Hey guys! I am a junior in high school and I am 17 years old. After my graduation, I very desperately would like to begin flight school so I may eventually persue a career in flying airplanes, because I've always had a great passion for aviation. But the problem is, that my family and I are concerned that I may have ADHD. And thats a big problem since I want to fly! So hypothetically, say I were to go to the doctor and get diagnosed with ADHD along with getting the prescribed medication. I already thought about this, and thought that if I were diagnosed, then I would plan to use the medication for only the remaining 21 months until graduation so I may focus on my grades a bit better, then after graduation I would then stop using the drugs all together. From there I would take some time to rid my body of the medication. After I would be clean of the dugs for a good amount of time, I would try to train for and obtain my pilots license. So basically, my question to you would be, would the FAA prohibit me from flying if I was diagnosed, and and quit using the prescriptions at the same time being a kid? Because I know that the FAA does not allow one to be on Adderall, Ritalin or such drugs. So could someone please explain to me if they would reject me, or if they would let me fly if I proved to them that my use of the medication was from my past and not being used in the present.

Like I said before, I haven't visited the doctor yet, and I'm not going to go until I know for sure that i'm safe. (Nobody knows about my symptoms except for my family and me) Therefore if the FAA wont allow me to fly (because I would have obtained prescriptions in the far past or because of being diagnosed with ADHD from a long time ago) I won't tell them my concerns about it because I haven't actually ever been diagnosed. So if I don't tell the doctor my concerns then nobody actually knows about it?! Am I Right? Lol

And for all I know, I may not even have ADHD or ADD. All that I am trying to do is take a very careful precaution as to not jeopardize my dreams and future career goals in the field of aviation by having possible ADHD and or medications for it on my health record.

So do you know, would the FAA have some leeway if I were to be off the medication for a couple of years? And would they completely blow me off just at the sight of possible ADHD?

Any help will be appreciated and Thank you so much for reading!

-Thomas