Re: WHY bother with a assessment?

[Patte Rosebank]

@Dianna, if you were to be diagnosed with diabetes, and the doctor said you’d have to take insulin (or Metformin, if you’re Type 2 Diabetic) to treat it, you wouldn’t hesitate to take those medicines. ADHD is no different. It is a serious, debilitating condition that greatly affects your quality of life. And there are medications that can do so much to help you treat it. Medications which, in some cases, have been successfully used since the 1930s. That would be methylphenidate (AKA Ritalin, and, more recently, Concerta) which is safer than Aspirin.

Of course, you should do your homework, by researching the benefits and risks of any meds, on LEGITIMATE MEDICAL WEBSITES. I can’t stress this enough. There are so many hysterical “meds are evil” or “ADHD isn’t real” websites, most of which are trying to sell you some “miracle, natural cure”, device, or method—none of which stand up to proper scientific testing.

It’s true that meds can’t do it alone. What they CAN do is help your brain to function better, so that you can implement the necessary lifestyle changes that will allow you to maximize the good things about having ADHD (creativity, empathy, enthusiasm, innovation…) and minimize the bad things about it (distractability, procrastination, inability to implement your ideas, hyperfocus…).

Again, this is like diabetes. When you’re diabetic, it’s not enough to just take the insulin or Metformin. You also have to change your lifestyle, so that you’re eating properly, and getting enough exercise. (Two lifestyle changes which are a good idea for anyone!)

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