6 ms·

Entrepreneurial Tendencies Among People with ADHD

53 points by baristaGeek 11y ago

grovulent 11y ago
adhd folk are natural risk takers... so this result is unsurprising. One thing I've always wondered is how adhd folks didn't get selected out through their risky behaviour. Their existence could certainly confer some group benefits - but I thought group selection was no longer well regarded in the evo biol community.
- solve 11y ago
  Acting like a p*ssy does not lead to reproductive success. I'd expect it to be more selected for, over time. Best relationship ever was with a ADHD risk-taking person. Would do again.
  - Hobotron1 11y ago
    I feel likes there's a middle ground between acting like a 'pussy' and barreling headfirst into something. I mean, the guy who takes the time to make a spear and plan an attack is probably gonna live a better life than the dude that charges right into a slap-fight with a lion and the other dude cowering inside the cave.
    - deleted 11y ago
      [deleted]
      - defenestrate 11y ago
        ...yeeeeeees, but both the genetic code and the brain can make associations over time.
        deleted 11y ago
        [deleted]
- dholowiski 11y ago
  Because they only have to live long enough to reproduce. There are studies showing people with adhd have a much higher risk of accidental (and non accidental) death. Adhd is not a superpower. It's an incurable brain disorder. It fucking sucks.
  - dmak 11y ago
    I don't like to view it as an disorder, because that says there is a correct way that your brain should function. I think it's just different. Viewing it disorder is self-defeating for people with ADHD, it's like saying they think there is something wrong with them at all times, but there really isn't. They just find different ways to do things.
    - baristaGeek 11y ago
      Exactly. It's just a difference in cognition.
      - falcolas 11y ago
        It is starting to aggravate me that every time we have articles like this come up that people keep trotting out the crap explanations of "it's just another way of thinking", because they saw it in some TED talk. No, it isn't. It's a fucking neurological disorder which affects dopamine production, which interferes with normal brain function. Imagine sitting down to work on something you really want to finish, but you can't. You're reading reddit instead, because that gives you a quick dose of entertainment. You keep yelling at yourself to do the work, because it's your job on the line. But no, you'll end up looking at cat pictures, because, hey, cats. That's what ADHD is like.
        walterbell 11y ago
        Have you been to an ADD conference where you are surrounded by hundreds of similarly-wired brains? Neurotypical is defined by the local majority. In a hunter-gatherer society, slow reaction time means no dinner. Don't be fooled by labels which originate in specific social contexts. Environmental impedance mismatches can be addressed by changing the human or changing the environment.
- falcolas 11y ago
  Want to know why they're risk takers? Lack of ability to form long temporal associations. When you have trouble connecting effect to action when separated by more than a few hours, it's hard to realistically identify risk. From personal experience, it's easy to spend money when you don't associate how it will impact your ability to pay rent in 15 days.
  - jotm 11y ago
    What you're describing seems like a bias towards event based (vs time based) memory. I always wondered whether the former is predominant in people with ADHD... And interestingly computers/smartphones allow us to easily turn the latter into the former.
    - walterbell 11y ago
      Tulving has coined the term "episodic memory" based on his research with an amnesiac, http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endel_Tulving http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endel_Tulving: "Tulving's research has emphasized the importance of episodic memory for our experience of consciousness and our understanding of time. For example, he conducted studies with the amnesic patient KC, who had relatively normal semantic memory but severely impaired episodic memory due to brain damage from a motorcycle accident. Tulving's work with KC highlighted the central importance of episodic memory for the subjective experience of one's self in time, an ability he dubbed "autonoetic consciousness." KC lacked this ability, failing to remember prior events and also failing to imagine or plan for the future." http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Episodic_memory http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Episodic_memory
- derefr 11y ago
  Possibly because they just breed more. Women with ADHD suffer more unplanned pregnancy. Men with ADHD use protection less often. Both are more promiscuous.
joshmn 11y ago
I don't like how ADHD is viewed as a disorder. I was diagnosed at an adolescent, in my prime. I like to think of it as a gift of creativity.
- clickok 11y ago
  Sometimes it seems like a gift but other times... not so much. I am working on a couple of projects right now, and it feels like every time I hit a tough spot, the urge to do/think of something else really saps my ability to just power through. I can't make claims about anyone else's experience, but the really frustrating thing for me is that these new tangents might actually be truly good ideas worth pursuing[1]-- maybe even better things to work on than what I'm doing currently. But I've been through this process before, and so I just write down whatever this amazing new thought was in a notebook, and then convince myself I'll follow up on it later. I almost never do. Still, the fact that I can't trust myself to switch tasks really bothers me, and even the strategy of writing things down and pretending I'll handle it later is not 100% effective[2]. So it's a mixed bag, where you might think of it as a gift because new and exciting thoughts are always popping in, ready to distract you, but in my case it is definitely also a disorder since a lot of the things I want to do require a certain degree of focus and commitment, and if I abandon them when I first start to feel bored I'd likely be unable to get through to the really worthwhile stuff. --- 1. The key is of course that they seem to be good ideas, but that might just be my brain fooling itself in order to persuade me to goof off. 2. I currently have something like 800 tabs open, the results of thinking "oh I'll just read a little about this", getting distracted/having to sleep, and now they sit across my various browser windows, preserved in the amber of my virtual memory.
  - walterbell 11y ago
    Look at how writers, filmmakers and magazine publishers handle large quantities of research topics and editorial content candidates. There is usually some form of physical storyboard which clusters related material in a physical location (e.g. vision board, very large binder) that can be referenced by motor memory rather than symbolic memory. ADHD and dyslexia can co-occur. Martin Scorsese's Notebook for The Godfather: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=DJfJJogeOdo https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=DJfJJogeOdo People with ADHD can also be found in professions like accounting and law – which provide compensatory external structure. Some people would find it easier to locate objects if all containers (boxes, closets, drawers, fridges) could be made transparent on demand. Until then, we have vertical surfaces, metal wires + strong magnets, foamcore, whiteboard paint, mesh drawers and transparent plastic containers.
PeteJacobs23 11y ago
That's where teams come into play. Highly creative people won't be able to finish unchallenging work. They need their counterparts. That lesson is one I still need to accept. I often think quite arrogantly "They all don't get it.", but the skill of finalizing is as an important skill as seeing, understanding and finding creative solutions.
walterbell 11y ago
Short video interview with Branson on dyslexia (and the difference between "net" and "gross"), http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HpvF5xCQ7s8 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HpvF5xCQ7s8 HBO 2013 documentary on dyslexia, with Charles Schwab & Richard Branson: http://www.amazon.com/The-Big-Picture-Rethinking-Dyslexia/dp/B00DT55OCM http://www.amazon.com/The-Big-Picture-Rethinking-Dyslexia/dp... Books with behavioral strategies: Organizing for the Creative Person, http://www.amazon.com/Organizing-Creative-Person-Right-Brain-Conquering/dp/0517881640 http://www.amazon.com/Organizing-Creative-Person-Right-Brain... Neurodiversity, http://www.amazon.com/Neurodiversity-Discovering-Extraordinary-Dyslexia-Differences/dp/0738213543 http://www.amazon.com/Neurodiversity-Discovering-Extraordina... Learning to Learn, http://www.amazon.com/Learning-Learn-Rosemary-Bowler/dp/0684809907/ http://www.amazon.com/Learning-Learn-Rosemary-Bowler/dp/0684... Learning Outside the Lines, http://www.amazon.com/Learning-Outside-Lines-Disabilities-Educational/dp/068486598X/ http://www.amazon.com/Learning-Outside-Lines-Disabilities-Ed... ADD Success Stories, http://www.amazon.com/ADD-Success-Stories-Fulfillment-Attention/dp/1887424032/ http://www.amazon.com/ADD-Success-Stories-Fulfillment-Attent... Spark (exercise), http://www.amazon.com/Spark-Revolutionary-Science-Exercise-Brain/dp/0316113514 http://www.amazon.com/Spark-Revolutionary-Science-Exercise-B...
- walterbell 11y ago
  The HBO documentary in four 15-min segments: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jzp8FUZm5_M https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jzp8FUZm5_M
deleted 11y ago
[deleted]
nickysielicki 11y ago
You should all watch this video, it will completely change how you see ADHD... It's long, and it's worth it.[0] [0]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SCAGc-rkIfo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SCAGc-rkIfo
- jotm 11y ago
  Really, a 3 hour long video? Can I get a summary, in text? Thanks! :-)
  - deleted 11y ago
    [deleted]
  - joshuak 11y ago
    This 13 min video [1] also by Dr Russell Barkley is something of a summery, but the longer one is absolutely worth watching. 1: https://youtu.be/_tpB-B8BXk0 https://youtu.be/_tpB-B8BXk0
- joshuak 11y ago
  I just watched this. It's fantastic, thanks! To others, do not be intimidated by the length. If you have or know someone with ADHD you've got to watch this and get the friends and family to watch too.
jrapdx3 11y ago
After a few decades in field of ADHD treatment the big lesson is adult ADHD presents in numerous ways, it's risky to generalize and easy to misconstrue the impact of having the real, full-blown form of the condition. The article speaks of entrepreneurial tendencies among ADHD individuals, but I admit evaluating the claim based on the data given was difficult. I didn't have the time required to make sense of the opaque presentation. However, does appear sampling biases were likely since subjects were obtained from ADHD support groups, where attendees are likely not representative of the entire ADHD population. Furthermore, it's not clear what, if any, diagnostic processes were used to determine ADHD status, thus the sample probably a "mixed bag" and hard to know which populations conclusions apply to. There is a major difference between vernacular usage of "ADD", and the plight of seriously affected individuals that come to clinical attention. As I apply the term, ADHD is not a minor or trivial condition, the data show it's associated with increased health risks, comorbid psychiatric disorders, as well as worse outcomes in social and occupational achievement. Certainly it's worth pointing out that having ADHD does not mean lack of abilities or talents. It's always the goal to enable developing talents, including in the entrepreneurial realm. In reality, the problem is having ADHD is more likely than not to impede reaching that goal. The science literature on ADHD has repeatedly shown decreased success in important quality-of-life arenas, e.g., greater rates of divorce, less educational achievement, higher rates of unemployment, poorer driving records. OTOH when the right treatment is provided, ADHD individuals can have a better outcome. The "gold standard" is functioning in a way that's "indistinguishable from normal". It may not be easy to achieve, though I've seen it happen in, well, a lot of cases.
anupshinde 11y ago
I consider myself a amateur entrepreneur (and a bit successful) with ADHD. Personally, I believe ADHD is a gift and a problem(s). And the problems need to be solved to receive the gift.. And I read these workarounds or solutions are basics of successful entrepreneurship. Focus - Staying focused requires significantly more effort (even not doing anything is an effort). This is stressful. When I am working on X, my brain wants to switch to Y, and it goes on with multiple tasks. This used to drive me crazy in early days and had to find a solution early on. For me the solution was a bit change in work schedule, exercise and one ginseng based multivit a day. Passion - I can work 100+ hour week consistently without burn out - only if I have do some creative work. For a repetitive or not-creative task - it gets boring soon and even 15 hrs a week is a struggle. This makes it very difficult to keep up with processes and discipline. This forces early delegation/automation of boring work and forces me to find out areas I like to work on. (Clearly this doesn't work as an employee). Attention to detail is deficient naturally, we have to work around this with discipline and practice even in non-entrepreneurial jobs. After some time we get pretty good at it (because of practice). ADHD folks are likely to have failed a lot in early life. And I believe they are better equipped to tackle failure as adults. People with ADHD may have a very diverse experience, they know something about everything - probably because they cannot focus/disregard in a natural way. Gaining expertise is more than just hard work for us. When one cannot remember a lot of things, it forces you to keep it simple. Being a bit forgetful was a bad thing, but now it feels like a good thing - I am a programmer, and I tend to forget my own code if I do not work on it for couple of weeks. However that limitation forces me to write modularised intuitive code. I would consistently forget syntaxes of a language I worked for 5 years - but I would forever remember the patterns/designs I followed. I think, the world to us is more about patterns and behaviours rather than facts and figures. And it is easier to learn with the glass half-full.
- anupshinde 11y ago
  I watched this amazing 3 hour long video/info on ADHD shared by nickysielicki in this thread below. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SCAGc-rkIfo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SCAGc-rkIfo After viewing this video, it seems like many people diagnosed for ADHD could be in the CDD/SCT like. This distinction was not made few years back. In fact ADHD sounds seriously scary after looking at this video.
deleted 11y ago
[deleted]
deleted 11y ago
[deleted]
khorwitz 11y ago
I was diagnosed with ADHD as a child. That is partially why I created this webapp: http://focusr.co/ http://focusr.co/. It helps you focus on one thing at a time, which can be hard enough for people even w/o this diagnosis.

53 points by baristaGeek 11y ago

adhd folk are natural risk takers... so this result is unsurprising. One thing I've always wondered is how adhd folks didn't get selected out through their risky behaviour. Their existence could certainly confer some group benefits - but I thought group selection was no longer well regarded in the evo biol community.

solve 11y ago
Acting like a p*ssy does not lead to reproductive success. I'd expect it to be more selected for, over time. Best relationship ever was with a ADHD risk-taking person. Would do again.
- Hobotron1 11y ago
  I feel likes there's a middle ground between acting like a 'pussy' and barreling headfirst into something. I mean, the guy who takes the time to make a spear and plan an attack is probably gonna live a better life than the dude that charges right into a slap-fight with a lion and the other dude cowering inside the cave.
  - deleted 11y ago
    [deleted]
    - defenestrate 11y ago
      ...yeeeeeees, but both the genetic code and the brain can make associations over time.
      - deleted 11y ago
        [deleted]
dholowiski 11y ago
Because they only have to live long enough to reproduce. There are studies showing people with adhd have a much higher risk of accidental (and non accidental) death. Adhd is not a superpower. It's an incurable brain disorder. It fucking sucks.
- dmak 11y ago
  I don't like to view it as an disorder, because that says there is a correct way that your brain should function. I think it's just different. Viewing it disorder is self-defeating for people with ADHD, it's like saying they think there is something wrong with them at all times, but there really isn't. They just find different ways to do things.
  - baristaGeek 11y ago
    Exactly. It's just a difference in cognition.
    - falcolas 11y ago
      It is starting to aggravate me that every time we have articles like this come up that people keep trotting out the crap explanations of "it's just another way of thinking", because they saw it in some TED talk. No, it isn't. It's a fucking neurological disorder which affects dopamine production, which interferes with normal brain function. Imagine sitting down to work on something you really want to finish, but you can't. You're reading reddit instead, because that gives you a quick dose of entertainment. You keep yelling at yourself to do the work, because it's your job on the line. But no, you'll end up looking at cat pictures, because, hey, cats. That's what ADHD is like.
      - walterbell 11y ago
        Have you been to an ADD conference where you are surrounded by hundreds of similarly-wired brains? Neurotypical is defined by the local majority. In a hunter-gatherer society, slow reaction time means no dinner. Don't be fooled by labels which originate in specific social contexts. Environmental impedance mismatches can be addressed by changing the human or changing the environment.
falcolas 11y ago
Want to know why they're risk takers? Lack of ability to form long temporal associations. When you have trouble connecting effect to action when separated by more than a few hours, it's hard to realistically identify risk. From personal experience, it's easy to spend money when you don't associate how it will impact your ability to pay rent in 15 days.
- jotm 11y ago
  What you're describing seems like a bias towards event based (vs time based) memory. I always wondered whether the former is predominant in people with ADHD... And interestingly computers/smartphones allow us to easily turn the latter into the former.
  - walterbell 11y ago
    Tulving has coined the term "episodic memory" based on his research with an amnesiac, http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endel_Tulving http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endel_Tulving: "Tulving's research has emphasized the importance of episodic memory for our experience of consciousness and our understanding of time. For example, he conducted studies with the amnesic patient KC, who had relatively normal semantic memory but severely impaired episodic memory due to brain damage from a motorcycle accident. Tulving's work with KC highlighted the central importance of episodic memory for the subjective experience of one's self in time, an ability he dubbed "autonoetic consciousness." KC lacked this ability, failing to remember prior events and also failing to imagine or plan for the future." http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Episodic_memory http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Episodic_memory
derefr 11y ago
Possibly because they just breed more. Women with ADHD suffer more unplanned pregnancy. Men with ADHD use protection less often. Both are more promiscuous.

joshmn 11y ago

I don't like how ADHD is viewed as a disorder. I was diagnosed at an adolescent, in my prime. I like to think of it as a gift of creativity.

clickok 11y ago
Sometimes it seems like a gift but other times... not so much. I am working on a couple of projects right now, and it feels like every time I hit a tough spot, the urge to do/think of something else really saps my ability to just power through. I can't make claims about anyone else's experience, but the really frustrating thing for me is that these new tangents might actually be truly good ideas worth pursuing[1]-- maybe even better things to work on than what I'm doing currently. But I've been through this process before, and so I just write down whatever this amazing new thought was in a notebook, and then convince myself I'll follow up on it later. I almost never do. Still, the fact that I can't trust myself to switch tasks really bothers me, and even the strategy of writing things down and pretending I'll handle it later is not 100% effective[2]. So it's a mixed bag, where you might think of it as a gift because new and exciting thoughts are always popping in, ready to distract you, but in my case it is definitely also a disorder since a lot of the things I want to do require a certain degree of focus and commitment, and if I abandon them when I first start to feel bored I'd likely be unable to get through to the really worthwhile stuff. --- 1. The key is of course that they seem to be good ideas, but that might just be my brain fooling itself in order to persuade me to goof off. 2. I currently have something like 800 tabs open, the results of thinking "oh I'll just read a little about this", getting distracted/having to sleep, and now they sit across my various browser windows, preserved in the amber of my virtual memory.
- walterbell 11y ago
  Look at how writers, filmmakers and magazine publishers handle large quantities of research topics and editorial content candidates. There is usually some form of physical storyboard which clusters related material in a physical location (e.g. vision board, very large binder) that can be referenced by motor memory rather than symbolic memory. ADHD and dyslexia can co-occur. Martin Scorsese's Notebook for The Godfather: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=DJfJJogeOdo https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=DJfJJogeOdo People with ADHD can also be found in professions like accounting and law – which provide compensatory external structure. Some people would find it easier to locate objects if all containers (boxes, closets, drawers, fridges) could be made transparent on demand. Until then, we have vertical surfaces, metal wires + strong magnets, foamcore, whiteboard paint, mesh drawers and transparent plastic containers.

PeteJacobs23 11y ago

That's where teams come into play. Highly creative people won't be able to finish unchallenging work. They need their counterparts. That lesson is one I still need to accept. I often think quite arrogantly "They all don't get it.", but the skill of finalizing is as an important skill as seeing, understanding and finding creative solutions.

walterbell 11y ago

Short video interview with Branson on dyslexia (and the difference between "net" and "gross"), http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HpvF5xCQ7s8 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HpvF5xCQ7s8 HBO 2013 documentary on dyslexia, with Charles Schwab & Richard Branson: http://www.amazon.com/The-Big-Picture-Rethinking-Dyslexia/dp/B00DT55OCM http://www.amazon.com/The-Big-Picture-Rethinking-Dyslexia/dp... Books with behavioral strategies: Organizing for the Creative Person, http://www.amazon.com/Organizing-Creative-Person-Right-Brain-Conquering/dp/0517881640 http://www.amazon.com/Organizing-Creative-Person-Right-Brain... Neurodiversity, http://www.amazon.com/Neurodiversity-Discovering-Extraordinary-Dyslexia-Differences/dp/0738213543 http://www.amazon.com/Neurodiversity-Discovering-Extraordina... Learning to Learn, http://www.amazon.com/Learning-Learn-Rosemary-Bowler/dp/0684809907/ http://www.amazon.com/Learning-Learn-Rosemary-Bowler/dp/0684... Learning Outside the Lines, http://www.amazon.com/Learning-Outside-Lines-Disabilities-Educational/dp/068486598X/ http://www.amazon.com/Learning-Outside-Lines-Disabilities-Ed... ADD Success Stories, http://www.amazon.com/ADD-Success-Stories-Fulfillment-Attention/dp/1887424032/ http://www.amazon.com/ADD-Success-Stories-Fulfillment-Attent... Spark (exercise), http://www.amazon.com/Spark-Revolutionary-Science-Exercise-Brain/dp/0316113514 http://www.amazon.com/Spark-Revolutionary-Science-Exercise-B...

walterbell 11y ago
The HBO documentary in four 15-min segments: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jzp8FUZm5_M https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jzp8FUZm5_M

deleted 11y ago

[deleted]

nickysielicki 11y ago

You should all watch this video, it will completely change how you see ADHD... It's long, and it's worth it.[0] [0]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SCAGc-rkIfo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SCAGc-rkIfo

jotm 11y ago
Really, a 3 hour long video? Can I get a summary, in text? Thanks! :-)
- deleted 11y ago
  [deleted]
- joshuak 11y ago
  This 13 min video [1] also by Dr Russell Barkley is something of a summery, but the longer one is absolutely worth watching. 1: https://youtu.be/_tpB-B8BXk0 https://youtu.be/_tpB-B8BXk0
joshuak 11y ago
I just watched this. It's fantastic, thanks! To others, do not be intimidated by the length. If you have or know someone with ADHD you've got to watch this and get the friends and family to watch too.

jrapdx3 11y ago

After a few decades in field of ADHD treatment the big lesson is adult ADHD presents in numerous ways, it's risky to generalize and easy to misconstrue the impact of having the real, full-blown form of the condition. The article speaks of entrepreneurial tendencies among ADHD individuals, but I admit evaluating the claim based on the data given was difficult. I didn't have the time required to make sense of the opaque presentation. However, does appear sampling biases were likely since subjects were obtained from ADHD support groups, where attendees are likely not representative of the entire ADHD population. Furthermore, it's not clear what, if any, diagnostic processes were used to determine ADHD status, thus the sample probably a "mixed bag" and hard to know which populations conclusions apply to. There is a major difference between vernacular usage of "ADD", and the plight of seriously affected individuals that come to clinical attention. As I apply the term, ADHD is not a minor or trivial condition, the data show it's associated with increased health risks, comorbid psychiatric disorders, as well as worse outcomes in social and occupational achievement. Certainly it's worth pointing out that having ADHD does not mean lack of abilities or talents. It's always the goal to enable developing talents, including in the entrepreneurial realm. In reality, the problem is having ADHD is more likely than not to impede reaching that goal. The science literature on ADHD has repeatedly shown decreased success in important quality-of-life arenas, e.g., greater rates of divorce, less educational achievement, higher rates of unemployment, poorer driving records. OTOH when the right treatment is provided, ADHD individuals can have a better outcome. The "gold standard" is functioning in a way that's "indistinguishable from normal". It may not be easy to achieve, though I've seen it happen in, well, a lot of cases.

anupshinde 11y ago

I consider myself a amateur entrepreneur (and a bit successful) with ADHD. Personally, I believe ADHD is a gift and a problem(s). And the problems need to be solved to receive the gift.. And I read these workarounds or solutions are basics of successful entrepreneurship. Focus - Staying focused requires significantly more effort (even not doing anything is an effort). This is stressful. When I am working on X, my brain wants to switch to Y, and it goes on with multiple tasks. This used to drive me crazy in early days and had to find a solution early on. For me the solution was a bit change in work schedule, exercise and one ginseng based multivit a day. Passion - I can work 100+ hour week consistently without burn out - only if I have do some creative work. For a repetitive or not-creative task - it gets boring soon and even 15 hrs a week is a struggle. This makes it very difficult to keep up with processes and discipline. This forces early delegation/automation of boring work and forces me to find out areas I like to work on. (Clearly this doesn't work as an employee). Attention to detail is deficient naturally, we have to work around this with discipline and practice even in non-entrepreneurial jobs. After some time we get pretty good at it (because of practice). ADHD folks are likely to have failed a lot in early life. And I believe they are better equipped to tackle failure as adults. People with ADHD may have a very diverse experience, they know something about everything - probably because they cannot focus/disregard in a natural way. Gaining expertise is more than just hard work for us. When one cannot remember a lot of things, it forces you to keep it simple. Being a bit forgetful was a bad thing, but now it feels like a good thing - I am a programmer, and I tend to forget my own code if I do not work on it for couple of weeks. However that limitation forces me to write modularised intuitive code. I would consistently forget syntaxes of a language I worked for 5 years - but I would forever remember the patterns/designs I followed. I think, the world to us is more about patterns and behaviours rather than facts and figures. And it is easier to learn with the glass half-full.

anupshinde 11y ago
I watched this amazing 3 hour long video/info on ADHD shared by nickysielicki in this thread below. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SCAGc-rkIfo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SCAGc-rkIfo After viewing this video, it seems like many people diagnosed for ADHD could be in the CDD/SCT like. This distinction was not made few years back. In fact ADHD sounds seriously scary after looking at this video.

deleted 11y ago

[deleted]

deleted 11y ago

[deleted]

khorwitz 11y ago

I was diagnosed with ADHD as a child. That is partially why I created this webapp: http://focusr.co/ http://focusr.co/. It helps you focus on one thing at a time, which can be hard enough for people even w/o this diagnosis.