Recently, I saw someone in a comment section comparing what their ADHD feels like when they're either off or on medication.
It went something like this:
"It goes from being A circus, to MY circus."
I think that's a really good analogy.
It's not like being on medication is a panacea. You aren't broken and medication won't fix you. There are so many things to consider. Everyone has a different body, diverse needs, and a varying scope of mental health challenges. Finding the right type and dose will be unique to you. From my experience, receiving help may not necessarily look like we thought it would, it almost never goes how you think it will and often isn't as straightforward as we would like it to be. There are twists and turns.
Everyone arrives at this question eventually: medication or no medication?
For me, the past year has been filled with a lot of discoveries and difficulties, and I feel like I needed to give myself time to parse through all that first. Taking the time you need to explore what it all means to you is so important. This can include a lot of crossover between research, spirituality, therapy, healthy habits, journaling - and processing, basically.
(Important to note: I was diagnosed later in life so I sort of hit a wall with realizations and an avalanche of questions. I had to look back at my entire childhood, teen years, and twenties with an entirely new lens. Ooof.)
So while I continue processing, please enjoy this image I created of my own circus!
The topic of medication made me uneasy for a long time, and I'm still on that journey. It's odd, because I have always been very supportive of other people taking medication. I advocate for others and want them to have the help they need. When it comes to ourselves though, it feels different and we may have some fears to overcome and some trial and error to experience.
My goal with these posts is to a) help me process things, and b) connect with others who have similar lived experiences and who want to explore these topics further. I share my personal experience in the hopes that it gives someone else an idea of what to expect or even what to avoid. It can be difficult for people to access the help they need but I'm a huge believer that you are your own best advocate. I've made a lot of progress, but I've also had a heck of a time getting here, even with some access to privilege and resources that I know a lot of other people don't have.
We need to talk about these things to remove the stigma and demand more from our healthcare system, which is currently woefully under-resourced.
But, I digress...
That's it for now.
I'd love to see your comments, so share your thoughts below!
In the meantime... take good care of yourself :)
Snacks & Snark,
Relatable Red