ADD/ADHD

This entire chain of thought is highly worrisome to me. It is true that SOME PEOPLE do better without meds. MANY OF US with ADD, however, do need our medications to get by in life. It seems straight up dangerous to be using both propaganda and personal anecdotes to present only one side of the coin.

I cannot organize my thoughts without pumping my mind full of stimulants. A drug prescribed by my doctor is best, but a pot of coffee works well enough in a pinch. If you cannot imagine how a pot of coffee helps me to concentrate, please understand that you mind and mine work differently.

The brain of an individual with ADD generally functions best while in a novel environment or under stress. Our thoughts generally "clear up" under the very same circumstances most people's thoughts get confused. We are great to have around when our family is going through a crisis, but we are also not likely to remember to pick up milk on the way home.

My medicine, or coffee or nicotine before I was diagnosed, allow me to focus on "every day" activities. I use accommodations to help me, but all of the accommodations in the world will not help me to organize my internal dialog. Being medicated makes my life better.

If you or your child ever receive medication for ADD/ADHD and it takes away the thrill from life - talk to your doctor about it. Medication is not the right solution for everyone, but it has its place. It does not need to take away the "fun" or the "spark" that makes life interesting. I am just as creative on my meds as I was off of them but now I actually manage to finish more of the projects I start.

For some reason, this comic makes me sad.

And this is exactly why I can't bring myself to put my son on meds.

I advocate not putting your son on meds unless absolutely necessary. I had ADHD growing up. With the help of my teachers and mom I was able to deal with it and learn other methods of helping me stay focused, remember homework, and minimize day dreaming. My mom would conference with my teachers often as they developed way to help me concentrate. Things that helped me were:

Color coding
Underlining
Taking Notes
Eye Contact (though later in my academic career this stopped being a helpful method)

I was put in special classes for a while until I was able to catch up. I think I am much better for it. I do take medication occasionally now when I know that the tools I have just aren't quite enough. There are the everyday things that drive me crazy but this is where routine and consistency plays a vital role in my everyday life.

This entire chain of thought is highly worrisome to me. It is true that SOME PEOPLE do better without meds. MANY OF US with ADD, however, do need our medications to get by in life. It seems straight up dangerous to be using both propaganda and personal anecdotes to present only one side of the coin.

I cannot organize my thoughts without pumping my mind full of stimulants. A drug prescribed by my doctor is best, but a pot of coffee works well enough in a pinch. If you cannot imagine how a pot of coffee helps me to concentrate, please understand that you mind and mine work differently.

The brain of an individual with ADD generally functions best while in a novel environment or under stress. Our thoughts generally "clear up" under the very same circumstances most people's thoughts get confused. We are great to have around when our family is going through a crisis, but we are also not likely to remember to pick up milk on the way home.

My medicine, or coffee or nicotine before I was diagnosed, allow me to focus on "every day" activities. I use accommodations to help me, but all of the accommodations in the world will not help me to organize my internal dialog. Being medicated makes my life better.

If you or your child ever receive medication for ADD/ADHD and it takes away the thrill from life - talk to your doctor about it. Medication is not the right solution for everyone, but it has its place. It does not need to take away the "fun" or the "spark" that makes life interesting. I am just as creative on my meds as I was off of them but now I actually manage to finish more of the projects I start.

Again... meds are not for everyone. They have harmful side effects, many kids are misdiagnosed, and honestly, shouldn't we be trying to teach our kids coping skills before deeming them completely unable to and doing it for them. All day long, I knew someone would eventually take the thread in this direction. The OP posted a funny pic. He didn't ask for anyone to advocate for anything on one side or another. If you feel that you need meds to function, then by all means, take them. But we are talking about children, and as parents, we have a responsibility to mold their futures, and putting a child on meds that they do not need could have devastating consequences.

I am not advocating medication as the only, or even the first, method of treatment. Many people with ADD, adults and children alike, can manage their thoughts using other coping strategies. All of that said, medication should not be dismissed out of hand. When used properly, ADD medications are generally safe and effective for those who need them. They are absolutely more safe than the unregulated self-medication many teens and adults with ADD end up using, namely caffeine (in incredibly large doses), nicotine, and cocaine. Again, I am not suggesting that all people with ADD need medication - I am just trying to combat the medication-demonizing that occurred earlier in this thread. All things have their place - a specialist in ADD/ADHD can help you to find the right solution for you or your child.

You must fall under the *absolutely necessary* category that was already stipulated in the very first sentence of my response to parent.

"Absolutely necessary" is difficult phrase to manage. Without my medication, I graduated from high school with honors, graduated college, became a highly skilled science teacher, married a beautiful woman, and earned the respect of many people. Without medication, my life is good.

With medication, I am better at my life. Is medication absolutely necessary for me? A large flaw within both the educational system and is our society's perception of ADD is that it is only a problem to be addressed when it drags someone below a certain point. Is it okay for a happy, successful man to seek out medication because he knows the he could be happier and more successful if properly medicated?

Again, medication is not a one-size-fits-all solution. Many people do not benefit from medication, but many do. Your doctor is the one who can help you to decide what is right.

You are far too sensitive. The OP posted this as a joke. No one said that meds were bad. What was said was that parents of ADD/ADHD children should explore every option before resorting to meds. Getting your children to behave should not be as easy as slipping them some ritalin.