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Consider talking to a doctor about ADD? (Alternatively, get some Adderall somewhere and experiment.) Executive control is a distinct mental capability.

sascha_sl 4y ago
This. Even with all the addictive technologies around, this essay makes problems sound too extreme to not be at least worth evaluating for ADD. Especially the consistently poor working memory is a dead giveaway. People forget AD(H)D is fairly common, regardless of if you think it's overdiagnosed or not. And with how technology has been turning everything into dopamine slot machines it will exaggerate the symptoms even more.
Otek 4y ago
Please don't ever again recommend to someone with problems randomly that they should "get some amphetamine somewhere and experiment". Okay?
- sojourn4now 4y ago
  This. I’m a recovered amphetamine (Adderall) addict. I was enslaved to amphetamines for over 10 years. I started taking pills in college because they helped me focus and get things done, but I quickly fell into addiction and abuse. Talked my psychiatrist into giving me ever higher doses. Frequently stole my wife’s ADHD medication after burning through all of my own. I couldn’t stop. It all started (somewhat) innocently enough… Yes it’s capable of giving you super powers at work, but it’s also really quite dangerous from an addiction standpoint.
  - FeepingCreature 4y ago
    I wonder how often that happens. Could you elaborate on why you increased your dose? Was there a loss of effectiveness?
    - sojourn4now 4y ago
      I think for me I just really liked the way it made me feel. I started taking ADHD medication during a time in my life where I was exploring and challenging boundaries. I had been a good rule following kid until college. In college I started experimenting with drugs in general. So naturally I wanted to experiment with taking more to see what it would be like. I didn’t realize by chasing the high provided by Adderall that I would become addicted. Sounds dumb when I write it out like that…
- dncornholio 4y ago
  What do you mean, these pills that make my kids suddenly have A grades and fun to hang out with are not risk free??
- FeepingCreature 4y ago
  Eh, as I understand it this (Adderall "abuse") is fairly common and mostly doesn't have bad consequences. Note that inability to concentrate reliably has fairly severe downsides as well, like (at the extremes) inability to hold a job. This is not good for your medical situation either! Depending on person, "ask a roomie to try their meds" can be a lot more viable than "go and talk to a medical professional." And it comes with a safety valve - your roomie will presumably cut you off if you get problems. Plus the dosage will be predictable and there won't be random additions. Note that I didn't say to go try meth. (Google "death by adderall". It's not hard to avoid.) Of course if there's medical contraindications like blood pressure or heart conditions this is a bad idea, but first of all the side effect profile is pretty mild, and second if you have a medical condition you should already know to not take meds on the basis of random HNews recommendations. - Actually, they should know their preferred risk profile anyway. I'm just reminding them that the option exists.
- anonymoushn 4y ago
  why, sounds like a great idea.
- thomastjeffery 4y ago
  Agreed, though mostly because of external consequences like the war on drugs. Even so, the rest of the advice is solid.
rr808 4y ago
Maybe but it seems too common - does nearly everyone have ADD?
- zerkten 4y ago
  No. But, it feels like people seem to only be able to name a single condition. ADHD gets misapplied frequently. I only scanned the original article, but it was really evident that the individual has a complex situation deserving more than self-help. To underline this point. There are almost weekly threads here which either either start with a mention of "ADHD", or someone posting a comment on "ADHD" along with how they manage it with self-help books. It is hard to find the right professional help, but it's something worth doing because it's probably the only thing that will solve the problems. We should encourage people to seek that help instead of only pointing to self-help articles.
- thomastjeffery 4y ago
  Nearly everyone is not a part of this conversation. Technology - especially software - attracts people with ADHD traits like hyperfocus, so it's not a stretch to expect a higher percentage of ADHD brains on HN. On top of that, "arguing with people on the internet" is an attractive source of stimulation for those of us with ADHD, meaning we will overrepresent ourselves in any discussion.
- kayodelycaon 4y ago
  The visible symptoms of ADHD (ADD is no longer a separate thing) are things normal people experience all the time. ADHD is very poorly named. It has similar symptoms at times but it is categorically different because they come from severely compromised self-regulation across many facets. Emotional control, memory, focus, sensory processing, etc. Many people with ADHD find ways to work around this by finding ways to create a structure they can work in. This contributes to the belief that ADHD can be solved by diligent, disciplined work. Especially because discipline is the solution to normal people’s issues with attention. But the reality is ADHD not a lack of discipline, but the inability to have it in the first place. Some people manage, but many can’t and other people make moral judgements that anyone with ADHD isn’t trying hard enough. Edit: I said this more clearly elsewhere: The symptoms are not the disorder and don't come from the same mechanism that causes normal people to have difficultly paying attention sometimes.

sascha_sl 4y ago

This. Even with all the addictive technologies around, this essay makes problems sound too extreme to not be at least worth evaluating for ADD. Especially the consistently poor working memory is a dead giveaway. People forget AD(H)D is fairly common, regardless of if you think it's overdiagnosed or not. And with how technology has been turning everything into dopamine slot machines it will exaggerate the symptoms even more.

Otek 4y ago

Please don't ever again recommend to someone with problems randomly that they should "get some amphetamine somewhere and experiment". Okay?

sojourn4now 4y ago
This. I’m a recovered amphetamine (Adderall) addict. I was enslaved to amphetamines for over 10 years. I started taking pills in college because they helped me focus and get things done, but I quickly fell into addiction and abuse. Talked my psychiatrist into giving me ever higher doses. Frequently stole my wife’s ADHD medication after burning through all of my own. I couldn’t stop. It all started (somewhat) innocently enough… Yes it’s capable of giving you super powers at work, but it’s also really quite dangerous from an addiction standpoint.
- FeepingCreature 4y ago
  I wonder how often that happens. Could you elaborate on why you increased your dose? Was there a loss of effectiveness?
  - sojourn4now 4y ago
    I think for me I just really liked the way it made me feel. I started taking ADHD medication during a time in my life where I was exploring and challenging boundaries. I had been a good rule following kid until college. In college I started experimenting with drugs in general. So naturally I wanted to experiment with taking more to see what it would be like. I didn’t realize by chasing the high provided by Adderall that I would become addicted. Sounds dumb when I write it out like that…
dncornholio 4y ago
What do you mean, these pills that make my kids suddenly have A grades and fun to hang out with are not risk free??
FeepingCreature 4y ago
Eh, as I understand it this (Adderall "abuse") is fairly common and mostly doesn't have bad consequences. Note that inability to concentrate reliably has fairly severe downsides as well, like (at the extremes) inability to hold a job. This is not good for your medical situation either! Depending on person, "ask a roomie to try their meds" can be a lot more viable than "go and talk to a medical professional." And it comes with a safety valve - your roomie will presumably cut you off if you get problems. Plus the dosage will be predictable and there won't be random additions. Note that I didn't say to go try meth. (Google "death by adderall". It's not hard to avoid.) Of course if there's medical contraindications like blood pressure or heart conditions this is a bad idea, but first of all the side effect profile is pretty mild, and second if you have a medical condition you should already know to not take meds on the basis of random HNews recommendations. - Actually, they should know their preferred risk profile anyway. I'm just reminding them that the option exists.
anonymoushn 4y ago
why, sounds like a great idea.
thomastjeffery 4y ago
Agreed, though mostly because of external consequences like the war on drugs. Even so, the rest of the advice is solid.

rr808 4y ago

Maybe but it seems too common - does nearly everyone have ADD?

zerkten 4y ago
No. But, it feels like people seem to only be able to name a single condition. ADHD gets misapplied frequently. I only scanned the original article, but it was really evident that the individual has a complex situation deserving more than self-help. To underline this point. There are almost weekly threads here which either either start with a mention of "ADHD", or someone posting a comment on "ADHD" along with how they manage it with self-help books. It is hard to find the right professional help, but it's something worth doing because it's probably the only thing that will solve the problems. We should encourage people to seek that help instead of only pointing to self-help articles.
thomastjeffery 4y ago
Nearly everyone is not a part of this conversation. Technology - especially software - attracts people with ADHD traits like hyperfocus, so it's not a stretch to expect a higher percentage of ADHD brains on HN. On top of that, "arguing with people on the internet" is an attractive source of stimulation for those of us with ADHD, meaning we will overrepresent ourselves in any discussion.
kayodelycaon 4y ago
The visible symptoms of ADHD (ADD is no longer a separate thing) are things normal people experience all the time. ADHD is very poorly named. It has similar symptoms at times but it is categorically different because they come from severely compromised self-regulation across many facets. Emotional control, memory, focus, sensory processing, etc. Many people with ADHD find ways to work around this by finding ways to create a structure they can work in. This contributes to the belief that ADHD can be solved by diligent, disciplined work. Especially because discipline is the solution to normal people’s issues with attention. But the reality is ADHD not a lack of discipline, but the inability to have it in the first place. Some people manage, but many can’t and other people make moral judgements that anyone with ADHD isn’t trying hard enough. Edit: I said this more clearly elsewhere: The symptoms are not the disorder and don't come from the same mechanism that causes normal people to have difficultly paying attention sometimes.