I was wondering if anyone who went on medication can say that they saw an improvement in actually being on time places? I can't be on time to save my life and it's killing opportunities that I need in life to move forward, like raises at work and it's causing me and my husband to fight because I literally cannot manage my time at all or do anything without getting way off task. I will go on medication if someone can honestly say that it made them understand time better and be able to manage it better. Anyone? thank you guys!
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Skittlebrain
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I wouldn't say that the medication has changed anything about being on time for me. But, I also put a lot of time and effort in the past into being on time / early so that I could account for my time management issues.
I will say that with medication my time management is better, specifically at work. I'm more efficient, more productive, and more attentive to timing of things like meetings, deadlines, and the like.
There are lots of good strategies out there about helping with lateness and time stuff. I saw that you and I recently responded to a post about it, and there's some good skills talked about in the ADHD Rewired podcast. All in all, it still takes a lot of effort. Medication isn't likely to make you better at managing time, but it may help you be more aware.
I had an early situation like the one you describe, which prepared me to be accountable for my own behaviors , ADHD or not, later. Medication won't help you change habits like timeliness; a good adhd coach or counselor might, one who knows cognitive and dialectic therapy, and who doesn't tell you to just stop being the way you are. There are a lot out there that don't know much about ADHD. I spent most of my adult life in psychotherapy and counseling, but nobody ever knew enough about adhd and tried tosteer me away from it or dumped responsibility for everything on me. In my early 60s I discovered I had adhd, but only now at 69 did a new psychiatrist in a new state give me ritilin to help with my ADHD problems like poor memory, lack of clarity and focus, forgetting and losing everything, and hopefully with rejection sensitivity dysphoria. So far this has helped. I don't feel so overwhelmed with tasks and to do lists. My friends say my conversation is more focused, less wandering. Meds will only do so much. They enable you to address behaviors that you could not before. But a lot of behavior modification has to go with it and that's what good, knowledgeable, coaching and counseling can help you with. But again, they can be very hard to find. You have to be discriminating and to know the right questions to ask these professionals. BUT DON'T GIVE UP AND DON'T RULE OUT ATTACKING YOUR OWN ISSUES IN YOUR OWN METHODS.
Yea unfortunately I was on medication for years and still couldn't be on time... I'm sorry you're going through that. I know how awful it is.
I didn't start getting better about being on time till I stopped taking meds and started training myself to arrive an hour early!
It took awhile but now when I go somewhere I still feel like I'm running late (an hour early lol) but I usually get there rt on time!
Just want to reiterate - it didn't work immediately. I had to keep doing it over and over. At 1st just knowing that the real time was an hour away, well it just didn't work. I can't explain it, I just stuck with it and now it works.
Hi. Yes. At least that’s what I’ve experienced. I’m 54, and without the proper medication and correct titration my internal clock and/or executive functions are shot.
It seems like my brain is either on or off. I thought I’d have it all figured out by now.
I can honestly say hand on heart medication changed my life 100% better ! . I can be on time , multi task and even listen to people instead of second guessing and finishing their conversations for them
I just started on Vyvanse two weeks ago and am very happy I made the choice to give Meds a try. I’m not sure that the meds by themselves have helped me to be on time more often but they have definitely helped me to be able to stick to strategies that I’ve put into place for that purpose, such as keeping a written plan to manage my time. I’m also better able to stop what I’m doing and be able to return to it later which helps with time management and organization. I’m finding that overall I feel way less flustered and overwhelmed by the process of getting the kids out the door for school and then getting myself to work.
Wow! Maybe i will bother to go get a diagnosis!!! Thanks AniSk!
And great question, Skittlebrain! I’m chronicly late.... usually only 5mins late, but everywhere! And arrive everywhere stressed, always missing the setup/scene setting of a meeting or event, etc.
Medication isn’t the answer but it does help me focus during my day. What helped me organize better was advice from an ADHD personal coach and some Cognitive Behavioral Training. My coach always says “Make it impossible to forget” and that means setting alarms on my cellphone, scheduling departures in my calendar, and giving myself enough time to travel from place to place. It takes a lot of retraining your brain to avoid the instances where we get off track but it is possible
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