Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40149813›Full record

ArticleBrain sciences2025

The Use of Novel Stimulants in ADHD Self-Medication: A Mixed Methods Analysis.

Tayler Holborn, Fabrizio Schifano, Emma Smith, Paolo Deluca

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Brain sciences, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
  2. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors.

Tayler HolbornInstitute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, 16 De Crespigny Park, London SE5 8AF, UK.ORCID 0000-0002-8980-9281
Fabrizio SchifanoSchool of Life and Medical Sciences, University of Hertfordshire, Hatfield AL10 9AB, UK.ORCID 0000-0002-4178-5401
Emma SmithInstitute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, 16 De Crespigny Park, London SE5 8AF, UK.ORCID 0000-0002-2144-8790
Paolo DelucaInstitute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, 16 De Crespigny Park, London SE5 8AF, UK.ORCID 0000-0002-9511-7230

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundNumerous individuals suffer from attentional issues, such as ADHD. While medication is considered the first-line treatment, it is unavailable to some. As a result, certain individuals are choosing to self-medicate with novel stimulants, a phenomenon that remains poorly understood. We aimed to investigate which NPSs are being used to self-medicate ADHD, evaluate their perceived effectiveness, and explore the experiences and motivations of those self-medicating.

methodsData from respondents (

resultsThe most-used NPSs were 4F-MPH and 2-FMA. Some individuals perceived self-medication to be more effective than conventional treatment (

conclusionNovel stimulants are being used when access to ADHD treatment is poor. Interventions should aim to reduce long treatment wait times and issues surrounding geographical access. Careful consideration should be given before denying stimulant medication to individuals with co-occurring substance use and psychiatric comorbidity. Individuals desire a more patient-centred ADHD treatment with broader pharmacotherapies.

Indexed as

2-FMA4F-MPHADHDnovel psychoactive substances (NPSs)self-medicationstimulants

Identifiers

PMID40149813
PMCPMC11940814

What Socratic holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.