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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

#101
post #93

Earlier quoted context omitted.

As a former pilot with a late-in-life diagnosis of ADHD - I'd not want to be a commercial pilot. I'm legitimately concerned of a loss of concentration during landing. Looking back, I saw a few of those happen in my training and in my solo flights. It's a risk v reward decision, one which I fell on the "nope" category. :)

I have no intention of commercial flying, though I can feel the pain of commerical pilots suffering from ADD. Ironically, the only time I am not able to "not concentrate" is when I'm flying the plane, as flying requires a state of constant change of focus, i.e. radios...instruments...see and avoid...controls...ipad...etc

> as flying requires a state of constant change of focus

That didn't work too well for me, since I'd hyperfocus on one thing (my heading, rate of turn, altitude, etc) and develop blindspots to the other 5 instruments. Not to mention radios and checklists and visuals and maps, etc.

And god forbid I had to use my flight computer (the rotary slide-rule type, ipads didn't exist then). That thing was pure crack to my brain.

Instrument flying is when these weaknesses became most apparent to me. VFR was enough like driving a car that it wasn't as much of an issue.

Re: Tell HN: If you have trouble focusing on projects/meetings, see a psychatrist

#102
post #23

I've seen a few anecdotes of people starting ADHD medication and seeing drastic improvements immediately. But at the other end, also some from people who regret going on medication, that it is more depleting than helpful in the long term. Would love to hear any experiences from people who were able to successfully treat the condition and wean off the medication for good.

I got diagnosed late as an adult and was on ADHD medication for a year or two. It allowed me to actually get things done in my work and personal life like paying bills on time, making appointments, setting up retirement contributions, and filing work paperwork on time. Being able to sit down with the intent to do something and just... do it... was something I never experienced before. It was very much akin to getting glasses the first time after not knowing you needed glasses.

I did worry the stimulant effects of the medication led to me daydreaming "fanciful" ideas that I questioned whether I would have found as profound if not on it. And my wife felt that it made me "snappy". But otherwise I found it helpful and the benefits well worth the side effects.

Why I ended up going off the medication came down to the inconvenience of filling it monthly culminating in not being able to get it. I don't know if it's like this across the USA or just my state (or just how my doctor's office did it?), but I was required to obtain a handwritten/hand-signed paper prescription chit from my primary care provider every month. I couldn't get 90 days' supply, I couldn't use the Pharmacy drive-thru when filling it, and my wife couldn't pick it up. I had to physically go in the doctor's office and pick up a piece of paper with a scribble on it and physically go in the pharmacy to fill. Even medicated, remembering to do this every month is challenging for a person with ADHD.

It came to a head when my primary care provider hired a new office worker whose job it was to be a middleman between the doctor and managing prescriptions. There ended up being some sort of communication breakdown and my prescription chit wasn't ready, then the doctor was out, then I thought the middleman guy was reassuring me he was going to get it taken care of by Friday, but he was actually telling me I needed to get it taken care of before Friday - something like that. By that time I had run out a couple days before, and as often happens with Murphy's Law, it was going into a long weekend due to a holiday so it would be four days before the doctor was back.

I ended up going through cold-turkey withdrawals which were pretty awful. By the time my doctor's office was open again, I was fed up with everything. I had already gone through the worst of the withdrawals by this point. Instead of restarting the medication I decided why not just finish getting over it and never have to deal with this again.

Even though I don't take ADHD medication anymore, I still feel like the experience of having once been able to know what it's like to be able to sit down and pay bills or get boring work done still helps me. It's harder now, but just knowing that it is possible to do is like the difference between seeking a scientific discovery you don't know if it exists versus trying to engineer an experiment you know what the outcome could/should be.

Re: Tell HN: If you have trouble focusing on projects/meetings, see a psychatrist

#103
Psychologist? Yes.

ADHD medication? No. Ritalin, Vyvanse, et al. are are legalized forms of speed. They mask the issue and will erode your reward system's ability to work naturally.

> Following advice from my wife, friends, father, and here on HN, I looked for a psychiatrist to understand what was going on. After a lengthy consultation, the doctor told me I most likely had ADHD, and it got worse due to a more demanding lifestyle.

To a hammer everything is a nail, why did you not see a psychologist first to see if the condition could be improved with lifestyle changes?

---

I am concerned because I have worked with so many people in tech that are on legal speed and I believe that this medicated state of productivity will become the norm in our industry as we continue to lose focus on the aspects of life and work that make us human.

Re: Tell HN: If you have trouble focusing on projects/meetings, see a psychatrist

#104

I got on meds for ADHD and they objectively didn’t help that much. I also felt like my pulse and emotions were greatly elevated in confrontational situations to an uncomfortable extent (though caffiene was involved). The other aspect was that it was almost $300/month for a prescription. In social situations they did help a bit. Any impact on productivity was minor. I’d also say right after the meds kicked in I would…

Barkley considers meds necessary but not sufficient. The second part is "to design prosthetic environments around the individual to compensate for their EF [Executive Function] deficits." [0] For those not following the ADHD conversation, Executive Function refers to a set of: Nonverbal working memory, Internalization of Speech (verbal working memory), Self-regulation of affect/motivation/arousal, Reconstitution (planning and generativity). [1]

0. This is how you treat ADHD based off science, Dr Russell Barkley part of 2012 Burnett Lecture: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_tpB-B8BXk0

1. https://chadd.org/about-adhd/executive-function-skills/

Re: Tell HN: If you have trouble focusing on projects/meetings, see a psychatrist

#105
I have had quite a number of professionals tell me I have ADHD - but I do not believe them.

Firstly, I only loosely fit the diagnostic criteria. I am more inclined to think that that which they identify as ADHD is just me being a lazy and impatient asshole - I could probably act differently if I cared enough to try, which I kinda don’t. I can make myself focus myopically on practically anything, which is, as I understand it, contrary to the core facets of ADHD. My life is a garbage fire on a train wreck, but that’s ok, it takes me interesting places.

Which brings me to secondly - I have a problem with even accepting that ADHD exists. So many kids at school would go get diagnosed as ADHD or dyslexic or whatever, when they patently weren’t, so they’d get the extra time and grade bonus in exams. So many other kids would be forcibly diagnosed and drugged, when all that was wrong with them was that they were being bullied. It feels like the psychiatric industry invented a new product to sell, and needed a diagnosis to stick it on. It’s convenient for schools, as you can label and drug anyone who shows any hint of individuality, and likewise for parents, as it allows easier management of vivacious children. For adults, it’s convenient as an explanation for failure to meet one’s own expectations in life.

Me, I just accept that I am a bit of a disappointment - “If madaxe would only apply himself, he would be an exceptionally brilliant pupil”, said everyone, ever - and I do not like to apply myself, as as I said, I am a lazy asshole intent on coasting through life.

Re: Tell HN: If you have trouble focusing on projects/meetings, see a psychatrist

#106

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Oh, absolutely. Learn how your body behaves on the stimulants, and I found I really didn't need (or want) nearly as much caffeine as before. I used to consume enough I would have really nasty withdrawals, and now I don't (consume as much nor get withdrawal symptoms).

Likewise. I'm completely off caffeine now (though do occasionally have a coke on bad days) and I feel a lot better. It frustrates me how hard it is (at least in the US) to get medication.

Getting ADHD medication in the US is the single most ADHD-unfriendly activity in existence. Frequent appointments with multiple entities, all-too-frequent interruptions to these appointments (with and without mitigations), incredibly strict windows of time for refills, the #*&$ insurance system...

And then there's the inevitable "you run out of meds and have to navigate all these hurdles without being medicated" gauntlet that makes you cry in frustration.

If I didn't have a non-ADHD spouse, I doubt I'd be able to maintain it.

Re: Tell HN: If you have trouble focusing on projects/meetings, see a psychatrist

#107

A tautology: Adderall improves everyone’s ADHD symptoms! ADHD is just what life feels like when you’re not on speed. Cut down on pot and booze, move your body, avoid stressors, and take control of your things in your life. Don’t rationalize/medicalize your way into a permanent cognitive disability. You’re in control!

Drink some water and go for a run, pull yourself up by your boot straps. Get your life together for gods sake!

Those things absolutely help, but your comment is dismissive of real issues that are controlled with medication.

Re: Tell HN: If you have trouble focusing on projects/meetings, see a psychatrist

#108

Psychologist? Yes. ADHD medication? No. Ritalin, Vyvanse, et al. are are legalized forms of speed. They mask the issue and will erode your reward system's ability to work naturally. > Following advice from my wife, friends, father, and here on HN, I looked for a psychiatrist to understand what was going on. After a lengthy consultation, the doctor told me I most likely had ADHD, and it got worse due to a more demandi…

You should probably educate yourself on the topic before jumping feet first into making such absurd accusations.

Re: Tell HN: If you have trouble focusing on projects/meetings, see a psychatrist

#109
post #32

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Is it possible that you don't have ADHD? I am not an expert, but it is my understanding that the medications affect those with and without ADHD totally differently. In reponse to the original post, I don't think psychiatrists are really the ones who should be diagnosing ADHD. It is again my understanding that neuropsychologists should be the ones administering the tests and diagnosis, where psychiatrists will then ma…

It’s possible, but I’ve been diagnosed multiple times by multiple psychiatrists who said there was no doubt in their mind. This also included a questionnaire to my parents that showed I had it as a child. It’s also been mentioned to me by coworkers or even commented on by strangers. I do have a free floating anxiety and that was something the meds helped with.

There are a lot of different types of ADHD medication that work differently for different people. If stimulant medication overall is a no-go for you, but you still have the hallmark symptoms of ADHD, I would suggest asking your psychiatrist about a medication called Strattera.

Re: Tell HN: If you have trouble focusing on projects/meetings, see a psychatrist

#110

Psychologist? Yes. ADHD medication? No. Ritalin, Vyvanse, et al. are are legalized forms of speed. They mask the issue and will erode your reward system's ability to work naturally. > Following advice from my wife, friends, father, and here on HN, I looked for a psychiatrist to understand what was going on. After a lengthy consultation, the doctor told me I most likely had ADHD, and it got worse due to a more demandi…

You should probably educate yourself on the topic before jumping feet first into making such absurd accusations.

Big Pharma applauds your confidence.
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