Undiagnosed and untreated adults with ADHD develop higher than normal rates of mental illness like anxiety and depression, higher rates of substance abuse and addiction, and often have difficulty maintaining personal relationships, careers, even basic personal responsibilities. Whatever the physiological reason, failing to diagnose and treat ADHD has a detrimental effect for many of us.
I was diagnosed a few years ago, after a fairly severe mental health crisis with crippling anxiety and nearly drinking myself to death. Since diagnosis and beginning treatment with stimulants, I’ve been able to put my life back together. My life is stable, I’m happier than I ever was even before my mental health tanked, and my anxiety is manageable enough I seldom take notice of it.
I don’t like the side effects of stimulants, particularly the toll they've taken on my already poor dental health (for folks who don’t know, “meth mouth” can be a thing even with prescription amphetamines taken as prescribed, not just from smoking). But I have no doubt in my mind that whatever side effects I’ve experienced or may, it’s better by far than what I’d have experienced without meds.