Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

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

news.ycombinator.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

151–160 of 220 posts

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

#151

Post by y-c-o-m-b »

kstrauser wrote: post #137

Please tell me how you got it taken seriously. I feel like this is literally killing me with the stress it causes, and I discussed it with a psychiatrist. Their response was "your coping mechanisms seem to be working, so why upset the cart?" Well, because I'm spending an incredible amount of energy on said coping mechanisms. Yes, I'm doing OK for myself, but I wish it didn't involve heroic efforts. Posted under my re…

I went a different route. I went through my primary care doctor. I told him I'm getting in trouble at work due to procrastination and lack of attention. I also said my wife and friends/family have been complaining that I never listen anymore. I asked if I could be evaluated for ADHD. He sent a referral to a provider with https://lifestance.com. It was only two appointments with the LifeStance provider to get a diagnoses. Once my doc got the diagnoses back from LifeStance, he's been in charge of prescribing the meds.

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

#152

Post by ericmcer »

ynniv wrote: post #26

I did the same two years ago and it's been transformative. There are people who will tell you that medication isn't a complete solution, or that it's not the best one. They're not wrong, but telling someone who is drowning that they just need to learn how to swim isn't doing them any favors. I was 40 when I was diagnosed, and understanding the implications of that diagnosis has made my life much better. My first coup…

Do you take it every day? I have always been nervous about "on medication" being my default state. I like taking it before a focused work day, but then I feel like I am missing out on the other benefits, like just listening to whoever I am having dinner with, being present, etc..

From a programming standpoint, sometimes the drug makes me more confident and enthusiastic, which results in me spewing out a few hundred lines of well written but ultimately misguided code. I guess self-doubt and anxious overthinking has a purpose.

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

#153

Post by bobleeswagger »

wintermutestwin wrote: post #89

My anecdata on ADHD: I know someone who was diagnosed around age 8. Her parents declined to give her the speed that was recommended. When she was 12, she went for a run one morning and found that it made a huge difference in her ability to focus and maintain emotional equilibrium. She ran as many days as possible since that first run and runs ~12 miles a day (in addition to doing multiple team sports and weightliftin…

It's not speed. How in the world is this myth still around?

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

#154

Post by giantg2 »

thebigspacefuck wrote: post #24

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…

Your pulse and emotions may have been elevated on the medication because they're mostly amphetamines.

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

#155

Post by lowbloodsugar »

thebigspacefuck wrote: post #24

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…

I have family members with ADHD and it's been a journey of years to find the right meds and the right dosage and the right timing. It's also possible to be diagnosed with ADHD but have something else (like bipolar) and vice-versa. We have the "luxury" of decent health insurance, so have been able to make this journey and still afford food and rent.

The wrong meds can have no effect; be much worse than not taking at all; have benefits early in the day and then negatives later on; side-effects; etc.

They can also be expensive. I know several people for whom medication is coffee in the day, weed at night. Actually cheaper.

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

#156

Post by y-c-o-m-b »

nja wrote: post #5

How 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…

Here's what I wrote for someone else that asked the same question:

> I went a different route. I went through my primary care doctor. I told him I'm getting in trouble at work due to procrastination and lack of attention. I also said my wife and friends/family have been complaining that I never listen anymore. I asked if I could be evaluated for ADHD. He sent a referral to a provider with https://lifestance.com. It was only two appointments with the LifeStance provider to get a diagnoses. Once my doc got the diagnoses back from LifeStance, he's been in charge of prescribing the meds.

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

#157

Post by edgyquant »

giantg2 wrote: post #154
thebigspacefuck wrote: post #24

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…

Your pulse and emotions may have been elevated on the medication because they're mostly amphetamines.

After the first week or so this only happens if you are allergic or abusing then

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

#158

Post by ynniv »

ericmcer wrote: post #152
ynniv wrote: post #26

I did the same two years ago and it's been transformative. There are people who will tell you that medication isn't a complete solution, or that it's not the best one. They're not wrong, but telling someone who is drowning that they just need to learn how to swim isn't doing them any favors. I was 40 when I was diagnosed, and understanding the implications of that diagnosis has made my life much better. My first coup…

Do you take it every day? I have always been nervous about "on medication" being my default state. I like taking it before a focused work day, but then I feel like I am missing out on the other benefits, like just listening to whoever I am having dinner with, being present, etc.. From a programming standpoint, sometimes the drug makes me more confident and enthusiastic, which results in me spewing out a few hundred l…

My prescription has always been for one in the morning and half in the afternoon. Mindful timing seems to provide decent coverage. Sometimes I'll take less, like over the weekend or on vacation. But again, people who drink coffee tend to drink it every day too.

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

#159

Post by edgyquant »

rayusher wrote: post #37
thebigspacefuck wrote: post #24

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…

One thing that isn't talked enough is the importance of regular exercise for managing adhd. Humans are not to designed to sit on our butts all day.

This is huge and as someone with bipolar/adhd the medicine doesn’t work without regular exercise. It makes me more depressed if I don’t (I believe this is the adhd meds)

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

#160

Post by wintermutestwin »

bobleeswagger wrote: post #153
wintermutestwin wrote: post #89

My anecdata on ADHD: I know someone who was diagnosed around age 8. Her parents declined to give her the speed that was recommended. When she was 12, she went for a run one morning and found that it made a huge difference in her ability to focus and maintain emotional equilibrium. She ran as many days as possible since that first run and runs ~12 miles a day (in addition to doing multiple team sports and weightliftin…

It's not speed. How in the world is this myth still around?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adderall

Isn't amphetamine = speed?

Post reply on HN