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by dragonwriter
598 days ago
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> I think their opinion is along the lines of “no one is ‘inflicted’ by ADHD, and there is also no permanent cure for it, because the disorder can simply be redefined as being those who are in the lowest quartile or even the lowest 10% of X, Y, Z cognitive metrics.” That's not how ADHD is defined, though. > Imagine there were a pill that could boost your IQ score by 25% but in order to receive a prescription you need to have an IQ in the lowest quartile. Such a pill could also help already smart people simply become smarter. Yeah, that's a nice hypothetical but that's not how ADHD meds work; boosting dopamine out of the normal range does not continue to have beneficial impacts to executive function, instead it leads to anxiety, insomnia, aggression, and hallucinations. That's one of the reasons dosing for ADHD meds tends to start on the low end and be carefully titrated up to what works for the individual. |
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How is it defined?
> that's not how ADHD meds work
Are you saying no one without ADHD takes prescribed medication?
When I was in college people with prescriptions would sell their pills for $5-10 each (10+ years ago in Boston). That’s $300 for a month supply purchased by fellow students who weren’t diagnosed, but used it to cram for exams and studying and concentrating during exams.
If what you say is true, then the free market (black market) for adderall wouldn’t be so lucrative.
Perhaps you haven’t been exposed to the plethora of Instagram ads convincing kids they have ADD based on a 5 question survey and prescribed without any other criteria besides “is trouble concentrating impacting your work or personal life?” - these days it’s literally that simple, quick telegealth appointment, say concentrating impacts your work life, and there you have it, you officially have ADD.
This thread is going on a ton of tangents. My original point was simply that diagnosis is subjective and relative to the people around you. Second point is the meds will help anyone who takes it with improving concentration and making it possible to increase productivity substantially not just for short bursts but for extended periods of time (months/years). I think both points still stand
(And none of what I’m saying invalidates the seriousness of the disorder for people who “really have it”. I fully believe there are people who find the condition truly debilitating. But there are also loads of people who are diagnosed through instagram or TikTok ads because “concentrating is hard” and “motivation is difficult” and other obvious statements that resonate with a majority of college kids, for example)