Tell The Story: ADHD Medication

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Tell the Story When I first tried to receive an ADHD diagnosis, the psychiatrist did not take my concerns seriously and assumed my symptoms were manifestations of a different disorder because I did not exhibit stereotypical characteristics. Instead, she wanted to diagnose me with depression; I was wary of this because I did not feel depressed and believed that any depressive symptoms I exhibited were due to untreated ADHD. While diagnosing disorders can be complicated, it was frustrating that the psychiatrist’s first thought was that I was depressed since I reported hallmark symptoms of ADHD. This invalidated my concerns and hindered my ability to receive treatment, which is a common experience among adolescent girls seeking a diagnosis. Misdiagnoses …show more content…

I then tried seven different medications and even had genetic testing done to speed up the process, but every drug I took was either ineffective or had side effects. As my symptoms progressed, I realized I could not function without medication, so I had to settle for the one that had the fewest side effects, but was still effective. Being forced to choose the treatment with the most benefit and having to look past side effects is unfair and the reality for many people. This reflects the time, resources, and determination that is required to identify effective interventions, and the financial and psychosocial implications of seeking treatment that can be detrimental to clients and their families. Health Inequity Poor mental health outcomes in adolescent girls with ADHD are largely caused by the lasting effects of gender discrimination in research. Historically, women were excluded from research as it was assumed that clinical outcomes identified in men would be the same for women (Liu & DiPietro Mager, 2016). This practice resulted in poor rates of diagnoses, inappropriate interventions, and a lack of knowledge regarding women’s …show more content…

The training and increased awareness will allow the nurse to implement practical management techniques that benefit the client’s well-being and establish a therapeutic relationship. For example, if a nurse is performing an assessment and the client appears unengaged or distracted, a nurse with limited education might get frustrated, but one who received education would know which interventions to apply; this could mean allowing the client to move around, breaking tasks into shorter activities, and maintaining a non-judgemental attitude (Nicholson, 2019). Conclusion Throughout the research process, I acquired a deeper understanding of the unique lived experiences of ADHD and the poor mental health outcomes faced by adolescent girls with the disorder. By reflecting on my experiences and comparing them to current literature, I have gained an awareness of factors that influence this health disparity: discrimination in medical research, poor academic accommodations, inadequate healthcare training, limited social support, and stigma all contribute to the misdiagnoses and lack of interventions that ultimately lead to poor mental health

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