61–70 of 109 posts
Very strange to me that people in the comments are jumping from OPs “I developed late onset ADHD” to “OP doesn’t have ADHD because late onset ADHD doesn’t exist” Isn’t it every bit as likely OP has had ADHD their whole life and is just now noticing the symptoms/the symptoms have recently been exacerbated in some way? To answer your question directly: I’ve been on stimulants for years. They helped me a ton, but more i…
As far as my understanding of current science goes, you can't "develop" ADHD as an adult, it is something you are born with or perhaps develops at a young age. Perhaps if you had some kind of traumatic brain injury, which may be what you're alluding to. Either way, first step is go speak to a Psychiatrist about it. You might need to get a referral from your primary care physician. They will help you figure out what t…
The book I'm reading, Taking Charge of Adult ADHD, mentions that for an evaluation and diagnosis to be reliable in adulthood, the current form of symptoms should be happening for the past 6 months.
great book btw, highly recommend it.
The way I've always described my thought process is that it's like every thought is a fish in a barrel and all I have are my hands; I have to reach down to grab the specific thought I want to focus on and often it slips through my grasp. Medication slows down the fish and makes it so I can hold onto it. I still have to make an effort to grab the 'right' fish but I'm not fighting with myself.
Prior to medication I had various coping strategies I'd employ. Mainly things like having multiple rolling things going on at once, but I was also a severe fidgeter. During college I was a stressed anxious mess so I figured that it was just a natural response to that sort of thing, but as I settled into my 30s and became far more stable with no stressors or contributors to anxiety my issues with ADHD became a lot worse.
I was diagnosed with ADHD in my early twenties during university and didn't manage to get medicated until 3 years later (The queue was quite long and I ended up getting a prescription from a private doctor in my home country) I think it became really obvious to me when I would require a ton of discipline to do assignments around making applications, but doing something like configuring linux from scratch was so perso…
>I think it became really obvious to me when I would require a ton of discipline to do assignments around making applications, but doing something like configuring linux from scratch was so personally interesting to me I could stay up nights and days without any external stimulation. >I found that medication (Methylphendiate 20mg) have definitely helped me focus, but the direction of what I'm focusing doesn't always…
Look into cptsd, and mention what you’ve said here to a trauma/informed therapist.
ADHD can be exacerbated by cptsd, so you might have already had ADHD but not as noticeably.
I was diagnosed with ADHD in my early twenties during university and didn't manage to get medicated until 3 years later (The queue was quite long and I ended up getting a prescription from a private doctor in my home country) I think it became really obvious to me when I would require a ton of discipline to do assignments around making applications, but doing something like configuring linux from scratch was so perso…
> I found that medication have definitely helped me focus, but the direction of what I'm focusing doesn't always yield productive results (hyperfocusing on reddit for example). I had this problem (and others) with Adderall. Vyvanse (Lisdexamfetamine) has been much better for me. I've also found that I get better results when I take my ADHD medication with protein, and about an hour before any caffeine intake. YMMV. >…
Regarding eating protein, lisdexamfetamine is basically just dexamfetamine bound to an amino acid. Your liver has to break the amino acid and dexamfetamine apart before the dexamfetamine is bioactive. That's basically how the time-release works; your liver can only break them apart so fast, resulting in a steady stream of dexamfetamine. It's part of why doctors like it, because opening the capsule and snorting it does basically nothing.
Eating protein occupies part of your liver's processing abilities, which should result in a "smoother" come up.
> I worry about this too. I've been on 30mg Lisdexamfetamine for about two years and haven't felt a need to up my dose. But if I skip a day it hits hard. I don't know whether it's worse than before I started medicating or if it's just that my bar for mental function has been raised.
I don't take mine on the weekend, generally. I find it helps keep me grounded in terms of my capabilities on vs off the meds, as well as giving me some non-amphetamine-d time to work through emotions. The meds make me almost too focused, and I'll end up neglecting how I'm feeling to plow through another hour of coding.
I also occasionally get worried about my medication, my tolerance and generally the effect it has on me. I typically ask my doctor to switch me to a non-stimulant medication. Atomoxetine is what I usually get, which is a norepinephrine modulator rather than an amphetamine. I don't find it as helpful, but it's good enough to keep me afloat at work for a month and it lacks the "speed" feeling amphetamines can have.
I was diagnosed with ADHD in my early twenties during university and didn't manage to get medicated until 3 years later (The queue was quite long and I ended up getting a prescription from a private doctor in my home country) I think it became really obvious to me when I would require a ton of discipline to do assignments around making applications, but doing something like configuring linux from scratch was so perso…
>I think it became really obvious to me when I would require a ton of discipline to do assignments around making applications, but doing something like configuring linux from scratch was so personally interesting to me I could stay up nights and days without any external stimulation. >I found that medication (Methylphendiate 20mg) have definitely helped me focus, but the direction of what I'm focusing doesn't always…
I imagine most of the HN readership could spend hours on something they love, and struggle to engage as deeply with many or most of the tasks that are required of them at work. But ADHD would not be the diagnosis for most people. Just boredom. What tips the experience over the line?
I was diagnosed 15ish years ago when I was 26. I tried medication and absolutely hated it. It changed who I was. Medication is a crutch. If you're completely crippled and you need it, then you should use it temporarily. But be very very careful developing dependence on it and using it instead of doing the work to deal with your behavior. What worked for me instead of medication: - Get on a sleep and wake schedule tha…
Beyond that, you basically just have stereotypical self-help 'advice'.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
>I think it became really obvious to me when I would require a ton of discipline to do assignments around making applications, but doing something like configuring linux from scratch was so personally interesting to me I could stay up nights and days without any external stimulation. >I found that medication (Methylphendiate 20mg) have definitely helped me focus, but the direction of what I'm focusing doesn't always…
Excuse my ignorance, but what is the line between ADHD and interest/geekery in the scenario you outlined above? I imagine most of the HN readership could spend hours on something they love, and struggle to engage as deeply with many or most of the tasks that are required of them at work. But ADHD would not be the diagnosis for most people. Just boredom. What tips the experience over the line?
Now imagine your tastebuds are different. Two of those three cups of water taste putrid, while one cup of water is delicious (like soda, tea or whatever your favorite beverage of choice is). Every day you're going to start with the best cup of water, and then struggle with the rest. Sometimes even all three taste putrid and you can't figure out why.
What medication did is that now they all consistently taste like water at minimum. Sometimes one cup is still better than the rest, but the others don't taste actively bad.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
>I think it became really obvious to me when I would require a ton of discipline to do assignments around making applications, but doing something like configuring linux from scratch was so personally interesting to me I could stay up nights and days without any external stimulation. >I found that medication (Methylphendiate 20mg) have definitely helped me focus, but the direction of what I'm focusing doesn't always…
Excuse my ignorance, but what is the line between ADHD and interest/geekery in the scenario you outlined above? I imagine most of the HN readership could spend hours on something they love, and struggle to engage as deeply with many or most of the tasks that are required of them at work. But ADHD would not be the diagnosis for most people. Just boredom. What tips the experience over the line?
It really is a motivation problem, I have a strong desire to do it but I just… can’t?