Ask HN: How did an adult ADHD diagnosis help you? • Hacker News Board

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

#101

Post by appstorelottery » Tue, Jun 15, 2021, 1:40 PM UTC

I was diagnosed last year, the change in my life has been nothing short of profound.

I recall the computer based testing before and after the short-term dose of Ritalin. The graph of my body movement and failure rate - I became normal. I could do the task and it wasn't hell under Methlyphenidate. I was relaxed.

On the downside - the change in my behaviour and my ability to be more independent with administration etc. caused my partner and I to separate. My change was too much for her. It makes me sad, however I was an utter pain-in-the-ass for her the way I was. My invoicing and personal accounts were always such a mess, but now I can do these things myself. I'm next-level organised compared to how I was before.

My core work as a strategist / developer has also improved remarkably. I don't rush in and make stupid moves so much these days - and I find myself taking the time to understand things I never had the patience to understand.

In short, I feel like I've been living my life on hard-level my entire life. At 45 everything changed. It's just a shame I wasn't diagnosed earlier, but I didn't believe ADHD was actually a valid disorder.

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

#102

Post by codpiece » Tue, Jun 15, 2021, 1:40 PM UTC

unbearded wrote: post #81

Have been taking Strattera for a few months and wonder how many years of my life I would have not wasted if I had been diagnosed with ADHD earlier in my life. I just turned 40 and I never thought I had ADHD until recently. Before I just thought my lack of attention on things was just the price of being a 10X on productivity (and I was a little arrogant because of it). The reality was that I chose to put my time on ta…

That sounds like me! 10x productivity, sometimes so profoundly bored I'm a blank slate.

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

#103

Post by mijoharas » Tue, Jun 15, 2021, 1:40 PM UTC

nomadiccoder wrote: post #58

kmarc wrote: post #55

Living in Europe, my perception (AKA: anecdotal / unscientific / non-measured) is that most of the ADHD-diagnosed people I know live in the US, while I only know one European person in my network who received similar diagnosis from a professional psychiatrist. Counterintuitively, I know way more European people than Americans, which makes my perception feel even more skewed. I very well know that my sample(ing method…

tech / wealthy people have more access to healthcare in the USA

That might explain why in america more people in tech are diagnosed with ADHD, but would provide evidence against fewer people in europe being diagnosed with ADHD than in america (which is what the poster is asking about) since they have more access to healthcare, and it's not income dependent.

To answer the OP's question, I seem to recall that people with ADHD are more prone to be entrepreneurial (I believe a higher appetite for risk is the general explanation). Here is an article [0].

This would explain things if the people you know in tech happen to work for tech startups.

[0] https://www.forbes.com/sites/dalearcher/2014/05/14/adhd-the-...

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

#104

Post by stared » Tue, Jun 15, 2021, 1:41 PM UTC

First: less guilt (especially important as I had a Catholic upbringing). Before I believed that I am failing at being an adult, and that my parents were right that I am too messy, chaotic, etc.

Second, getting help. I got the most from HowToADHD YouTube Channel, the "Driven to Distraction" book, and conversations with friends having ADHD and working in tech (some other life situations are no that relevant).

Third, started taking Modafinil. It helps me a lot!

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

#105

Post by gwbas1c » Tue, Jun 15, 2021, 1:42 PM UTC

> 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.

If you're happy with your life, why change anything?

Assuming you're considering medication, be careful. Remember that ADHD medication often very similar to methamphetamine, (or is methamphetamine.)

Those drugs are addictive, and when prescribed incorrectly, it's often hard to be objective about if the drugs really benefit you, or if you just enjoy the drugs.

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

#106

Post by Cthulhu_ » Tue, Jun 15, 2021, 1:42 PM UTC

You may have "non-problematic" ADHD, or not consider it a problem. But there may be a few things you struggle with that you aren't telling.

Emotional stability. My girlfriend had massive ups and downs, almost bipolar; the medication (slow release, concerta or its cheaper but equivalent alternative) evened things out. I have a friend who doesn't want the diagnosis or treatment because he's fine with it, and you can tell he struggles with keeping his emotions under control. He mainly gets really frustrated and loses his patience if things aren't going as fast as he wants to.

The other one is getting overwhelmed and/or having meltdowns, because one comorbidity of ADHD is sensory processing disorder. It's things like grocery stores with music and children screaming that can get too much.

Another one is things being "loud / busy" in your head, maddeningly so. I've heard that taking the meds quiets things down, and it's a relief.

Anyway, a diagnosis won't hurt, it'll improve your self-awareness. You won't be forced to take medication or anything if you don't want to. A diagnosis is usually a questionnaire and a "take this ritalin and tell me how you feel in a bit".

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

#107

Post by matlin » Tue, Jun 15, 2021, 1:43 PM UTC

Anyone reading this should be extremely skeptical of internet strangers recommending drugs that gave them "superpowers", changed their life, etc. Taking these drugs will make anyone feel more focused, motivated, etc because these drugs are strong stimulants that cause euphoria, focus, and bursts of energy.

Anecdotally, I've seen a huge uptick in posts of the format "how an ADHD diagnosis changed my life" on Reddit, TikTok, HN, etc. Talk to your doctor about your issues and concerns but don't forget the incentives of pharma companies to push these drugs on as many people as possible.

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

#108

Post by adflux » Tue, Jun 15, 2021, 1:44 PM UTC

Ensorceled wrote: post #32

adflux wrote: post #18

I'd recommend everyone who thinks he or she has ADHD to keep in mind that there are clinics who literally make money by diagnosing you. So make sure you don't go to one of those. This is a problem, even in the Netherlands https://www.trouw.nl/zorg/in-de-adhd-fabriek-is-de-diagnose-... I wish I could find a translated version for you. Anyways, Methlyphinidate (ritalin) should be your very LAST step. Before that, clean…

It sounds like you actually have ADHD but can control it with the perfect environment. Others are not so lucky; either lacking the ability to create the perfect ADHD haven or that haven only working for a while before they relapse. > Anyways, what exactly do you think you have to gain by being "diagnosed" with ADHD? Except for an "excuse" for your problems? Please don't dismiss mental illness this way.

That was too harsh, sorry.

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

#109

Post by RHSman2 » Tue, Jun 15, 2021, 1:45 PM UTC

appstorelottery wrote: post #101

I was diagnosed last year, the change in my life has been nothing short of profound. I recall the computer based testing before and after the short-term dose of Ritalin. The graph of my body movement and failure rate - I became normal. I could do the task and it wasn't hell under Methlyphenidate. I was relaxed. On the downside - the change in my behaviour and my ability to be more independent with administration etc.…

Do you mind me asking a little about the separation? I’m shocked I am in a solid marriage. I am a nightmare...

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

#110

Post by codpiece » Tue, Jun 15, 2021, 1:45 PM UTC

n1000 wrote: post #64

I read this post from 2015 yesterday and was amused because the guy clearly seemed to have ADHD in my opinion [0]. Then in the comments on HN somebody mentioned that the author recently wrote about being diagnosed at 40, which may be an interesting read here [1]. The author says it was like living the Truman show. ADHD can be harmful and comes with a bunch of comorbidities that can also develop later in life. If you…

Thank you. I'm reading both now. Funny how his blog is about 'living your best life', the exact reason I went to therapy to begin with.

I don't have trouble listening, but the opposite. I empathize so strongly when people talk to me about their problems that I end up exhausted.