Finally A Doctor Who Thinks Drugs Should be the Last Resort and ADHD is not a Diagnosis of Doom

The ADHD Advantage: What You Thought Was a Diagnosis May Be Your Greatest Strength - Dale Archer MD

What and eye opening book I dove into. I'm amazed at the advantages that I always thought were downfalls/failures in myself. I went through school being told to "sit still, just focus, try harder, pay attention" and then after a while I became the one that was deemed hopeless. I had teachers who gave up never gave me an attentive and left me with a low self esteem with their hurtful judgements. I grew up found out I was actually intelligent, just not their fit in the box version. I was an octagon in a square system. I was drugged, and felt like a zombie, after a month I refused to take them anymore.I wish this book had been published when I was a kid and needed some answers on why I couldn't do what they wanted no matter how hard I tried. Sad stories are common, but success stories are rarely told, and options for new directions that don't take away from the glorious being with a bit more energy then "they" are comfortable with.

The author delves in all aspects of the ADHD life from early education, relationships, work, medical care, prescriptions, timed lessons, diet, extreme focusing, and weaknesses. He talks with many successful people who have been living with this difference and how it helped them when they learned how to use it's benefits. Many ADHD's are entrepreneurs, interesting. He also brings knowledge from other experts in the field and they share their findings. He is not anti medication, he is medication as a last resort doctor. He wants all resources to be exhausted before the drugs come out and dim the light of the bright person being treated. I really appreciated his honesty on the lack of knowledge that most doctors have on this "disorder" and the tests inability to judge correctly leading to too many kids and adults getting drugged into common. I loved this book, and would recommend it to anyone with ADHD or their loved ones. If educators and medical professionals would read it FANTASTIC.

This book was an emotional roller-coaster. I went back to my school days, to uncomfortable social situations where I was to sit and be good. I was kicked out of church at 3 for crawling under the pews. I could not sit still, not I didn't want to sit still. I teared up, got goose bumps, cheered for "my team" and felt vindicated. I saw myself, saw my experiences in others stories. Knowledge is a wonderful thing when it opens up a new window for you. This book opened many windows and offered me comfort for past wounds that never really faded all the way. I do love being an out of the box thinker and learner, and am proud to understand it all a bit better. Yes, I am also an entrepreneur and have been all my adult life except for a 2 month job when I was a teen.