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One thing that has troubled me as a self-taught "dietician" (re: for fitness, using PEDs effectively, etc) is wondering how much the pronouncement of ADHD might

One thing that has troubled me as a self-taught "dietician" (re: for fitness, using PEDs effectively, etc) is wondering how much the pronouncement of ADHD might correlate with dietary and lifestyle habit changes over the past couple generations. Basically, I have a hunch regarding general population and dietary overlap. I was a "hyper" kid for a lot of my formative years, and didn't undergo medication for it, but wonder if it'd been even more pronounced with not quite as strict of a household regimen (I was fortunate in this regard - pretty routine home-cooking, balanced diet, occasional sugar treats but not a staple). A 2012 article I just quickly dredged up seems to note there's interest and some control studies possible for recommendations that don't deny the utility of medication, but seem to look for dietary conditions worth evaluation[1]. [1] http://www.oregonholisticcounseling.com/uploads/Kids_Nutrition_Literature_Review.pdf http://www.oregonholisticcounseling.com/uploads/Kids_Nutriti...

sotojuan 10y ago
When I was a kid (6-12~) I had to take Ritalin everyday—sometimes during school the teacher had to give it to me (this was in South America were casually asking a teacher to give me meds was ok). When we suddenly moved to the US and I started middle school here I stopped taking it. I've always suspected I was and am still "hyper", because I have trouble focusing and always have to fidget or walk around the office. I just don't get up and run around like I did when I was 7. Even then, without meds, I managed to do pretty great in school and college, as well as my programming career. I've always wondered how much different I would've been had I taken ADHD/"focus" meds.
- 6stringmerc 10y ago
  Same, I had lots and lots of outdoor activities (unstructured) mostly revolving around riding my bicycle. I'm sure I got lots of energy out that way. I rode to and from elementary school, and would ride after school, then also was an active swimmer. Not sure some of those are everyday options for young people (generally speaking in urban/sprawl suburban/helicopter parenting places). Mostly I think my home discipline helped me 'focus' on doing school and those things, to allow things to get channeled...like picking up guitar seriously at 14. Not going to get good at guitar without focusing and practicing, if I'm honest. So, in a time when I would've been out riding my bike, I was concentrating on the instrument and tiring out my brain daily I think. Well, and the whole "don't do well in school don't get to play guitar" thing hanging over my head (for the best). I kind of think I'd be, well, maybe a less creative person today because I like to let my mind wander. A person recently asked "How do you remember so much erratic & tangential information so fast?" and my only reply was thinking my brain is like a giant orb-spider-web-thingy that can fire stuff all around really fast and bring it back. I like to think my wandering mind made the most of spending time in the local library as a kid too - pick up book, read for a while, get another one, etc.
- Vraxx 10y ago
  I had a similar experience where my 3rd grade teacher was pretty much solely responsible for getting me medicated. I took Adderall every day from 3rd grade to about Sophomore year of high school, when I convinced my parents that I was capable of managing myself without it. At the time, I detested it because it subdued my extroverted nature, for instance, I would read books at recess instead of playing kickball or talking with friends. After graduating undergrad just fine and landing a software engineering gig, I looked the medication again, and it's a lot more helpful than I remember giving it credit for. My personal hypothesis is that the dose I had as a kid was a bit too strong, but the one insight I gained from taking it after being off of it for so long is that I don't absolutely need it to function, but it sure makes things a hell of a lot easier for me. Obviously, this is just anecdotal, but my experience seemed similar enough to yours that I thought I might share a hypothetical answer to your question.

sotojuan 10y ago

When I was a kid (6-12~) I had to take Ritalin everyday—sometimes during school the teacher had to give it to me (this was in South America were casually asking a teacher to give me meds was ok). When we suddenly moved to the US and I started middle school here I stopped taking it. I've always suspected I was and am still "hyper", because I have trouble focusing and always have to fidget or walk around the office. I just don't get up and run around like I did when I was 7. Even then, without meds, I managed to do pretty great in school and college, as well as my programming career. I've always wondered how much different I would've been had I taken ADHD/"focus" meds.

6stringmerc 10y ago
Same, I had lots and lots of outdoor activities (unstructured) mostly revolving around riding my bicycle. I'm sure I got lots of energy out that way. I rode to and from elementary school, and would ride after school, then also was an active swimmer. Not sure some of those are everyday options for young people (generally speaking in urban/sprawl suburban/helicopter parenting places). Mostly I think my home discipline helped me 'focus' on doing school and those things, to allow things to get channeled...like picking up guitar seriously at 14. Not going to get good at guitar without focusing and practicing, if I'm honest. So, in a time when I would've been out riding my bike, I was concentrating on the instrument and tiring out my brain daily I think. Well, and the whole "don't do well in school don't get to play guitar" thing hanging over my head (for the best). I kind of think I'd be, well, maybe a less creative person today because I like to let my mind wander. A person recently asked "How do you remember so much erratic & tangential information so fast?" and my only reply was thinking my brain is like a giant orb-spider-web-thingy that can fire stuff all around really fast and bring it back. I like to think my wandering mind made the most of spending time in the local library as a kid too - pick up book, read for a while, get another one, etc.
Vraxx 10y ago
I had a similar experience where my 3rd grade teacher was pretty much solely responsible for getting me medicated. I took Adderall every day from 3rd grade to about Sophomore year of high school, when I convinced my parents that I was capable of managing myself without it. At the time, I detested it because it subdued my extroverted nature, for instance, I would read books at recess instead of playing kickball or talking with friends. After graduating undergrad just fine and landing a software engineering gig, I looked the medication again, and it's a lot more helpful than I remember giving it credit for. My personal hypothesis is that the dose I had as a kid was a bit too strong, but the one insight I gained from taking it after being off of it for so long is that I don't absolutely need it to function, but it sure makes things a hell of a lot easier for me. Obviously, this is just anecdotal, but my experience seemed similar enough to yours that I thought I might share a hypothetical answer to your question.