ADHD Woman Thinks Experts are Wrong

help-for-adhdYou know what really gets my goat with all these ADHD experts?

Even the psychiatrists specializing in ADHD make me want to scream?

Most of them are WRONG! Most mean well . . . but wrong!

You'll find out why in my story.

Now I'd always just thought I was crazy.

After all, I didn't hear about ADHD until I was a college professor here in Denver.

But one day I was feeling so crazy, I realized I needed help! So off I went to see a counselor. Explained what was going on. She said,
"Oh, you've got ADHD."

"Really? What on earth is that?"

She explained. Suggested I see a doctor who could prescribe Ritalin and come back and see her next week.

Well, I certainly wasn't going to start taking some drug without knowing more about my "condition." So off to the library to read everything on ADHD.

As you may know, all the ADHD books come with quizzes to see if you have ADHD.

I took every single quiz. I passed with flying colors.

Obviously I HAD ADHD! Obviously I'd had it all my life!

So I started on Ritalin. Well, I'm here to tell you, if I was crazy
before, now I was raving lunatic.

I reported my recently-required lunacy to my counselor.

With a very serious look, she informed me that such a reaction to Ritalin was unusual. If I would just took it for a while longer, I'd get over the reaction.

You gotta be kidding? I wasn't taking any more Ritalin period!

I tried a bunch of stuff. Brain Gym helped ME. Some behavior changes helped ME. Meditation helped ME. Eating more protein helped ME.

An auditory program didn't help ME . . . made it worse.

Now please don't misunderstand. I'm not using capital letters for ME as some goofy ego trip. I'm emphasizing ME because everyone with ADHD is different.

What helps ME won't necessarily help YOUR child. And more than likely it's a combination of things that will help the most.

When one "cure," strategy, or program works 100%, it's unlikely that your child has ADHD at all

For example, some "experts" claim that this diet or that diet "cures" ADHD. Wrong.

If you child's ADHD symptoms and behavior disappear after being on a certain diet . . . your child doesn't have ADHD. Your child has allergies, food sensitivities or even a gut problem.

If your child "outgrows" ADHD, your child didn't have ADHD. He's matured emotionally. She's no longer so stressed. Or maybe a bad family
situation no longer exists.

Well, I got off track here. So back to my story.

I became more interested in ADHD . . . how to help myself . . . and how to help parents and teachers help their kids. I spent some 20 years hyperfocusing on ADHD.

(Remember from the last email that many ADHDers have an ability to hyperfocus.)

In the middle of my research, decided to get a qEEG brain scan which is given by some psychiatrists to diagnose ADHD.

"So MaryJo, you think you have ADHD. Tell me more."

And I was off and running with the dozens of reasons I KNEW I had ADHD.

"Did you ever take stimulant drugs such as Ritalin for ADHD?"

"Sure, I took Ritalin. It made everything much worse.

"Hmm, I see. Well, in that case you don't have any of the common brain patterns for ADHD or Ritalin wouldn't have affected you that
way.

I really don't think you have ADHD."

Oops, I was right. I'm just crazy.

"So what do I have?" I asked.

"Don't know."

Turned out my brain scan showed the opposite brain pattern from the most common brain patterns see in children and adults with ADHD.

Without some kind of brain scan, prescriptions for ADHD are basically one-size-fits all. Oh the dose may be tweaked. Maybe a different but similar stimulant drug tried but it's essentially the same protocol.

Get parent strategies for ADHD kids and find about my VIP Program for Transforming ADHD that is not one size fits all.

Discover 12 conditions that look like ADHD and ADD but aren't. Sign up now!

About Dr. MaryJo Wagner

MaryJo Wagner, PhD, helps you help your kids transform ADHD behavior for success. Sign up at Coaching & Accountability to get your questions answered with a complimentary Transformation Session.

Comments

  1. Hi there..HELP PLEASE..!! I got my son from the child welfare 6 years ago. he is in my forster care. He battle to concentrate in school, battle to read and to remember. He is on conserta 54mg It was givrn by he child pediatrician after he was tested.

    He is a very very clever young man, and love builing lego and he love cars and engines ect. He don't like school at all. Im so tidy of every body telling me....but remember he will not so well cause of his adhd. He can remember every liltle thing about every thing but school work is a NO NO..!!

    PLEASE HELP!!! I don't know what to do any more..!!!

    Regards and blessings

    Lucy Read

    My lilltle man's name is Jorden

    • Hi Lucy,

      Get help from people at his school. Talk to his teacher, the school counselor, the reading specialist, even the principal. If that doesn't help, ask for help from a social worker through child welfare. Don't try to do this alone. There are people out there who can help you. MaryJo

  2. I often wonder if I’m ADHD, I can’t sit still and listen. I’m an artist, and I learn much better when my hands are busy doodling, or making something.

    I’ve been teaching young children for over 25 years, and every year have had 2-4 kids in my class who have been labeled ADD, ADHD. Every single kid was a different case. Even if I discovered their inability to focus, I was very hesitant to recommend any medications.

    What is the inability to focus anyway? I often have kids who are ADHD who hate to write in their journal, but love to draw very detailed pictures. These kids are dear to my hear, because I can really help them form a healthy image of themselves through art.

    MaryJo, I love your take on ADHD, it is so easy for parents to have their kids labeled and put on medication. Yes, some kids do need medication to function, but parents need people like you to help them decide what’s best for their child.

    • Thanks so much for your comment, Lucy. To answer your question about focusing, who knows? LOL! Often, it means a child can't focus on what an adult wants them to focus on. For others, it means focusing improves if I'm doodling or in my case, focusing improves if I'm listening to music. But for children and adults who have serious ADHD, the inability to focus means an inability to focus on what we really want to focus on so it affects our quality of life. Moving always helps focusing, by the way.

Leave a Reply to Dr. MaryJo Wagner Cancel reply

*

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Website designed by Regina Smola