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LocalPCGuy 14 hours ago

Not going to get into a back/forth due to the pseudo-conspiracy end, just stating that this is significantly inaccurate.

Those are some possible outcomes, yes, but it is not a black/white thing, and that is actually WHY it's important to work with a qualified doctor to monitor medication, effects, dosage and so on, and make adjustments as necessary.

Different medications work very differently as it relates to dopamine, uptake, production, etc. And there are also non-stimulant medications that may be effective for some folks.

erlich 13 hours ago | parent [-]

Amphetamine used to be legal.

As an example, President JFK received regular injections containing high doses of amphetamines from his personal physician.

Then the risk of abuse and side-effects in the population were observed and it was banned.

Did JFK have ADHD? No, it just helped him with energy levels. Like it would anyone.

There are no conclusive bio-markers for ADHD. Therefore its not possible to say who doesn't have it and should not get stimulant medication.

The only commonality is that there is an impairment. It's not possible to say: this person has difficulty focusing and has ADHD but this person has difficulty focusing but doesn't have ADHD.

The board of psychiatrists who decide what symptoms constitute it just essentially make it up.

The only thing that is real and measurable is the level of impairment to someone's life.

Stimulant medications works, but it would work for anyone regardless of an ADHD cause. ADHD is like a catch-all for people who can't focus that doesn't match any other condition that could be resolved differently.

Stimulant medication definitely carries risks and health impacts. This is black and white.

LocalPCGuy 10 hours ago | parent [-]

You seem to have your mind made up, so just gonna say that for anyone else reading this, this is not accurate or scientific information. Lacks an understanding of how the medication works, the differences in kinds of medications. The fact it used to be legal is not relevant. Misrepresents how ADHD is diagnosed, the criteria for it (by professionals), and even to a lesser extent the biomarkers statement.

erlich 6 hours ago | parent [-]

Everything I have said is explained with citations here: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9189308/

LocalPCGuy 3 hours ago | parent [-]

I skimmed over that paper, and may do a deeper dive later, although doesn't really seem worth it. I thought it was going to be a scientific study, but it reads more like a essay from two authors with a specific viewpoint trying to convince others, via slanted/biased text, that other text and language is baising an entire industry and population? I find that questionable at best.

And while the authors made a lot of claims, and cited some other studies, they don't really, IMO, prove their point in any scientifically valid way, or even as a solid, well-formed argument. Add in that the authors are sociologists, not neuroscientists or psychiatrists/psychologists, and it makes me question both their claims and understanding of the topic.

I did catch that one of their main points (that you mentioned as well) boils down to not having a physical test or clear biomarker. But that applies to nearly all psychiatric conditions. Saying the absence of those kinds of tests is the same as the absence of a real condition ignores the research that has been done demonstrating functional impairment (including twin studies, some indications of genetic heritability). The paper presents a specific sociological viewpoint, and that isn't the current scientific consensus.

Like I said, probably not gonna convince you, just dropping this for others that might see the essay link and think it might actually provide validity when it does not. That essay does not really make significant arguments against ADHD.

It does present good warnings to be aware of pressures that would distort diagnosis and I do think there is good reason to be cautious about over diagnosing, or diagnosing by unqualified personnel, both of which do happen of course. But the article goes too far beyond that.

LocalPCGuy 3 hours ago | parent [-]

Because others can say this much better and with better sources and citation than I can, both directly address many of the criticisms made in the essay shared and the faulty reasoning based on it.

International Consensus Statement on ADHD: https://www.russellbarkley.org/factsheets/Consensus2002.pdf

The World Federation of ADHD International Consensus Statement: 208 Evidence-based conclusions about the disorder: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33549739/