I just found this site this weekend, but have already learned so much!

I appreciate this type of forum where we can openly discuss options and strageies, even if the are unpopular, without criticism or condemnation. There are enough people out there doing that!

I do believe in a more alternative approach, that is, medication as a last resort. If there is anyone reading this who feels the same I would very much like to hear what types of interventions you have tried and what you think has worked.

Thanks again to everyone!

If there is anyone reading this who feels the same I would very much like to hear what types of interventions you have tried and what you think has worked.


I love to read positive stuff. :D ;) :D

Here is some links to areas here that may interest you as well as maybe answer your question!!!!!


ADD treatment and management, seperate area from medication discussions

http://www.addforums.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=5


Nutrition

http://www.addforums.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=20


Misc treatments and approaches this one is on glyconutries (Think I miss spelled the name)

http://www.addforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=17283

Hope this helps a bit!!!! :)

Medication was the last thing I EVER wanted, and after my experiences with different psychiatric medications I am definitely interested in alternative treatments...

Before I allowed anyone to help me with my problem (I refused to seek a formal diagnosis because I didn't like the idea of a label following me around), I was miserable. I tried everything--read every book that I could on the subject. No matter what I tried, I could *not* pass my classes...I gave up on school and started partying--when I needed to study I would drink two huge glasses of red bull and vodka before I read. The red bull would keep me from falling asleep while the vodka would zap my energy and keep me in my chair.

I tried meditation, but I couldn't shut my brain up. I never admitted that I might have ADD, or became open to the idea of medication, until I tried someone's Adderall and began crying with joy because for once, I could stay on one topic for more than 30 seconds. For once, I could read an entire page of quantum physics and remember what I'd read. For once in my entire 5-year college career, I got an A on a midterm.

I think that each person's individual treatment plan depends heavily on what you are required to do. If you are a college student, you are in the worst possible atmosphere for ADD--college precisely requires every single thing that an ADD individual cannot do. It also depends on the severity of your ADD. I scored a -11.75 on the TOVA (don't know what that means, but I assume it's pretty severe). Put it this way, I get *so* stressed out when someone tries to talk to me for more than 1 minute that I want to punch them out of frustration. It also depends on the stage of your life. If I were going for my third masters and had a high-paying career, there might not be the strong impetus to finish school and push myself academically. I am 23 years old and have *nothing* right now--I need school.

For all these reasons, I would suggest that you *might* want to be open to the idea of medication--think of it as something that works WITH your body instead of something you are putting into your body...yes there are downsides, but some people need the medication like air while for others, it's merely an option among many...

The best I could do before medication was to hold a rag with lavender up to my nose whenever I felt hyperactive or distracted. The intense scent of the lavender was almost sobering, and filled me with such a deep relaxation that I could concentrate for another 5 minutes. This method earned me D's instead of F's...The only other thing that worked for me was avoiding any task that required extended concentration, but this would have meant giving up my dreams of becoming a scientist.