How does medication help ADHD

[quietheart]

Looking for information and advice from people on ADHD meds. My DH is being assessed, there is no doubt he has it but has been given many MH diagnosis over the years. He is really pinning his hopes on being prescribed meds that work. He feels that his decades of MH struggles have a lot to do with untreated ADHD. He has been waiting years for an assessment but is currently an inpatient so hopefully it can be addressed while they review him.

So those are my reasons for asking. How long do they take to work or get the right one. Mostly though what difference do they make can anyone explain? Can medication really help your executive function where you can concentrate, organise and get tasks done?

Contrary to lots of people’s understanding, ADHD medications are actually stimulants. By taking the stimulant, the body no longer has to work so hard to produce dopamine (e.g. by doing something other than the boring thing you’re trying to focus on) so people can concentrate better.

DS has been taking medication for the last few years. He tried one, which suppressed his appetite too much and gave him stomach aches, then a second, which seems to work well. He chooses not to take it on days when he will already be very active, and just to use it on days he needs to concentrate.

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/attention-deficit-hyperactivity-disorder-adhd/treatment/

(ADHD isn’t a mental health issue btw. It’s a neurological condition)

I hope your DH finds a solution he’s comfortable with.

There are however, non stimulant medications available and which are commonly used. Stimulants aren't necessarily right for everyone and non stimulants are a good option for people who cannot tolerate the side effects of Methylphenidate or amphetamine.

@quietheart in fact more than half of adults eventually prescribed adhd meds have previously been prescribed at least 2 different antidepressants. Either through misdiagnosis or untreated adhd leading to depressive symptoms. So your dh should be very hopeful that adhd meds will give him a path out.

Importantly you could help him manage his expectations. Titration (getting the right meds and dose) can take quite a long time, and trialling drugs that don’t work for you or have unpleasant side effects for you can be difficult and needs some determination. Keeping the end goal in mind will help
him persist (as persistence can be especially tricky if you have adhd!).

On the other hand some people are really well suited to the first drug that they try. Although there will still be a delay of maybe 6 weeks whilst the dose is very slowly increased.

Furthermore, adhd meds don’t “cure” adhd. They will alleviate some symptoms, but maybe not all symptoms. When the drug leaves the body the symptoms will return. But being on the meds will allow the individual a much better opportunity to develop mechanisms and strategies that support him and help manage the symptoms.

Thank you. I put this in MH as my DH has been treated for depression for decades. Is there a better place for it, where I could ask for it to be moved to? He has seen a neuropsychiatrist this week, who agrees the ADHD needs to be addressed.

This is a good explanation of how the different meds work - https://www.cambscommunityservices.nhs.uk/docs/default-source/bedfordshire-childrens-services/Beds-ADHDHD---Comm-Paeds/how-do-adhd-medications-work---an-interactive-guide.pdf?sfvrsn=0

My understanding is that they have an incredibly high efficacy rate - this means that for most people they will work and make their lives better. It doesn't mean that they work for everybody, as we are all different. Meds may well help your DH but he may also need talking therapy and/or occupational therapy to help build the skills he needs to manage day to day life.

Good luck to you both

@AshGirl thank you, I cant get the link to open but I will search it.