Lacking self-control robs you of free will. In severe cases, untreated ADHD takes away an individual’s free will. This may seem like an exaggeration, but it is not; adults with ADHD almost always grieve for the life they were unable to live freely before their ADHD diagnosis.

Imagine not being able to stop yourself from saying or doing something that you know is inappropriate. It may not be a problem if you can get away with being a risque comedian or the class clown.

Here is an extract from Taking Charge of Adult ADHD by Russell A. Barkley on this topic:

If you can’t inhibit your behaviour, you miss out on the delay between an event and your response…that delay empowers you to choose freely…That’s what I mean by self-control: the ability to choose something other than your initial impulse so you can get something in the future that you want more or that is better for your long-term welfare and happiness.

…“Free will” is just another way of saying we have the capacity to deliberate on our options to act, which in turn gives us the opportunity to choose what’s best for us down the road.

From Taking Charge of Adult ADHD by Russell A. Barkley