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Hacking ADHD: Strategies for the modern developer

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Re: Hacking ADHD: Strategies for the modern developer

#541

Post by jabroni_salad »

buzzwords wrote: post #190

This could not have been better timed for me. I was diagnosed with ADHD yesterday. Apparently for me, the working memory is a major issue. If anyone has any tips here I really appreciate it if you could comment your suggestions here.

My biggest technique is just making indented outlines. The most important thing is having low friction to getting started on them. All other parts of 'the system' basically do not matter and you dont need to spend any time on it.

I either use a sticky note (I keep a few loose ones in my wallet), or I activate onenote with win+n and can type on that immediately. Anything higher friction than that isn't gonna work, which is why I don't use a phone app. Getting to the writing screen in any notes app is too much.

I also like to take meeting minutes because I otherwise cannot focus on meetings at all.

Re: Hacking ADHD: Strategies for the modern developer

#542

Post by dublinben »

smcleod wrote: post #490

Good all be it brief summary. The only part I disagree with is hybrid work. For me, as I’ve gone through this journey - a key takeaway from understanding myself better is that commuting to and working from an office is far worse for my health than I thought and not something I could go back to doing. An office is a place that’s very hostile to the majority of folks with ADHD and can have considerable health impacts.…

You also regain 2+ hours a day that can be used to improve your sleep, nutrition and exercise situation. These are all key foundational requirements for people with ADHD that enable higher-level executive functioning.

Re: Hacking ADHD: Strategies for the modern developer

#543

Post by hughesjj »

throwoutway wrote: post #166
smallerfish wrote: post #153

I think Slack is a silent killer of productivity, and terrible for an ADHD brain: You're either "engaged" and "available" (meaning you respond to messages in semi-real-time, pretty much nixing your ability to do deep work) or you feel like you're missing a lot of conversation that's going on behind your back, because you're heads down with Slack closed. Slack is good for (shitty) managers of remote teams, because you…

I was thinking of this in bed last night. I could focus more using our terrible messaging system prior to Slack. And there was less banter, pessimism, pile ons, etc that now show up in threads. Sometimes I regret replying in a thread when it goes 50+ messages deep and you get pinged on it each one unless you mute

I only get pings for direct @'ing, is this not the norm or are people acting you regardless?

Re: Hacking ADHD: Strategies for the modern developer

#544

Post by nerpderp82 »

TheRealHB wrote: post #420
gregsadetsky wrote: post #402

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Thanks, super interesting! There was research some time ago (jeez, 10 years ago...) [0] [1] that used video and... computer vision algorithms to detect a person's heart rate without any devices. Wondering if it could be used here i.e. use your webcam instead of an external hardware sensor? Other thing - would you be open to publishing/sharing your algorithm / esp32 code (on Github or as a blog article)? [0] https://n…

We use this approach of video heartbeat detection on a real product (recruiting tool) but not for my hack ADHD device, You can't really do video detection it in real time and properly, without overheating the cheap device. On the SaaS we did we use a recorded segment of video so we can analyse it afterwards, check the colour changes in the face of the subject and try estimate heartbeat with loose accuracy. More like…

I assume you are measuring the pulse/stress level of a candidate. Is this a proxy measurement for a lie detector?

Re: Hacking ADHD: Strategies for the modern developer

#545

Post by vorticalbox »

gosub100 wrote: post #269
slipperlobster wrote: post #99

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Note that ADHD can manifest physically, mentally, or a combination of the two. I've been recently diagnosed with ADHD in my late 30s after finally seeing a psychiatrist, and at most my physical manifestation of it is minor fidgeting. Where it really burns me is not being able to dedicate brainpower for more than a few minutes at a time, unless I'm in one of my "focus" modes. Similarly, my brain constantly has multipl…

Did you have the inability to read books? I notice that I simply cannot focus on reading a book to save my life. I can read internet comments and articles all day though. If I try to read a book I get annoyed that they're "not making their point" fast enough, especially with fiction and visual descriptions of people and places. I used to just complain about it, but now I wonder if thats actually pinpointing something…

I am the same, I found a book I could hyper focus on. That was the Chaos Walking by Patrick Ness

I was so fully pulled into that world I was quite sad once I got to the end because I know I'm not probably never going to find a book like that again.

I do this with most texts I have to read each sentence 3-4 times because I know I will have made up half of the words I just read.

I have the same issue with my brain not really thinking about the current situation, if I'm talking to someone I will get bored in a minute or two and it's a real effort to force myself to pay attention.

Re: Hacking ADHD: Strategies for the modern developer

#546

Post by gardnr »

gnicholas wrote: post #536
gosub100 wrote: post #269

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Did you have the inability to read books? I notice that I simply cannot focus on reading a book to save my life. I can read internet comments and articles all day though. If I try to read a book I get annoyed that they're "not making their point" fast enough, especially with fiction and visual descriptions of people and places. I used to just complain about it, but now I wonder if thats actually pinpointing something…

You might check out BeeLine Reader (I am the creator). [1] It's fairly popular in the ADHD community because it enhances visual focus while you're reading. Some people are able to read for 2x-10x as long with BeeLine versus without. I'm always happy to help out HNers with a free code for our browser plugin, just shoot me an email (contact in profile). 1: http://www.beelinereader.com

If you run Lighthouse against that website it will provide actionable suggestions for improving it. More info: https://developer.chrome.com/docs/lighthouse/overview/

Re: Hacking ADHD: Strategies for the modern developer

#547

Post by hughesjj »

fasteo wrote: post #529
nathell wrote: post #348

I’m 39. I’ve been diagnosed with ADHD/AS about 11 months ago, after having seen a psychiatrist complaining about chronic fatigue (cf. my Ask HN from two years ago [0]). Methylphenidate has helped _immensely_. As has accepting the wiring of my brain, taking a two-months sabbatical, and practicing awareness about the ADHD habits. I’m having the year of my life. I can’t remember being productive this consistently basica…

>>> after having seen a psychiatrist complaining about chronic fatigue Is there a causal relation between ADHD and chronic fatigue ?

It's not the only cause, but yes.

Could also be hormonal, sickness, stress, lack of quality sleep/nutrition, etc. for men the drop off in testosterone definitely can manifest in feelings of lethargy.

Re: Hacking ADHD: Strategies for the modern developer

#548

Post by hughesjj »

gogogo_allday wrote: post #457
tstrimple wrote: post #435

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The first time I got medical treatment for ADHD, I eventually stopped treatment because I missed a Dr. appt due to being sick and just couldn't get myself to arrange a follow up appointment.

I like to joke that the test should simply be “can this person get their medication filled if they run into any impediment?”

And they vend it out to you one refill at a time too (at least with my provider), and due to the stimulant shortage you have to go to hospitals to get it filled and even then they don't have it available for some time

I ran out of meds once but thank God my lady forced me to go get them asap because she couldn't handle me off the meds anymore

Re: Hacking ADHD: Strategies for the modern developer

#549

Post by hughesjj »

icepat wrote: post #68
sureglymop wrote: post #37

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I feel incredibly lucky that my parents got me evaluated for ADHD and Autism when I was still a minor. It's much much harder as an adult. There is a lot of stigmatization and also this thought of "oh you got through school, oh you got this far" for adults with ADHD. I used to take medication and it helped me a lot. Now however I have come off of them completely. The side effects can be devastating. In my case, I deve…

> The advice I can give is to actively seek interaction with others suffering from the same, actively accept and ask for all accommodations and help, give yourself enough time for what you need to do and don't compare your experience to the neurotypical one. It is different and it's a matter of coping and accepting oneself and ones disadvantages as a normal part of life. This has been my approach at this point. I've…

>This has been my approach at this point. I've had to accept that I will likely never get medication, or even a proper diagnosis.

I don't see how the rest of your comment follows from this quote. Don't give up bud, its always worth trying. You can simply not take meds if you don't want to.

Re: Hacking ADHD: Strategies for the modern developer

#550

Post by hughesjj »

hirvi74 wrote: post #531
gibagger wrote: post #97

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Do you also have an aversion to paperwork? Seems to be "a thing". Paperwork has paralysed me ever since I've been in high school. Have gotten in trouble and paid fines over procrastinating paperwork over my whole life. I am also on the "Highly Likely", and currently on the waitlist for a clinic. The best thing I did was being open and honest with my partner, as my ADD behaviors would sometimes exasperate her. I did t…

Last year I sent a friend a package. It took me over a year to send the damn thing. Why? I just couldn't find the motivation to send it. I had all the contents packed up in a box ready to go, and I live like 0.2 mile walk away from a Post Office. Still took over a year to send it. Oh! I have another. I once drove with expired car tags for like 3 to 6 months. I already had them renewed and everything. In fact, my tag…

FML I think my tags are expired, thanks
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