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Ask HN: Discuss ADHD and your use of medication

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Re: Ask HN: Discuss ADHD and your use of medication

#51

Post by UI_at_80x24 »

kahnix wrote: post #15

I was diagnosed with ADHD in my early twenties during university and didn't manage to get medicated until 3 years later (The queue was quite long and I ended up getting a prescription from a private doctor in my home country) I think it became really obvious to me when I would require a ton of discipline to do assignments around making applications, but doing something like configuring linux from scratch was so perso…

>I think it became really obvious to me when I would require a ton of discipline to do assignments around making applications, but doing something like configuring linux from scratch was so personally interesting to me I could stay up nights and days without any external stimulation.

>I found that medication (Methylphendiate 20mg) have definitely helped me focus, but the direction of what I'm focusing doesn't always yield productive results (hyperfocusing on reddit for example). I've also started worring that what I've really done is created a dependence, where eventually ill have to up the dose as what I'm currently on will make me feel like I did pre meds, and stopping will make me feel worse.

This is my exact problem too. I can concentrate/focus much stronger (better?), but work is too boring and annoying so my projects are much more interesting.

Re: Ask HN: Discuss ADHD and your use of medication

#53

Post by ldom66 »

CodeWriter23 wrote: post #46

Was diagnosed as a child. I take no medication. Instead I adopted the role of “hunter” (as opposed to “farmer”), as described by Thom Hartmann in his ADHD books. Which means I don’t sign up for “farmer”-like tasks and delegate them instead. My fundamental tool for staying on track with the work I do sign up with, pen and paper. It started with pencil and paper and the pencils of many varieties picked up from various…

I agree with finding tools to help engage our brain instead of "fix" it. And I love your last point, ADHD is a feature, not a bug.

Re: Ask HN: Discuss ADHD and your use of medication

#54

Post by ldom66 »

giraffe_lady wrote: post #6

It's a disability. You don't overcome it you find accommodations and supports that allow you to meet your goals and & obligations. The experience of having adhd for me is mostly that it is primarily an emotional regulation disorder. The focus and attention problems are downstream of that, and are prioritized because that's how a parent or employer experiences adhd.

Completely agree with your second paragraph. I don't think it's helpful to label it as a "disability". Although the medical term is "disorder", at least for me, this kind of thinking got me digging a hole for myself that I had to climb out of. According to recent research, ADHD may be the fruit of evolution, making us focus on what's important and discarding the mundane. This makes us incredibly creative, out-of-the box thinkers and very efficient at tasks that truly engage us. Once I focused on that idea, I could start working on my strength, and stop "curing" my shortcomings.

Re: Ask HN: Discuss ADHD and your use of medication

#55

Post by threecheese »

neonbones wrote: post #20
neonbones wrote: post #16

I was diagnosed at university. Around my freshman year, which is over 10 years ago. In my country there were not many ADHD specialists and medications in circulation at first, mostly atomoxetine was used, but it made me sick (nausea, stomach pain). Eventually Concerta was introduced to the local market and things got much better with it. After migrating to Europe, I was re-diagnosed by a good specialist with all the…

Ah, btw, hope it will be useful (just personal exp) I have tried different sleep medications, but the one that worked best for me was Mirtazapine. Although it is an atypical tetracyclic antidepressant, it works well before bedtime, plus it can be taken not regularly, but only when needed. My doctor and I tried escitalopram (lexapro?) and setraline, but the former turned me into a sleepy vegetable 18 hours a day, I co…

I had to cease Mirtazipine due to nightmares - or more specifically, because I was waking my wife up from the screaming. Never happened before nor since, and I can remember some of them still. Terrifying

Re: Ask HN: Discuss ADHD and your use of medication

#56

Post by ldom66 »

theshackleford wrote: post #38
hoorayimhelping wrote: post #23

I was diagnosed 15ish years ago when I was 26. I tried medication and absolutely hated it. It changed who I was. Medication is a crutch. If you're completely crippled and you need it, then you should use it temporarily. But be very very careful developing dependence on it and using it instead of doing the work to deal with your behavior. What worked for me instead of medication: - Get on a sleep and wake schedule tha…

> Medication is a crutch. If you're completely crippled and you need it, then you should use it temporarily. But be very very careful developing dependence on it and using it instead of doing the work to deal with your behavior. Your giving piss poor, dangerous advice that goes against established front line treatment. If you actually have ADHD, completely ignore this terrible advice and treat it in line with a quali…

That is a bit harsh. I think the OP had good intentions, but I agree that focusing on breaking habits might be the wrong way to go here. I think medication works for some, therapy for others. But the focus really needs to be on finding your strengths, which are also part of your ADHD brain, and working on those.

Re: Ask HN: Discuss ADHD and your use of medication

#57

Post by mnky9800n »

b20000 wrote: post #32
mnky9800n wrote: post #4

In full agreement with tanepiper. Also, you don't say what happened nor what it is you are currently identifying as ADD. that makes it hard to give you any feedback other than, you don't have it because if you did you would be born with it. Also, as someone who has ADHD, and was diagnosed as a child, took medication from childhood to adulthood, I learned to live with it. In my masters program I felt like taking Adder…

I went through a situation where I was forced to bankrupt my company as a founder due to maturing debt and refusal from family to help. This despite having customers and a distribution network. So I fear I might have PTSD. Concentration and focus has always been a challenge since college even though I've done well in school and college. I've also struggled with being tired all the time and with anger and frustration…

It seems like a scenario where you could have some trauma. I would go talk to a therapist. I recommend one who specializes in schema therapy, DBT, and acceptance and commitment therapy as that is a modern approach for PTSD.

Re: Ask HN: Discuss ADHD and your use of medication

#58

Post by nnnnico »

neonbones wrote: post #27
nnnnico wrote: post #8

What you might perceive as late-onset ADHD could be the cause of not being able to keep your coping mechanisms up due to stress? In my case, social anxiety (which I'm officially diagnosed with, but not ADHD) skyrocketed after a series of family events, which resulted in not being able to focus on anything mildly difficult or anxiety inducing, as my mind quickly started wandering out of nowhere, and becoming aware, sh…

I know this isn't an objective question, but what medication did your doctor prescribe you for anxiety?

Sertraline (an SSRI), from a local lab/brand called Insertec, no side-effects in my case after a year+ of treatment.

Re: Ask HN: Discuss ADHD and your use of medication

#59

Post by sgarland »

mrangle wrote: post #31
bradhe wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I predict that over prescription of ADHD medication in the US is going to viewed as a massive public health misstep in 40 years.

Acknowledging that this is a pedantic correction: I think that there will be an acknowledgement of over diagnosis of ADHD. First line treatments are what they are. But also that, in tandem, there will be acknowledgement of under diagnosis of Type 1 Autism. Precisely because it is so diagnostically evasive "and can mimic ADHD". However, the correction that I'd make of the quoted phrase is that, likely, inattentive ADH…

That makes sense to me. My psych and therapist both told me that there is a lot of crossover in symptoms between ADHD and Autism. Anecdotally, my sister has long maintained that I’m on the spectrum.

Re: Ask HN: Discuss ADHD and your use of medication

#60

Post by sgarland »

ldom66 wrote: post #54
giraffe_lady wrote: post #6

It's a disability. You don't overcome it you find accommodations and supports that allow you to meet your goals and & obligations. The experience of having adhd for me is mostly that it is primarily an emotional regulation disorder. The focus and attention problems are downstream of that, and are prioritized because that's how a parent or employer experiences adhd.

Completely agree with your second paragraph. I don't think it's helpful to label it as a "disability". Although the medical term is "disorder", at least for me, this kind of thinking got me digging a hole for myself that I had to climb out of. According to recent research, ADHD may be the fruit of evolution, making us focus on what's important and discarding the mundane. This makes us incredibly creative, out-of-the…

Unfortunately, Jira work is sometimes massively important (to your boss), and also tremendously boring. That was the biggest obstacle I had, and the biggest improvement after medication – the ability to easily do work I’d rather not be doing.
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