Original publish date: March 30, 2011
My older daughter never had the same issues as my younger one with depression or hyperactivity or even rebellion. Her problems arose in college. She noticed that she was having trouble finishing her work or paying attention to lectures. I thought maybe she was too interested in her social life or her classes were boring. But then we noticed that she was unable to finish one conversation before starting a new one, then would forget what she was talking about altogether. Then, if she saw something shiny…
Because she was already an adult, she made her own appointment with the psychiatrist to get evaluated. Her diagnosis: mild ADHD. Solution: Adderall. It’s been about a year, and she is very happy on this medication. She says it makes her feel productive and she can see projects through from start to finish seamlessly. If she’s given an assignment, she can’t wait to get started.
Even though this is a narcotic—an amphetamine—her chemistry processes it differently than a normal body makeup would. She doesn’t feel stimulated; she actually feels calm and focused. It doesn’t alter her mood in any way, she just gets her stuff done and that makes her happy. Unlike antidepressants or other types of brain altering chemicals that have sort of a “waiting period,” it works immediately.
She has a great deal of self-awareness and she’s not a drug user, so the fact that she’s pro-Adderall makes me trust that it really has a positive impact on her life. We are a family of chemically imbalanced people and proud of it (haha)! My father, my grandmother, both my children, me—we’re all benefiting from one brain drug or another and couldn’t be chemically happier.