I have a couple of thoughts as a guy in his mid 40's who was diagnosed at age 39 after a lifetime of hearing my brain tell me "You're so smart, why do you SUCK

I have a couple of thoughts as a guy in his mid 40's who was diagnosed at age 39 after a lifetime of hearing my brain tell me "You're so smart, why do you SUCK SO MUCH?" I take extended-release stimulants 5 days a week, but sometimes take a week off. Here's what works for me: 0. Be kind to yourself. You don't deserve to suffer. Your brain is always lying to you about how bad you feel. It's really hard to live your life "like everyone else" with the ADHD gremlins chattering away in there. 1. Remind yourself every morning you are starting a new day, and every evening that you did the best you could, that you succeeded in some things, and that tomorrow is a new day. 2. Make yourself do 15 minutes of intense cardio exercise every day no matter what. Think of it like brushing your brain's teeth. Set out your exercise clothes, car keys, and fill your water bottle several hours before you plan to do this. 3. Make a schedule for your sleep, food, water, and exercise. Every day, try to do the same routine. Moderate amounts of caffeine are good too. (A few cups of black tea during the day is just about right for me.) 4. Talk to a therapist regularly, and be honest with yourself and your therapist. Therapists helped me learn to be more kind to myself and less shameful. And that change in mindset helped me feel better and dramatically reduced my ADHD symptoms as much or more than the medicine. Dopamine deficiency and Shame cause a feedback loop that makes your ADHD worse. Make it a routine to disrupt both. I totally understand the desire not to deal with getting and taking the medicine. For me, I could only manage my ADHD with both medicine and therapy. It's OK if you need drugs sometimes. It's OK if you go without them.