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Ask HN: I've been diagnosed with ADHD-Inattentive Type. What next?

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Re: Ask HN: I've been diagnosed with ADHD-Inattentive Type. What next?

#11

Post by michaelleland »

codingdave wrote: post #3

I have multiple direct family members with ADHD. One is on medication, the others are just using different coping skills to manage it. The question you need to ask is what negative consequences is it causing in your life? Once you have that answer, you can determine the right actions to mitigate those problems, now that you know the root cause. I'd recommend working with whomever diagnosed you (or having them refer y…

Thanks for the input. Parsing what is a negative consequence of this compared to a negative consequence of other things (e.g. lack of support systems at work, inefficient delegation, etc) will be tough and a good exercise to go thru.

Re: Ask HN: I've been diagnosed with ADHD-Inattentive Type. What next?

#13

Post by michaelleland »

cpersona wrote: post #6

You run a large organization. Are you burned out? Maybe pulled in too many directions? You get a little reward each time you close out one of those distractions and eventually you look forward to that feeling. You can become avoidant of larger items which require attention. Secondly, knowing your status is a large step in the right direction. You can build routines around the things that seem to slip from your consci…

I don't know if I'd call it a "large" organization, but it could be--I for sure feel like I avoid the larger items at times.

Looking at the last 10 years, I've build 10s of routines to compensate without knowing why.

Good luck getting medication! Hopefully it helps you.

Re: Ask HN: I've been diagnosed with ADHD-Inattentive Type. What next?

#14

Post by michaelleland »

sys32768 wrote: post #4

If you struggle a great deal in certain situations with concentrating, Adderall instant release (small dose) worked great for me as needed, but it can easily become tolerated and lead to blood pressure/heart issues if taken regularly in higher doses. I never had much luck with other drugs because of seeming inevitable tolerance problems and side effects.

Got it, thanks!

Re: Ask HN: I've been diagnosed with ADHD-Inattentive Type. What next?

#15

Post by michaelleland »

mdberkey wrote: post #5

I've been diagnosed with ADHD-PI for 1.5 years. You should focus on therapy and medication treatments from professionals (ideally those who specialize in ADHD). Outside of that, I think just learning about how our minds work differently compared to neurotypical brains and why it usually causes problems has been very helpful for me.

What does therapy look like?

Re: Ask HN: I've been diagnosed with ADHD-Inattentive Type. What next?

#16

Post by michaelleland »

brendoelfrendo wrote: post #2

Hey, 32 years old and got diagnosed with ADHD-Inattentive Type this year. I guess the big thing is to work with your mental health care team to figure out a treatment plan. Medications for ADHD do work pretty well; I started Adderall and, shortages notwithstanding, I find that it works for me and my body tolerates it pretty well, but your mileage may vary. Regardless of whether or not you start medication, though, co…

I have a lot of anxiety as well, and I (now) am assuming that a large part of it is due to ADHD.

What did/does therapy look like for you?

Re: Ask HN: I've been diagnosed with ADHD-Inattentive Type. What next?

#17

Post by annie_muss »

To start with, where do you currently feel limited in your life? What made you seek a diagnosis?

Personally, I couldn't keep a job for years. This led me to realize I had ADHD and get diagnosed. You seem to be successfully running a company, so you might have developed the good coping skills to deal with your limitations already.

I recommend reading Taking Charge of Adult ADHD by Russell Barkley. It's a good first book for people with ADHD and can answer a lot of basic questions about medication, therapy and feelings you might have after being diagnosed.

Re: Ask HN: I've been diagnosed with ADHD-Inattentive Type. What next?

#18

Post by brendoelfrendo »

michaelleland wrote: post #16
brendoelfrendo wrote: post #2

Hey, 32 years old and got diagnosed with ADHD-Inattentive Type this year. I guess the big thing is to work with your mental health care team to figure out a treatment plan. Medications for ADHD do work pretty well; I started Adderall and, shortages notwithstanding, I find that it works for me and my body tolerates it pretty well, but your mileage may vary. Regardless of whether or not you start medication, though, co…

I have a lot of anxiety as well, and I (now) am assuming that a large part of it is due to ADHD. What did/does therapy look like for you?

Therapy for me doesn't look like much of anything at the moment! I'm planning to seek it out, though, and either set something up with my current mental health practitioner or get a referral from them now that I've noticed some persistent maladaptive behaviors. I think that there are CBT strategies that can help with ADHD, by identifying bad habits and building coping strategies to help get away from them. It can help with anxiety, too.

My psychiatrist did say that anxiety and ADHD often come together; the one tends to exacerbate the other.

Re: Ask HN: I've been diagnosed with ADHD-Inattentive Type. What next?

#20

Post by nicbou »

ldjkfkdsjnv wrote: post #19

[flagged]

This is not good advice. For some people it's a game changer. For others the side effects are worse than the benefits. There are also multiple completely different kinds of medication.

Better advice would be "be aware that medication is not a panacea, especially if you made it this far".

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