Two Keys to Simplify ADHD Treatment
Getting the right treatment, even seeking treatment for AD/HD can be a tremendous challenge. You’ve spent most of your life feeling out of place, not knowing why. You feel normal, yet you continuously hit your head against an invisible wall. How can you possibly feel confident enough to comfortably communicate with medical professionals?
Following are two very simple keys. They can help ease the process as you negotiate the healthiest treatment path for your ADHD.
The first and I believe the most important is moral support. Someone who believes in you, and cares about your well being is a tremendous confidence booster. It can be a friend or family member or some other advocate, possibly member(s) of a support group. My sister, diagnosed a year earlier and that much ahead of me in the process was a god send for me. Increased confidence makes talking with treatment providers much easier.
The second of these keys eases communication with your doctor. Doctors are much more responsive to documentation than they are to a patient’s verbal report. Don’t take this personal. It has nothing to do with trusting you, the patient. Doctors are, by profession, scientists. And, in science, written documentation is much more reliable than personal narrative. Documentation of the effects of treatment is usually well received by doctors. And, it can help you get to your best treatment much more quickly. It can also go a long way toward creating a good doctor patient partnership. That can’t hurt.
Support your emotional side. And, also support the logical or “scientific” side of treatment for your doctor. There is nothing better to improve the way your doctor works with you. Trust me.
Not sure how or what to document? Get a copy of the tool I’ve shared with hundreds of therapy and coaching clients. Include your first name and email address in the sign-up box on www.adhdventures.com, and we’ll send you a copy of the tool and instructions on how to use it.
Comments
2 Responses to “Two Keys to Simplify ADHD Treatment”
Hey Cathy,
Great blog, and thanks for your Twitter connection… I am so appreciative of this post as over on the medical side I see so many problems with folks in three ways:
1. Folks don’t know what to say in medical review because there is no treatment grid for meds clarity regarding working/not working.
2. The building of the medical team is completely reliant on specific details, often not perceived as ‘of interest’ to the doc, – but, if those with ADD are more informed, the process of effective communication has to change.
3. Slowly but surely the medical community is changing regarding their interest in titration and dosage matters, duration of effectiveness etc. Many are there, many are still not there.
Please do take a look at my many postings on ‘The Therapeutic Window’ and precision with dosing over at http://www.corepsychblog.com
I welcome your any comments from your readers or youself, and will be watching the tweets!
Thanks again for connecting,
Chucki
Hi Chucki,
I’m sorry I missed your comment here. I’m very interested in you thoughts and I will take a look at what you’ve written and will be in touch.
Happy New Year to you,
Cathy