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Pills and Skills

Maybe all your life you feel like you have been struggling to get yourself together. "If I could just...

  • Get organized, stay focused
  • Stay on task
  • Get committed
  • Stop procrastinating
  • Get clean
  • Give up my bad habits
  • Manage my time
  • Make a list

Keep working on your skills, but its a lot easier while taking the medication. There's no good reason you can't do both. For more tips on skills development see ADD Resources.

There is a large body of evidence that irrefutably suggests that stimulants help the majority (75% even) of people who have the kind of life problems that fit the description of ADDness feel and behave more functionally.

  • Test better
  • Get better grades
  • Stay on task longer
  • Get distracted less
  • Feel less bored
  • Drive safer
  • Feel less impatient
  • Be more attentive and patient with those around them
  • Have less anxiety
  • Sleep better

Side Effects

Stimulants are safer for ADDers

The side effects reported in the literature are real and potentially dangerous, but remember how they were gathered. By definition ADDers and the non-ADD ("NADDer")population have different brains and of course would be expected to have different responses to the stimulants.

ADDers take the stimulants and report feeling more functional in a host of ways

The NADDers focus longer, but also are more likely to feel nausea, spacey, dizzy, insomnia, lack of appetite, euphoric, palpitations, nervous- the kinds of feelings you'd expect from an adrenaline-like drug. For complete side effect profile see the Side Effects Links section on the Resources Page.

Permanent physical harm is extremely rare

Stimulants have been used since the 1940's and millions of doses have been taken. Arguably, aspirin has been a more harmful drug.

Stimulants are controlled substances by the FDA because of their potential for abuse, tolerance, addiction, and mental or physical side effects. With professional guidance this powerful tool is safe and effective. While no professional would promise results, it's likely we can help you improve your function and quality of life.