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ADHD Stimulant Medications List

An ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) medications list can be divided into 4 basic types:

• Stimulant medication, e.g. Ritalin, Adderall and Vyvanse.
• Non-stimulant medication, e.g. Strattera and Intuniv.
• Antidepressants, e.g. Wellbutrin and Tofranil.
• Natural ADHD treatments, e.g. Attend, Extress and Memorin.

Only the last group, the natural supplements are free from side effects and do not cause sleep or appetite problems.

ADHD stimulant medication is still, after eighty years of use, an inexact science. We still do not know for sure how these powerful drugs work in the brain and in the body. Doctors use a trial and error method to find the optimal dosage. This can never be accurately predicted. Prescribing information given to doctors state, regarding the how these drugs work, the following:

“The mode of action in man is not completely understood, but Ritalin presumably activates the brain stem arousal system and cortex to produce its stimulant effect.
There is neither specific evidence which clearly establishes the mechanism whereby Ritalin produces its mental and behavioral effects in children, nor conclusive evidence regarding how these effects relate to the condition of the central nervous system.”

This example is Ritalin Prescribing Information from Novartis. It is the same with Concerta, Focalin, Adderall, Vyvanse, Strattera, Intuniv, etc. under the headings “Pharmacodynamics,” or “Mode of Action.”

ADHD Stimulant Medication: Pros and Cons

Pros:

• They do help mask symptoms of inattention, or attention deficit, and hyperactivity for a few hours at a time for many patients, but not all.
• If you are taking this and you do not have side effects and feel positive about taking them, then they might be just the answer for you.

Cons:

• Most people who take these drugs do feel some side effects. Which side effects are felt depends on the drug’s interaction with your specific metabolism.
• Because we have different biochemical profiles, it is impossible to know beforehand if stimulant drugs will improve your condition and which, if any side effects you will experience.
• Children and adolescents with Opposition Defiance Disorder or Conduct Disorder get worse on stimulant drugs.
• If these drugs are as safe as the manufacturers claim, why are they classed as illegal schedule II drugs?
• Long-term solutions are difficult to put in place if a person develops a psychological dependence to their prescribed drug.

Amphetamine Stimulant ADHD Medication

Methylphenidate Stimulant ADHD Medication

Natural Remedies for ADHD

Natural homeopathic remedies do exist as viable alternatives to the conventional stimulant medications. They vary in the formulations, but are natural products and so have no side effects.

A person with ADHD symptoms generally has a different metabolism than the average person. We are all different without having disorders. Some people are naturally slim while others are naturally stouter. A metabolism requiring more nutrients more frequently is not a disorder. If taking supplements eases the symptoms, that shows that those nutrients are needed.

Of the various formulations the one with most value for your money is also the one with the most all-round ADHD specific formulation. this is Attend for inattentive type attention deficit disorder symptoms. This supplement formula is as efficient in treating attention deficit as the best stimulant and non-stimulant medication, but without side effects or risk of overdosing.

Two other supplements that fit well with Attend, are:

• Memorin which helps build the short-term memory which is the cause of the scatterbrained effect often accompanying ADHD and
• Extress which calms the hyperactivity.

While stimulant medication helps the ADHD child to focus and sit calmly, there is an element of becoming compliant. The supplements Attend, Memorin and Extress do the same for focus and calming hyperactivity, but without taking the edge off the child’s vitality.

This page continues with a medication list for non stimulant ADHD medicine.

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