7 ms·

I have the opposite problem. My problem with ADHD is that if I start a novel and the novel is decent, I will not stop reading until I finish the book or series

I have the opposite problem. My problem with ADHD is that if I start a novel and the novel is decent, I will not stop reading until I finish the book or series of book. No matter what work I need to do, I'll even forget to eat and will not go to sleep until I'm either finished or I'm so tired that I need reread the same sentence multiple times before I understand it. It's great in that I've read a lot of books, but it's also been a source of problems more than once when I blew things off because I have a book to finish. With non-fiction, it depends, if the subject interests me, I can become equally focused, if it doesn't, there's very little chances that I will finish it. But I also have weird interests, once I became obsessed with finding the best health insurance plan and read all the 100 of pages of terms and conditions of the different plans in a day (very dry material). I know that now that I'm no longer in the mood to do that, I would never be able to read a single page.

carterschonwald 6y ago
I definitely have that completionism of a good novel issue myself.
interleave 6y ago
I very much agree and share a similar experience. Struggling with ADHD is not a matter of not being able to focus. Part of the issue is directing and keeping attention on non-pleasant tasks that are stacked up against a brain chronically low on dopamine and norepinephrine transmission. As someone with diagnosed and treated ADHD, these articles are misleading. In my opinion it's dangerous to claim "Do this ONE behavioural thing and your ADHD goes away (or gets easier.)" After struggling with ADHD for 25+ years I can tell you: These life-hacks don't work. Please, consult with a medical professional instead. It'll save you years of agony and disappointment. Again, if you have – or suspect – ADHD, work with a psychiatrist to discuss diagnosis and treatment options. Period. Quoting Dr. Russell Barkeley "ADHD is one, if not the best-understood psychiatric conditions. We understand it for several decades now - it's also called the diabetes of psychiatry because there's treatment"[^1]. So, we know what it is and have known how to treat it. It's a neuro-genetic disease, and we have had working medications for – I think – 50 years including the obvious methylphenidate and dexamphetamines. After reading the article and so many like it, I feel frustrated because I think they're predatory. They're targeting neuro-divergent people like myself. And boy, did I fall into those traps over and over again until I enrolled in actual medical treatment. I'll assume that Jacqueline writes and published this in good faith to a point. My smell-test says otherwise - but please correct me if I'm wrong: The article smells like a classic "authority" post that's designed to generate leads for her mailing-list via the "free"-for-email ebook "YOUR ADHD STRENGTHS" just below. Once singed up I imagine I'll... [conjecture!] get an email drip campaign for a week providing "value" to join her community to eventually be offered an intro offer for $37 with an upsell for $197 etc. [^1]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SCAGc-rkIfo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SCAGc-rkIfo
- CubsFan1060 6y ago
  > Please, consult with a medical professional instead. I feel like this might be a dumb question, but what brand of medical professional should you go to? I've discussed with my GP, but those discussions usually don't have any meaningful advice.
  - gunshowmo 6y ago
    This would be helpful to be as well. Even my family doctor wanted to stay as far back away from me as possible when I brought up getting tested for ADHD.
  - hundchenkatze 6y ago
    Not a dumb question at all. I feel the same way, any GP I've mentioned it to never seemed interested in really helping. I think your ADHD got the best of you today, because the comment you're replying to suggests working with a psychiatrist. :)
    - CubsFan1060 6y ago
      haha. That's the funny thing. I've heard differing things about psychiatrist, psychologist, and neurologist.
  - fao_ 6y ago
    (Since you called them a "GP", I'm guessing that you're in the UK) I mean, nobody can really tell you anything about your set of circumstances without you giving info. For some people under the NHS, with good doctors, they go to their GP and the GP listens to their reasons why and then refers them to a psychiatrist who can diagnose them formally, and they are given other interrim support in the meantime, along with the necessary doctors notes to explain things to work or whatever is required. However, for other people whose GPs are overworked or just incompetent, they could be met with something like "Well you don't seem like you have that" (Personally, I had this with a fatigue problem I was experiencing). The solution to this is already built-in to the NHS. You are allowed to choose your primary care provider. The solution is to do what most people with disabilities learn to do -- you "shop around" doctors until you find one that genuninely gives a shit about you and wants to work with you to help you diagnose and cure your ailments. While it can feel dirty, and sometimes mean to the individual doctors -- many incompetent people still have the best intentions -- ultimately they are there to help you and your health and quality of life is the primary concern here.
believeinskills 6y ago
This is also my experience. I equate my ADD to a trail of ants. If you disrupt that trail of ants, I will struggle to get back into a single file line of ants. When I start something, I have to finish. I can't just switch to something else. If I am stuck on a project, I can't move one to something else to give myself a break. I have to finish in that moment.
spiralx 6y ago
I'm very similar which is why I read easier to digest fiction, for me books provide a coherent linear train of thought that works to soothe my naturally chaotic headspace, which is an addicting sensation to someone with ADHD. I struggle with novels that employ complex writing tricks for this same reason, non-linearity just exacerbates my internal chaos rather than calming it.

carterschonwald 6y ago

I definitely have that completionism of a good novel issue myself.

interleave 6y ago

I very much agree and share a similar experience. Struggling with ADHD is not a matter of not being able to focus. Part of the issue is directing and keeping attention on non-pleasant tasks that are stacked up against a brain chronically low on dopamine and norepinephrine transmission. As someone with diagnosed and treated ADHD, these articles are misleading. In my opinion it's dangerous to claim "Do this ONE behavioural thing and your ADHD goes away (or gets easier.)" After struggling with ADHD for 25+ years I can tell you: These life-hacks don't work. Please, consult with a medical professional instead. It'll save you years of agony and disappointment. Again, if you have – or suspect – ADHD, work with a psychiatrist to discuss diagnosis and treatment options. Period. Quoting Dr. Russell Barkeley "ADHD is one, if not the best-understood psychiatric conditions. We understand it for several decades now - it's also called the diabetes of psychiatry because there's treatment"[^1]. So, we know what it is and have known how to treat it. It's a neuro-genetic disease, and we have had working medications for – I think – 50 years including the obvious methylphenidate and dexamphetamines. After reading the article and so many like it, I feel frustrated because I think they're predatory. They're targeting neuro-divergent people like myself. And boy, did I fall into those traps over and over again until I enrolled in actual medical treatment. I'll assume that Jacqueline writes and published this in good faith to a point. My smell-test says otherwise - but please correct me if I'm wrong: The article smells like a classic "authority" post that's designed to generate leads for her mailing-list via the "free"-for-email ebook "YOUR ADHD STRENGTHS" just below. Once singed up I imagine I'll... [conjecture!] get an email drip campaign for a week providing "value" to join her community to eventually be offered an intro offer for $37 with an upsell for $197 etc. [^1]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SCAGc-rkIfo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SCAGc-rkIfo

CubsFan1060 6y ago
> Please, consult with a medical professional instead. I feel like this might be a dumb question, but what brand of medical professional should you go to? I've discussed with my GP, but those discussions usually don't have any meaningful advice.
- gunshowmo 6y ago
  This would be helpful to be as well. Even my family doctor wanted to stay as far back away from me as possible when I brought up getting tested for ADHD.
- hundchenkatze 6y ago
  Not a dumb question at all. I feel the same way, any GP I've mentioned it to never seemed interested in really helping. I think your ADHD got the best of you today, because the comment you're replying to suggests working with a psychiatrist. :)
  - CubsFan1060 6y ago
    haha. That's the funny thing. I've heard differing things about psychiatrist, psychologist, and neurologist.
- fao_ 6y ago
  (Since you called them a "GP", I'm guessing that you're in the UK) I mean, nobody can really tell you anything about your set of circumstances without you giving info. For some people under the NHS, with good doctors, they go to their GP and the GP listens to their reasons why and then refers them to a psychiatrist who can diagnose them formally, and they are given other interrim support in the meantime, along with the necessary doctors notes to explain things to work or whatever is required. However, for other people whose GPs are overworked or just incompetent, they could be met with something like "Well you don't seem like you have that" (Personally, I had this with a fatigue problem I was experiencing). The solution to this is already built-in to the NHS. You are allowed to choose your primary care provider. The solution is to do what most people with disabilities learn to do -- you "shop around" doctors until you find one that genuninely gives a shit about you and wants to work with you to help you diagnose and cure your ailments. While it can feel dirty, and sometimes mean to the individual doctors -- many incompetent people still have the best intentions -- ultimately they are there to help you and your health and quality of life is the primary concern here.

believeinskills 6y ago

This is also my experience. I equate my ADD to a trail of ants. If you disrupt that trail of ants, I will struggle to get back into a single file line of ants. When I start something, I have to finish. I can't just switch to something else. If I am stuck on a project, I can't move one to something else to give myself a break. I have to finish in that moment.

spiralx 6y ago

I'm very similar which is why I read easier to digest fiction, for me books provide a coherent linear train of thought that works to soothe my naturally chaotic headspace, which is an addicting sensation to someone with ADHD. I struggle with novels that employ complex writing tricks for this same reason, non-linearity just exacerbates my internal chaos rather than calming it.