ta_202010061019

First of all, IMHO it is really important to get diagnosed by a good doctor and to rule out other reasons which could cause ADHD symptoms.

ADHD is a broad spectrum and every life is different.

The next best option I could recommend is to learn about symptoms from ADHD, examine how they are affecting your quality of life and have 'physical' crutches in place where you need them. This is highly personal, takes time for experiments to see what works for you right now, and when your situation/environment changes, you must adapt and perhaps change or create new crutches.

Still, there is a lot of stuff you simply cannot fix w/o medication: Impulsivity and focus are my biggest Achilles heels.

If there is no way for you to get medication you have to learn what problematic situations will be for you and try to avoid them from the start, because there is no way you can trust in prolonged self control if you have ADHD.

I guess the regret comes from not knowing sooner. I was around 30 when I was finally diagnosed. When I think how this diagnose could have helped me 25 years earlier to get the right knowledge and support to manage life it really makes me resentful.

I second that you should get properly diagnosed by a doctor and try the available medication. If the medication works for you sustainably it will make your life that much better and easier.

Tried every medication which is legal in my country. Side effects where always too strong to use drugs on a regular base.

What works: - Enough sleep + naps - Sport - Walking - White noise to cancel out distractions - Logging almost everything which happens during a work day in a work journal - Having checklists/templates - Setup work days - Setup free days - Recurring todos for day of week - Coherent breathing works better for me than meditation