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I agree, but on the other hand I don’t think anyone can do anything. I have a stake in treating ADHD but it’s difficult to even describe what ADHD is to a layp

by xlii 2y ago

I agree, but on the other hand I don’t think anyone can do anything. I have a stake in treating ADHD but it’s difficult to even describe what ADHD is to a layperson. Describing the needs is almost impossible as different people have different needs and they often don’t align. What I’m sure of, though, is that “today” is very hostile to mental health. Some people have been focusing on microplastics, impact of drugs, unhealthy food etc, but it seems that everyone are oblivious to impact of health on the mental health. We're overworked, stressed, always improving, forced into activities we don’t enjoy (I’ve heard a term “fit-terrorism” to which I don’t agree but seemingly it exists in some circles; there’s ultra parenthood notion etc.), fed with bullshit coming from social networks, and convinced by talking heads that we are in wrongs and should be doing their rights. It’s tough and it’s damaging all of us.

ungamedplayer 2y ago
I sometimes am tempted to do the math to determine what kind of life we would have if we did everything we were supposed to do.
- vasco 2y ago
  If you believe in determinism you already are doing everything you were supposed to.
  - jahewson 2y ago
    What if it was pre-determined that they would not believe in determinism?
  - PartiallyTyped 2y ago
    > supposed to That assumes there’s intention and that we are “guided”. I think we just are.
    - vasco 2y ago
      You're adding that in. If I drop a ball it's supposed to fall, it doesn't mean gravity guided it.
      - PartiallyTyped 2y ago
        The ball is not supposed to do anything, the ball has no intention. The ball just is, and it follows the laws of physics.
        vasco 2y ago
        I think you're only aware of a narrow definition of "supposed to", you're saying the same thing I am. Edit: to expand a bit. My point is exactly that - if the universe is deterministic. This only applies up to the limit of precision that it can use to calculate its own physics laws but otherwise it should be deterministic. And within a deterministic system all objects are supposed to do certain things, according to the laws that govern them. There's no ulterior moral "supposed to" in the way I'm using the word, which I think is valid usage but I'm not native.
        PartiallyTyped 2y ago
        I see; then I concur. Even within a non deterministic universe — physics suggest it isn’t — there’s still no room for anything outside physical laws.
- caskstrength 2y ago
  A very boring kind.
llm_trw 2y ago
>What I’m sure of, though, is that “today” is very hostile to mental health. And yet the more effort we put into mental health the worse it gets.
red1reaper 2y ago
If I had to describe ADHD to a layperson so they can understand what means to have ADHD... I would describe as to having something in your brain that you don't control that is always conspiring to get you to do nothing, if it fails to have you doing anything but what you want/should be doing; Wherever this is accomplished by making you forget, distracting you, robbing your willpower, making it hard to concentrate, making other things seem more appealing, hyperfocusing you in any random stuff, etc. Doesn't matter to the conspirator as long as they get you to waste time against your will, even when you want to waste time doing something you like, the conspirator will get you to waste time another way, for they are just a prick. Of course there is no conspirator and I am just personifiying symptoms but that is about it what means to have ADHD on a practical levelm explained in words everyone can understand. There can be other symptoms that are not related to this like forgetting about contacting people you care about or the need to have something in your hands to fidget or not being able to remain sitted but those are secondary and very dependant on the person, the most debilitating aspect that almost every ADHD person has, just manifested slightly different, is that of stopping you from doing what you want/must do, worst is that some of that stuff you can willpower over it, but some you can't, willpower does naught when your brain makes you to temporarily forget that you were doing or you have to do a thing. Worse stuff is that a lot of individual symptoms of ADHD are things that "happen" to everybody so they judge from their own experiences which is not fair as it is not the same when a non-ADHD person gets distracted or forgets things as when it happens to an ADHD person. Those comparations is like comparing a scratch to a wound that is spilling your guts, one you can shrug off, the other you can't.
- a-french-anon 2y ago
  This is the first time I've read a description of ADHD, even if it's plastered everywhere on the Web, so consider my reaction genuine and not intended to offend: isn't this just a mix of lack of willpower (potentially subconscious, which could explain the "forgetting" part) and ennui/depression? In french, we have the word "flemme" that can be approximately translated into "laziness", but it's a bit different, because "flemme" is often construed as an enemy within, something you have to fight, and some people have more than others.
Spod_Gaju 2y ago
If you have a stake in curing ADHD we need to talk. I will send you an email soon. Here is a teaser: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1624838/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1624838/ The hypothesis We propose that in ADHD, astrocyte function is insufficient, particularly in terms of its formation and supply of lactate. This insufficiency has implications both for performance and development: H1) In rapidly firing neurons there is deficient ATP production, slow restoration of ionic gradients across neuronal membranes and delayed neuronal firing; H2) In oligodendrocytes insufficient lactate supply impairs fatty acid synthesis and myelination of axons during development. These effects occur over vastly different time scales: those due to deficient ATP (H1) occur over milliseconds, whereas those due to deficient myelination (H2) occur over months and years. Collectively the neural outcomes of impaired astrocytic release of lactate manifest behaviourally as inefficient and inconsistent performance (variable response times across the lifespan, especially during activities that require sustained speeded responses and complex information processing).

by xlii 2y ago

ungamedplayer 2y ago

I sometimes am tempted to do the math to determine what kind of life we would have if we did everything we were supposed to do.

vasco 2y ago
If you believe in determinism you already are doing everything you were supposed to.
- jahewson 2y ago
  What if it was pre-determined that they would not believe in determinism?
- PartiallyTyped 2y ago
  > supposed to That assumes there’s intention and that we are “guided”. I think we just are.
  - vasco 2y ago
    You're adding that in. If I drop a ball it's supposed to fall, it doesn't mean gravity guided it.
    - PartiallyTyped 2y ago
      The ball is not supposed to do anything, the ball has no intention. The ball just is, and it follows the laws of physics.
      - vasco 2y ago
        I think you're only aware of a narrow definition of "supposed to", you're saying the same thing I am. Edit: to expand a bit. My point is exactly that - if the universe is deterministic. This only applies up to the limit of precision that it can use to calculate its own physics laws but otherwise it should be deterministic. And within a deterministic system all objects are supposed to do certain things, according to the laws that govern them. There's no ulterior moral "supposed to" in the way I'm using the word, which I think is valid usage but I'm not native.
        PartiallyTyped 2y ago
        I see; then I concur. Even within a non deterministic universe — physics suggest it isn’t — there’s still no room for anything outside physical laws.
caskstrength 2y ago
A very boring kind.

llm_trw 2y ago

>What I’m sure of, though, is that “today” is very hostile to mental health. And yet the more effort we put into mental health the worse it gets.

red1reaper 2y ago

If I had to describe ADHD to a layperson so they can understand what means to have ADHD... I would describe as to having something in your brain that you don't control that is always conspiring to get you to do nothing, if it fails to have you doing anything but what you want/should be doing; Wherever this is accomplished by making you forget, distracting you, robbing your willpower, making it hard to concentrate, making other things seem more appealing, hyperfocusing you in any random stuff, etc. Doesn't matter to the conspirator as long as they get you to waste time against your will, even when you want to waste time doing something you like, the conspirator will get you to waste time another way, for they are just a prick. Of course there is no conspirator and I am just personifiying symptoms but that is about it what means to have ADHD on a practical levelm explained in words everyone can understand. There can be other symptoms that are not related to this like forgetting about contacting people you care about or the need to have something in your hands to fidget or not being able to remain sitted but those are secondary and very dependant on the person, the most debilitating aspect that almost every ADHD person has, just manifested slightly different, is that of stopping you from doing what you want/must do, worst is that some of that stuff you can willpower over it, but some you can't, willpower does naught when your brain makes you to temporarily forget that you were doing or you have to do a thing. Worse stuff is that a lot of individual symptoms of ADHD are things that "happen" to everybody so they judge from their own experiences which is not fair as it is not the same when a non-ADHD person gets distracted or forgets things as when it happens to an ADHD person. Those comparations is like comparing a scratch to a wound that is spilling your guts, one you can shrug off, the other you can't.

a-french-anon 2y ago
This is the first time I've read a description of ADHD, even if it's plastered everywhere on the Web, so consider my reaction genuine and not intended to offend: isn't this just a mix of lack of willpower (potentially subconscious, which could explain the "forgetting" part) and ennui/depression? In french, we have the word "flemme" that can be approximately translated into "laziness", but it's a bit different, because "flemme" is often construed as an enemy within, something you have to fight, and some people have more than others.

Spod_Gaju 2y ago

If you have a stake in curing ADHD we need to talk. I will send you an email soon. Here is a teaser: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1624838/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1624838/ The hypothesis We propose that in ADHD, astrocyte function is insufficient, particularly in terms of its formation and supply of lactate. This insufficiency has implications both for performance and development: H1) In rapidly firing neurons there is deficient ATP production, slow restoration of ionic gradients across neuronal membranes and delayed neuronal firing; H2) In oligodendrocytes insufficient lactate supply impairs fatty acid synthesis and myelination of axons during development. These effects occur over vastly different time scales: those due to deficient ATP (H1) occur over milliseconds, whereas those due to deficient myelination (H2) occur over months and years. Collectively the neural outcomes of impaired astrocytic release of lactate manifest behaviourally as inefficient and inconsistent performance (variable response times across the lifespan, especially during activities that require sustained speeded responses and complex information processing).