News for hackers. Stuff that matters.

A comment on Ask HN: How to progress in career as a Software Developer with ADHD?. Parent comment

Re:Ask HN: How to progress in career as a Software Developer... by murph on Sunday April 10, 2022 @10:37PM (#30983964)
Are you... gatekeeping a mental illness you don't have? :)

I'm a software engineer with ADHD. I've been diagnosed by doctors, psychologists, and even imagery (SPECT scans). I work at a big tech company, and I'm very senior and well paid.

They're totally compatible. It's not easy, but by adulthood most of us have a lot of skills to compensate, and sometimes medication.

I'd liken focus with my ADHD to holding a firehouse - it's actually incredibly powerful, but difficult to control.

[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:Ask HN: How to progress in career as a Software Developer... by elcritch on Monday April 11, 2022 @06:35AM (#30986870)
Where did you get SPECT scans?

> I'd liken focus with my ADHD to holding a firehouse - it's actually incredibly powerful, but difficult to control.

Controlling the hyper focus can be hard. I liken my experience of adhd to learning horse riding and being given an unruly stallion for a brain while everyone else got well trained if slower horses. Except no one told you and blame you for not "wanting to work hard enough".

[ Parent | on HN ]