Does ADHD medicine impact me differently than others?

I have been diagnosed with ADHD, and have a prescription of ADHD medication. Everyone knows that the drugs prescribed to ADHD patients will help anyone get their work done. It is known that the use of these stimulants has increased throughout the years, especially in the college scenario. Whether a person has ADHD or not, they are likely to consider investing money in the stimulants prescribed to actual patients. It made me wonder, what are these people getting out of taking these drugs? Are they taking an even greater advantage or is it equal? The null hypothesis is that ADHD medication does not impact non-ADD patients the same as it does to ADHD patients, and the alternative hypothesis is that it does impact non-ADHD patients the same as it does ADHD patients. After further research, the answer to this question is that they do not impact non-ADHD patients the same.adhd

In this compilation of studies, it was found that patients with ADHD who have been treated with medication do better than those with ADHD who have not been treated with medication on IQ testing. Not only this, but the patients who take medication can see an increase in their ability to focus longer and be less disruptive. It was also found that people who used ADHD medicine without being prescribed would see increases in many aspects of their learning as well. Stimulants have been proven to give those without ADHD an advantage over those with it, therefore causing Duke University to adjust their policy on taking these stimulants without a prescription. The policy now reconsiders these actions as a form of cheating. Although both non-patients and patients can see improvements in their cognitive ability, patients with ADHD are experiencing differences in the way their brain works than those without ADHD. Therefore, taking the medication has an overall larger impact on those with ADHD.adderall-333-white

I don’t know many people who procrastinate like myself, and I also don’t know many individuals who share the same attention struggles as myself. My ultimate goal is to do well in school, but my attention problems tend to get in the way of this. When others go and focus on their school work, I find myself refreshing Facebook, refreshing Instagram, and regularly starting three-minute Clash Royale matches. It is an everyday struggle, but on days I take my medication, a more intent and focused side of me comes out. After taking the proper amount for the first time in months, I finally can focus on my blog posts.adhd-in-children-300x200-1

So, next time you consider taking ADHD medicine without a prescription, consider the struggles the people with ADHD go through on a day to day basis. Their need for medication is likely stronger than yours, but they will still improve your cognitive ability as well. From my research, it can be concluded that the null-hypothesis is true because the medication has more impacts on a student with ADHD than one without.

Pics–

Blog Post Series 2: ADHD-Medication Treatments

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http://www.avensonline.org/blog/is-adhd-a-boon-for-children.htmlhttp://www.avensonline.org/blog/is-adhd-a-boon-for-children.html

4 thoughts on “Does ADHD medicine impact me differently than others?

  1. Nathan Andrew Morningstar

    Having grown up ADD/ADHD, I remember having to take Ratalin and Adderal everyday growing up. However, given what I had learned about hose medications when I was growing up, I can say that it definently gives those that don’t have ADD/ADHD an advantage. While it helps those that are naturally hyperactive by causing them to calm done, it helps those that aren’t become hyper and allows them to focus that energy towards completing things.

  2. Marvin Barnhill

    The advantage given to people who do not have ADHD while taking ADHD medicine is clearly unfair. But i’m curious as to if the cheating is seen on both sides considering the regular students had to get them from somewhere. I would assume that if the medicine is something that assists me to be on the same playing field, I wouldn’t be selling it. The University of Utah has posted an article on the adverse health effects of the drug and they say some students use the drug to lose weight (because if the side effect of lost appetite) and the drug can cause a high blood pressure, heart rate, and even a stroke. The pressure of college seems to be affecting us more than it should, making some students endanger there lives.

    http://healthcare.utah.edu/healthlibrary/related/doc.php?type=1&id=23617

  3. Madelyn Erin Peikin

    This post was very interesting and I know a lot of college students will find it interesting. I did a previous blog post on Adderall and how it affects people without ADD or ADHD. I found the same results. Drugs prescribed to people with ADD or ADHD are prescribed to them for a reason. Just like any other prescription, it is not for everyone! People are so caught up in the idea that Adderall really works and they spend so much time trying to find it when in reality it does not even have huge results. I have never tried it, and especially after reading this post, i see no point. Thanks for sharing!

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