I once asked myself, "What did people with ADHD as severe as mine do before there was medication?"

The obvious answer was: drugs. People like me used to do a lot of drugs.

I think taking available stimulants, like nicotine and caffeine, were also ways of coping as they generally help with ADHD focus (or the lack thereof). I know anecdotally that I really hit my academic stride in college when I took up both habits. I still notice a small difference after coffee (gave up smoking a long time back).