I am loathe to give my clients homework. I generally feel that working on the things we are talking about is enough. However, one of the few things I often suggest to my clients is to keep a medication journal. The harsh reality of the world is that ADHD meds are all about trial and error. There is no way to know what drugs you will respond to until you try them.
Combine that with the fact that we are often not so present in the moment, may be forgetful, and sometimes lack self monitoring skills… and it is really easy to forget, or not even be aware of how a change in medication or dosage is affecting us. This is particularly the case when we are first trying meds and our attention is not great.
In my experience it can be invaluable to:
- When you started a new medication,
- What other meds you were taking at the time,
- What time of day you took it,
- If you were consistent with taking it,
- Was it name brand or generic (even what generic producer,)
- When you may have changed dosages,
- How your attention and/or mood were affected,
- Any feedback you may get from other people in your life.
Trying to remember what you took three years ago and how if made you feel can be really tough. It is a great resource to have an actual log of the details. And, it doesn’t have to be too extensive. Just note the change dates and check in with yourself two or three times a week about how you feel.