Since I write a blog that's largely concerned with natural coping mechanisms for ADD you, might think I'm opposed to medication. I'm not, actually, but I do have some pretty strong feelings on the subject nonetheless. I thought I should write a post to clarify, and to use as a point of reference, later.
In truth, I believe that medication can be a very fine thing and an important part of many people's coping and recovery. I myself took two kinds of medication at different points in my teenage and young adult years; Ritalin for a couple years in high school and Strattera for a couple years in college. In addition to the extra boost of help these drugs gave me during critical times in my life, they taught me an important lesson about the differences between my brain and those of most people and what it could feel like to live with less disability. A lot of the positive effects of these drugs became permanent as I strove to achieve the same level of performance without them that I had with them.
Right now, though, I choose to be medication-free and I have no interest in changing that ever again. I wish that when I was young, I had been pointed much sooner in the direction of more formalized treatment options that didn't involve medication. The most useful treatment I've had - education about ADHD - has been largely something I've found on my own, not something that any of the professionals who gave me meds or diagnosed me ever really helped me figure out.
So ultimately, it's not that I'm against medication for ADHD, it's just that I think we treat it as the most important aspect of treatment when it's not all that. In my experience, therapy, education and the development of coping skills bring more than medication ever can.
Because of this, I think it might be a good idea for people to become much more conscientious of when and how they use medication in the treatment of their ADHD. My own personal beliefs about medication, for my own use and what I would recommend to my closest loved ones, would be pretty limited indeed. I myself happen to believe that:
- Medication should be used as a last resort, not a first one.
- Medication should be used in conjunction with other treatments.
- Medication should be used as a temporary measure, if possible.
- Medication should be used with a grain of salt.
- Medication should be used only with the informed and enthusiastic consent of the patient.
- Medication should be given to children only with caution and some reluctance.
As to the first point, I think it's always important to try to find other coping methods for ADD first, if only because it helps one get used to the important task of struggling against ADD without chemical help. Jump straight into medicating, and it's all too easy to start out your struggle with the idea that you have to rely on external help. And some people, of course, don't need medication, but if they start with it before trying anything else, they may never come to know that. Similarly, it's important to never rely on medication alone, simply because medication alone is pretty much never enough. There isn't a pill made yet that can transform someone with ADD into someone without it (functionally or actually), and even if there was, it would still come with side effects and expense that can often make long-term use impossible.
Now, the idea of using medication only as a temporary measure is a bit more controversial, but I think it's always a good thing to aim for, in as non-judgmental a manner as possible. Part of this is because of my enthusiastic belief in neuroplasticity and the ability to the mind to heal its neurology, but beyond that, all medications have side-effects, and long-term side effects of stimulants (like most ADD meds) are often pretty problematic, moreso for some than others.
What I mean when I say that medication should be taken with a grain of salt is that smart consumers need to understand the difference between drug commercials and reality. In the same way a bottle of Coca Cola won't really transform a blistering hot summer day into a comfortably cool one (nice though it may be if you're thirsty), an ADD drug won't transform your life from a chaotic, anxious mess into a tidy, bright and happy future. Sometimes, I think people forget to evaluate ad campaigns for medications in the same way they do those of other products. This is particularly present in the perceptions of others, people who are often all too eager to see medications as a flawless silver bullet and thus, pressure those with ADD to never miss a pill or shame them if they do.
The concept of informed and enthusiastic consent is probably the most important one on this list, to my way of thinking. Beyond the obvious rights of a patient that should ensure consent for any major medical decision, psychotropic medications affect everyone differently. This means that each individual patient needs to be the first and last authority on his own treatment when it comes to meds. A good medication should not only achieve its intended external purpose, its effects should be satisfactory to the person taking it; if not, I don't think we should ever consider a medication acceptable.
And finally...I really dislike how readily and eagerly we give mind-altering drugs to children. Not so much because I think we do it too much (though I think we do), but because I think we do it for the sake of short-term gains and conformity, even if these gains are counterproductive to long-term development. If ever there is a time when a brain is open to healing itself without chemical intervention, it's during childhood. Likewise, if ever there is a time in life when we are least able to separate our own wishes and understanding of mind-altering medication from that of our families, it is this time. Furthermore, how important is it, really, that an eight year old get good grades and be able to sit still in school?
So when is a good time to use medication? To my way of thinking, medication is needed when one would otherwise not have the necessary focus and control required to understand and work on one's symptoms, or to live one's life at a functional level. In the end, I just think there's a lot to be gained by treating it as a leg up, not a cure, even if you do take it on a permanent basis. There certainly was for me. But like I said, everyone's different.
No comments:
Post a Comment