Medication won't do it all

Medication used in treatment of ADHD is often highly effective and necessary. However, we all need to continue to work on our concentration. Medication can help us lead more productive and healthy lives but it really just a primer that allows us to develop our coping mechanisms and focus. Our work lives typically give us countless opportunities to learn, grow and improve. We have to carefully monitor our activities and results. If we are not achieving our desired results we can gives us clues that something is not working. There is nothing wrong with evaluating our situation, being somewhat unhappy with a particular result, accept the reality of the situation, and then set out to try a different method. Stress at home, depression or being over tired can make manageable ADHD turn the corner to unmanageable. I we are experiencing an abnormally high level of stress we need to make an extra effort to "pay attention" at work before we add to our problems. Impulsive tends to increase, long term planning tends to decrease and decision making me become more inconsistent. When things like this happen it is time for a vacation or an additional visit to therapist to talk or change medication. Once action is taken to address an issue it will immediately relieve some of the pressure we are feeling and we will be on our way back to normal. Our medication will not tell us if we are slipping so push yourself to pay attention and be sure to evaluate your work without fail. We will see better results at work and at home and eventually we will see that we can make small course corrections instead of waiting until we need a extra large course correction.