Expert: Sharon Crandall - 6/24/2007

Question
I am a 24 year old adult with ADHD my whole life and I wondered if when I am unable to do something if I am lazy or if its part of my disability. I always figured I was lazy, but now I take Metadate and am doing those things I couldn't do 5 months ago like laundry, paperwork, exercise, etc.. Am I lazy or is this my disability as long as I'm making an effort to get these things done. Also, I take Metadate and while I know you can't answer medical questions directly, am I generally safe on this or does it have deaths attributed to it like some medicines. My parents were terrified of Ritalin with the Ritalin Deaths reported, but I feel like its like not flying where you are much more far likely to be in a car crash then hurt by medicine. Am I correct. And am I lazy or is it a disability.

Answer
Dear Michael,

If the medication is helping you then that is fine.  However, problems often continue underneath the medication and you might require more and more medication.  Some of these medications are also addictive and that worries me, more than the damage, but you should really watch your heart and blood pressure.

I suggest a couple of things.  Find a good doctor who is an expert in thyroid problems that prescribe both T3 and T4 thyroid medication. If they do not prescribe both of those then you have the wrong doctor.  Are you feet and hands cold a lot?

I do not think you are lazy.  It could be a number of things and so I would like you to keep in touch with me at my email personalityconsultant1@yahoo.com as there is a nutritional product that a friend of mine sells that really helps a lot to feed the brain nutritionally and so you might be able to get off medication and it has no side affects.

Also, you could have traits that make you a lot more mental than physical but I would have to know more to be able to tell that.  

Please email me and we can talk some more.

Sharon Crandall
Life is 4 Living Coach/Consultant
www.myspace.com/personalityconsultant