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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 3 of 3. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by cybercafe on December 23, 2002, at 20:47:02
i'm curious how long it usually takes someone from getting diagnosed with ADD to getting back to fulltime employment
does the first med tried usually work well enough to get you back to work, even if it's not perfect?
(i'm assuming here all other disorders are under control or are nonexistant)
Posted by hok on December 24, 2002, at 12:58:51
In reply to ADD treatment , posted by cybercafe on December 23, 2002, at 20:47:02
I've found that starting up with the meds only gives me the frame of mind to start getting motivated and focus. Even more so if you're on an AD as well, since it causes so much damn apathy. I definitely believe that the other formidable half for me was more holistic. Despite starting on the stimulants, I still struggled with being motivated and focus, so I set out to attend to more behavioral forms of therapy, including: setting a fixed schedule of times to work, finding and maintaing oultlets for stress/hyperactivity release (e.g., exercise/yoga), and even seeking therapy/counseling/CBT.
In the end, I think an ADHD diagnosis can be handicapping because it can give us an excuse to procrastinate further on pressing issues. Realizing that the meds are the primary element of my treatment, I never assume it works as easy as throwing a switch. I still have to work through the motivation/focus issues that I think are just as much learned behaviours by now as they are inherently a biochemical problem.
As for finding employment, it took me a while, six months to actually find a new career. However, the way I approached it once on the medication was in a much more linear and determined manner. I remember constantly second-guessing myself when I was trying to figure out what careers interest me and what I wanted to do. Now, with the meds, it's much more instinctual. I lament less and act more.
good luck with your own job search. remember that the job market is abhorrent right now, so just realize it's not all a personal issue of motivation.
Posted by Noa on December 25, 2002, at 14:07:42
In reply to ADD treatment , posted by cybercafe on December 23, 2002, at 20:47:02
Frankly, I haven't known many people who are on disability for ADD alone. I guess it would depend on which symptoms were key in preventing your ability to work, and how they respond to medication. Stimulants work quickly on things like alertness, focus, calmness, etc. But they won't really solve major problems with being organized. Also, if you had depression along with the ADD, that could be a factor.
A good career counselor could be of great help in focusing your job search on things that are suited for your strengths and interests. Depending on the kind of ADD symptoms you have, some career paths might be better than others---ie, why fight your style in a job that taps all your weaknesses? Also, is it possible to start slow, ie part time, to see how you do?
This is the end of the thread.
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