STRESSES – The Challenge of Taking Medication at College

When students arrive on campus, the demands for efficient attention and self management skills (that is executive functioning) immediately soar . . . challenging academics, consistent study habits, maintenance of healthy daily routines for sleep, eating and exercise, money management, and more complex social decision making.

Meeting college demands is particularly challenging for students with ADD/ADHD and for the overwhelming majority of them, this means having the aid of a medication regimen that provides benefits throughout the whole day.

We’ve learned from our experience in our Confidence@College program that college is a bad time to try to “fly on my own” and go without medication treatment.  In fact, in our C@C patient population, we have found that acceptance of the need for medication and compliance with an appropriate all-day medication regimen is near the top of the list of factors that contribute our 81% success rate.

For some ADD/ADHD individuals who have been able to get by without medication in the past, entrance into college with its increased demands means having to seriously consider the use of medication for the first time.  For others who have been able to get by with a medication regimen geared to get them through the school day, it means revising their regimen to provide coverage into the evening hours.  And for others, it means committing to taking the medication 7 days a week!

Don’t let an improper use or lack of medication keep you or your student from success at college!

At The Being Well Center, patients who enroll in our Confidence@College program always start with a Discovery Session where we identify the key problem areas and survey the whole person so we can pinpoint the barriers to success and uncover strengths we can mobilize to meet these new challenges.  We then develop an individualized Success Plan.  When medication is a part of the success plan we conduct systematic medication trial testing using objective testing procedures to find the right medication and a treatment regimen that provides efficient attention throughout the waking day.

Before students arrive on campus we brainstorm with them and their parents how they are going to get their medication and how to securely store it.  We go over the logistics of when they will take the medication based upon their weekly schedule.  In addition, we review the dangers of diversion of the medication and make sure we have a mechanism in place to closely track the quantity of medication we provide them.

Once students are on campus, we use innovative technologies and support from our staff through our GuideU video counseling sessions to ensure the student complies with the medication regimen and maintains healthy daily routines, the foundation for a successful medication experience.  We identify signs of sub-therapeutic treatment and possible side effects quickly and our medical staff fine tunes the treatment regimen as needed.

We’re there to ensure success during the whole college experience not just in the classroom, library or study carrel.  We make sure our patients are aware of the importance of taking the medication during evening hours and weekends where social activities provide high risk challenges for un-medicated ADD/ADHD students.  Impulsivity, poor self awareness, weak self monitoring and ineffective problem solving can lead to social decisions that can be disastrous . . . alcohol intoxication, substance abuse, unprotected sex leading to unplanned pregnancy or STD, or illegal activities.  One night of un-medicated “fun” can lead to expulsion from school and life-long consequences.

If you’re at the top of your game, college can be an exciting and enriching experience intellectually, developmentally, and socially, and can provide you with what it takes to independently fulfill your dreams and aspirations through life.  Compliance with the right medication regimen helps this become a reality for students with ADD/ADHD!

Be confident with your child’s success at college . . . call us at the BWC and set up an appointment to participate in our C@C program.  We’ll make sure your child has all the tools, including an optimal medication regimen if needed, to succeed at college.