#adhd ref

[theparadoxmachine]

I’ve been meaning to write this for a while and by the end of this post, hopefully anyone reading this will see the humor in why it’s taken me so long to write this.

My neurologist has been helping me get a handle on some of my health problems, including mental ones and the fact that I’m so tired all the time. So far we haven’t found a solution to that, but he sent me to a neuropsychologist and a pulmonologist for tests. A sleep study showed I don’t have sleep apnea, so that’s good, but the test didn’t measure my brain waves during sleep, so I have no idea what it gets up to when I shut down. Though given the sheer amount of nightmares I have it’s probably a lot. 

The neuropsychologist on the other hand determined that, as I suspected, I have a strong case of ADHD, inattentive type. I am also autistic. Well, she said that I have indicators for being mildly on the autism spectrum, especially as it relates to sensory issues and socialization, and that other symptoms I have are comorbid with other issues I have, like ADHD and depression. She did say that I have clinical depression and general anxiety disorder. So...nest of vipers in my head. Good to know. 

Actually I finally got around to reading her diagnostic report on me and man...it’s like 6 pages long and after a while it starts to feel like a roast lol. “K is inattentive, pessimistic, socially tense, and passive aggressive.” Like, geez doc what’d I do to you? I mean, she’s not wrong, but geez. 

The report did also say that I’m in 99th percentile in intelligence and that I have strong character traits, including an extensive and expressive vocabulary, and that I really just need some help. Including better sleep hygiene lol no shit. 

But I’m not sure where to go from here. She gave me some recommendations, but I’m not sure what to do. My insurance isn’t great, so if anyone has some self help type literature, preferably geared toward adults (a lot of autism/adhd literature is geared toward neurotypical parents of neurodivergent kids and it is 1. Not helpful, and 2. Annoying) I would be very grateful. 

It’s odd because I’ve long suspected all of this and now that I have an official professional saying, yes, you have these things and then some feels kind of weird. Validating but weird. Like part of me thought this was sort of the end goal, but it’s not. Of course it’s not. I feel like Frodo when he finally gets the Ring to Rivendell and is ready to go home but then it’s like PSYCH you have to go to Mordor now. I’ve barely started. I want to piece myself together. I strongly suspect I also have C-PTSD but I’d need a different doctor for that. I don’t know where to start with the ADHD. We started me on a low dose of adderall but it’s not doing much. And I haven’t been able to get into my neurologist’s office for a long time. 

So yeah, small update. Any resources anyone can recommend would be great. Much love <3

[zarbon]

man, the thing about ADHD is that u gotta keep trying to find solutions for things. Even if they're silly. Anything that helps you function is good. U must do what u can to live because u cannot hate urself into a better version of urself. Here are some things that work for me:

That one app that locks u out of ur phone while it "plants" a little virtual tree. It's called Forest but I'm pretty sure there are a lot of similar apps. There are similar extensions and programs for computers.

Literally just putting ur phone in another room is helpful.

Pomodoro method (working on 25 minute intervals with short breaks in between)

Literally putting on a funny hat or headband on that signals to the people around me that I am Very Busy and cannot be interrupted unless it is an emergency

Having someone else tell you to do things immediately. External pressure is always more effective than trying to force myself to do things because I don't want to disappoint others.

"body doubling" where u work quietly alongside someone. This is unfortunately difficult for me when u don't have friends!!!! But I find just being in a library or cafe helps. There are apparently body doubling online "services" which I'm sure can be very helpful but it feels a little too dystopian for me to pay just to work from home and have strangers hang out with me via zoom.

Breaking tasks up into smaller tasks. For example, I'm writing a book for a client right now until I remember that literally even writing titles and chapter names counts as writing it. Writing little chapter summaries also counts. Researching counts. Writing notes counts. Anything that moves u closer to ur goal counts. Writing in general is made up of several moving parts.

Remember that a messy or subpar attempt is better than no attempts at all. By extension, a shitty first draft or even a terrible early outline for a draft is better than not having anything.

STOP PANICKING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

this list is for myself to look back at when I'm in a low place but maybe some of my followers might find it helpful. Anyway I gotta finish writing so I can finally have some FUCKING money

[cr3v]

UPDATE: Thank you everyone for joining this conversation. So many meaningful questions! I'm humbled by your interest. I will come back and a

Lots of adhd tips here

[theparadoxmachine]

I was so twitchy last night I didn't get to sleep until probably after 3 am. I was supposed to be at work at 8 am. I have exactly one brain cell and it is flickering like a dying light bulb.

I did get kitty cuddles last night, even though they were still mad at me for giving them their flea treatment so there's that

[besweetbyjapanesebreakfast]

i didnt get diagnosed with adhd until i was 20 and its been a few years but i’m still trying to figure out how to manage it jejdjd i constantly feel overwhelmed

im genuinely not trying to flex but i was diagnosed and treated extremely young so i dont struggle as much as lot of people do. these are some things that help me. ADHD/ADD is a venn diagram of hyperactive/inattentive and some people have both. if you are primarily inattentive (as 92% of AFAB people are) some of this may not apply to you 

white noise, i like ambient-mixer.com a lot cause theres lots of vibes to choose from but lo fi hip hop beats is also really good

my work/chill space is a dog bed on the floor with pillows cause i hate chairs, this gets me roasted for being a furry but it is vastly superior to furniture. then i usually work on a clipboard or whatever instead of a desk

this is difficult for many to achieve but i try to get several days ahead of the syllabus bc if i have a day where i just cannot focus it matters less

be mindful of food/water/caffiene/sleep when it comes to emotional regulation, sometimes i will be so upset and then eat something and be fine 

go for walks a lot cause Energy 

make a physical to-do list of all assignments or deadlines and prioritize them in terms of due date and write down the dates too. if you are still struggling break bigger projects into smaller tasks, for example instead of just “essay” stuff like “pick topic, write intro, find at least 5 sources, write at least one body paragraph, etc” 

doing a smaller and more “fun” work thing usually gets me into a headspace where im able to focus better even if its “less important.” for example, ill spend an hour putting together my radio show before i do a bunch of research on essay for a class i hate. even though the radio show is lower priority, it gets me into a productive “flow” headspace where i will get much more done on the essay much easier than if i had just started with the essay and spent most of that time frustrated, upset, and unproductive. dont end up procrastinating though 

fidget toys are cool

it can be hard to get medicated in your teens/20s because ADHD drugs are often party drugs but get medicated. personally i take ritalin “as needed” but some people need them every day. it can take time to find what works, there are both benefits and downsides to every medication that can vary from person to person 

if you struggle socially this is a good youtube channel. these videos are clearly targeted at boys whose brains are so rotted by ben shapiro and 4chan they cant pull chicks but they helped me a lot 

weed is not for everyone blah blah but i have issues winding down enough to sleep and indica helps. ADHD meds are usually appetite suppressants so this helps with eating enough during times when i am taking my meds a lot. also ear plugs, eye mask, melatonin. also i feel like weed slows me down enough that i can watch movies/TV without the downsides of my meds because i literally cant just sit and watch anything

not to be a mom but clean your living space, even just a little bit, i know it is hard but it is so important for mental state. this checklist and entire blog can help

this checklist is amazing if you have meltdowns, when youre having a meltdown go through it

if you have ADHD you are by law disabled and are entitled to reasonable accommodations. this can take the form of things like deadline extensions, extra time on tests, headphones at work, taking tests in a private space, etc. talk to your boss or college’s disability office. if you are unable to get a diagnosis at least try talking to your professors 

if you really struggle with “caring,” it may be time to switch majors or jobs or something (easier said than done ik). sometimes i have difficulties initially getting organized and focused. but when i really care about what im doing i feel like i am much more “in the zone” than someone without adhd could ever be

we are not worse we are different 

[theparadoxmachine]

My adhd (I think) has been acting up all week. I've been fidgeting and gnawing on the inside of my mouth and on pens and chewing gum like mad and now my face hurts when I eat.

[ammg-old]

The ADHD world is curvilinear. Past, present, and future are never separate and distinct. Everything is now. People with ADHD live in a permanent present and have a hard time learning from the past or looking into the future to see the inescapable consequences of their actions. “Acting without thinking” is the definition of impulsivity, and one of the reasons that individuals with ADHD have trouble learning from experience. It also means that people with ADHD aren’t good at ordination — planning and doing parts of a task in order. Tasks in the neurotypical world have a beginning, a middle, and an end. Individuals with ADHD don’t know where and how to start, since they can’t find the beginning  They jump into the middle of a task and work in all directions at once  Organization becomes an unsustainable task because organizational systems work on linearity, importance, and time.

Uncomfortable Truths About the ADHD Nervous System

[m0thlien]

do you have any study tips for people with ADHD? i'm really worried about school because textbooks have too many words and i can't focus.

Color, literally break it up by color. When I was in school I had to color code everything. it’s the only way I could separate things. Highlighters are your best friends, so are colored pens. 

On top of that, break everything up into chunks to make it more manageable. Read for a block of time then give yourself a timed break. And try your best not to procrastinate. 

Get a planner and write down all your assignments/quizzes/tests in it. And make sure the about one week before is when the majority of your studying is taking place, so that way you’re not crunching. Obviously this doesn’t always work since teachers sometimes teach all the material you need to know up until the day of the test, but it will give you an edge and help ease the studying.

Also a little bit of caffiene can actually help you focus. Not too much, so you don’t get jittery, but a cup of coffee or tea before a study sesh or test can help you zero in on what you need to do.

One last thing, putting on some instrumental music, low volume, in the background can help with the whole white noise thing. I was partial to the hobbit/lotr and celtic music channels on pandora.

Of course everyone responds differently so of course, build and alter these tips so they work for you!

Hopefully this helps! I know it helped me. 

Anyone else with tips feel free to add!