ADHD Treatment

What It Actually Is: 

ADHD isn't a focus problem. It's a brain wiring thing. Your prefrontal cortex, the part responsible for executive function, doesn't regulate dopamine the same way as someone without ADHD. That's why you can hyperfocus on something interesting for six hours but can't make yourself start the thing you've been putting off for three weeks.  

This isn't laziness. It's neurology. But here's the part most people skip over: understanding why your brain does this doesn't mean you get to stop being responsible for the outcomes. 

What This Looks Like in Real Life: 

You've got 47 tabs open. You walked into the kitchen and forgot why. You're late to everything, not because you don't care, but because time just... works differently in your head. You start projects with enthusiasm and abandon them when the novelty wears off. Your desk is chaos. Your car is chaos. Your phone has 12,000 unread emails. 

Some people also get the hyperactivity piece, the restlessness, the inability to sit still, the impulse to say the thing before thinking it through. Others are more inattentive, quietly drowning while looking totally fine from the outside. 

How This Screws Things Up: 

Untreated ADHD doesn't just make you disorganized. It makes you feel broken. You watch other people do basic shit effortlessly and wonder what's wrong with you. You've probably been called lazy, careless, or "not living up to your potential" your whole life. 

That stuff sticks. It turns into shame. And shame makes everything worse because now you're not just dealing with ADHD, you're also dealing with years of believing you're fundamentally flawed. 

Relationships suffer because you forget things that matter to people. Work suffers because you can't finish what you start. Your own self-image suffers because you keep promising yourself "this time will be different" and it never is. 

The Numbers: 

About 8.4% of kids and 2.5% of adults have ADHD. That adult number is probably low because a lot of people, especially women and people who weren't hyperactive as kids, fly under the radar for years. 

What Actually Works: 

Medication is usually the foundation. Stimulants like Adderall, Vyvanse, or Concerta work for most people. They're not magic, they won't turn you into someone you're not, but they can quiet the noise enough that you can actually use the strategies that help. 

Behavioral approaches matter too. Structure, systems, external accountability. Your brain won't create these naturally, so you build them on purpose. We can help with both the medication side and the practical tools. 

How We Do This: 

We see people in person and via telehealth across Washington and Oregon. We'll figure out what's going on, get you on the right medication if that's the move, and give you actual strategies that work in your actual life. 

Fair warning: we're not going to just hand you a prescription and send you on your way. ADHD management is about building systems and taking ownership of how you show up, even when your brain makes it harder. Medication helps. It's not a replacement for doing the work. 

How Often You'll Come In: 

We start with more frequent visits while we figure out your medication and make sure it's working. Once things are stable, we can space it out to monthly or whatever makes sense. This isn't a one-size-fits-all thing.