I can only give my own experience. First, a short background. I am ADD, was diagnosed in high school, medicated for a short time, and quit the meds for quite a while. I’m 36 now, still ADD, and currently medicated on Ritalin. I chose Ritalin because after reading up on Adderal and other similar meds, the Ritalin seemed like the best bet because it is non-addictive so I can quit taking it when ever I want, or only take it when I feel that I need it. With that said, here’s how I’ve been fairly successful mostly non-medicated, and why I do occasionally choose to be medicated.

In work I’ve taken pains to get in to a career that I not only enjoy, but is, for the most part, a continual challenge. It wasn’t easy. Getting in to the field of software engineering required starting off working a second job (the tech support job) while I did what I knew (baking bread) to continue paying the bills. When I’d advanced enough for my second job to replace the first financially, I made the move. This helped keep my attention because I not only had a goal in mind, but I enjoyed the work. As I became more comfortable in my work I would seek out new challenges on my terms, again, so that I could have a challenge that would keep my attention because it interested me. When I start to get bored in my work I seek out environments, in the same company if possible, where I can get in slightly above my head in work that I want to do. I keep myself challenged, and for the most part this does keep my mind from wandering.

I started college after getting started in my career. The benefit here was that I knew what I needed to study and why I was getting my degree. Since it is something that I wanted to do there was a level of interest that I would not have otherwise had. In spite of this I spent most of my time in college fighting to stay focused. To combat this I enrolled in a school that allowed me to work online in my own time, this let me work when I was able to focus rather than when I had to be in class. The school also has deadlines for assignments, papers, and projects. Since I am paying for the loans I had an incentive to do the work on time and with as much quality as possible so that I didn’t have to pay for a course twice. The end result is that I graduated, mostly un-medicated, with honors.

There are times that I will see my Dr. and get a script for the meds. There are times in my work that I will make a substantial change that offers more of a challenge than I can easily deal with on my own. It is not that I’m not interested, but the fact is that my mind always wanders…case in point, I wouldn’t be writing this right now if I had full focus…the challenge might have tight deadlines, or I might simply have to show almost immediately that I am more skilled than I actually am. In order to pull this off I do need more of an ability to concentrate than I naturally have, and in these cases I will seek out the meds. I’m currently in such a state, and will be for quite a while yet, but because I know that in most cases I can get by without the meds I’ve made the choice to use Ritalin rather than one of the other more popular drugs available.

The bottom line is that if you are able to manipulate the environment around you in to a situation that you need, and you are a person who can function well without medication most of the time, you will likely be able to remain un-medicated most of the time. When and if you choose to take the meds do your research. There are options available that carry a reduced risk, or no risk, of detox when you quit.