Absolutely, as someone diagnosed at 6, and 33 now. Being on medication allows me to actual live my life. Ive tried to be "normal" and not be medicated various times in my life, but it's just been bad every time. Our brains are wires differently, you can't just overcome it.

My family has a long history of alcohol and substance abuse, I'm the first to be diagnosed and medicated for ADHD. If you're not medicated and have ADHD the risk of substance abuse is much higher, and there is a strong link to alcoholics being undiagnosed with ADHD.

I'm always scared of the long term effects of the medication, but without it I can't work or hardly even function.. I'm not sure of these benefits another user mentioned, but whatever they are is not worth the trade off at all.