I largely agree with you. I do think that for the people with ADHD who graduated college and got advanced degrees, who held down jobs in industry for years before getting an inkling they had ADHD - they should indeed use the theraputic ladder, starting with therapy first.
I don't say that because I think medication is inherently evil, but because I believe the therapy actually worked quite well in my case. If other people can get the step change in their quality of life for the cost of relatively short term, and avoid a lifetime of medication, why would they not? I want people to consider this option.
And yes, see a real doctor - and not one who, like mine, heard my story and said "OK you've probably got it, here's a prescription for adderall".
Edit to add: I feel you wrt to the parental stigma. It burned me as well. My parents took me to some lab visit where they hooked me up to an EEG and made me press buttons when lights went on. Weirdly enough, the novel situation was quite stimulating for me, and I was given a clear negative diagnosis. Any time the topic came up again after that I was shut down. Took until my 20s to get any help for it, and another 5 years to seek therapy, which has been great.
I don't say that because I think medication is inherently evil, but because I believe the therapy actually worked quite well in my case. If other people can get the step change in their quality of life for the cost of relatively short term, and avoid a lifetime of medication, why would they not? I want people to consider this option.
And yes, see a real doctor - and not one who, like mine, heard my story and said "OK you've probably got it, here's a prescription for adderall".
Edit to add: I feel you wrt to the parental stigma. It burned me as well. My parents took me to some lab visit where they hooked me up to an EEG and made me press buttons when lights went on. Weirdly enough, the novel situation was quite stimulating for me, and I was given a clear negative diagnosis. Any time the topic came up again after that I was shut down. Took until my 20s to get any help for it, and another 5 years to seek therapy, which has been great.