The problem is that my teachers growing up repeatedly asked my mom to get me tested and she refused, saying “I don’t want you to be drugged up and not be you”. Which translates to “I don’t want to have the ‘weird’ kid that needs meds.”
And yeah, that structure was great for me, but when I got back into the real world, I didn’t know how to function. I didn’t figure it out until I had a kid of my own who got diagnosed. I still need to get it as well, but even knowing what it is helps.
Yeah, I had pushback from my parents when I was younger too. I did pretty well in junior high and early high school, but it was not easy at all and I started to struggle a bit toward the end of high school.
If you are able to, it is definitely worth getting on some meds. I tried a few that didn’t do much of anything, but when you find one that does, it’s like a light switch goes on, and you’ll be like “ohhhh is this how I was supposed to feel my entire life?” I’m still fairly early in my medicated journey, still trying to find the best dosage, but it’s so much better
I originally got a referral through VA primary care to go to the VA mental health clinic for anxiety/depression, and after going through a few different doctors and medications there, I brought up the possibility of ADHD. The doc agreed it was possible, and started me on some meds. Ever since I found an ADHD med that works for me, I don’t take anything for depression or anxiety anymore. My current doc that prescribes my ADHD meds is a psychiatrist I believe.
Because I took a more roundabout way to get my diagnosis, I’m not sure if you can just get a referral from primary care straight to someone who can help with ADHD diagnosis/meds, but I would imagine you could.
I was rambunctious and a smartass as well haha, and I also hated/sucked at homework and big projects, while crushing tests 😅
Hey, thanks for the info. I haven’t been to my primary in a while. Probably wondering if I died lol. The hardest part about getting started is having ADHD.
That first paragraph read as my personal bio.
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There were so many ways we could have improved ourselves, and we went and chose the hardest one 😅
The problem is that my teachers growing up repeatedly asked my mom to get me tested and she refused, saying “I don’t want you to be drugged up and not be you”. Which translates to “I don’t want to have the ‘weird’ kid that needs meds.”
And yeah, that structure was great for me, but when I got back into the real world, I didn’t know how to function. I didn’t figure it out until I had a kid of my own who got diagnosed. I still need to get it as well, but even knowing what it is helps.
Yeah, I had pushback from my parents when I was younger too. I did pretty well in junior high and early high school, but it was not easy at all and I started to struggle a bit toward the end of high school.
If you are able to, it is definitely worth getting on some meds. I tried a few that didn’t do much of anything, but when you find one that does, it’s like a light switch goes on, and you’ll be like “ohhhh is this how I was supposed to feel my entire life?” I’m still fairly early in my medicated journey, still trying to find the best dosage, but it’s so much better
Do you need a referral from your PCP? Is it a therapist, psychologist or who that can diagnose? Can it be done through the VA?
Edit: I was rambunctious as a child and a smartass by middle school. By high school I was forgetting to do homework but acing my tests.
I originally got a referral through VA primary care to go to the VA mental health clinic for anxiety/depression, and after going through a few different doctors and medications there, I brought up the possibility of ADHD. The doc agreed it was possible, and started me on some meds. Ever since I found an ADHD med that works for me, I don’t take anything for depression or anxiety anymore. My current doc that prescribes my ADHD meds is a psychiatrist I believe.
Because I took a more roundabout way to get my diagnosis, I’m not sure if you can just get a referral from primary care straight to someone who can help with ADHD diagnosis/meds, but I would imagine you could.
I was rambunctious and a smartass as well haha, and I also hated/sucked at homework and big projects, while crushing tests 😅
Hey, thanks for the info. I haven’t been to my primary in a while. Probably wondering if I died lol. The hardest part about getting started is having ADHD.