What happens when RX Amphetamines become your normal? I learned the hard truth about ADHD meds: short-term focus, long-term dependence, and a medical system optimized for profit.
This is trash, Rxan. The podcast title mentions your year on ADHD meds, but I don't see or hear that mentioned. You talk about people being on the meds for 40 years and only mention some of the ways that children get into the system. Have we been dispensing these meds long enough to know what they would do after 40 years? Are people going through an opioid type withdrawal when they stop or are they dealing with untreated ADHD, which is the case when I don't take my meds. An industry that won't pay for a therapy that doesn't always work is a valid boogeyman. a capitalist system that forces children to adhere to a given school schedule is a valid boogeyman. Parents who choose to not consider what their child actually needs is a valid boogeyman.
This post is the dance of someone not comfortable enough to provide nuance and solutions.
OK Tom. That's a fair critique. And you're right and I'm going to answer some of it in this comment.
You’re right that the title sets an expectation I didn’t fully deliver on. The description of that Human Experience in there, is based on me and it's not a year , it's 31 years... That’s on me. I’ve been experimenting with Substack's new A/B title feature and it recommends titles for me and it then takes the one that the most people open. You know what, you are absolutely right. I can't use that feature anymore. I paused when I saw it, because I knew that the truth was much different and this article isn't about that year, but it is about my entire life as an adult and the facts are all derived from things I questioned. And time, I just want to tell you that is this is a good example of where that can drift into something that feels like clickbait instead of clarity.
For context, I’m 43 and have been on ADHD medication since I was 12 (Concerta/Ritalin). I’ve had two stretches of over a year off it, and both were difficult in very different ways. That experience is part of why I’m trying to explore this topic, but you’re right, I didn’t bring enough of that into this piece. What I will tell you is I plan to do a podcast where I talk about everything we've posted , one Topic at a time.
Where I think we may still disagree is this: I’m not arguing that medication is inherently bad or that people are “addicted” in a simplistic way. I’m questioning a system that scaled these prescriptions massively without long-term clarity, while also shaping environments (like rigid school systems) that often require them.
You’re also right that parents and individual needs matter, and I should have spent more time there instead of leaning too heavily on the systemic critique.
That’s useful feedback. I’ll tighten that balance going forward.
Thank you for that endorsement. It really means a lot to me and i hope other people start to spread the same message because I think it can Unite us, and make real change. It's not left first right anymore. It's the people in power, there's the rest of us. If you're interested, audio, video whatever you want… I would love to do a podcast with you
I’m down with whatever you prefer. I’m always game to talk, video, lecture, anything. I believe change is doable, not possible. It takes work. And voices. And truth.
I did it… lots of research and lots of work put into it and it was very hard to keep it concise.. I'm trying to make it so I can read what I write in 10 minutes or less and if it's longer than that I try to see if I can make it a multiple Parts series. I don't know if you saw, but in the middle of the article I did link other things I've written that I related that are pretty good.
Before I join substat, this was amongst the 10 or 11 podcast I did solo that got saved by Spotify and imported to my account here after I signed up but it's a pretty good one
This is trash, Rxan. The podcast title mentions your year on ADHD meds, but I don't see or hear that mentioned. You talk about people being on the meds for 40 years and only mention some of the ways that children get into the system. Have we been dispensing these meds long enough to know what they would do after 40 years? Are people going through an opioid type withdrawal when they stop or are they dealing with untreated ADHD, which is the case when I don't take my meds. An industry that won't pay for a therapy that doesn't always work is a valid boogeyman. a capitalist system that forces children to adhere to a given school schedule is a valid boogeyman. Parents who choose to not consider what their child actually needs is a valid boogeyman.
This post is the dance of someone not comfortable enough to provide nuance and solutions.
Do better.
OK Tom. That's a fair critique. And you're right and I'm going to answer some of it in this comment.
You’re right that the title sets an expectation I didn’t fully deliver on. The description of that Human Experience in there, is based on me and it's not a year , it's 31 years... That’s on me. I’ve been experimenting with Substack's new A/B title feature and it recommends titles for me and it then takes the one that the most people open. You know what, you are absolutely right. I can't use that feature anymore. I paused when I saw it, because I knew that the truth was much different and this article isn't about that year, but it is about my entire life as an adult and the facts are all derived from things I questioned. And time, I just want to tell you that is this is a good example of where that can drift into something that feels like clickbait instead of clarity.
For context, I’m 43 and have been on ADHD medication since I was 12 (Concerta/Ritalin). I’ve had two stretches of over a year off it, and both were difficult in very different ways. That experience is part of why I’m trying to explore this topic, but you’re right, I didn’t bring enough of that into this piece. What I will tell you is I plan to do a podcast where I talk about everything we've posted , one Topic at a time.
Where I think we may still disagree is this: I’m not arguing that medication is inherently bad or that people are “addicted” in a simplistic way. I’m questioning a system that scaled these prescriptions massively without long-term clarity, while also shaping environments (like rigid school systems) that often require them.
You’re also right that parents and individual needs matter, and I should have spent more time there instead of leaning too heavily on the systemic critique.
That’s useful feedback. I’ll tighten that balance going forward.
You did it!! Great freaking article. Man it’s got me fired up
Thanks for the feedback too. That really helps me keep writing.
Ohh please keep writing. It’s important
Thank you for that endorsement. It really means a lot to me and i hope other people start to spread the same message because I think it can Unite us, and make real change. It's not left first right anymore. It's the people in power, there's the rest of us. If you're interested, audio, video whatever you want… I would love to do a podcast with you
I’m down with whatever you prefer. I’m always game to talk, video, lecture, anything. I believe change is doable, not possible. It takes work. And voices. And truth.
I just read your bio on substack. I hope you read the one I wrote on criminal Rehabilitation and the other one on the justice system
I did it… lots of research and lots of work put into it and it was very hard to keep it concise.. I'm trying to make it so I can read what I write in 10 minutes or less and if it's longer than that I try to see if I can make it a multiple Parts series. I don't know if you saw, but in the middle of the article I did link other things I've written that I related that are pretty good.
I’m def gonna check all them out. I did notice ✨🫡
https://substack.com/@rxansmith/note/p-172841203?r=5xf1q5
Before I join substat, this was amongst the 10 or 11 podcast I did solo that got saved by Spotify and imported to my account here after I signed up but it's a pretty good one