Pharmacological therapy is one of the most used treatments in Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. In general, it is used as a complementary treatment to cognitive-behavioral therapy, yielding good results in the management of impulsivity and hyperactivity, while improving the child’s ability to concentrate and learn. However, despite the fact that numerous scientific studies have proven the efficacy of medications in the treatment of ADHD, there are still many myths about this type of therapy.
False beliefs about drug therapy in ADHD
Drugs to treat ADHD damage health
Many parents fear for the safety and efficacy of drug treatment, so they opt first for psychological and behavioral therapy, and only if this does not work do they give the free rein to medication. However, in many cases psychological treatment is not enough to manage ADHD and it is necessary to resort to drugs to regulate the levels of neurotransmitters such as dopamine and norepinephrine.
Therefore, although the treatment of ADHD should not be limited exclusively to the use of drugs, there are cases in which they are necessary. In fact, there are different drugs whose efficacy and safety have been scientifically proven and, although it is true that they can have adverse effects, these are negligible compared to the benefits they report.
Drugs to treat ADHD increase the risk of addiction
It was long thought that long-term use of ADHD drugs could alter brain function, increasing the risk that children would develop an addiction when they reached adolescence or youth. However, recent studies have shown that the drugs used to treat ADHD symptoms are not actually responsible for the risk of addiction to which these children are exposed, but is more related to other factors such as the dose of the drug, the severity of ADHD, the genetic predisposition to develop an addiction, and the neuropsychological deficits associated with the disorder.
In fact, this medication could even reduce the risk of addiction since if the child has fewer problems at school and at home, they are less likely to turn to drugs when they reach adolescence.
Drugs to treat ADHD affect child growth
Appetite suppression is one of the main side effects of drug treatment for ADHD, which is why it is believed that it can affect a child’s weight and height. Various hypotheses have also been put forward about a possible biochemical interaction between dopamine and growth hormone, which could cause a decrease in the levels of the latter.
However, a comparative study conducted at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, in which a group of children with ADHD were followed for 26 years on medication and another group without medication, found that the growth problems of these children are not present. related to psychotropic drugs. The fact that children with ADHD undergoing medication experience a delay in their growth is due to a number of factors, from their nutritional and sleeping habits to their family history.
Drugs to treat ADHD change personality
This is one of the most frequent concerns among parents of children with ADHD. However, this is a completely false belief. It is true that ADHD medications are designed to improve a child’s ability to focus and self-control, and that this in turn affects their self-esteem, self-confidence, and social relationships, but these changes do not affect their personality traits.
After starting treatment, the child is likely to be calmer and less irritable and anxious, but these are precisely the transformations that ADHD treatment seeks. In some cases, unexpected changes in behavior may appear, but this is usually due to the fact that the drug treatment or the dose is not ideal for the child’s age, weight and height. In this case, the changes disappear after adjusting the dose or changing the drug.
