I have a "textbook" case of ADHD but I didn't get diagnosed until I hit a crisis point in 6th grade. This was because I was well-behaved in school, and considered "gifted." Teachers tend to see ADHD in problem children, which I was not. I got good grades. Yet I always got comments on my report cards about messy writing, poor time management, and a disorganized desk.
If I had been diagnosed earlier and agreed to medication, 6th grade might not have been so horrible. Instead, I was not medicated until the summer before I started college (Straterra, a relatively new drug). Immediately, there was a noticeable increase in my ability to focus. I made the honor roll both semesters my first year of college.
I wish I had not been so resistant to being medicated up until that point. Things would have been so much easier for me if I had not chosen to struggle against my own mind all those years. When I took my medicine (partially because I was also being treated for depression), I learned what it was to be happy for the first time in my life.
But I'm definitely not going to say Adderall/Ritalin are good for everyone. Despite what physicians will tell you, they're actually really dangerous drugs. I was on Adderall when I had a heat stroke a year and a half ago, and it definitely was a contributing factor. It has also been known to cause symptoms of depression. Yeah, it will increase your ability to concentrate, but is it worth it? Only if you legitimately need it to manage your ADHD. And NOBODY else should be taking this drug, as a test aid or a diet pill. That's just fucking stupid.
If I had been diagnosed earlier and agreed to medication, 6th grade might not have been so horrible. Instead, I was not medicated until the summer before I started college (Straterra, a relatively new drug). Immediately, there was a noticeable increase in my ability to focus. I made the honor roll both semesters my first year of college.
I wish I had not been so resistant to being medicated up until that point. Things would have been so much easier for me if I had not chosen to struggle against my own mind all those years. When I took my medicine (partially because I was also being treated for depression), I learned what it was to be happy for the first time in my life.
But I'm definitely not going to say Adderall/Ritalin are good for everyone. Despite what physicians will tell you, they're actually really dangerous drugs. I was on Adderall when I had a heat stroke a year and a half ago, and it definitely was a contributing factor. It has also been known to cause symptoms of depression. Yeah, it will increase your ability to concentrate, but is it worth it? Only if you legitimately need it to manage your ADHD. And NOBODY else should be taking this drug, as a test aid or a diet pill. That's just fucking stupid.
