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Developer with ADHD? You’re not alone

stackoverflow.blog

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Re: Developer with ADHD? You’re not alone

#61

Post by itsmemattchung »

dijit wrote: post #5

I have a pet theory that the role of old school sysadmins (what we refer to as DevOps today; yes Sysadmins coded, or the good ones did, I will die on this hill) was strangely attractive to those who would assuredly be diagnosed with ADHD. You have endless areas to noodle on solutions to avoid issues; you work hard to avoid working hard (strong ADHD trait) and interruptions are either fine and they fuel you completely…

As an ex-sys admin, couldn't agree more with your pet theory. Many of us thrive when there's a sense of urgency ... but then can feel pretty unproductive during times of calm.

Re: Developer with ADHD? You’re not alone

#62

Post by AnEro »

annie_muss wrote: post #36

I appreciate the article's efforts to raise awareness, that said, as a developer with ADHD I wish 'hyperfocus' wasn't always trotted out as a kind of ADHD superpower. The inability to control your attention in order to achieve complex tasks and effect desired outcomes is ADHD. So called 'hyperfocus' is just as likely to waste your time on something unrelated and unhelpful to what you want to do. It's like telling a s…

It's so annoying to have people that think they are just doing the 'don't throw the baby out with the bath water' but being honest how good can an executive function disability be?

It's like everyone is climbing a mountain, and they are wearing snow shoes, but I'm stuck with normal boots or worse. However, when I start having fun climbing I plucked off the ground by a ski lift that takes me to a random place up the mountain. If I'm travelling in groups or trying to reach a certain place, to not get lost I have to jump off the lift. Then I'm back to walking on foot, hurt but in an ache but not an actual damage and I have to try to keep up with the snow shoe folk again.

Re: Developer with ADHD? You’re not alone

#63

Post by nibbleshifter »

iLoveOncall wrote: post #3
1letterunixname wrote: post #2

Roughly 30% of people I work with at a MAANG have moderate to severe ADHD. Real ADHD, not some self-diagnosed or casual self-deprecation.

> Real ADHD, not some self-diagnosed or casual self-deprecation. How would you know? This number is totally unrealistic when the prevalence in the adult population is 2-4%. Unless you work with 3 people, one of which has ADHD.

Tech work has a lot of weird selection biases that can lead to high concentrations of certain minority groups working in the sector: eg, people with autism, ADHD, etc.

Re: Developer with ADHD? You’re not alone

#64

Post by b7r6 »

kayodelycaon wrote: post #58
b7r6 wrote: post #49

I've been diagnosed with ADHD 4 times by 4 separate qualified clinicians and stimulant medication undoubtedly makes me more effective, so asked and answered I guess. But I sort of philosophically struggle with the "disorder" bit of it. I live in a box with a glass wall facing other boxes with glass walls and type into a computer screen any time that I'm not actively going to the gym or doing something outdoors becuas…

“Neurotypical” has to do with ability to function at a fundamental level. If neurotypical person is interested in something, they are likely to be fine doing that thing. But they can also chose not to do it. Someone with ADHD has trouble controlling attention. To be a disorder, this needs to be severe enough to limit you. There is a significant overlap in behavior with neurotypical and neurodivergent people. What sep…

I probably have some wiggle room on the details, but the combination of my skills, experience, and the macro economy make me roughly a "knowledge worker". I'm interested as hell in all kinds of things, but if I "choose" not to do the "knowledge worker" thing I'm looking at a tough situation pretty quickly.

I'm sure you mean well by your comment but I'd be more interested in what you think about the broader theme of "knowledge work as a path to high achievement denominated in society's rewards" than whether or not I personally have a bunch of agency about wanting rewards.

Re: Developer with ADHD? You’re not alone

#65

Post by mtlmtlmtlmtl »

ilovecaching wrote: post #37

Anyone have tips for how they manage their ADHD, specifically when you aren't able to get yourself motivated at all with the task at hand or feel like you have too may balls to juggle? I really struggle with yak shaving and perfection being the enemy of good as well, my ADHD often devolves into OCD like behaviors.

My ADHD is severe enough that medication is more or less necessary to function.

Besides that, I've not had much luck being able to channel the focus medications bring, except one key thing. Take your medication after you get started on whatever you want to accomplish. Once the meds kick in, your attention will often grab onto whatever you happen to be doing, and stay there.

Another huge help is the OHIO principle: Only Handle It Once. Try to catch yourself whenever you think "I'll do it later", and do it right away instead. Maybe give yourself a reward whenever you manage to do this, for some self-conditioning.

As for the situation you mention, there is no shame in asking friends or family for help(to do some of the chores, help you get started). Especially if you ask someone who also has ADHD, they will understand your pain and want to help. Often getting that reset back to normal is the best way to get into better habits.

I find it's much harder to establish better habits when I have a gigantic list of unfinished chores to do.

Re: Developer with ADHD? You’re not alone

#66

Post by nibbleshifter »

spacephysics wrote: post #7
iLoveOncall wrote: post #3

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Real ADHD, not some self-diagnosed or casual self-deprecation. How would you know? This number is totally unrealistic when the prevalence in the adult population is 2-4%. Unless you work with 3 people, one of which has ADHD.

While I agree questioning how he would know, we can’t use the general population metric and apply it to a specific population, in this case, software engineers who work at MAANG, or just competent enough to pass the interview I wouldn’t be surprised if there’s a larger percent population of ADHD in MAANG tech vs in the general population. But to try and counter myself, there’s typically a larger population of ADHD (o…

I recently read a study that suggested around 30% of incarcerated individuals in the UK probably had ADHD or similar.

Just for another fun data point.

Re: Developer with ADHD? You’re not alone

#67

Post by AnEro »

Muromec wrote: post #46
annie_muss wrote: post #36

I appreciate the article's efforts to raise awareness, that said, as a developer with ADHD I wish 'hyperfocus' wasn't always trotted out as a kind of ADHD superpower. The inability to control your attention in order to achieve complex tasks and effect desired outcomes is ADHD. So called 'hyperfocus' is just as likely to waste your time on something unrelated and unhelpful to what you want to do. It's like telling a s…

In the long run all the unrelated stuff you wasted your time on before will add up as in-depth knowledge relevant to what you liok for now

Yea but how useful is that if I can't control USING that information. The only way to control what I can focus on unless I loop in some way to get ALOT of dopamine out of it.

It's an executive function DISABILITY, it takes so much work to get it close to useful where it just makes it so your basically on par with everyone after it.

Re: Developer with ADHD? You’re not alone

#68

Post by kayodelycaon »

t3rabytes wrote: post #59
ryukoposting wrote: post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It affects your insurance? MORTGAGES? What the hell? In the US, the only external downside of ADHD is when you change doctors and the new one automatically assumes you're trying to swindle them to get Adderal, so they make you do another psych evaluation that will inevitably say the same thing as the last one. Defibutely doesn't affect mortgages. I doubt that it would affect vehicle licenses.

> In the US, the only external downside of ADHD The FAA doesn't look kindly on ADHD diagnoses for people looking to get pilots licenses, even private. It adds a bunch of extra hoops to jump through.

This is true for a variety of health problems. You need a doctor to verify it doesn’t impair your ability to fly a plane safely.

There are also restrictions on medications you can take and still fly a plane.

Re: Developer with ADHD? You’re not alone

#69

Post by loudgas »

iLoveOncall wrote: post #51
throwaway4aday wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

By that measure it's totally unrealistic that the average height of NBA players is 6'6"

No, because being tall is a prime factor when hiring NBA players, but having ADHD is not when hiring software engineers.

Being tall gives you an obvious advantage at basketball. As a result many tall people are drawn to pursuing a career in basketball. Could it be that ADHD gives you an advantage at the kind of tasks involved in software engineering, and that many people with ADHD are naturally drawn to this kind of work, even though the advantage is not so obvious as a physical characteristic like height?

Re: Developer with ADHD? You’re not alone

#70

Post by BizarreByte »

brianwawok wrote: post #29
ryukoposting wrote: post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It affects your insurance? MORTGAGES? What the hell? In the US, the only external downside of ADHD is when you change doctors and the new one automatically assumes you're trying to swindle them to get Adderal, so they make you do another psych evaluation that will inevitably say the same thing as the last one. Defibutely doesn't affect mortgages. I doubt that it would affect vehicle licenses.

Seems important to double check yah? Vs randomly prescribe any medicine and person requests?

Generally people with proof of a diagnosis and a current prescription get to continue taking their current prescription without any hassle.

Not so in the case, you might lose it for months if you move and switch doctors.

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