Today, it’s a lot more common for people to talk openly about attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Diagnoses have spiked in women and people of color, after decades of the stereotype that it only affects young white boys. As children are diagnosed, their parents realize they have it too. Social media is leading the charge in breaking down the stigma of ADHD diagnosis. For better and for worse, advice, anecdotes, humor and resources are all over platforms like TikTok.
The predominant signs of ADHD are often characterized as a short attention span, forgetfulness and disorganization. Many who live with ADHD say this can lead to misrepresentations and missed diagnoses — that it’s not a disorder of inattention, but of regulating attention. Right now, diagnoses are close to twice as common as a decade ago, a sharp rise which concerns some and vindicates others. One large 2021 review found some evidence that ADHD has been overdiagnosed, although just five of the more than 300 relevant studies addressed possible harms directly.
It’s always worth considering whether we’re pathologizing normal behaviors, especially given the incentives of social media itself. That doesn’t mean treatment isn’t helpful for those who need it. ADHD can get in the way of functioning well at school, work or home, or masking it can demand so many mental resources that even high-achieving individuals run out of fuel for seemingly simple tasks, like putting away laundry. Luckily, a combination of therapy and medication can help many regain control over their energy and attention.
Most commonly, medical providers treat ADHD with stimulants, which can help boost brain chemicals that improve attention span and focus. Short-acting stimulants, such as Ritalin and Adderall, can provide immediate symptom relief. Especially popular are long-acting stimulants, like Vyvanse and Concerta, which release slowly throughout the day.
One 2008 study suggests between 70 and 80 percent of patients on stimulants for ADHD see symptom improvement. We talked to five people who take medication for ADHD about how it affects their lives and how they got to where they are now.
Elan, 44, Massachusetts
Thirteen years ago, Elan was seeing a psychiatrist for depression. “I was sitting in the waiting room reading a pamphlet about ADHD, and I related to an entire column of executive functioning symptoms,” he says. “I asked the psychiatrist if I could have ADHD, and he said, ‘Let’s try some Adderall and see what happens.’”
Before Adderall, Elan could barely sit down to study for his PhD-qualifying exams. He constantly left important items at home when he left for the day. That changed as soon as he started taking the medication. He got into a PhD program in New York but never got his Adderall prescription refilled. For several years, he remained on an antidepressant, until a year ago, when he revisited the matter with his psychopharmacologist.
His provider prescribed him another stimulant, Ritalin. Elan hasn’t noticed a huge difference yet, but he says he’ll have a better idea when work ramps up again in the fall.
Either way, Elan says he’s accepted that he’ll be taking an ADHD medication indefinitely — or at least until he retires and has fewer tasks to keep track of. “When I don’t have paid work to do and it’s just my own housework, it’s less of a challenge to manage everything,” he says.
Lauren, 27, Washington
After the pandemic hit, Lauren found herself struggling. “I’ve always enjoyed work, but I was really struggling to leave my bedroom and hang out with friends, things I used to be really good at,” she says. Her doctor diagnosed her with depression and prescribed Zoloft, which improved her mood but not her attention span — even when her PCP recommended she double the dose.
In 2021, she pivoted her medication management to a psychiatric nurse practitioner, who suggested her depression might actually be undiagnosed ADHD. Lauren started taking Concerta in the morning and Ritalin as needed during the day. She has since been tapering off her Zoloft with her NP’s support. Lauren says it feels like a cloud has lifted: She can better focus on work, organize her thoughts, communicate with friends and set boundaries without getting overwhelmed. “I have a sorting and filtering mechanism that I never had before,” she says.
Given how drastically the meds have improved her life, Lauren plans to stay on them indefinitely. She may, however, ask her nurse practitioner to tweak the dosage and the exact time she takes the medications to better schedule her bursts of focus; currently, she feels a big energy dropoff at the end of the day. (It’s common for people taking stimulants to experience energy drop-offs, or energy rebound.)
Still, it’s an improvement from not being able to leave her bedroom. Lauren finally feels like herself, at work and in her personal life. “I don’t have a desire to stop these medications,” she says.
Zoha, 25, Ontario, Canada
At first, Zoha blamed her constant brain fog on the aftereffects of a Covid-19 infection. Her fuzzy mind affected every area of her life, especially her ability to communicate. “It felt like I had to physically push words out of my mouth, like I had to force myself to go through thick, disgusting mud,” she says.
In fall 2020, she checked in with her primary care provider for a referral to a psychiatrist, which took nearly six months. (In Canada, it’s common to wait that long for specialists.) One quick chat brought much-needed clarity: Zoha had basically every symptom of ADHD.
First she took Wellbutrin, a medication typically used to treat depression. “I noticed my executive dysfunction problems were not as bad, but after a month and a half, it wasn’t working that well anymore,” Zoha says.
At that point, the psychiatrist prescribed Vyvanse. The fog fully lifted after tapering off Wellbutrin and the Vyvanse took full effect. With the relief came a sense of grief: Zoha, who’s of South Asian descent, says she’s experienced racial bias in the past and wonders if racist stereotypes about Asians stalled her diagnosis. “If I had the help I needed, maybe I would have achieved more in my life,” she says.
Unfortunately, a year ago, Zoha had to stop taking Vyvanse due to issues with her health insurance. Until she’s able to afford it again, she’s been using a planner to manage her schedule and a small, ticking timer at her desk to stay focused on work.
Ilan, 42, Maryland
In high school, Ilan was always a great student. However, when he got to college, things changed. He began procrastinating more and had a hard time focusing on assignments.
A psychiatrist diagnosed him with ADHD and prescribed Ritalin but didn’t give instructions on how to use it. He reached out to another psychiatrist, who prescribed him one Ritalin pill a day. Ilan says the medication helped him be more productive than he ever had been before.
After college, he paused medication for years, until his symptoms became unmanageable. “I started my own company a few years ago, and I began to notice my productivity and anxiety issues showing up more,” he says.
A psychiatrist prescribed a low dose of Concerta, which began working almost immediately — and reminded Ilan why he started taking ADHD meds all those years ago. “Part of me is wondering, why didn’t I get back on these sooner?” he says.
Now that he’s found the right dose for himself, Ilan sees Concerta as an essential part of his routine. “As long as I don’t have any side effects and the medication works, I’ll stay on it as long as I can,” he says.