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

Ask HN: I'm 40 and feel my mental ability declining. Programming seems harder.

news.ycombinator.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

471–480 of 534 posts

Re: Ask HN: I'm 40 and feel my mental ability declining. Programming seems harder.

#471

Post by P_I_Staker »

cjbgkagh wrote: post #227
P_I_Staker wrote: post #199

Earlier quoted context omitted.

These treatments are legally unavailable to many Americans, due to bullshit moral panics.

They are Rx in the US which makes them harder to get. I’ve not gone down that path so I don’t know how hard, but I’ve read of many Americans using them so it is at least not impossible. I do think they should be OTC. When I faced the roadblock of not being able to get the medicine I wanted I did go to black market and would do it again in a heartbeat.

I honestly don't think I can, but it might be the best option:

   1. Illegal drugs

   2. Being a head trapped in a jar, hated by all

   3. A bullet
The psychs practically beg you to do it. I was just told to give up ever having a professional career.

Why is nobody talking about this outrageous conduct?

If you mention these concerns, they will suddenly discharge you, and/or treat you like garbage.

All we're doing is creating pipelines to prison. The industry has no problem sending ill people to prison forever. Not only that but droves of people are dying because of these policies.

I'm shopping for a new one, but their initial intake forms are immediately confrontational, and this is someone that seems to have good reviews... I went through several that seemed to have good reputations, and none were taking patients.

Re: Ask HN: I'm 40 and feel my mental ability declining. Programming seems harder.

#472

Post by neycoda »

I've felt the same way. That's why I'm having to take better care of my mind and body through better diet and exercise. It helps but it's not like when I was in my 20s. I'm also working on starting up a business or two that I can just manage workers with rather than have to do gruntwork. There's a lot of ageism in coding, and I think it's because our brains just don't do as well in 9ur 40s and 50s+ with all this complication. I hope you socked some money away, like retirement, etc. Focus on that as much as you can. Index and mutual funds, growth so you can exit the industry before it boots you out. There's plenty of room to foster an idea and have others do the layers of abstract function branches.

Re: Ask HN: I'm 40 and feel my mental ability declining. Programming seems harder.

#473

Post by mfer »

malux85 wrote: post #448
tablatom wrote: post #431

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's pretty radical on the diet. Was it difficult to adjust? I'm pretty thin as it is so I'd be worried I'd waste away!

Yes it was difficult - giving up sugar was very tough, everything has sugar in it and the cravings were strong. After a month though my taste buds changed, and I really enjoy the taste of meat and vegetables now. Yesterday I had the opportunity to eat some vegan ice cream, and I thought I would treat myself to a couple of scoops in a cup thing, and after just 2 bites it was sickly sweet, the amount of sugar made me f…

Vegan processed foods are often just as bad as regular processed foods. So sweet. The vegan label may mean there's no meat or dairy but it doesn't mean it's good for you. Most processed food isn't.

Plant based whole grain is usually a diet of the real foods themselves. Take a bean burrito that someone makes fresh. Or a stir fry using fresh veggies. So different from processed foods.

I still eat pizza. Love them carbs :)

Re: Ask HN: I'm 40 and feel my mental ability declining. Programming seems harder.

#474

Post by HarHarVeryFunny »

It sounds like you're trying to hold all this in your head rather than taking notes! Why?

Are you sure the task really requires going three+ levels deep into what the API is doing??! On the surface, being asked to "port the API" sounds more like a request for a work-alike API not a complete redesign, although with the idiom of the target language of course.

I don't think this has anything to do with age! You should be at the top of your game at age 40, if not still improving, but maybe there are personal/stress factors that are affecting you.

Re: Ask HN: I'm 40 and feel my mental ability declining. Programming seems harder.

#475

Post by mrleinad »

It's probably not you, it's just badly structured legacy code, and you're trying to understand it all like you wrote it. Been there, it sucks.

Find someone who worked on it and have them explain it to you like you're a 5 year old. If they can't explain it in simple terms, you'll confirm that it's not the piece of cake you thought it was.

I don't dismiss that you might just need some sleep and are overworked, but since you're asking these type of questions, I'd say you're probably fine.

Re: Ask HN: I'm 40 and feel my mental ability declining. Programming seems harder.

#476

Post by denton-scratch »

Starwatcher2001 wrote: post #361
denton-scratch wrote: post #259

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I got severely dinged for saying in a standup that I had forgotten what I was doing the previous day. So I bought an A4 hardback notebook, and started logging everything I did. I wish I had been doing that since I started in this business; it's a really good work habit.

I tried paper and log books for a long time (I've got half a filing cabinets worth), but no matter what system I used I couldn't always find what I wanted. (When did I last modify routine xyz, and why?). Moving to flat ascii files meant it's searchable and has longevity as it doesn't need any specific tool or app. I can also carry the lot around with me - very useful on site. Cheers.

Well, I never used my log books as an information retrieval system; the prime purpose was to help me remember what I did an hour ago, a day ago, a week ago.

Of course, I have a digital file of timestamped and commented code snippets and pieces of config. But that's just about the activity of coding; I now think a handwritten log is a good idea for anyone, whatever their trade.

The reason I recommend a hardback notebook, is because it offers the best CYA protection (I was caned as a child). It's sorta symbolic - hard evidence, if you like.

[Edit] You can also scribble in your notebook in meetings, while glancing furtively over your spectacle rims, to intimidate the speaker. Hard copy is power.

Re: Ask HN: I'm 40 and feel my mental ability declining. Programming seems harder.

#477

Post by cjbgkagh »

P_I_Staker wrote: post #471
cjbgkagh wrote: post #227

Earlier quoted context omitted.

They are Rx in the US which makes them harder to get. I’ve not gone down that path so I don’t know how hard, but I’ve read of many Americans using them so it is at least not impossible. I do think they should be OTC. When I faced the roadblock of not being able to get the medicine I wanted I did go to black market and would do it again in a heartbeat.

I honestly don't think I can, but it might be the best option: 1. Illegal drugs 2. Being a head trapped in a jar, hated by all 3. A bullet The psychs practically beg you to do it. I was just told to give up ever having a professional career. Why is nobody talking about this outrageous conduct? If you mention these concerns, they will suddenly discharge you, and/or treat you like garbage. All we're doing is creating p…

I hear you. I've gone on many of rants here and elsewhere on the egregious deficiencies of doctors and medical science. I had plenty of experience with doctors that were unable to diagnose my condition despite it being incredibly obvious so I didn't trust them to treat it from the start.

I just looked it up, Modafinil and Amitriptyline are both Schedule IV drugs for what is OTC in many places, that is pretty extreme.

Marijuana is Schedule I though and plenty of people smoke pot. While it isn't legal the odds are probably in your favor.

Re: Ask HN: I'm 40 and feel my mental ability declining. Programming seems harder.

#478

Post by Turing_Machine »

justanother wrote: post #286
jb1991 wrote: post #17

I don't know you personally but I doubt cognitive decline has anything to do with this. As we age, we usually end up with more and more life responsibilities, beyond just the work we are doing. All of that is input to the brain and requires energy in response. The brain is not infinite. I often feel as you do, but then I have periods where I am as light and agile in my productivity as 20 years ago, maybe even more so…

As a 45 year old lead developer, this is the answer that I most align with. Not only are job expectations a bit higher than 20 years ago (ie, back then you could just say "I'm still workin on it" but today you generally have to give progress reports at least daily and have your velocity tracked), but at this age, my time can be strictly regimented (exercise, chores, caring for the animals, appointments, helping in th…

> you generally have to give progress reports at least daily

This trend seems genuinely goofy to me. If you have daily reports, standups, or whatever, you're going to be spending a lot of your time prepping for those. That's time that you're not spending writing actual code (or whatever you're nominally supposed to be doing).

Post reply on HN