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Hacking ADHD: Strategies for the modern developer

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Re: Hacking ADHD: Strategies for the modern developer

#421

Post by TheRealHB »

zubairq wrote: post #82
TheRealHB wrote: post #54

The Blinking LED, A simple Hack that still works for me after years: 1. Place a tiny LED (red or yellow) by the side of your monitor or virtually on the screen corner. Basically anywhere almost bordering your field of view. 2. Make it blink like a fast heartbeat (120-150 bpm) and gradually slowdown to around 60 bpm (or your slow heartbeat base). Make the slope approx 20 to 60 minutes (you can adjust the best rate by…

Great idea, where can I buy one?

Explained before under another comment ; )

...

Thanks for the complement, I guess you would be a client (few comments)

I have hundreds of things I do and very few go to product or build phase.

Not my view for this one as it is a personal issue. I would not be comfortable claiming it could do anything for others like it does for me. Also I'm not basing it on anything scientific other than raw experimental data from 1.

I'm happy to share it here and FREE for everyone.

I run a tiny tiny tech incubator in the UK, so hands full : )

Re: Hacking ADHD: Strategies for the modern developer

#422

Post by omginternets »

pstuart wrote: post #368
omginternets wrote: post #360

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is an under-rated comment. I had a similar revelation that eventually led to the conclusion that the computer is a crucial part of the distraction, and that many activities are best performed at least partly without it. Examples include: - taking breaks - thinking through a problem

Taking a walk is a good way to combine the two.

Amen. Being inside all day is the other big factor, it seems.

Re: Hacking ADHD: Strategies for the modern developer

#423

Post by deafpolygon »

coldblues wrote: post #389
deafpolygon wrote: post #266

Had me until "Obsidian" - absolute worst thing ever for my ADHD. Hours spent tinkering ... experimenting with plugins. I was on the verge of developing plugins before I realized: I wasn't getting anything done. I gave up and went with OneNote. The freeform canvas is a godsend for my ADHD (I am able to lay things out spatially left and right), but I'm not able to tinker with it as much anymore.

You should try Logseq. What you do is just write. Don't actively think about it, organization will come naturally. Just liberally use tags and backlinks to find your notes later. That's all.

I tried the tag thing- same organizational pitfalls. I also disliked the lack of a solid mobile applications on logseq's part.

Re: Hacking ADHD: Strategies for the modern developer

#424

Post by throwahdhd777 »

idlewords wrote: post #101
icepat wrote: post #3

I've been in the diagnostic process for ADHD twice. First time I ended up losing all the paperwork, and getting kicked out of it. In the time between the first and second attempt, I developed PTSD which essentially stalled the second diagnostic as they could not cleanly differentiate between the two. For some reason, getting a diagnosis has been nearly impossible for me, despite each diagnostician saying "ADHD is hig…

If you want to take one more shot at it, try any online pill mill, the diagnostic process is much easier post-covid and may be as simple as a brief in-person interview with a non-MD practitioner.

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Re: Hacking ADHD: Strategies for the modern developer

#425

Post by TheRealHB »

nonethewiser wrote: post #91
TheRealHB wrote: post #54

The Blinking LED, A simple Hack that still works for me after years: 1. Place a tiny LED (red or yellow) by the side of your monitor or virtually on the screen corner. Basically anywhere almost bordering your field of view. 2. Make it blink like a fast heartbeat (120-150 bpm) and gradually slowdown to around 60 bpm (or your slow heartbeat base). Make the slope approx 20 to 60 minutes (you can adjust the best rate by…

Seems likely to be a placebo. You have a vested interest in it working, admit its not based on any sort of science, and one of the setup steps is to overcome distraction (which is the problem that’s trying to be solved).

Messed my earlier response...

YES, it can be the placebo effect, but still placebo can works wonders ; )

I detailed better aspects on questions above, also not doing it commercially or claiming it can be helpful for anyone other than me.

In placebo, one needs to trust it will work (or see a figure of authority to believe it does), in my case I wasn't expecting much and got not far from it on v.1 (software), but by v.3 (hardware) I was surprised and used to it.

So, I'm happy to share it here FREE ; )

Re: Hacking ADHD: Strategies for the modern developer

#426

Post by scohesc »

dymk wrote: post #117
sureglymop wrote: post #28

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Lisdexamphetamine is a big help, but the side effects can be devastating. Of course every person is different, but for me this reduced my sleep quality significantly. I can no longer take any of these meds if I want a good restful night of sleep. When I was younger it was no problem though.

It took me a long time to dial in my vyvanse prescription so it wasn't impacting my sleep, plus not taking it on the weekends. Stress in all its forms also turned out to be a critical factor in sleeping well, too. Simply taking on fewer responsibilities (which I attribute in part to my particular ADHD) helped a lot there.

My doctor suggests I take Vyvanse on the weekends, 7 days a week - I feel like after taking it so long (almost a decade) I don't know who I am anymore off the pills - like I'm a different person almost?

Did your doctor suggest weekend breaks, or is this something you've tried yourself and found works for you?

Re: Hacking ADHD: Strategies for the modern developer

#427

Post by TheRealHB »

jblezo wrote: post #272
TheRealHB wrote: post #54

The Blinking LED, A simple Hack that still works for me after years: 1. Place a tiny LED (red or yellow) by the side of your monitor or virtually on the screen corner. Basically anywhere almost bordering your field of view. 2. Make it blink like a fast heartbeat (120-150 bpm) and gradually slowdown to around 60 bpm (or your slow heartbeat base). Make the slope approx 20 to 60 minutes (you can adjust the best rate by…

Nice tip. Thanks for sharing. I'll probably try this by making a cheap one with one of my kids' microbits. This seems like the perfect board for doing this.

Its a simple project and yes, microbit will be fine!

Good luck!

Re: Hacking ADHD: Strategies for the modern developer

#428

Post by throwahdhd777 »

kamranjon wrote: post #106
LeafItAlone wrote: post #14

What is everyone’s experience getting officially diagnosed and treated? I match up pretty closely with textbook symptoms and all of the free online “tests” indicate I should get treated for it… but how? I’ve found places that offer an ADHD screening at the tune of multiple thousands, not in network with any insurance, but those places don’t also treat it. I’m more interested in pharmacological treatments rather than…

If you live in the US - go to Zoom care - talk to a doctor, fill out a survey - walk out with a prescription. I don’t use medication anymore but when I first discovered it, it changed my life for a time - and in the US it is incredibly easy to get prescribed from my experience.

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Re: Hacking ADHD: Strategies for the modern developer

#429

Post by TheRealHB »

atcalan wrote: post #319
TheRealHB wrote: post #54

The Blinking LED, A simple Hack that still works for me after years: 1. Place a tiny LED (red or yellow) by the side of your monitor or virtually on the screen corner. Basically anywhere almost bordering your field of view. 2. Make it blink like a fast heartbeat (120-150 bpm) and gradually slowdown to around 60 bpm (or your slow heartbeat base). Make the slope approx 20 to 60 minutes (you can adjust the best rate by…

Sounds like a time timer. The ventromedial pfc is the culprit here. Time blindness.

It's like a maestro, guiding you down with light not sound or words. So, yes. Done at PFC level probably ; )

Re: Hacking ADHD: Strategies for the modern developer

#430

Post by sonicanatidae »

TheRealHB wrote: post #399
sonicanatidae wrote: post #270

Earlier quoted context omitted.

OMG. I could not do this. I hope it's useful to others, but not for me...at all. The biggest distraction for me, when working/focusing, is movement at the edge of my vision. You know, like most websites with their moving ads, or fly-out videos that no one asked for, etc. I'm glad you found your silverbullet, but that specific approach would wreck my productivity.

I don't recommend my solution BUT Your description is close to what I experience at times, that blinking thing may help you ignore outside the monitor distractions as it is there forcing you to ignore? Interesting, Do one and tell me ; ) I cost me $25 or less.... all spares ESP32 (most of them has a LED pinned anyways) and don't bother the heart monitor initially, just set time and rate of descent for the blink. Chea…

I'm fortunate in that I can control my office enough that I can simply eliminate the distractions. For the rest, there's pihole, Brave and Ublock. ;)

I may try this, as an experiment, but going into it, I'm expecting a fail. If I do try it, I'll follow up.

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