Welcome to Part 2 of the Top 10 posts here at ADHD Rollercoaster, for 2015. Part 1 listed the first five. Now for the next five. Please note: These top posts are “evergreen”—that is, they don’t become outdated. They will be useful for your Adult ADHD education at any time.
I was gratified to see they included two series, each designed to smooth your own personal roller coaster:
- A chapter-by-chapter online book club discussing my first book (Is It You, Me, or Adult A.D.D.?), led by my talented friend Taylor J.
- A tutorial for understanding the new genetic tests that can inform medication selection, written with my husband, Dr. Goat.
Top 10 Posts for 2015: Part 2
Here are the first five posts.
1. A New “Ritalin”: Extended-Release Liquid Quillivant XR
Many children, and even some adults, with ADHD have a hard time swallowing pills. Another problem is that pills come in specific doses—say, 18 mg and 36 mg. But what if the ideal dose for you lies in the middle—say 24 mg?
With Quillivant XR, we now have a liquid, extended-release formulation designed to last 12 hours (as always, your mileage may vary, given your unique neurochemistry).
2. ADHD and Relationships – Virtual Discussion
When you are first learning about ADHD, in yourself or a loved one, finding peer support is paramount.
For years, I’ve provided free support to the partners of adults with ADHD, via my private online group, a local meeting for the “partners of” (ceased since COVID) and one for adults with ADHD: Silicon Valley Adult ADHD group.
Then, my friend Taylor J. suggested that we have an online book club here at the Roller Coaster. She proposed writing an essay for each chapter—based on her own dual-ADHD marriage experience—and then inviting readers to discuss their own reactions to the chapter.
I love her essays so much. If you haven’t read them, be sure to check them out. The book club is always “open.”
To find the entire series, just click on the “category” menu in the right column, on “book club” and start at the end (which will be the first posts in the book club).
3. French Kids Don’t Have ADHD?
Sacre bleu! Have you heard anything more ridiculous?
For some reason, the piece by Marilyn Wedge, an otherwise unknown family therapy in Los Angeles, went “viral.”
I don’t know which part of me is more rankled by this nonsense: the journalist who prizes accurate reporting or the ADHD advocate. So, I countered in this post.
4. Gene-testing and ADHD Medication
I’d been hearing about genetic tests that purport to guide ADHD medication choices. I found it worrying that parents, in particular, were misinterpreting these studies. That would mean poor decision-making around medications for their children with ADHD.
My husband is a molecular biologist with a strong background in genetics. Oh, and he also has ADHD. I asked him, “How about we both take one of these tests, and report on the results? We’ll use it as a way to educate the public on interpreting these studies.”
He loved the idea. But what started out as one or two posts ended up with seven! That’s because this stuff is complicated, folks. We tried to make it as simple and clear as possible.
Bottom line: Please don’t eliminate a medication as unlikely to work for you based on test results alone. Much more goes into the decision.
5. ADHD and Sex: Post-Orgasm Irritability and Jerkiness
Who knew? Sex can make a person cranky?
This post begins:
What do these three activities have in common: lovemaking, shopping, and videogaming. Answer: They all carry the potential to send human dopamine levels on a wild roller coaster ride, creating negative side effects that can linger for weeks. Irritability. Poor focus. Restlessness. You name it. Yes, you understood that correctly: Sex, specifically orgasms, can make some people with ADHD cranky.
Wow, a lot of work went into this year’s ADHD Roller Coaster. I hope you benefit from this information about the most popular posts for 2015. Please share with anyone else who might find it helpful.
Your comments are always welcome.
I read and try to respond to each one.
—Gina Pera
