In my fifth grade year my academics had began to slump and it was (I assume) suggested that I was taken to the doctor to figure out “what was wrong with me”. I was diagnosed with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) which is now referred to as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) there is no longer any official medical difference between the two. I was medicated first with Concerta (time release 56mg) then with AdderallXR (20mg twice a day) one month on Ritalin and finally 60mg fast acting Adderall a day. None of the drugs really focused me on my academics or caused any significant increase in my grades. I just barely graduated high school, and got in the back door of a college by accepting to begin my college career on academic probation, what really got me in to the college; I knew the faculty and staff from childhood on and having my father as one of the professors didn’t hurt either (my ACT score of 14 sure didn’t help).
I have had teachers giving me the same spiel about how I am “so smart” or “full of potential” yet I continually did poorly in my classes, until now. There have been many factors that have contributed to my recent success that’s what this blog is about. I am aware that medication works for some people, however I am also aware that for others it can cause more harm than good and is all too often sadly handed out un-necessarily.
No comments:
Post a Comment