I would encourage you to really ignore the stigma that comes along with it, because I think it's endlessly harmful and only delays treatment for folks.

The best way I can put it, was the first time I got a pair of glasses, I didn't know how bad my vision was (I was like 12)... when I put them on for the first time, I was shocked, I was in disbelief, "this is how everyone else sees?"

Glasses are a tool to help you see better if your eyes don't work correctly, a "stimulant" is a tool to help your brain if you can't focus. The world, in both cases, I was missing, was one I had no idea existed until I had a tool to do so.

I've taken stimulants, both Adderall and Ritalin and I can't stand the way they makes me feel. I don't have a very severe problem though but I do struggle sometimes with procrastination.

Not a doctor but sometimes ADHD-like symptoms can be other things like being bipolar.

There are a lot of non-stimulant and non-drug options to explore.

No, certainly I am not bipolar. It’s the nowadays distractions that get at me..

I don't know how much patience you have for trialing drugs but some people have reported responding very well to Wellbutrin. In my own life, ritalin was terrible for me but switching over to concerta - a slower dispensing XR methylphenidate - did wonders.

There are a lot of options a neurologist can explore and everyone's brain is different.

That said... if non-pharmaceutical coping mechanisms work to your satisfaction that's great to hear.

Maybe Bupropion works better for you

Tried it, makes me antsy. What works to some extent is meditation and phisical exercise

As somebody that just started wearing glasses and started taking Ritalin again for the first time since I was a teenager, I 100% agree.

I was also diagnosed recently and have moved to taking medication; however, that really only lowers the resitence for me to doing the "right" thing. I still heavily rely on the mental tools that I've learned with my psych. Even before I started medication, those tools were incredibly helpful. Parts of it was just sitting and deconstructing some of what I think and how I act and try to find ways to insert reminders into life. Also, just having a diagnosis helped me personally accept that things like breaks and timers and things that other people don't need to get work done aren't something silly, but very useful devices to help me focus on the things I want to be, not just things that strike my fancy.

I would highly recommend see a doctor if the only thing holding you back is not wanting to do medicine. Mine was supportive and left the decision up to me. I went for around a year before starting and once I started I could def feel the difference -- it's not huge, but it's...a gentle nudge? If you find a doctor who isn't supportive of not using meds, find another doctor. It can be a bit like dating, where if something isn't working or priorities aren't aligned, then you move on.

Best of luck!

There are non-stimulant treatments, but they're not as effective. The increase in dopamine is what helps the ADHD brain work more closely to "normal", and stimulants are great at releasing dopamine.

That said, stimulants at doses that affect ADHD don't necessarily to come with other physical side effects.

I take a non-stimulant ADHD medication named atomoxetine (marketed as Strattera) and I’ve found that it’s been life changing.

With untreated ADHD, I was not aware of my attention issues and had trouble understanding the way my mind and the world around me worked, even though I could have fantastic focus and attention to detail when excited about things.

With atomoxetine, I feel that my attention still drifts, but I am able to notice it and respond to it without stress and turmoil. I get distracted often, but it’s actually EASY to just put myself back on task. It still sucks to get distracted, of course :-)

For me personally, it’s been fantastic. I have basically no negative side effects and no physical dependence (if I were to stop taking it, I would miss the benefits, but there would be no extra downsides.) It’s significantly less invasive than stimulants in that way.

A psychiatrist is always the right person to make the call, of course!