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How I Run a Company with ADHD

andrewaskins.com

321–330 of 515 posts

Re: How I Run a Company with ADHD

#321
post #225

My reaction to this article has been... complex. ----- Bah! Another article about ADHD. ADHD's over diagnosed and not not as big a problem as people make it out to be. But, I'm curious all of a sudden, so I might as well read it. > For the first 19 years of my life I knew I was lazy. Yeah, I'm pretty lazy too. That's just who I am, though. I don't have ADHD... > So what, you can't stop bouncing your leg at the restau…

It's not that you realize halfway through a meeting you haven't heard anything -- everybody does that from time to time -- it's when you CONSTANTLY struggle to follow what others are saying in a meeting, even when it's an important meeting; most of your peers have no trouble doing that; sure, some will also phase out, but they normally don't. It's on the level of the pot head in your team telling you "Dude, you're my…

Isn't the chatter associated with other disorders such as depersonalization / anxiety / racing thoughts ? Asking because I experienced it under some stress & anxiety lately.

Re: How I Run a Company with ADHD

#322

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Private vs socialised healthcare could have a big effect on diagnoses. When patients can just keep going to doctors until they get the diagnosis they want, doctors that more readily make a diagnosis will make more money.

With socialised healthcare the doctors have enough traffic to not need more clients usually. I don't think I've met a doctor in Poland (even paying out of pocket) who wanted me to come more often than absolutely necessary.

Sorry, should have made this clearer. I mean private healthcare leads to more diagnoses. In socialised healthcare the doctors have no financial incentive. Hence the original comment saying that diagnoses are less common in Europe.

Re: How I Run a Company with ADHD

#323
post #225

My reaction to this article has been... complex. ----- Bah! Another article about ADHD. ADHD's over diagnosed and not not as big a problem as people make it out to be. But, I'm curious all of a sudden, so I might as well read it. > For the first 19 years of my life I knew I was lazy. Yeah, I'm pretty lazy too. That's just who I am, though. I don't have ADHD... > So what, you can't stop bouncing your leg at the restau…

It's not that you realize halfway through a meeting you haven't heard anything -- everybody does that from time to time -- it's when you CONSTANTLY struggle to follow what others are saying in a meeting, even when it's an important meeting; most of your peers have no trouble doing that; sure, some will also phase out, but they normally don't. It's on the level of the pot head in your team telling you "Dude, you're my…

This like a checklist of things that I do. I've been known to sit there looking like I've been listening to a conversation, and then when someone asks me a question have no idea what anybody was talking about, and that will be the first point at which I notice I wasn't listening to anything going on around me. Thankfully I've got colleagues who are understanding about it, but damn is it embarrassing having to answer with "I'm sorry, I wasn't listening at all".

Re: How I Run a Company with ADHD

#324

My reaction to this article has been... complex. ----- Bah! Another article about ADHD. ADHD's over diagnosed and not not as big a problem as people make it out to be. But, I'm curious all of a sudden, so I might as well read it. > For the first 19 years of my life I knew I was lazy. Yeah, I'm pretty lazy too. That's just who I am, though. I don't have ADHD... > So what, you can't stop bouncing your leg at the restau…

Perhaps ADHD is a frequent misdiagnosis. They are not uncommon in medicine, which is really guesswork in white coats. However, actual ADHD, and other similar attentional or executive function impairments are very likely to be under diagnosed BIG TIME.

Perhaps for some people ADHD is transitional, chronic - related to serious anxiety / pressure. I don't think everything is always 0 or 1

Re: How I Run a Company with ADHD

#325

It’s interesting to see how hard if is to separate ADD from ADHD by a description of traits or behaviors. I have ADD and pretty much recognize myself in a lot of this. It’s almost impossible to focus on anything that is not interesting “right now” and what is “interesting” changes in cycles spanning a few weeks. During a cycle I become completely absorbed, you know, not eat, not sleep and not being communicative, abs…

Are there techniques to trick your mind into thinking that something is interesting?

For me personally, no.

But having had an intake of decent energy during the day, and a 30 min run in the evening allows my brain to brush the teeth and put three beasts to bed at night without collapsing into apathy.

I have to constantly interrupt what I’m doing during the day and “check the sensors” so to speak.

Hands up if you’ve been so consumed you missed lunch more than one instance this last month!

Keep doing that, and the deterioration is in progress.

If not of oneself perhaps relationships? And what is “self”?

Re: How I Run a Company with ADHD

#326
post #149
post #96

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria is big problem for me. I over think things, the slightest misread comment can ruin my day. I am a recent adult ADHD diagnosis recipient, and I never knew that there was words to describe this but it describes me perfectly as well, so thank you for the knowledge kind stranger. I ditched my Ritalin for similar reasons, although I do have a hunch Adderall would help me better since the on…

Why not get a proper prescription with an open minded psych helping guide you?

I read his comment exactly as you meant, i.e.: "I may seek a proper prescription for Adderall since it helped me that one time I got a dosage from someone".

Re: How I Run a Company with ADHD

#327

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In your view, what defines a genuine mental disorder?

Probably something like schizophrenia and dementia, something that's more visible and immediate and evokes an oh-this-guy-is-crazy! reaction. Seems like the OP thinks ADHD and ADD is more akin to personality disorders, which is much fuzzier and is hard to tell if it's a disorder or a 'disorder'.

What is the difference between a disorder and a 'disorder' in that case? When is a disorder really a 'disorder'?

I tend to see classification and diagnosis as a pragmatic means to an end. The important part of defining a personality disorder or a mental disorder in general is to nail down a set of characteristics to effectively diagnose people that suffer from similar conditions and give them access to treatment and advice that may help them relieve the impairment and distress it's causing.

Classification on this level should be largely unconcerned with whether the disorder represents some sort of fundamental deficiency of the brain or some rare personality trait that only becomes a problem due to a failure of society and social expectations. Not because social change to accommodate atypical personalities isn't desirable, but because it doesn't immediately help the diagnosed cope with the conditions they have to deal with in the present.

Because of this, the disorder-'disorder' dichotomy seems wholly useless to me, at least without a clear definitional basis.

Re: How I Run a Company with ADHD

#328
Anyone in the Montreal area could suggest a name for a good doctor to potentially diagnose and treat ADHD? This has been going on all my life and I am extremely fed up with it, I cannot list one single thing I ever finished 'properly' in my life (35+) and this include important academic and work tasks.. I don't want to 'have' anything , or justify my possible laziness/ineptitude, but I want to have professional making the call. Thanks...

Re: How I Run a Company with ADHD

#329

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That sounds like my GP. I struggle with anxiety, depression and obesity among other things. Every time I go to an appointment with them I hear "Well, it's all in the head you know." I hate this and it's the case with most GPs, at least in my country. I genuinely just wish my therapist was also my GP.

> Well, it's all in the head you know. Yes I know, thats exactly where the issue is.

In general that means they think it's imaginary. Find another doctor.

Re: How I Run a Company with ADHD

#330

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Just had to cut out a long digression in true ADD fashion. I'll save it for my future blog! So in short list format, just sharing some methods I employ, sans digressions: 0. Awareness. Took way too long for me to reach it. 1. What is mentioned in the article: prioritisation! That needs to lead to routine. Hard work this, but most important, as I have to be able to engage auto-pilot for "non-interesting" tasks. 2. Sle…

>> 4. Physical activities. Go for a 20 min run. It is boring, but reach the point of proper sweating and keep going for another 10-20 min. Long time skateboarder, hung up in a 9-5, knees are starting to shit the bed at 30, and don't skate much any more as a result. Realized, fairly recently, that over the years my mental state was declining/flatlining largely in part to not exercising. Skating is just fun, provides a…

I was in your spot 8 years ago. Long time surfer, skater, wakeboarder whose body started crapping out. This book changed my life: https://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-Basic-Barbell-Train....

Strength training with barbells fixed all those aches and pains in my knees and joints that braces and doctors and physical therapy couldn't. When I started squatting, I suddenly stopped being afraid to walk down stairs. My posture improved. I noticed I had way more endurance when riding, and it made ever part of that, from carving to pumping, easier and better and more powerful.

For me personally, resistance training with weights is better than almost any other exercise for managing ADHD. I don't know what it is, but something about lifting keeps me focused and calm for a few days after a workout. Cardio never really did that for me.

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