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ADHD, a Lifelong Struggle (2018)

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Re: ADHD, a Lifelong Struggle (2018)

#311

Post by cartoonfoxes »

WBrad wrote: post #151
lawrenceyan wrote: post #137

Meditation helped me to deal with ADHD immensely. My ability to focus and concentrate is now on par if not better than most of my peers, though it requires me to spend about an hour every day in the morning to meditate. I find that it’s very much worth the time investment, and would recommend anyone struggling with focus/anxiety to try it themselves.

Do you have any resources for getting started? I struggle with ADHD every day.

Mindfulness is the simplest, and there's not much to getting started. Try it now.

Take five to fifteen minutes. Focus your attention on, and notice your breathing. You will immediately become distracted. Notice thoughts as they arise, and attempt to return your attention to your breathing. Repeat as necessary or desired.

The subjective experience of this loop changes the more practice you get. You haven't failed if you can't reach a steady-state. You're already in steady-state of yourselfness.

Re: ADHD, a Lifelong Struggle (2018)

#312

Post by mhh__ »

istjohn wrote: post #270
mhh__ wrote: post #257

I wonder whether I have mild ADHD but I'm not sure whether I'm just young - and not willing to use the NHS to find out. (or ADHD-ish but not actually "ill", for want of a better term). I can relate to the symptoms on the NHS website (for adults) but I'd rather not self-diagnose. One thing that doesn't seem to fit is that I can focus very hard (by my standards at least) (for short periods of time) on things but not th…

You're describing hyperfocus, which is a common manifestation of ADHD. ADHD is fundamentally the result of disordered executive functioning. That means someone with ADHD has difficulty controlling their attention. In some people, that means they bounce from thing to thing, in others that means they hyperfocus on certain things for too long losing track of other priorities like eating, sleeping, homework, etc. Failing…

Thank you

Re: ADHD, a Lifelong Struggle (2018)

#313

Post by hinkley »

caleb-allen wrote: post #267
matheusmoreira wrote: post #67

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Unless it happens to magically coincide with their hyper-focus topic of the moment! It's funny. People with ADHD suffer from attention deficit but at the same time they display hyperattention when they encounter a subject they like. I've experienced it as well: once I start programming I have no problem doing it for 12 hours straight. I've found this trait in many ADHD patients. There's usually something that reall…

My favorite explanation is that of a hunter. Those with ADHD spend 90% of their time imagining, thinking, doing everything and nothing. And to any observer they look stupid, or undisciplined, or lazy. Like the hunt, when somebody with ADHD encounters an situation with very high (perceived) consequences, they will lock into intense hyperfocus, completely singular in their goal. So the modes of operation are 1) philoso…

There's a few theories out there around sensory processing difficulties, which I've been looking into a lot lately to pretty good effect. Check out The Highly Sensitive Person. (Seriously. get yourself a pair of earplugs and see how that alters your sense of focus on moderately interesting tasks, if it does anything, you should read the book). The TLDR is that when engaging in a task you have to reach the correct activation level to perform it, and it's a struggle for some people.

Some people think that a lot of ADHD people or misdiagnosed, others that it's just another symptom of ADHD.

Which is why some people have to fidget, or listen to music, or move around in order to get stuff done. Or why I'm a worse driver if I can't have the radio on.

The pinnacle of this for me was about half a dozen years ago, I was slugging out some code for a personal project. But I was also feeling nostalgic for an old movie (can't recall which, but let's say it was The Princess Bride). So I put it on in the background. But this isn't quite getting me in The Zone, so this is the scene my partner walks into:

I'm sitting on the couch typing. In all likelihood my knee is bouncing (makes laptops a bit tricky). There's 90's music coming out of my laptop, The Princess Bride is on the TV.

Her head is about to explode. You would think I was killing kittens. She has an ADHD diagnosis, and this plan I have enacted is so anathema to her coping mechanisms that she can't even bear to witness it. Which is too bad because I was getting rather a lot done.

Re: ADHD, a Lifelong Struggle (2018)

#314

Post by SirSavary »

mdthrowaway wrote: post #106
SirSavary wrote: post #103

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Hate to break it to you, but the OP's edited comment is far less harmful than yours. I've been suffering from a myriad of symptoms that happen to match up with Segawa's... a disease I learned about less than ten minutes ago. > please don't write them Please don't make statements requesting that other's don't share their experiences with misdiagnosis and rare conditions. It's rude and furthers the stigma that some con…

> Hate to break it to you, but the OP's edited comment is far less harmful than yours. It has been significantly, damned near whole cloth, edited in several ways since I said something, so I'd ask a little consideration that I'm coming from a good place. I'm not asking for anyone to avoid discussing Segawa's; I'm specifically responding to the speculation, across multiple comments, that the common element of dopamine…

Appreciate the comment and was unaware that it had been edited after your second comment.

I won't be diagnosing myself off of Wikipedia, next to no one in my family has the symptoms that I do so I doubt it's something like Segawa's.

I appreciate the apology and hope my reply didn't come off as too aggressive. Part of my tone comes from personal experience: doctors stating that I don't have a condition because it would be "statistically unlikely"... all without running a single test.

Re: ADHD, a Lifelong Struggle (2018)

#315

Post by eq_sd_ »

munk-a wrote: post #276
klipklop wrote: post #262

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You can avoid becoming resistant to the medication by taking "holidays". I usually do this Friday-Sunday most weeks. A daily alternative can be wellbutrin or aplenzin as well. Also most people can get away with generics so even without insurance the meds are cheap. The psych visits will cost $300-400 a pop though....

Most of these are still schedule 1s though, so if an insurance change forces you to a new GP you can get the prescription yanked - there's no guarantee of access to methylphenidate in the US, there aren't any over the counter methylphenidates and any other acquisition route would probably break the law (like buying it in Mexico or from a friend). That said, at some point it's going to be worth it to just pay out-of-p…

Stimulants are Schedule 2 in the US

Re: ADHD, a Lifelong Struggle (2018)

#316

Post by hinkley »

vonseel wrote: post #147
matheusmoreira wrote: post #67

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Unless it happens to magically coincide with their hyper-focus topic of the moment! It's funny. People with ADHD suffer from attention deficit but at the same time they display hyperattention when they encounter a subject they like. I've experienced it as well: once I start programming I have no problem doing it for 12 hours straight. I've found this trait in many ADHD patients. There's usually something that reall…

* There's usually something that really turns them on and I always try to find it.* Yep, and that something can drift over years, days, even minutes. I find code very conducive to hyperfocus, maybe more so than something like playing guitar - it's funny, because so much of coding can be mundane and repetitive, but that quality seems to help with getting started and finding a flow state. I rarely hyperfocus on writing…

If you think code can be repetitive, try learning to play an instrument.

Playing the same chords over and over again, making fewer and fewer mistakes, all while this song you used to love, you are now beginning to have serious doubts about.

Re: ADHD, a Lifelong Struggle (2018)

#317

Post by hinkley »

Gene_Parmesan wrote: post #153
khalilravanna wrote: post #80

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's interesting to hear about ADHD causing mood swings/anger/irritability and the stimulants doing away with them. Is that a common trait of the illness? I only noticed that after I started taking stimulants my temper became a lot more short. It's to the point that I have to be really cognizant of it lest I inadvertently snap at someone due to some biological response (really not good as a leader in an organizatio…

So I'm not a researcher, just a sufferer, but my understanding is that yes, emotional regulation issues are common with ADHD. Attention-deficit is kind of a misnomer; a lot of doctors now think "executive functioning disorder" would be a better name. Executive functioning is sort of the layer that sits on top of our underlying systems - whether they be behavioral or emotional - and allows us some level of conscious a…

Since we're comparing notes, do you find yourself hearing sounds that nobody else hears?

Executive function may be involved, but the inability to filter sensory information is a pretty big part of things for many people.

When I'm two rooms away shouting "What is the dog eating?" to two people who are sitting in the same room as the dog, that's not about executive function.

Re: ADHD, a Lifelong Struggle (2018)

#318

Post by eq_sd_ »

munk-a wrote: post #309
klipklop wrote: post #290

Earlier quoted context omitted.

For some folks wellbutrin/bupropion can be used to treat ADHD. It is schedule IV so access is easy and generics (I think generics kinda suck for me with this med) are very cheap. Does it work as good as stimulants? Nope, but its certainly easier to get and can help some people. I feel going to a GP to get a very restricted stimulant is a uphill battle. Go to a ADHD specialist psych. Despite having diagnosed ADHD sinc…

My personal experience here is a bit limited - I grew up in the states but after college I emigrated up to Canada so... yea I generally get scripts from my gp up here for a full year's supply at a time and end up paying something like 1/30th of a cent (CAD) per pill for it. While I was in the states I had to fight to keep my script when I transitioned from my parent's insurance to my employer's in college, and ended…

My experience with US ADHD medical providers is that they require an appointment every 3 months where you get another 3 scripts (with 2 being dated for the future months). One let me go a whole year without having an appointment but I also didn't ask for a script every month. Generics stimulants have been cheap with and without insurance (or with GoodRX).

After I moved and got a new GP and asked for a stimulant prescription, they wanted me to come in every single month and do a urine drug screen even if I provided info from my former providers. I switched to an ADHD specialist right after that. It's much more expensive but they treat me with respect.

Re: ADHD, a Lifelong Struggle (2018)

#319

Post by eq_sd_ »

DudeIsJammin wrote: post #303
rubyn00bie wrote: post #188

I was somewhat recently diagnosed with ADD and the diagnosis has truly changed my life. I, for the first time, in roughly 12 years of writing software professionally, am able finish a project enough to open source it-- and I am days away from being able to do so. It feels insanely good. Like something I've only dreamed of as silly as that is, and I don't even care if folks use it (it's not that good), but it's the fa…

I sometimes wonder how much gaming, and stimulating websites like youtube, reddit play a roll in actually creating ADHD. It's kind of a chicken or the egg situation, do people have ADHD and because they have ADHD they are more susceptible to gaming addiction? or do they become addicted to these sites/games which then creates ADHD type symptoms. Not saying ADHD isn't an actual thing, but I've noticed a reoccurring the…

ADHD (especially untreated) and substance abuse/addiction is pretty common

Re: ADHD, a Lifelong Struggle (2018)

#320

Post by lawrenceyan »

falcolas wrote: post #240
lawrenceyan wrote: post #137

Meditation helped me to deal with ADHD immensely. My ability to focus and concentrate is now on par if not better than most of my peers, though it requires me to spend about an hour every day in the morning to meditate. I find that it’s very much worth the time investment, and would recommend anyone struggling with focus/anxiety to try it themselves.

Funny. ADHD for me means no meditation. The focus needed to meditate is impossible to gather, even medicated. Attempts at meditation immediately becomes rumination, where I play through all the conversations I could possibly have in the coming day (and exploring the worst case scenarios), which leads to elevated stress, which makes the ADHD tendencies worse.

I would say that the majority of my meditation I do everyday consists of becoming distracted, noticing I’m distracted, going back to focusing on my breath, becoming distracted, repeating ad infinitum.

It’s about training yourself to become better at 1) noticing you’re distracted and 2) bringing yourself back into focus. It’s pretty much muscle training except for your brain, specifically on improving executive functioning.

Very little of meditation actually follows the “pure zen enlightenment” that’s commonly associated with it. Of course sometimes I do get a few minutes of that close to the end of my meditating sessions, but it’s not my main priority when I meditate and the majority of the benefits really come from the portions where I’m getting distracted and working on improving my ability to get back to focus.

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