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ADHD drug treatment and risk of negative events and outcomes

bmj.com

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Re: ADHD drug treatment and risk of negative events and outcomes

#91

Post by tstrimple »

DrewADesign wrote: post #58
schlauerfox wrote: post #41

The youtube channel of ADHD science researcher Russell Barkley gave me the push to get diagnosis in my last year of undergrad and It was like lightning to see all my symptoms laid out since childhood in context of the underlying brain science. He does a lot of debunking of bad research too. Great channel.

In addition to confirming and quantifying my more obvious and problematic symptoms, the reaction time tests clearly showed my very mild impulsivity. Nobody I know would call me impulsive, and in the questionnaires I’d have said I wasn’t impulsive, even though I had a sense I was subconsciously resisting that tendency. The tests were too quick for my usual masking reflex, and while I was still ultimately diagnosed wit…

I'm not familiar with the reaction time test. Based on some reading I've done, ADHD is associated with higher variance in reaction time. Despite my ADHD symptoms, I've never thought reaction time was one of them. Quite the opposite really. The hours and hours honing my "skills" in first person shooters puts my reaction time and precision well above human average. But basically the only time I'm testing my reaction speeds is when headed towards those ADHD hits. The few times I've had opportunity to test it, it's felt very "game like" in science centers and places like that and I still have consistently fast reaction times.

The "clumsy" aspect is similar. I'm not clumsy. My balance and coordination are a little above average based on observations like rock hopping to cross streams while hiking.

Re: ADHD drug treatment and risk of negative events and outcomes

#92

Post by arcfour »

diob wrote: post #86
klipklop wrote: post #77

The irony about getting treatment for ADHD is that medical providers make it very hard to get the proper medication and treatment. People with ADHD are horrible at following through and handle rejection poorly. So the worse the ADHD is, the less likely somebody will be able to actually get treatment for it. A lot of people suffer because doctors fear losing their license like so many did during the pain pill debacle.…

Yeah, the journey to stimulants for me was long and painful, with a lot of procrastination on my part. And now even having them prescribed it is a pain dealing with the bureaucratic / expensive nightmare of USA health insurance.

What does the DEA have to do with US health insurance, exactly?

Re: ADHD drug treatment and risk of negative events and outcomes

#93

Post by viraptor »

teamonkey wrote: post #87
autoexec wrote: post #39

Not surprised. ADHD medications save lives, including the lives of others when it comes to things like preventing car accidents. I could even see it being required for driving the way corrective lenses can be.

That reminds me of an article I read which claimed that being diagnosed with ADHD will prevent you from being a commercial pilot. Pilots will avoid getting diagnosed and medicated because it will kill their career, even though medication may make them safer. (I suspect ADHD pilots would handle takeoff and landing very well, as well as emergencies, but oh god the checklists and schedules and that whole middle part of…

Pilot licences and any mental health issues seem to be a massive pain in general. Lots of people will avoid treatment/diagnosis to not get affected. Xyla has a video on it https://youtu.be/aj0H8oVS7qg + the Pilot Mental Health Campaign.

Re: ADHD drug treatment and risk of negative events and outcomes

#94

Post by eyelidlessness »

ravenstine wrote: post #3

Makes sense that methylphenidate helps with most of the things associated with classical ADHD symptoms but not with clumsiness that can lead to accidental injuries; or, in my case, just bruises on my shins all the time.

Only personal anecdata, but I’ve observed that I’m far less accident prone since I was diagnosed and have had consistent treatment. I noticed it without prompt, and it never occurred to me before that there would be any correlation.

I’ve also noticed I’m much less accident prone since I’ve been sober, which came a couple years later. I couldn’t say for certain which event correlates with a more pronounced improvement, but both have been quite pronounced.

That said, yes, I can still relate to bruised shins! I’m less accident prone, but still pretty far from immune.

Re: ADHD drug treatment and risk of negative events and outcomes

#95

Post by gopher_space »

arcfour wrote: post #92
diob wrote: post #86

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yeah, the journey to stimulants for me was long and painful, with a lot of procrastination on my part. And now even having them prescribed it is a pain dealing with the bureaucratic / expensive nightmare of USA health insurance.

What does the DEA have to do with US health insurance, exactly?

They get to decide how many of each pill manufacturers may produce each year, and how they’re controlled.

Re: ADHD drug treatment and risk of negative events and outcomes

#96

Post by lazide »

bluefirebrand wrote: post #13

I was diagnosed with ADHD in my early 30s and prescribed Concerta to help manage it For a few years being medicated for ADHD was a godsend. I was finally able to be more productive and focus on work, my career took off in a huge way, I've literally tripled my income since I started medication Now I'm incredibly burned out, I've been having pretty severe memory problems, I'm on medical leave from my job to try and cou…

The medication can help you do things that are beneficial and useful for you better.

It can also help you screw yourself more thoroughly, if you use it to do bad things for you.

Re: ADHD drug treatment and risk of negative events and outcomes

#97

Post by al_borland »

FollowingTheDao wrote: post #83
SubmarineClub wrote: post #82

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yeah, it's ridiculous. I've been taking medication for ADHD since the 3rd grade. Why in the good goddamn should I have to go in EVERY month for a refill for a medication I've been taking for over 20 years.

It’s the same thing for me and Klonopin and my psychosis. The Klonopin is the only thing that stops my psychosis yet they only give me 20 tablets at a time and since I’m homeless and driving around it’s really hard for me to get a new doctor and a new prescription. I’ve been taking it as needed for over nine years and they still can’t get it through their thick heads that I’m not gonna abuse it.

I was in the hospital after surgery and was being treated like an addict who was just there to get pills. It was madness. Like I willed by appendix to burst so I could get a little morphine or a xanax, that makes total sense.

Re: ADHD drug treatment and risk of negative events and outcomes

#98

Post by teamonkey »

alfiedotwtf wrote: post #56
skeezyboy wrote: post #47

Earlier quoted context omitted.

[flagged]

Needing to fix ADHD is itself a cultural thing. Back 100 years ago, you didn’t need an 8 hour attention span to sit at a desk staring at a monitor while the AC dries your eyeballs until they feel like foil scratching on a blackboard

100 or even 200 years ago there were industrial and bookkeeping jobs that would have been just as difficult for those with ADHD.

Re: ADHD drug treatment and risk of negative events and outcomes

#99

Post by TrackerFF »

I'm on Ritalin - which works for me. Where I'm from (Norway), getting a diagnosis is no walk in the park. Very extensive process, if you're adult.

At least the doctors I've seen, have all been very precautious in prescribing anything other than the basics. If Ritalin doesn't work for you, they'll obviously try something other...but my doctor told be straight up that it is a red flag when some patients will ask specifically for Adderall, as the potential for misuse is much higher. And for him, it was a last resort.

Re: ADHD drug treatment and risk of negative events and outcomes

#100

Post by teamonkey »

tstrimple wrote: post #91
DrewADesign wrote: post #58

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In addition to confirming and quantifying my more obvious and problematic symptoms, the reaction time tests clearly showed my very mild impulsivity. Nobody I know would call me impulsive, and in the questionnaires I’d have said I wasn’t impulsive, even though I had a sense I was subconsciously resisting that tendency. The tests were too quick for my usual masking reflex, and while I was still ultimately diagnosed wit…

I'm not familiar with the reaction time test. Based on some reading I've done, ADHD is associated with higher variance in reaction time. Despite my ADHD symptoms, I've never thought reaction time was one of them. Quite the opposite really. The hours and hours honing my "skills" in first person shooters puts my reaction time and precision well above human average. But basically the only time I'm testing my reaction sp…

Out of interest, how are you with fighting games (Steeet Fighter, Mortal Kombat etc.) and Souls-like games where you have to predict and parry at the correct moment?
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