i believe if you see any medical professional or counselor, the will tell you the medicine is not going to fix everthing or magically give you coping skills. Personally it gives me clarity to slow down to learn new coping skills.

Meds are extremely useful esp in the area of anti-depressants. When you are depressed, the habitual thought routines you are establishing as a result of the condition alone are dangerous to you. The longer you are in the groove, the harder it is for your thought patterns to “retrac”. As with any habit – the harder it can be to break. Sometimes meds can give you a much needed break from your own brain processes. With this sunless vacation, you can spend some time thinking about what you’re going through and how you are going through it. Helps to clear the way for some meaningful introspection. Ideally, you don’t want to stay on them any longer than you really need to accomplish this. Few would argue that dependency is better than real life, even with all its struggles.

You would not want people to discontinue their meds for OCD, schizophrenia, tourette’s syndrome, just like you would not want anyone to discontiue their meds for diabetes.

As for me, ritalin was like living in an ocean of molasses. There was just more gravity, and my brain was much less fun to be with. Better, sometimes, for others around me I’m told. So, now I see the other side of the fence. When I need to take the meds in situations where I need to slow down and be a 33-1/2 for those around me, I do. I can get a HUGE amount of very boring work done. But for the rest of it, I would rather remain at 45. That’s where I choose to spend the majority of time with myself.

I do feel a great concern for kids who are not given a choice-esp if they are very young. I believe you need to get to know yourself before people start screwing with you. That doesn’t happen until you are 30.

So there I sit – right atop the fence and enjoying the view!!!!!!

After dealing with my own ADHD issues as well as helping my 3 kids cope with their own ADHD issues, we have tried a wide variety of methods that ranged from traditional medicine, counseling, consistency in routines, special education, changes in diet, eating healthier, eliminating foods and taking natural alternatives.

Bryan, you are right that there is no magic pill and no cure all. What works for one may not work the exact same way for another. For instance, my kids had success with Ritalin, yet, I had a nightmare experience!

The most important of all is that there may be many different routes that can take you where you ultimately need to go. However, allow yourself room to grow and to change directions if necessary.

I was just offering a different angle.

Thank – ye too Gina! Actually, a young lady kindly wrote me this past week asking me to get down off of my fence on a certain subject; however, she must have not read too much of what I have written (there’s a lot to read as you point out), but I had already given my position with regard to her concern. And that position goes according to a case by case basis. Sweeping judgments don’t always work when the situation could be different in each person’s case.

About the coping skills – I don’t really think the remembering is the issue with what I mean. It’s sort of like, if you have chronic fatigue syndrome and a successful medication wears off and the person’s energy drains away, it’s very hard to put the same coping skills to use that required the energy that the medication provided. I need to come up with a better way of clarifying this particular dilemma some find themselves in after medication wears off for good, or, until a substitute med can be identified. Sort of like if I have a powered hammer to break through something, it won’t take nearly as long as without the powered hammer, but, I can probably still do it manually with a regular hammer and a LOT of work – the skill to swing the hammer isn’t forgotten… does that make sense? I am very tired and need some sleep

Thanks for stopping by and, as always, thanks for your encouragement and support!

Bryan

If the medication is right, the insights that are gained sometimes do carry over after medication is discontinued.

In other words, there’s been a shift in consciousness, a change in “how things can be” and “what is possible.” And that is remembered. Sometimes that memory alone is enough to shift behavior.

Okay, so something was lost in translation. But I get your drift.

Keep doing what you’re doing. It’s amazing to me how prolific , persistent and brilliant you’ve been in pushing the envelope of ADHD awareness on the web — all while working a full-time and demanding job.

Kudos and don’t let the less-successful, envious, cowardly, and self-medicating-with-anger-and-malicious-attacks jerks get you down. Just ignore them, as I’m learning to do.

Bryan, the company is much better up there-hey I can see my house!!!!

Regarding meds – thank God I have the freedom to choose to use or not – am looking forward to better, more targeted ones with fewer side effects in the future.

As always, Bryan, thank you for being such a gracious host on this site. You are remarkable!