ADHD medications are stimulants that have been around for a long time. Adderall, for example, was first synthesized in the late 1800s in Romania and hit the US in the 1930s under the brand name benzedrine. It was prescribed for many things, such as head colds, weight loss, sleep disorders like narcolepsy, and even depression. During World War II, soldiers were given amphetamines to keep them awake and focused, and by the time the war ended in 1945, it is estimated that 30 million tablets of amphetamine were being produced every month.