ADHD | +50 articles

[mr peabody]

What are the symptoms of ADHD in adults?*

by Timothy Huzar | 25 March 2019

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is a type of neurodevelopmental disorder. Although people typically associate this condition with children, it often persists into adulthood. Symptoms include disorganization, restlessness, and an inability to focus.

According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, 60 percent of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in the United States will continue to have the disorder as adults. As a result, about 4 percent of the adult population in the U.S. has ADHD.

ADHD can present in three different ways:

- predominantly inattentive ADHD
- predominantly hyperactive-impulsive ADHD
- a combination of inattentive and hyperactive-impulsive ADHD

A person who has inattentive ADHD might have trouble paying attention or may struggle to stay organized. A person with hyperactive-impulsive ADHD may feel as though they are always restless or find that they make impulsive decisions.

How symptoms differ in children and adults

Each of these three types of ADHD can affect both children and adults. However, the symptoms of each type can often be different in adulthood than in childhood.

The symptoms can also change with age, which means that a person may move from having one type of ADHD to another as they become older.

A person's sex can also influence their symptoms. According to an article in The Primary Care Companion for CNS Disorders, females are typically older than males when they receive a diagnosis of ADHD. They are also more likely to present with inattentive ADHD and to experience anxiety or depression alongside this disorder.

As a result, and because females with ADHD often develop better coping strategies than males, doctors are more likely to overlook or misdiagnose their ADHD symptoms.

Below are the typical symptoms of ADHD. Not everyone will have all of these symptoms, and the way in which they affect a person's behavior will be specific to that person.

Inability to focus

A person with ADHD might find it difficult to stay focused on a particular task or a conversation that they are having. They may become easily distracted or find that they often make mistakes at work.

Disorganization

It can be challenging for some people with ADHD to stay organized. They may forget to take important possessions with them or lose items that they need to complete a task.

Restlessness

ADHD can cause people to fidget and find it difficult to stay in one place or do recreational activities quietly. They may feel as though a motor drives them to always be on the go.

Impulsiveness

At times, a person with ADHD may talk excessively or interrupt other people without waiting their turn. They might find that they often intrude on other people's activities or make sudden decisions without considering whether they are the best course of action.

Diagnosis

Diagnosing ADHD is not a straightforward process. Only a mental health professional, such as a psychologist, physician, or clinical social worker, can make the diagnosis.

The organization Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (CHADD) recommend checking whether the mental health professional has specific experience of working with people with ADHD.

A mental health professional will take many factors into account when determining if a person has ADHD and what type they have.

According to CHADD, these factors include the number of symptoms that a person has, the severity and duration of these symptoms, and whether they negatively affect a person's quality of life.

The professional will also consider if other health conditions could be causing symptoms similar to those of ADHD.

According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), an adult only has ADHD if they experienced symptoms before the age of 12 years. It may be necessary to speak to other people who knew the individual as a child to help determine whether their behavior when they were young could indicate ADHD.

When to see a doctor

If a person finds that their behavior is having a significant adverse effect on their quality of life or that of a loved one, they should speak to a doctor.

*From the article here:

Adult ADHD symptoms list

The symptoms of ADHD in adults vary depending on the type of ADHD, but they may include disorganization and restlessness. Learn more about adult ADHD symptoms here.

www.medicalnewstoday.com

 

[mr peabody]

1 in 3 kids with ADHD receive no school intervention

Science News | March 5, 2019

One in three students with ADHD received no school-based interventions and two of three received no classroom management, researchers found in the largest study of children and teens with ADHD ever conducted. At least one in five students with ADHD who experience significant academic and social impairment - those most in need of services - received no school intervention. The gap was particularly evident for adolescents and youth from non-English-speaking and/or lower income families.

At least one in five students with ADHD receive no school services despite experiencing significant academic and social impairment, a gap particularly evident for adolescents and youth from non-English-speaking and/or lower-income families, researchers found in the largest study of children and teens with ADHD ever conducted.

The new findings are based on data on 2,495 youth with ADHD aged 4 to 17 years from across the United States, collected through the National Survey of the Diagnosis and Treatment of ADHD and Tourette Syndrome. The survey, the largest to date of parents of youth with ADHD, documents the extent to which students receive school services, the types of services they receive and the factors that may predict what kinds of services they receive.

"We found that although the majority of students were currently receiving one or more school services, few received support to manage their behavior, and at least one out of five students did not receive any school support despite experiencing significant educational impairment," said lead author George DuPaul, professor of school psychology and associate dean for research in the College of Education at Lehigh University. "The gap between impairment and service receipt was particularly evident for adolescents with ADHD and for youth with ADHD from non-English speaking and/or low-income families."

The research appears in the Journal of Attention Disorders, in the article "Predictors of Receipt of School Services in a National Sample of Youth With ADHD," co-authored by DuPaul with Andrea Chronis-Tuscano of the University of Maryland (College Park) and Melissa Danielson and Susanna Visser of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

ADHD linked to social and academic impairment

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) occurs in 2 to 15 percent of young children, with 11 percent of children in the U.S. receiving an ADHD diagnosis at some point in their lives. The chronic condition, which often lasts through adolescence and adulthood, is marked by persistent inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity.

Students with ADHD are at higher risk for grade retention, underachievement, identification for special education services, and school dropout and are at a higher risk of learning disabilities. Students with ADHD also exhibit academic performance difficulties as a function of lower rates of on-task behavior and work completion. Adolescents with ADHD show deficits in reading, math and spelling compared to their peers. ADHD is also associated with social impairment, such as difficulty interacting with peers and adult authority figures, building and sustaining friendships and experiencing higher rates of peer rejection.

The scope and severity of functional impairment experienced by youth with ADHD in academic and social domains often makes school-based intervention and services necessary, the researchers said. Previous studies have shown that school-based interventions improve classroom behavior and academic performance. Students with ADHD may also qualify for individualized instruction and related special education services, through an individualized education program (IEP) or educational accommodations under the federal disability civil rights code.

Few studies have examined the extent to which students with ADHD receive school-based support and intervention services, and this is the first to look at these issues in a national sample across elementary, middle and high school students.

For the study, school services included school-based educational support, intervention or accommodation (such as tutoring, extra help from a teacher, preferential seating, extra time to complete work, or being enrolled in special education) and classroom management (such as reward systems, behavioral modification or a daily report card). Parents were also asked if their child had an IEP or 504 plan.

1 in 3 students receive no school-based interventions

The study found that about one in three students with ADHD received no school-based interventions and two of three received no classroom management, representing a major gap in addressing chronic impairment related to ADHD symptoms. One-fifth of students with ADHD who experience significant academic and social impairment -- those most in need of services -- received no school intervention. Nearly one in four students had repeated a grade and one in six had been expelled from school. Middle and high school students with ADHD were significantly less likely than elementary school students to receive any type of school service (except 504 plans), despite generally similar, if not worse, impairment and higher risk for academic failure and expulsion.

"We expected that most students with ADHD would be receiving some form of support, but were surprised that so few were receiving services to manage their behavior (the latter being the primary difficulty that students with this disorder experience)," DuPaul said. "We expected that there would be disparities in service receipt based on age (ie. teens received less support) and race/ethnicity; however we were surprised with the extent to which these gaps were evident and the magnitude of the disparities."

"The impairment vs. services gap is a serious issue given that these students are at higher-than-average risk for educational underachievement and school dropout," DuPaul said. "The finding that youth from non-English-speaking families are far less likely to have a 504 educational support plan than youth from English-speaking families indicates the need for educators to advocate for and assist non-English-speaking families in obtaining necessary school services for their children with ADHD," he added.

"These findings have direct implications for educational policy and practices and should be of interest to parents and individuals with ADHD, teachers and other educational professionals, mental health professionals and policy makers," the researchers said.

"Children with ADHD may benefit from initiatives to proactively identify students with this disorder and directly target their specific impairments with evidence-based intervention approaches," they concluded. "Furthermore, families of secondary-school students and youth from non-English-speaking and/or low socioeconomic status backgrounds may benefit when bilingual mental health professionals work to increase awareness of and access to effective school supports and interventions."

1 in 3 students with ADHD receive no school interventions

One in three students with ADHD received no school-based interventions and two of three received no classroom management, researchers found in the largest study of children and teens with ADHD ever conducted. At least one in five students with ADHD who experience significant academic and social...

www.sciencedaily.com

 

[mr peabody]

Some ADHD medications have DOUBLE the risk of psychosis

Reuters | 21 March 2019

Children and young adults with attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) who are treated with the stimulants amphetamine or methylphenidate face a small but significant risk of developing psychosis, with amphetamine products twice as likely to spark a problem, researchers say.

The odds of a child developing psychosis - hearing voices or having hallucinations or delusions - after receiving one of the prescription stimulants was about 1 in 660, the study team reports in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Among 110,923 patients getting amphetamine (Adderall, Adzenys XR-ODT, others), 237 subsequently received a psychosis diagnosis, or 0.21 percent.

In the same-sized group prescribed methylphenidate (Concerta, Ritalin, Daytrana, others), there were 106 episodes, or 0.10 percent.

'The psychotic events are rare. But if you think of it on a public health scale, because these drugs are prescribed to millions of children, that could account for thousands of cases of additional risk,' lead author Dr. Lauren Moran, a psychiatrist at McLean Hospital in Belmont, Massachusetts, told Reuters Health in a telephone interview.

About 5 million adolescents and young adults in the US take such drugs for ADHD. The study found that from 2005 to 2014, amphetamine prescriptions ballooned nearly four-fold while prescriptions for methylphenidate rose 60 percent.

The findings are not a complete surprise. In 2007 the U.S. Food and Drug Administration required stimulant manufacturers to warn that their products might unexpectedly cause psychotic or manic symptoms.

The new study was designed to see if amphetamine or methylphenidate posed a higher risk, especially when amphetamine seems to produce some of the same brain changes seen in psychosis.

The study focused on patients aged 13 to 25 who started taking either of the two types of stimulant between 2004 and 2015 after a diagnosis of ADHD.

It did not look at younger children, Moran said, because most cases of psychosis show up in adolescence and young adulthood.

'I don't know if we have enough information to see if we should start with one medication or another because the events were so rare,' said Dr Rebecca Baum, section chief of development and behavioral pediatrics at Nationwide Children's Hospital in Columbus, Ohio.

'Parents and practitioners will be concerned about whether or not stimulants cause psychotic disorders,' said Dr Joel Stoddard, a pediatric psychiatrist with Children's Hospital Colorado in Aurora.

'This study does not address that concern because it lacks a critical comparison group,' he said in an email, 'so it's not known what the risk is for adolescents and young adults with a comparable risk of mental health problems who are not taking the stimulants.'

'The authors also didn't look at what happened after that psychotic event," Baum said. 'Was it something that resolved quickly? Was it something that persisted?'

'The next step is to identify risk factors that actually increase one's risk, so we can narrow down who really is at increased risk with Adderall,' Moran said.

'I don't want this study misinterpreted where people want to take their kids off Adderall when it's been helpful and they've been on it for a long time,' she added.

'This study was done on new users,' Moran stressed. 'If someone has been on Adderall, they're tolerating it well, it's helpful for their symptoms, and they're taking it as prescribed, there's really not much cause for concern.'

It typically took four months after starting a stimulant for psychosis to surface.

'But it seems like doctors are prescribing it without even considering the other drug,' Moran said. 'If you have a teenager who is diagnosed for the first time, you might want to ask the doctor about other options besides Adderall. There's a range of options. There's behavioral therapy. There's non-stimulants. There's the Ritalin class of drugs, especially if there are other risk factors like there's a family history of bipolar disorder or psychosis, where I would probably not want to be started on Adderall.'

Some ADHD medications have DOUBLE the risk of psychosis, study finds

The odds of a child developing psychosis - hearing voices or having hallucinations - after receiving one of the prescriptions was about 1 in 660, the Massachusetts study team reports.

www.dailymail.co.uk

 

[mr peabody]

Treating ADHD with psychedelics

by Ben Parker Karris

Jacob is off his medications. This is intentional, though he admits he stumbled into it accidentally.

He tells me he recently began treating his depression, anxiety and ADHD with psychedelics in lieu of the pharmaceutical medications he was prescribed. Basically, he's been replacing his daily intake of antipsychotics and amphetamines with weekly doses of psilocybin mushrooms. And he’s never felt better.

"I was prescribed antipsychotics such as Klonopin for the depression; Xanax for the anxiety and amphetamines like Adderall or Ritalin for the ADHD," Jacob says. "I was told I would have to take these pills for the rest of my life."

The pill diet seems to be the story for many people suffering from depression or ADHD. And it helps. In thousands of cases, medications have improved the lives of the people taking them.

Not for Jacob. Which is what led to an unplanned experiment in self-medication.

"I felt like my artistic identity was dwindling, and that I was chasing my own tail, or just trying to recreate work on the same level that I had been making it previously," Jacob tells me.

"I wanted to try psychedelics to 'spur my creativity,' so to speak. After I started eating mushrooms, I began to notice a sense of clarity that I hadn’t felt in ages, even after I came down from the trip."

A few days after his first psychedelic experience, Jacob realized he hadn’t been taking, or even feeling the need to take his medication. This unexpected sense of well-being was a welcome side effect to his renewed artistic focus.

"At first, I didn't tell my psychiatrist that I was taking mushrooms until I had more information, but I did want him close by," Jacob says. "I've tried to go off my medications before this and would always end up going crazy again within a few months." When I did end up telling him, he was intrigued. But these are illegal drugs; so he had zero experience in this form of treatment.

When I visit Jacob a few months later, Los Angeles is cooling down and his psychedelic trips are less frequent. He isn’t taking his medications, either. Jacob knows he hasn't cured himself, but he feels a hell of a lot better than he once did. And it shows.

"I’m not filling my prescriptions anymore. I don't even drink. I have a baby on the way, and I've never been happier or felt more level headed."

Tripping the Psyche: Treating Depression and Anxiety With Psychedelics | KINDLAND

People are taking psychedelics to treat ailments from ADHD to depression. Tune in, turn on, get well.

www.thekindland.com

 

[mr peabody]

CBD oil for ADHD: Does it work?

by Jon Johnson | Medical News Today | 28 Jun 2019

CBD is an active compound in the cannabis plant. CBD oil is gaining popularity due partly to early research that shows that it might be helpful for certain health conditions.

Some anecdotal evidence suggests that CBD oil can help with the symptoms of ADHD, but there is still very little scientific evidence to back this up.

Anyone thinking of using CBD oil should be aware of the regulations in their area and never replace any standard ADHD treatments with CBD oil before speaking to a doctor.

There is little scientific evidence that CBD can treat ADHD. However, there are anecdotal reports saying that CBD oil helps people with ADHD symptoms such as hyperactivity or restlessness. Many people choose to use the substance as part of their ADHD treatment.

A small 2017 study looked at a group of adults with ADHD who were self-medicating with CBD. The researchers noted an insignificant improvement in brain function and symptom reduction. There was a slight improvement in markers of impulsivity and hyperactivity, but not enough to consider the drug more effective than the placebo.

CBD oil and ADHD symptoms

CBD oil might not be a treatment for ADHD, but it may help with managing specific symptoms that many people experience.

Some people with ADHD struggle with anxiety, which can make their symptoms worse. There is minor evidence to show that CBD oil may help with symptoms of anxiety.

A 2016 case study backed up earlier claims by researchers that CBD may help with anxiety in children. Further research will need to explore this effect in a large cohort.

A 2013 study also explored the relationship between symptoms of ADHD and cannabis use. People with subtypes of ADHD that involve symptoms of hyperactivity and impulsivity were more likely to use cannabis daily to manage their symptoms than people with inattentive subtypes of ADHD. However, it is unclear exactly what causes this subjective symptom relief. Additionally, this study focused on cannabis as a whole rather than just the CBD compound. More research on ADHD and CBD alone may help highlight its potential as a treatment.

How to use

CBD may be available in some pharmacies and online outlets.

CBD oil is available in a few different forms. The oil is available on its own in some pharmacies and online. Producers may also create CBD-infused treats and snacks.

People who do not like the flavor or texture of the oil may wish to consume it in capsules instead. Those who already smoke or vape may choose to vape CBD oil.

Currently, there are no guidelines on the effective dosages for CBD, so a person should always aim to use the lowest possible dosage to treat their symptoms.

Some CBD oil producers have their own guidelines for dosing, but anyone who is uncertain should talk to their doctor before using the product.

The authors of a 2017 review in Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research noted that adults can tolerate doses of up to 1,500 milligrams per day.

CBD oil for ADHD: Can it treat symptoms, and is it safe?

CBD oil is a popular alternative remedy for a variety of medical conditions. In this article, learn about whether it can help treat ADHD and whether it is safe for children to use.

www.medicalnewstoday.com

 

[mr peabody]

I've taken many different drugs for ADHD, and not one of them has come close to LSD

I was diagnosed with ADHD and a generalized anxiety disorder. Doctors said I was very bright, but I needed to learn to apply myself. My psychological tests showed that I had above average intellect. I found it very hard to stay motivated in school, especially with subjects that didn't interest me or challenge me enough, and this would lead me to score low in and even fail many of my classes. I believe this was partially due to my ADHD, but also partially due to my using cannabis.

I was becoming more ok with the idea of failure, and instead of focusing on improving my life, getting high became one of my top priorities. I would actually lie to myself a lot, and trick myself into thinking that I hadn't developed an addiction, and that smoking wasn't a problem in my life. I knew that smoking regularly was not beneficial in my life, but a sort of cognitive dissonance per se, was fueled by my psychological addiction, and led me to find ways to justify my escapism.

~9:20 PM: I dropped 200ug of LSD. My setting was in my own upstairs bedroom at night. It was raining outside and somewhat cold.

~9:50 PM: I begun noticing changes in my visual perception. Colors were brighter and the walls were slightly breathing and warping. Slight thought acceleration.

~10:20 PM: I felt a strong euphoria begin to pulse through my body. I can only describe it as the most peaceful sensation washing over my tactile senses. The visuals were really kicking in. I can definitely say that this was one of my most visual trips. I began seeing closed eye visuals when I focused. Everything had a very surreal, sort of bright look to it. The tracers were quite strong at this point. I would move my hand in front of my face and see it trail for about a foot behind, like lagging frames in a video game.

~11:00 PM: The thought acceleration was really taking over at this point. I went over to my window to smoke 2 bowls (0.3g) of some high quality cannabis. This completely changed my trip. I began to feel my ego split and become a part of my surroundings. I commonly experience this on lower doses of LSD. I have never experienced ego death, but I do experience ego suppression and bias suppression during most of my trips. After smoking cannabis I laid down on my bed facing up, with my eyes closed.

~11:30: I was really starting to catapult head on into the peak of my trip. I was a little bit scared, but I reminded myself that this trip was going to make me better, even if I had to confront some of my demons, and believe me, I did. I was listening to music at this point (Tame Impala, Blockhead, Boards of Canada, Pink Floyd). The music was adding so much to the intensity of the trip, and it was really making the visuals.

~12:00 AM: The CEVS were insane at this point. I experienced really good CEVS from this trip. I felt like my brain was lighting up and my neurons were firing together with the music. It was extremely euphoric and uplifting. A lot of negative demons were confronting me at the same time. I became very introspective, definitely more introspective than I have been during my other trips, partially due to the fact that I was alone, and I think also because it was night. I felt like all of these demons I had been packing away and covering up were just pouring out all over me, and it felt so uncomfortable yet so relieving at the same time.

I faced the fact that I was abusing cannabis and I needed to make some changes. I also need to figure out a way to finish school, or at least get my GED. I faced the fact that I was going to have to grow up and be a man. I could no longer run away from my problems and cover them with a cannabis smoke veil. I needed to stand up and take control of my life, instead of letting it control me. I believe LSD has amazing addiction suppression qualities, and this was actually one of the reasons I originally wanted to trip again. At around this time during the trip, and continuing up until now, I haven't felt the slightest craving to smoke cannabis, or use any other drugs or forms of unhealthy escapism.

LSD has taught me that instead of escaping my life, I need to embrace it. I will constantly be stuck in cycles of addiction and temporary happiness if I don't learn to have self control and impulse control. Permanent happiness comes from the achievement of ones values, and the fulfillment of our goals, not from a hit off your bowl, or a drunken night at a party.

I think the addiction suppression qualities of LSD come from its amazing potential to cause you to care more about your life. I was in a very dark place where the death of my friend and my substance abuse were eating me alive, and this trip really helped me face these problems and overcome them instead of running away from them.

Like I said, it was definitely not one of my most comfortable trips, but it was one of my best trips for sure. I learned so much during these few hours, there are no words to describe the things I saw and the revelations I had.

~12:40 AM: I am just about getting over the hump of the trip. I am plateauing, and on the verge of coming down. The visuals are still very strong, and I'm still introspecting a lot.

~1:30 AM: I am definitely coming down now. I feel as if I came down a lot faster from this trip than I have from a lot of my previous trips. The peak only lasted about an hour or so, and after that, the intensity was much easier to handle. My thoughts were beginning to decelerate again, and my ego was taking form. I begun trying to understand what I had just experienced.

~2:30 AM: At this point I felt like I was already starting to integrate this trip into my life. I had recollected a lot of my revelations and thought about how I could apply them to my life. I kept on coming down, introspecting, and texting my friends about what I had experienced. At this point I decided to turn my music off so I could think more linearly and clearly. I enjoyed the silence of my room and of a quiet house. I enjoyed not needing to listen to or watch anything to be entertained. My own thoughts and introspection were enough to keep my mind occupied. I felt extremely at peace with myself and the world.

~4:00 AM: At this point I've mostly come down. The visuals are about gone by this point but I'm still experiencing a significant psychedelic headspace. I began researching some of the revelations I had, finding others who had similar experiences. I thought a lot about the dualistic nature of the world we live in. I think many people struggle to find balance in their lives, and LSD works to sort of balance you mentally. We struggle in this world with dualism. Constant struggling polar opposites – subjectivity vs. objectivity, life vs. death, love vs. hate, peace vs. war, rich vs. poor, escaping vs. embracing. I think many peoples depression stems from imbalances in their life, and LSD allows you to see that their is another side to the coin, to all of your personal biases. The walls of opinions and psychological filters I have built up over years crumbled right in front of me, and I was able to be more honest with myself and open minded about many things. I stopped lying to myself about a lot of problems I was facing, and instead of pushing them away, I began embracing them.

~7:00 AM: I had just about completely come down at this point. I was very tired and mentally overwhelmed by what I had just experienced, and my head felt a little foggy. I drifted off to sleep over the course of about 30 minutes of tossing and turning. I slept good.

The Next Day: I woke at 12:30 PM and got out of bed, and all I can say is wow. LSD is amazing. I believe that this substance has truly changed my life. Since I woke up today, I feel little or none of the general anxiety that I normally experience almost every day. My depression has subsided to an extremely noticeable degree. My cravings to smoke have completely gone away, 100%. I still smoked today, but not because I felt the need to, but for once because I simply wanted to smoke out of curiosity and boredom. I thought it would be fun, and it was. I don't feel like smoking is a part of me anymore, I feel I don't need to use it to escape my life.

I don't plan on purchasing any more weed for a while now, I have better things to focus on. I learned to love myself for the first time in a while, and I feel like less of an apathetic shithead. I feel alive. I feel emotions coursing through my veins for the first time in what feels like ages. I feel so motivated. I want to go down a path of self betterment and stop destroying myself. My depression was causing me to go down a very self destructive path, and LSD smacked me in the fucking face and taught me that my life is precious, and that all lives are precious, and you should treat your body and mind with respect.

Conclusion: I learned a lot about myself during this trip. I learned that things are not so black and white, and I was using cannabis and other drugs for all the wrong reasons. I learned that I was denying myself of love, and I learned to love myself and accept my flaws and insecurities instead of running away from them. I learned that I was unhealthily obsessing over many aspects of my life, and I needed to let go of some things, and be more tolerant.

LSD is the most amazing substance. It may not be for everyone, but I think it should at the least be regulated and available therapeutically. I've taken many different drugs for ADHD and depression/anxiety throughout my life, and not one of them has come close to LSD in terms of making my symptoms subside, and helping me improve myself.

-Nick​

 

[mr peabody]

Does vitamin D supplementation reduce ADHD symptoms?

by Brian Park | Psychiatry Advisor | Aug 12 2019

A recent systematic review and meta-analysis assessed the benefits and harms of vitamin D supplementation in patients with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

To investigate these outcomes, study authors searched various clinical databases for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) where vitamin D supplementation was used alone or as an adjunctive therapy in ADHD patients.

Based on their inclusion criteria, the authors identified 4 RCTs involving 256 children with ADHD being treated with methylphenidate and concomitant vitamin D. These studies, which ranged from 6 to 12 weeks in duration, utilized doses of vitamin D between 1000 IU/day and 50,000 IU/week.

“We found that vitamin D supplementation may alleviate ADHD symptoms, which were supported by improvements in ADHD total scores, inattention scores, hyperactivity scores, and behavior scores,” the authors stated. However, they added, statistically significant improvements in oppositional measures were not observed.

With regard to safety, findings from the analysis showed no significant differences in adverse events between vitamin D and placebo; supplementation with vitamin D also resulted in increased vitamin D levels in these patients.

Based on their findings, the authors concluded that vitamin D supplementation, as an adjunct to methylphenidate, may benefit patients with ADHD, however evidence for this effect was found to be of low quality. “Future studies should consider baseline vitamin D levels and address different dosing (low or high dose) and the frequency of vitamin D supplementation,” they added.

Does Vitamin D Supplementation Reduce ADHD Symptoms? - Psychiatry Advisor

A recent systematic review and meta-analysis assessed the benefits and harms of vitamin D supplementation in patients with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

www.psychiatryadvisor.com

 

[mr peabody]

CBD for ADHD – Nature’s most miraculous plant medicine

ADHD Boss | 17 Jul 2017

I’m on a quest to find products that work for people with ADHD. So in this article, I’ll discuss the magical benefits of using CBD oil for ADHD.

I’d heard unbelievably positive stories about CBD oil for years now. I’d heard about CBD oil helping people who suffer from ADHD, anxiety, bipolar disorder, and various other conditions live a more comfortable lifestyle. Most importantly, I heard that CBD oil actually helps people with life-altering health issues enjoy a much better quality of life. So, I was finally able try CBD oil for myself (after hearing the many amazing stories involving CBD oil). And, now I can say with certainty that CBD oil is one of the best nutritional supplements that I’ve tried.

CBD oil essentially puts your brain “at ease” and makes it easier to concentrate. Using CBD oil for ADHD is a positive experience for most people. ADHD is a neurodevelopmental disorder which can make it difficult to control what you focus on. It’s a disorder of control. This is why people with ADHD often jump from one shiny object to the next, focus on the “wrong” tasks, or waste energy on things that don’t really matter.

If you have ADHD, then you know best that you CAN focus. You just have trouble actually doing the things that you know you should be doing. You probably overthink things. Your thoughts sometimes spiral out of control. And, there’s even a chance that your anxiety prevents you from doing what needs to be done on a day-to-day basis.

“ADHD often accompanies anxiety, with rates approaching 25% in many samples.”

If your ADHD is rooted in anxiety, there is a chance that taking control of your anxiety will provide you with the greatest improvement in your health and happiness. CBD oil is one of the best natural substances for temporarily soothing some of the issues that come with ADHD and anxiety. CBD oil can provide you with a nice boost of mental clarity that really improves how you feel on any given day. And it’s a great pick-me-up.

For example, it’s really easy for me to get stuck in my own head. But, after taking CBD oil for the first time, I found myself not really (over) thinking about stuff.

- I was more talkative than normal
- I was “in my body” rather than stuck in my own head
- I didn’t experience as much “mental resistance” to accomplishing tasks

And, I especially enjoyed trying CBD oil because the results were instantaneous. I didn’t have to wait for weeks to notice results, like I would have to do with black seed oil (for example). It’s pretty comforting that a simple over-the-counter dietary supplement like CBD oil has the potential to provide immediate, noticeable results in people with ADHD.

Overall, I would rank CBD oil as a 8.5/10 solution for improving the lives of people with ADHD – because it’s a safe, effective, and sustainable natural remedy.

http://adhdboss.com/cbd-oil-adhd/​

 

[mr peabody]

Pattern of antipsychotic prescribing in children with ADHD concerning

Psychiatry Advisor | Aug 27 2019

Although the number of young people with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) who are treated with antipsychotic drugs is low, many antipsychotic prescriptions do not appear to be clinically warranted, according to a study published in JAMA Network Open.

Ryan S. Sultan, MD, from Columbia University in New York City, and colleagues used the 2010 to 2015 MarketScan Commercial Database to identify 187,563 youths (aged 3 to 24 years) with a new diagnosis of ADHD. The authors assessed the percentage of youths for whom antipsychotic prescriptions were filled in the year following a new diagnosis of ADHD.

The researchers found that 3 percent of youths with newly diagnosed ADHD were prescribed an antipsychotic. Those treated were more likely to have recently received diagnoses of self-harm and/or suicidal ideation, oppositional defiant disorder, or substance use disorder, as well as to receive inpatient treatment. More than half of youths treated with antipsychotics (53 percent) received a diagnosis for which antipsychotics have either a US Food and Drug Administration or evidence-supported indication for their use during the year following the new ADHD diagnosis. Further, fewer than half initiating antipsychotic medications (48 percent) did not receive a stimulant prescription between their ADHD diagnosis and initiation of antipsychotic treatment. Antipsychotic prescribing was highest among preschool-aged children (4 percent), those with neurodevelopmental disorders, and those with recent inpatient mental health treatment.

“Approximately one in 40 commercially insured youths were treated with an antipsychotic medication without an approved indication in the year following a new attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder diagnosis,” the authors write.

Pattern of Antipsychotic Prescribing in Children With ADHD Concerning - Psychiatry Advisor

Although the number of young people with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) who are treated with antipsychotic drugs is low, many antipsychotic prescriptions do not appear to be clinically warranted.

www.psychiatryadvisor.com

 

[mr peabody]

CBD for ADHD – Nature’s most miraculous plant medicine

I’m on a quest to find products that work for people with ADHD. So in this article, I’ll discuss the magical benefits of using CBD oil for ADHD.

I’d heard unbelievably positive stories about CBD oil for years now. I’d heard about CBD oil helping people who suffer from ADHD, anxiety, bipolar disorder, and various other conditions live a more comfortable lifestyle. Most importantly, I heard that CBD oil actually helps people with life-altering health issues enjoy a much better quality of life.

So, I was finally able try CBD oil for myself (after hearing the many amazing stories involving CBD oil). And, now I can say with certainty that CBD oil is one of the best nutritional supplements that I’ve tried.

CBD oil essentially puts your brain “at ease” and makes it easier to concentrate. Using CBD oil for ADHD is a positive experience for most people. ADHD is a neurodevelopmental disorder which can make it difficult to control what you focus on. It’s a disorder of control, and why people with ADHD often jump from one shiny object to the next, focus on the “wrong” tasks, or waste energy on things that don’t really matter.

If you have ADHD, then you know best that you CAN focus. You just have trouble actually doing the things that you know you should be doing. You probably overthink things. Your thoughts sometimes spiral out of control. And, there’s even a chance that your anxiety prevents you from doing what needs to be done on a day-to-day basis.

“ADHD often accompanies anxiety, with rates approaching 25% in many samples.”

If your ADHD is rooted in anxiety, there is a chance that taking control of your anxiety will provide you with the greatest improvement in your health and happiness. CBD oil is one of the best natural substances for temporarily soothing some of the issues that come with ADHD and anxiety. CBD oil can provide you with a nice boost of mental clarity that really improves how you feel on any given day. And it’s a great pick-me-up.

For example, it’s really easy for me to get stuck in my own head. But, after taking CBD oil for the first time, I found myself not really (over) thinking about stuff.

- I was more talkative than normal
- I was “in my body” rather than stuck in my own head
- I didn’t experience as much “mental resistance” to accomplishing tasks

And, I especially enjoyed trying CBD oil because the results were instantaneous. I didn’t have to wait for weeks to notice results, like I would have to do with black seed oil (for example). It’s pretty comforting that a simple over-the-counter dietary supplement like CBD oil has the potential to provide immediate, noticeable results in people with ADHD.

Overall, I would rank CBD oil as a 8.5/10 solution for improving the lives of people with ADHD – because it’s a safe, effective, and sustainable natural remedy.

http://adhdboss.com/cbd-oil-adhd/​

 

[mr peabody]

What are the symptoms of ADHD in adults?*

by Timothy Huzar | 25 March 2019

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is a type of neurodevelopmental disorder. Although people typically associate this condition with children, it often persists into adulthood. Symptoms include disorganization, restlessness, and an inability to focus.

According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, 60 percent of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in the United States will continue to have the disorder as adults. As a result, about 4 percent of the adult population in the U.S. has ADHD.

ADHD can present in three different ways:

- predominantly inattentive ADHD
- predominantly hyperactive-impulsive ADHD
- a combination of inattentive and hyperactive-impulsive ADHD

A person who has inattentive ADHD might have trouble paying attention or may struggle to stay organized. A person with hyperactive-impulsive ADHD may feel as though they are always restless or find that they make impulsive decisions.

How symptoms differ in children and adults

Each of these three types of ADHD can affect both children and adults. However, the symptoms of each type can often be different in adulthood than in childhood.

The symptoms can also change with age, which means that a person may move from having one type of ADHD to another as they become older.

A person's sex can also influence their symptoms. According to an article in The Primary Care Companion for CNS Disorders, females are typically older than males when they receive a diagnosis of ADHD. They are also more likely to present with inattentive ADHD and to experience anxiety or depression alongside this disorder.

As a result, and because females with ADHD often develop better coping strategies than males, doctors are more likely to overlook or misdiagnose their ADHD symptoms.

Symptoms of ADHD

Below are the typical symptoms of ADHD. Not everyone will have all of these symptoms, and the way in which they affect a person's behavior will be specific to that person.

Inability to focus

A person with ADHD might find it difficult to stay focused on a particular task or a conversation that they are having. They may become easily distracted or find that they often make mistakes at work.

Disorganization

It can be challenging for some people with ADHD to stay organized. They may forget to take important possessions with them or lose items that they need to complete a task.
Restlessness

ADHD can cause people to fidget and find it difficult to stay in one place or do recreational activities quietly. They may feel as though a motor drives them to always be on the go.

Impulsiveness

At times, a person with ADHD may talk excessively or interrupt other people without waiting their turn. They might find that they often intrude on other people's activities or make sudden decisions without considering whether they are the best course of action.

Diagnosis

Diagnosing ADHD is not a straightforward process. Only a mental health professional, such as a psychologist, physician, or clinical social worker, can make the diagnosis.

The organization Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (CHADD) recommend checking whether the mental health professional has specific experience of working with people with ADHD.

A mental health professional will take many factors into account when determining if a person has ADHD and what type they have.

According to CHADD, these factors include the number of symptoms that a person has, the severity and duration of these symptoms, and whether they negatively affect a person's quality of life.

The professional will also consider if other health conditions could be causing symptoms similar to those of ADHD.

According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), an adult only has ADHD if they experienced symptoms before the age of 12 years. It may be necessary to speak to other people who knew the individual as a child to help determine whether their behavior when they were young could indicate ADHD.

When to see a doctor

If a person finds that their behavior is having a significant adverse effect on their quality of life or that of a loved one, they should speak to a doctor.

*From the article here:

Adult ADHD symptoms list

The symptoms of ADHD in adults vary depending on the type of ADHD, but they may include disorganization and restlessness. Learn more about adult ADHD symptoms here.

www.medicalnewstoday.com

 

[mr peabody]

ADHD and insomnia appear intertwined

"Converging evidence suggests that attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and sleep difficulties share a common underlying etiology involving circadian rhythm disturbance," declared Sandra Kooij, MD, PhD, at the annual congress of the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology.

"If you review the evidence, it looks like ADHD and sleeplessness are two sides of the same physiological and mental coin," said Dr. Kooij, a psychiatrist at VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, and chair of the European Network Adult ADHD.

Much of this supporting evidence has been generated by Dr. Kooij and her co-investigators. Having built the case for circadian disruption as an underlying cause of both ADHD symptoms and the commonly co-morbid sleep problems, the investigators are now conducting a prospective clinical trial addressing the million dollar question: Can resetting the dysfunctional circadian day/night rhythm via oral melatonin and/or morning intense-light therapy in patients with ADHD and delayed sleep phase syndrome improve their ADHD symptoms as well as their sleep?

Since this study remains ongoing, Dr. Kooij focused instead on the evidence suggesting that ADHD and sleep problems have a shared etiology.

Multiple studies have shown that roughly 75% of children and adults with ADHD have sleep-onset insomnia. It takes them longer to fall asleep, and they have a shorter than normal sleep duration because they have to get up in the morning for school or work. Dr. Kooij and her colleagues have shown that in adult ADHD patients with delayed sleep onset syndrome, their evening dim light melatonin onset, change in core body temperature, and other physiologic harbingers of sleep are delayed by an average of 1.5 hours.

"My ADHD patients sleep a mean of 5-6 hours per night on a chronic basis, versus 7-8 hours in normal individuals. It leads to daytime sleepiness and dysfunction due to inattentiveness and social problems," the psychiatrist said.

Other investigators have demonstrated that the prevalence of ADHD varies across the United States and that geographic differences in solar intensity explain 34%-57% of this variance in ADHD rates. The investigators postulated that the ADHD-preventive effect of high solar irradiation might be tied to improvement in circadian clock disturbances.

In a study of 2,090 adult participants in The Netherlands Study of Depression and Anxiety, Dr. Kooij and her colleagues showed that ADHD, depression, anxiety, and circadian rhythm sleep problems are fellow travelers.

The prevalence of sleep duration of fewer than 6 hours per night was 15% in subjects with high ADHD symptoms and a lifetime history of an anxiety and/or depression diagnosis, 5% in those with lifetime anxiety/depression but no ADHD, and 4% in healthy controls. Delayed sleep phase syndrome was present in 16% of individuals with ADHD and a history of depression and/or anxiety, 8% in those with a lifetime history of anxiety/depression without ADHD, and 5% of healthy controls. The take-home message: Circadian rhythm sleep disorders in patients with ADHD are not necessarily attributable to anxiety and/or depression.

Seasonal affective disorder is common with ADHD. In another analysis from The Netherlands Study of Depression and Anxiety, Dr. Kooij and her colleagues determined that the prevalence of seasonal affective disorder using the Seasonal Pattern Assessment Questionnaire was 10% in participants with clinically significant ADHD symptoms, compared with 3% in non-ADHD subjects. Delayed sleep onset was extremely common in participants with ADHD as well as in those with probable Seasonal Affective Disorder.

Patients with ADHD have an increased prevalence of obesity. Their chronic short sleep pushes them toward an unstable eating pattern in which they skip breakfast, then engage in binge eating later in the day. The hope is that treating the circadian rhythm disruption associated with ADHD will prevent obesity in this population.

"If you disrupt sleep, you disrupt the body: bowel movements, blood pressure, body temperature, the leptin/ghrelin ratio, reaction time, coordination. That's why I call my patients chronically jet-lagged," Dr. Kooij said.

https://www.mdedge.com/clinicalpsych...ar-intertwined​

 

[mr peabody]

Exposure to acetaminophen in the womb may increase a child's risk of ADHD*

by National Institutes of Health | Medical Xpress | Oct 30 2019

Exposure to acetaminophen in the womb may increase a child's risk for attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder and autism spectrum disorder, suggests a study funded by the National Institutes of Health and the Agency for Health Care Research and Quality. The study was conducted by Xiaobing Wang, M.D., of the Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, and colleagues. It appears in JAMA Psychiatry.

Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is marked by a pattern of hyperactivity and impulsive behavior. Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a complex developmental disorder that affects how a person behaves, interacts with others and learns.

Researchers analyzed data from the Boston Birth Cohort, a long-term study of factors influencing pregnancy and child development. They collected umbilical cord blood from 996 births and measured the amount of acetaminophen and two of its byproducts in each sample. By the time the children were an average of 8.9 years, 25.8% had been diagnosed with ADHD only, 6.6% with ASD only and 4.2% with ADHD and ASD. The researchers classified the amount of acetaminophen and its byproducts in the samples into thirds, from lowest to highest. Compared to the lowest third, the middle third of exposure was associated with about 2.26 times the risk for ADHD. The highest third of exposure was associated with 2.86 times the risk. Similarly, ASD risk was higher for those in the middle third (2.14 times) and highest third (3.62 times).

The authors conclude that their results support earlier studies linking acetaminophen exposure in the womb with ADHD and ASD and underscore the need for additional research. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration urges careful consideration before using any pain-relieving medication during pregnancy.

*From the article here :

Study suggests acetaminophen in pregnancy linked to higher risk of ADHD, autism

Exposure to acetaminophen in the womb may increase a child's risk for attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder and autism spectrum disorder, suggests a study funded by the National Institutes of Health and the Agency for Health Care Research and Quality. The study was conducted by Xiaobing Wang...

medicalxpress.com

 

[mr peabody]

Meet the people microdosing for ADHD

by Patrick Smith | The Third Wave

A smartly dressed, relaxed-looking man greeted me on the other end of the Skype call, in Seattle's early morning. I apologized for calling him so early.

"Not a problem," he replied cheerfully. "I'm usually up around this time for work."

I dont know what I was expecting from someone with adult ADHD, but Mike didn't stick to any stereotypes. Although anyone who has turned to psychedelics for self-improvement is unlikely to be much of a conformist.

Mike, Territory Manager for a building materials manufacturer, had reached out to me in the hopes of spreading his message: "I have a lot to say about how microdosing helps combat the negative effects of living with adult ADHD."

Over our video call, Mike described how taking a tiny dose of psychedelics every other day helps his work performance, enriches his daily life, and has, remarkably, helped him quit his ADHD medication.

Mike was diagnosed with ADHD at only seven years old: "I remember being told that I have ADHD very vividly; sitting on my bed in my childhood home as my mom broke the news." He describes his ADHD symptoms as "a mix of impulsivity with lack of mindfulness. An inability to focus on one thought, it can be very difficult to do anything."

He was immediately prescribed Ritalin and remained on medication until he was 16. It was when a friend described how he lost his personality every time he took Concerta that he decided to leave the medication behind. Ultimately, he preferred his ADHD symptoms over being an identity-free zombie.

Mike found himself back on medication at 22 after struggling to find focus at college. After several years of switching between Adderall and Vyvanse, he ran into problems. "That was when my tolerance went through the roof. I briefly decided to attain a second script because I thought I needed more amphetamines."

It was at this crisis point that Mike found himself at the Golden Gate Park, taking 110ug of LSD, with a group of close friends. It was an experience that changed his life. "I have a firm belief that my first dose of LSD cured me of the hyperactivity of ADHD. In some way it allowed me to take control of my uncontrollable symptoms."

"It came to my attention that I had so much more control over myself, my thoughts, my physicality, my movements, my emotions, everything was slowed down and kept my focus. I was able to follow a single thought for longer than I had before. With ADHD I could hardly stay with one thought, let alone finish it out and reflect on it later. This was what I was able to do throughout the entire trip."

Having experienced a clear perspective on his ADHD for the first time, Mike decided he wanted to make the most of the benefits LSD gave him. He began microdosing, taking less than a tenth of a Golden Gate Park dose, allowing him to reconnect to the feelings of focus and calm he'd experienced back then:

"I have been microdosing since November 2016. Most of the time I am microdosing 8-10ug every other day. It works for me and I never feel faded or tired or worn out."

"As well as allowing me to control my ADHD, microdosing gives me increased feelings of joy, energy, focus, and an overall better attitude towards not only others around me, but a better attitude towards myself and who I am."

"I have a firm belief that my first dose of LSD cured me of the hyperactivity of ADHD."

"Compared to amphetamines, microdosing is a world apart, says Mike. In my opinion, the ups and downs of those medicines can be exhausting and ineffective after a certain point. While Adderall and Vyvanse have, for the most part, assisted me in important parts of life, finishing school, allowing me to think about what I want and how to go about things Id otherwise refuse to do like everyday chores, these medicines have diminishing returns."

"Microdosing allows me to use my brain the way I want to, I can explore single thoughts one at a time, and I don't need to worry about tolerance or the unpleasant come-down of amphetamines."

Mike says that microdosing has allowed him to wean off amphetamines altogether. He can function in his busy life, building relationships with customers and developing new business. And he can focus on his own life without feeling like a slave to pharmaceuticals.

"I'd recommend microdosing to anyone with ADHD who is desperate to get free of amphetamines," he told me. "Although I've accepted that medications are a part of my life, and will be for the foreseeable future, microdosing is a medication that helps me accept myself for who I am, rather than dulling my identity."

I soon came across another adult ADHD sufferer shortly after my meeting with Mike. Also diagnosed with ADHD at a young age, Marcel was happy to share his story in hopes of helping others in his position.

Marcel, a (soon-to-be) mechanical engineer from Germany, describes his ADHD in a similar way to Mike. He finds it extremely hard to concentrate on one thought, which severely hampers his education and causes him to miss countless appointments, deadlines, and job opportunities. He took Ritalin for a decade, which somewhat helped his concentration and anxiety, although its significantly diminishing returns led him to quit the drug.

It was a radio feature that tuned Marcel in to the idea of microdosing. After only a few weeks of microdosing the LSD analogue 1P-LSD, he decided it was for him. "Microdosing not only lightened my mood," he said. "It also helped me develop better self control. Those tiny paper snips surprisingly strengthened my sanity and wisdom." Marcel decided to stock up on a long-term supply of microdoses.

For a year and a half, Marcel has been microdosing with 1P-LSD daily. But its not all smooth sailing. Marcel emphasizes that microdosing can be a powerful catalyst for change; as long as you are willing to do some work yourself. "I recognize this after microdosing for a fairly long time now. Without continued effort, the brain will regress into defunct patterns. Microdosing, without being a miracle cure, creates enormous room for growth. Yet it is still up to oneself to cultivate better life skills."

Do the benefits rely on having experienced a full-size dose, similar to that which introduced Mike to microdosing, Marcel doesn't think so: "A couple of friends from my local ADHD support group with whom I shared microdoses reported distinctive subjective improvements, nearly all of them without any previous exposure to psychedelic substances. I actually do think microdosing is an effective therapy option in and of itself, without requiring a full-strength psychedelic trip."

In a short space of time, I had come across two people with evocative stories about the life-changing effects of microdosing. Imagine how many ADHD microdosers are out there, gradually leaving behind the bottles of Ritalin and breaking free from the amphetamine tolerance. In the preliminary results of James Fadiman's recent microdosing study, released earlier this year, his team suggests that around 31% of microdosers are self-treating adult ADD/ADHD. This is nearly as many as those microdosing to treat depression.

Pharmaceutical companies take notice: People with ADHD are looking for something that will help them battle their own symptoms without numbing their identity. Microdosing is giving them that chance at healing without the cost, side-effects, or impracticalities of prescription amphetamines.

Stories like Mike's and Marcel's are only just beginning to come to the forefront of the microdosing movement. We could be witnessing the start of a paradigm shift in mental health treatment, all thanks to tiny strips of paper imbued with mind-opening molecules.

https://thethirdwave.co/microdosing-adhd/​

 

[mr peabody]

Psychedelics and ADHD*

ADHD affects millions of people worldwide and causes problems when it comes to productivity, impulse control and social life, to name a few. ADHD can really make it hard for people suffering from it to function properly and achieve success and create a happy life filled with achievements.

In order to treat ADHD, doctors usually prescribe medications that are needed to be taken constantly, which work as long as their in the system of the sufferer. But once they are no longer effective, ADHD symptoms kick right back in. So as of now there are no known medically permitted cures for ADHD, only treatments. People with ADHD often take stimulants like Adderall (Amphetamine) or Ritalin (Methylphenidate). But what if psychedelics could offer a lot of treatment potential for ADHD?

That’s right. Here’s a visualisation of connectivity between functional areas in the brain on placebo and on psilocybin (mushrooms).

As you can clearly see, the amount of neurological pathways in the brain that form and appear on psilocybin are many more than compared to placebo. This just shows the power that psychedelics have on the brain. It’s actually similar to what deep meditation and yoga do to the brain.

That being said, a lot of people with ADHD who have taken psychedelics claim that during the experience and even days or weeks after it, their ADHD symptoms reduced in intensity and number or almost completely vanished to the extent that they no longer qualified for ADHD diagnosis. This may be because psychedelics can help to form new neural pathways that are associated with a better cognitive functioning. Some people claim that psychedelics have cured their ADHD altogether.

The long term effects of psychedelics are very much dependent on the initial experience itself. if you have a good trip, chances are you will experience positive long term effects, meanwhile a bad trip can actually harm your psyche and worsen ADHD symptoms.

In order to have a good experience, set and setting need to be considered carefully, proper dosage needs to be administered, good music should be prepared (trust me, it’s more important than most people think), and the right psychedelic needs to be chosen.

One reason behind ADHD is the lack of two neurotransmitters – dopamine and norepinephrine. Psychedelics probably won’t affect the levels of these neurotransmitters in the long term, though there is a lot of evidence that they can increase the amount of serotonin. So the main issue behind ADHD won't be fixed, but psychedelics can forge new neurological pathways that may help those with ADHD to handle it better.

Plus, we have tons of evidence that psilocybin actually activates a process known as neurogenesis – the growth of brain cells, often leading to more functional and calmer brain.

In order to solve a certain issue while tripping on psychedelics, it’s very important to think about it and try to form a mindset which is helpful in solving the issue. For example, telling yourself that you will be more capable of focusing, you will be less distracted while on psychedelics, and that should help with ADHD symptoms long after the trip is over.

That said, here’s an effective strategy for those with ADHD to utilize psychedelics for the treatment of their condition. Microdosing.

By using threshold doses of various psychedelics like LSD or psilocybin mushrooms, people with ADHD often find that they are a lot more productive, focus better and feel better than normally. And most psychedelics are a lot less dangerous alternatives to stimulants used in ADHD treatment like amphetamines and methylphenidate.

People who microdose for ADHD often do it only once every four days, because of immediate tolerance that you build up on most psychedelics. LSD is most often used and the doses range from 5 to 15 ugs, depending on the user. With mushrooms, because different strains have different amounts of psilocybin in them, 0.2 to 0.5 grams are often used.

Conclusion

ADHD can really make it hard for someone to achieve things, form stable relationships and have a fulfilled life. But psychedelics can, although not always, really help such people to treat, cure or manage their ADHD.

Larger doses may help some to form new neurological pathways and focus better, while microdosing functions more as “stimulant” which can enhance the cognitive functions that people with ADHD lack.

*From the article here: http://www.psychedelicheaven.com/2018/03/11/psychedelics-and-adhd/​

 

[mr peabody]

Women and girls with ADHD given short shrift with treatment

Katherine Ellison | Washington Post | SFGate | 18 May 2020

After a lifetime of arriving late, missing deadlines and having friends call her a ditz, Leslie Crawford wanted to know whether her chronic distraction meant she had attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, ADHD. And, if that were true, could medication help?

Over three visits with her managed-care plan doctor in San Francisco, Crawford, 57, a busy mother of two and professional editor, complied with urine and blood tests some doctors require to rule out drug abuse, and was checked for any preexisting heart condition that might make stimulants too risky.

Then came the last step: a telephone interview.

"What kind of student were you in elementary school?" she remembers the psychiatrist asking.

"I was an A student," Crawford answered.

"I'm sorry," he said, as Crawford recalled. "You don't meet the qualification for ADHD, and we can't give you medication."

"I couldn't believe it," Crawford said later. Two private therapists had already told her she had ADHD, she said. But her plan's psychiatrist said it was company policy to deny diagnosis and medication if a patient had done well in school as a child.

This left Crawford with the option of paying several hundred dollars for a private psychiatrist's evaluation, plus recurring costs for new prescriptions over time. For now, she's not pursuing that. After her three appointments, "I just felt exhausted," she said.

ADHD affects more than 16 million U.S. children and adults. Despite decades of research involving thousands of studies, it remains one of the most perplexing of mental health diagnoses, susceptible to confusion and controversy even among doctors who treat it. The muddle can be particularly damaging to girls and women, who like Crawford may miss early treatment that could have spared them years of shame, anxiety, depression, self-harm and even suicide attempts.

"Women with ADHD are consistently underrecognized, understudied, misunderstood, misdiagnosed and mistreated," said Ellen Littman, a clinical psychologist in Mount Kisco, N.Y., and a co-author of Understanding Girls With ADHD: How They Feel and Why They Do What They Do.

For Littman, Crawford's story is distressing but not surprising; she said her practice is full of women with ADHD who were ignored for years for not fitting the conventional male profile.

It may be even worse for African American girls. In March, federal researchers reported that black children are more likely than whites to be diagnosed with ADHD and other learning disabilities. Previous studies had found the diagnosis more likely in white children, suggesting that black children - both boys and girls - had been overlooked.

Growing up in Morristown, Tennessee, podcast entrepreneur Katina Kyle, diagnosed with ADHD at 42, said: "I always knew something wasn't right. It got frustrating for my mother: I'd be sitting in the same room with her and she'd have to yell to get my attention."

Kyle, like many other women in her situation, said her diagnosis came as "an enormous relief," providing her with "a starting place to figure out how to manage my life."

Throughout the United States, back when Kyle was still in grade school, up to nine times as many boys as girls were diagnosed. Some experts didn't even believe girls could have the disorder. Littman became an ADHD activist in the 1990s, after hearing a conference keynote speaker refer to girls as "ADHD wannabes."

Today, about 2.5 boys are diagnosed for every girl, said Stephen Hinshaw, a psychologist at the University of California at San Francisco and an author and a leading expert on ADHD. Yet as adults, he said, nearly equal numbers of women as men have been seeking diagnosis and treatment.

Many girls don't get the help they need because teachers and doctors still assume that ADHD must include hyperactivity, a common but not omnipresent symptom, Hinshaw said. It's therefore easy to spot young boys who have it: They're the ones standing on their desks or throwing pencils at each other. But girls with ADHD are often less active: sitting still, lost in their thoughts.

A further complication is that girls, compared with boys, are still more strongly conditioned from an early age to play nice and get along. Girls more often blame themselves when things go wrong, Hinshaw said, while boys more often take their troubles out on others.

"Every woman diagnosed as an adult has a trail of tears behind her," said Littman, the New York psychologist.

Kyle said she nearly got divorced after she arrived late to pick up her wife from surgery because she had gotten distracted by playing a shoot-'em-up video game with her 12-year-old son.

"Sometimes, when I'm involved in something, it's like that feeling when you put your hand up to a vacuum and it sucks it up," she said. "I can't tear away from something if I'm interested. We've lost at least five coffee pots after I let them burn on the stove."

Crawford said she spent years being teased by friends and family. An aunt nicknamed her la vague. One relative joked that no one would ever know if she got Alzheimer's. "It's funny but it's also hurtful," she said.

Like Kyle, Crawford said she didn't suspect she might have a mental disorder until late adulthood. Then a therapist she was seeing said out of the blue: "Leslie, you have ADHD and this is how people with ADHD behave."

There's a lot of debate about whether U.S. children are being over-diagnosed and overmedicated. But Hinshaw, Littman and others say more attention should be paid to the harm that comes from undertreatment, with or without medication.

In 1997, Hinshaw launched the Berkeley Girls with ADHD Longitudinal Study, a federally funded project, and since then has kept track of 140 girls with ADHD and a control group of 88 girls without the disorder. Among other things, his team's research has found that girls are more likely than boys with ADHD or other girls to self-harm, such as cutting and burning themselves, and to attempt suicide. They are also likelier to become involved with violent partners, and have strikingly high rates of unplanned pregnancies - about four times as many as girls without ADHD.

Even for girls who grow up without drastic injuries or harm, ADHD can destroy self-confidence, after repeated fender benders, professional mistakes and ruined friendships. A particularly frustrating aspect for those with the disorder, experts say, is that they know what they should do but often still can't seem to do it.

"It's not like I'm looking for excuses, but I wish someone could have just told me this decades ago," Crawford said. "Earlier in my life, I would have loved to have figured out some coping methods, which I'm finally doing now."

Littman said Crawford's health plan should have served her better. ADHD diagnoses are based on guidelines in the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, Fifth edition (DSM-5), which among other things says symptoms should be present before age 12. But many girls with ADHD nonetheless do well in grade school, Littman pointed out.

"Doctors need to accept that it's their responsibility to educate themselves about something that is quietly becoming a public health crisis," she said.

Ideally, she added, women should seek out doctors with expertise in female ADHD. Yet she acknowledged such expertise remains rare, and that she had a long waiting list of prospective patients.

While still lacking a formal diagnosis, Crawford said she had been reading up on ADHD and trying to appreciate what many experts believe can be a bright side of the disorder. Perhaps ADHD has been a source of creativity as well as suffering, she mused.

Could it explain why she founded a theater company when she was just 14? Or why she later was inspired to quit her editing job to launch an indoor, mini-golf course and restaurant called Urban Putt?

Having that four-letter label can help women understand themselves better, identifying strengths as well as weaknesses, say experts. Kyle, the podcast entrepreneur, said she's now grateful for her ADHD, which she believes fuels her energy at work. And Crawford said she has also reached a truce with her previously shaky self-esteem.

"I like myself now, finally," she said. "And I even get to places on time. Well, most of the time."

Women and girls with ADHD are given short shrift with treatment, other forms of help

After a lifetime of arriving late, missing deadlines and having friends call her a ditz,...

www.sfgate.com

 

[mr peabody]

Dire shortage of ADD meds is pushing some patients to street meth

by Christopher Moraff | Filter Magazine

America is beginning—far too slowly—to get some kind of a grip on deaths and harms involving illicit fentanyl and other opioids. At the same time, meth-involved deaths and harms are increasing. To exacerbate this, people who are prescribed controlled substances used to treat attention deficit and hyperactivity disorders (ADD/ADHD) are facing a crippling shortage of medication—and at least some are being driven to turn to riskier street drugs to fill the void.

Meth and closely related chemicals have many medical uses. Amphetamine salts, best known by the brand name Adderall, are used to treat mild-to-severe ADD or ADHD, as well as chronic fatigue and symptoms of Parkinson’s disease in some cases. Much of its popularity is also as an off-label “study enhancer,” used by many college students and young professionals to work longer hours.

When taken as prescribed, Adderall has a stabilizing effect on people with ADD that helps them focus and “avoid getting distracted by shiny objects”—as one friend used to describe my own tendency to move quickly from task to task, usually getting none of them done. I’ve taken Adderall for my ADD on-and-off for three years and have found it effective in small doses, with diminishing returns as dosages increase.

But for the past several months patients across the US who are prescribed the medication have found that filling their script has become an uphill battle. This is thanks to an industry-wide production shortage that has left most major pharmacies on backorder for the drug.

"The shortage coincides with a sharp increase in the availability of street methamphetamine."

The Food And Drug Administration added the medication to its shortages list in September. And on November 25, ASPH, a pharmacy advocacy group, identified 13 different product strengths from three manufacturers as being in “backlog” status. According to ASPH a total of six companies have been making the drug. Of these, Mylan says it is on backorder until January. Sun Pharma has discontinued making the drug at all. And a third company, Aurobindo, refused to provide any information about the shortage of its drug or if/when it will return to the market.

The current shortage coincides with a sharp increase in the availability of street methamphetamine—an illicit stimulant that is extremely similar to Adderall but is ingested in unknown dosages and in riskier ways, and made in unregulated labs with unknown contaminants.

On the ground in Philly

In Philadelphia where I live, diverted Adderall currently sells for $0.50 a milligram on the streets, which would scale up to $500 a gram. Meanwhile meth retails for as little as $40 a gram and the drug is sold in increments as low as $5.

"He said he had never previously bought meth on the street in his life."

At one pharmacy, Filter spoke with a person, who requested anonymity, who had already begun replacing his Adderall with illicit methamphetamine. He said he had never previously bought meth on the street in his life.

“I’ve been trying to fill this for weeks,” he said, holding a paper script that had been folded and unfolded so many times it looked like it might disintegrate.

“Honestly, the meth I buy isn’t as ‘speedy’ as Adderall. From a purely therapeutic perspective, I would say it actually works better.”

To gauge the impact of the shortage Filter visited nearly 20 different pharmacies, including Rite Aid, Walgreens, and every CVS outlet in or immediately around Philadelphia’s city center. Every single one was on backorder. While several stores said they would be restocked within a week, in every case the resupply did not occur.

Pharmacists have little more insight into the workings of medicinal drug distribution than the customers they serve. “They tell us it’s coming and then the box arrives and there’s nothing there,” said one pharmacist, who had been fielding questions from frustrated patients all week.

Why the shortage?

Adderall and its generic variants are Schedule II drugs and have production quotas set by the Drug Enforcement Administration. This is not the first time the ADD/ADHD community has struggled through a shortage of medicine. In 2012 a similar backlog causing widespread concern among patient advocates and doctors.

“I am very concerned about the future,” Ruth Hughes, chief executive of Children and Adults with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (CHADD), told Reuters that year. “No one seems to have much inventory to get us through the months ahead.”

The reasons behind the present shortage, while complex and not made transparently clear, undoubtedly include stigma surrounding the drug and publicity around off-label use. Other reasons include increased demand for the drugs as more people like myself get diagnosed with ADD/ADHD later in life. There have also been reports of shortages of certain precursor chemicals.

Earlier this decade, as opioid-involved deaths continued to soar and law enforcement began targeting doctors, the DEA increased quotas for amphetamine salts significantly, from 17,000 kilograms in 2009 to 50,000 in 2016. Since then, the agency has pulled back.

"The overdose crisis has spawned a regressive mindset about all mood-altering substances—including those provided legally."

But DEA quotas may not be the main problem. The overdose crisis has spawned a regressive mindset about all mood-altering substances—including those provided legally by a doctor. I regularly hear people in this field warn about the dangers of benzodiazepines—which, if taken as prescribed and not combined with other drugs, are pretty much limited to the possibility of dependency—without paying any attention to the quality of life of people who suffer from anxiety.

In my interactions with pharmacists, I’ve sometimes caught them inventing red flags on Pennsylvania’s Prescription Drugs Monitoring Program. Similarly, I still don’t know a single Suboxone patient who gets the five refills they are permitted under Schedule III guidelines. Again, their doctors often lay the blame on someone else, like the federal government’s supposed policy that Suboxone patients be drug tested once a month (the policy doesn’t exist; even in methadone clinics, only eight tests a year are required).

Our drug policies and the surrounding political rhetoric and media noise have trapped medical professionals in a constant state of fear, because no one knows whose door will get kicked in next.

A Dire Shortage of ADD Meds Is Pushing Some Patients to Street Meth

Many pharmacies are running out of Adderall and related meds. Meanwhile cheap meth is increasingly available, amid growing meth-related harms. Do the math.

filtermag.org

 

[mr peabody]

LSD in phase II ADHD trial

by Kristen Monaco | MedPage | 13 May 2020

Even psychiatry residents are being recruited to care for COVID-19 patients in the hospitals.

According to geotagged Twitter data, Michigan was the top state for COVID-19-related depression and anxiety tweets, followed by Missouri and Louisiana.

The European ADHD Guidelines Group released additional guidance on initiating ADHD treatment in patients during the pandemic who haven't had an in-person baseline cardiovascular assessment.

Mind Medicine announced it's entering into a phase IIa clinical trial testing LSD microdosing in adults with ADHD.

People with schizophrenia who switched to lurasidone (Latuda) after 12 months of treatment on risperidone (Risperdal) saw an improvement in symptoms along with reductions in weight, metabolic parameters, and prolactin levels.

The San Francisco health department stated that it has been providing alcohol, tobacco, methadone, medical cannabis, and other substances to people suffering from addictions who are quarantined in city-leased hotels.

A meta-analysis determined that use of antidepressants during pregnancy didn't appear to put a child into any increased risk for autism.

Arbor Pharmaceuticals announced the FDA accepted a new drug application for the company's investigational stimulant attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) treatment AR19 -- an immediate-release amphetamine capsule for patients ages 3 and older.

Psych Residents on COVID-19 Front Line; LSD in Phase II ADHD Trial

News and commentary from the psychiatry world

www.medpagetoday.com

 

[mr peabody]

Cannabis use benefits ADHD symptoms in adults, study

by Nathaly Pesantez | ADDitude | 20 Oct 2021

Adults with ADHD who use cannabis say the substance improves symptoms, medication side effects, and executive dysfunction, according to the findings of a self-reported study.

Many adults with ADHD who use cannabis report positive effects on symptoms and other benefits, according a new study published in the Journal of Attention Disorders1 that underscores the extent to which individuals with ADHD self-medicate with cannabis.

The study asked 1,738 adults aged 18 to 55 to complete an online survey about ADHD symptoms, cannabis use, and the perceived effects of cannabis on symptoms, medication side effects, and executive dysfunction. Most participants (87 percent) did not have an ADHD diagnosis, but roughly 25 percent of the sample met or surpassed the threshold for mildly symptomatic ADHD and reported experiencing ADHD-like symptoms.

Roughly three-quarters of participants with ADHD were also classified as cannabis users, and more than half of these participants explicitly reported that they have used cannabis to manage ADHD symptoms. In addition, about 17% reported that they had been prescribed ADHD medication.

The study found that about 92 percent of participants with ADHD who have used cannabis to manage symptoms report that acute cannabis use improves their symptoms overall. Of this group, about 80 percent report that cannabis improves hyperactivity; 46 percent report improvement in impulsivity; 88 percent say it improves restlessness; and 76 percent report improvement in mental frustration.

The same group also indicated that chronic cannabis use improves (35percent) or has no effect (37 percent) on their overall ADHD symptoms; 14 percent) said it worsens their ADHD symptoms.

Among participants who were prescribed ADHD medication, most report that cannabis improves rather than worsens medication side effects like stomach aches (21 percent) vs. 4 percent); loss of appetite (82 percent vs. 2 percent); headaches (38 percent vs. 10 percent); and mood (53 percent vs 11 percent).

Cannabis use frequency emerged as moderator of the associations between symptom severity and executive dysfunction. While findings mostly show positive, direct correlation between ADHD scores (symptom severity) and executive dysfunction, the strength of this relationship became somewhat smaller as cannabis use frequency increased, suggesting that more frequent use may mitigate some ADHD-related executive dysfunction. This finding surprised the authors, given the negative effects that cannabis use can have on executive functioning.

The study also showed significant correlations between symptoms of ADHD and frequency of cannabis use, as well as symptoms of cannabis use disorder (CUD), as determined by a self-reported scale. These findings align with prior literature linking ADHD with risk of cannabis use and CUD.

The findings, according to the authors, can provide clinicians with a better understanding of their cannabis-using patients with ADHD and the perceived benefits of the substance.

The authors listed the study’s retrospective self-reporting methods as a limitation, as these types of reports depend on memory (in itself potentially impacted by chronic cannabis use) and thus vary in accuracy. The subjective nature of the study could also mean that symptom improvement may be difficult to objectively verify.

The authors also suggest that cannabis might work to reduce the distress associated with ADHD symptoms, but not directly impact the symptoms. This theory is in line with previous research on cannabis for ADHD self-medicating; as cannabis doesn’t address the root issues underlying symptoms, users may feel compelled to use the drug more frequently, which increases the risk of developing cannabis use disorder (CUD).

Sources

1 Stueber, A., & Cuttler, C. (2021). Self-Reported Effects of Cannabis on ADHD Symptoms, ADHD Medication Side Effects, and ADHD-Related Executive Dysfunction. Journal of Attention Disorders. https://doi.org/10.1177/10870547211050949

Study: Cannabis Use Benefits ADHD Symptoms in Adults, According to Self-Reports

Adults with ADHD who use cannabis say the substance improves symptoms, medication side effects, and executive dysfunction, according to the findings of a self-reported study.

www.additudemag.com

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[mr peabody]

Mothers were diagnosed with hypothyroidism shortly before or during the early stages of pregnancy
were 24 percent more likely to have ADHD than children whose mothers did not have the diagnosis.

Reduced hormone supply in pregnant mothers linked to ADHD in their children

NYU Langone | Neuroscience News | 21 Oct 2020

Maternal hyperthyroidism may contribute to an increased risk of ADHD in their offspring.

Low levels of key, body-regulating chemicals in mothers during the first three months of pregnancy may interfere with the baby’s brain development, a large American study shows.

These chemicals, or hormones, are produced in the thyroid gland in the neck and are known to influence fetal growth. Investigators have suspected that disruptions in their production, or hypothyroidism, may contribute to attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), which is the most common neurodevelopmental disorder of children in the U.S.

Led by an NYU Long Island School of Medicine researcher, the new investigation showed that children whose mothers were diagnosed with hypothyroidism shortly before or during the early stages of pregnancy were 24 percent more likely to have ADHD than children whose mothers did not have the diagnosis. The authors say their findings also show that boys born to hypothyroid women were four times more vulnerable to ADHD than girls whose mothers had hypothyroidism. Hispanic children born to hypothyroid mothers had the highest risk of any ethnic group studied.

“Our findings make clear that thyroid health likely has a much larger role in fetal brain development and behavioral disorders like ADHD than we previously understood,” says study lead author Morgan Peltier, PhD. Peltier is an associate professor in the departments of Clinical Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Medicine at NYU Winthrop Hospital, part of NYU Langone Health.

Among the study findings were that once a pregnancy had reached the second trimester, a woman’s hypothyroidism had little effect on her children. A possible explanation, says Peltier, is that by this point, the fetus has begun to produce its own thyroid hormones and so is less vulnerable to its mother’s deficiencies.

The new investigation, publishing Oct. 21 in the American Journal of Perinatology, followed 329,157 children from birth until age 17, all born in Kaiser Permanente Southern California hospitals. It is the first large-scale effort in the U.S. to examine a potential link between a mother’s hypothyroidism and ADHD in her children, according to the study’s authors. The authors also note that unlike previous research in Europe, the new American study included people of diverse ethnic backgrounds and observed the children for nearly two decades. This long study period, lead author Peltier says, allowed the researchers to better capture cases of ADHD in the children as they aged and progressed through school.

As part of the new research, the team analyzed children’s medical records and collected key information about their mothers, including age during pregnancy, race, and household income. All children were evaluated for ADHD using the same criteria, which the authors say helped to prevent inconsistencies in how cases of the disorder were identified.

According to the findings, overall 16,696 children were diagnosed with ADHD. Hispanic children whose mothers had low thyroid hormone levels during pregnancy had a 45 percent increased risk for the neurodevelopmental disorder compared with a 22 percent increased risk in white children whose mothers had the same condition.

Peltier says his team’s results are strong enough to warrant careful monitoring of pregnant women with low thyroid hormone levels. He adds that children whose mothers had low thyroid hormone levels during pregnancy could potentially benefit from earlier surveillance for signs of ADHD, such as inattention, hyperactivity, and difficulty focusing on a task. Previous research has found that swift intervention can help manage ADHD and make it easier for children to succeed in the classroom and in learning social skills.

The study team next plans to investigate whether hypothyroidism during pregnancy can raise the risk of other neurodevelopmental disorders, such as epilepsy, cerebral palsy, and difficulties with speech. They also intend to explore other factors that may increase the risk of ADHD in children, such as exposure during pregnancy to environmental toxins like flame retardants found in upholstered furniture, electronic devices, and other household appliances.

Reduced Hormone Supply in Pregnant Mothers Linked to ADHD in Their Children - Neuroscience News

Maternal hypothyroidism may contribute to an increased risk of ADHD in their offspring.

neurosciencenews.com