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

Ask HN: I'm in a rut. How did you get out of yours?

news.ycombinator.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

191–200 of 227 posts

Re: Ask HN: I'm in a rut. How did you get out of yours?

#191

Post by LocalPCGuy »

outworlder wrote: post #58
htilford wrote: post #29

> Also, I have ADHD. This is probably relevant, but I haven't quite figured out how. Yeah, ditto but having been through these ruts many times in the past I can offer some advice ADHD makes you incapable of settling into easy You have work to do but it's easy. You have a side project but you've figured out the hard parts and so it's just the implementation grind, which is easy. Find a challenge switch your side proje…

> ADHD makes you incapable of settling into easy > You have work to do but it's easy. You have a side project but you've figured out the hard parts and so it's just the implementation grind, which is easy. Oh no. That describes me to a T. Is there a differential diagnosis for this kind of behavior?

Keep in mind that ADHD is most likely a combination of a number of different factors that'll lead to a diagnosis. Many people exhibit one to even a couple of the factors, but that doesn't necessarily mean they have ADHD.

But if you look up some of the checklists or videos for "do I have ADHD" and seem to fit the bill of quite a few of the factors, it's worth talking to a therapist or psychiatrist who specializes in diagnosing it. There are many people who slip through the cracks in childhood, a lot of times because schools and docs are looking for the Hyperactive side, but many times the Inattentive side gets dismissed by a number of different excuses.

And as others mentioned, if you are diagnosed with it, that doesn't necessarily mean drugs or even therapy, but it can mean a better understanding of things you might struggle with and the reasons for that, which can better prepare you for coming up with healthy strategies rather than negative/unhealthy ones.

Re: Ask HN: I'm in a rut. How did you get out of yours?

#192

Post by LocalPCGuy »

notfish wrote: post #144
jnovek wrote: post #83

Earlier quoted context omitted.

A PsyD can assess your focus level using a few diagnostics and if you don’t have other problems that better explain your focus deficit (e.g. PTSD or depression) you will be diagnosed with ADHD. Talk to your doctor about it. If you can get in with the PsyD the process is pretty easy and non-painful. The hard part is adapting how you approach the world once you know that you have ADHD, but it’s absolutely worth it.

Also, realistically, having ADHD doesn’t mean you need to start taking meds or changing your life or something. Think of the word “ADHD” as recognizing that theres a class of people who fit these labels, are often predisposed to these issues, and can sometimes be helped by these solutions - it’s only a disorder if it causes problems in your life :)

I'd probably argue that the word disorder applies regardless of whether it causes problems, because ADHD is (as far as we know with current knowledge) pointing toward an actual issue in brain chemistry (compared to non-ADHD), and it's ok to acknowledge that.

That isn't to say people have to use meds/etc. to cope though, I totally agree with the rest of your statement. I just don't think we should imply that the word disorder must be a negative thing. I look at it as purely descriptive.

Re: Ask HN: I'm in a rut. How did you get out of yours?

#193

Post by RutStucker »

Hi, all. Thanks for your responses. I'll reply to some of them individually, but I'll address some common themes here.

First, some extra information that I had forgotten to include earlier:

- I don't consume weed daily. Just once a week. (Granted, a lot of it.) Also, I don't smoke it, I use edibles.

- I am medicated for ADHD and anxiety. I currently take Ritalin and Zoloft.

- I do not go out of my way to irresponsibly combine these medications with anything (e.g. I don't grind it up and snort it). It's possible that having this combination in my body has worked against me in ways that went over my head.

- I don't drink or smoke.

- I am currently in a PIP at work. The PIP finishes at the end of this week, so it's entirely possible I'll be canned anyway. (Not that I'll take it lying down, but that's a separate Ask HN.)

- I'm single.

- I don't live alone. I live with my parents and brother. I've shown my parents this thread, and their advice is largely consistent with what we've read here.

- My current job is the first I've had since grad school (I finished with a Master's in computer science in December of 2018).

- Since graduation I've been working on my game full-time, at least until I started my current job.

- I have been eating more lately. I could stand to drop 15 pounds or so.

Now, here's what I'm gonna do in the near future:

- Abstain from marijuana, at least for the month of August. What I do after then will depend on how my mood changes.

- Coincidentally, this Thursday I'm seeing my doctor about adjusting my prescription. I might even switch to something else. (This was planned even before my thread this morning.)

- My employer's health benefits include a subscription to Talkspace, so I'll give that a try.

- I'm going to exercise more. I bought Ring Fit Adventure a few weeks ago, but now I'll integrate it into my morning routine more stringently. I've already got a week-long streak.

I'm still open to other ideas, though.

Separating my creative output (not necessarily from my day job) from my sense of self-worth will probably be necessary as well, although I don't have a plan for actually doing so.

Re: Ask HN: I'm in a rut. How did you get out of yours?

#194

Post by LocalPCGuy »

rtuin wrote: post #50
whalesalad wrote: post #11

weed, adhd meds, you are scrambling and desensitizing the already compromised executive function center of your brain. you essentially need to do a dopamine detox and start back from ground zero. for weaning yourself off THC my strategy is to buy high-end CBD flower (online mail order in the US) and then taper my usage. At this point I am consuming about 1g of CBD flower every morning and loving it. Some vendors I li…

> …, adhd meds, you are scrambling and desensitizing the already compromised executive function center of your brain. Any references to prove or substantiate this? I’m specifically interested in the claim about adhd meds

Most references will state the opposite, that in general ADHD meds, used for people who actually do have an imbalance, do not tend toward desensitization over time. I'd find a doc you trust to get that answer.

Re: Ask HN: I'm in a rut. How did you get out of yours?

#195

Post by hombre_fatal »

I was in a similar position in my late 20s. I moved to Mexico on a random opportunity, ended up on a beach in Oaxaca, met so many people and was so happy that I realized that’s what I needed. Only moved away recently because I met a new girlfriend. Take a chance. You already work remotely. Go do something real. Playing vidya games will never get you there.

Re: Ask HN: I'm in a rut. How did you get out of yours?

#196

Post by TranquilMarmot »

nicoburns wrote: post #5

> All I really look forward to these days is getting high and playing video games or watching Seinfeld reruns each weekend Not saying it's the only cause of your problems, but you shouldn't underestimate the affect that getting high can have on how you feel when you're not high (especially if it's an every day or most days thing). Consider a (say 3-6 month) detox.

For real. I smoked weed all day, every day, throughout much of high school and all of college. After I graduated, I had to move to a new state for work and lost my "contacts" and had to stop. I thought I would really miss it, but I didn't and got over the feeling of "needing" weed pretty quickly.

Re: Ask HN: I'm in a rut. How did you get out of yours?

#197

Post by LocalPCGuy »

upupandup wrote: post #167

Time. Time fixes everything. In the mean time don't despair so much. Just trust that things will work out in the long run.

Time can fix things, but be careful with this also. We all only have the time we have, and it's easy to look up and it's been X years waiting for things to work out while just grinding away. So it's important to give things time, but also to figure out what actions will actually help things to work out and work toward doing those things.

Re: Ask HN: I'm in a rut. How did you get out of yours?

#198

Post by sph »

pjerem wrote: post #36
sph wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Are you medicated? I've been getting out of my rut since I got diagnosed. I'm finally excited for the future, and optimistic.

Yes and no. I tried methylphenidate multiple times the last years but I have a hard time tolerating side effects at useful doses.

Try something else? I'm on lisdexamfetamine and I have no side effects whatsoever. I'm also a lightweight compared to my size so small doses work really good for me.

My average day was a 4/10 before, now it's a 7/10. It's been game changing.

Re: Ask HN: I'm in a rut. How did you get out of yours?

#199

Post by sph »

atemerev wrote: post #51
water554 wrote: post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The solution is to get medicated with the right medicine for you if you truely have adhd

Medication helps, but it doesn’t cure ADHD on the spot, you know.

Medication doesn't cure ADHD like glasses don't cure your shortsightedness. Still doesn't make them useless.

Re: Ask HN: I'm in a rut. How did you get out of yours?

#200

Post by RutStucker »

electrondood wrote: post #78

Can I ask why you went for TW rather than dev? I ask because I almost used that as a cop-out once because I was overwhelmed by the technical interviews, etc. required for being a dev. For me it was a way to stay comfy and avoid situations that would force me to grow. Also, the last 2 years have been rough. Are you getting enough social connection?

> Can I ask why you went for TW rather than dev? I ask because I almost used that as a cop-out once because I was overwhelmed by the technical interviews, etc. required for being a dev.

Because they're the one that gave me the offer. I don't have any particular preference or disdain for technical writing; it's entirely possible that my next job will be as a developer.

> Also, the last 2 years have been rough. Are you getting enough social connection?

I could stand to get out more, yes.

Post reply on HN