Hi Ashley:

Thank you for your post. I would recommend looking into some of the wristwatch 'reminder' gadgets on the market. There are alarm watches that you can program to buzz or light up at certain times with digital reminders like "Meds" or "Dr. Appt" - something like that might help your husband keep on top of things while also feeling more in control of his life.

Here are a few articles that mention some recommended gadgets:

High-Tech Help for ADHD Hyperfocus

Smart Gadgets: ADHD Tools for Work and Home

I hope this helps! - Anni

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Hi Ashley -

My name is Scott and I am a soldier that has recently been diagnosed with ADHD. I too have these same kind of issues going on, but honestly, I went to my Army leadership for help. I also had that "stigma" that the diagnosis would hurt my career, but I realized that my marriage to my wife and my children are much more important than those worries I have had to overcome. The hardest parts for me, especially as a Pastor, is seeing the affects it has on my marriage of 8 years and the questions and daily struggles that my wife has. The same things you mentioned part of what my wife has had to learn to try and manage as a result of my disability. If you have any specific questions about the ADHD, and want to ask me you are welcomed to do so. I will be praying for you and your marriage - I know it sounds like a "cliche", but try not to give up.

God Bless,

Rev. CS Sawyer Senior Chaplain, CFMI css@nlifefm.org http://www.nlifefm.org

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Ok, this is way late for you but others might read it. Had a similar problem with my teenage son remembering to take focalin. Granted, this is not the same as a spouse in the army. But what I've learned with him is that A) NO strategy that he perceives as forced on him will work. He has to feel like a partner, not to feel like somebody else's idea that he already hates and won't comply with is being crammed down his throat, and B) He will not come up with anything sensible entirely on his own, either will give up OR come up with something so impractical (like getting up at 4 AM!) that it is pre-doomed OR will try to make me responsible for whether or not he takes his meds (that is a big never-ending trap, so don't get suckered into it). This means a lot of creative thinking on my part, which I've actually come to enjoy. I can come up with several practical alternatives, THEN get his input in choosing which of those will work. At that point his attention is engaged and he really will come up with a good working plan because it is a kind of game and he is the key player. For us the medication solution turned out to be a combination of putting it in a place he liked (and yes, I have to keep clearing the inevitable clutter away so he can still find the pill bottle), posting a giant reminder note on the bathroom mirror, and setting a timer in the bathroom that goes off every day at the same time. Would you rather have perfect bathroom decor or a child/spouse who is taking their meds? For someone else, a watch might work, as mentioned in a previous reply. For someone like my husband who can't remember whether or not he has taken meds and doesn't want to admit it, having one of those week-at-a-time pill containers made a big difference. Be prepared with more alternatives, because the first one might not be the one that he ends up liking or he might just get tired of it.

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