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This post describes my own personal experience with medication and is not medical advice. It is about personal discernment, not outcomes. Please read my full disclaimer here.
Nearly three months ago, I was diagnosed with ADHD — inattentive type. This came after 10 years of living with an anxiety diagnosis and still feeling like I was swimming upstream — battling my own brain at every turn. In this blog post, I’m going to share my experience as a crunchy mom who chose to explore ADHD medication alongside a holistic lifestyle.
After a difficult postpartum season after my second son, I poured myself into lifestyle changes that helped me feel more grounded and more like myself. I took my wellness mom era seriously. Over time, my mood changed. My faith grew stronger. I finally started to feel like myself again.
But something was still off.
When Lifestyle Changes Helped, But Didn’t Change Everything
Even as I many things improved, my days stayed scattered and unpredictable. I bounced from task to task all day long, working endlessly but never finishing anything. My brain was loud. I’d abandon laundry halfway through to clean the kitchen, but I couldn’t clean the kitchen until I dealt with that pile of paperwork on the counter, but I couldn’t deal with the pile of paperwork until I made some phone calls and sent some emails, and then I’d sit down on my phone and remember I needed to reply to unanswered text messages, then realize dinner hadn’t even been started. By bedtime, I was surrounded by unfinished chores, an abandoned business plan, and an aching exhaustion that felt harder than it needed to be.
So, while I was able to settle many other areas of my life, my executive functioning and decision making and overall day to day management was seeming harder and harder to get ahold of.
Finally, I realized this wasn’t about discipline or faith or gratitude. It was how my brain processes information and manages motivation. That realization led me to pursue an assessment and receive an ADHD diagnosis. Read about my journey to diagnosis here.
When Sometimes A Holistic Lifestyle Isn’t The Whole Answer
For nearly ten years, I had been labeled as anxious. I was on and off medication, always chasing “balance” but never quite getting there (read about how my journey to motherhood helped me finally find myself). Once I started living more holistically—cooking from scratch, focusing on my gut health, and focusing on daily wellness rhythms (read about those here… a true lifesaver!)—I thought I had finally cracked the code.
Except I hadn’t.
I was trying to move forward with tools that didn’t fully match how my brain is wired.
And every day, it left me feeling like I was failing at motherhood, homemaking, and myself.
I had the discipline. I had the knowledge. But my brain wasn’t wired for linear systems or quiet thoughts. It was wired for motion—constant, restless motion.
Holistic living gave me the foundation, but it didn’t give me focus or follow through. I couldn’t stop the spiralling thoughts or the paralysis that came from too many unfinished ideas and open loops.
Why I Chose to Explore ADHD Medication
Choosing medication was not an easy decision for me. I’m the mom who typically reaches for gentle tools first… magnesium before bed, echinacea during cold and flu season, and herbal teas and bean bags for headaches. So the idea of starting a stimulant medication? It terrified me.
But eventually it became something I chose to explore, with guidance and support from my healthcare provider.
I couldn’t keep “working on myself” endlessly while watching my family life slip into chaos. I couldn’t keep obsessively restrategizing my blog, my business, my routines, my life—only to get stuck in planning loops and never take action.
My plan was simple:
- Stay on it long enough to experience what steadiness feels like—clarity, focus, memory, and peace.
- Continue to support my health holistically so I can learn how to sustain wellness, with or without medication.
For me, medication isn’t about “fixing” anything. It’s about learning how to work with it and learning what I am capable of.
This post describes my own experience with medication and is not to be taken as medical advice. Please read my full disclaimer here.
Balancing Holistic Living and Modern Support
Here’s the truth: I still live my same Glow lifestyle.
We still prioritize homemade food, non-toxic products, and rely on gentle supports whenever we can, including my favourites: I take my greens every morning, substitute Energy Fizz instead of soda or coffee, and use Organika Magnesium and Iron.
Adding medication didn’t undo that.
I believe God created natural remedies for a reason. But I also believe He can work through many forms of support. Resisting something that would help me become a better wife, mother, and overall functioning human would bring more undue stress and negative effects on my body than the medication would.
If you’re walking this road too—trying to balance holistic living with medication—know that it’s not hypocrisy. It’s wisdom and discernment.
My Experience with ADHD Medication as a Crunchy Mom
Since starting medication, I’m learning what a different baseline can feel like. My personal experience has included moments of increased clarity and focus; time with my boys, my husband, working on my blog, and even waking up in the morning feel different.
And to be clear, going on medication is no walk in the park and is not an instant fix. Each new dose requires a period of adjustment, both mentally and physically. And when motherhood and life in general throw you for a loop, managing stress can be more intense.
Some side effects I felt during each adjustment period were: irritability and overall increased feelings of stress, being quick to anger, and forgetting to eat but still feeling hungry. I worked closely with a doctor to monitor each dose. The goal for me has been to find a balance that feels sustainable.
This post describes my own experience with medication and is not to be taken as medical advice. Please read my full disclaimer here.
For me, being on medication doesn’t mean I can forget my other wellness rhythms… I still have to pray, do deep breathing, stay present and ground myself, and have discipline. Medication doesn’t make me magically function like a “Normal Person” and it won’t get rid of traits that are just a part of my personality (I’d 100% rather go thrifting than clean the house), and it won’t entirely eliminate my impulsive nature, but it seems to help me take a second to pause, breathe, and actually weigh my options a bit instead of me feeling like I am being pulled by an outside gravitational force and I Must Do The Thing NOW Or I Will Never Be Happy Again.
If You Are A Crunchy Mom Who Also Happens to be Neurodivergent…
I used to resist the term Neurodivergent. It felt like a label and just… weird. But now, as a mom diagnosed with ADHD with a son with ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder), I am coming to realize that neurodivergence just literally means having a different brain than “typical”. It’s not a label, it’s not an excuse or a crutch, it’s just language that holds an explanation and a source of some self compassion.
If this describes you, just remember that intentional living isn’t about following rigid rules or invisible scripts (“I have to do my dishes at night because the Adulting Rules say so”). It’s about tuning in—to your body, your faith, your family, and your needs in each season of life.
This season for me, includes medication. Next season might not. But the lesson remains: when we stop resisting help and start embracing balance, peace follows.
For more on my journey with ADHD and mental health, follow this link here.
If you want to dig deeper into the Glow approach to balanced wellness, you might also love
- Freedom in Motherhood: Finding Peace and Purpose at Home
- How to Reset Your Wellness Habits: 3 Simple Daily Rhythms for Busy Moms
- Five Daily Wellness Habits for Moms: Simple Rhythms That Keep Me Grounded All Year Round
Let’s Connect
If you’re standing where I was—mentally exhausted, overstimulated, and ready to collapse—you’re not alone. You don’t need to prove your strength by struggling silently.
Healing isn’t about doing it all naturally or perfectly. It’s about doing what you need to truly live again.
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Bryana Venos is a Canadian writer, blogger, and content creator – but most of all, a stay at home mom of two boys and the main voice behind Let’s Glow. She writes about motherhood, wellness, and simple, nourishing recipes, sharing her real journey with faith, mental health and post-partum struggles. Her focus is on gut health, daily rhythms and intentional living. Her goal is to support other women and mothers in creating lives and homes that they “glow” in — from the inside out. This blog reflects her personal experiences and is for informational and entertainment purposes only and is not to be taken as medical advice. The content on this site was created by Bryana Venos and was not written, reviewed or approved by any third party sellers or brands featured on this site.
