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cateyeMarch 2, 2023

Ugh. If only everything was that simple, child psychiatrists would be out of a job.

I'm 27, I have ADHD, and I'm also an avid exerciser. I was diagnosed with ADHD as a kid and took Adderall until I was 12. I got straight As at school and was at the top of the class. I was in sports my whole life, but shockingly it didn't fix my ADHD or the long spell of depression I had during high school and college. Weirdly enough, this was also the time period where I did not medicate my ADHD, and my grades were starting to slip. I literally did 10 fucking years of martial arts and earned my black belt in high school, but I was still a mess when it came time to get my brain to settle down and focus. In addition, I had awful emotional regulation problems that cropped up, and honestly, college was the darkest time of my life. I couldn't even focus on things I enjoyed, couldn't make friends, and just became really isolated and embarrassed of my shortcomings. I abused substances to numb the depression and feelings of inadequacy and that almost got me into some serious trouble.

Now I LOVE exercise and preach the benefits to everyone I know until I'm blue in the face, but I'm also really tired of the whole "you don't need medication, just exercise and eat healthy and you'll be FINE!" narrative everyone keeps trying to push for seemingly every mental health issue. Everyone should exercise, yeah, but that's just one piece of the puzzle. Adderall has helped me focus and stay on track in my life than anything else I've tried, and I'm at the most stable place in my life right now because of it.I don't even really drink anymore, thanks to Adderall regulating my need to seek constant high-level stimulation. I'm finally at a place in my life where I feel strong, healthy, and happy.

It's just... really simplistic to think mental health issues are both caused by and cured by lifestyle choices, and articles like these once again make me ashamed that I have ADHD and have to take a stimulant to maintain my life.I thought we were finally getting to a place where maybe Adderall and the people who actually need it like myself were no longer so harshly stigmatized, but I guess not. Just my two cents.

RikkiTikkiTavi [OP]March 2, 2023

Now I LOVE exercise and preach the benefits to everyone I know until I'm blue in the face, but I'm also really tired of the whole "you don't need medication, just exercise and eat healthy and you'll be FINE!" narrative everyone keeps trying to push for seemingly every mental health issue.

What you are saying is absolutely an issue. I think these studies tend to get treated as if the problems mentioned are 'cured' by the associated actions outlined in the study, which of course implies that they are 'caused' by the lack of these actions.

The other problem is using the wrong 'cure' on those who do not have the problem. Prescribing medication to children who are not ADHD but who are lacking in any meaningful expression of pent up energy. These are the one that 'surprise' get 'cured' by exercise.

Our capacity for proper diagnosis of things - especially mental health issues is lacking in so many ways.