Hacking ADHD: Strategies for the modern developer

I said I didn't want to define myself by my ADHD and because of that, I ended up finding non-pharmacological ways to treat my ADHD to the point where I've been able to have the best of both worlds. What I was able to accomplish has nothing to do with you or with anyone else.

You're responding to a comment I didn't make.

I even got in an argument with the psychologist/proctor at one point during the symbol matching section. I was supposed to write the corresponding number under a series of randomly ordered symbols on a page. The numbers were mapped to each symbol using a key at the top of the page. I thought it'd be easier to solve all of the same symbols one at a time e.g., if A = 1, B = 2, etc. then I would write "1" under every A symbol, then "2" under every B, etc..

The proctor told me, "Wait, you can't solve them like that. You have to do them in order."

I replied, "Why does it matter? It's my test and it's what is intuitive to me to solve them."

He replied with something like, "Time's ticking" (implying that that I'm only hurting my score by talking with him).

There were probably more words exchanged, but that's the gist of it.

Anyway, after all the BS, I received my scores, and I swear there were flaws in the calculations (despite using the proprietary software) though my score wasn't too bad -- my GAI was much higher than FSIQ. I also had to calculate my own GAI since the ass never put it on my report (I found a pirated copy of the manual with the proper tables in the back based on the section scores).

The psychologist (who was the proctor) basically told me that due to my large variance in some scores that my test could be considered a "testing error" and "you do not technically have an IQ score" but he "managed to manipulate the numbers a bit to give me a score." He couldn't provide me anything with a confidence interval greater than 90% (not the worst, I know), and there were odd statements in my report about having difficulty scoring my test due to my age (I was 22 at the time). So, who knows? I refuse to ever do one again though.

Anyway, I know my behavior didn't help lol, but I also just got a weirdly pseudoscientific feeling from the whole process. I've done plenty of my own research on the topic, and I am still not convinced it's the be-all and end-all of psychological testing. I think intelligence is too abstract for humans to quantify currently.

> I just hammered a solution like any Ape with the shakes would need!

This is an underrated approach. Following hunches and suspicions often leads to solutions that a pure evidence-based approach might miss or delay; especially if your suspicion goes against the prevaling wisdom.

In descending order of apparent impact (yes, anecdotal, though the psychiatrist recommended them based on published research):

- L-Tyrosine

- Fish oil (3 g daily)

- Pycnogenol

- general amino acid supplement (covers most of them but not the L-tyrosine listed above)

- Magnesium (500 mg)

- Men's multivitamin

... interesting to note that apart from the fish oil, this is almost exactly the reverse order of when I started each one.

Increases my suspicion that there's a cumulative effect, at least for me.