4 ms·
This is what stops me. I definitely have at least societally caused ADD (i.e. internet is just a click away full of ways to waste the time away), but probably a
by cableshaft 5y ago
This is what stops me. I definitely have at least societally caused ADD (i.e. internet is just a click away full of ways to waste the time away), but probably a bit more than that, and I have a close family member with diagnosed ADHD, so I probably could get it diagnosed and get meds for it...but I'm a little afraid I'll lose one of the good things about it, which is my brain keeps bouncing around from idea to idea and comes up with all sorts of interesting things.
Now being able to stay focused to get those finished enough to get them out the door and released on the world is another thing entirely, and I seem to be having more difficulty with that now that I'm older and have more natural distractions such as two dogs that always want my attention at the worst times :)
But yeah, always had issues with deadlines, getting to places on time, impulse control, focusing on things I don't care enough about (i.e. work), etc. I've muddled through anyway and done alright for myself, at least so far, but I might get more accomplished with some medication.
But then what if I stop coming up with cool game designs and stories and music as a result?
The other thing that stops me is that close family member had some bad reactions to ADHD meds (both physical and mental), so that also gives me pause, since we share a lot of the same genes.
- cecilpl2 5y ago> But then what if I stop coming up with cool game designs and stories and music as a result? It seems to me that you could try it, and if you don't like the results, then stop taking it. The effects aren't permanent.
- ReactiveJelly 5y agoYep. I tried Adderall and the effects weren't quite what I wanted, so I just told my doc and tapered off it. (I had trouble sleeping, and it wasn't giving me executive function in the evening when I needed it to, instead I was crashing after work)
- cableshaft 5y agoThey were permanent in my family member's case. They're not taking the meds anymore (taking anti-psychotic meds now), but they're still getting worse. Granted they did take it for several years before it became apparent (and/or they let others know) that this had started happening. Not saying the meds are definitely the cause, maybe it was a latent thing they always had, but we share enough genes I'm not sure I want to take the chance. The effects it had on them was/continues to be pretty scary. https://www.healthline.com/health/adhd/adderall-psychosis https://www.healthline.com/health/adhd/adderall-psychosis This is probably my main concern, actually, not so much the other, sorry for not making that clear.
- pseudalopex 5y agoThere are other medications that work differently.
- ericmay 5y ago> But then what if I stop coming up with cool game designs and stories and music as a result? Do you come up with the designs and stories and actually implement them or are they all half-finished projects? I think if you’re actually completing them, there’s no need to change and I somewhat doubt you have ADHD. If they are all sitting half-finished on the shelf, yea that’s different. IMO
- cableshaft 5y agoAlmost all half finished, especially lately (pandemic really killed a lot of my creative drive and seemed to make my mind even harder to focus). I’ve got like 50 board game prototypes and zero published (1 signed with a publisher though, and a couple that have been finalists in design contests though, so maybe someday), eight novel manuscripts I could never finish editing (most written during Nanowrimo), six half-finished video games (8 finished and released ones in my past, but zero in the past…almost 10 years now), etc.
- ericmay 5y agoI feel you there. Especially with the creativity stuff.