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My ADHD founder toolbox

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Re: My ADHD founder toolbox

#261

Post by mtsr »

emptyfile wrote: post #252
TeMPOraL wrote: post #235

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I don't care about stigma, but comparing a drug to a wheel chair is just ridiculous. Why? Just because it comes in a pill form, instead of being conspicuous, doesn't make it any less of a help for a medical condition. > I don't want to get addicted to another thing in my life, The point of this comparison is that "being addicted to" ADHD meds is not in the category of "being addicted to heroine" - it's in the categ…

And yet I'm seeing here a whole thread of people talking about astronomical doses, reduced effects after tolerance kicks in, negative experiences and so on. So classic drug talk. Seems pretty strange that I should take your sourceless claims as gospel over theirs. >Stimulant medication aren't speed, they're like "1/100 speed". These are literally two identical substances with almost identical effects (the only differ…

> sourceless claims

Excuse me? There's roughly 60 years of research into the effectiveness of stimulants as a treatment for ADHD. It is probably the single best researched psychiatric drug.

While it's always useful to discuss a proven treatments relevance in the light of newly discovered alternatives, there really is no (significant) doubt in the scientific community about the effectiveness of stimulants. Given the body of evidence, I would say it's more fair to ask you to add some citations to your comments.

> These are literally two identical substances

Yes, they are. That doesn't mean that in patients with a dopamine dysregulation they don't have great therapeutic effect. One could call the euphoria nothing but an unfortunate side-effect leading to abuse in the general population.

> numbers of amphetamine addicts

So, there are addicts. That has nothing to do with therapeutic use.

> Yes, they should be cautions in my opinion.

Since they aren't prescribed to self-diagnosed ADHD patients, there should always be a doctor involved. And I can tell you the titration and monitoring is taken quite seriously, at least where I'm from.

> Using crutches can make physical rehabilitation impossible.

If you're missing a leg, that rehabilitation is going to take a long long time. As will be the case with ADHD. You might learn to cope better, but your symptoms aren’t going anywhere. ADHD isn’t something that generally gets better with age, although better coping skills may mean some people don’t experience as much of an impact on life.

And yes, stimulants are a crutch, but they do help people function better despite their disability.

Re: My ADHD founder toolbox

#262

Post by LoganDark »

romwell wrote: post #142

I've been diagnosed last year, at 34, and my life has started making so much more sense . Wish I got diagnosed earlier — getting a mathematics PhD with untreated ADHD was double plus ungood. I didn't know anything about ADHD, and was sure I don't have it because it's described as "deficit of attention" (spoiler: it's not). I realized I need to look into it after relating to one too many ADHD memes. In the aftermath,…

THANK YOU SO MUCH for this wiki!! It has so many wonderful things!

Re: My ADHD founder toolbox

#263

Post by mlrtime »

emptyfile wrote: post #252
TeMPOraL wrote: post #235

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I don't care about stigma, but comparing a drug to a wheel chair is just ridiculous. Why? Just because it comes in a pill form, instead of being conspicuous, doesn't make it any less of a help for a medical condition. > I don't want to get addicted to another thing in my life, The point of this comparison is that "being addicted to" ADHD meds is not in the category of "being addicted to heroine" - it's in the categ…

And yet I'm seeing here a whole thread of people talking about astronomical doses, reduced effects after tolerance kicks in, negative experiences and so on. So classic drug talk. Seems pretty strange that I should take your sourceless claims as gospel over theirs. >Stimulant medication aren't speed, they're like "1/100 speed". These are literally two identical substances with almost identical effects (the only differ…

This thread really describes the issues with all drug use. Drugs (licit or illicit) affect people differently.

So instead of focusing on bespoke medications we try to ban them all if a small percentage of people have addictive natures or negative side effects.

How about we agree that drugs can be beneficial and harmful, but keep them legal for the large percentage of people it actually helps.

Re: My ADHD founder toolbox

#264

Post by Smithalicious »

throwawaaarrgh wrote: post #51

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…

I'm gonna back you up here. My life is much better without the meds. I have no issues with people who do prefer being medicated, but as the comments to this show there's a weird non-acceptance of people who do not want to be medicated.

Being on meds destroyed my creativity and emotional life, gave me devastating crashes every day and made me feel like I had to fit my entire life into the 6-12 hours a day they were active. If my career required me to go back on meds I would choose a different career, and that is just fine. Structuring your life so that it fits your unmedicated, natural self is just fine. Taking medication if it truly makes you happier is also just fine. Don't judge.

Re: My ADHD founder toolbox

#265

Post by cpsns »

biggerChris wrote: post #124
throwawaaarrgh wrote: post #51

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…

Quoted post unavailable.

> a career that fits their routine

Ignoring the rest of the comment, I wish everyday I could have this, but I’m not convinced it exists. Modern society and work culture feels setup to be as painful as possible to people like myself.

Re: My ADHD founder toolbox

#266

Post by [deleted] »

herbst wrote: post #184

Many people here write about trying or hoping to be normal. Do you realize how man founders and extraordinary people have or had ADHD? How about not getting normal, but finding a life/work that fits to you and your lifestyle.

[deleted]

Re: My ADHD founder toolbox

#267

Post by Eumenes »

rastamutta wrote: post #174

The fact that everyone is diagnosed with adhd and then given amphetamines is going to be the medical scandal of this century. I have several friends who have become unbearable due to being constantly high, one of them quit their job and is now unemployed and alone, unable to function in crowds. Of course they all report that they feel great on the speed!

Seriously. There are "doctors" offices in NYC that operate in 5 minute appointment intervals. The entire waiting room is full of white collar professionals or college students with this terrible disease, ADHD. Anyone who wants it can get it, you just gotta find a pill mill. You self diagnose by saying "I can't concentrate" or "I get distracted" and the shrink writes you a legal script for speed. Some places may have you answer a questionnaire, which is self fulfilling prophecy. Seriously, look at these questions, its laughable this qualifies you for legal meth - https://add.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/adhd-questionnair...

Re: My ADHD founder toolbox

#268

Post by inkblotuniverse »

mtsr wrote: post #234
flakeoil wrote: post #229

Earlier quoted context omitted.

For sure, if it really is ADHD, I'm all in for treatments if they work well for the patient. It's just that so many here on HN and elsewhere think they need medicines because they have problems to focus at work or in school or while reading a book. On a slightly different note, focus and concentration is maybe not the ideal state either. Maybe creativity (new ideas, new angles, new thoughts) will be affected which in…

Saying somebody is creative because of their ADHD is like saying a person is charming because of their glasses. These things do not need to be related, they are charming and they happen to wear glasses. They are creative and happen to have ADHD. Do not ascribe talents people have to their disabilities. Besides, it's just a stereotype and doesn't hold for everyone with ADHD.

I could imagine someone who looked so much better while wearing glasses that "they're charming because of their glasses" is true.

Anyway, it seems much more likely that there would be a causative link between ADHD and creativity- e.g. some common underlying factor that boosts the explore tendency in explore/exploit along with openness to experience. A brain that naturally roams more could be expected to produce more novel syntheses.

Re: My ADHD founder toolbox

#269

Post by darkwater »

I have this question which comes up in my mind every time I read about ADHD in tech (here, Twitter, blogs etc), which is really genuine and with no second intentions: my feeling is that ADHD seems over represented in tech, but I don't know if it's because ADHD is more invisible in life outside tech jobs, or because people with AHDH in tech are "louder", or because there is a relationship between ADHD and being good at software engineering, or if it's an American thing (I'm European), or what else?

I know the topic might be delicate, but I would really like to understand better.

Re: My ADHD founder toolbox

#270

Post by rtikulit »

rastamutta wrote: post #174

The fact that everyone is diagnosed with adhd and then given amphetamines is going to be the medical scandal of this century. I have several friends who have become unbearable due to being constantly high, one of them quit their job and is now unemployed and alone, unable to function in crowds. Of course they all report that they feel great on the speed!

Everyone is different, and it's unfortunate that your friend's experience is not good, and that you don't know anyone with a healthy relationship with their medication.

The truth is that lots of people manage their stimulants just fine. Across everyone I know on stimulants, 8 friends and family, none are as you describe. These are people I physically see on a regular basis. No one is addicted, high, unable to function or experiencing material personality changes. Every single one of them is taking low to moderate doses, as needed, and says their stimulants changed their life for the better, allowing them to function "normally" at work or school.

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