Ask HN: I've been diagnosed with ADHD-Inattentive Type. What next?

8 points by michaelleland 2 years ago | 19 comments

I'm a 35-year-old male business owner, running an 27-person accounting services firm in the PNW. I was diagnosed this week with ADHD-Inattentive Type, and it seems to fit my experience. What should I do next? How can I best use this knowledge? What are your experiences?

codingdave 2 years ago |

I have multiple direct family members with ADHD. One is on medication, the others are just using different coping skills to manage it. The question you need to ask is what negative consequences is it causing in your life? Once you have that answer, you can determine the right actions to mitigate those problems, now that you know the root cause.

I'd recommend working with whomever diagnosed you (or having them refer you to someone) who can help you figure out those answers.

michaelleland 2 years ago | |

Thanks for the input. Parsing what is a negative consequence of this compared to a negative consequence of other things (e.g. lack of support systems at work, inefficient delegation, etc) will be tough and a good exercise to go thru.

gogogo_allday 2 years ago |

I was diagnosed in the 90s. I’ve taken medication on and off ever since, with the vast majority of the time being off. On the surface I’m very successful, probably the same as you, but struggle inside just completing daily tasks.

I suppose you’re struggling with something which is why you got a diagnosis. So try the medications if you want, start low dose and only increase if necessary. If coffee really helps, then a stimulant is probably a good starting point. You may find some doctors who are really hesitant to prescribe them. If that’s the case, find a new one who is willing to help without making you do a little dance for them. I’ve heard horror stories like requiring the patient to submit to drug tests, in person visit to get a refill, unwilling to prescribe more then 30 days at a time, etc. There’s no legal requirement for this in my state and probably none in yours.

Being diagnosed just means you have a more informed world view of who you are and things to watch out for. Have fun and stay weird!

michaelleland 2 years ago | |

Yes, coffee really does help--and fails to keep me up at night if I drink it late. Thanks for the tip about doctors being hesitant--we'll see what happens with my primary care.

I suppose I'm the same as you in the aspect that I'm "successful" but many definitions, and I'm not struggling to the point where my life is falling apart, but there is often unresolved anxiety related to things that demand my focus.

I love finding this out, and learning more about it. Thanks for your input.

mattbgates 2 years ago |

I am an overthinker and overreactive, probably undiagnosed autism and ADHD.

If it works for you, keep doing what you're doing.

But don't forget to get in touch with nature: go for walks, go for swims, go for bike rides.

Being diagnosed with something doesn't change who you are, only confirms who you are, and that's part of who you are now, only legally diagnosed.

cpersona 2 years ago |

You run a large organization. Are you burned out? Maybe pulled in too many directions? You get a little reward each time you close out one of those distractions and eventually you look forward to that feeling. You can become avoidant of larger items which require attention.

Secondly, knowing your status is a large step in the right direction. You can build routines around the things that seem to slip from your consciousness. For example, patting yourself down for your usual items before leaving in the morning, or making a habit of capturing everything you learn in some sort of notes application for future use.

I'm in the same boat and am at the point of NEEDING medication so I sympathize and wish you luck.

michaelleland 2 years ago | |

I don't know if I'd call it a "large" organization, but it could be--I for sure feel like I avoid the larger items at times.

Looking at the last 10 years, I've build 10s of routines to compensate without knowing why.

Good luck getting medication! Hopefully it helps you.

navjack27 2 years ago |

Check out some of Dr Russell Barkley's videos on the topic https://youtube.com/@russellbarkleyphd2023?si=w9T2XhfEn-K73q...

michaelleland 2 years ago | |

Thank you! I've never heard of him.

Quinzel 2 years ago |

I have ADHD according to two psychiatrist. If you can get through life without meds - don’t be on the meds. However if your whole life is difficult and chaotic then maybe try the meds. In my personal opinion - ADHD isn’t an illness that needs to be cured or medicated away. It’s a different way of experiencing life, and the world, and I’m actually personally convinced that my life is more interesting and fun because I have ADHD - though I’m sure I’ve possibly had more struggles than a neurotypical person.

annie_muss 2 years ago |

To start with, where do you currently feel limited in your life? What made you seek a diagnosis?

Personally, I couldn't keep a job for years. This led me to realize I had ADHD and get diagnosed. You seem to be successfully running a company, so you might have developed the good coping skills to deal with your limitations already.

I recommend reading Taking Charge of Adult ADHD by Russell Barkley. It's a good first book for people with ADHD and can answer a lot of basic questions about medication, therapy and feelings you might have after being diagnosed.

brendoelfrendo 2 years ago |

Hey, 32 years old and got diagnosed with ADHD-Inattentive Type this year.

I guess the big thing is to work with your mental health care team to figure out a treatment plan. Medications for ADHD do work pretty well; I started Adderall and, shortages notwithstanding, I find that it works for me and my body tolerates it pretty well, but your mileage may vary.

Regardless of whether or not you start medication, though, consider therapy or counseling to build better strategies for improving your focus. What I found is that Adderall will help me focus, but not necessarily help me focus on the right thing. Improving your attention span is half the battle, the other half is breaking bad habits and building new ones that help you get things done. For me, my ADHD is coupled with anxiety, so managing my anxiety and building confidence was key.

So yeah, I hope that helps at least a little.

michaelleland 2 years ago | |

I have a lot of anxiety as well, and I (now) am assuming that a large part of it is due to ADHD.

What did/does therapy look like for you?

brendoelfrendo 2 years ago | | |

Therapy for me doesn't look like much of anything at the moment! I'm planning to seek it out, though, and either set something up with my current mental health practitioner or get a referral from them now that I've noticed some persistent maladaptive behaviors. I think that there are CBT strategies that can help with ADHD, by identifying bad habits and building coping strategies to help get away from them. It can help with anxiety, too.

My psychiatrist did say that anxiety and ADHD often come together; the one tends to exacerbate the other.

sys32768 2 years ago |

If you struggle a great deal in certain situations with concentrating, Adderall instant release (small dose) worked great for me as needed, but it can easily become tolerated and lead to blood pressure/heart issues if taken regularly in higher doses.

I never had much luck with other drugs because of seeming inevitable tolerance problems and side effects.

michaelleland 2 years ago | |

Got it, thanks!

mdberkey 2 years ago |

I've been diagnosed with ADHD-PI for 1.5 years. You should focus on therapy and medication treatments from professionals (ideally those who specialize in ADHD). Outside of that, I think just learning about how our minds work differently compared to neurotypical brains and why it usually causes problems has been very helpful for me.

michaelleland 2 years ago | |

What does therapy look like?