AD(H)D is the inability to self-regulate your impulses caused by a developmental delay of the prefrontal cortex. Your natural dopamine production is reduced. You are more impulsive. You prefer the immediately rewarding activities over the activities that reap long-term benefits.

Anything immediately enjoyable has the potential to be addictive for you. You have a much higher risk to become addicted. Not only to drugs, but also to “easy” dopamine-sources like video games or masturbation.

Your shame of not being able to perform despite being smart increases your risk of addiction as compensatory action.

Here’s a plan on how to tackle it:

• Get an ADD/ADHD diagnosis, psychological help and maybe medication. Stimulating drugs increase your prefrontal cortex activity and help you with self-regulation.
• Get sober! Cut out the addiction from your life - alcohol/drugs, excessive masturbation and video games. This leads to a long-term reduction of dopamine receptors in your brain. Fewer receptors means that less enjoyable activities will become more enjoyable over time. Like studying or chores.
• Meditation strengthens frontal lobe activity and increases your ability to cut out distractions. This is the only pro-active thing you can do, while the others are mostly “don’ts”.
• Strictly cut out distractions when studying/working (social media, phone notifications). These dompanine-high activties will drain your ability to study.
• Stop shaming yourself for not being able to perform as well as other people - who might have a lower IQ. Accept that you have a medical condition and that our modern world with its many sources of cheap gratification is hurting you.

Sources:

• Brynte, C., Aeschlimann, M., Barta, C. et al. The clinical course of comorbid substance use disorder and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder: protocol and clinical characteristics of the INCAS study. BMC Psychiatry 22, 625 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-022-04259-6
• Véronneau-Veilleux F, Robaey P, Ursino M and Nekka F (2022) A mechanistic model of ADHD as resulting from dopamine phasic/tonic imbalance during reinforcement learning. Front. Comput. Neurosci. 16:849323. doi: 10.3389/fncom.2022.849323
• Hauser, T. U., Iannaccone, R., Ball, J., Mathys, C., Brandeis, D., Walitza, S., et al. (2014). Role of the medial prefrontal cortex in impaired decision making in juvenile attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. JAMA Psychiatry 71, 1165–1173. doi: 10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2014.1093