Treatment of ADHD with medications improves life outcome

The bias against medications used to treat ADHD , specifically stimulant medications, reinforces the general impression that these medications put children, teens, and adults with ADHD at risk of serious adverse consequences. The risks of nottreating ADHD are much, much higher. Yes, a small percentage of persons prescribed medications experience adverse effects, most of which are gone within a few days of stopping the medication, when it is prescribed appropriately and used only in the manner intended.

Stimulant medications have very different effects in people without accurately diagnosed ADHD – euphoria, having a tremendous boost in energy, and addiction among them. The positive (sic) effects diminish quickly, leading the person to seek higher dosages, and easily becoming addicted. But people with ADHD who take a dosage higher than optimal, seeking higher benefit from the medication, feel worse! They get headaches, rapid and pounding heart rate, irritability, and/or flat affect (not interacting with others, not their usual selves) among others) ; they do not get high, they have no incentive to take more and more. 

Diversion of medications is a problem. People who take it for the high or to party or to study more or drink more put themselves at risk. Limiting diversion is the responsibility of the prescribers, pharmacies, and patients to whom it is appropriately prescribed, all of them. Limiting supply of medication is not the answer, that denies treatment to those who need it and does not limit diversion significantly. The item below is based on large-scale studies and cited in the World Federation of ADHD Consensus Statement.

Not treating ADHD with medications is more dangerous than using medications to treat it. (assuming that the diagnosis is made after appropriate evaluation by a professional trained in doing so, medication type and dosages optimized specific to the individual, and are re-evaluated on a regular basis, every 3 months at least). 

“Treatment with ADHD medications reduces accidental injuries, traumatic brain injury, substance abuse, cigarette smoking, educational underachievement, bone fractures, sexually transmitted infections, depression, suicide, criminal activity, and teenage pregnancy “ 

[This is one of 208 statements about ADHD found in the World Federation of ADHD International Consensus Statement  , Published in Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews, Sept 2021, Issue 128, pages 789-818. doi: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.01.02]

From www.adhdevidence.org

What is the impact of ADHD on patients and families?

ADHD is a disorder associated with serious distress and/or impairments in living. Although, as documented below, many severe adverse outcomes have been associated with ADHD, the typical patient does not experience all, or even most, of these problems. Many patients live enjoyable and productive lives, especially if they receive treatment.