There was probably a more concise way to phrase the title, but I couldn’t think of it.
Anyway, I am referring to the amphetamine-type ADHD medications, such as Ritalin, Focalin, etc. I have heard anecdotally that if you administer these medications to someone that does not have ADHD, they will make the person hyperactive, jittery, etc. – basically all the things you would expect from giving someone a dose of speed. But if you give it to someone who genuinely has ADHD, that person will experience an improvement in concentration and focusing abilities. Is this true? It seems like this would be a great diagnostic backup for ADHD - if we give medication and the kid goes completely hyperactive, well, he didn’t have ADHD, no?
I would ask up-front that people stick to the GQ here and avoid debate over whether ADHD is a real disease, whether it is overdiagnosed, etc. I am just interested in the answer to my question about how the medications work on different people’s brains.
Thanks.