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ADHD is the inability to regulate attention. There are a couple ways this presents: 1) Hyperfocus for hours at a time, often forgetting about physical needs li

ADHD is the inability to regulate attention. There are a couple ways this presents: 1) Hyperfocus for hours at a time, often forgetting about physical needs like food/drink/bathroom. 2) Extreme trouble getting started on a task (inability to overcome inertia) and constant distraction once started. 3) Switching hobbies, jobs, roles, spouses, etc because the initial stimulation of something new is more rewarding than old interests. ADHD's symptoms are caused by a deficiency in reward dopamine systems. The "craving" for dopamine is stronger in ADHD brains, which is why impulsive/risky behaviors are common in people with ADHD. Talk to a medical professional if that resonates. Therapy is also helpful, since the behaviors associated with ADHD can lead to built-up shame / self-doubt. Medication helps (for me, it was like putting on glasses for the first time), but re-modeling behavior and self-image were equally important for me.

bradlys 4y ago
The first two sound like ADHD but the third doesn’t at all. That sounds like most people in the world. Everyone complains of the mundane, the same things, day in day out. We don’t hear “I love how nothing has ever changed in my life”. I’ve yet to hear someone describe ADHD in the third way and this thread is the only time I’ve seen folks ever mention it.
- zenbryo 4y ago
  The first to points are the physiological symptoms, and the third described is one of the effects for most people with ADD/ADHD. Unfinished projects and a chaotic worklife that also can result in criminal activities, drug abuse etc. But it can also lead to succesful entrepreneurship and other positive effects in the long haul.
- Jensson 4y ago
  ADHD makes it more painful to try to focus on boring things, so even if everyone finds work boring after a while it is worse for those with ADHD.
  - alfnor 4y ago
    ADHD-PI here! I've changed majors two times these last three years.
- Apocryphon 4y ago
  3) can just be rephrased to mean continuous novelty-seeking or stimulation chasing. The way it was worded in the post does seem a little dramatic.
- rodrigodlu 4y ago
  It's a bit different because it's more like a obsession to find something rewarding. My school grades as a kid were fine, but I was studying at least 2 different books at same time because after a single paragraph it was already "boring as hell", even being genuinely intrigued by the problem and the possible outcomes. So to study simple math, multiplication for instance, I had a science magazine open beside to constantly remember the outcomes of studying math (understand astrophysics that apparently is cool), at same time I was studying history with a history book and the cover of Red Alert 2 to remember what can happen if don't understand the outcomes of a possible domination by a authoritarian leader. So 4 fucking things at same time. All of that to just get a C or B- grade. I was amazed recently to be able to do just few tasks properly done and managing to rest and remember to eat. Few properly done tasks was usually a result of super/hyperfocus where the toll later was extremely high, like eating lots of garbage food to compensate the lack of food during the previous hours, sometimes as high as 20 straight hours.
- grepLeigh 4y ago
  Some aspects of the ADHD experience might sound universal, but the key difference is the impact on your life. Someone with a more neuro-typical brain might not be thrilled about mundane experiences, but can still tolerate the situation. In an ADHD brain, mundane experiences over-engage areas of the brain associated with physical/emotional distress (amygdala). ADHD brains are also impacted by abnormal dopamine regulation, which affects the reward cycle for accomplishing mundane things. Here are some comics to help contextualize: https://twitter.com/adhd_alien/status/1182670794633207813 https://twitter.com/adhd_alien/status/1182670794633207813 I think one of the reasons so many people showed up to post about ADHD here is this, from the OP: > Although, it seems quite trivial, for me this is a huge live hurdle

bradlys 4y ago

The first two sound like ADHD but the third doesn’t at all. That sounds like most people in the world. Everyone complains of the mundane, the same things, day in day out. We don’t hear “I love how nothing has ever changed in my life”. I’ve yet to hear someone describe ADHD in the third way and this thread is the only time I’ve seen folks ever mention it.

zenbryo 4y ago
The first to points are the physiological symptoms, and the third described is one of the effects for most people with ADD/ADHD. Unfinished projects and a chaotic worklife that also can result in criminal activities, drug abuse etc. But it can also lead to succesful entrepreneurship and other positive effects in the long haul.
Jensson 4y ago
ADHD makes it more painful to try to focus on boring things, so even if everyone finds work boring after a while it is worse for those with ADHD.
- alfnor 4y ago
  ADHD-PI here! I've changed majors two times these last three years.
Apocryphon 4y ago
3) can just be rephrased to mean continuous novelty-seeking or stimulation chasing. The way it was worded in the post does seem a little dramatic.
rodrigodlu 4y ago
It's a bit different because it's more like a obsession to find something rewarding. My school grades as a kid were fine, but I was studying at least 2 different books at same time because after a single paragraph it was already "boring as hell", even being genuinely intrigued by the problem and the possible outcomes. So to study simple math, multiplication for instance, I had a science magazine open beside to constantly remember the outcomes of studying math (understand astrophysics that apparently is cool), at same time I was studying history with a history book and the cover of Red Alert 2 to remember what can happen if don't understand the outcomes of a possible domination by a authoritarian leader. So 4 fucking things at same time. All of that to just get a C or B- grade. I was amazed recently to be able to do just few tasks properly done and managing to rest and remember to eat. Few properly done tasks was usually a result of super/hyperfocus where the toll later was extremely high, like eating lots of garbage food to compensate the lack of food during the previous hours, sometimes as high as 20 straight hours.
grepLeigh 4y ago
Some aspects of the ADHD experience might sound universal, but the key difference is the impact on your life. Someone with a more neuro-typical brain might not be thrilled about mundane experiences, but can still tolerate the situation. In an ADHD brain, mundane experiences over-engage areas of the brain associated with physical/emotional distress (amygdala). ADHD brains are also impacted by abnormal dopamine regulation, which affects the reward cycle for accomplishing mundane things. Here are some comics to help contextualize: https://twitter.com/adhd_alien/status/1182670794633207813 https://twitter.com/adhd_alien/status/1182670794633207813 I think one of the reasons so many people showed up to post about ADHD here is this, from the OP: > Although, it seems quite trivial, for me this is a huge live hurdle