Comment by ttul
2 years ago
This is definitely a service that needed to exist, so I'm really glad that someone finally did it. That being said, if you have ADHD or suspect you might have ADHD, I highly recommend seeing a medical professional to get diagnosed first before beginning any form of treatment.
ADHD is caused by poor functioning of the connections between neurons in certain areas of the brain that are responsible for impulse control and attention. You can't fight this functional deficit with willpower or coaching alone. Decades of research shows that ADHD is highly treatable with medication and there is almost no evidence that therapy or coaching is effective.
All this being said, I think that people with ADHD develop patterns of behaviour to cope with ADHD symptoms. Once medication has restored proper functioning in your brain, I think coaching and therapy definitely play a role in helping you learn new patterns of behaviour that are more appropriate in the context of a properly functioning brain.
I second this! If you have or suspect you have ADHD, a licensed medical professional is your first line of defense. Even if you don't choose treatment, the clarity could be helpful (it was for me!). But I also understand for various reasons some choose not to get diagnosed and there's a lot of work we need to do on the societal level to reduce the stigma, especially poignant in certain cultural communities (like my own...).
It’s entirely possibly to have ADHD and opt out of medication. If it’s appropriate or not is very individual though, probably not something we can settle on a message board.
Opting out of meds is a valid personal choice, for sure.