* Hyperfocus isn't a spell you can cast at whatever task at hand. It happens only when you're really into a given topic... And ADHD tends to push you to procrastinate on things you like a lot: you end-up in hyper-procrastination mode.
Above points can be used to your advantage with great benefit, but it's not automatic. Some people with ADHD compensate intuitively and do impressive stuff, others need medication just to get out of bed. Both of these extremes can be the same person at different times.
Stimulates are a instant gratification solution, but man take those all the time and you will be pretty damn irritable and mentally tired after awhile.
It's natural for "ADHD" people to work in waves. Long sprints and rest in between. I know it's popular to advocate drugging yourself, but people reach for that too quickly.
Society is the problem, not them.
>Society is the problem, not them.
I wish it was that easy. It's not. ADHD is an extremely broad spectrum. There are some habits which CAN bring me into hyperfocus, but they don't work all the time.
What do you mean by people reach to fast for stimulants? Coffee and energy drinks basically have the same effect as methylphenidate on me, they just don't last as long.
Before my diagnosis I was always flabbergasted that people were so astonished as I told them that coffee and energy drinks bring me down. Now I know the reason why. But in the end reducing my coffee and energy consumption, but taking meds in a controled way works a lot better for me. But I also know people where meds don't work at all (in a beneficial way). There is really no way to sum up "ADHD people". It's just way to nuanced.
Edit: I am literally sitting in the office right now, hyperfocusing on the weird typing frequency of my neighbour and just can't put on my headphones and start coding. I would even try to hear that with my noise cancelling headphones on. Gotta get up now, take a short walk and hopefully when i come back i can start.
It can be beneficial. Depends on how you handle your brain.
And yes I was mainly talking about harder stimulants, they do have side effects, like irritability.
And stimulant kind of help. They're not magic... you have to use therapy, exercise, meditation, organisation to cope. Fun. That's maybe why people can be irritable under medication (and which kind... people react differently to very similar molecules so...)
You may be able to. This is not universally true.
It's something you can learn how to do, but just like many things you can learn, not everyone will.
but man take those all the time and you will be pretty
damn irritable and mentally tired after awhile.
It's natural for "ADHD" people to work in waves. Long
sprints and rest in between. I know it's popular to
advocate drugging yourself, but people reach for that too quickly.
Some won't be able to "hack" their brain for motivation (which, btw, comes from doing something in the first place), some will. Some will react well do medication (compounds, amounts…), some others won't. There is also CBT.
The occasional hyperfocus is not necessarily helpful either - hours of sleep sacrificed to continue doing something fun are not a great outcome.
Anecdotal of course, as is yours. But everyone handles their brain differently.
If not, take the stimulants and see if that lasts long-term.
No need to assume either way for anyone.
But you're right that most of the disadvantages stem from other people, and aren't inherent. It's more than a bit annoying.
(trying to stay focused on a long task or figure something out quickly skimming through things)
Bad side is I get a pizza and bed day.
Good side is I have fun coding for 18 hours and get a week of work done.
For me it's either I get paralyzed and depressed for a week or two and basically can't get anything done. Or I kinda work "normal" (maybe just being a lot faster than neurotypical people, but certainly not longer). 18 hour hyperfocus sessions only occour every few months for me.
I realize others have a differing degrees and handling of it.
Thus you can't say whether one individual "wants" it or not.
I wonder how many ADHDers learnt this during COVID. It may have been the first opportunity for some to experience this and perhaps realise that they can work more effectively in a different environment (which they have more control over).
No. Those who can do that become multi millionaires/billionaires. Developers get stuck on the local minima of programming.
There's a reason ADHD articles are shared profusely here.
Information moves faster these days, you need ADHD to process it efficiently and hyper-focus on long tasks.
Those who can do that naturally become developers.
You just have to workaround social norms like work schedules.
Helps to own your own business or at least work remotely.