News for hackers. Stuff that matters.
Re:The silent struggles of workers with ADHD by cheeseomlit on Monday December 12, 2022 @03:38PM (#33959933)
My mistake, I meant it in more of an 'often-abused mind-altering addictive scheduled drug' connotation.

Not that a drug being scheduled is proof of harm in and of itself, but it seems like many people (particularly on HN for some reason) are in heavy denial that they are addicted to amphetamines and that it maybe isn't such a healthy way to solve behavioral problems. If you're an adult then fine you can make your own decisions, but the fact that people give amphetamines to children because they cant focus in school seems very sick to me.

Re:The silent struggles of workers with ADHD by Tao3300 on Monday December 12, 2022 @04:08PM (#33960299)
> many people (particularly on HN for some reason) are in heavy denial that they are addicted to amphetamines and that it maybe isn't such a healthy way to solve behavioral problems

You've coasted into the territory of self-appointed expert on ADHD. To me, this reads as "I have no idea what ADHD is like or how to manage it. My mind can't imagine that other minds may work differently, so what would work for my mind must work for all the other minds."

> behavior problems

Whether or not you're aware of it, that's an ableist dog whistle for "why don't you just stop being _______?" usually followed by a JBP reading list about lobsters and room cleaning.

Re:The silent struggles of workers with ADHD by cheeseomlit on Monday December 12, 2022 @04:24PM (#33960558)
No need to get so defensive, I don't think it's beyond the pale to characterize ADHD as a 'behavior problem'. And I don't think our minds are as different as you say- I take adderall sometimes when I have a lot to do and it helps me focus immensely. It does that for almost everyone believe it or not, you don't have be diagnosed with something for amphetamines to help you focus- it's what they do. I can absolutely understand someone who has trouble focusing seeing it as a godsend. But this hostile defensive reaction that many ADD-diagnosed have when you point out that taking amphetamines every day of their life isn't healthy is well, not healthy. Not to mention normalizing it for kids as I mentioned.
Re:The silent struggles of workers with ADHD by Tao3300 on Monday December 12, 2022 @06:01PM (#33961723)
> No need to get so defensive

Yes there is. You're mischaracterizing a disorder and thereby marginalizing people who suffer from it while making normative statements about it despite not being an expert. That's offensive.

> I take adderall sometimes when I have a lot to do

Are you saying that you have a diagnosis? Or are you just taking it illegally / in a country with lax drug laws? It's a prescription medication that's currently in short supply, so unless your healthcare provider is proscribing it for you you're really being a douche canoe.

Re:The silent struggles of workers with ADHD by brazzledazzle on Monday December 12, 2022 @04:08PM (#33960307)
In an ideal world each child would have private teachers and tutors developing custom tailored curriculum and schedules for them. We don't live in an ideal world and success in public school essentially requires you be neurotypical or use medication to simulate it as much as possible.

By all means try without it first but it's going to cost you time or money you may not have. With any luck future gains in understanding the human brain will lead to medication that has the pros without the cons but today we have to use the tools we have.