373 BITESIZE | ADHD Medication Myths That Need to Die (Zombies, Addiction, & Personality Loss)

Summary

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Episode Overview

Podcast: I Have ADHD Podcast
Host: Kristen Carder
Episode: 373 BITESIZE | ADHD Medication Myths That Need to Die (Zombies, Addiction, & Personality Loss)
Date: January 29, 2026

This bite-sized episode tackles persistent myths about ADHD medication. Kristen Carder (a certified ADHD coach) focuses on three central misconceptions: that medication turns people into zombies (with loss of personality), that ADHD meds are inherently addictive, and that people must absolutely stop ADHD meds during pregnancy or nursing. With sharp insight and community anecdotes, Kristen debunks these beliefs, referencing expert studies and ADHD authorities.

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Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Myth: ADHD Medication Turns You Into a Zombie (Personality Loss)

• Addressing the Concern:
  • Kristen acknowledges that some people, especially children treated improperly, have felt numb or altered. She emphasizes the importance of properly prescribed and dosed medication.
  • Quote:

    “When the medication is properly prescribed and dosed, the vast majority of people with ADHD report feeling more alert, more present, and more like themselves for the first time ever.”
    — Kristen Carder (05:23)

• Improper Use:
  • If someone feels "flat, numb, or disconnected," that's typically a sign the dose is too high or the medication is not a good fit—not an inevitable effect.
  • “That is a huge indicator that it’s either the wrong medication or the wrong dosage.” (07:34)
• Busting the ‘Lost My Spark’ Myth:
  • The idea that medication erases humor or spark is simply false when the medication is a good fit.
  • Community Wisdom: “If you are on a good fit medication at the right dosage for you, your brain, and your body… you’re going to be more like yourself. You’re going to feel more present, more alert, more regulated, more ready to, like, be the life of the party.” (07:14)

2. Myth: ADHD Medication is Addictive

• Breaking Down the Research:
  • Kristen asserts that ADHD medication, when taken as prescribed by people with ADHD, is not addictive.
  • Quote:

    “No one with ADHD who takes a doctor-prescribed dosage gets addicted to medication. It just does not happen.”
    — Kristen Carder (09:42)

• Clarifying Stimulant Misuse:
  • Addiction risk pertains to misuse (snorting, injecting, selling, etc.), not legitimate use.
  • Humorous take: “If meds were so addictive... why do I forget to take it? Why am I like, three weeks past my refill date and like, ‘Oh yeah, I gotta call that in.’” (12:39)
• Expert Reference:
  • Kristen reads from Dr. Russell Barkley’s Taking Charge of Adult ADHD, explaining that neurotypicals may feel euphoria from stimulant abuse, but people with ADHD taking oral medication as directed don’t experience this addictive effect (10:59–12:17).
• Research Shows:
  • Properly prescribed medication is shown to reduce long-term substance abuse risk in people with ADHD, not increase it.

3. Myth: You Must Stop ADHD Medication During Pregnancy/Nursing

• Context and Nuance:
  • Traditionally, lack of research led to the recommendation that women stop taking ADHD meds during pregnancy and nursing.
• Breaking News:
  • Kristen cites a major study from November 2024 (following 16.5 million women and their babies), finding no elevated risk of birth defects from ADHD medication use (14:10).
  • Compassionate Perspective: “If I could go back and have a do-over... I would absolutely be medicated during my own pregnancy and nursing experience. 100%” (15:28)
• Key Message:
  • This decision is a “cost-benefit analysis” to make in partnership with a doctor and based on individual ADHD severity.

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Memorable Quotes & Moments

• On Proper Medication Effects:

  “You’re going to be more like yourself. You’re going to have more to offer the world.”
  — Kristen Carder (07:23)

• On Forgetting Medication (Addiction Joke):

  “If [ADHD meds] were so addictive, why do I forget to take it?... Do you think someone addicted to heroin is like, ‘Gosh, I wonder if I shot up this morning or not?’”
  — Kristen Carder (12:39)

• On Pregnancy and Medication:

  “You never really fully grasp how bad it is in the moment... When I look back on that time in my life, I have so much compassion for myself... If I could have a do over, I would absolutely be medicated.”
  — Kristen Carder (15:15–15:35)

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• [04:58] Myth: Medication turns people into zombies / personality loss begins
• [06:00] How proper dosing matters; what to do if you feel ‘flat’
• [07:14] “Lost my spark” myth debunked
• [08:27] Dr. Russell Ramsey’s 90% positive medication fit statistic
• [09:42] Myth: ADHD medication is addictive
• [10:59] Barkley book excerpt on stimulant misuse vs. prescribed use
• [12:39] ADHD community joke about forgetting medication
• [13:29] Recap and reinforcement: ADHD meds are not addictive with proper use
• [13:59] Myth: Must stop meds during pregnancy/nursing
• [14:10] The major 2024 study on pregnancy and ADHD meds
• [15:28] Kristen’s personal reflection on her own parenting experience

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Tone and Language

• Kristen is empathetic, supportive, direct, and uses humor to make her points relatable for ADHD adults.
• Her approach is encouraging—validating difficult experiences while pointing to the evidence and hope for better options.
• Frequent community wisdom, clear expert references, and a collaborative spirit (“work with your doctor”) characterize her message.

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Summary

Kristen Carder dispels common myths surrounding ADHD medication:

• Properly prescribed meds support presence and personality.
• When taken as intended, ADHD meds are not addictive, and may even reduce substance abuse risk.
• Pregnancy and nursing do not automatically require discontinuing medication, though it should be a doctor-guided decision based on new research.

Above all, the episode is a relief and a rallying call: if your medication isn’t working for you, don’t give up—work with your doctor for the right fit. And don’t let old, untrue fears keep you from the treatment you need.

Transcript

[Kristen Carter]

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[Kristen Carter]

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[Kristen Carter]

And boom, dinner is done. One of my recent favorites that I made this week was their everything nachos.

[ADHD Expert or Co-host]

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[Kristen Carter]

Oh my goodness. One of those meals.

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I look at it and I'm like, I made this. I made this.

[Kristen Carter]

And the best part, I'm cooking at home more. I'm stressing less about food and eating out and all the money wasted when I doordash and I'm eating better than I have in a long time. It feels like hitting reset without trying to become a whole new person, which is amazing. This new year, fast track your way to eating well with Marley Spoon. Head to Marley spoon.com offer/I have ADHD for up to 25 free meals. That's Marley spoon.com offer/ I have ADHD for up to 25 free Meals. Marley Spoon meals reimagined for real life. Hey, what's up? This is Kristen Carter and you are listening to a bite sized episode of the I have ADHD podcast. I am medicated, caffeinated, regulated and ready to roll. This little episode is one of my favorite clips from the podcast.

[ADHD Expert or Co-host]

It's perfect if you're not in the.

[Kristen Carter]

Mood for a full hour long listen.

[ADHD Expert or Co-host]

Because let's be real, some of us.

[Kristen Carter]

ADHD years just don't have the patience for all of that. But if you are a die hard listener, think of this as your midweek pick me up.

[ADHD Expert or Co-host]

It's Thursday, y'. All.

[Kristen Carter]

Friday is right around the corner. If you love this clip, check out the show notes for a link to the full episode. And remember, my friend, drink your water, take your meds, grab a snack. Now let's get rolling.

[ADHD Expert or Co-host]

The next thing we're going to chat about is and we're going to just fly through this one. There's a myth that ADHD medication turns people into zombies. And usually this is talking about children. Oh, you're just going to turn them into a zombie. And now listen, I am. I don't want to diminish any of your experiences. If you were medicated as a child.

[Kristen Carter]

And you did feel like it altered.

[ADHD Expert or Co-host]

Your state in a negative way, it took away your personality, that is not a good thing at all. And that's a valid experience for some of you. But when the medication is properly prescribed and dosed, the vast majority of people with ADHD report feeling more alert, more present and more like themselves for the first time ever. Okay, that flat, numb or like disconnected feeling that some have described and maybe you've experienced if you were a child who was treated for ADHD and maybe like the doctor not prescribe a good fit med or your parents asked to like, continually increase the dosage beyond what your body could tolerate it, it's, it's not a good thing. That flat, non disconnected feeling usually means the dose is too high or the medication is not a good fit. Okay? So I'm not saying that that cannot happen. What I'm saying is that if that does happen, it's not a good thing. We need, we need to make a change, okay? That's not something that we're going to accept. We're not just going to say like, oh, you know, this turned me into zombie, so now I'm just like throwing medication out the window for good instead, like, how about we take a look at change in dosage or change in medication, okay? Because when used appropriately under medical supervision, ADHD medications are designed to support focus and regulation, not erase your personality. There's this also, this myth which I'm not going to talk about. You know, I'm, I'm not highlighting it today, but we could like, have a parenthetical statement here about the myth of, like, if I take ADHD medications, it's going to, I'm not going to be funny anymore. My personality is going to be gone. I'm not going to be the life of the party anymore. And like, that is absolutely not true. If you are on a good fit medication at the right dosage for you, your brain and your body, you're going to be more like yourself. You're going to have more to offer the world. You're going to feel more present, more alert, more regulated, more ready to, like, be the life of the party. It is not going to erase your personality. If it ever were to erase your personality, that is a huge indicator that it's the either the wrong medication or the wrong do dosage. Okay, so we're doing. This is a twofer. This is a two for myth buster, okay? Because we're busting two myths at one time. If you ever feel unlike yourself on a medication, that's a sign to work with your doctor to adjust your treatment, but it's not a sign. It's not an indication that you should give up on medication entirely. That's not what we're going for. It's like, oh, this is simply not a good fit for me. Remember the stat that Dr. Russell Ramsey gave us in his book? What is the book?

[Kristen Carter]

What is the book?

[ADHD Expert or Co-host]

Wait for it. It's going to come to me. Rethinking adult ADHD is that 90% of people who embark on an ADHD medication journey find a positive outcome, find a good fit medication. Okay? So that stat does not suck. That's pretty great. Let's move on to the next myth that we are going to bust. And this is a big one. This is a big one. This is also one that loves to circulate the Internet that ADHD medication is addictive. You're just going to get addicted to it. It's just addictive. I don't want to start Adderall because I'm going to be addicted to it. I want. I don't want to start Concerta or Vyvanse or Atomoxetine or whatever it is. I don't want to start it because it's just. I'm going to get addicted to it. And what I want to say to that is this. No one with ADHD who takes a doctor prescribed dosage gets addicted to medication. It just does not happen. Now, stimulant misuse, like crushing your Adderall and snorting it of. Yeah, that's gonna be a problem that will absolutely lead to an addiction. So, like, let's not sell the pills to your friends and have them crush it and snort it, okay? So, like, if we could all just agree to be cool, just be cool, then we won't become addicted. Okay? But research shows that when taken as prescribed by somebody with adhd, these medications are not addictive and they do not lead to later substance abuse issues. Like that is what the research tells us. In fact, they have been shown to reduce the risk of substance abuse in patients with ADHD over time. I did a whole episode on this. A whole episode. Medication for ADHD prescribed by a doctor, taken at a good dosage for your brain and your body has been shown to reduce the risk of substance abuse in patients. With adhd. Okay. In fact, I wanted to read here from you from Dr. Russell Barclay's amazing book, Taking Charge of Adult ADHD. And this is on the section on medications, and we're talking about abuse of stimulants. So here's what he says. The question is, why are stimulants frequently abused? What he says is in those who have typical levels of dopamine in the brain. So a neurotypical human. The boost afforded by the stimulants provides a pleasant sensation of speediness. But that's not all. The stimulants increase dopamine in the regions of the brain known to increase the likelihood of drug addiction. Some of the same regions, the prefrontal cortex and the cerebellum, where the drugs do so much good for people with adhd. Some of these regions serve as the reward centers of the brain, determining how pleasurable or reinforcing certain stimuli or experiencing will experiences will be. Increasing the activity in these centers can result in increased sensations of euphoria, interest, or other reward related experiences. These pleasurable, altered states of consciousness are most likely to occur when stimulants are taken intravenously or snorted into the sinus passages as a powder, allowing the drug to enter into and then clear from these brain regions rapidly. This is the rapid alteration in conscious sensations that creates the euphoria or other pleasurable sensations. Remember, he's talking about neurotypical brains, he's not talking about ADHD brains. Okay. So he goes on to say, why don't adults or children with ADHD get hooked on a stimulant the way that a neurotypical might answer? Because mainly the drugs are taken orally in pill or capsule form and thus enter and leave the brain very slowly. One of the things that I love to say about ADHD medications and like, this is what we say. This is a community, an ADHD community thing. If meds were so addictive, if ADHD medication was so addictive, why do I forget to take it? Why do I forget to put in a refill? Why can't I remember whether or not I took it? This. Did I take my medication this morning? I can't even remember if it's addictive. Why am I forgetting to take it? If it's addictive, why am I like, three weeks past my refill date and like, oh, yeah, I gotta call that in. Oh, yeah, I gotta call that in. Do you think someone addicted to heroin is like, gosh, I wonder if I shut up this morning or not? Gosh, was that like, too Harsh. I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry. But, like, that's, that is how that, like, think about what you are saying.

[Kristen Carter]

People.

[ADHD Expert or Co-host]

Think about what you are saying. Okay? Stimulant misuse, of course, will lead to addiction. Of course, of course it will. But when taken as prescribed by someone with adhd, the medications are not addictive, they do not lead to substance abuse, and in fact, they have been shown to reduce the risk of substance abuse in patients with ADHD over time.

[Kristen Carter]

Okay, all right, that was a good one.

[ADHD Expert or Co-host]

All right, next up, this myth is I must stop taking my ADHD medication while I'm pregnant or nursing. And the answer to this is, like, not necessarily because of the lack of research in this area. It's always been thought that pregnant and nursing mothers should discontinue their ADHD treatment while, you know, while doing their thing. But here's the thing. A new study published in November of 2024 may prove otherwise. I'm going to link it in the show notes. We'll also show it on the screen here. And also episode 208 of the podcast. I break down the whole study, but essentially it follows 16.5 million women and their babies through pregnancy, nursing, and like the first 10 years of life, I believe. And it showed that there were no, like, elevated risk of birth defects, which is incredible. Here's the thing. You've got to decide with your doctor what's right for you and keep in mind how severe your ADHD is, okay? Because it's, it's a real cost benefit analysis here. Going off of the medication, what is going to be the cost for me if I could go back and have a do over, knowing what we know now with the latest research, I would have absolutely chosen to be medicated during my own pregnancy and nursing experience. 100% hindsight, of course, is 20 20. And I think when you're pregnant and nursing, you never really fully grasp how bad it is in the moment, how hard it is, how just awful life is in those moments. Like, it's beautiful, but it's also so hard and you're just kind of like in survival mode and getting through it. But when I look back on that time in my life, I have so much compassion for myself and for what I went through. And I would absolutely, if I could have a do over, I would absolutely be medicated. I absolutely would. I have linked this study in the show notes, so you can go check it out.

[Sponsor or Advertiser Voice]

Foreign.

[ADHD Expert or Co-host]

Thanks for listening to this bite sized.

[Kristen Carter]

Episode of the I have ADHD podcast. If you enjoyed this clip. You'll find a link to the full episode in the show notes. And don't Forget to visit ihaveadhd.com for tons of adult ADHD support. All right, my friends, I had a great time with you today and I cannot wait to to talk to you again next week. Bye Bye.

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