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Understand how ADHD medication works, the different options available, and how to talk to your child about it with confidence.
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What's it really like to take ADHD medication as a teenager? Forget the clinical explanations—today my daughter Alexandra bravely takes us behind the curtain of her medication journey with refreshing honesty that only a young person living the experience can provide.

The journey begins with Alexandra's genuine fear: "I can't take a pill. What if it gets stuck in my throat?" Using Tic Tacs as practice pills, we found our way through that first obstacle together. But the real challenges emerged during those initial ten days—a period of emotional turbulence that nearly led me to discontinue the medication altogether. This rarely-discussed "worse before better" phase is something every parent should know about before starting this journey.

Alexandra's description of life before and after medication is striking in its clarity. Homework sessions transformed from battles requiring constant supervision to independent work. Morning routines shifted from chaotic to manageable. Even navigating school medication schedules created unexpected social connections with other students taking similar treatments. When we accidentally missed a dose one morning and attempted homework, the stark contrast reminded us exactly why this intervention mattered so much.

As Alexandra enters her teenage years, our medication journey continues to evolve. We recently transitioned from a stimulant to a non-stimulant medication to address emerging anxiety symptoms—a change bringing its own set of challenges and adjustments. Through it all, Alexandra's perspective remains clear: "It wouldn't help me at all," she says when asked about stopping medication, recognizing how treatment enables her to function at her best despite the adjustments required.

Download our free comprehensive guide "ADHD Medication: The Top Things to Know When You're Considering It" at sendparenting.com/medication. Next week Alexandra returns to discuss another challenge affecting many with ADHD—sleep difficulties and how we've navigated that aspect of her neurodivergent journey.

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