I was diagnosed and treated young (around 12-13). I was not very well controlled at all at the time, and wouldn't be until my 20s, but I at least was aware of the problem and seeing a doctor regularly from that point on.
Everyone is different, but the key things for me were 1) never settling medication-wise until I found something that truly worked well for me (a process that took years but well-worth it) and 2) utilizing my newfound focus to put systems in place to help me be productive while working around my particular weaknesses. (By this I mean how I handle todos, calendars, notes, workflow processes, etc.) #1 was absolutely crucial and is when I started "feeling good" but #2 is what took me from "feeling good" to "reaching goals".
Regarding the medication, I had a very good doctor. In the beginning, medication would either not work for me, or it would, but for a limited period of time. I was very used to switching things frequently. So later when I would land on something that was okay-ish but not great (a point where many people consider themselves lucky and stop experimenting) I would note that it was helpful in case I wanted to return to it later, but we would move on and try something else, hoping for something better than "okay". And eventually we landed on something lesser-prescribed but that worked quite well for me and continues to work to this day. #2 was still a multi-year battle that I haven't fully won, but I've made enormous strides and I so badly wish I had gotten myself to this point a decade earlier.
Everyone is different, but the key things for me were 1) never settling medication-wise until I found something that truly worked well for me (a process that took years but well-worth it) and 2) utilizing my newfound focus to put systems in place to help me be productive while working around my particular weaknesses. (By this I mean how I handle todos, calendars, notes, workflow processes, etc.) #1 was absolutely crucial and is when I started "feeling good" but #2 is what took me from "feeling good" to "reaching goals".
Regarding the medication, I had a very good doctor. In the beginning, medication would either not work for me, or it would, but for a limited period of time. I was very used to switching things frequently. So later when I would land on something that was okay-ish but not great (a point where many people consider themselves lucky and stop experimenting) I would note that it was helpful in case I wanted to return to it later, but we would move on and try something else, hoping for something better than "okay". And eventually we landed on something lesser-prescribed but that worked quite well for me and continues to work to this day. #2 was still a multi-year battle that I haven't fully won, but I've made enormous strides and I so badly wish I had gotten myself to this point a decade earlier.