Can ADHD affect intelligence scores?

If ADHD can affect one intelligence, I know that the intelligences affected are definitely processing speed and the working memory. If I decide to take Adderall, which apparently helps those faculties...typically, can anyone answer on average the span of increase in subtest scores that test the working memory and the processing speed? Could one possibly move from superior to gifted if the VCI was in the gifted range, the POI in the superior, and the WMI and PSI in the normal range--?

I think that my ADHD possibly progressed if thats even possible...I love to read, and reading has become difficult because to me, there seems to be more books that have my interest than I have time to read....I used to be able to pick up a 400+ page book and be done with it in like 3 days 6-7th grade, while on Strattera, I'm off it now, and I tried someone elses adderall one and it seems to work better...I now need weeks to finish books that I could finish in days, 18 years old now...

Any advice?

wow... dmaud56 needs some tissues for his issues.

honestly, don't worry so much about your changes in test scores. the prevailing thought on meds and cognitive ability is that it doesn't change your scores at all (e.g., WMI, PSI - which are commonly lower for ADHD persons). instead, it mitigates your symptoms of ADHD (e.g., inattention, poor concentration), so your intelligence can be measured more *accurately*

BUT... meds work differently for every person. there really is no way to guesstimate how your "scores would change" if you retook a test (i.e., WAIS) on meds. odds are, if you were trying your best the first time, that's as good as your scores will be, even if you took the test again.

and remember, there is a practice effect. if you *practice* taking those tests, you will get better.

Only if you allow it to. You are intelligent! If you tell yourself, "I can do this", you can! Do you want to be the victim, or do you want to move forward with your life?
If you need help, God is right there! He's the best friend I've got and the best friend you'll ever have!

Actually, people with the so-called disorder of ADHD have been shown to be smarter than everyone else. Controversy surrounds the disorder because, let me put it this way; as long as there are ADHD children, there is a reason to manufacture ritalling, which brings in big $$$$$$. Ritallin is a form of speed that is very easy and cheap to make compared to other mental health drugs, that is why, depending on the companies that make them profit's needs, the "severity" of the disorder changes with every journal of Psychiatry and Psychology it seems and you can check this yourself.

Whenever you hear hysteria about ADHD, look up the profits of the companies that make the drugs. The more the hysteria and the more the media coverage, usually, it means the drug company's profits are in the red. I mean I understand there are all kinds of mental disorders out there but problem is, I mean come on, a mental disorder "epidemic" restricted only to middle class children, the largest potential profit market for any drugs sold? Come on now.....

The true causes of "ADHD" if you can call them a cause at all, more often than not, is a sociopathic school system. A school system that produces so many people hooked on anti depressants and stupid as they are can not possibly be said to be doing its job. And, I blame the high number of serial killers on the school teachers of america hell, if I had grown up here my whole life, I'd probably be a psychotic killer by now. Honestly, this society will make anyone insane, and anyone who isnt' insane, is probably one of the people actively causing harm.

Dude, just take up meditation and drink coffee every morning, it will take care of any attention problems. Inability to pay attention is more lack of guidance or irresponsible parenting, not to mention the abusive authority of school teachers labeling children and favoring total sociopaths who don't even have any brains, than an actual mental disorder. Also the United States of America seems to enjoy being stupid, with the outright war it declares on smart people.

Everyone else wants to be a retard, you just smile, tell teachers what they want to hear, pretend to pay attention and use your intelligence to get by, but as far as real education, spend as much time in the library as you do studying. Just pick a single book, and make it a point to read just that book, and before you know it you'll be finished.

I made the mistake in letting professors and school teachers know I thought most of them were retards, and my grades paid for it, so, I tell you now, don't repeat my mistake, especially if you are a minority. If you have brown skin, and not a member of the "white" race like say, Iranians, Arabs, and Indians, and you show any sign of intelligence, you will be a nail that stands out any school teachers or college professors will go out of their way to hammer you down, any way they can.

Word of warning.

You do not have ADHD, you just never had any proper guidance, nor where you ever taught how to control yourself. Do not call a mental disorder, something that is the result of an irresponsible society and likely irresponsible, selfish parents who likely need to grow up themselves.