ADD/ADHD / Question
Published: June 5, 2003
Dear TeenHealthFX,
I have ADD and I have tried EVERYTHING. I got off the prescriptions. I loved using amphetamines because of the feeling of being so deeply concentrated. The problems I had were with the side effects of the drugs. So I started to worry and quit the drugs. Now I am just VERY mad because no matter how hard I try, I just can't concentrate in school. No herbals or vitamins work. The only things that work for me are stimulants. I tried a few caffeine pills and went all trippy. My question is if the "awake" pills are they synthetic caffeine? Would natural caffeine help me concentrate? What about ephedra?
Signed: ADD - Will Caffeine Help Concentration?
Dear ADD - Will Caffeine Help Concentration?,
TeenHealthFX is sorry to hear you are having such a frustrating time treating your ADD, however, we do not recommend taking any drug that is not prescribed by a doctor. Ephedra is marketed as an experimental weight loss drug and is known to have many harmful side effects, especially in young adults. It can cause dizziness, nausea, psychosis, seizures, heart attacks, strokes and high blood pressure.
As for caffeine, it is recommended that people who have ADD avoid it. Although it is a stimulant, as you say, the amount of caffeine required to truly be effective would cause too many negative side effects, so you would be back where you were with amphetamines.
TeenHealthFX knows that ADD can be difficult to treat and a combination of counseling and medicine tends to work best. There are other medications that are not stimulants that can also be used to treat symptoms of ADD. A pediatric psychiatrist (a doctor who is qualified to treat you with both medication and therapy) can help determine what could help you best.
If you do not have a psychiatrist or counselor and live in northern New Jersey you can call the Access Center from Atlantic Behavioral Health at 888.247.1400 for a referral. If you live outside of this area, you can log onto the US Department of Health and Human Services Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's website for referrals to professionals near you.
Signed: TeenHealthFX
Less than 33% of teens with depression get help, yet 80% of teens with depression can be successfully treated if they seek help from a doctor or therapist.
