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Reverse engineering my ADHD test

nullpt.rs

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Re: Reverse engineering my ADHD test

#81

Post by Quarrel »

genxy wrote: post #64
timster6442 wrote: post #61

Earlier quoted context omitted.

From a molecular neuroscience perspective, for both ADHD and ASD (autism) you're unlikely to find any pure biomarkers as clean as a disease like huntingtons disease whose mechanism is clearly understood as extra CAG repeats on the HTT gene (a clean mendelian disorder). ADHD is defined by behavior/cognitive symptoms and most all behavior/cognitive diseases are multifactoral, which ADHD is. WES/WGS and GWAS has been do…

ADHD also evolutionary advantages, so there is unlikely to be a single gene that encodes for it.

What are they? Are there papers on this?

Re: Reverse engineering my ADHD test

#82

Post by jaggederest »

austhrow743 wrote: post #79
jaggederest wrote: post #68

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If you're borderline, talk to the doc about a trial of guanfacine. (note that some people HATE it, for exactly this reason) It's the opposite - if your engine is always redlining, it sets a rate limiter and gives you the chance to look out the window and enjoy the scenery, metaphorically. And in the most interesting cases, you can find a lot of value in both - stimulants keeps you going, guanfacine gives you perspect…

As an ADHD person who was already planning to ask my psychiatrist if we can try different medication at my next appointment, thank you very much! That description sounds exactly like what I want to achieve.

I cannot overstate the degree to which it has been lifechanging, after years of trials of various other things. Honestly it was overwhelming - like a months-long mild psychedelic trip. I never want to go back. I am much, much less of an asshole now, and I say that advisedly. (note: lower assholery indicates nothing in absolute terms - I am probably still quite a bit of one. But less! and gratefully, joyfully so.)

Edit: And this is me trying to restrain myself so I don't look like someone starting a cult...

Re: Reverse engineering my ADHD test

#83

Post by zenoprax »

nullpt_rs wrote: post #54
zenoprax wrote: post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> 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

I don't think you had bad intentions. You may know the testing is more involved but there is a common perception that people can just do a single online test and get a diagnosis. People should be informed that it's just one indicator of many. I apologize for my "writing fodder" phrasing though, that was rude on my part.

Re: Reverse engineering my ADHD test

#84

Post by acjohnson55 »

gavinmckenzie wrote: post #37
Muromec wrote: post #29

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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

That’s basically how the end of my diagnosis went because aspects of my results were borderline, so she suggested that I just try meds to see. But keep in mind that only one type of ADHD involves being hyper. Some of us are inattentive types where our brain feels like an old 70s pony car engine, and if you pull up to a stoplight you need to keep the motor revving or it will stall. Taking Ritalin for us is the equival…

This is the case for me. I finally got diagnosed last year and prescribed Ritalin this year, and it has been transformative in aiding me in getting out of ruts/stalls.

Re: Reverse engineering my ADHD test

#86

Post by annzabelle »

aidenn0 wrote: post #36
Muromec wrote: post #29

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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

> 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 have similar stimulant intolerance since I developed bipolar 1 in my late teens (had been diagnosed with ADHD at 7). I was off ADHD meds for several years, and have now tried a few of the nonstimulants.

Strattera was subtle, but I had clearly improved feedback at work, a cleaner apartment, and no side effects.

Qelbree caused a lot of nausea.

Intuniv caused lightheadedness and got me an unnecessary cardiac workup.

Wellbutrin doesn't have as much ADHD efficacy as Strattera (my doc won't let me take both at the same time), but it improved my seasonal depression and motivation significantly. I had some irritability for the first few days after a dose increase, but otherwise the only side effect is reduced hunger and I also stopped asking people for cigarettes or zyns when I'm drunk.

Re: Reverse engineering my ADHD test

#87

Post by annzabelle »

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…

Have you gone down the rabbit hole of non stimulants?

I have had bad reactions to every stimulant I tried since I developed bipolar 1 in my late teens (had taken them as a child for ADHD).

I had a good response to strattera, but there's a variety of them out there.

Re: Reverse engineering my ADHD test

#88

Post by annzabelle »

pstuart wrote: post #67
hungryhobbit wrote: post #51

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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 no…

I understand this is your personal medical info, but could you drop any hints as to the nature of the misdiagnosis? I've learned late in life that I am neurospicy and learning from other's experiences in this domain has been quite helpful.

I listen to a lot of psychiatry podcasts, and they generally think that ADHD is being seriously overdiagnosed at this point.

Executive dysfunction, especially that which was not impairing as a child, has a lot of potential causes. Anxiety, depression (yes, ADHD can cause these, but these can also cause executive dysfunction in people without ADHD), OCD, Bipolar (manic people in particular often attribute worsening of hyperactivity and distractability to ADHD instead of mania), Schizophrenia pretty much universally is related to cognitive symptoms and lowered motivation even when not psychotic, and borderline personality disorder can cause changes in interests and identity.

For many of these conditions, stimulants can act as a band aid on something else. It can superficially make people feel better (of course, it's speed), but it can distract from other symptoms that are impairing functioning, and prevent people from seeking long term solutions.

Re: Reverse engineering my ADHD test

#89

Post by NortySpock »

johnwalkr wrote: post #58
jaggederest wrote: post #53

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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,…

" diagnosis during childhood so if you're 30 or 40 you might have no chance "

Huh? You don't have to be tested as-a-child, you don't have to call up your fourth grade teacher. You can self report your subjective experience.

"Did you have these problems as a child? Have you always had trouble doing your homework? Did stressing out about homework enable you to do the homework?"

They ask the question a few different ways typically.

I get it, perhaps it is different in your area, but I get the impression that an adult ADHD diagnosis is far from impossible.

Re: Reverse engineering my ADHD test

#90

Post by jaggederest »

NortySpock wrote: post #89
johnwalkr wrote: post #58

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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,…

" diagnosis during childhood so if you're 30 or 40 you might have no chance " Huh? You don't have to be tested as-a-child, you don't have to call up your fourth grade teacher. You can self report your subjective experience. "Did you have these problems as a child? Have you always had trouble doing your homework? Did stressing out about homework enable you to do the homework?" They ask the question a few different way…

In some countries it's almost impossible (I don't have any direct experience but I've heard tale that in e.g. aus/nz, east asia, south asia, etc people give up before getting diagnosed often), and my understanding is that in Europe it's virtually unheard of to have an adult diagnosis.

In the US, at least, it ranges from difficult to straightforward, but that's not true everywhere

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