Wiki describes ADHD as the following
"Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a mental disorder of the neurodevelopmental type. It is characterized by problems paying attention, excessive activity, or difficulty controlling behavior which is not appropriate for a person's age."
I was in 6th grade when I diagnosed with ADHD. I had always struggled in school and was finally tested. My teacher, Mrs. Stone really helped me cope with it during 6th and 7th grade. When I got into 8th grade I really started to snuggle more. I didn't want to be in special ed anymore, but could never focus enough in class to be in mainstream classes.
In 10th grade my grades really started to suffer, I had issues with friends and being bullied (that'll be in another blog), but finally half way threw 11th grade I was able to switch to my schools alliterative program called WALA.
WALA was know for being the last resort for the "bad kids".
My mom, and most of my teachers thought it was a bad idea. My science teacher said "Your throwing Olivia to the sharks by putting her in that program"
They where so wrong.
Once I started in WALA I started to take meds for my ADHD. There was a huge improvement in my grades and my focus, but I had a lot of side effects from the meds.
I hated being on meds, it made me feel dull, and didn't want to eat.
In the summer I stopped taking them, and I felt free. I was never able to get much done, but I had fun!
My last year of high school I took meds again.
My mom and I decided to keep them in the nurses office so I had to take them, not throw them away like I had in years past.
It was embarrassing to get a pass when I'd forget to take them, but my grades increased and I graduated high school.
Once I got out of high school I knew i never wanted to take them again.
It wasn't for me.
I didn't (and still don't) plan on going to college so it wasn't a huge deal to me.
Ive now been graduated from high school for 5 years. Its crazy to think that sometimes, high school sucked in so many ways.
As I got older I was able to self discipline myself into staying focus, I worked 3 jobs and stayed pretty organized.
When I got my head injury in May 2015 it was like i was back to my hyper, unfocused preteen self.
I hated it.
I would try to focus but just couldn't.
When I got Otis I started to get better.
Training a puppy takes a lot of work and focus.
I was told when we took Roxi (our first chihuahua) to puppy school that I'd never be able to fully train a chihuahua.
Otis was special, and knew I had to really focus myself and prove that trainer wrong.
I did awesome at keeping his training up for about 7 months, then I got depressed. I had just lost my pony in a freak accident and was a mess.
My ADHD was at its all time high.
One minute id be bouncing off the walls, the next I'd crash and wouldn't get out of bed.
I stopped working and training Otis for a long time.
I couldn't even stay focused enough to work with him for 5 mins. I'd try to teach him one thing, get flustered and stopped. Luckily Otis is super smart and never forgot the little sessions we had.
February 2017 I went back to get tested for my ADHD.
The doctors where worried that my head injury may have caused my ADHD to worsen. Thankfully after the test they said it was about the same.
It was during that test that the doctor recommend I do the 20 days of treatment.
About 12 days in of the 20 I was put back on ADHD meds.
I. Was. Pissed.
I didn't take them.
I threw them away or flushed them down the toilet.
I hated them.
I hated the way it made me feel.
I hated the person it made me become.
Once I finished the program I stopped taking the meds.
I used Otis to keep me focused.
The more in tuned I was with Otis, the more focused my life became.
I'm currently following a book and group on how to train Otis as my service dog, this has helped my focus so much.
I'm able to break up his sessions to multiple times a day, which makes me keep a schedule.
I still feel super hyper and not focused, but on days where my energy level is threw the roof, we go for hikes.
Otis knows when these days are and he loves to bug me until we get out into the woods to hike.
I'm learning the best meds for my ADHD is Otis
<3
Once I finished the program I stopped taking the meds.
I used Otis to keep me focused.
The more in tuned I was with Otis, the more focused my life became.
I'm currently following a book and group on how to train Otis as my service dog, this has helped my focus so much.
I'm able to break up his sessions to multiple times a day, which makes me keep a schedule.
I still feel super hyper and not focused, but on days where my energy level is threw the roof, we go for hikes.
Otis knows when these days are and he loves to bug me until we get out into the woods to hike.
I'm learning the best meds for my ADHD is Otis
<3
