I diagnosed when I was like... 8 years old. From then to 17 I was on various meds, finally gave them all up. So for about 22 years I've coped with ADHD without meds. I am a Staff Engineer and make a good living, respected in my field.
Regardless of anything else, I think the key thing to remember about ADHD is that you do not need to be a high-performing human being, at all, in life. You will forget things and get distracted and not get as much done. So what. You are still intelligent and caring and dedicated and responsible and a hard worker. You probably put more effort in (when you get around to it) than many others without the condition. And you will do about as well as everyone else, on average. And this is fine. Do not put pressure on yourself to live up to what someone else can do. Only do what you can do, in your time, and be at peace.
He tries to turn on the light, the bulb is dead, unscrews it, then as he's getting the bulb the shelf in the cabinet it's in is loose.
He gets a screwdriver to fix the cabinet, but the rails on the drawer the screwdriver's in are squeaky. He gets some WD-40 to fix that, but the can of WD-40 is empty. He then gets in the car, which refuses to start.
Then his wife gets home, and he's underneath the car covered in motor oil. "Hal, did you replace that light bulb in the kitchen?" "WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE I'M DOING?!".
It’s the genuine exasperation and haste that sells it. He hasn’t forgotten what he originally started. But he’s earnestly doing his best while seemingly everything fails needing urgent attention.
And he missed the obvious (with hindsight) options of, calling a taxi, catching a bus, etc.
As someone who is also battling ADHD, I feel super anxious reading the comments here all talking about X and Y medicine, which I am super not wanting to do.
I used to do therapy but I found my therapist was making videos on Facebook about a few things I told him (though I was never named but I felt this was a huge breach of trust).
I exercise quite a bit. (lots of cardio and core exercises, I particularly enjoy barbell squats and sledgehammer workouts ). But since I have had an injury on my foot for the past couple of days I have been taking it easy by not going to the gym and I feel really low cause of this.This is one kind of super positive thing I do. I don't like the gym I go to cause the instructors mostly pay attention to the girls and only ever paid attention to me to sell me some protein powder or when the tim comes for me to renew my subscription. (But that's only a specific issue for my gym, as I am shifting to a new city in a couple of months, I think I can try out a bunch of places before choosing one)
The other thing I do occasionally journal, most of the times,which I use it to vent out my thoughts. I also even more rarely do a workbook for CBT (which is for perfectionism which is another trait I found myself to have)
Anyway, what I wanted to know was has anyone tried not using any fancy 100$ subscription based apps OR meds to do their work and found success? What did you do and how did you cope with life in general?
Background info: I am 25, working in the IT field, I feel kind of directionless in life as I am still working on a plan to get into an MS degree abroad (though my parents really encourage me to do an MBA).
(sorry, I feel I'm taking over this post, lol, but f it)
my coping strategies have been: 1) carve out some time to do distractionless work. check calendar, put up away message, close email, turn on background music (cafe jazz, Bob Ross, or intelligent d&b) w/headphones, write down a small task to complete on sticky note next to monitor, set timer (maybe multiple). 2) have a routine. weekday: work 9-5, gym, cook, miscellaneous, sleep. sat: projects. sun: hike. 3) lists. shopping list, jira tickets, work journal, personal road map, calendar everything.
you have 3/4 of your life ahead of you. directionless is fine. try lots of things, keep what sticks, throw away the rest. do what feels right for you. if you don't know what to do, welcome to the club :) just be healthy, have fun, pay your bills, be a good friend, and the rest will come. it gets easier.
I'm not on meds anymore. Did try them for a month though. Worked great aside from giving me stress as it wore off. Really weird to feel stressed for literally actually no reason.
What it did give me is a look into what functioning normally-ish would look like, Which has helped enormously.
I'm not a huge fan of medication myself, but if I were you I'd definitely give it a shot. You can always stop if it's not your thing and there's a fair chance at lasting improvement even when you DO stop.
Hi, (First of all, that's some scheisse with your ex-therapist! What a narcissistic loser)
I've managed without diagnosis, medication or specific therapy for most of my life and I've struggled but like many with a late diagnosis I was able to compensate with intelligence and wits.
It is often said that ADHD treatment has three pillars, which don't always have to come together to work: Psychotherapy, Psychoeducation, Medical Treatment.
Psychotherapy is the professional help you can get to identify your patterns of behavior that might make your situation worse and change them (and probably more).
Psychoeducation is your own learning about the condition which can be supported by therapy session but consists a lot of reading books/articles, listening to podcasts etc. Support groups can be of great help, too. They exist online and offline and you should feel comfortable with the group you find. All of these are what helped me the most.
Medication helped me, as well but only really after I properly started learning about the condition. Some people report revolutionary effects but it's moderate for me. I also had to try a few different medications and doses, which is quite common and very individual. It can also change.
There are many that share your reluctance against taking meds and ultimately, all serious therapists and support groups will support that. However, they might want to talk to you about your reasons for not wanting to try the effect at least. A reason is, that they can often be a jump start for successful therapy because they can reduce the primary symptoms of ADHD (like inattentiveness) and let you work better on the secondary symptoms (e.g. low self-esteem), both of which differ from person to person. Even if you decide going without meds, it's a good step to know what's your concept of yourself and your mind and how meds would interact with that because it gives you a better understanding of your personal situation.
I hope that helped a bit even though I didn't go into how I managed myself before the diagnosis in my late 20s. It's been rough, to say the least. It still is but I have learned a lot about myself that lets me accept myself more easily for who I am (a sentence I would have laughed about in the years before). And that in turn makes everything a bit easier.
Have you ever considered picking up a martial art? I did Taekwondo for some time before covid hit, and I loved the sense of community it had.
Something that I've wanted to try is creating or joining a group of people who meet on a regular basis (at least weekly for me), talk about principles, projects, plans, progress, and in doing so, hold each other accountable.
I have existed with ADHD all my life without knowing. I knew something was different though.
I have a mini version of myself who has it a bit more severe which is where I finally worked it out and got a diagnosis. I am however only on the cusp and there are somethings that the Dr is 'confused' about.
I haven't 'needed' meds however IF i was growing up now I probably would be prescribed.
My personality (and if impulsive ADHD creates my personality, who knows) has led me down a tremendously exciting life. Curiosity kills the cat (but that is why a cat has nine lives).
I would encourage everyone to not use their ADHD on ADHD. So meta. Get Hyper Focus on it. I would encourage those to use it to find what they are about. What they like and interest in life.
Yes, its an absolute ball ache at times (procrastination) but there is magnificence out there and it unfolds when we look (in my opinion).
So, balance it. Know what is going to be good for you (sleep, exercise, healthy living) but also know that you can fuck around in life. It is a perfectly acceptable pastime and your internal guide will show you the way.
Do what you want in life. This is independent of ADHD.
I'm 30. I have been unmedicated for 22 years, and finally went back to address it just a month ago. I had many fears as you with regards to medication. Is needing it a weakness? Is it going to change who I am? The first time I took one way scary.
And you know what? I figured out, it's just not a big deal. You get a slightly increased heart rate, so you'll feel a little warm the first couple days. Other than that, though, the effect is that you are able to ignore distractions and adjust your focus at will a bit better. It doesn't turn you into someone else, and it doesn't turn you into what you imagine a neurotypical person abusing stimulants is like.
If you're struggling in any way, and think it could help, it's worth a try. They're non-addictive (I don't have any particular desire to take them).
> After meeting the founders last summer during their YC batch, I’ve been pretty consistently using the app InFlow, which I described to a friend as “super chill easy cognitive behavioural skill-building around ADHD.” I feel like I’ve made real progress using it.
This blog post reads like an advertisement for InFlow (YC S21), which was roundly criticized for being exploitative of people with ADHD, when it was posted to HN last year: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=28877003
[Edit: the author has clarified below that this wasn't actually an advertisement, she just enjoyed the app. I'm sorry for jumping to conclusions and overreacting and ranting about it. My apologies for writing all the bullshit above and below.]
I saw the guy who founded kinkos speak at Babson business school about 20 years ago. Weirdly, he was there due to some sponsorship related to disabilities because he had ADHD.
He got up and in the first 30 seconds said he thought ADHD had helped him, didn’t think of it as a negative, and just came because he wanted to tell his story. Like so many founders (esp of retail businesses, I find), he was super charismatic and had a very practical, easy to understand model of the business. It was the best talk I saw in my brief time at babson, and I saw a bunch of good talks by founders.
I believe the guy who founded jet blue also has ADHD and feels similarly. Everyone has their own perspective, but if you get a chance to see the Kinkos founder speak, I recommend it (he might be pretty old by now).
Having just finished (sort of) a PhD in computer science, very similar experience. I actually had to take a three month break, and nearly a second one, in the process because it was so easy to get distracted, overwhelmed and undersupported.
I'm not sure if i have ADHD, I seem to come up pretty high for Symptons, but I don't want to play doctor on the internet, i'm also in the UK and as an adult I understand it's very difficult to get a diagnosis.
I'm also not sure if it's caused by something else. I just really struggle to function and it's a killer. I have lots of projects and life improvement things I want to do, but I wake up and i'm like ughh, I can't concentrate, my brain is very foggy, I have a lack of energy, it's a nightmare and i'm no longer sure what to do about it.
I think my issues might be more related to brain fog, which does come and go, but there isn't a clear trigger and even when it 'goes' i'm never clear at all, it's just a little easier to function, I get a lot of small dull headaches, I struggle to think or concentrate, i'm confused often, my energy struggles, I feel blah about most things and just urgghh...
Lots of empathy for people going through this, as i'm sure others just think you are useless or dumb, when I know i'm trying really hard to be the opposite because those things really matter to me.
I was pretty much exactly like you describe yourself here, for most of my life. I vented about it on HN occasionally for years, and every now and then, someone would suggest, "this smells of ADHD; get yourself checked out". So, at 32, I did, got a positive diagnosis, and my life finally started to have a noticeable upward trajectory. One of the major changes was that, for the first time, I could feel I'm actually capable of holding a job and supporting a family. That alone alleviated some serious emotional misery.
So, in the spirit of "pay it forward": this smells like ADHD; go and get yourself checked out if you can. It may be nothing. But it may be something, and if it is something - ADHD or not - an array of new options will open up for you.
Personal tip: if you do decide to get checked out, try and find an adult ADHD specialist. A random psychiatrist will likely first try to evaluate you for depression or some generic anxiety disorder, and you can waste a decade on it with little to show for it (guess how I know). ADHD is much faster to rule out (or in) than either of those.
I'm in Ireland, but have recently been diagnosed by a UK doctor as having ADHD. If you go privately, it's not a terrible process, and my local GP is willing to prescribe as my UK ADHD expert advises. Granted, medication has had no positive impact on me so far, but getting the diagnosis was pretty straightforward.
Regarding meds, are people willing to share what kind of doses they are on? I take 27mg of Concerta, and I remember talking to someone taking like... 5x that? And being quite shocked, but there's always that curiosity about what dosages makes sense.
I'm also on Concerta, taking 45mg. I started at 27 which was too low for me and went up to 54 which was too high; so we came down to 45 which seems to be a Goldie locks for me (they don't make a 45mg pill so I take an 18 and a 27). I also take 150mg Wellbutrin for depression and balance it all off with a nightly 300mg of Gabapentin to help me sleep (coincidentally my cat is prescribed the same amount of gaba to take before the vet because she's a terror on her check ups).
This is all is relatively new for me (got diagnosed this year after being misdiagnosed with depression for a very long time) and it's working out OK. One thing I'm still struggling with is break days. They seem to supercharge my (inattentive) ADHD, and I'm kind of dead all day long; maybe there's still room for adjustment and I go back to 36mg Concerta.
For any given day I have a choice of 70mg Ritalin (as three evenly spaced doses), or 70mg Vyvanse. They're differentiated by my response. Which I take depends on what working pattern I intend for that day. Vyvanse if I want to focus on a single task (especially coding or writing), or for social days; Ritalin when planning to churn through a to-do list or have a bunch of calls/meetings.
Disclaimer: this is personal anecdote, not a recommendation.
I'm on 36 mg of Concerta. I've spent a lot of time trying to find the right dose in the beginning, now have settled for this dose. Tbh it has been a huge positive change in my ability to get things done professionally without having to cope by spending my nights/weekends working as well. It's also remarkable how it curbs impulsive behavior for me.
The "be successful without becoming normal" idea possessed me for many years, and for me it was a trap because a significant portion of my abnormalities were genuinely pathological, and I thought they were me instead of just bad and unhealthy habits.
I thought I had to be genuinely inspired to get work done, and chased that fleeting motivation like a mirage for years instead of just learning how to sit down and work.
I thought my sleep was just "different" and my physical and mental health (not to mention productivity) suffered horribly and pointlessly for years until I put my foot down and... just fixed it.
Since fixing my sleep, for example, my productivity went from about 2 hours a day (of solid, focused work) to over 10 hours a day. In the span of ten days. That's not a bad exchange rate for a bit of normalcy, is it?
I can't speak for others but "normal" in the context of this discussion is not a reference to character and behavioral norms, but to productivity and in particular, the ability to complete tasks at a similar rate to non-medicated, non-ADHD people.
Medication really helped me, and combined with (zazen) meditation I have days where I feel like 'normal' people.
Working up to meditating for ~30 minute sessions (alone or in groups) forced me to face my worst nightmare: sitting still against my will.
Gradually, the physical burning sensation to 'escape' the mental torture of doing nothing calmed down. Further into my practice, the same happened for the monkey mind constantly thinking about shiny things. On good days I can attend long meetings and not lose it, remember chores, calm the chatter in my head, avoid playing mind games to keep myself occupied (eg. "can I cross the road in less than 5, 4, 3, 2 ...").
Medication helped to bump me over to the other side, and meditation has helped me stay there.
Meditation + medication is such a great combo; so many people with ADHD get burned trying to meditate unmedicated and find it miserable. A friend wrote a great twitter thread about meditation+ADHD a couple years back: https://twitter.com/ryanwheff/status/1181339754798780416
I was diagnosed with ADD about two years ago and started taking meds.
A couple of weeks ago I found something which allowed me to stop taking meds - I started running. I did not expect this to help with my ADD, but my head is so much clearer and focused since I started to run, it's crazy.
I have this question which comes up in my mind every time I read about ADHD in tech (here, Twitter, blogs etc), which is really genuine and with no second intentions: my feeling is that ADHD seems over represented in tech, but I don't know if it's because ADHD is more invisible in life outside tech jobs, or because people with AHDH in tech are "louder", or because there is a relationship between ADHD and being good at software engineering, or if it's an American thing (I'm European), or what else?
I know the topic might be delicate, but I would really like to understand better.
> my feeling is that ADHD seems over represented in tech
We are overrepresented in tech, relative to the general population.
In the most recent StackOverflow developer survey, respondents self-reported at a rate about double the global average.
> but I don't know if it's because ADHD is more invisible in life outside tech jobs
You almost certainly know or have met people in other industries with ADHD and didn’t know it. Masking is an unfortunate survival skill for most. It’s mentally taxing, and can take hours to recover from after doing it for a day.
There used to be a thought that people grew out of it as they got older. They don’t, they just get really good at masking anything that might indicate they have it.
We’re seeing an increase in adults with ADHD, not because more people now have it. They had it all along (by definition, ADHD is symptomatically present before 12).
> or because there is a relationship between ADHD and being good at software engineering
Software engineering has some of the fastest feedback loops of any creative endeavour, and that really helps keep ADHD brains on task. But I don’t think there’s a relationship between the two, other than people with ADHD have a tendency to go really deep on things they’re interested in—and then subsequently drop it and move on to the next thing.
Software always has a next thing.
People with ADHD thrive on novelty and external consequences.
Agile software teams, infra/ops roles provide both. See also fighter pilots, firefighters, ER nurses, as well as outdoor jobs like landscaping (exercise is very good for ADHD brains).
We also really hate being told what to do, but will gladly solve a hard problem given the opportunity. Software enables that in a way many other jobs don’t.
> I know the topic might be delicate, but I would really like to understand better.
I really hope it’s not a delicate topic. Our brains work differently, but with some accomodations we can fit well into a team. I think there’s a very complimentary overlap with teams composed of neurodivergent and neurotypical people.
this adhd relief music has been a blessing for me to quickly get into the hyper focused state. Discovered it 8 months ago and it's still serving me fine https://youtu.be/k9ts6p63ns0
The article mentions tools for coworking and pairing, which are great tools! (Actually building one too: https://doubleapp.xyz)
However, as another founder with ADHD, there’s something to be said about being able to take the similar tactics we funnel into work tasks and place it into the day-to-day. Scheduling laundry with others, reading at the same time, running buddies, etc. I’ve found that work stuff is usually okay for me. It’s the “everything else” that’s ridiculously hard to do.
Anyone who has an ADHD diagnosis should also look into ASD. Comorbidity rate data range between 33% and 80% between ADHD and ASD. I’ve only discovered that recently after 10 years as an adult with ADHD. Since then I’ve been looking into the past and recalling things like toe walking as a child, intense sensory issues, painful social interactions, and speech issues. As I’ve done so I’ve also connected with a lot of support resources and community. It’s been really helpful to have a fuller understanding of my blind spots and predispositions. It both helps me adapt to accommodate my needs, but also accept my limitations and unique strengths. ASD is poorly understood by the medical and psychiatric communities; recent research is making some huge steps forward in diagnosing female autistic traits, genetics, and having autistic participation/leadership in research.
It’s more poorly understood by the general public. People seem to have the idea that spectrum refers to intensity of symptoms. In fact it refers to their diversity. Some people have strong social skills but lack executive function, others have sensory difficulties and struggle with daily activities like hygiene. There is no “high functioning” autism, there are people who are highly engaged at appearing “normal” to the detriment of their energy and identity, often referred to as ‘masking’.
My synthesis of the research and anecdotes I’ve collected is that ADHD and ASD are distinct, but there is also likely a unique diagnosis likely to come in the future that represents the combination of the two. All of them are associated with the same regions of the brain, predominantly basal ganglia and cerebellum. It’s incredibly heritable. There is strong evidence that there are connections with endocrine disruption. There is a strong connection with non-conforming gender identity and ‘audhd’ which seem to be related to similar hormonal dynamics.
Many many founders and world-changing folks have ADHD, ASD, or some combo. It leads them to think in unique and powerful ways, and to see through established social norms to make real change possible. A lot of “former gifted kids” fall into this bucket. Their ability to learn rapidly and emulate social behavior actually prevents them from getting support for their very real needs which are often understood as symptoms of other disorders like depression. The challenges of real life eventually catch up and can lead to catastrophic burnout and diminishing abilities.
If you have an ADHD diagnosis just do yourself a favor and spend some time on embrace-autism.com for some good info and credible assessments.
I noped out as soon as I saw it wanted a yearly subscription to activate a week-long 'free' trial.
I didn't trust myself to remember to cancel it in time and was disgusted at them weaponizing this dark pattern against ADHDers, so that was it for me.
If you go to the Play Store and search for the one-star reviews there are loads of people saying the same. And also for those that did try it, that it's mostly useless anyway.
[+] [-] throwawaaarrgh|3 years ago|reply
Regardless of anything else, I think the key thing to remember about ADHD is that you do not need to be a high-performing human being, at all, in life. You will forget things and get distracted and not get as much done. So what. You are still intelligent and caring and dedicated and responsible and a hard worker. You probably put more effort in (when you get around to it) than many others without the condition. And you will do about as well as everyone else, on average. And this is fine. Do not put pressure on yourself to live up to what someone else can do. Only do what you can do, in your time, and be at peace.
[+] [-] avar|3 years ago|reply
He tries to turn on the light, the bulb is dead, unscrews it, then as he's getting the bulb the shelf in the cabinet it's in is loose.
He gets a screwdriver to fix the cabinet, but the rails on the drawer the screwdriver's in are squeaky. He gets some WD-40 to fix that, but the can of WD-40 is empty. He then gets in the car, which refuses to start.
Then his wife gets home, and he's underneath the car covered in motor oil. "Hal, did you replace that light bulb in the kitchen?" "WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE I'M DOING?!".
[+] [-] ojkelly|3 years ago|reply
And he missed the obvious (with hindsight) options of, calling a taxi, catching a bus, etc.
[+] [-] Cockbrand|3 years ago|reply
Still, the reference to ADHD is definitely valid!
[+] [-] sirsinsalot|3 years ago|reply
I was a classic adhd child, at a time when diagnosis and treatment was rare.
Children whose dopamine regulation issues are treated early can leave medication as their brain adjusts while still plastic.
In adulthood you're stuck. I've battled addiction, terrible damage to relationships and failure to achieve my full happiness potential.
Founding a company is extra hard.
I'm glad I'm medicated now. The result has been life changing and profound.
The more we talk, treat and exercise compassion about this horrible neurological disorder the better.
It isn't like a broken leg or depression, the symptoms are varied and express in complex ways.
Thank you to anyone talking about this with kindness and compassion
[+] [-] q-base|3 years ago|reply
[+] [-] anshumankmr|3 years ago|reply
I used to do therapy but I found my therapist was making videos on Facebook about a few things I told him (though I was never named but I felt this was a huge breach of trust).
I exercise quite a bit. (lots of cardio and core exercises, I particularly enjoy barbell squats and sledgehammer workouts ). But since I have had an injury on my foot for the past couple of days I have been taking it easy by not going to the gym and I feel really low cause of this.This is one kind of super positive thing I do. I don't like the gym I go to cause the instructors mostly pay attention to the girls and only ever paid attention to me to sell me some protein powder or when the tim comes for me to renew my subscription. (But that's only a specific issue for my gym, as I am shifting to a new city in a couple of months, I think I can try out a bunch of places before choosing one)
The other thing I do occasionally journal, most of the times,which I use it to vent out my thoughts. I also even more rarely do a workbook for CBT (which is for perfectionism which is another trait I found myself to have)
Anyway, what I wanted to know was has anyone tried not using any fancy 100$ subscription based apps OR meds to do their work and found success? What did you do and how did you cope with life in general?
Background info: I am 25, working in the IT field, I feel kind of directionless in life as I am still working on a plan to get into an MS degree abroad (though my parents really encourage me to do an MBA).
/end vent
[+] [-] throwawaaarrgh|3 years ago|reply
my coping strategies have been: 1) carve out some time to do distractionless work. check calendar, put up away message, close email, turn on background music (cafe jazz, Bob Ross, or intelligent d&b) w/headphones, write down a small task to complete on sticky note next to monitor, set timer (maybe multiple). 2) have a routine. weekday: work 9-5, gym, cook, miscellaneous, sleep. sat: projects. sun: hike. 3) lists. shopping list, jira tickets, work journal, personal road map, calendar everything.
you have 3/4 of your life ahead of you. directionless is fine. try lots of things, keep what sticks, throw away the rest. do what feels right for you. if you don't know what to do, welcome to the club :) just be healthy, have fun, pay your bills, be a good friend, and the rest will come. it gets easier.
[+] [-] Doxin|3 years ago|reply
What it did give me is a look into what functioning normally-ish would look like, Which has helped enormously.
I'm not a huge fan of medication myself, but if I were you I'd definitely give it a shot. You can always stop if it's not your thing and there's a fair chance at lasting improvement even when you DO stop.
[+] [-] throwaway4932|3 years ago|reply
I've managed without diagnosis, medication or specific therapy for most of my life and I've struggled but like many with a late diagnosis I was able to compensate with intelligence and wits.
It is often said that ADHD treatment has three pillars, which don't always have to come together to work: Psychotherapy, Psychoeducation, Medical Treatment.
Psychotherapy is the professional help you can get to identify your patterns of behavior that might make your situation worse and change them (and probably more).
Psychoeducation is your own learning about the condition which can be supported by therapy session but consists a lot of reading books/articles, listening to podcasts etc. Support groups can be of great help, too. They exist online and offline and you should feel comfortable with the group you find. All of these are what helped me the most.
Medication helped me, as well but only really after I properly started learning about the condition. Some people report revolutionary effects but it's moderate for me. I also had to try a few different medications and doses, which is quite common and very individual. It can also change.
There are many that share your reluctance against taking meds and ultimately, all serious therapists and support groups will support that. However, they might want to talk to you about your reasons for not wanting to try the effect at least. A reason is, that they can often be a jump start for successful therapy because they can reduce the primary symptoms of ADHD (like inattentiveness) and let you work better on the secondary symptoms (e.g. low self-esteem), both of which differ from person to person. Even if you decide going without meds, it's a good step to know what's your concept of yourself and your mind and how meds would interact with that because it gives you a better understanding of your personal situation.
I hope that helped a bit even though I didn't go into how I managed myself before the diagnosis in my late 20s. It's been rough, to say the least. It still is but I have learned a lot about myself that lets me accept myself more easily for who I am (a sentence I would have laughed about in the years before). And that in turn makes everything a bit easier.
[+] [-] Jarwain|3 years ago|reply
Something that I've wanted to try is creating or joining a group of people who meet on a regular basis (at least weekly for me), talk about principles, projects, plans, progress, and in doing so, hold each other accountable.
[+] [-] RHSman2|3 years ago|reply
I have existed with ADHD all my life without knowing. I knew something was different though.
I have a mini version of myself who has it a bit more severe which is where I finally worked it out and got a diagnosis. I am however only on the cusp and there are somethings that the Dr is 'confused' about.
I haven't 'needed' meds however IF i was growing up now I probably would be prescribed.
My personality (and if impulsive ADHD creates my personality, who knows) has led me down a tremendously exciting life. Curiosity kills the cat (but that is why a cat has nine lives).
I would encourage everyone to not use their ADHD on ADHD. So meta. Get Hyper Focus on it. I would encourage those to use it to find what they are about. What they like and interest in life.
Yes, its an absolute ball ache at times (procrastination) but there is magnificence out there and it unfolds when we look (in my opinion).
So, balance it. Know what is going to be good for you (sleep, exercise, healthy living) but also know that you can fuck around in life. It is a perfectly acceptable pastime and your internal guide will show you the way.
Do what you want in life. This is independent of ADHD.
How is that for woooo-hoooy?
[+] [-] bpicolo|3 years ago|reply
And you know what? I figured out, it's just not a big deal. You get a slightly increased heart rate, so you'll feel a little warm the first couple days. Other than that, though, the effect is that you are able to ignore distractions and adjust your focus at will a bit better. It doesn't turn you into someone else, and it doesn't turn you into what you imagine a neurotypical person abusing stimulants is like.
If you're struggling in any way, and think it could help, it's worth a try. They're non-addictive (I don't have any particular desire to take them).
[+] [-] FollowingTheDao|3 years ago|reply
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24321736/
Also, it is not about dopamine, it is about glutamate: https://www.brown.edu/news/2018-03-12/glutamate
[+] [-] vbad|3 years ago|reply
This blog post reads like an advertisement for InFlow (YC S21), which was roundly criticized for being exploitative of people with ADHD, when it was posted to HN last year: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=28877003
[Edit: the author has clarified below that this wasn't actually an advertisement, she just enjoyed the app. I'm sorry for jumping to conclusions and overreacting and ranting about it. My apologies for writing all the bullshit above and below.]
[+] [-] ttcbj|3 years ago|reply
He got up and in the first 30 seconds said he thought ADHD had helped him, didn’t think of it as a negative, and just came because he wanted to tell his story. Like so many founders (esp of retail businesses, I find), he was super charismatic and had a very practical, easy to understand model of the business. It was the best talk I saw in my brief time at babson, and I saw a bunch of good talks by founders.
I believe the guy who founded jet blue also has ADHD and feels similarly. Everyone has their own perspective, but if you get a chance to see the Kinkos founder speak, I recommend it (he might be pretty old by now).
[+] [-] romwell|3 years ago|reply
Wish I got diagnosed earlier — getting a mathematics PhD with untreated ADHD was double plus ungood.
I didn't know anything about ADHD, and was sure I don't have it because it's described as "deficit of attention" (spoiler: it's not).
I realized I need to look into it after relating to one too many ADHD memes.
In the aftermath, I have written an ADHD Meme Wiki[1], which helped me (and several other people!) get diagnosed and understand ADHD better:
[1] https://romankogan.net/adhd
[+] [-] johnday|3 years ago|reply
[+] [-] sprkwd|3 years ago|reply
[+] [-] LoganDark|3 years ago|reply
[+] [-] ChildOfChaos|3 years ago|reply
I'm also not sure if it's caused by something else. I just really struggle to function and it's a killer. I have lots of projects and life improvement things I want to do, but I wake up and i'm like ughh, I can't concentrate, my brain is very foggy, I have a lack of energy, it's a nightmare and i'm no longer sure what to do about it.
I think my issues might be more related to brain fog, which does come and go, but there isn't a clear trigger and even when it 'goes' i'm never clear at all, it's just a little easier to function, I get a lot of small dull headaches, I struggle to think or concentrate, i'm confused often, my energy struggles, I feel blah about most things and just urgghh...
Lots of empathy for people going through this, as i'm sure others just think you are useless or dumb, when I know i'm trying really hard to be the opposite because those things really matter to me.
[+] [-] TeMPOraL|3 years ago|reply
So, in the spirit of "pay it forward": this smells like ADHD; go and get yourself checked out if you can. It may be nothing. But it may be something, and if it is something - ADHD or not - an array of new options will open up for you.
Personal tip: if you do decide to get checked out, try and find an adult ADHD specialist. A random psychiatrist will likely first try to evaluate you for depression or some generic anxiety disorder, and you can waste a decade on it with little to show for it (guess how I know). ADHD is much faster to rule out (or in) than either of those.
[+] [-] microbass|3 years ago|reply
[+] [-] corobo|3 years ago|reply
I know, "only", but seeing as it had been 32 years at that point it wasn't a major wait. 2 months is good for the NHS and mental health haha.
Diagnosis itself once I'd got through the wait took about 2 hours in total across 2 weekly meetings.
[+] [-] sph|3 years ago|reply
[+] [-] rtpg|3 years ago|reply
[+] [-] adamwk|3 years ago|reply
This is all is relatively new for me (got diagnosed this year after being misdiagnosed with depression for a very long time) and it's working out OK. One thing I'm still struggling with is break days. They seem to supercharge my (inattentive) ADHD, and I'm kind of dead all day long; maybe there's still room for adjustment and I go back to 36mg Concerta.
[+] [-] throwaway47bs6|3 years ago|reply
Disclaimer: this is personal anecdote, not a recommendation.
[+] [-] technocratius|3 years ago|reply
[+] [-] herbst|3 years ago|reply
How about not getting normal, but finding a life/work that fits to you and your lifestyle.
[+] [-] andai|3 years ago|reply
I thought I had to be genuinely inspired to get work done, and chased that fleeting motivation like a mirage for years instead of just learning how to sit down and work.
I thought my sleep was just "different" and my physical and mental health (not to mention productivity) suffered horribly and pointlessly for years until I put my foot down and... just fixed it.
Since fixing my sleep, for example, my productivity went from about 2 hours a day (of solid, focused work) to over 10 hours a day. In the span of ten days. That's not a bad exchange rate for a bit of normalcy, is it?
[+] [-] thelittleone|3 years ago|reply
[+] [-] hypatiadotca|3 years ago|reply
[+] [-] unknown|3 years ago|reply
[deleted]
[+] [-] fredrikholm|3 years ago|reply
Working up to meditating for ~30 minute sessions (alone or in groups) forced me to face my worst nightmare: sitting still against my will.
Gradually, the physical burning sensation to 'escape' the mental torture of doing nothing calmed down. Further into my practice, the same happened for the monkey mind constantly thinking about shiny things. On good days I can attend long meetings and not lose it, remember chores, calm the chatter in my head, avoid playing mind games to keep myself occupied (eg. "can I cross the road in less than 5, 4, 3, 2 ...").
Medication helped to bump me over to the other side, and meditation has helped me stay there.
[+] [-] hypatiadotca|3 years ago|reply
[+] [-] 4ggr0|3 years ago|reply
A couple of weeks ago I found something which allowed me to stop taking meds - I started running. I did not expect this to help with my ADD, but my head is so much clearer and focused since I started to run, it's crazy.
[+] [-] darkwater|3 years ago|reply
I know the topic might be delicate, but I would really like to understand better.
[+] [-] ojkelly|3 years ago|reply
We are overrepresented in tech, relative to the general population.
In the most recent StackOverflow developer survey, respondents self-reported at a rate about double the global average.
> but I don't know if it's because ADHD is more invisible in life outside tech jobs
You almost certainly know or have met people in other industries with ADHD and didn’t know it. Masking is an unfortunate survival skill for most. It’s mentally taxing, and can take hours to recover from after doing it for a day.
There used to be a thought that people grew out of it as they got older. They don’t, they just get really good at masking anything that might indicate they have it.
We’re seeing an increase in adults with ADHD, not because more people now have it. They had it all along (by definition, ADHD is symptomatically present before 12).
> or because there is a relationship between ADHD and being good at software engineering
Software engineering has some of the fastest feedback loops of any creative endeavour, and that really helps keep ADHD brains on task. But I don’t think there’s a relationship between the two, other than people with ADHD have a tendency to go really deep on things they’re interested in—and then subsequently drop it and move on to the next thing.
Software always has a next thing.
People with ADHD thrive on novelty and external consequences.
Agile software teams, infra/ops roles provide both. See also fighter pilots, firefighters, ER nurses, as well as outdoor jobs like landscaping (exercise is very good for ADHD brains).
We also really hate being told what to do, but will gladly solve a hard problem given the opportunity. Software enables that in a way many other jobs don’t.
> I know the topic might be delicate, but I would really like to understand better.
I really hope it’s not a delicate topic. Our brains work differently, but with some accomodations we can fit well into a team. I think there’s a very complimentary overlap with teams composed of neurodivergent and neurotypical people.
[+] [-] imwillofficial|3 years ago|reply
I was a sysadmin for a decade before I landed a role that pushed me so hard that cracks started to appear.
[+] [-] trashface|3 years ago|reply
[+] [-] parentheses|3 years ago|reply
https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=33635291
[+] [-] hypatiadotca|3 years ago|reply
[+] [-] nyanpasu64|3 years ago|reply
[+] [-] jerrygoyal|3 years ago|reply
[+] [-] Ilasky|3 years ago|reply
However, as another founder with ADHD, there’s something to be said about being able to take the similar tactics we funnel into work tasks and place it into the day-to-day. Scheduling laundry with others, reading at the same time, running buddies, etc. I’ve found that work stuff is usually okay for me. It’s the “everything else” that’s ridiculously hard to do.
[+] [-] reilly3000|3 years ago|reply
It’s more poorly understood by the general public. People seem to have the idea that spectrum refers to intensity of symptoms. In fact it refers to their diversity. Some people have strong social skills but lack executive function, others have sensory difficulties and struggle with daily activities like hygiene. There is no “high functioning” autism, there are people who are highly engaged at appearing “normal” to the detriment of their energy and identity, often referred to as ‘masking’.
https://carmenbpingree.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Screen...
My synthesis of the research and anecdotes I’ve collected is that ADHD and ASD are distinct, but there is also likely a unique diagnosis likely to come in the future that represents the combination of the two. All of them are associated with the same regions of the brain, predominantly basal ganglia and cerebellum. It’s incredibly heritable. There is strong evidence that there are connections with endocrine disruption. There is a strong connection with non-conforming gender identity and ‘audhd’ which seem to be related to similar hormonal dynamics.
Many many founders and world-changing folks have ADHD, ASD, or some combo. It leads them to think in unique and powerful ways, and to see through established social norms to make real change possible. A lot of “former gifted kids” fall into this bucket. Their ability to learn rapidly and emulate social behavior actually prevents them from getting support for their very real needs which are often understood as symptoms of other disorders like depression. The challenges of real life eventually catch up and can lead to catastrophic burnout and diminishing abilities.
If you have an ADHD diagnosis just do yourself a favor and spend some time on embrace-autism.com for some good info and credible assessments.
[+] [-] don_albrecht|3 years ago|reply
[+] [-] xwowsersx|3 years ago|reply
[+] [-] grhappl|3 years ago|reply
I didn't trust myself to remember to cancel it in time and was disgusted at them weaponizing this dark pattern against ADHDers, so that was it for me.
If you go to the Play Store and search for the one-star reviews there are loads of people saying the same. And also for those that did try it, that it's mostly useless anyway.