Some people swear by your ADHD meds.
Some of you are undecided.
For some , frustratingly, the negative side effects outweigh the benefits.
Some want to try them, but don't know where to start.
And some want to try them but they clash with pregnancy, nursing or other medications they take.
Whichever box you check above, the pills are not the skills.
Recently, a client reached out to me saying she had just taken her Ritalin and was feeling very focused, but still overwhelmed as to where to direct that focus. I thought that was a great demonstration of medication's role in this whole story.
What is Medication's Role in Treating ADHD?
Medication keeps dopamine levels up. That's your "feel like it" (or as we say here in Israel, "ba li") chemical. Imagine you brain is a car. Taking medication is like putting gas in your car.
There are other kinds of “gas” for you car, like aerobic exercise or tweaking your diet. But when it works, ADHD medication can be a powerful, focus-boosting energy source for your car.
The bad news is that the gas (the pill) is not going to be able to tell the car where to go or how to get there. For that, you need executive function skills like:
prioritizing
planning
initiating
focusing
and managing your time and your energy.
So how do we get the skills we may not have developed or perfected due to our ADHD?
Strategies + Practice + Skills
1. Find a strategy.
2. Try it out.
3. Evaluate and tweak it.
4. Keep at it until you internalize it and it turns into a skill.
I am an ADHD expert and you are a YOU expert. Want to co-create skills with me?
Take your first steps in mastering your mind and taking control, so you can thrive with ADHD!
What has been your experience with ADHD medication?