Any tips for concentrating at work when I can't take medication?
I used to be a transcriptionist at a medical clinic. (Not a medical transcriptionist. I couldn't handle even one college class. I just transcribed voice mails.) I was never as fast as the other transcriptionists. I hadn't been taking any kind of ADHD medication because most of the medications would interfere with my other medications (mood stabilizers and antidepressants), and I don't actually have an official diagnosis.
Then my psychiatrist prescribed Strattera and my numbers went up and everything was great, but then I started having serious side effects and had even more trouble concentrating half the time and I had to stop taking it. (I became severely depressed and I was on the brink of suicide. Now I'm wondering if maybe it was just a coincidence because I recently attempted suicide, but my dad just lost his job and probably won't be able to find a new one because he did something very illegal and I don't have insurance now, so I can't afford Strattera anyway.)
Due to increased trouble concentrating and my psychiatrist not being able to think of any reasonable accommodations, I lost my job. That was almost five months ago. Now that my dad can't help support me, it's more important than ever that I get a job that actually pays a decent amount, and basically my only skill is typing 76 WPM. But of course, my typing speed doesn't do me any good if I can't concentrate.
I know that fidgeting helps me concentrate, but it isn't possible to use any of my fidget tools while typing all day. My sister suggested a chew pendant, but I doubt that would help any more than chewing gum or running my tongue over my teeth all the time (neither of which help), and I don't think any boss would be a big fan of having an employee chewing on a piece of silicone all day. (My sister has high-functioning autism, formerly known as Asperger's syndrome. She's really smart, and she can communicate, albeit not tactfully. But she often doesn't know what's socially acceptable.)
So I can't take medication, and I can't use any of my fidget tools. Any ideas?
Last edited by namazu; 10-06-17 at 03:35 AM..
Reason: Added some paragraph breaks for easier reading.
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