Reasons for a Drug-Free ADHD Treatment

Video Transcript

"There are any number of reasons for a person with ADHD to choose to treat the condition without the use of drugs. It sometimes comes down to an issue of substance abuse, a lot of people with ADHD have substance abuse disorder, as well and have spent as many years trying to get off of drugs as they have spent getting themselves on drugs. It's pretty well known that two of the main drugs used to treat ADHD, which are methylphenadate, which the brand names would be ridalin or conserda. Or Adoral, which is a combination of 4 different salts of amphetamine; which are not only effective and powerful tools in the pharmacopia for treating ADHD and other disorders. They are also common drugs of abuse and they are drugs that can be abused even by people who are supposed to be using them for treatment. That's something that a person with ADHD might not want to pursue because of substance abuse history. Other reasons may be high blood pressure, as many of the ADHD drugs (ridolin, adoral, streterra, and others) can cause a spike in blood pressure. A reason that has become more and more common is cost. People who don't have health insurance are less likely able to afford medication; especially some of the newer ADHD treatments that are not yet generic. Somebody as a matter of finance may choose to go off their medication and manage their disease without drugs. With some people, they choose to assue insurance companies all the way around and try to avoid putting chemicals in their body. Be it medications, processed foods or otherwise. Going drug free with ADHD may be a comprehensive application of this lifestyle."