Style magazine in Baltimore has  published an article in September 2012 edition on stimulant misuse in high school students in Baltimore. The article distinguishes between the use of stimulants for performance enhancement by students vs the use of stimulants to treat legitimately diagnosed ADHD in young adults. I, along with Dr. Alain Joffe, director of Johns Hopkins University’s Student Health Center, were interviewed for our thoughts on this important issue.  Students interviewed offer their perspective as well.

The take-home point for me as a psychiatrist treating late adolescents and young adults is to obtain a complete history of ADHD since childhood confirmed with input from a parent. Other co-existing psychiatric and medical condition are also considered. Only after I am confident of the presence of ADHD do I write a prescription and recommend behavioral/organizational therapy.

As it is important to treat those who need medication, it is equally important to not prescribe to those students who don’t have ADHD.