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Comment by pavel_lishin | Hacker News Reader

> I visited a psychiatrist recently and was diagnosed with ADHD.

Were you prescribed any medication? Just getting a diagnosis is good, and learning some tools to help you cope is great, but honestly medication has done wonders for me when I was taking it. (I'm not going to say which specific one, because I'm not a doctor, and what worked for me may not work for you.)

> And job market has not been so good unless I get enrolled in shady consultancies, which I don't want to.

What sort of shadiness are you talking about? If they're just crappy build-out-six-CRUD-apps-a-week shops, but their paychecks don't bounce... well, rent doesn't pay itself, you know? On the other hand, if they're doing something explicitly immoral or illegal, then yeah, avoid those.

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I can’t recommend this enough. The stigma around people with ADHD taking the medication that they are legally prescribed is toxic. And it’s not your fault.

Watch videos by “how to ADHD” Get involved in the ADHD community. Psychiatrist should also help you provide some resources. There’s a strong psychological component to dealing with a stigma around ADHD, the self loathing. ADHD often co-morbid with anxiety and depression.

Stimulant medication can help with all of these. If anything try it for a month, then stop using it, and see which world you like better.

Personally, I take stimulant medication not so I’m better at work, but so that I have the energy to be a good dad and husband after I’ve already used all of my energy, trying to be a good employee. It really helps.

Using stimulants prescribed for ADHD to have extra pep in your step is drug abuse - just sayin. You see this a lot with adults taking stimulants for ADHD.

It's not drug abuse, it's highly effective medication. https://www.adhdevidence.org/evidence

When normal activity completely drains you due to a recognized and diagnosed disorder, and you take a prescribed drug to offset that deficit - that’s called “medication”.

> Were you prescribed any medication.

Yes I'm hesitant to it because. Im worried about developinand addiction to it.

If you wouldn't mind sharing some insight from your experience how is it.

> What sort of shadiness are you talking about? Lying about my VISA status, experience etc.

I've been taking ADHD medications for 15 years, off and on, and have never developed any dependencies. You may have to experiment a little bit to find the right medication and dosage, but I don't think developing an "addiction" should be a big concern for you. Ask your provider for the lowest therapeutic dose and stick with that for as long as you can. For example, I take 27mg of Concerta (a low-dose of long acting Ritalin) and I barely notice it, except for at the end of the day, I'm like "damn, I just cranked out 6 hours of uninterrupted productive work". If you are genuinely ADHD, it will feel like putting on a pair of corrective lenses for your mind, it's not going to feel like getting high.

Thank you for your advice, I will discuss with my provider about this.

It’s worth reading up on ADHD from well respected sources, you may have preconceptions that are false - especially about the typical medication prescribed to people with ADHD.

Concerta or Ritalin, for instance, are not like some other mental health drugs where you have to take them regularly without fail to benefit. You can take it one day, benefit for that day, and not take it the next.

If you are worried about dependence, remember, you have a condition, you _need_ dopamine. If you don’t get it via a prescription, you will get it elsewhere. That’s what ADHD behaviour is - you are seeking dopamine. Maybe better from a pill than from narcotics, alcohol, or other antisocial behaviour.

> Yes I'm hesitant to it because. Im worried about developinand addiction to it.

Are you worried about getting addicted to Tylenol? If you broke your femur, would you avoid taking prescribed medication? If you're going to the dentist, do you eschew nitrous oxide and lidocaine?

I mean, yes, it's a concern - people do develop addictions - but with a proper doctor, and taking it as prescribed, the odds are pretty low.

I've been diagnosed with ADHD last year, at the age of 31, and been using methylphenidate since about then. It's not perfect, but it can be a good aid, especially in the beginning. I was afraid too, because I am prone to get addicted quite fast, but the regular appointments with my psychiatrist and a good portion of will power seem to work. I try not to take it during weekends to slow down the tolerance a bit and to learn to live without it.

Can recommend/10. And as someone else has said here in the comments. It's sad but true, the world does not resolve around "us". So keep fighting, explain yourself where it's needed and try to find your path. It's very hard though

It's usually hard to develop an addiction to these meds unless abused in higher dosages than prescribed. You're more likely to struggle with remembering to take them.

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