ADDthrowawayz

Dr Sarkis,

I was recently diagnosed with severe adult ADD, and the doctors are recommending stimulant medication. I have a ominous feeling about the treatment they are prescribing. I have had much success in my adult life without treatment, but as time goes on and I take on more responsibilities and more complex tasks (such as my dissertation), I am finding it harder and harder to get by (that's why I sought help in the first place). My hesitation is rooted in the suspicious that being untreated forced me to embrace my strengths and weaknesses as a person, and that a lot of the mechanisms I use to succeed are based on me being ADD. Do you think the medication will, for lack of better wording, erase my existing strengths or force me to relearn new successful habits? It sounds silly now that I've articulated it and typed it out, but I'm concerned I'm going to lose a piece of myself.

This is a very helpful response! I never considered the medication as opening up pathways to an existing tool box. The doctors have been great and very open about alternative options. I had already decided to pursue medication, and your answer helps me feel confident in my choice. Thank you for taking the time!