The best way I would describe how they help me it is that they give me the ability to choose what to do or think on much more intentionally, even if that ends up being nothing because I am not motivated. So from my experience (aderall and vyvanse) they won’t give you motivation but they will let you be more in control of your mind which is always good.

Everyone reacts differently, and I've known people who don't find medication helpful, but personally for me, they saved my life. I was going through some real bad depression at the time, but being medicated felt like a big boost to my mental wellbeing. It was much easier to do all the things that they say that depressed people should do to get better, such as personal care, dragging oneself out of the house, and engaging in hobbies.

It wasn't a miracle fix — and I did need to work at developing new skills to ensure that I wouldn't forget to eat, or spend an entire day organising my music library rather than anything I'd actually want to spend that much time on. So be cautious about expecting a miracle. Medication didn't solve any of my ADHD problems, it just transmuted them into easier to manage forms. It was like a ladder dropped into the pit I was in, but climbing that ladder still took a lot of work

Something that feels notable to me in your comment is "will they help me read books again?" "Again" sticks out to me, because if you used to be able to read books but now no longer can, then it might be something in addition to ADHD that's blocking you — burnout, for example. If you are struggling with burnout, then be careful because if you go into meds with the wrong mindset, you could do yourself more harm. Like, if the meds help you to be more productive at running yourself into the ground, that would not be good. My sympathies if this is indeed where you're at. Personally, I would find it hard to recover from burnout without being on my meds, because they help me to focus on things that I want to do as well as the things I have to do, so they definitely do help overall. I just need to work hard to be kind to myself, and that's easier said than done