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Please note: This post is given for informative purposes only. I am not a licensed medical professional.
Now that you and/or your child have made sense of your most troublesome symptoms with an ADHD diagnosis, it's time to decide what to do about it. Just knowing you or your child has ADHD can, in itself, help with symptom management, but what if that's not enough? The next step is looking at all the treatment options to decide which approach works best for you.
About ADHD Medication:
ADHD medication falls into two categories: Stimulant and Non-Stimulant. Stimulant medications work by boosting the levels of dopamine in the brain. Since many ADHD symptoms are thought to stem from a deficiency of dopamine, stimulant medications can prove miraculous for some in daily symptom management. Non-stimulant medications work to increase another neurotransmitter that people with ADHD seem to lack--- norepinephrine. While non-stimulants don't seem to work as well as stimulants for most people with ADHD, they can help those who cannot or do not wish to take a stimulant.
For more specific information on how ADHD medications work, click here.
Is Medication Safe?
Since ADHD is one of the most well-researched psychiatric disorders, the treatment options including medication have also been well-researched and are considered safe. Overall, the risks associated with medication are very small and the possible benefits are high, making stimulant medications the gold standard of ADHD treatment today.
That's not to say that the risks are zero. Before taking stimulant medications, you and/or your child should report any preexisting conditions, especially any heart conditions as stimulant medications can increase heart rate and blood pressure. Also, medication does come with possible side effects like loss of appetite, sleep problems, mood changes, and more.
ADHD medication, though, has not only proven to decrease inattentive symptoms, but some studies who examined one group of people on and off medications saw a decrease in motor vehicle accidents, unintentional physical injury, substance use disorder, and criminal acts when members of the group were medicated.
Is Medication Right for Me and/or My Child?
It's understandable that parents would have concerns about putting their child or themselves on a stimulant medication. It's important to talk with a licensed healthcare provider to make an informed decision about whether or not medication is the right treatment for you or your child.
Here are some possible advantages to trying ADHD medication:
Relief of ADHD symptoms
Increased academic ability
Prevention of physical accidents due to ADHD symptoms (car accidents, injuries, etc.)
Prevention of substance use disorder (child will not look for unhealthy coping mechanisms if symptoms are managed in a therapeutic way)
Increase of self-confidence and productivity
Lower risk of developing secondary disorders associated with untreated ADHD (anxiety, OCD, depression)
Several stimulant and non-stimulant options to try
Of course these advantages are just possibilities, not guarantees. Now, let's look at the other side of the coin.
Here are some possible disadvantages to trying ADHD medication:
Might not work (studies show they work for about 80% of children)
Stigma or pressure to "share" medication with friends when child gets older
Might take time to find the right dosage/medication type
Alternate Treatment Options:
Many healthcare professionals recommend cognitive behavioral therapy or play therapy in addition to medication as a treatment option. There are also ADHD life coaches, brain balance centers, and neurofeedback therapies available. Some have seen improvement of symptoms with lifestyle changes (like exercise) or diet adjustments. You have to be careful, though, to find alternate treatments that are evidence-based as many people tout miracle ADHD supplements that have not proven credible and can even be dangerous. Review any plans for ADHD alternate treatment with a licensed medical professional and remember that no treatment, including medication will cure or completely eliminate ADHD symptoms.
My Personal Experience:
Personally, I found great relief in the use of medication for my ADHD symptoms. I received my diagnosis at age 30, so I did not try medication in childhood. I had been taking medication for anxiety, which really helped but did not quite touch the daily feeling of overwhelm in my chest that the ADHD seemed to cause.
I was fortunate in that the first stimulant medication I tried made a big, positive difference in my ability to cope with my ADHD symptoms. It felt like the whole world slowed down in a good way and I felt calm for the first time in my life. I got emotional realizing how "normal" people must feel every day compared to my chaotic, unmedicated self and wondered what my life would have been like had I been diagnosed and medicated sooner.
It took a few months to find the right dosage for me and I also experienced and still experience some side effects. Initially, I felt exhausted and moody when the medication wore off, but that only lasted about a week. My jaw also felt clenched for a couple days and my appetite was gone. I had trouble here and there falling asleep and, when the dosage was too high, I experienced restless leg syndrome, but that went away when we decreased the dosage.
After the first couple of weeks, most of the most annoying side effects went away completely. I actually find it easier to fall asleep now then when I was not on medication because my brain is not keeping me up as much with its ruminating. My emotions are much more manageable and balanced, and I can find the motivation to do daily tasks that felt impossible before. I also have an easier time stopping tasks to take care of other responsibilities most of the time. My absent-mindedness has not really gone away, though I am more able to listen during uninteresting conversations.
My Experience With My Child:
But, alas. My son has had a nearly opposite experience than me with ADHD medications. I was excited to give my son the same relief I found from my ADHD symptoms with the right medication for him. We started medication for him at age 6. He is now 11 and we still have not found one that works without highly disruptive side effects.
The most frustrating part is that his grades have improved on medications, but the side effects have just proven intolerable. Some medications made him highly anxious, others made him feel depressed. Some made it impossible for him to fall asleep and all have eliminated his appetite. We have tried nearly twelve medications with mixed results. Now as he enters middle school we feel like throwing our hands in the air and giving up on medication as a treatment plan but we continue to work with our doctor on a plan for him.
Conclusion:
As with any medical condition, treatment is a matter of what you and your doctor feel is the safest and most effective approach to symptom management. ADHD does not have a cure and 90% of children with ADHD will have symptoms that persist into adulthood to the level that it interrupts their ability to function well in adult life. Obviously, children and adults need a plan of treatment for ADHD symptoms, but that treatment might look different for each person. The goal is to focus on a treatment that allows you and/or your child to function at the level you find most optimal.
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