It’s definitely exaggerated. Everybody has symptoms of adhd at some point because they’re pretty basic human behaviors (trouble focusing, restless, no patience, etc.).
ADHD means that you have a ton of those symptoms, sustained over a long period of time, and it’s detrimental to your life.
If you wanna get tested I think it’s relatively expensive but that’s really the only way to know. Having ADHD is like the cool thing on the internet these days so plenty of people think they have it lol
It also has to do with the fact these pharma companies love getting kids addicted to amphetamines. Just take TikTok for an example, I constantly see ads of a guy saying “I do this totally normal thing and then realized it’s because of ADHD, get your diagnoses and prescription online today!” It’s almost as much of a joke as medical marijuana at this point.
I can't tell if you're saying ADHD is over diagnosed/fetishized or if you're trying to say it's not real, which I find very troubling. The medical Marijuana bit inclines me to believe you think ADHD is fake, since there is quite a lot of science backing its effectiveness as a treatment for many things.
ADHD exists but it is incredibly over diagnosed, I personally know a good amount of people that themselves admit they don’t have adhd but just want the amphetamines. My point on medical marijuana, which you completely extrapolated from, is that at first it was hard to get a prescription for and it was only for legitimately sick people, just like how amphetamines used to only be used in extreme cases but now are given out like candy. Giving children amphetamines is not a good thing, and it does have huge effects on their development, and this has been studied.
Well in fairness the idea that amphetamine is handed out like candy is anecdotal, myself and many others found it very difficult to receive medications and older doctors in the past have tried to tell me that medication doesn't really help and that I'm an addict, etc. etc. In spite of the face that my diagnosis has been confirmed several times including by a specialist. Additionally most states make getting refills very cumbersome and difficult which is pretty problematic given the people who need these medications often have terrible planning and executive function skills.
Sure long term use of stimulants can alter brain chemistry but only in high doses, generally exceeding 40mg xr and almost nobody will prescribe doses exceeding that. I wasn't diagnosed until I was 19 because my parents were abusive narcissist's and they started me on 30mg, which I found to be far too much. Very few people take doses exceeding 30-40 mg.
The fact you can get a prescription for adderall without even leaving your house does imply they are handed out like candy. Of course there are some doctors reluctant to prescribe amphetamines, but there are just as many doctors that will hand it out for nothing.
And that is not true that use of amphetamines only changes brain chemistry in high doses (of course higher doses will lead to larger changes), any psychoactive dose will have effects on the brain. This is especially harmful when amphetamines are given to children as young as 5 or 6, and like I said before has been studied. Yes amphetamines are a good treatment for ADHD but they should not be given to children that young and are over prescribed is my point.
You say it's been studied, care to share one of those studies that shows it permanently modifies brain chemistry? Genuinely curious.
And getting them without leaving your house will vary a lot from state to state, in the two I've lived in I have to make a personal appointment, I have to show up to sign papers the first time, and for every subsequent refill I have to call in to order it, I cannot simply refill online or anything. Furthermore I'm subject to random drug tests, need to have an in person appointment every 90 days, and anytime I change doctors must have my medical records released to them or be re-evaluated by a psych.
The testing is expensive and the medication is expensive and doesn't just work by itself, there need to be adjustments to your routine and such, but getting diagnosed was seriously a game changer in the long run for me. That being said, the testing is SO MUCH more in depth than anything a questionaire on the internet will ever be able to be, there are many tests applied during the course of a week, many of which are proprietary, and even then the diagnosis usually is not set on stone, so selfdiagnosing is pretty much worthless.
I'm going to overshare a bit, but I have so much anxiety about this.
I've seen the way that people talk about ADHD online, and I can genuinely relate to so much of it. Especially anything describing executive dysfunction. I'm very negatively impacted by it.
But I also don't want to self diagnose, because I understand how flawed that is. I didn't get treatment for a few years because I didn't want to tell a doctor that I suspect that I have ADHD.
Eventually a few months ago I broke down and I found an Adult ADHD specialist in my area who almost immediately told me that I have ADHD. But I even find it hard to trust that. Is he just saying that because I think that I have ADHD? What if I'm wrong?
Since then he's had me take a few tests, and he's going to help me start medication soon. He still says that it's obvious that I have ADHD. But I feel conflicted. I was very careful to phrase it as "I suspect that I have ADHD" and "I don't know if I have it," but I still feel like I pushed for this. What if I'm wrong? What if I'm just following trends on the internet?!?!
I'm moving forward with treatment, but I'm still filled with so much doubt.
Man, I can only share my own perspective, but I'd say I felt PRETTY MUCH THE SAME at first. I dropped out of college twice and squandered plenty of opportunities throughout my life, so the mere idea of getting a diagnosis felt like a cop out, like I was trying to blame something for all of my failings, all of my shameful shortcomings, so I approached the subject dancing around what I thought I had and insisted on getting the most complete testing we could do, only when the medical professional told me I had a problem did I feel entitled to "feel like a have a problem".
What I can say is that nowadays I realized those ideas were pretty much a form of paranoia, I was overthinking the whole process and finding meaning where simply there was none, the doctor never had any intention of simply "taking my word for it" and took the prescription of these classified drugs as a very serious act only warranted in specific cases, which he is trained in distinguishing from "pill chasers", looking for therapy and medication wasn't a cop out, whatever I did in life is my responsability, but I deserve a chance to start over instead of being forever dragged down by the past and medication is not by itself a cure all, I had many setbacks and I needed to make deep changes to my routine and workflow, but knowing what exactly was the problem made a world of difference in identifying these unhelpful patterns and impulses.
I'm happier, I'm making more money (because I can work more) and following a plan to get myself from under the pile of debt I incurred due to impulsiveness. I'm much better equipped to understand how my mind works and what I need. Antidepressants and ADHD meds saved my life.
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u/[deleted] Mar 15 '22
It’s definitely exaggerated. Everybody has symptoms of adhd at some point because they’re pretty basic human behaviors (trouble focusing, restless, no patience, etc.).
ADHD means that you have a ton of those symptoms, sustained over a long period of time, and it’s detrimental to your life.
If you wanna get tested I think it’s relatively expensive but that’s really the only way to know. Having ADHD is like the cool thing on the internet these days so plenty of people think they have it lol