Focus on the homework: The L.A. Times interviews the first generation of kids diagnosed with ADD to come of adulthood about the role of medication in treating the disorder. Unsurprisingly, their feelings are mixed. It’s a powerful read, for someone who does not suffer from ADD:

“It was kind of like weirdly amazing… You get excited about monotonous work, honestly. Like, translating Spanish becomes totally fun…. The thing is, it works. But why are we forcing people to be in the position that they should like something that they wouldn’t ordinarily? … But kids just aren’t going to be equally good at all [subjects], and I think Ritalin is a way of trying to get kids to be good at everything.”

[…]

“I told myself, ‘I don’t need to be on a medication, I can do this myself.’ I did that for years… I just wanted to be normal, and normal people don’t need this… Now, being able to look back on it, seeing the difference between the two [being on medication and being off], I would never get off my medication … I’m much more productive and much better for society” on Adderall. … Two-thirds of the equation is the medicine … I have a motor that goes 24/7. I get up at 6, leave at 7 and come home at 10 … That’s by choice. I have a schedule. I have every hour, every 15 minutes planned out. I take notes on who I have to call… That’s my life. When I’m not on my meds, I won’t even do that.”