Adhd help for teen

[Mummabear888]

So I’ll start off by saying I also have ADHD and it alongside trauma really took much of my life away from me. Diagnosed a year ago and once I got my head around meds I have found them life changing

my dd has adhd but she is also really sensible, caring, trying to work hard at school (but grades aren’t good in some core subject because she really does struggle with focus) in some subjects she does so well. She’s always tired or hyper never in between
struggles with sleep
and the key one for me is she does struggle with significant anxiety and intrusive thoughts, ocd and tics.
I had her diagnosed privately as at the time we wwre at crisis point and we needed recognition and support feom
achool (she was a masker up until year 6 but the signs were all there now I understand it more)
she does also struggle with eating large amounts of sugar and it’s starting to effect her weight - I have tried )bearing in mind I had the same issue up until I started medication )

the thing is she has started to feel it’s so unbearable that she wants medication. Some of her friends have it. I have tried natural supplements and upping exercise etc but she will struggle to maintain this (which I totally get)
im really struggling with the idea of her being medicated as she is only 14 -
I need some advice
my friend thinks she needs it

Medicating our son transformed his life from being one of the poorest performers in class to moving into the top set.

He is now a happy, confident boy with a good set of friends.

Medicating is not a weakness.

Treatment for ADHD is medication. It’s a medical condition, controlled by meds.

DS1 takes meds at school. I’ve seen it transform lives (including DS1’s!).

Should my son not take his medication for his seizures because he’s only 12?

At her age, I'd take your lead from her. She's struggling and telling you that she wants to try medication. If she had a physical disability that required medication, would you deny her that? Sorry to sound harsh, but please try to look at it that way.

Ds is on it, no ill effects, only positive. Still better in more practical subjects than theoretical, but his predicted grades now more closely align with his minimum target grades. Also, I'm assuming she'll get exam access arrangements? As long as she's getting passes in core subjects, I'd be encouraging her down whichever route she was most engaged in, enjoying and doing well in.

The main consideration for you though is her mental health is currently badly affected. I'm sure I don't need to tell you about the much higher rate of drug and alcohol addiction among those with unmanaged adhd.

The medication is likely to help with her sleep, or you can consider melatonin as well.

What support is her school giving her? In our experience, schools don't tend to understand and support adhd very well.

Transformed my dd.

Also she soothed with food. She lost 3 stone as an aside on them.

Medication got her into university.

I also have ADHD, diagnosed in my 30s, but at 14 I was a mentally ill state misdiagnosed with bipolar and on lithium. What I would give to have got the right diagnosis and the right medication, whilst I’m happy with my life now it could have saved me a lot of trauma. ADHD is a difference in the brain, medication could be life changing for her. I understand why you feel nervous about it, but give her a chance to see what life with it could be like, the alternative is likely worse.

The good thing about adhd meds is that they don’t stay in your body. So, if you stop taking them, your body naturally excretes them within a day or so.

Based on that I would let your daughter try for six months and then review. If you’re ever going to use them, gcse years are amongst those when they will be most useful, so I would be guided by her.