[WarOnPrivacy]

The difference that ADHD meds made in my life: Effort finally led to results.

Before I'd throw will and habit-making-changes at compulsions (like posting for hours) but it never really got better. When I went on Adderall, I gained critical control over my thinking. I could direct myself where I needed to be and didn't need to struggle every second with it.

I later realized that control belonged in my hands all along but it had been stolen by cognitive issues.

I do not know that this is your answer. It was absolutely mine tho.

[lekker-kapsalon]

How did you decide to go for meds? Some people mention that the usual sign is having study/career issues, but I don’t have any.

[WarOnPrivacy]

I tried an amphetamine tablet and it felt like a muddied cloud has been lifted from my brain. I asked my GP to try Adderall and he agreed.

That was ~20y ago. Since then, a lot of hostility has been ginned up by US press and politicians toward adhd meds. That led to state and federal enforcement constantly signalling to Dr's that prescribing adhd meds will earn them extra attention.

FF to today. You commonly need to establish a relationship with a prescriber before they'll consider writing these scripts. Psychiatrists do the lion's share of Rx'ng but they often want to try other meds first. This isn't always a great process but a good psych will work with you if you work with them. It takes time.

In theory, your very best bet is finding other people who are on adhd meds and find out who prescribes it for them and what that process is like. But for how you identify those folks - I have no advice.

edit: Two of my adult kids are on Ritalin variants; Adderall is not a good fit for them. There are also some non-stimulant focus enhancers. Psychiatrists are the specialists in this area.

If you get meds and they help, it can be like having new tools to work with. A therapist can save you some floundering around time - help you get productive with those tools.

[WarOnPrivacy]

Among the jobs I've had after being on Adderall are prepping bankruptcy cases and bringing order to neglected, complex, technical systems.

I've gone from being the disorganized mess that needed help to being the guy that helps iron out messes.