I went decades undiagnosed as an ADHDer, and as a result, never took any medication.

My immigrant parent were ignorant of neurodivergence, and I did "okay" (masked).

I was the “delight kid” to have in class, although at times staying engaged was difficult unless I had some interest in it.

As far as getting medicated and my potential. Part of me used to wonder how life would've, could’ve, and should’ve been if I had been diagnosed earlier and knew about the ADHD medication.

But the other part of me is proud of the behavioral habits I've developed over the years. I've spent well over 10,000 hours, unintentionally doing this.

I was stubbornly working on myself, learning about myself, my strengths, the areas I'm not so hot on, and my learning style. Disclaimer: This is not for the faint-hearted. A lot of setbacks, and I guess I developed resilience, too.

In my 20s (still undiagnosed), I had read every self-help book under the sun, Bible, Think and Grow Rich etc. This probably helped me with my moral compass and impulse control management. Altering my perception of life, the world, and how my daily tasks impact that.

As per Andrew Huberman’s podcast on “ADHD & How Anyone Can Improve Their Focus,” He explicitly says: “What is attention? Well, attention is perception.”

I started adopting habits that take my mind and body seriously, such as working out, staying physically active, and avoiding anything intoxicating. Living a 'boring life', but I knew why.

Then fatherhood was approaching, and I indulged in more cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and mindfulness.

This helped reframe my thinking for any anxious thoughts, something that we neurodivergents sometimes struggle with.

My habits have helped me live on my "straight and narrow"

Am I getting medicated?

I'm still on the fence about whether I’ll jump on the medication. I personally don't think I need it. Thanks to the healthy habits I've picked up over the years.

I think the habits dulled the symptoms enough that the upsides of the medication might feel smaller.

And I have to weigh up whether the side effects of the medications are worth the trouble for me:

Potential:

• Increased heart rate

• Irritability

• Difficulty sleeping

I feel it’s riskier for me when I've already got a system that works.

Still, I think exploring meds could be worth it with a doctor's input to see if they'd add clarity without derailing what I've built.

• Sleep habits

• Diet and supplementation

• Regular exercising

• Mindfulness

What’s your experience with the meds? I’d love to hear your thoughts. Hit reply and share them.

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Some stuff I stumbled across on the net this week…

• Elon Musk, who’s Autistic, will receive a whopping $1 trillion. WTF

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Disclaimer: I am not your psychiatrist, coach, doctor. Neurodiverse Diary does not provide medical services or professional counselling and is not a substitute for professional medical care. Everything I publish represents my opinions, experience, not advice.