To ask what happens if you take ADHD medication

[RestingandSmilingBFace]

...but you were misdiagnosed and actually it's trauma that makes you present in an ADHD way.

Anyway think they've had this experience?

I do believe ADHD is a thing but I also think it can be very tricky to work out if it's that your trauma.

Thank you

I'm guessing that if it's a stimulant adhd medication, instead of your brain being calmer, your thoughts would speed up. A bit like being high.

But don't they prescribe stimulants for both hyperactive and inactive ADHD anyway? So I don't think stimulants are as simple as that.

Depending on the dosage, probably not a huge amount. You'd still feel a focusing effect for a while I imagine - that's why ADHD meds are so popular as a 'street' drug for uni students in the US, you get shit done. But instead of focusing you to a 'can function' level, it's just sharpening what's already there.

When I take them I just feel 'able to do stuff'. So I imagine that, but if you can already do stuff, you'll just be extra productive. Probably not worth the associated strain on your heart etc.

I took adhd medicationfor a while and I realised what it like to feel normal. My friend took some of mine it was like she was on speed... If its not suitable it's obvious

My son was given ADHD meds and it was horrific; he couldn't sleep for nights on end and I was incredibly worried about his safety.

He said there were three songs playing in his head at once; the stimulant kind are very much not for everyone.

@beeskipa but what if the reason you can't do stuff is because of trauma not ADHD. Trauma symptoms can present just like ADHD.

Yes they prescribe stimulants for both types of ADHD. If you don't have ADHD though they would have a different effect.

My DD is much calmer and motivated after her medication. Most people, who don't have ADHD, would be the reverse and would completely hyper after taking them.

I had the same effect of having a couple of strong coffees and was very productive.

I don't have ADHD, but I had adderall prescribed in my 30s to counteract the sedative effects of antipsychotic medication.

Do you and your friend have any idea how dangerous that is?

I know that trauma changes the brain. So I guess what I am really wondering is if trauma makes your brain as if you are ADHD or if it just presents like ADHD and the difference in the brain is different.

My girlfriends mum died when she was 4.5 years old. She doesn't remember her mum and thinks she is unaffected by it as she has no memory of her mum being around or her actually dieing. She presents like she has ADHD. Struggles to listen to people. Is scatty. Is ALWAYS busy, doesn't like silences. Can't relax.

My concern with her going to an ADHD assessment is that if you asked her if she suffers from childhood trauma she would say no. And there's no way of checking if her behaviour was like it was before her mum died anyway. Her dad died recently. So how is anyone to know why she is the way she is....apart from being diagnosed ADHD and then going on the meds and then them not working!

To get an adhd diagnosis, the symptoms have to have been present in childhood. The diagnostic process is thorough and will look at differential diagnosis. It won’t be mid/diagnosed.

To answer the medication question, the first time I took Adhd meds, I cried because my mind went quiet. I just broke down and sobbed because I felt so calm.

Sorry - misdiagnosed. Fat thumbs.

"So I guess what I am really wondering is if trauma makes your brain as if you are ADHD or if it just presents like ADHD and the difference in the brain is different."

Firstly, people aren‘t ADHD, they may have ADHD, but you can[t say someone is ADHD.

Secondly, why are you so keen for her not to have ADHD? If she goes for an assessment, they‘ll be able to tell her whether they believe she has it or not and I suspect they‘re far more qualified than you are to make that call. She may not use the word trauma, but they may well ask her questions about her past and draw their own conclusions.

If she‘s generally struggling, why would you not want her to pursue this and see if medication helps her? Even in the unlikely event she was misdiagnosed and prescribed medication, she would soon find out it didn‘t work.

Let the experts decide whether she has it or not.

They won’t work (apart from placebo effect) and may get side effects from too much dopamine—ranging from headaches, loss of appetite, and jitteriness to elevated blood pressure, palpitations, and insomnia. And the person is likely to feel a bit sluggish and maybe even have low mood, since you've just overloaded the brain with more dopamine than it needs.

Trauma can’t make you present like ADHD at all. You’d present with PTSD symptoms.

I am curious as to why u would think you would be more qualified than an actual professional who assesses if people have adhd ? If your friend doesn't have adhd then they will not be assessed with adhd. It's a thorough process. Regardless of what some resent bias bbc documentary was trying to show.

The only trauma I know that can cause acquired ADHD is a brain injury due to banging your head.
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-distracted-couple/201510/why-do-brain-injuries-look-adhd

so psychological trauma can’t do it, it would have to be physical trauma causing a brain injury.

@FlyingUnicornWings how can they know if her symptoms were there before her mum died?

@Whichclubisittonight

Firstly, people aren‘tADHD, they may have ADHD, but you can[t say someoneisADHD.

Well I actually prefer ADHDifferent. I believe in the neurodiversity movement. Similarly people are Autistic they don't have autism.

Secondly, why are you so keen for her not to have ADHD?

I am keen for her to get the support she needs and an accurate diagnosis.

It would actually be more simple if she did have ADHD/ is ADHDifferent as she is open to having ADHD. She is not open to exploring her trauma...IF she has it.

If she goes for an assessment, they‘ll be able to tell her whether they believe she has it or not and I suspect they‘re far more qualified than you are to make that call.

Of course they are more qualified to make the call. I'm not trying to diagnose her. I'm on a forum to help my understanding. It was me who suggested ADHD to her. She had never considered it before I talked to her about it.

She may not use the word trauma, but they may well ask her questions about her past and draw their own conclusions.

That sounds reassuring. Thank you

If she‘s generally struggling, why would you not want her to pursue this and see if medication helps her?

I do want her to persue it. And I also want her to be open minded about the effects of her mum dieing.

Maybe.... she is in fact, NOT traumatised by the death of her mother?

You've assumed she must be, but its entirely possible she is not.

In my previous clinical life I used to do ADHD assessments for children and teenagers. A lot of kids presented with an ADHD type picture due to neglect/abuse /other adverse childhood experiences. Some were likely born with ADHD. However given ACEs affect how your brain develops in terms of the neural pathways during times of intense brain development whatever the causation it's an ADHD type picture. Sometimes trauma based therapy for children AND their carers can "reset" the brain but it's pretty hard to come by that type of therapy.

I've since discovered I have ADHD and likely had it all my life. Seeing as I'm nearly 50 I'm not going down the meds route as I've learnt other strategies to deal with it and also not to take on too much and overwhelm myself.

Trauma may present as adhd but the brain is not the same, therefore stimulant meds won’t have the same effect on the trauma impacted brain.
If you don’t have adhd meds will not have the significant calming, clarity or organising effect etc. If you don’t get these benefits it doesn’t mean you don’t have adhd, it could mean the dose is wrong or you don’t benefit from stimulants

But if an overreaction, no? <Thinks back to the vast amounts of recreational amphetamines we took in the 90s>

ADHD meds are very mild!

If trauma causes executive dysfunction that looks like adhd, then adhd meds will at least help the executive function issues, but obviously can't fix the underlying trauma. It's quite hard sometimes to get the meds right so it's not as simple as it pointing to a misdiagnosis if they don't work straightaway.
Are you concerned about side effects? I don't understand why you don't want her to try the adhd meds and see.
Untangling what is trauma and what is adhd when the trauma occurred at such a young age is going to be almost impossible anyway. You can suggest psychotherapy, but just because someone suffers something very difficult doesn't automatically mean they would end up traumatised.

My concern with her going to an ADHD assessment is that if you asked her if she suffers from childhood trauma she would say no

I wasn't asked this?

I do have c-PTSD which was diagnosed separately from ADHD and also autism.

Then the ADHD meds wouldn't work.
And you may have both. There's enough issues with medicos forgetting that coexist without it being backed up on random chats tbh.
Trauma therapy works for trauma. ADHD meds work for ADHD.