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My ADHD founder toolbox

hypatia.ca

151–160 of 413 posts

Re: My ADHD founder toolbox

#151

I diagnosed when I was like... 8 years old. From then to 17 I was on various meds, finally gave them all up. So for about 22 years I've coped with ADHD without meds. I am a Staff Engineer and make a good living, respected in my field. Regardless of anything else, I think the key thing to remember about ADHD is that you do not need to be a high-performing human being, at all, in life. You will forget things and get di…

> Regardless of anything else, I think the key thing to remember about ADHD is that you do not need to be a high-performing human being, at all, in life. You will forget things and get distracted and not get as much done. So what. You are still intelligent and caring and dedicated and responsible and a hard worker. Exactly! I was diagnosed later in life by which time I had experienced a significant amount of trauma e…

Riding the waves, great metaphor!

When I stopped fighting them, my life got much easier. I found a way of working that suits this better.

Re: My ADHD founder toolbox

#153

As someone who is also battling ADHD, I feel super anxious reading the comments here all talking about X and Y medicine, which I am super not wanting to do. I used to do therapy but I found my therapist was making videos on Facebook about a few things I told him (though I was never named but I felt this was a huge breach of trust). I exercise quite a bit. (lots of cardio and core exercises, I particularly enjoy barbe…

(sorry, I feel I'm taking over this post, lol, but f it) my coping strategies have been: 1) carve out some time to do distractionless work. check calendar, put up away message, close email, turn on background music (cafe jazz, Bob Ross, or intelligent d&b) w/headphones, write down a small task to complete on sticky note next to monitor, set timer (maybe multiple). 2) have a routine. weekday: work 9-5, gym, cook, misc…

Thank you for the comment. It's good to hear from someone who has been able to cope without the use of medication. The most advice I've been able to find online is really buy XYZ drug OR buy ABC app. I've been trying to stay away from these sort of things.

Re: My ADHD founder toolbox

#154
post #135
post #90

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think you are a bit premature in your assessment. The first month usually works for most people. Later on, you may find that it has no effect, worse, you start developing a dependency. People don't give up medication due to ideals or laziness, many find that the disease is often manageable using less addictive approaches like CBT. That said, if medications cure you altogether, there's nothing better. But ADHD, unli…

Do you wear glasses? Would you say you have a dependency on them? I know my wife does. So what? Again with the stigma. There’s little medical reason to expect stimulant effectiveness to change after the first couple of weeks, the “honeymoon period”, during which the mood lifting effects are most pronounced. It’s also that same effect that is the main attraction for abusers because it can give euphoria in high enough…

Are you not aware that dopamine receptor density increases over time with amphetamine use? Amphetamine may be a net positive for some folks despite this, but for others it actually exacerbates the condition over time.

Re: My ADHD founder toolbox

#155

I diagnosed when I was like... 8 years old. From then to 17 I was on various meds, finally gave them all up. So for about 22 years I've coped with ADHD without meds. I am a Staff Engineer and make a good living, respected in my field. Regardless of anything else, I think the key thing to remember about ADHD is that you do not need to be a high-performing human being, at all, in life. You will forget things and get di…

> Regardless of anything else, I think the key thing to remember about ADHD is that you do not need to be a high-performing human being, at all, in life. You will forget things and get distracted and not get as much done. So what. You are still intelligent and caring and dedicated and responsible and a hard worker. Exactly! I was diagnosed later in life by which time I had experienced a significant amount of trauma e…

Your comment about foresight… enlightening. I’m often in a position where I’ve mapped out a problem far ahead of my peers, sometimes I have to let them toil with the problem for a while before I break the bad news. Quick wit has never been my strong suit, though.

Re: My ADHD founder toolbox

#156
post #135

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Do you wear glasses? Would you say you have a dependency on them? I know my wife does. So what? Again with the stigma. There’s little medical reason to expect stimulant effectiveness to change after the first couple of weeks, the “honeymoon period”, during which the mood lifting effects are most pronounced. It’s also that same effect that is the main attraction for abusers because it can give euphoria in high enough…

Are you not aware that dopamine receptor density increases over time with amphetamine use? Amphetamine may be a net positive for some folks despite this, but for others it actually exacerbates the condition over time.

Cite please?

Re: My ADHD founder toolbox

#157
post #135

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Do you wear glasses? Would you say you have a dependency on them? I know my wife does. So what? Again with the stigma. There’s little medical reason to expect stimulant effectiveness to change after the first couple of weeks, the “honeymoon period”, during which the mood lifting effects are most pronounced. It’s also that same effect that is the main attraction for abusers because it can give euphoria in high enough…

Are you not aware that dopamine receptor density increases over time with amphetamine use? Amphetamine may be a net positive for some folks despite this, but for others it actually exacerbates the condition over time.

I think it’s a decrease of receptors or an increase of re-uptake. But yes, there have been results pointing in that direction, but as far as I’m aware this is not as clear as that. Who does it affect? Is it seen with abusers or with users of (generally much lower dosed) meds? How much? How does this compare to the dopamine deficiency we see without treatment? Etc. But if you have a good and recent source, I’d love to read it.

Re: My ADHD founder toolbox

#158

I diagnosed when I was like... 8 years old. From then to 17 I was on various meds, finally gave them all up. So for about 22 years I've coped with ADHD without meds. I am a Staff Engineer and make a good living, respected in my field. Regardless of anything else, I think the key thing to remember about ADHD is that you do not need to be a high-performing human being, at all, in life. You will forget things and get di…

> Regardless of anything else, I think the key thing to remember about ADHD is that you do not need to be a high-performing human being, at all, in life. You will forget things and get distracted and not get as much done. So what. You are still intelligent and caring and dedicated and responsible and a hard worker. Exactly! I was diagnosed later in life by which time I had experienced a significant amount of trauma e…

Your comment really, really moved me. And I identify so hard with the press enter anecdote.

Thank you.

Re: My ADHD founder toolbox

#159

As someone who is also battling ADHD, I feel super anxious reading the comments here all talking about X and Y medicine, which I am super not wanting to do. I used to do therapy but I found my therapist was making videos on Facebook about a few things I told him (though I was never named but I felt this was a huge breach of trust). I exercise quite a bit. (lots of cardio and core exercises, I particularly enjoy barbe…

(sorry, I feel I'm taking over this post, lol, but f it) my coping strategies have been: 1) carve out some time to do distractionless work. check calendar, put up away message, close email, turn on background music (cafe jazz, Bob Ross, or intelligent d&b) w/headphones, write down a small task to complete on sticky note next to monitor, set timer (maybe multiple). 2) have a routine. weekday: work 9-5, gym, cook, misc…

Shoutout to intelligent DNB!

Re: My ADHD founder toolbox

#160
post #141

I diagnosed when I was like... 8 years old. From then to 17 I was on various meds, finally gave them all up. So for about 22 years I've coped with ADHD without meds. I am a Staff Engineer and make a good living, respected in my field. Regardless of anything else, I think the key thing to remember about ADHD is that you do not need to be a high-performing human being, at all, in life. You will forget things and get di…

As a noob, can you guys give me an idea of what it is to live with ADHD? My understanding is that focus is a spectrum and different people are on different spots on that spectrum. I always imagine that something becomes a condition and gets a name (like ADHD) once it becomes an issue in your life and prevents you from functioning in society. When I hear that you're a staff engineer it sorts of tells me that it's not…

> something becomes a condition and gets a name (like ADHD) once it becomes an issue in your life and prevents you from functioning in society.

It gets named once it becomes an issue in life. It doesn't need to be as bad as being unable to function to get diagnosed.

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