Summary
A new international study led by the University of Southampton found ADHD medications cause small increases in blood pressure and heart rate but offer overall benefits that outweigh these risks.
Researchers emphasized careful monitoring, especially for patients with heart conditions. Both stimulant and non-stimulant medications showed similar cardiovascular effects, except guanfacine, which lowered blood pressure.
Experts noted the drugs improve academic performance, reduce mortality risk, and lower chances of anxiety, depression, and substance abuse.
Prescriptions have surged post-pandemic, but misconceptions about ADHD treatments still persist, experts warned.
I have been a lifelong nerd, so that has involved sitting in front of a screen for a good number of years. With that, comes excessive caffeine use and a healthy dose of stress and anxiety.
What is the most annoying is that I completely gave up all booze a couple of years ago trying to get ahead of any serious health issues. My alcohol (mis)use absolutely is not to be understated. I was a drunk, plain and simple, and finding hidden damage was inevitable, I speculate.
My resting pulse has always been insane since I was a child at a casual (/s) 95bpm. Heat disease does run in my family.
This is a compound problem, and I am not exactly a spring chicken anymore.
To answer your question directly, caffeine intake has been reduced significantly and daily walks are starting to become a thing. My diet was never horrible and TBH, I could use a couple of extra pounds. (Things like soft drinks and fast food have been rare in my life for quite a while now.) Sleep habits have been getting positively adjusted for a couple of years already.
So, with all of that, I cannot and will not place the blame fully on Adderall. However, my lifestyle issues aren’t uncommon with other people with ADHD. Drug and alcohol abuse is common for people that remain untreated, unfortunately. If anything, I theorize that I am within most averages of other people on the spectrum.
Edit: Oh yeah, smoking. I have been vaping for a good number of years already and only had a few drags of a real cig at a Paul Van Dyk concert the other night. But yeah, nicotine is getting expunged shorty. TBH, eliminating caffeine has been worse: I’ll still get massive, migraine-grade headaches without at least a mitigating dose.
All the power to you! Keep up the good work. Ditto on caffeine. Congratulations on stopping alcohol. I made that decision recently (1 y) though I wasn’t really drinking that much. I am trying to keep active and eat clean but I do feel that with medication I could get a better mileage. Cheers!
Thank you.
Get treated, if applicable. I have seen amazing results with others as well as with myself. Amphetamines have a nasty stigma still, which unfortunately, is probably earned.
Even if Adderall was 100% the cause of my current blood pressure issues, which is highly unlikely, I wouldn’t hesitate to make the decision to get treated again.
Form your own mini support group or find one. Talking with others helps mitigate many social anxieties that are also common.