To Medicate or Not to Medicate? ADHD Business Leaders Share What Works for Them

When you’re a business owner with ADHD, you’re used to making tough calls.
Launch the new product? Hire the new person? Change your systems?
But one of the most personal decisions you’ll ever make is this: Do I want to take ADHD medication? If so, which one? 

There’s no one right answer. There’s just what’s right for you, and it can be a process to find just the right fit. (I will present the pros and cons of various options in my next post.)

And believe me, you’re not the only one thinking about it.
At Flanagan Leadership Group, I coach ADHD entrepreneurs and executives every day who are wrestling with this same choice. Some end up loving medication. Some decide it’s not for them. Some dance between both worlds depending on the season they’re in.

Here’s what a couple of my clients shared:

"Taking ADHD meds gave me my mornings back," one of my clients told me, a tech CEO running a fast-growing company.
"Before meds, I was stuck in molasses every morning. It felt like I didn’t even exist until lunch. Now I wake up, take my fast-acting meds, and I’m clear. I still have an ADHD brain, but it’s like getting traction on an icy road."

Meanwhile, another client, a brilliant creative agency founder, chose a different path:
"I tried meds, but it felt like they sanded down my edges," she said.
"My business thrives because of the wild ideas my ADHD brain gives me. For me, what worked better was building rituals, not changing my chemistry. I needed support systems, not suppression."

And me?
I’m a fan of fast-acting Ritalin.

Why?
Because I know exactly when I’m “on” and when I’m “off.”
It ramps me up, helps me dial in my focus, and when it wears off, it’s my cue to rest, eat, and pet my cats and bunny.
I actually remember to eat better when I’m medicated.
The meds help me stay tuned into my body’s needs instead of getting hyper-focused and forgetting self-care altogether. And when I’m fed, rested, and grounded,  I’m a better leader, a better coach, and a better version of myself.

The real bottom line?
Medication is just a tool.
It’s not a fix.
It’s not a sign of weakness.
It’s not mandatory.
It’s just one of many tools you can choose to use, or not, depending on what you need right now.

Whatever you decide: you deserve support, grace, and strategies that work with your brain, not against it.

And hey — if you’re trying to figure out your next best step, that’s exactly what I help ADHD entrepreneurs and executives do every day.
You don't have to sort it out alone.

Ready to build a business (and a life) that fits your brain?
Schedule a free consultation and let’s talk about where you are, where you’re headed, and how to make your ADHD your biggest asset, not your biggest struggle.