ADHD, which stands for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, is one of the most common neurodevelopmental disorders diagnosed in children. In 2022, the CDC conducted a national survey which found that approximately 11.4% of children in the United States aged three to 17 years had been diagnosed with ADHD. Of those children, 53.6% took ADHD medication.
Adderall is a common ADHD medication made of two stimulants, dextroamphetamine and amphetamine, which work to increase dopamine levels in the brain. Higher dopamine levels often lead to relief from ADHD symptoms such as a lack of focus and forgetfulness. There are many other ADHD medications — such as Ritalin, Vyvanse and Concerta — that contain different compounds, but most ADHD medications aim to improve impulse control, enhance focus and strengthen executive functioning.
“When I take [my medication] … I have this constant feeling of, ‘Is what I’m doing right now productive?’” Asher Ballon ’25 said. “I think taking [it] every day has helped me be more productive in my life and in school.”
Pausing or stopping ADHD medication brings dopamine levels back down, forcing the body and brain to adjust accordingly. “During my finals last semester, … I didn’t end up taking my ADHD medicine. So I spent a couple of hours not doing anything at all, and just literally staring at my computer,” said Ajay Haddad ’26.
While medication may help with focus for some students, it does not necessarily translate to increased productivity. “[Medication] kind of tricks me sometimes … sometimes I get too much dopamine,” Ballon said. “I was working on this physics lab consistently, days before [it] was due. I felt like I was being super efficient and productive when really, I had only written a single paragraph.”
Medication is not the only form of treatment that can help manage ADHD. “I have seen a small percentage of [situations where] medication alone makes a significant impact,” Director of Learning Strategies Rachel Herbert said. “However, there are a lot of other things that can help, like exercise, sleep and all of our life habits.”
Ballon spoke to the value in combining medication with other habits and strategies. “Medication has helped me overcome my ADHD, but I also had an executive functioning coach who taught me his mindset of, ‘Yeah, you have ADHD, but there’s so many things you can do to make your life easier,’” Ballon said.
“Finding a mixture of what habits and organization tools work for you is important,” Sami Lee ’25 said. “I make probably a jillion lists a day, which is super helpful [for me].”
ADHD medication can affect more than someone’s productivity and ability to focus. “It does scare me how much my personality changes [when I take my medication],” Lee said. “On Adderall, I can express my creativity because I’m not a mess, but at the same time, it’s not as raw.”
Ballon agreed. “When I’m off [medication], … I’m funnier. I’m more spontaneous and more sporadic. I think I have less of a filter, [but] not in a bad way,” he said.
During the ADHD diagnosis and treatment process, it is crucial to assess what might cause an individual’s symptoms and what they’re impacted by. The increased ADHD diagnosis rate during the COVID-19 pandemic, coupled with a rise in social media usage, raises questions about the links between screen time, ADHD symptoms and mental health.
“The impact social media has on attention spans and mental wellness is tied to a lot of other things, Herbert said. “Many other activities that can bring joy [also] require some kind of level of focus, but with decreased attention spans it can be harder to engage for a sustained amount of time with other activities, even ones that could be intrinsically fun.”
Content about mental health awareness and ADHD on social media platforms can also influence users to get tested and seek treatment. “The more people you see taking medication [on social media] and seeing it help them, you might think, ‘Oh, maybe I need that,’” Ballon said.
Lily Negrin ’25 is planning to try medication to help manage her ADHD. “I’ve never tried medicating because I’ve been able to deal with [ADHD] for so long,” Negrin said. “But now that I’m doing college applications, I’m gonna try because I need to lock in.”
But she still has some reservations. “As a growing kid, I feel like it’s important to learn how to deal with your natural brain. Especially in case you can’t get your medicine,” Negrin said. “Let’s say I’ve been on Adderall my whole life, and then there’s a shortage. Going off it might really throw my body and brain into a loop.”
Many aspects of a person’s life can contribute to how they experience ADHD, and it is important for each individual to consider their personal context before deciding whether to take medication. “I think every single brain is very different, so I think it’s hard when we put people in groups because there’s so many different complexities and severities and combos of ADHD,” Negrin said. “My experiences can be so different [from] someone else’s, so naturally the treatment should be different too.”