Ask HN: How did an adult ADHD diagnosis help you?

#1

Post by codpiece » Tue, Jun 15, 2021, 11:58 AM UTC

My therapist wants to explore an ADHD diagnosis, run tests and dive deep. My question to you is; how did this help you or impact your life?

I am in the later half of an adventurous and successful career. I continue to grow, have a long-term stable marriage, good savings, great life. I went to my therapist to handle a lingering family issue and now we've come up to the ADHD talk.

They want to run neurological tests, said I'm 'twice exceptional' and I see this as an expensive and time consuming diversion of my goals. I do admit that there is some validity in the idea, I do see symptoms, but how would this help me at this point in my life?

Re: Ask HN: How did an adult ADHD diagnosis help you?

#2

Post by corobo » Tue, Jun 15, 2021, 12:02 PM UTC

I've been on medication for about a week now and I've not thought about offing myself once since starting. That seems dramatic but honestly that used to be the default go-to answer for any problem that couldn't be resolved within a day or so. Seems a bit excessive of a response to problems now.. It really looks like my depression might be rooted in undiagnosed ADHD.

I can also if not properly focus on tasks at least force myself to finish whatever I'm working on before wandering off. I'm going to give it another week then ask for a bump on the dosage to see if that helps that one

Negatives:

Sweating a bunch, especially at night. Then again we are just about cruising into summer and in my old place I had aircon so that might be unrelated, but it is a possible side effect.

Appetite seems to have taken a hit too. While I am fully for that (I could lose a bit of weight no bother) I will keep an eye on it

Due to covid restrictions I've not been seen for talky therapy or anything yet, this is purely medicinal treatment currently but it's been a MASSIVE positive move for me

Re: Ask HN: How did an adult ADHD diagnosis help you?

#3

Post by fruityrudy » Tue, Jun 15, 2021, 12:31 PM UTC

What are the symptoms of adult ADHD?

Re: Ask HN: How did an adult ADHD diagnosis help you?

#4

Post by JSeymourATL » Tue, Jun 15, 2021, 12:34 PM UTC

> how would this help me...

File this under Know Thyself.

You may not actually need the professional diagnosis to confirm this hunch. Moving forward, assume it’s likely true.

Incidentally, Peter Shankman has an excellent podcast where he interviews people with ADHD from all walks of life. > https://www.fasterthannormal.com/a-special-love-w-shauna-dan...

Re: Ask HN: How did an adult ADHD diagnosis help you?

#5

Post by snarfy » Tue, Jun 15, 2021, 12:39 PM UTC

> I went to my therapist to handle a lingering family issue and now we've come up to the ADHD talk

Ditch your therapist.

Re: Ask HN: How did an adult ADHD diagnosis help you?

#6

Post by codesnik » Tue, Jun 15, 2021, 12:39 PM UTC

There could be consequences, btw. Like being barred from getting a pilots license in US if you'd ever acquire a taste for flying for example.

Re: Ask HN: How did an adult ADHD diagnosis help you?

#7

Post by mial » Tue, Jun 15, 2021, 12:41 PM UTC

corobo wrote: post #2

I've been on medication for about a week now and I've not thought about offing myself once since starting. That seems dramatic but honestly that used to be the default go-to answer for any problem that couldn't be resolved within a day or so. Seems a bit excessive of a response to problems now.. It really looks like my depression might be rooted in undiagnosed ADHD. I can also if not properly focus on tasks at least…

Medication helped a lot in the beginning, but what really helped in the long term was talk therapy, and setting up helpful systems and habits such as exercising, diet, journalling. But this would not have been possible without taking Ritalin in the first place. I'm mostly off-meds now.

Re: Ask HN: How did an adult ADHD diagnosis help you?

#8

Post by Ensorceled » Tue, Jun 15, 2021, 12:42 PM UTC

I got a diagnosis after two failed marriages, a stalled career, issues around emotional dysregulation and rejection sensitivity.

The diagnosis, and resulting treatment, changed my life.

Not sure it will help you given you don't seem to be suffering from it.

Re: Ask HN: How did an adult ADHD diagnosis help you?

#9

Post by qwerty456127 » Tue, Jun 15, 2021, 12:43 PM UTC

No real help in many countries because Adderal and Desoxyn are completely illegal in the most. In fact the only thing that really helped me were small amounts of meth which is legally available (in the USA only) as Desoxyn. 1/4 Xanax + 1200mg piracetam combo also did nice job but every time I tried it Xanax felt having notably less effect. So, for some time, I settled with nicotine-heavy vape which made me at least slightly productive.

Re: Ask HN: How did an adult ADHD diagnosis help you?

#10

Post by iovrthoughtthis » Tue, Jun 15, 2021, 12:44 PM UTC

seeking diagnosis but seems very likely from professionals ive been assessed by.

just a note, i’m not looking for feedback or criticism of these things im experiencing.

accepting i might have adhd helped me in a few ways:

1. i could stop being quite so hard on myself for fucking up (usually organisational stuff)

2. i’ve started separating the parts of my identity i took on as an explanation for my needs (e.g low frustration threshold means i need minimalism and convenience). which is useful because now im starting to see what i “need” to function well and what i actually value.

3. ive started to build my life in ways that enable me to overcome stuff. e.g i thought i was very introverted and need alone time (and it turns out i am and do) but i need things to help me engage with boring tasks and other people are so engaging. so now i try to book in time to pair on boring tasks.

5. i absolutely cannot live without a todo list and a calendar. of i do not write it down, it is gone. i can finally accept this and stop trying to get better at remembering things.

there are numerous other things too that i will likely think of / discover as time passes.