Rethinking ADHD Treatment: The Power Of Non-Stimulant Medication

It doesn’t have to be stimulants or nothing; there are other options:

More than just a matter of dopamine

The problem is that stimulants like Adderall, Vyvanse, Ritalin, and Focalin are effective for attention and motivation (by increasing dopamine levels in the brain), but they don’t directly fix other aspects of executive dysfunction.

This is compounded by the fact that difficulties with planning, organization, emotional control, and “set shifting”—the ability to switch tasks and return smoothly. Interruptions (like a “quick call”) can derail productivity for hours in people with ADHD who struggle with this skill.

Stimulants can’t help with this, because although they improve focus and motivation, they don’t do help flexibility. They can even worsen set shifting—hyperfocus may make it harder to mentally switch gears, and interruptions can cause focus to shift to the derailment instead of the intended task.

You may have heard stories of people with ADHD who took their meds to focus on an important task, got distracted before the meds kicked in, and now they will be spending the next four hours intently focused on reorganizing their wardrobe. This kind of thing happens a lot and is a well-known problem for people on ADHD meds.

Current non-stimulant medication options include:

• Clonidine (Kapvay) and guanfacine (Intuniv): approved for children/adolescents; help with impulsivity; sometimes used alongside stimulants.
• Atomoxetine (Strattera): first non-stimulant ADHD medication (approved 2002) for both adults and children; modest results and slower onset (up to a month).
• Viloxazine (Qelbree): newest option (approved 2021); works faster—about a week in children, two weeks in adults.

How Qelbree works: like Strattera, it’s a norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor, increasing norepinephrine in the prefrontal cortex and secondarily boosting dopamine and serotonin—in other words, neurotransmitters tied to focus, motivation, and emotional regulation.

Relevant research cited in the video:

• In a 2023 study, Qelbree outperformed Strattera and worked more quickly.
• 85% of patients who used Qelbree alongside a stimulant were later able to stop the stimulant after stabilization.
• A separate study in children showed Qelbree significantly improved executive function deficits—suggesting probable benefits for adults as well, as there is no obvious reason why age should be a factor in this case.

Some practical notes:

• Qelbree must be taken daily (not as-needed like stimulants).
• It’s still brand-only and may require prior insurance authorization.
• Some insurers require trying Strattera first before approving Qelbree.

For more on all of this, plus sources for the science, enjoy:

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