As an aside, electro convulsive shock therapy is still done. It's weirdly been proven useful for the treatment of some disorders. But as far as I know, it's now done with full consent.
But now, as back then, no one really truly understands the full mechanism that causes it to suppress symptoms.
I personally find my ADHD meds exhausting. Like, yes I need them. But when the week is up I feel a little exhausted with everything I've had to keep up with. I don't see them as fun, but I know other people do. They just make me function and I really try to take as little as I can get away with and still be a functional person.