The Role of ADHD Medication

ADHD medications are burdened by controversy and misinformation. And yet, every day millions of adults take medications like Concerta, Vyvanse, or Adderall XR. The reason? They have discovered that the right dose of the right medication improves focus, motivation, and managing overwhelm.

Sometimes the difference is dramatic and immediate. “It was like putting on glasses for the first time.”

But ADHD medications are not a miracle ‘cure.’ Rather, they create a foundation that makes it easier to get started, stay on task, and manage distractions.

The role might best be summed up by an adult who told me, “The medication allowed me to finally be able to stick with all the ADHD-friendly tools and strategies so I could build the good habits and create structures to the point that I no longer needed medication to succeed.”

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So why would you take ADHD medications? Why do millions take ADHD medications?

What difference does it make? Well it depends, for some people it really helps with focus, the ability to stick with things.

For others it lowers the (pounding sounds – anxiety) and sometimes the difference is dramatic, sometimes it’s not, but a majority of people who choose to try an ADHD medication, and stick with it long enough to find the right dose, of the right medication, it makes a positive difference, otherwise they wouldn’t keep taking it.

Now of course some people who have heart issues can’t take a stimulant medication for the same reason they can’t drink caffeinated coffee, hard on their hearts.

Personally an ADHD medication is the last thing I wanted to use, I resist it mightily because I have major concerns, because I’ve heard you know, I’ve heard and my doctor patiently addresses all of my concerns, and the things I’ve heard which turn out to be baseless, exaggerated, or in some cases complete nonsense.

So I ask, how will I feel? and he explains the right medication will level the playing field, less distractible, more focused, more intentional-able, to stick with things.

Still even then, taking a stimulant to help me focus with things I should be doing, that other people seem to do, I don’t know, it felt like cheating, unlike the four or five cans of caffeinated Cola I’ve been taking, which probably cost a bit less than an ADHD medication, until I factored in the dental bills for all the cavities.

I’ve heard from a lot of people and most people take time to find the right dose of the right medication. I got lucky, no real side effects to start with, I felt the same but everything seemed to be easier to accomplish. I could start things and stick with them, even paying bills and tax paperwork, but that alone is disorienting.

You see when you have undiagnosed ADHD you’ve been playing the game of life on a field that is tilted, you’re at the low end of the field, you’re working uphil,l you’re struggling harder than everyone else because you’re playing uphill.

You don’t know it, you think everybody else struggles as hard, they don’t.

But with the right dose of the right medication everything can change, now you’re playing on a level playing field, you have the same chance as everyone else.

I have heard from so many adults who adamantly refuse to try medication, but finally out of sheer frustration, desperation, they gave it a try and were stunned at the difference it made.

Everything changes, really nothing changes, not yet, but you take the pill, suddenly you’re able to focus, pay attention, stick with things until they’re done, very exciting, finally a chance to play on a level playing field, finally a chance to play the game of life and win, but what game is it that you want to play?

Now you’re able to focus and stick with something, and you can focus on say sorting that jar of buttons by color and number of button holes, or you could spend two days making three sheets of homemade paper and a huge mess in the kitchen, or you could make four mixtapes for your wedding which is starting in an hour.

The medication doesn’t tell you what to focus on, that’s the limit, it doesn’t prioritize or schedule or offer common sense advice, it just levels the playing field.

And a level playing field, think about it, just picture it, it’s an empty field, you still need to go out on the field and play, and play the game to win.

The question is what game do you want to play, and what are the rules of that game, how do you score points in the game, who’s on your team, what skills do you need, what position, what role do you play best?

Then you have to practice and develop the skills to play that position, to play the game, you might get a good coach, find the right equipment, you know a journal, and apps, and things like that, and then develop strategies to score goals, and get practice at it.

The role of medication is to give you a fair chance to win, to keep a journal, meditate, exercise, stick with a better diet, experiment with ADHD friendly organizing tools and apps.

It (medication for ADHD) provides you with the stability, the foundation, to develop your skills, then to play the game to win, but by successfully using a combination of tools and strategies, you can continue to win, perhaps someday without needing medication, but then maybe you do. Whatever it is the point is you’re winning the game.

So I hope that’s helpful, if you have any questions, comments, or you’d like to share your experience please do, and do share and like so more people get to hear about this, and our tribe continues to grow, and if you want to support me and making these videos so I can keep making them become a patron, you can go to patreon.com, look up Rick Green and support me for as little as $3 a month, and that allows me to not only make the videos but be able to upload them and cover all the cost and expenses, and staff, and so on.

Anyway thanks for listening, have a great day and uh can’t wait to hear what you have to say, ciao.