4 ms·

For sure, if it really is ADHD, I'm all in for treatments if they work well for the patient. It's just that so many here on HN and elsewhere think they need me

For sure, if it really is ADHD, I'm all in for treatments if they work well for the patient. It's just that so many here on HN and elsewhere think they need medicines because they have problems to focus at work or in school or while reading a book. On a slightly different note, focus and concentration is maybe not the ideal state either. Maybe creativity (new ideas, new angles, new thoughts) will be affected which in turn reduces performance and results. As others have mentioned here is that when they take medicines they sometimes get stuck focusing on the wrong things. And even if the focus on the right thing, maybe they get stuck on the problem at hand because they do not get new influences. Aren't persons with true ADHD often quite creative?

mtsr 4y ago
Saying somebody is creative because of their ADHD is like saying a person is charming because of their glasses. These things do not need to be related, they are charming and they happen to wear glasses. They are creative and happen to have ADHD. Do not ascribe talents people have to their disabilities. Besides, it's just a stereotype and doesn't hold for everyone with ADHD.
- inkblotuniverse 4y ago
  I could imagine someone who looked so much better while wearing glasses that "they're charming because of their glasses" is true. Anyway, it seems much more likely that there would be a causative link between ADHD and creativity- e.g. some common underlying factor that boosts the explore tendency in explore/exploit along with openness to experience. A brain that naturally roams more could be expected to produce more novel syntheses.
  - mtsr 4y ago
    There might be a relation, phasic vs tonic dopamine. But given the anecdotal nature of the ADHD-creativeness link, I’m not so sure. Would need to see some papers about if first. Anyway, ADHD is comorbid with plenty of other disorders that are limiting on creativity such as anxiety, low self esteem, inhibited decision making, that it’s definitely not a given.

mtsr 4y ago

Saying somebody is creative because of their ADHD is like saying a person is charming because of their glasses. These things do not need to be related, they are charming and they happen to wear glasses. They are creative and happen to have ADHD. Do not ascribe talents people have to their disabilities. Besides, it's just a stereotype and doesn't hold for everyone with ADHD.

inkblotuniverse 4y ago
I could imagine someone who looked so much better while wearing glasses that "they're charming because of their glasses" is true. Anyway, it seems much more likely that there would be a causative link between ADHD and creativity- e.g. some common underlying factor that boosts the explore tendency in explore/exploit along with openness to experience. A brain that naturally roams more could be expected to produce more novel syntheses.
- mtsr 4y ago
  There might be a relation, phasic vs tonic dopamine. But given the anecdotal nature of the ADHD-creativeness link, I’m not so sure. Would need to see some papers about if first. Anyway, ADHD is comorbid with plenty of other disorders that are limiting on creativity such as anxiety, low self esteem, inhibited decision making, that it’s definitely not a given.