Are Stimulants the Best Treatment for ADHD?

Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD), also known as Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD), is a widely misunderstood brain disorder that affects 1 in 13 Americans of all ages. Due to the fact that many of the symptoms of ADHD causes individuals to make social and professional mistakes, such as having difficulty keeping appointments, maintaining punctuality, or effectively listening when someone is speaking to them, people with ADHD are often discriminated against. To make matters worse, there is a large contingent of people who believe that ADHD is not a "real" disorder, and that people who suffer from it just need some "self-discipline" or need to "grow up."

Those who have the disease – many of them successful professionals in all walks of life – know that overcoming the symptoms of ADHD is not simply a matter of summoning internal grit and willpower. For those that have a moderate or severe form of the disorder, medical treatment is often necessary. In most cases that treatment comes in the form of a powerful stimulant like Adderall, Focalin, or Dexedrine.

Stimulants work by affecting the way the brain regulates its impulses in deciding what to give attention to; they accomplish this task by increasing the availability of chemicals in the brain known as neurotransmitters. They have proven to be effective over the long-term in helping people manage symptoms of inattention, impulsivity, and hyperactivity (the last being somewhat paradoxical, since stimulants provide more energy to the body; however, they help the brain direct that energy into productive ends).

Unfortunately, stimulants come with unpleasant – and occasionally dangerous – side effects. About four out of five people who take stimulants report that they experience a drastic loss in appetite and have difficulty sleeping at night, and a lack of proper nutrition and sleep can make the symptoms of ADHD worse. Others complain of stomachaches, headaches, increased blood pressure, and increased heart rates. Studies have shown that long-term use of stimulants are safe for most people, but there are some concerns about short-term use in people who accidentally take too much of their medication, which can cause serious discomfort and potential heart damage.

Many people who dislike taking stimulants have begun to seek out alternatives in managing ADHD, including a newer drug on the market called Strattera. There are also non-medication therapies rapidly emerging on the market, such as neurofeedback, which is 100% safe, non-invasive and has been shown in many cases to be just as effective as stimulants.