I got diagnosed with 20+. I had the suspicion and went to a specialist. He diagnosed based on my history (e.g. teacher reports from elementary school describing

I got diagnosed with 20+. I had the suspicion and went to a specialist. He diagnosed based on my history (e.g. teacher reports from elementary school describing hyperactivity), my explanations and an EEG. When that lined up we started with medical treatment with a slowly increasing dose and just observed how it affected me. My understanding was if there were no apparent negative effects, but the meds helped against the unwanted symptoms it was seen as proving the diagnosis correct by successful treatment. Some subconscious things that I never thought of as symptoms like rapidly moving my foot when otherwise sitting still just to "do something" completely went away while medicated. Personally I mostly do better without the drugs even though my mind is also in an always on state. But I do have them here and rarely (last time over a year ago) take them, if my very easily distracted mind collides with some very important and immovable deadline. I also feel though that my brain sometimes kicks me in a hyperproductive mode (like being in the zone on steroids) and I just get a shitton of difficult work done and I felt the meds prevented that too.