Ask HN: For those who have ADHD – Inattentive Type – how do you overcome it?

18 points by IWantToRelocate 4 years ago | 8 comments

A friend who is a psychologist came to warn me about this problem, which I possibly have and discovered only now in my 30s. Reading all over the web, I can say that I have ~ 100% of the symptoms since I was a child: inattentive, daydreamer, unable to follow instructions given, etc. All my teachers in my childhood always complained that I was never paying attention to classes. Unless it is REALLY REALLY important (like to turn off the stove), I often forget something I was asked to do if I don't take note. Man I'm just shocked, that I didn't have any clue, my whole life, that this was actually a mental condition.

Since I'm now WFH, In my dayly job I'm just learning to take notes of everything in meetings, because that already lead me to a lot of problems in the nearly past.

shahbaby 4 years ago |

Have you tried medication?

I would start with that.

People will say things like exercise or certain routines, etc. but nothing compares to how effective medication can be.

Everyone's brain chemistry is a bit different so this is where you need to work with a psychiatrist to see what works for you.

I still faintly remember when I started taking medication. I was also in my 30s. It was as if for my whole life there was this fog in my brain which had been lifted.

I was still in university at that time. In class I could now sit through long lectures without my mind wandering and follow along every word. I could dive deep on any topic I studied. My grades were now on the other side of the bell curve.

It fixed my insomnia. It helped me lose some weight too.

But there are some negatives.

I'm more anxious when I'm on it. Which means taking it during an exam or a job interview is a bad idea.

I'm also more likely to keep going deeper into one path without looking for better alternatives (this post is becoming a good example of what that looks like).

I still like my ADHD brain, it makes better long term and strategic decisions whereas medication is how I get through the day to day grind.

Thanks for coming to my TED talk.

modelviewpotato 4 years ago |

I always had difficulties in school and have always suffered from being a daydreamer, had trouble remembering stuff that does not interest me, emotional deregulation, periods of hyper-focus but also complete lack of focus, etc. Because of that I had trouble finishing high school, never finished college and would jump around jobs every couple of years… After suffering from this for years (I’m in my late 30s) and after seeing some Youtube videos about ADHD by chance, I decided to get diagnosed. Booked an appointment with a doctor that is an expert on ADHD and focus specifically on treating undiagnosed adults.

The results after multiple tests (my doctor even asked to talk with my wife) came back positive.

For the past few months I have been trying different medication and dosage and the improvement in life quality has been massive. I’m super productive at work, my mood swings are gone, I can recall stuff much more easily and I’ve been doing things I’ve been postponing for years: learning new technologies, reading a ton of new books, doing side-projects, etc.

My recommendation is to get properly diagnosed and if things come back positive discuss starting on medication. I know that in the USA (I’m in Western Europe) ADHD and medication for it have a lot of stigmas and misconceptions associated and some doctors are reluctant to put people on meds (especially adults from I’ve read) but doing nothing and just trying to live with this condition without any help is hell…

Good luck!

emptysongglass 4 years ago |

Medicate, medicate, medicate.

The alternative (for me) was meditating literally all day in a monastery but that isn't sustainable unless you are a monk.

Try all of the ones out there. It will be horrible but once you find the right one, you will know. I had to go through Adderall (made me anxious), Ritalin (made me aggressive), Strattera (have you thought of RULING THE WORLD oh and by the way you now leak semen) until I finally begged to be put on Modafinil (god tier everything is perfect now. Try it with grapefruit juice!)

BlameKaneda 4 years ago |

- I was a lot more inattentive as a kid, and I found myself in situations where my inattentiveness was an embarrassment for me (i.e. I'd be called on randomly and would be caught off-guard). As I got older I'd learned that I'd been masking my symptoms---for instance, when I'd attend a presentation or meeting I'd be afraid that I'd be seen as "not paying attention", so I put in extra effort to focus. Because I'd be masking my symptoms, for years I didn't know if I had ADHD or not because my symptoms didn't seem to fit the definition of classic ADHD/ADD symptoms.

- I have a ToDo app on my phone (and also as an extension in my browser), and it's very satisfying to check off items. I also maintain quick ToDo lists on Post-It notes.

- I use the LeechBlock extension to block certain websites between certain times of the day. Although HackerNews is blocked on Chrome, which I use for work stuff, it's unblocked on Firefox---I'm pretty good about not opening Firefox and HN during working hours. Link: https://www.proginosko.com/leechblock/

- If I'm really distracted, I'll move my phone to the other side of the room so it's out of sight.

- I started seeing a psychiatrist in late-January and started taking Vyvanse as a result. I haven't noticed any significant differences pre- and post -Vyvanse, but it has been slightly easier for me to start a task and work on it for a while, whereas I used to bounce back and forth a lot more.

Jane_Perkin 4 years ago |

My son also manifested these symptoms since he was 6 years old. Now he's 14 years old, gladly, he functions well at home and school. Though, extreme emotions always shows every time he is mad after consecutive losses on online games or if he doesn't get what he wants. With lots of patience, it also help a lot that me and his older brother treats him as if he doesn't have ADHD. Outdoor activities like sports and exercise can maintain your focus and concentration too. So just keep up doing things you deem necessary to become more responsible and a person one can depend on. It's a matter of mind-setting.

etaioinshrdlu 4 years ago |

For me L-methylfolate has helped with ... everything quite a bit since discovering I have an MHTFR mutation. Lots of more mental and physical energy with no side effects.

I used to consider typical vitamins as not-necessary if you eat reasonably well -- but I've reconsidered that position and supplement B12 and others as well.

ADHD meds were a mixed bag - they improve focus and attention, but at the cost of physical discomfort, insomnia, anxiety, etc. Overall not helpful really.

timjstewart 4 years ago |

https://www.amazon.com/Smart-but-Scattered-Guide-Success/dp/...

This book helped me a lot.

throwaway24124 4 years ago |

Find a psychiatrist ASAP. Medication changed my life