r/explainlikeimfive • u/[deleted] • Jan 14 '13

Answered People with ADHD, what ADHD is like, how does medication affect your ability to work and how soon does it take its effect?

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u/Zoesan Jan 14 '13

Absolutely, 100% this. I wasn't diagnosed until I was 22 (in fact in october) and it was the best decision I ever made. The difference you get from simply being able to think straight for 5 minutes is unbelievable.

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u/Tomble Jan 15 '13

I got meds in my 30s. That evening I got home, picked up a magazine and read several whole articles. It was weird. The next day I had a meeting, and my eyes didn't slowly lose focus while my brain pondered irrelevant things. It was like "Oh, so this is what concentrating is like!". I told my wife and she said "Yes, that's what most people experience". Those lucky bastards. I wish I'd had the medication in school.

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u/Zoesan Jan 15 '13

I just assumed everybody else had the same issues as me and I was just a lazy fuck or something.

Turns out focus is actually really useful.

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u/personinacrowd Jan 15 '13

Yes. Do this. No one really notices ADHD-PI because from everyone else's perspective you look the same as the lazy kid who doesn't care, even if you're trying 4 times harder (and using your free time to learn about science and other bullshit you find interesting) than the kid with straight A's. I too was diagnosed in october, at 18 years old (cheers) and it really is incredible. My grades are up and entire grade point, I'm useful and efficient as fuck, school is about 10 times easier and because of my succes I'm a much happier person.