Post Diagnosis Treatment

[planetdave]

I run a UK ADHD charity and keep being asked to provide information to new services about client needs.

I have a particular question in mind........


Once you had been diagnosed what treatment did you get?

I'm not enquiring about what medication you're on but the access to service, what kind of practitioner does it, how often - the general ins and out of long term treatment.

What would you like changed?

I'm really interested in the different experiences around the world.



If you get support, or treatment, from a support worker, nurse, specialist nurse, counsellor, therapist of any sort etc etc I'd be really interested to hear from you about what you get and how useful it is and what could be improved.


TYIA


pd

[Etcetera]

I live in Belgium and the current treatment that I am receiving, is medication. I can however easily go to my psychologist (that works together with my psychiatrist) for extra treatment concerning ADHD and co-existing disorders (in my case: low self-esteem and extremely scared of failure that it even paralyzes me).
I received my diagnosis at age 24, which was last year.

I think for me, part of my treatment, was getting the diagnosis. It makes me able to reflect back on my youth and say "You know what, I really did try!" and explain to myself why things went wrong.

Another part of treatment, is the support I receive from my boyfriend. He is patient, understanding and does try to help me get forward in live as well. To me, he is the perfect ADHD-partner. I don't think that any partner of an ADHD'er will ever understand just how important they truly are to us.

A third part of my treatment, is going back to school. I am also able to do so because of my boyfriend, and because of my diagnosis. I will ask for accommodations at school. The school I've chosen is quite known for the following:
- Small classes
- Lots of support to all students where possible
I am doing this because
- I do not feel "whole" without a degree
-It makes me able to quit working for a while (which was necessary since I was experiencing a burn-out and it was eating up my self-confidence)
- It enables me to gather small successes. No matter how much you'd want it, a boss usually only tells you how good or bad you are when you ****** up. And that's the last thing I'd need!

So, again, support.

I think that for any ADHD'er support truly is the most important thing.

[planetdave]

Anyone else?

I've got a presentation to write on this in the next 12 hours - I appear to have procrastinated myself into yet another corner/deadline (you know what we're like!).

Please give your experiences generously =D

[ToneTone]

In the United States stimulants are strictly regulated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, a federal anti-drug agency/police force.

So psychiatrists can only prescribe 3 months worth of stimulant medication.

So in my case that means I have to see my psychiatrist at least every 3 months.

There are different types of visits according to your health insurance. I used to see a psychiatrist who'd sit me down for 10 minutes, ask me how the med is dong and give me the new RX. I now see one who talks to me about half an hour before he gives up the script.

Lots of people get scrips from their family doctors ....

And then some people go to therapists as well ...

Good luck.

Tone