I personally have had bad experiences with meds. But I was given them as a child and had a lot of side effects but it wasn't properly monitored. I was kinda on my own with it and didn't notice all the negative effects it was having on me. When I look back now as an adult I can see it so clearly but I couldn't then. As an adult I find that having a short acting medication is best. I've found ritalin to be fairly ineffective for me. Focalin worked well. Something short acting like focalin, dexedrine, adderall or ritalin. I don't use it all the time so it doesn't become my reality. Just if I have something I really need to focus on or get done like I want to learn a new song, have paper work to do, resume stuff or applications, cleaning or a book I really want to read. A lot of time I use it for my own pursuits. Something I really already want to do like a book I really want to read, Idea I want to write about and think about or song I want to learn. I use it to help me to learn it more effectively. When I was doing things I really didn't want to do in school and taking them it made me more frustrated cause I felt weird but I just didn't care about the work I was doing and no matter what couldn't convince myself it was worth it. I was just so bored and overwhelmed by it. But in adulthood I find things I really want to learn like instruments, book etc. and I know I could go really far if I could just focus so sometimes I use stimulants but it is a good experience now that I'm not in school and using them to focus on things I really want to do. But I never really enjoyed it as an every day sort of thing. I found it helpful the night before tests, with a big paper or sometimes just to regain a little clarity and normalcy in my mind. I think it can be good short term to really get the ball rolling and get some good plans and behaviors in place and catch up a bit. Good for a couple of years tops as far as regular use goes. A lot of studies have shown that their benefit decreasing drastically after a couple of years. They prove to be more effective for a couple of years like I said to sorta catch up and figure stuff out and put supports in place and then go off of them cause long term effects we don't really know. Also, some people notice a tolerance and can get dependent on them and it can affect your brains chemicals. Side effects can get worse for some people the longer they take them. I don't feel like they are good for your body long term.