ADHD with Jenna Free EP. 37: Should I Take ADHD Medication? The Truth About Meds and Regulation | ADHD with Jenna Free
You can get your free ADHD Regulation Guide here - www.adhdwithjennafree.com/adhdguide
Chapters 00:00 Introduction: Meds and Regulation - Do They Go Together? 02:00 What ADHD Medication Actually Does 04:00 The Gas vs The Steering Wheel Analogy 06:00 Medication is a Tool, Not the Foundation 08:00 What ADHD Meds Can and Can't Do 10:00 Medication Can Magnify Your Current State 13:00 Trial and Error is Normal (And Expected) 15:00 Possible Side Effects and Who Can't Take Meds 17:00 Where Regulation Work Fits In
Summary In this episode, I clarify my stance on ADHD medication and where it fits with regulation work. This isn't about whether you should or shouldn't take meds - that's deeply personal. But I want to give you context on what to expect and why both can work together beautifully. ADHD medication and regulation do two very different things. Medication is like gas in your tank - it helps with attention, impulsivity, working memory, and brain fog. But regulation provides the steering wheel, brakes, and pedals - it gives you the ability to actually maneuver with that energy. Medication doesn't regulate your nervous system, change fear-based beliefs, or get you out of fight or flight. I share results from a poll where the most common response about what meds help with was "I don't know" - which shows how important it is to get clear on what you want from medication. Medication can magnify the state you're in, so if you're dysregulated, stimulants might intensify that frantic energy. Whether meds work for you or not, regulation work should be the foundation - it helps every ADHDer with no side effects or downsides.
Action Step This week, if you're on ADHD medication, get really honest with yourself: What do I want from my medication? Is it doing what I want it to do? How do I actually feel on it - not just "am I more productive" but am I present, am I happy, am I enjoying my day, or am I just anxious and getting more paperwork done? You are the expert on how it feels in your body. If you don't love how you feel, it doesn't mean meds aren't right for you or that you don't have ADHD - it might mean you need a dosage change or different type. Talk to your doctor about it. And whether you're on meds or not, start or continue regulation work as your foundation - it's accessible to everyone and helps with or without medication.
Takeaways
- ADHD medication and regulation work together - meds are like gas in the tank (performance enhancer for brain functions), regulation is the steering wheel, brakes, and pedals (ability to maneuver that energy)
- Medication helps with attention, impulsivity, working memory, and brain fog, but it doesn't regulate your nervous system, change fear-based beliefs, or get you out of fight or flight
- Medication can magnify the state you're in - if you're dysregulated, stimulants might intensify that frantic energy rather than help
- Get clear on what you want from medication and whether it's actually doing that - you're the expert on how it feels in your body, not a chart or your doctor
- Regulation work is the foundation that helps every ADHDer with no side effects or downsides - whether you take meds or not, regulation should be the base everything else builds on
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