Mental healthcare that is wholly yours.
At Whole You Behavioral Health, we provide comprehensive psychiatric evaluation and medication management for children, teens, and adults across Maryland. Whether you are navigating ADHD, anxiety, depression, or complex mood symptoms, our approach is careful, individualized, and rooted in clinical expertise.We look beyond symptom checklists. We consider sleep, stress, medical history, neurobiology, and life context to create treatment plans that support real functional improvement — not just temporary relief.
Mental health care should feel thoughtful, collaborative, and grounded in evidence.
Explore the areas below to learn more about how we approach care.
Areas of Expertise
Difficulties with focus, organization, motivation, and emotional regulation across the lifespan.
Persistent worry, panic, social anxiety, and stress-related symptoms that interfere with daily functioning.
Low mood, loss of interest, fatigue, hopelessness, and treatment-resistant presentations.
Bipolar spectrum conditions, mood instability, and complex affective symptoms.
Care for children experiencing attention challenges, behavioral concerns, emotional regulation difficulties, and school-related struggles.
Support for adolescents navigating academic stress, identity development, and mood concerns.
Attention to the unique pressures of adulthood — career demands, burnout, parenting stress, relationship challenges, and persistent mood or attention symptoms.
Educational materials and guidance to help you better understand diagnosis and treatment options.
Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
ADHD Management: What Comprehensive Treatment Really Involves
Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental condition that affects attention, executive functioning, impulse control, and emotional regulation. While often associated with childhood, ADHD frequently persists into adolescence and adulthood.Effective management requires more than simply prescribing a stimulant. It involves careful assessment, individualized treatment planning, and ongoing monitoring.
What ADHD Actually Affects
ADHD is not just difficulty paying attention.It commonly impacts:• Task initiation
• Organization
• Working memory
• Time awareness
• Emotional regulation
• Follow-through
• Impulse controlMany individuals describe knowing what they need to do — but feeling unable to start or sustain action.
How ADHD Is Evaluated
A thorough ADHD evaluation includes:• Detailed symptom history
• Developmental history
• Academic and occupational functioning
• Screening for anxiety, depression, trauma, and sleep disorders
• Review of medical conditions
• Family historyADHD symptoms can overlap with other conditions. Careful diagnostic clarification is essential before initiating treatment.
Medication Options for ADHD
Medication is often highly effective when appropriately selected and monitored.Options may include:StimulantsMethylphenidate-based and amphetamine-based medications remain first-line treatments. They increase dopamine and norepinephrine activity in brain regions responsible for executive functioning.Non-StimulantsAtomoxetine, viloxazine, and certain alpha-agonists may be used when stimulants are not tolerated or are not clinically appropriate.The choice depends on:• Age
• Co-occurring anxiety or mood disorders
• Cardiovascular history
• Side effect profile
• Duration of needed coverage
ADHD and Co-Occurring Conditions
ADHD frequently coexists with:• Anxiety disorders
• Depressive disorders
• Learning differences
• Tic disorders
• Trauma historyIn some cases, untreated ADHD contributes to anxiety or depression. In others, mood symptoms require direct treatment alongside ADHD management.Treatment plans are individualized accordingly.
What Ongoing Management Looks Like
ADHD treatment is not a single prescription decision.It involves:• Gradual dose titration
• Monitoring for side effects
• Assessing functional improvement
• Adjusting based on real-world demandsFollow-up visits evaluate:• Duration of symptom control
• Sleep and appetite changes
• Emotional stability
• Cardiovascular responseThe goal is sustainable improvement in focus, regulation, and daily functioning.
ADHD Across the Lifespan
In children, ADHD may present as:• Behavioral challenges
• School difficulties
• HyperactivityIn teens:• Academic pressure
• Emotional intensity
• Executive functioning strainIn adults:• Chronic disorganization
• Workplace stress
• Burnout
• Relationship strainSymptoms often evolve over time, but the underlying regulatory challenges remain.
A Thoughtful, Individualized Approach
There is no single “right” medication or dose for ADHD. Effective management requires clinical nuance, collaboration, and ongoing reassessment.When approached thoughtfully, treatment can significantly improve executive functioning, emotional regulation, and overall quality of life.
Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
Why ADHD Medication Doesn’t Work the Same for Everyone
If you’ve ever thought:• “This only lasts a few hours for me.”
• “My friend takes the same dose and feels fine.”
• “This feels too strong.”
• “This does nothing.”You’re not imagining it.ADHD medications do not work the same way in every body. The difference usually comes down to how your brain responds to the medication — and how your body processes it.Let’s break that down simply.1. Same Medication, Different Brain ResponseMost ADHD medications increase two brain chemicals:
• Dopamine
• NorepinephrineThese chemicals help regulate focus, motivation, and impulse control.But here’s the important part:Everyone starts at a different baseline.Some people naturally have:
• Lower dopamine tone
• Faster neurotransmitter reuptake
• Different receptor sensitivitySo when medication increases dopamine, one person may feel:Calm and focused.Another may feel:Jittery or overstimulated.The medication didn’t change.
The brain receiving it is different.That’s pharmacodynamics — how the drug affects the brain.2. Your Body’s Metabolism MattersNow let’s talk about pharmacokinetics — how your body processes the drug.Medications are:
• Absorbed
• Metabolized by the liver
• Circulated
• Broken down
• EliminatedSome people metabolize stimulant medications more quickly.That can lead to:
• Shorter duration
• Earlier “crash”
• Irritability as it wears offOthers metabolize more slowly and may experience:
• Prolonged effects
• Appetite suppression
• Sleep disruptionThis variation is influenced by:
• Liver enzyme differences
• Body composition
• Hormones
• Sleep
• Other medicationsYou are not “doing it wrong.”
Your metabolism may simply be different.3. Extended-Release Does Not Mean Identical ReleaseMany ADHD medications are labeled as lasting 8–12 hours.But extended-release formulas rely on:
• Gastrointestinal absorption
• Timed delivery systems
• Blood flow
• Enzyme activitySo a medication advertised to last 10 hours may last:
• 10 hours in one person
• 7 hours in another
• 4–5 hours in someone who metabolizes rapidlyThat does not mean it “failed.” It may mean the formulation is not ideal for your physiology.4. Anxiety, Sleep, and Mood Change the ExperienceMedication does not operate in isolation.If someone is:
• Severely sleep deprived
• Highly anxious
• Depressed
• Under chronic stressThe experience of the medication changes.For example:
• Anxiety can amplify stimulant side effects.
• Sleep deprivation can blunt focus benefits.
• Depression can make “improved attention” still feel like low motivation.Sometimes what looks like medication failure is actually untreated comorbidity.5. Hormones Play a Role (Especially in Women)Fluctuations in estrogen influence dopamine activity.Many women notice:
• Medication feels weaker premenstrually.
• Focus worsens at certain points in their cycle.
• Perimenopause changes medication response.Hormones affect neurotransmitters — and therefore medication response.6. ADHD Treatment Is IterativeThere is no universal “correct” dose.Effective medication management often requires:
• Careful titration
• Monitoring real-world functioning
• Adjusting formulation
• Sometimes combining strategiesIt is not uncommon to need:
• Dose adjustments
• Different stimulant families
• A booster dose
• A non-stimulant option
• Treatment of co-occurring anxiety or depressionThis is normal.The Bottom LineADHD medication response varies because:
• Brains differ.
• Metabolism differs.
• Hormones differ.
• Stress and sleep differ.
• Comorbid conditions differ.When treatment feels inconsistent, it usually means something needs adjusting — not that treatment is impossible.Thoughtful, individualized management makes the difference.
Mental healthcare that is wholly yours.
Evening & Weekend Appointments Available!
If you are experiencing a psychiatric emergency, please call 911, go to your nearest crisis center or emergency room,
or contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline by dialing 988 (available 24/7).
Mental healthcare that is wholly yours.
Evening & Weekend Appointments Available!
Request Appointment
If you are experiencing a psychiatric emergency, please call 911, go to your nearest crisis center or emergency room,
or contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline by dialing 988 (available 24/7).
Ready for the next step?
Evening & Weekend Appointments Available!
Book an appointment at a time that works best for you. I offer convenient evening and weekend availability, along with a whole-person approach to mental health—therapy, medication support, and integrative care.
If you are experiencing a psychiatric emergency, please call 911, go to your nearest crisis center or emergency room,
or contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline by dialing 988 (available 24/7).