By Ellen Lubensky, Esq. , Attorney & Mental Health Reform Advocate
The issue of medication for what is labeled as ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) and the perception of overmedication can be both a real concern and often oversimplified. According to Epic Research, the prescribing of ADHD medications has risen significantly in the last 10 years, climbing 24% between 2019 and 2024. This number has fallen in step with the rising number of new diagnoses for the condition labeled as ADHD, especially among adult women, children, and adolescents.
The rise in diagnoses and the uptick in the prescribing of ADHD medication have led to some concerns about overdiagnosis, overprescribing, and the misuse of popular ADHD medications such as Adderall and Vyvanse. While the condition labeled as ADHD can be debilitating if not identified and properly treated, many may be receiving powerful medications for it without proper, thorough evaluations. Add in the issue of lacking informed consent, and it creates a perfect storm in the psychiatric community for people struggling with the symptoms of ADHD.
A careful, thoughtful approach to the diagnosis of what is commonly labeled as ADHD and treatment for this condition must hold both truths simultaneously: People may be missing proper evaluations before they are prescribed medication, and many benefit from appropriate treatment when it is given.
A Legitimate Concern
The concern about overmedication is not simply imagined. It’s a highly debated topic among experts, with many citing the sharp increase in prescriptions of stimulants, especially for children, in recent years. Misuse of stimulants like Adderall or methylphenidate has been an ongoing concern, and prescribers are realizing that the decision to grant a prescription for these powerful medications may have an unintended ripple effect beyond the person being prescribed the medication.
The question for experts and concerned parties is not whether what is labeled as ADHD is a legitimate condition that often requires medication; it is whether the healthcare system properly distinguishes real need from convenience, pressure, and poor screening approaches.
Reality Vs. Public Perception Of Medication Treatment For Adhd
In today’s digital world, where public perception can be blasted far and wide across multiple social media platforms, it often swings to wild extremes. This pendulum effect can make it difficult to assess the actual issue, especially with a topic as hotly contested as the overmedication of ADHD.
For instance, on one side, people are making the wild assumption that what is labeled as ADHD is an “invented” condition, especially concerning children, or that medications are being handed out like candy by Big Pharma. As the pendulum swings to the other extreme, some people believe any questioning of the identification and treatment of ADHD is a stigma against the people who have it. As with most things, the reality rests somewhere in the middle.
Increased awareness of the signs of what is labeled as ADHD has allowed many people to identify issues they may have struggled with for years. This increased awareness and an increase in people seeking help for the condition could seem like “overdiagnoses” to the untrained eye.
However, although social media has helped further the cause of missed ADHD diagnoses, experts continue to warn against self-diagnosis, which has seen an increase due to platforms like TikTok.
A Modern Approach To Adhd Diagnosis And Treatment
With the public discourse around diagnostic approaches and treatment of what is labeled as ADHD at a fever pitch, it helps to take a step back and evaluate what can really move the needle toward prudent identification and treatment of the condition. This evaluation is where informed consent becomes so important.
In psychiatry, informed consent cannot just be a quick signature on a form. It has to include education about the diagnosed condition; information about the risks and possible side effects of a medication; information about the benefits of behavioral therapy, either instead of or along with medication; information about long-term effects and withdrawal from treatment; and patients must have the autonomy to make treatment decisions for themselves.
For what is labeled as ADHD specifically, informed consent for medications should include information about the possibility of appetite suppression, sleep disruption, anxiety, and heart-rate effects that can often come with some of the more often-prescribed medications. Some patients may decide that the side effects of the medications are worse than the symptoms of what is labeled as ADHD.
Informed consent should also be revisited over the course of treatment, as symptoms, life circumstances, and the patient’s capacity to make decisions about their treatment can change.
Considering Consent And Capacity
Psychiatry has unique ethical considerations because many patients may present with a diminished capacity to consent to treatment. Whether clinicians are working in pediatrics, where patients may be too young to fully understand a proposed treatment, or with adults who have diminished capacity for other reasons, informed consent needs to be considered.
In those instances, psychiatrists seeking to prescribe medication and the patient’s caregivers need to make a judgment call. Patients, regardless of their capacity to consent, still maintain their autonomy and right to dignity.
Psychiatrists need to take a nuanced approach to treatment and learn to recognize if a patient is under stress, coercion, or is being influenced by outside sources such as social media before moving forward with a treatment plan.
A Balanced View
With social media exposure and better information, overmedication appears to be a significant problem among people with what is labeled as ADHD. Individual overmedication is a recognized problem among mental health professionals, and many are taking steps to avoid rampant overmedication while fighting the extreme public perception that any ADHD treatment may be considered “excessive.”
Evidence points to a need for better informed consent, better access to comprehensive diagnosis and treatment for what is labeled as ADHD, and safeguards put into place that will help people avoid stigma and receive accurate diagnosis and treatment.
Ellen Lubensky, Esq. is an attorney and mental health reform advocate working at the intersection of law, patient rights, and psychiatric care accountability. With over 20 years of legal experience, including work in Social Security Disability and medical malpractice, she brings a legal-first lens to a space typically dominated by clinicians. Her mission is to increase transparency, accountability, and informed consent in psychiatric treatment, with a particular focus on the risks of benzodiazepines and antipsychotics, misdiagnosis, and the lack of withdrawal support.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute medical, legal, or psychiatric advice. Readers should consult a qualified healthcare professional before making decisions about diagnosis, medication, or treatment. The views expressed are those of the author.
