Hacker Newsnew | past | comments | ask | show | jobs | submitlogin

Not a doctor.

As I understand it, caring for someone diagnosed with ADHD, the response to stimulants is quite different in people with ADHD.

When a neurotypical person with control of their executive function takes stimulants it will increase their energy levels but it will also interfere with their executive function. They will lose impulse control, have intrusive thoughts, difficulty focusing.

An ADHD person has difficulty regulating their executive function to begin with. All the different parts of the brain that have to work together in concert to perform a task have a leader that is easily distracted and they have a hard time controlling the leader. They start with confused thoughts and it can be struggle to maintain their focus on long-term plans/tasks. When they take stimulants it appears to help them regain control over their executive function. It increases their energy levels a bit but they way they react is quite different -- it can seem almost like it calms them down.

So no, we don't all have ADHD. And not everyone will respond the same way to stimulants. They're one tool that can help people who have trouble regulating their executive function.



Guidelines | FAQ | Lists | API | Security | Legal | Apply to YC | Contact

Search: