DHH is always amusing in that there are times when I think he's totally spot on, and there are times when I have to laugh and shake my head, as the words that he spouts sound intelligent, but are abjectly off-base. On the subject of ADHD, this feels squarely in the latter.<p>I received an ADHD diagnosis a few years ago, into my late 30's, after struggling through and relishing the superpowers of my own behavior. I was suspected of having AD(H)D as a kid, and was assessed but ultimately didn't get a diagnosis. It also turns out that, being a life long technologist, you put me in front of a computer to do an assessment and I will hyperfixate on it because I was given yet another opportunity to be between chair and keyboard. Wild.<p>I do find that medication helps me. So does structure, and external pressures that help conform me to a healthy routine. Most importantly though, I'm incredibly interest-driven. If I am uninterested in actually solving the problem, it requires moving mountains to convince me that I actually should. Medication is a tool that helps me to do things that suck with less mental effort.<p>It's not about wanting to eat stimulants for fun. Hell, aside from caffeine, I'd never had a stimulant before starting my meds. And yeah, when I first started taking it, I was high as a kite. But once I leveled off, the new normal was good. It's not a silver bullet - healthy habits, and setting myself up for success are essential, and no amount of meds compensate for when I fall out of a healthy groove. But it has helped.<p>I'm not a psychiatrist, let alone medically trained at all, so unlike DHH I don't feel like I'm capable of commenting as to whether ADHD diagnoses in kids and providing them access to medications is the right call. What I can say though is that had I had better support as a kid to learn self-reflection, I think I would have been more aware of what I needed to be successful and could have muscled through my younger years with a little less stress and confusion.