Kayla Mitchell
An ADHD medication list generally falls into two broad categories: stimulants, which are the most commonly prescribed and studied class, and non-stimulants, which work through different mechanisms and are often considered when stimulants aren't a good fit. Both categories include several drugs approved for treating attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children and adults.
What's on a Typical ADHD Medication List
Doctors and health authorities generally group ADHD medications by how they act on the brain rather than by brand name alone, since many drugs are sold under multiple labels and in different release formulations (immediate release versus extended release, for instance). Stimulant medications, which include methylphenidate based and amphetamine based drugs, work by increasing the availability of certain brain chemicals, particularly dopamine and norepinephrine, that support attention, impulse control, and executive function (the mental skills involved in planning, organizing, and self regulating behavior). Non-stimulant medications, by contrast, tend to work more gradually and through different pathways, and some were originally developed for other conditions such as depression or high blood pressure before being found useful for ADHD symptoms.
Within the stimulant category, methylphenidate based drugs and amphetamine based drugs are the two main chemical families. Both have been studied extensively and are considered effective for many people with ADHD, though individual response varies considerably, which is part of why there isn't a single
Patti Gomez
