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The silent struggles of workers with ADHD

bbc.com

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Re: The silent struggles of workers with ADHD

#111

Post by brazzledazzle »

chrsig wrote: post #29
k__ wrote: post #23

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Many of my friends have ADHD. Probably because ADHD people have trouble getting along with neurotypicals

> Probably because ADHD people have trouble getting along with neurotypicals In our defense, normies suck.

I think there's a more constructive way to look at this which is neurotypical people have an extremely difficult time empathizing with people who are neurodivergent. This leads to a lot of friction, especially in friend groups and between managers and their subordinates.

Re: The silent struggles of workers with ADHD

#112

Post by treeman79 »

RationPhantoms wrote: post #53

This article feels like it was written for my brother. He's been fired, sequentially, 4 times in roles of progressively narrower scope/salary. From project manager (80k+) at a large NYC-BASED structured-cabling company to a billing coordinator position ( It makes me want to put my head into a pillow and scream because he's an intelligent, sociable and kind person but his mind just sits so juxtaposed from what these c…

In 40s now. Diagnosed a couple years ago. My career was a mix of huge successes and horrible failure. Really hard complicated and interesting projects I would shine at. Basically CTO founder type roles I was amazing.

I stunk at routine day to day work.

For me the worst pain possible is boredom. I’ve had kidney stones. Boredom is in same range.

First time I took medication was shocking to find that the pain of boredom was gone. I had no idea that was possible.

Re: The silent struggles of workers with ADHD

#113

Post by cmarschner »

Given that I‘ve grown up with zero people in my environment that showed behavior of ADHD I wonder how much of it is just consequence of our ever more stimulus-intensive world.

It seems most extreme in the US - the TV program there is a constant blurt of screaming to me whenever I visit it. European TV is much less intrusive, often more like US programs from the 70s.

But meanwhile a lot of the stimuli come from the cell phone, and I do think I’ve a) become addicted to it and b) I‘ve developed signs of ADHD in recent years as well.

So then the hypothesis is that things get better by adapting the environment to be more brain-friendly… like

- fewer stimuli (screens)

- less competition / anxiety-inducing work environments

- more sunlight, less time in dark interior spaces

- boredom

- sleeping hygiene

- less processed foods, and a microbiome well catered to

- nature

In other words: an environment that resembles more closely to what humans have adapted to over 100000s of years, and which we deviated from in the past 100… or 20.

Re: The silent struggles of workers with ADHD

#114

Post by treeman79 »

EdwardDiego wrote: post #63
RationPhantoms wrote: post #53

This article feels like it was written for my brother. He's been fired, sequentially, 4 times in roles of progressively narrower scope/salary. From project manager (80k+) at a large NYC-BASED structured-cabling company to a billing coordinator position ( It makes me want to put my head into a pillow and scream because he's an intelligent, sociable and kind person but his mind just sits so juxtaposed from what these c…

There are non-amphetamine medications available now that might work for your brother, and cognitive-behavioural therapy can really help too.

Any recommendations? I took one that you take at night. It slightly improved my focus during day. But would leave me sleepy all day. Even with taking it before bed.

Re: The silent struggles of workers with ADHD

#115

Post by brazzledazzle »

ryandvm wrote: post #35
2bitencryption wrote: post #17

I just started working with a new team a few weeks ago. So far I've had "nice to meet you" calls with six or seven of the people on this team. And nearly half of them mentioned "by the way, I have ADHD, just so you know." And since I share so many characteristics with these individuals, now _I'm_ wondering if I have ADHD. Certainly the never-ending Instagram ads want me to think so. Or is this becoming a blanket term…

In my experience, most ADHD is really just a case of "I have limited willpower for extremely boring shit." Give me something interesting to do and I can work on it non-stop for 12 hours. The problem is that most jobs and almost all schooling is flat out incompatible with being an easily distractible person. I think it's just a phenotype that doesn't work well in the traditional professional environment. And yes, Adde…

I think the clinical way to describe what you're saying is "executive function disorder". Some ADHD researchers believe this is a much better way to describe it and distractability/inattentiveness are just noticeable symptoms of that root cause.

Re: The silent struggles of workers with ADHD

#116

Post by itronitron »

viburnum wrote: post #97

I feel like ADHD is just normal for a huge percentage of people but the people gifted with an abundance of concentration are extremely overrepresented in medicine and management positions.

Close but not quite. The issue is that people in management positions are overly invested in finding flaws in other people, especially those people that may have some leverage over them by virtue of having particular skills (technical or otherwise.)

Re: The silent struggles of workers with ADHD

#117

Post by Tao3300 »

cheeseomlit wrote: post #71
adamwk wrote: post #62

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Who prescribes narcotics to people with ADHD?

Are you familiar with 'amphetamines'?

Not sure where you are, but in the US, narcotic has different meanings legally and pharmacologically. Amphetamines are classified as narcotics under neither.

Maybe a mistranslation or you're conflating narcotic with "controlled substance"?

Re: The silent struggles of workers with ADHD

#118

Post by mitchdoogle »

cheeseomlit wrote: post #36
pcurve wrote: post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"And nearly half of them mentioned "by the way, I have ADHD" Statistically that seems rather unlikely, so I wonder if people are being over-diagnosed?

Quoted post unavailable.

THE American DEA consider "narcotic" to be synonymous with "opioid": https://www.mcieast.marines.mil/Portals/33/Documents/Safety/...

However, the term does come up with other meanings. The international narcotics control board (UN) deems opioids as narcotics, but also cannabis and cocaine: https://www.incb.org/incb/en/narcotic-drugs/index.html

But typically amphetamines are not classified as narcotics, even though you could argue they are based on dictionary definitions, i.e. "a drug (such as marijuana or LSD) subject to restriction similar to that of addictive narcotics whether physiologically addictive and narcotic or not" https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/narcotic

Re: The silent struggles of workers with ADHD

#119

Post by fallingfrog »

spritefs wrote: post #79

Imho this whole ADHD/adderall thing is just the pharma industry peddling medication and shilling super hard. I wouldn't be surprised if pharma dollars somehow influenced this BBC article getting published If some people like paying an additional tax to the pharmaceutical industry, good for them. For me personally, I'd rather jump off a cliff then support it Before someone gets shitty with me for "denying their experi…

Well, it's an anaesthetic. It makes the discomfort of forcing yourself to focus on something you find maddeningly pointless more tolerable. As long as the pain is there the anaesthetic will have a purpose.

Re: The silent struggles of workers with ADHD

#120

Post by tailspin2019 »

Moissanite wrote: post #5

As an adult who feels like they identify with these characteristics, it is hard to know when to try to get help, or whether you are just seeing what you want to see and looking for an excuse. I have always shied away from seeking an adult ADHD diagnosis, partly because of prideful denial (not wanting to acknowledge that there might be something wrong with me), and partly because I have no faith in the NHS giving a sh…

I’d recommend the book “Delivered From Distraction”. It’s written in a relatively ADHD friendly way and the first chapter or two explains a bit more about the condition and will likely give you enough of a feeling as to whether it would be worth pursuing a diagnosis. (“ADHD 2.0” is also good and is a more recent book by the same author).

I get the concern about the NHS (private support options are available too if that’s an option for you) but I would definitely try to move past any stigma concerns - no one cares (in a good way) :) personally I don’t think it’s a big deal and that shouldn’t get in your way of pursuing answers if that’s the right path for you to take.

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