Problem here is people with ADHD lacks behavior inhibition thus leading to distraction spiral, for me medications help with this helping me to filter out nice but low priority stuff.
Ask HN: How do ADHD people cope on here?
311–320 of 328 posts
Re: Ask HN: How do ADHD people cope on here?
#312Medication helps. Lifestyle hasn't changed too much - I still have endless to-do lists, bookmarks, things I need to get to, but medication has helped me in the sense that it doesn't all feel overwhelming at every single moment, anymore. Days feel easier to manage.
This mirrors my experience too, help from medication is useful to build necessary behavioral changes.
Re: Ask HN: How do ADHD people cope on here?
#313Earlier quoted context omitted.
Not puritanical-intended at all. The point being, remove all the stuff from your environment that hammers the brain 24/7, become a bit calmer, then use your newly freed minutes for intentional time-bound actions. The way we all live is not normal to begin with.
I agree with your point here, but your methodology seems very strict. Almost to the point of self-defeat, because turning to a distraction and finding it isn't there isn't improved attention, only distraction with more steps. I do hope you find your balance, and whatever gets you there is your own, but having grown up under the same approach you're describing, I can attest to the likelihood of an eventual collapse.
>having grown up under the same approach you're describing, I can attest to the likelihood of an eventual collapse.
These words are what got me finally (after having read the other 7 comments by you in this thread) to understand the reason for your participation in this discussion -- what you are driving at. Thank you.
Re: Ask HN: How do ADHD people cope on here?
#314> There’s a never ending number of things I bookmark. One of the key features of ADHD is a never-ending list of things to do. Edward M. Hallowell (who wrote "Driven to Distraction") remarks that perhaps it is the most characteristic feature of ADHD. Previously, browser crashes saved my sanity— killing dozens of open tabs with fascinating articles. Now I try to let it go . In a Zen/stoic way, knowing that nothing will…
I wrote a simple browser extension that has an option to save all option tabs to a file. Every once in a while, when my computer is suffering and I feel a weight, I save the tabs and close them all, and start again. I literally feel a weight lift off my shoulders when I do this. It's become a joyous event. Though it only takes a few weeks before I have to do it again, it's ok. I can look up closed tabs in the files,…
Can't edit any more, but I meant "all open tabs."
Re: Ask HN: How do ADHD people cope on here?
#315Instead of bookmarking stuff that you would never later read, start relying on HN search. And coming soon would be better 'search' capabilities via ChatGPT ...
Re: Ask HN: How do ADHD people cope on here?
#316Earlier quoted context omitted.
Can you elaborate on this: "ADHD has prevented me from learning programming"?
I don't have an ADHD diagnosis, but I have some suspicions. I find I want to be doing things. Those things must be immediately (or very quickly at least) and consistently rewarding, or I'll stop. That much is, as far as I've found in the last few decades, an unchangeable fact. That pretty much rules out studying. You can learn by doing things too, obviously, but the early stages of learning programming are either sen…
Yep, pretty much all of this.
There is also the part where the machine I sit down at to attempt to learn programming also happens to be the same machine where I do banking, budgeting, YouTube, Reddit, HN, porn, gaming, socialising, falling down Wikipedia rabbit holes etc. etc.
There are lots of distractions for the distractable mind.
>Productive things become much easier when they're procrastination from something less fun.
QFT.
Re: Ask HN: How do ADHD people cope on here?
#317> There’s a never ending number of things I bookmark. One of the key features of ADHD is a never-ending list of things to do. Edward M. Hallowell (who wrote "Driven to Distraction") remarks that perhaps it is the most characteristic feature of ADHD. Previously, browser crashes saved my sanity— killing dozens of open tabs with fascinating articles. Now I try to let it go . In a Zen/stoic way, knowing that nothing will…
Several other people mentioned the "file away" open tabs approach (but not necessarily try to go back to them). I'm a big fan of the One Tab extension for this: https://www.one-tab.com/ for this task. I have it in both my browsers FF (personal) and Chrome (work), and I have history of interesting stuff from HN from years back. I don't plan on ever going back to all those links, but it helps to save them to avoid FOMO.
I also have a script[1] for cleaning up my Desktop (which gets filled by various files I download). It puts all the contents into a date-named folder, in subfolders based on file extension.
[1] https://gist.github.com/ivanistheone/9daa23ae2a7abb472cb2
Re: Ask HN: How do ADHD people cope on here?
#318For me: (1) Recognize that if I'm struggling to focus, I'm probably either (a) not interested in what I'm doing or (b) have too much on my plate. (2) If I'm struggling to focus day after day, find something else to do. (3) If I have too much on my plate, insist that my employer lighten the load or, once again, find something else to do. It's not easy. Taken to its logical conclusion, I'm suggesting quitting jobs that…
I'm convinced that multi-tasking leads to brain damage over time.
information overload is real for sure, but if you can strike that balance between being educated/informed, and also disconnecting/meditating/etc., then it's net-positive.
prioritization and setting time limits/routines/schedules is key here imo.
Re: Ask HN: How do ADHD people cope on here?
#319With ADHD, a single HN post could have me following source material and child nodes up to 5-6 layers deep. Once the time-blindness wears off, the anxiety sets in you realize hours have passed and outstanding work is due soon. What sort of worked: - Blocking web sites during work hours (SelfControl for MacOS and NextDNS for devices) What did work: - Consistent sleep schedule (10PM) - Mindfulness meditation in the morn…
this is a solid framework for coping/lifestyle modifications for ADHD.
I'll add nutrition to the list.
And for me personally: time-restricted eating/intermittent fasting (water fasts were not good for me, but time-restricted eating/staying in a 'fasted state' is)
Re: Ask HN: How do ADHD people cope on here?
#320Pi Hole with my own blocklist. That is, I block all of my problem sites, then let someone else set my pihole password and then I delete my ssh key off the server. Then on the phone, remove all apps that allows consumption (social media, games, readers, youtube, even the browser). Debloat it with adb too. Switch off all notification except for your main chat app (like whatsapp) and alarms. If still too distracting, se…
disagree on caffeine, which has shown to have neuroprotective effects, and also enhance neuroplasticity.
and the dopamine/norepinephrine release helps focus/motivation/concentration.
coffee is not for me, a bit too jittery/anxious unless I hit the perfect dose ... but Yerba Mate tea has been a gamechanger.