When Medicine Makes Things Worse: Understanding Neurological Paradoxes

In my last newsletter, I shared how my father's "Alzheimer's" diagnosis was reversed after fifteen years when we discovered that his medication was actually causing many of his symptoms.Someone reached out asking how this could happen - how a medication could create the very symptoms it was meant to treat.

(Read that one here - Why Labels Matter to Neurosparklers )

This isn't just a medical curiosity. It's a window into understanding how fundamentally different our brains can be, and why what helps one person might harm another. My father's experience with Aricept parallels my own journey with ADHD medication, and together they tell a larger story about neurodiversity and the myth of "normal" brain function.

The Aricept Paradox for Alzheimer’s

Cholinesterase inhibitors like Aricept are designed to treat Alzheimer's symptoms by increasing acetylcholine levels in the brain. In Alzheimer's patients, this helps combat cognitive decline. But here's the twist: in people who don't have Alzheimer's, these medications can actually create symptoms that mimic the disease.

Why?

Because brain chemistry is about balance. When you add more acetylcholine to a brain that already has enough, you disrupt the delicate equilibrium that enables clear thinking and memory formation. It's like turning up the volume when the music is already at the perfect level - instead of making things better, you create distortion.

The Stimulant Paradox for ADHD

This same principle explains why ADHD medications have such different effects on different brains. When I take my prescribed amphetamines, they help me focus and calm my racing thoughts. But give those same medications to someone without ADHD, and they experience intense stimulation - exactly the opposite of what happens in my brain.

This isn't just a quirk of pharmacology - it's a window into how fundamentally different our brains can be. My brain's response to stimulants isn't "paradoxical" - it's exactly what should happen given my neurochemistry. The medication doesn't change who I am; it helps my brain work the way it's meant to.

The Grown Up Ganja Insight

You may not realize that my journey with understanding how my brain works began when I re-examined my understanding of cannabis after getting my medical marijuana card. I explain that in great detail on my website www.GrownUpGanja.com 

This understanding led me to a crucial insight about my own journey with neurodiversity and treatment: what works for one person might be harmful for another, not because either person is "wrong," but because their brains are fundamentally different.

Think about it:

• Aricept helps Alzheimer's patients but can create cognitive problems in others

• Stimulants calm ADHD brains but excite neurotypical ones

• Cannabis might reduce anxiety in some people while increasing it in others

• Even caffeine affects different people in radically different ways

Beyond One Size Fits All in Treatment and Thinking

This isn't just about medications natural or otherwise. It's about understanding that our brains can be as unique as our fingerprints. When we say "different, not less," we're not just being kind - we're acknowledging a biological reality.

The implications are profound:

1. Treatment must be individualized

2. Side effects might actually be indicators of misdiagnosis

3. What looks like non-compliance might be an appropriate reaction to inappropriate treatment

4. "Standard" responses aren't standard at all - they're just typical for one type of brain

The Neurosparkle Perspective

This is why the Neurosparkle approach emphasizes understanding your own unique brain rather than trying to conform to someone else's standard. When we understand that different brains really are different - down to how they process basic chemicals - we can:

• Stop judging responses that don't match expectations

• Start questioning treatments that make things worse

• Begin looking for solutions that match our actual needs

• Trust our own experiences over conventional wisdom

Get to No University: A New Framework for Understanding Different

Let’s stop asking Does this work? and start asking, Does this work for me? This is not permission to disregard your doctor’s orders but it may be a suggestion to consult a different doctor. Maybe someone else who listens to you when you tell them what works and what doesn’t work for you.

The next time someone tells you that your reaction to something is "wrong" or "paradoxical," remember this: paradoxical responses often reveal fundamental truths about our differences. They're not errors - they're data points that can help us better understand our unique neurological makeup.

In the end, this isn't just about medications or treatment. It's about recognizing that true neurodiversity means accepting that our brains can be fundamentally different at a chemical level - and that's not just okay, it's essential for human diversity.


Join the Neurosparkle Journey

Understanding how our brains work differently isn't just academic - it's personal. My father's story opened my eyes to how labels, treatments, and expectations can impact our lives. But it's just one piece of a larger conversation about neurodiversity and individual experience.

Want to Learn More?

Subscribe to the Neurosparkle Newsletter, where we explore these insights weekly. Each issue combines personal stories with practical understanding about how our different brains work.

Recent topics include:

• How my father's misdiagnosis led to unexpected insights about neurodiversity

• Why being "different" can be your greatest strength

• Understanding your unique brain's way of processing the world

Coming up:

• The science of rest: What hummingbirds can teach us about AuDHD shutdown

• The truth about labels and why they matter

• More insights about individualized brain chemistry and treatment

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