Focus under pressure
Colorado Springs is full of people who perform under pressure: soldiers, guardians, cadets, athletes, and students. Many with ADHD do well in structured, high-stakes moments and struggle with the long, quiet stretches in between. Others notice it after leaving the military, when the structure that held everything together disappears.
The Block Plan test
Colorado College students take one class at a time for three and a half weeks. For students with ADHD, the intensity can be a gift or a crisis: deep focus on one subject, or a week lost to procrastination with no time to recover. Students often seek an evaluation after a rough block.
Signs in adults
Procrastination, lost time, missed deadlines, misplaced gear, drifting attention in briefings or lectures, restlessness, interrupting, and impulsive choices are common. Many adults feel like they work twice as hard to look average.
Sorting out overlap
PTSD, traumatic brain injury, poor sleep at altitude, depression, and anxiety can all mimic ADHD. Your provider asks about each and about childhood, since some ADHD symptoms must appear before age 12. Family input helps, and a computerized assessment called Creyos can add measurements of attention and memory.
Stimulants
Most people with ADHD respond to a stimulant within an hour. The two families are methylphenidate (Ritalin, Concerta, Focalin) and amphetamine (Adderall, Vyvanse). If one causes jitters, appetite loss, or a crash, the other often suits better.
Non-stimulants
Atomoxetine (Strattera) and viloxazine (Qelbree) are once-daily, non-controlled choices that build gradually. Guanfacine ER and clonidine ER ease restlessness and impulsivity and, for some veterans with PTSD, also calm hyperarousal and help sleep.
Athletes and anti-doping
Elite athletes at the Olympic and Paralympic Training Center and competitive runners and cyclists must follow anti-doping rules. Stimulants are prohibited in competition without an approved exemption. Your provider can supply documentation for an exemption application or discuss non-stimulants.
Active duty and the Academy
Service members and cadets should know that ADHD medicines can affect duty status, flight status, and deployability. Talk with your unit's medical team before starting.
Safety
Blood pressure and pulse are checked before and during stimulant treatment. As Schedule II medicines, stimulants require a new prescription for each fill after a check of Colorado's prescription monitoring program. Store them securely.
Students at UCCS and Pikes Peak State
We see college students and teens 15 and older and can provide documentation for campus disability services when appropriate.
Structure after the service
Medicine helps your brain focus; structure turns focus into results. Many veterans rebuild a bit of military routine: a set wake-up time, a written daily plan, one calendar, and a weekly review. Your provider can share what has worked for others.
ADHD in women
Girls who daydream quietly are rarely referred, so many women reach adulthood undiagnosed. Military spouses often notice ADHD when managing a household through moves and deployments outgrows their coping strategies.
Energy drinks and caffeine
Pre-workout powders and energy drinks are everywhere on post and in gyms. Combined with a stimulant, they can cause a racing heart, anxiety, and poor sleep. Tell your provider how much you use.
Sleep at altitude and ADHD
Newcomers often sleep poorly above 6,000 feet, and short sleep makes ADHD symptoms worse. A stimulant taken too late can make it worse still. Your provider will time doses to protect sleep and may check for sleep apnea if you snore or wake with headaches.
Teens and parents
For teens 15 to 17, parents stay involved while the teen learns to notice how medicine feels and to speak up at visits. Military kids who have changed schools often benefit from a fresh look at old school records.
Follow-up
Medication management visits adjust dose and timing through semesters, training cycles, and moves. If side effects keep stacking up, GeneSight testing may help.
Getting started
Visit 102 S Tejon St downtown. Become a patient to schedule an ADHD evaluation.
Why Choose Colorado Springs Psychiatry and Mental Health?
- Board-certified psychiatric providers serving Colorado Springs and all of Colorado
- Research-backed treatment protocols
- Full documentation for all evaluations
- Coordinated care with your other providers across the region