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Reverse engineering my ADHD test

nullpt.rs

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Re: Reverse engineering my ADHD test

#51

Post by hungryhobbit »

a2dam wrote: post #27

> At the end, she told me she would review my exam and have the results ready in a few days. Yeah man I can go ahead and let you know early if you want.

I know this is a joke, but I'd be careful about assuming: I had a trained therapist diagnose me with ADHD ... incorrectly.

It turns out, there are other conditions out there that can appear to be be ADHD. If a trained therapist can confuse them, outside observers certainly can too, so it is possible that "very ADHD-acting" person you know might not have it.

(Or, especially for females, the reverse can be true, as not everyone with ADHD manifests with the same trademark hyperactivity.)

Re: Reverse engineering my ADHD test

#52

Post by johnwalkr »

nullpt_rs wrote: post #6

hi! author here, please let me know if you have any questions :-)

I have a question (and please take it in jest)! In between buying a telescope, seeking out an opinion on ADHD, accidentally hacking an online test, and then blogging about it, how many things on your todo list(s) did you not do?

Re: Reverse engineering my ADHD test

#53

Post by jaggederest »

johnwalkr wrote: post #50
a2dam wrote: post #27

> At the end, she told me she would review my exam and have the results ready in a few days. Yeah man I can go ahead and let you know early if you want.

This comment is so funny to me, because I imagine you being distracted to make the comment before making it to the end where the psych did indeed review the new results. Well I only know that because I skipped to the end. Then, while scrolling up I realised I missed the whole side-quest about promising to not cheat the test again, taking the test again, but then "accidentally" finding an exploit the system, and then…

Brother the test is quick, easy, and painless, and the results can be lifechanging.

The other thing is, ADHD in my mind is really a syndrome that starts with a symptom - inattention - that can be caused by so, so many things.

I have both, because of course I do, I had a medical problem that exacerbated my ADHD to a significant, significant degree (it's amazing I was able to be a software engineer for so long without treatment). So don't just tunnel vision in... as we tend to be prone to do. Get the whole workup with an experienced clinician, it's so lifechanging it's hard to describe.

Re: Reverse engineering my ADHD test

#54

Post by nullpt_rs »

zenoprax wrote: post #25
pixel_popping wrote: post #8

[flagged]

> it's a serious dysfunction and it's sad to see that it's being romanticized lately in social media or plainly discredited by some people/media The author of the article is contributing to this by using their medical diagnosis to "outsmart" the system for writing material. Presenting a proper ADHD assessment as merely an online test just adds fuel to the fire (and if this is the only interaction they had I am skepti…

Why assume malicious intent? I am well aware that the test isn’t just some Math.random() and even includes quotes from the official site that talk more about how their scoring engine works.

I don’t think I was trying to “outsmart” anything, I’m just a naturally curious person

Re: Reverse engineering my ADHD test

#55

Post by jrapdx3 »

Muromec wrote: post #29
flysand7 wrote: post #3

Opening up devtools during ADHD test is so ADHD, almost as if he didn't even need the psychiatrist to explain the results :D

That doesn't have to be ADHD, could be the *tism too. The tells are usually somewhat overlapping. In general, if you are in the industry, save yourself (and your kids) some trouble and get diagnosed before it becomes a problem. Add: I wonder why they don't just give people some ritalin and ask if they feel calmed down? Except the obvious reason of course

> ... I wonder why they don't just give people some ritalin and ask if they feel calmed down? Except the obvious reason of course

In ADHD (and most conditions) diagnosis by medication response is not acceptable. Response to drugs is highly variable and fails criteria for acceptable tests. Also drugs can produce side-effects. According to professional standards, it's unethical to expose people to nontrivial risks without good cause.

Re: Reverse engineering my ADHD test

#56

Post by xyzzy_plugh »

thin_carapace wrote: post #48
nullpt_rs wrote: post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Agree with original commenter but +1 to reframing the language. I was very afraid to begin medication because I would always hear about how addicting this medication can be. But like you say, you wouldn't tell someone with diabetes that they're addicted to insulin.

it's not good to flame people for things they can't control. I also think it's not fair to compare insulin (life saving non synthesizable hormone) vs amphetamine (hard drug that helps people better cope with a society expressly designed to beat them down), because then we forget that dosing amphetamines daily comes with its own price of damage to the body. drugs prescribed for adhd are also very much addicting - if o…

I've never heard of anyone with ADHD on prescription amphetamines experiencing withdrawal when stopping. At least, not with any symptoms worse than just having ADHD and being unmedicated.

People with ADHD are often amused by referring to amphetamines as a "hard drug" since it has practically none of the typical hard drug effects on them.

Re: Reverse engineering my ADHD test

#58

Post by johnwalkr »

jaggederest wrote: post #53
johnwalkr wrote: post #50

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This comment is so funny to me, because I imagine you being distracted to make the comment before making it to the end where the psych did indeed review the new results. Well I only know that because I skipped to the end. Then, while scrolling up I realised I missed the whole side-quest about promising to not cheat the test again, taking the test again, but then "accidentally" finding an exploit the system, and then…

Brother the test is quick, easy, and painless, and the results can be lifechanging. The other thing is, ADHD in my mind is really a syndrome that starts with a symptom - inattention - that can be caused by so, so many things. I have both, because of course I do, I had a medical problem that exacerbated my ADHD to a significant, significant degree (it's amazing I was able to be a software engineer for so long without…

I want to add that the comment is also funny to me because it and the blog post are very relatable to me. I don't mean to dismiss it at all. It's really important to get a good diagnosis for anything like this and not dismiss it or lock into the wrong diagnosis because of your own tunnel vision.

You wrote "the test is quick, easy, and painless" but I also want to note that it's not always. Depending on your country, parents, specific doctor, etc it can be very difficult to get a proper diagnosis and help. In some places a big criteria is diagnosis during childhood so if you're 30 or 40 you might have no chance. Or a chance but it depends on your parents retroactively answering a questionnaire, or finding an old report card with the right words.

As you said it's life changing to get the right help and I encourage everyone to pursue this.

Re: Reverse engineering my ADHD test

#60

Post by jrapdx3 »

scrapcode wrote: post #44
aidenn0 wrote: post #36

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Add: I wonder why they don't just give people some ritalin and ask if they feel calmed down? Except the obvious reason of course I have been screened a few times for ADHD and each time was found to obviously have it. Ritalin does not make me feel calmer. I have been told by those close to me that there are externally visible improvements in my behavior. At doses to reach that effect, it also impacts my sleep qualit…

I'm nearing my 40s. In my mid-twenties I was diagnosed and over the next couple of years tried all of the usual ADHD meds and none of them were short of terrible in regard to side effects. I guess I've just learned to live with it in a way that outweighs the side effects I get from the drugs. I was diagnosed with Shiftwork Disorder at one point in time and was prescribed Modafinil and it was incredible for the most p…

Studies show Modafinil isn't effective in ADHD adults. It may have benefit in children with ADHD.

I think many prescribers give ADHD adults a high dose too soon causing side-effects. In my experience, it's best to start with a low dose and slowly increase as necessary. The myth is ADHD responds quickly, but observing hundreds of patients it takes months, not days, for benefit of treatment to develop. There's wisdom in the phrase, "start low and go slow".

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