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Comment by zrail | Hacker News Reader

That's fair. The question is, are the meds helping? People with ADHD react very differently to stimulants than people who don't, to the point where it's usually apparent to others.

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“For years, it was assumed that stimulants had paradoxical calming effects in ADHD patients, [while] stimulating ‘normal’ individuals … It is now known that low doses of stimulants focus attention and improve executive function in both normal and ADHD subjects.” https://www.nature.com/articles/1301164

This old myth about ADHD is one of my pet peeves. Stimulant medications don't un-ADHD people. They're a handicap that has similar effects across the whole population, but which is considered highly dangerous and addictive, and for that reason, we only allow its use when we've identified a significant disability in the form of ADHD.

But it's not a magic drug which undoes ADHD and has completely different effects on the non-ADHD population.

I have high hopes for the potential of low psychedelic doses aiding with ADHD, and even higher doses of certain ones from time to time. Psychedelics have stimulant properties, but much less addiction potential than actual stimulants (when was the last time you saw someone physically addicted to LSD or psilocybin mushrooms?). I had an intense DMT experience three years ago and still feel benefits and positive change from it (although it's about time I arrange another such experience).

> The question is, are the meds helping?

According to him yes, he can concentrate well now. He doesn't talk about his other issues and when I bring them up he doesn't say anything.

According to his wife yes his concentration is improved but not his anxiety, depression or anhedonia.

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