggle sooooo much with will power. It’s a constant struggle with everything in life and really wears you down. - Constantly putting on a fake front pretending you don’t have ADHD. - Rejection sensitivity - Fe…

How do you reconcile this with the observation that seemingly every single child in the United States is diagnosed with this condition and prescribed drugs to treat it? Watching from Europe, where roughly nobody is diagnosed with it nor prescribed drugs to treat it, I’m always baffled, fascinated and horrified watching Americans talk about it.

Yes, every child in the United States is diagnosed and given stimulants for fun, unlike enlightened Europe.

It might be over-diagnosed in the United States. I sure think so. But that does not make the effects of the disorder any less damaging.

At any rate, perhaps you might consider whether Europe is under diagnosing disorders like ADHD? Or, perhaps your have an incorrect understanding about ADHD diagnoses in the US?

Re: FDA approves new ADHD drug for children

#135

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Statistically, if you are diagnosed with ADHD, treatment actually significantly increases your life expectancy.

If I'm understanding this correctly, are you saying that untreated ADHD is more likely to result in suicide?

Suicide, obesity, substance addiction, even incarceration.

Re: FDA approves new ADHD drug for children

#136

Seems that lots of people only think ADHD people have a hard time paying attention. If it was that simple I would be so happy. Here are just a few of the things I struggle with. - Will power. People with ADHD struggle sooooo much with will power. It’s a constant struggle with everything in life and really wears you down. - Constantly putting on a fake front pretending you don’t have ADHD. - Rejection sensitivity - Fe…

How do you reconcile this with the observation that seemingly every single child in the United States is diagnosed with this condition and prescribed drugs to treat it? Watching from Europe, where roughly nobody is diagnosed with it nor prescribed drugs to treat it, I’m always baffled, fascinated and horrified watching Americans talk about it.

I've heard this so often, even from family. "It sounds like things everybody has to deal with".

It's infinitely more difficult with ADHD. I use phone apps to remind myself of everyday things and track my shopping lists. This may sound normal but it's a coping strategy and when it's gone I am unable to function as a normal human being. I cannot go shopping without a shopping list because I will grab things I think I need but that I actually do not need (which is why I have 3 glasses of chocolate spread for bread and 3 packs of cereal, but no bread or milk on most weekdays).

And I will point out that children in Europe are regularly treated for ADHD. I was treated for ADHD. As an adult however, it's impossible to be prescribed ADHD medication (all of which requires a prescription). In a lot of cases, coffee or other stimulants can help but aren't always available and don't fix it all.

Without suffering from ADHD, I'd say it's impossible to even comprehend the mental strain one experiences even for menial everyday tasks like remembering to brush your teeth (I require an app to remind me of doing that when it is not a workday, as my usual routine of going to work and going to bed early for a workday involves it. On weekends or vacation, I do not remember on my own to do basic things like that).

Re: FDA approves new ADHD drug for children

#137

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How do you reconcile this with the observation that seemingly every single child in the United States is diagnosed with this condition and prescribed drugs to treat it? Watching from Europe, where roughly nobody is diagnosed with it nor prescribed drugs to treat it, I’m always baffled, fascinated and horrified watching Americans talk about it.

I suspect that by: >People thinking it’s not a real condition. the person you're responding to meant statements like yours: >Frankly, the symptoms you describe apply to pretty much everybody, and are just the things one deals with in life. According to the NIH, prevalence of severe ADHD in children is around 4% [1]. This differs by degree from "the things one deals with in life" for most people - it's an extreme vers…

You’re right. I didn’t like that bit of my comment, and was in the process of lopping it off when you were composing your reply. Apologies for not getting the edit done in time.

Mostly I’m alarmed that so many parents are happy to put their small children on a lifetime supply of medicine for something that’s not immediately life threatening.

Re: FDA approves new ADHD drug for children

#138

Seems that lots of people only think ADHD people have a hard time paying attention. If it was that simple I would be so happy. Here are just a few of the things I struggle with. - Will power. People with ADHD struggle sooooo much with will power. It’s a constant struggle with everything in life and really wears you down. - Constantly putting on a fake front pretending you don’t have ADHD. - Rejection sensitivity - Fe…

How do you reconcile this with the observation that seemingly every single child in the United States is diagnosed with this condition and prescribed drugs to treat it? Watching from Europe, where roughly nobody is diagnosed with it nor prescribed drugs to treat it, I’m always baffled, fascinated and horrified watching Americans talk about it.

A quick google search show that diagnosis rates in Europe are only half the USA. That’s not that big a gap, and easily explained by cultural and institutional differences.

For example, a lot of parents do not treat their ADHD kids with medication. However getting the diagnoses allows for the kid to get an Individualized Educational Plan setup with their school district that makes exceptions to cater for their needs, like special counseling services. A medical diagnosis of ADHD, especially if untreated, is how you get into these special programs.

Re: FDA approves new ADHD drug for children

#139
post #136

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How do you reconcile this with the observation that seemingly every single child in the United States is diagnosed with this condition and prescribed drugs to treat it? Watching from Europe, where roughly nobody is diagnosed with it nor prescribed drugs to treat it, I’m always baffled, fascinated and horrified watching Americans talk about it.

I've heard this so often, even from family. "It sounds like things everybody has to deal with". It's infinitely more difficult with ADHD. I use phone apps to remind myself of everyday things and track my shopping lists. This may sound normal but it's a coping strategy and when it's gone I am unable to function as a normal human being. I cannot go shopping without a shopping list because I will grab things I think I n…

Caffeine can make it worse

Re: FDA approves new ADHD drug for children

#140

Seems that lots of people only think ADHD people have a hard time paying attention. If it was that simple I would be so happy. Here are just a few of the things I struggle with. - Will power. People with ADHD struggle sooooo much with will power. It’s a constant struggle with everything in life and really wears you down. - Constantly putting on a fake front pretending you don’t have ADHD. - Rejection sensitivity - Fe…

How do you reconcile this with the observation that seemingly every single child in the United States is diagnosed with this condition and prescribed drugs to treat it? Watching from Europe, where roughly nobody is diagnosed with it nor prescribed drugs to treat it, I’m always baffled, fascinated and horrified watching Americans talk about it.

you’re insinuating that adhd (or, executive functions disorders) don’t exist.

1. there is lots of evidence showing that “something” is wrong with lots of peoples executive functions and that this observed problem is hereditary.

2. this is pretty insensitive.

everybody does have these symptoms to some extent as you executive functions can’t be running 100% all the time. just like everyone has varying degrees of sight. it’s only a problem when it negatively impacts your life.

for someone with an executive function disorder the symptoms happen often enough and with enough severity to materially impact their ability to; do work, have friends, be organised etc.

not like, oh i forgot the milk (though, that happens) but like: “oh, i forgot i was brushing my teeth and now i’m searching for rubber gloves to replace the ones with a hole in from the kitchen, where did i leave my tooth brush?”

the meds impact people with an executive function disorder little differently too, they return executive function to normal. so, while you maybe amped up on amphetamines to some degree your head is clear , your ability to pick which questions to answer, which rabbit holes to explore, to maintain more than 1 thing in your head at a time is restored. for 4-8 hours a day you get to be somewhat like your peers.

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