Ask HN: How to deal with ADHD without meds?

I can't help directly as I am medicated, so naturally anything I do might be possible because of that.

However what did help me before diagnosis was this YouTube channel and trying out the techniques that clicked with me https://youtube.com/HowtoADHD

How does that help?

Relevant reading:

“[The Real Happy Pill] provides further evidence to support the effectiveness of physical exercise, with the aid of additional neuroscientific evidence, as a support mechanism when coping with the stress and anxiety of everyday life. By engaging in regular physical exercise, Hansen states, you may even improve your cognitive functioning across your lifetime.”

I haven’t read it myself yet, but it sure seems like an interesting book.

https://www.studio3.org/post/book-review-the-real-happy-pill

Nice free blog comment. Great article. https://www.peryourhealth.live/

I was diagnosed as a 30 year-old. Here are some things that might help.

* Accept it and be realistic about it. ADHD is a disorder. There is no cure. Don't expect it to go away or for you some system, drug or technique to reduce it to zero. There are no silver bullets

* Forgive yourself. Getting worked up about the disorder only causes more pain, anger and stress. You are not lazy.

* Address any other mental health problems that may be related to or caused by ADHD. I am still recovering from anxiety related to my ADHD.

* Medication is effective. If there is any reasonable route to trying it then do so. Some people report night and day differences.

* Routines help me a lot. A good routine becomes automatic. Think about some of the things in life that you do automatically and completely without thinking. Try to make a routine that serves your goals and the things you want to do. I prefer a routine that is the same every single day (including weekends) if possible.

* Your working memory is impaired. Do not try to remember anything. I always keep a notepad and pen next to my computer as a substitute for working memory.

* Distractions. Some are worse than others but people with ADHD are more susceptible. Find a way to reduce notifications, alerts (both auditory and visual). When you are focusing on something, try to remove anything else from your visual field. I have two monitors but I make sure that if I only need one window for the task at hand then the other monitor is showing the desktop.

* In the same way, if you want to be sure to remember something, keep it in your visual field. When I'm using my to do list software and I select a task, I put it as a small window in the top left of my screen (with all the other remaining tasks hidden of course!). If I get distracted I can simply look to the top left of my screen to remember what I was doing.

Knowing you have ADHD is a great first step. Improvement is possible, but it takes time (years, not weeks).