Study Finds Adhd Drug May Aid Ptsd Depressive Symptoms

[Tinyflame]

Link Removed

What do you think? Kind of surprised that PTSD which includes so much anxiety & fear could respond to a stimulant, but not at all surprised when stimulants are designed to stimulate the brain. Not just as per norepinephrine connection (because that would be obvious, countering in balance adrenaline (epinephrine) ), but maybe there's a connection with dopamine as well, or dopaminere re-uptake in the regulation of ptsd-related depressive symptoms?

I have great difficulty discriminating between ptsd symptomolgy & adhd symptomology, except of course adhd is neuro-developmental. However, how many of us can remember our childhoods, or many have had early-onset ptsd from childhood.

I don't think it's surprising that there could be a response with improved executive functioning, but very surprising it may effect ptsd-related depression specifically.

Or, I wonder if it could be explained by the increased likelihood of the comorbidity (statistically, one-way relationship) of the two? I wonder if it might further (with study) explain why the depression with ptsd is so treatment-resistant (often) , because it's my understanding ADHD does not respond to SSRI's whatsoever (as one would expect), but neither does ADHD-related depression by-&-large, (nor does PTSD-related depression, frequently). Yet surprisingly, one would expect stimulants to potentially increase anxiety/ ptsd symptoms, not reduce them.- (??)

Saw this googling tornados in my area last night. Feel better today (after the adrenline rush). And physically, I can't do what I used to, which maybe contributes (physically) to the depression?

And I just read a study (unrelated) that women with ADHD experience a 46% higher rate of suicidality than women studied without ADHD, & half of those women go on to attempt/ complete.

What do you think?

ETA, unless the people studied actually had both (ie ptsd & adhd undiagnosed)?

 

[PTSDfree]

I think PTSD causes a lot of the same things in the brain as ADHD does. Not sure how I'd like to risk becoming dependent on amphetamines, though. :coffee:

 

[Friday]

@DissociativeBelle Methylphenidate isn't an amphetamine. :) It's a stimulant, but phenethylamine & piperidine family, not the amphetamine families. It's mode of action is as catecholamine & dopamine re uptake inhibitor. Amphetamines, meanwhile, have a totally different mode of action & affect different neurotransmitters.

The drug you're probably thinking of is Adderal, which is a blend of 2 amphetamines, in both short and long acting forms of themselves. But there are a number of amphetamines used as ADHD meds. Adderall is just the most well know.

As someone who's both ADHD & PTSD, while there are some symptom crossovers, where the symptoms come from, how they -usually- feel, and what works to treat them are wildly different.

***

I wish they'd study the effects of Strattera / atomoxetine on PTSD. It's a SSNRI, so not a straight stimulant like amphetamines, caffeine, nicotine, cocaine, methylphenidate, etc., but it's also super short acting, much like a stimulant (and unlike most SSRIs & SNRIs).

 

[Panda Bear]

I have ADHD, but it's co-morbid and may not be true blue ADHD. I didn't exhibit issue with learning and attention until after I was sexually abused. Currently? It's raging ADHD :whistling: The psychiatrist doesn't feel it's a stand alone issue, she felt it was trauma related and driven....

Coincidentally, I responded well to a trial of Adderall. But have zero tolerance for most other drugs.

 

[Tinyflame]

As someone who's both ADHD & PTSD, while there are some symptom crossovers, where the symptoms come from, how they -usually- feel, and what works to treat them are wildly different.

I'm not sure how anyone can tell when they've known no other normal and the ptsd was present fairly early? Especially without others' feedback.

It's my understanding amphetamines when the body needs them, are not addictive & leave the body immediately. Psychological addiction I could see. However, they say 1/2 of people on them forget to even take them- not something you see with addiction (eg I forgot to have a cigarette until noon).

 

[Tinyflame]

I think that which is specific to obviously ptsd is more trauma related- intrusive traumatic memories, FB's, night terrors, etc.

 

[KwanYingirl]

I have Complex PTSD. When I had a neuropsychological battery of tests that lasted all day, I was diagnosed with PTSD with attention deficits, because my short term memory skills were so contradictory to my high IQ. This was performed after a huge chemical exposure and they were looking for organic brain damage. By the way, I did not reveal to the testers that I was sexually abused from 4-12. I did however admit to being strangled and later drugged and kidnapped. There was enough trauma in my adulthood to support my Dx.
When I was 15 I developed a love affair with crystal meth. I used almost daily and my school grades soared. I loved how it helped me focus. I abruptly quit all drugs when I went to college. I was prescribed Adderal after the neuropsych evaluation, but knowing I have an addictive personality, I never took one.
I believe that I am so conditioned to hyperviglance, it puts blinders on my peripheral world, one I am not paying attention to. I don't like the feeling of coming down from meth, it's hell. I was such a mess in high school and was glad I had meth to get good grades.
All these disorders overlap and feed off of each other. Now I take Geodone and that helps me focus and also improves my mood.

 

[Tinyflame]

I'm no little of meds, but as @FridayJones said ther's non-stimulant forms.

Funny, I never knew anything about ADHD, only looked it up so I wouldn't be doing harm to a friend, understand better.

With the very rarest exception, it's going to be from birth. Other things can mimic it.

But I think poorly understood by most, & really badly named. More like selective attention, or decresed possiblity of avoiding competing attention, regulation, impulsivity, concept of time, starting & transitioning, etc.

I still don't understand the link to decreasing ptsd depressive symptoms.