But What Are the Side Effects of NOT Trying Medication?

2 Comments: But What Are the Side Effects of NOT Trying Medication?

1. My name is Ashley Flanagan. I was diagnosed in the fourth grade with ADHD/ADD.
   I clearly remember the gut feeling I felt, as I was excused by the principle to do puzzles, and odd games with a woman I was brought, which was an enclosed room. At the time I reflect my memory stating she was in her 60’s. I look back at age 30 remembering her face and now thinking Ash she was probably in her 50’s. I see how my perception of age has changed as I got older myself.
   I reflect on the evulation, not knowing it was going on in depth, being questionable. Like why I am the lucky one to play and do thinking games and be forgiven for extra time allowed and Mrs. So&So Smith has patience with me. Then I swear I got questionable and thought this isn’t normal. What did I do wrong. Am I stupid, or slow? I got scared half way through the testing and started to closely observe her and shelter down with the impact of anxiety.
   About a two hour session was evulated. I remembering notes being jotted down. I wish I could remember the questions asked, although I remember the hand eye with instruments brought into the question were far easier than a question of answer with nothing to place in my hand was extremely difficult. Much time and encouragement was delivered but aggravation on myself was embarrassing to me. I remember liking how nice she was and how I did not want to dissapoint her. I do remember so much time was self taken, she said it’s okay, let’s go forward. Which I wasn’t use to the patience because I was never comforted by teachers like that. In honesty I envied the classmates that could always read out loud making the words sound clear and how my teacher at that time favored those. It seemed they only enjoyed and “liked” the smart learning kids.

   With flying colors I was diagonised with ADHD/ADD.
   My mother never believed in medicine to treat this. Her idea of self discipline controled her entire thought process.

   Well that was not a good decision. Nor a medical decision she had the right to take away from me on such difficulty I had on a learning ability.

   At age 22 I saw a physician, I started to take adderal, then vyvance then went back to adderal.
   I’m 30 now. It has changed my life.
   I have never read a book front to back, not even cliff notes front to back still cliffing cliff notes.
   Up until I started on my ADHD medication.
   I have taken my real estate exams and now read and study on topics I am enthused and or want to be educated on.

   I feel as if I was jaded from the full potiental I could have had then, by a parent who knew nothing about the learning difficulties her child was struggling with. You can discipline a child’s behavior but not the mental chemical imbalance of a learning disability.
   Please take your pride and or drinking the coolaide of ADHD medications and get the best medical treatment for your child.
   They deserve the power of learning just as much as you’ve been blessed with no medical concern such as yourself or maybe you might have it yourself.
   Empower learning and stand by your child’s growth as I wish my mother did.
   22 years later I shouldn’t be where I had to stand my ground where I can I finally finished a book back to front. Nor the control of being able to comprehend what I was reading. Nor the memory to finally absorb it all in and remember it.
   I hope my story can encourage parents to better in the society of children’s learning. Take this very seriously and evulate the child’s progress and success at it will come.

   1. Dear Ashley,
      It was heart wrenching to read your story and it helped me to understand much better my kid’s situation. I’m getting closer to accept the doctor’s recommendation and I do want to help my daughter to reach the success she deserves. Many thanks and good luck for you! A mum from Hungary…