ADHD is no joke, it can be extremely debilitating. I was force-fed medication throughout my childhood and couldn't stand the physical side effects, which opened the door for several abuse-related traumas.
Now that I'm approaching 30, I am considering getting back on medication. For the last 15 years, I've relied solely on caffeine and weed to medicate which is great for what it is, but just not enough, and sometimes counteractive to my goals.
I've found it to be a better trade-off that's helped me make a lot more progress in addressing the things that worsen my focus/follow-through/ability to take care of myself and help avoid counter-productive cycles of anxiety, depression, and short-term reward seeking behavior.
It's not perfect, there are still undesirable side-effects, and managing medication tolerance (without just endlessly bumping my dose) is something I've had to figure out on my own, but I definitely prefer the feeling of clarity to the fog.
I have recently experimented with vyvanse 30s, and it's been quite nice. As a child, before I became homeless at 15 and was finally able to stop taking medication, I was being pumped with vyvanse 70s, and it was hell.
I also highly recommend caffeine. I don't primarily get it from coffee or sugary drinks, but caffeine pills which allow me to precisely dose myself throughout the day and analyze the effectiveness. This has worked well for the last decade, but I still don't feel like it's effortless, and that's what I want.
I typically stick to just a morning coffee, but I've never actually tried caffeine pills. I suppose if I'm dispensing advice on the benefits of experimentation I might have to look into them, thanks!
Regardless, if you are struggling with ADHD, I would recommend going on youtube and looking at videos by a guy named Russell Barkley. He's got a bunch and wow did I feel seen after watching a few of them.
I've been prescribed just about any ADHD medication you can think of, but they all pale in comparison to solid coping mechanisms. I know my options are basically adderall or vyvanse, and I know how I react to them.
Caffeine is a decent substitute most days. What it comes down to is my aversion to the physical response of amphetamine, as well as the long-term implications of blasting my brain with speed every day. I haven't had any drug problems, I take a rational, knowledge-driven approach to the disorder. But I want to feel like I'm at 130%, not 80%. I'll probably return to vyvanse, just much lower doses than I used to be prescribed, and see how that shakes out.
It's hard for people without this disorder to really appreciate the implications. I just lost a best friend last year over his toxic behavior and insensitivity around what he believes is a made-up disease, despite overwhelming evidence for a genetic explanation involving reduced dopamine uptake.
I too am high functioning and have a system that mostly works for keeping food on the table and the lights on. Professionally I’m doing great in fact. That said, a lot of personal stuff has fallen through the cracks and continues to. Hence the meds. I’m also working with a psychiatrist who specializes in ADHD and it’s been really helpful. Highly recommend.