100% this. I have been struggling with this for the last 5 years and only after my son was diagnosed with ADHD did I realize that I have it as well. Just having an explanation for the challenges makes life easier and I don’t have to beat myself up about it so much.
Tell HN: If you have trouble focusing on projects/meetings, see a psychatrist
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Re: Tell HN: If you have trouble focusing on projects/meetings, see a psychatrist
#12While it's trying having your 'personality' shown to you as just coping mechanism of your disorder, but it's nice to feel so included too ;)
Re: Tell HN: If you have trouble focusing on projects/meetings, see a psychatrist
#13I know your post isn't money-related, but let me digress. What is the point of fixing your procrastination? What goal are you really trying to achieve?
If you can't pay attention in project meetings, so what? It's not like you'll get a $100,000 bonus for doing so.
If there was a $10 million gold bar in the bottom of your backyard pond I don't think you'd procrastinate learning how and going about recovering it. It would probably occupy all your attention.
In my opinion the solution is to change your focus in life to things that pay out higher rewards. I.e. instead of paying more attention in meetings, do the minimum to not get fired and figure out ways to make more money (find another job, start a business, etc.). If your job is already high-paying then focus on things that are high impact on impressing your managers.
If the result of fixing your "procrastination" gives very negligible long-term financial benefits then it's not really worth it.
I also often don't listen to my wife - unintentionally - but it's because she often says things without a lot of substance. So it's hard for me to keep focus.
I've had lifelong procrastination issues too. Maybe I have an attention disorder as well (but undiagnosed). But I have a few million in my brokerage/retirement accounts, and my own startup with millions in funding, so do I care? Nope not really.
Anyways, my advice is to figure out where the metaphorical gold bars are and go after those instead.
Re: Tell HN: If you have trouble focusing on projects/meetings, see a psychatrist
#14Know where I can do that in a reasonable time frame? Because I've been trying to find a psychiatrist to check my work on my Bipolar 2 self-diagnosis and of the 5 clinics I found only 1 ever got back to me about appointments, which are several months out for availability.
Re: Tell HN: If you have trouble focusing on projects/meetings, see a psychatrist
#15Or figure out a system that works for you. Medication is not the only way.
Re: Tell HN: If you have trouble focusing on projects/meetings, see a psychatrist
#16I had done the same in the past and was prescribed Vyvanse which I liked much better than Adderall. Adderall was enjoyable & worked but it also felt really good and I wanted to take more when it was wearing off for the day.
Vyvanse seemed to be even more effective at helping me focus, it would last its 8-10 hours and then I didn't have any desire to take more for the day. It did make my stomach hurt for a short period when it was wearing off though(not for the whole day or even very much of it).
After a couple Iraq tours I had such difficulty concentrating and became someone who procrastinated & then got days worth of work done in a few hours once the deadline was there. Vyvanse really changed things for me as I was able to not be in such a rush slamming out work and that made me so much less anxious and less depressed. I learned a lot of my depressed feelings were because of my anxiety from knowing I was behind and not doing the things I needed. So getting my ability to focus improved helped me immensely in more than just the one way.
Re: Tell HN: If you have trouble focusing on projects/meetings, see a psychatrist
#17I hope it'll work for you long term and not create any side effects.
I'm worried for you in terms of medication you mentioned. As an extreme example taking cocaine/amphetamines for 1 month would probably make you best dad ever, best coworker and best husband straight away - but would fuck you up totally longer term.
Re: Tell HN: If you have trouble focusing on projects/meetings, see a psychatrist
#18Or figure out a system that works for you. Medication is not the only way.
Re: Tell HN: If you have trouble focusing on projects/meetings, see a psychatrist
#19Re: Tell HN: If you have trouble focusing on projects/meetings, see a psychatrist
#20How did you find your psychiatrist? As someone in a similar situation who has decided several times to get a consultation, it seems like the whole system is set up to be as difficult as possible! Just finding someone taking new patients is hard enough, then you have to worry about whether you have to have a PCP in their hospital, if they are allowed to do telehealth, whether they take your insurance, ..., ... It was…
interesting. I've never heard of that happening.
I found my therapist on PsychiatryToday- just added a bunch of filters and scheduled a couple phone consults (most offices will do these for free). Went with the one I found that had availability and seemed to work well with me. They referred me to a psychiatrist.
It's definitely easier if you have a plan that doesn't require a PCP or anything, I think mine is a POS so I just call up any providers I need, no referrals or anything.