Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

My ADHD founder toolbox

hypatia.ca

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

131–140 of 413 posts

Re: My ADHD founder toolbox

#131

Post by mtsr »

eyelidlessness wrote: post #72
terribleperson wrote: post #66

Earlier quoted context omitted.

While meds can definitely help, one month in is way too early to know if the change is long-term positive. This is especially true with stimulant medications.

I knew day one. Three years have continuously confirmed what I knew day one. I wish I hadn’t been so afraid of meds that would help me.

It’s not on you. An enormous amount of stigma surrounds the use of stimulant medication, even if it’s one of the oldest and most studied psychiatric meds there is. And the stigma is continuously reinforced by all the people who don’t need it abusing the meds.

Sure, there’s also some risk for patients using them properly, but for them it does not compare to the sheer benefits provided by the meds.

Re: My ADHD founder toolbox

#132

Post by cercatrova »

mtsr wrote: post #129
yc-kraln wrote: post #62

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I was diagnosed when I was six, and, like you, I dropped all meds at 17. Recently (as in, this year) through a combination of therapy and introspection, I realized that while indeed I was able to have a successful life, career, relationships without the medication, and that, yes, my coping mechanisms were satisfactory, I was punching myself in the face for no reason Last month I saw a psychiatrist and got a prescript…

No need to feel so bad (edited from: be so negative) about meds. They’re a crutch, sure, or maybe a wheelchair. But you wouldn’t begrudge a disabled person their wheelchair, would you? Or if you dislike thinking of it as a disability (even if there’s nothing morally wrong with being disabled): a pair of glasses. Do we really think less of people (or in this case likely ourselves) for using a wheelchair or wearing gla…

I think you're arguing the exact opposite point of the parent (and agreeing with them), they never said they look down or think less of people who use meds, they themselves use meds.

Re: My ADHD founder toolbox

#133

Post by Skgqie1 »

yc-kraln wrote: post #62
throwawaaarrgh wrote: post #51

I diagnosed when I was like... 8 years old. From then to 17 I was on various meds, finally gave them all up. So for about 22 years I've coped with ADHD without meds. I am a Staff Engineer and make a good living, respected in my field. Regardless of anything else, I think the key thing to remember about ADHD is that you do not need to be a high-performing human being, at all, in life. You will forget things and get di…

I was diagnosed when I was six, and, like you, I dropped all meds at 17. Recently (as in, this year) through a combination of therapy and introspection, I realized that while indeed I was able to have a successful life, career, relationships without the medication, and that, yes, my coping mechanisms were satisfactory, I was punching myself in the face for no reason Last month I saw a psychiatrist and got a prescript…

I was diagnosed with ADHD when I was about 27-28. I've been on medication since then, and the impact has been amazing. It makes me wish my condition was diagnosed much earlier. So much unnecessary difficulty (Especially in school) that could potentially have been avoided.

Re: My ADHD founder toolbox

#134

Post by Skgqie1 »

BandOfBots wrote: post #115
PragmaticPulp wrote: post #71

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> one month in is way too early to know if the change is long-term positive. This is especially true with stimulant medications. Agree. It's important to remind people that the effects of the first few weeks aren't like the effects for the next 10-50 years. It's especially concerning when people say the meds give them "more energy to do things" because that's more of a side effect that goes away after a while. The fo…

“more energy to do things” is directly correlated to the level of dopamine ADHD medication augments in our brains

I disagree with this. For me, the energy is because I have to use less energy doing basic day to day shit. Unmedicated, it takes far more effort and work, and leaves less energy for later tasks.

Re: My ADHD founder toolbox

#135

Post by mtsr »

sn41 wrote: post #90
yc-kraln wrote: post #62

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I was diagnosed when I was six, and, like you, I dropped all meds at 17. Recently (as in, this year) through a combination of therapy and introspection, I realized that while indeed I was able to have a successful life, career, relationships without the medication, and that, yes, my coping mechanisms were satisfactory, I was punching myself in the face for no reason Last month I saw a psychiatrist and got a prescript…

I think you are a bit premature in your assessment. The first month usually works for most people. Later on, you may find that it has no effect, worse, you start developing a dependency. People don't give up medication due to ideals or laziness, many find that the disease is often manageable using less addictive approaches like CBT. That said, if medications cure you altogether, there's nothing better. But ADHD, unli…

Do you wear glasses? Would you say you have a dependency on them? I know my wife does. So what?

Again with the stigma.

There’s little medical reason to expect stimulant effectiveness to change after the first couple of weeks, the “honeymoon period”, during which the mood lifting effects are most pronounced. It’s also that same effect that is the main attraction for abusers because it can give euphoria in high enough doses. And yes, that mostly goes away.

But other than a possible slight increase in dopamine re-uptake due to a long term increase in dopamine (over what’s initially a dopamine deficiency as far as we know), there’s no long term habituation (as far as we know).

If you feel better without medication, that’s fine, but please don’t guilt others into throwing away their metaphorical glasses.

Re: My ADHD founder toolbox

#136

Post by mtsr »

cercatrova wrote: post #132
mtsr wrote: post #129

Earlier quoted context omitted.

No need to feel so bad (edited from: be so negative) about meds. They’re a crutch, sure, or maybe a wheelchair. But you wouldn’t begrudge a disabled person their wheelchair, would you? Or if you dislike thinking of it as a disability (even if there’s nothing morally wrong with being disabled): a pair of glasses. Do we really think less of people (or in this case likely ourselves) for using a wheelchair or wearing gla…

I think you're arguing the exact opposite point of the parent (and agreeing with them), they never said they look down or think less of people who use meds, they themselves use meds.

Sure, I agree with them, but I also know there are a lot of mixed feelings around stimulant medication due to the attached stigma. And it bears repeating that using ones prescribed medication is not a moral failing. Especially in people who have stopped using it before and for those who might still be on the fence.

But I've changed my phrasing, just to be clear.

Re: My ADHD founder toolbox

#137

Post by Skgqie1 »

sn41 wrote: post #90
yc-kraln wrote: post #62

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I was diagnosed when I was six, and, like you, I dropped all meds at 17. Recently (as in, this year) through a combination of therapy and introspection, I realized that while indeed I was able to have a successful life, career, relationships without the medication, and that, yes, my coping mechanisms were satisfactory, I was punching myself in the face for no reason Last month I saw a psychiatrist and got a prescript…

I think you are a bit premature in your assessment. The first month usually works for most people. Later on, you may find that it has no effect, worse, you start developing a dependency. People don't give up medication due to ideals or laziness, many find that the disease is often manageable using less addictive approaches like CBT. That said, if medications cure you altogether, there's nothing better. But ADHD, unli…

For me, I've been on dexamphetamine sulphate for about five years. I had to have my dose adjusted after about a year, because I experienced what you mentioned (decreased efficacy). Once the dose was increased, the effect became pretty stable though (I'm currently on 45mg a day). I wouldn't say it completely negates my ADHD, but it definitely makes things a lot more manageable.

Re: My ADHD founder toolbox

#138

Post by Skgqie1 »

hunterb123 wrote: post #82
danem wrote: post #76

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm curious... Are these not things virtually everyone struggles with to some degree? There are no end to time management books and people who wish they would spend less time on their phones/playing video games/etc.

No when you have ADHD it's really really hard to get started on a new task, but you do obsess over a task once you get started on it. You'll do everything you can to avoid it first though, until the stress of the deadline overweighs the dread to start.

I always find that portion of ADHD somewhat amusing. Getting fixated on a task and unable to context switch is a big thing, which I think is surprising for many people.

Re: My ADHD founder toolbox

#139

Post by californical »

mtsr wrote: post #130
TeMPOraL wrote: post #100

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Maybe you can get off them safely, but not always easily. You're implying addiction, but in the more common case, people with ADHD can be apprehensive about getting off the meds for the same reason people with chronic pain can't easily get off painkillers, or people in general can't easily get off oxygen. > like my friend N., who rather than swallowing his medication (Ritalin?), he crushed it & snorted it like coca…

Is it any surprise people get apprehensive about stopping medication? We don’t ask people to not use prescription glasses or leave their wheelchair at home and expect them to be happy about it, do we?

You keep saying this throughout the thread. These are fundamentally different, as someone with both conditions and both prescriptions.

There is no side-effect to glasses, you can put them on or off completely at-will any moment, and they make a very exact correction to one specific parameter (vision focusing ability).

ADHD meds are imprecise and affect many systems in different ways - some positive and some negative. You can only have them on/off daily. It might affect you differently depending on other factors. And treatment is not without risk.

It’s hard to understand how stopping will affect you due to the imprecision. It’s not as black-and-white as glasses.

Re: My ADHD founder toolbox

#140

Post by mtsr »

biggerChris wrote: post #124
throwawaaarrgh wrote: post #51

I diagnosed when I was like... 8 years old. From then to 17 I was on various meds, finally gave them all up. So for about 22 years I've coped with ADHD without meds. I am a Staff Engineer and make a good living, respected in my field. Regardless of anything else, I think the key thing to remember about ADHD is that you do not need to be a high-performing human being, at all, in life. You will forget things and get di…

Quoted post unavailable.

The graveyards filled with former hobbies that many with ADHD can attest to tell a different story. One where perseverance through frustration is not only relevant to one’s career, but possibly also one’s happiness.

Sure, acceptance of the limited arc of concentration and limited frustration tolerance is essential. But that doesn’t preclude people being happier when they become able to actually stick to things for a while when they want to.

Post reply on HN